the draft curriculum
Proposed 11-12 Science Courses
The draft senior secondary science curriculum
documents were released for consultation on 14
May.
Only the science content is available for consultation
at this time.
Consultation on this content will close on 30 July.
Senior secondary achievement standards will be
developed during 2010 and will be available for
consultation in 2011.
Current and Proposed 11-12 Science Courses
Current Board of Studies
developed courses
Proposed Australian
Curriculum courses
Biology
Biology
Chemistry
Chemistry
Earth and Environmental
Science
Earth and Environmental
Science
Physics
Physics
Senior Science
The existing NSW course could
continue to be offered by schools
Course structure
 Each course is comprised of 4 units of 50-60 hours
duration studied during a 2 year period.
 The four units were developed such that there is
conceptual progression (re level of difficulty/
appropriateness) as students move from unit 1 to unit 4
 Achievement standards for each course for each year
of schooling will accompany the final documents to
support planning, programming and assessment.
Organisation of the curriculum
Biology
Chemistry
Earth and
Environmental
Science
Unit 1 : Cells
and the
functioning
organism
Unit 1:
Chemical
patterns and
reactions
Unit 1: Origins
and
interactions
Unit 1: Motion
and energy
Unit 2: Change
and survival
Unit 2:
Chemicals in
the
environment
Unit 2: The
dynamic Earth
Unit 2:
Radiation and
nuclear
physics
Unit 3: Cells
and systems in
action
Unit 3: Using
chemical
processes
Unit 3: Life
through time
Unit 3: Space
science
Unit 4:
Heredity and
change
Unit 4:
Chemical
analysis and
synthesis
Unit 4
Managing
environmental
change
Unit 4:
Physical
models and
relationships
Physics
Course structure
 Course content within each unit is organised under
three strands:
• Science understanding
• Science as a human endeavour
• Science inquiry skills
 The content within each strand supports the
learning in the other two strands.
 The content descriptions provided identify the
mandatory content for each of the four courses.
Course Structure
• social and
ethical impact
• applications
• historical
aspects
• career paths
Inquiry Skills
Science as a
Human
Endeavour
• the skills of being
a scientist
Science
Understanding
•
•
•
•
•
concepts
principles
Laws
theories
models
Content Description structure:
Analyse and evaluate information relating to earth and
environmental science, including:
• researching and synthesising information from a range of
sources
• using and interpreting models and simulations to aid
understanding of earth and environmental science concepts
(for example, the origin of the universe, the hole in the
ozone layer)
• evaluating the scientific accuracy of claims in advertising
and the media
• using evidence as the primary criterion for decisions about
the validity of suggested ideas and arguments.
Delivery options
 Students would complete a course by undertaking all
4 units identified within the course structure
 Students may do more than one science course
concurrently, and if they did so they would find
common concepts developed across the courses.
e.g. Generation of energy may be considered from
both a Chemistry and a Physics perspective.
Does the content of these courses identify the important learning
we value in the subject?
Is the cognitive demand of these courses appropriate?
Does the content present a logical progression of learning from the
K-10 curriculum?
Are the units broad and deep enough to engage and challenge our
students?
Can each unit be delivered in the recommended 50-60 indicative
hours?
Additional questions for evaluating
curriculum

Do the courses cater for a range of students such as
those who take the NSW courses now?

Is there sufficient flexibility to tailor curriculum to suit
students’ interests, needs and abilities?

Is this a curriculum that will prepare students for the
future?

Is there adequate quality and rigour in the curriculum?

Does the curriculum provide adequate prescription for
teachers?
Online forum
To register for the forum:
http://currk12.janison.com/curriculum/register/register.htm
 If you have any problems with registering please contact
Chris Dorbis via email or telephone 98867496.
If you have been issued a password, please click on the
following link to enter the forum.

To enter the forum:
http://currk12.janison.com/toolbox/desktop/logon.asp
 The latest version of the Australian Science senior years
curriculum and this PowerPoint are available in the
forum.


If all else fails.........
If you encounter difficulties accessing the various
avenues for consultation, simply email your comments
to:
glen.sawle@det.nsw.edu.au
or
richard.morant@det.nsw.edu.au
or
Fax your comments to (02) 9886 7154