Students are stepped through the syllabus to ensure they meet the learning intentions, starting at:
Connect, extend, challenge routine
Working scientifically
A skills chapter in each staged book prepares students for the process of working scientifically to conduct investigations and experiments. A range of practical activities integrated with the chapter content provide students with plenty of opportunities to apply their skills. By establishing their scientific reporting skills in Stages 4 & 5, they will build essential competency for Stage 6.
- Chapter maps – visual representations that lay out the content ahead to give students an overview of the topic.
- Learning goals – helpful dot points to outline what the students will learn in the chapter ahead.
- Chapter content – presented in a clear uncluttered layout with student friendly language and carefully chosen illustrations, photos and diagrams. Digital feature: students will also find Australian-made video content, interactive widgets, roll-over glossary definitions and more in the Interactive Textbook.
- Quick Checks – assesses a student’s information retention as they progress through the content plus Explore activities extend capable students.
Digital feature: Each of these activity types are available to download from the Interactive Textbook or the questions can be answered online. Teachers can choose to make the suggested responses available for students. - A wide range of hands-on practical
activities – teacher demonstrations, student-designed experiments, open-ended investigations and authentic STEM activities are integrated throughout each chapter to help students relate the topic content to the experiment or activity.
Digital feature: Each activity is available for download in the Interactive Textbook.
A reflection activity at the end of a chapter gives students the opportunity to reflect on the new ideas they have learned; to make connections to their everyday lives, to wonder how they have been extended in their thinking, and what concepts have challenged them in this process.
- Chapter Checklist – short example questions helps students revise and track the progress of their learning, ensuring that every piece of content is linked to a learning objective.
Digital feature: The digital version of the checklist allows students to answer multiple choice questions that automatically checks their list with each correct answer. - Section Questions – allow students to recall and revise the knowledge gained in the section. Questions are categorised as Remembering, Understanding, Applying, Analysing, Evaluating.
Digital feature: Section questions can be answered using a Workspace and students can self-assess their answers by accessing the suggested responses if the teacher has enabled them. - Data Questions at the end of a chapter – help students apply their understanding, as well as analyse and interpret different graphical representations of data linked to the chapter content.
