AC9S8U04 Year 8 Science

AC9S8U04 – Year 8 Science: Earth and space sciences

Strand

Science understanding

Substrand

Earth and space sciences

This Content Descriptor from Year 8 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 the key processes of the rock cycle, including the timescales over which they occur, and examine how the properties of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks reflect their formation and influence their use

Elaborations

• comparing the observable properties of different types of rocks and identifying them using a provided dichotomous key
• exploring the major processes of the rock cycle including weathering, erosion, deposition, melting, crystallisation, uplift, heat and pressure in the formation of different types of rocks
• analysing the role of forces and heat energy in the formation of different types of rocks and comparing how quickly or slowly different processes can occur
• examining fossil evidence, such as body, trace or opalised fossils, to predict how and when a rock was formed
• explaining the uses of different types of rocks with reference to their properties and formation
• exploring the traditional geological knowledges of First Nations Australians that are used in the selection of different rock types for different purposes
• investigating how First Nations Australians have used quarrying to access rocks for use as or production of everyday objects such as grindstones, hammerstones, anvils and cutting tools

Show 1 more elaboration

• exploring how the mining of ores and minerals impacts on local environments and examining environmental rehabilitation initiatives

Achievement Standard This Supports

This Content Descriptor contributes to the following Achievement Standard:

Year 8 ASSCIY8

Year 8 Science Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 8 students explain the role of specialised cell structures and organelles in cellular function and analyse the relationship between structure and function at organ and body system levels. They apply an understanding of the theory of plate tectonics to explain patterns of change in the geosphere. They explain how the properties of rocks relate to their formation and influence their use. They compare different forms of energy and represent transfer and transformation of energy in simple systems. They classify and represent different types of matter and distinguish between physical and chemical change. Students analyse how different factors influence development of and lead to changes in scientific knowledge. They analyse the key considerations that inform scientific responses and how these responses impact society. They analyse the importance of science communication in shaping viewpoints, policies and regulations. Students plan and conduct safe, reproducible investigations to test relationships and explore models. They describe potential ethical issues and intercultural considerations needed for specific field locations or use of secondary data. They select and use equipment to generate and record data with precision. They select and construct appropriate representations to organise and process data and information. They analyse data and information to describe patterns, trends and relationships and identify anomalies. They identify assumptions and sources of error in methods and analyse conclusions and claims with reference to conflicting evidence and unanswered questions. They construct evidence-based arguments to support conclusions and evaluate claims. They select and use language and text features appropriately for their purpose when communicating their ideas, findings and arguments to specific audiences.