SAMPLE COURSE OUTLINE
INTEGRATED SCIENCE
ATAR YEAR 12
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Sample course outline
Integrated Science – ATAR Year 12
Unit 3 and Unit 4
Unit 3 – Water
Week
1
Key teaching points
Importance of water
 water cycle
 role of the different states of water in regulating climate
2–3
Properties of water
 molecular structure and surface tension
 polarity
 density
 specific heat, including calculations (Ε=mcΔT)
 buoyancy
 solubility of salts, nutrients and gases
Task 1: Science inquiry (practical) – Testing properties of water
4–5
Aquatic ecosystems
 the effects of salt concentration, phosphate, nitrate, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH and
temperature on aquatic life
 gas exchange in aquatic animals
 osmoregulation in salt and freshwater fish
 cycling of matter in aquatic ecosystems (food webs, biomass and energy pyramids)
 human use of aquatic ecosystems
Task 2: Test – Properties of water and aquatic ecosystems
6–7
 water monitoring, using physical and biological monitoring techniques (macro-invertebrate
sampling)
 impact of human activities on public drinking water
Task 3: Science inquiry (investigation) – Comparison of local aquatic ecosystems
8–10
 effect of biomagnification, eutrophication and oil spills on aquatic ecosystems
Task 4: Extended response – Aquatic environmental issues
11–12
Water resources and sustainability
 potable water sources in Western Australia
 treatment of potable water
 availability and distribution of potable water
 water resources management – desalination plants and managed aquifer recharge
Task 5: Extended response – Water treatment
13
 water treatment of domestic waste water
Task 6: Science inquiry (practical) – Treating water
14
 water catchment management strategies to help prevent dryland salinity, eutrophication and
erosion
 land use in catchment areas and preservation of natural waterways
Task 7: Test – Water sources and sustainability
15
Task 8: Examination – Semester 1
Sample course outline | Integrated Science | ATAR Year 12
2
Unit 4 – Energy
Week
Key teaching points
1–2
Energy
 forms of energy
 potential: gravitational, chemical, elastic and nuclear
 kinetic: mechanical, sound, heat, electrical
 light energy
 work
 the law of conservation of energy
Transportation
 internal combustion engine
Task 9: Extended response – Internal combustion engine
3–5
Sources of energy
 the sun as the origin of energy for
 fossil fuels as non-renewable sources of energy
 wind, biomass, biofuels, hydropower and solar as renewable sources of energy
 geothermal and nuclear as alternate sources of energy
Task 10: Test – Energy, transportation and sources of energy
6–7
Electricity
 electromagnet induction in generators
 electrochemical batteries and photovoltaic effect
Task 11: Science inquiry (investigation) – Factors affecting electricity generation
8–9
 fossil fuel power plants
 environmental impacts of fossil fuel electricity generation (resource extraction, land clearing,
emissions, waste disposal consumption and pollution of water)
 nuclear power plants
 effects of radiation on the human body
 protective measures used to safeguard against exposure to radioactive substances
 disposal of radioactive material
 advantages and disadvantages of various methods of electricity production
 energy transformations in the home
Task 12: Test – Electricity
10
Heating
 transfer of heat energy by conduction, convection, radiation and evaporation
Task 13: Science inquiry (practical) – Heat transfer
11
12–13
 space heating in the home by fossil fuels and passive solar design
Environmental and societal issues
 methods of increasing resource lifetimes – shale gas from hydraulic fracturing (fracking)
 domestic energy efficiency and consumption
 energy efficiency calculations
 power
 power calculations
 alternative fuels and the reduction of environmental impact
 international agreements to reduce greenhouse emissions and the need to find new
technologies
 renewable energy resources are informed by environmental, economic and political
considerations
 advantages and disadvantages of various methods of electricity production
Task 14: Test – Heating and environmental and societal issues
14
Examination revision
15
Task 15: Examination – Semester 2
Sample course outline | Integrated Science | ATAR Year 12