Teaching program
Chapter 4:
Big Idea:
Systems of life
Interdependence
Section
Science
understanding
Learning
experiences
Science Inquiry
skills
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
4.1 What are
ecosystems
?
Ecosystems
consist of
communities of
interdependent
organisms and
abiotic
components of
the
environment;
matter and
energy flow
through these
systems
(ACSSU176)
o Discovering ideas:
Dynamic ecosystems
o Zooming in:
Comparing
ecosystems
o Practivity 4.1: Food
for thought
o Practivity 4.2:
Photosynthesis roleplay
o Zooming In:
Termites recycle
carbon
o Practivity 4.3:
Pollination – how
does it help?
o Experiment 4.1:
Effect of carbon
dioxide on starch
production
o Experiment 4.2:
Observing
competition by
creating a garden
Communicating
o Zooming in:
Comparing
ecosystems
o Practivity 4.3:
Pollination – how does
it help?
Science as
a human
endeavour
(embedded
throughout
all chapters)
NA
Planning and
conducting
o Experiment 4.1:
Effect of carbon
dioxide on starch
production
o Experiment 4.2:
Observing competition
by creating a garden
Processing and
analysing data and
information
o Experiment 4.1:
Effect of carbon
dioxide on starch
production
o Experiment 4.2:
Observing competition
by creating a garden
Oxford Big Ideas Science 9: Australian Curriculum
General
capabilities
and crosscurriculum
priorities
Possible
teaching
strategies
Assessment
Extra
resources
Achievement
Standards
Critical and
creative
thinking
See:
o Practivity 4.1:
Food for
thought
o Practivity 4.2:
Photosynthesis
role-play
Group work –
including in
Practivity 4.2:
Photosynthesis
role play
A formal
experiment
report could be
submitted for
Experiment 4.1:
Effect of carbon
dioxide on starch
production.
Various leaves
for the section
on
photosynthesis.
These could be
used for looking
at under the
microscope or in
experiment
where the
chlorophyll is
removed.
Students can
analyse how
biological
systems
function and
respond to
external
changes with
reference to
interdependen
cies, energy
transfers and
flows of
matter.
Inquiry-based
learning could
be utilised for
students to
select a
Information
symbiotic or
and
parasitic
communicatio relationship to
n technology
research and
competence
present in a
See:
short
o Practivity 4.3: PowerPoint or
Pollination –
poster
how does it
presentation.
help?
Sustainability
See:
o Zooming in:
Termites
recycle carbon
ISBN 978-0-19-557357-2
Inquiry-based
learning could
be utilised for
students to
select a
symbiotic or
parasitic
relationship to
research and
present in a
short
PowerPoint or
poster
presentation.
There are many
good
documentaries
on the various
relationships
between
different species
(symbiosis,
parasitism, etc).
Materials for
quadrats
(sampling
squares).
© Oxford University Press Australia
Section
Science
understanding
4.2 What
affects
population
size in
ecosystems
?
Ecosystems
consist of
communities of
interdependent
organisms and
abiotic
components of
the
environment;
matter and
energy flow
through these
systems
(ACSSU176)
Learning
experiences
Science Inquiry
skills
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
Science as
a human
endeavour
(embedded
throughout
all chapters)
Use and
o Discovering ideas: Questioning and
predicting
Influence of
Human population
Science
o Zooming in:
See:
Threatened
Design your own:
The values
Australian plants
Estimating
and needs of
o Literacy lab: Global populations
contemporar
action needed to
y society can
Planning and
conserve Arctic
influence the
conducting
biodiversity
focus of
o Design your own:
See:
scientific
Estimating
o Design your own:
research
populations
Estimating populations (ACSHE228)
See:
Communicating
o Literacy
See:
Lab: Global
Teachers may wish
Design your own:
action
to organise an
Estimating populations needed to
incursion involving
conserve
an environmental
Arctic
scientist or similar.
biodiversity
Oxford Big Ideas Science 9: Australian Curriculum
General
capabilities
and crosscurriculum
priorities
Possible
teaching
strategies
Assessment
Extra
resources
Achievement
Standards
Critical and
creative
thinking
See:
o Discovering
ideas: Human
population
Students may
benefit from a
practical and
hands on lesson
taking quadrats
either in the
school yard or
(even better) at
a natural
ecosystem like a
marsh, coastal
area or forest.
Quadrats are
typically one
metre squares
and made using
wood and string
or plastic piping.
Many schools
may already
have pre-made
quadrats
available.
A formal report
could be
submitted for
Design your
own: Estimating
populations.
Materials for
quadrats
(sampling
squares) - see
possible
teaching
strategies.
Students can
analyse how
biological
systems
function and
respond to
external
changes with
reference to
interdependen
cies, energy
transfers and
flows of
matter.
Sustainability
See:
o Zooming in:
Threatened
Australian
plants
o Literacy Lab:
Global action
needed to
conserve Arctic
biodiversity
ISBN 978-0-19-557357-2
A crosscurricular
assessment task
with English /
Humanities
could involve
further research
into the effect of
climate change
in the Arctic (see
Literacy Lab:
Global action
needed to
conserve Arctic
biodiversity).
© Oxford University Press Australia
The film ‘An
inconvenient
truth’ addresses
many of the
negative
impacts that
humans have
had on the
natural
environment
including climate
change.
2
Section
Science
understanding
Learning
experiences
Science Inquiry
skills
(embedded
throughout all
chapters)
4.3 How do
natural
changes
affect
ecosystems
?
Ecosystems
consist of
communities of
interdependent
organisms and
abiotic
components of
the
environment;
matter and
energy flow
through these
systems
(ACSSU176)
o Discovering ideas:
The extremes of
Lake Eyre
o Practivity 4.4:
Natural disasters in
Australia
Processing and
analysing data and
information
See:
o Practivity 4.4:
Natural disasters in
Australia
Teachers may wish
to organise a field
trip or excursion to a
natural ecosystem in
the local area. A
local nature park or
coastal area may be
good examples as
they will show signs
of human and
natural impacts.
Communicating
See:
o Practivity 4.4:
Natural disasters in
Australia
Science as
a human
endeavour
(embedded
throughout
all chapters)
Use and
influence of
science
Advances in
science and
emerging
sciences
and
technologies
can
significantly
affect
people’s
lives,
including
generating
new career
opportunities
(ACSHE161)
General
capabilities
and crosscurriculum
priorities
Possible
teaching
strategies
Assessment
Extra
resources
Achievement
Standards
Critical and
creative
thinking
See:
o Practivity 4.4:
Natural
disasters in
Australia
Group work –
students could
work in groups
to discuss how
people can best
prepare and
plan for
droughts, floods
and bushfires.
Students could
further research
Australia’s
floods and
droughts and
investigate their
causes.
Computers and
internet access
for further
research into
floods and
drought in
Australia.
Students could
further
investigate the
benefits of
bushfires on
ecosystems
including the
indigenous
Australian
practices of
burning to
promote growth
and other
environmental
practices.
Bushfire safety
campaign
examples –
information is
available online
and through
local
Government
agencies
including the
CFA.
Students can
analyse how
biological
systems
function and
respond to
external
changes with
reference to
interdependen
cies, energy
transfers and
flows of
matter.
See:
Planning for
droughts,
floods and
bushfires.
Oxford Big Ideas Science 9: Australian Curriculum
ISBN 978-0-19-557357-2
Class discussion
– students could
discuss the
difference
between human
impacts on
ecosystems and
natural changes
and impacts.
© Oxford University Press Australia
3