AC9S5U02 Year 5 Science

AC9S5U02 – Year 5 Science: Earth and space sciences

Strand

Science understanding

Substrand

Earth and space sciences

This Content Descriptor from Year 5 Science provides the specific knowledge and skills students should learn. Use it to plan lessons, create learning sequences, and design assessments that align with the Australian Curriculum v9.

Content Descriptor

describe how weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition cause slow or rapid change to Earth’s surface

Elaborations

• identifying types of weathering caused by mechanical means such as by wind abrasion, cycles of extreme heat or cold, and frost wedging; and biological means such as by plants and tree roots
• exploring how erosion can be caused by moving air or moving water and how substances such as surface soil are relocated, and identifying examples of erosion on a local or regional scale
• analysing the difference between weathering and erosion and comparing the timescales over which these processes can occur
• modelling the effects of erosion on a simulated landscape and exploring factors that mitigate its effects
• investigating how humans have changed local landscapes and predicting the effect these changes might have on rates of erosion
• considering how First Nations Australians are impacted by the rapid erosion of sand dunes and the resulting effect of saltwater on culturally significant freshwater swamps
• considering the effects of significant rainfall, such as a monsoon, on the transportation and deposition of river sediments in the Asia-Pacific region

Achievement Standard This Supports

This Content Descriptor contributes to the following Achievement Standard:

Year 5 ASSCIY5

Year 5 Science Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 5 students explain how the form and behaviour of living things enables survival. They describe key processes that change Earth’s surface. They identify sources of light and model the transfer of light to explain observed phenomena. They relate the particulate arrangement of solids, liquids and gases to their observable properties. They describe examples of collaboration leading to advances in science, and scientific knowledge that has changed over time. They identify examples where scientific knowledge informs the actions of individuals and communities. Students plan safe investigations to identify patterns and relationships and make reasoned predictions. They identify risks associated with investigations and key intercultural considerations when planning field work. They identify variables to be changed and measured. They use equipment to generate data with appropriate precision. They construct representations to organise data and information and describe patterns, trends and relationships. They compare their methods and findings to those of others, identify possible sources of error in their investigation, pose questions for further investigation and draw reasoned conclusions. They use language features that reflect their purpose and audience when communicating their ideas and findings.