Australia · ACARA Content Descriptions
Year 7 Science
This course introduces students to the foundational principles of scientific inquiry through the study of biological classification, gravitational forces, and chemical separations. Students develop skills in experimental design and data analysis while exploring the interconnectedness of Earth systems and the diversity of life.
The Art of Classification
Students explore the diversity of living things and how scientists use classification systems to organize and communicate information about the natural world.
Understanding the hierarchical systems used to group organisms based on shared characteristics.
Developing and using tools to identify unknown species through a series of choices.
Investigating how classified organisms interact within food webs and ecosystems.
Mixtures and Pure Substances
An investigation into the composition of matter and the physical techniques used to separate complex mixtures into their components.
Distinguishing between pure substances and mixtures in everyday life.
Applying physical processes like filtration, evaporation, and chromatography to recover substances.
Exploring the factors that affect how substances dissolve in liquids.
Forces in Motion
Students explore the invisible pulls and pushes that govern the movement of objects, focusing on gravity and magnetism.
Examining gravity as a non-contact force that acts between objects with mass.
Investigating the behavior of magnets and the effects of static electricity.
Exploring how machines use forces to make work easier by changing magnitude or direction.
Earth, Moon, and Sun
A study of the celestial cycles that create our days, years, seasons, and tides.
Investigating how Earth's tilt and orbit create predictable weather patterns.
Explaining the changing appearance of the Moon and the occurrence of solar and lunar eclipses.
Examining the history and future of human interaction with our nearest celestial neighbor.
Water as a Resource
An analysis of the water cycle and the management of water as a precious global resource.
Tracing the movement of water through the atmosphere, biosphere, and geosphere.
Evaluating how humans access, treat, and conserve water for different uses.
Investigating how local geography affects water quality and ecosystem health.
Scientific Investigations
Students apply the scientific method to design and conduct their own independent research projects.
Learning how to identify variables and control experiments to ensure valid results.
Collecting, organizing, and interpreting quantitative and qualitative data.
Presenting scientific findings to an audience using appropriate language and formats.