CS5 - Stage 6 Senior Science Unit Overview
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Introduction
This document aims to identify activities that can be performed
in the Upper Parramatta River Catchment and are relevant to modules
in the NSW Stage 6 Senior Science Syllabus. The document will highlight
opportunities created by using the Upper Parramatta River Catchment
to integrate columns 1, 2 and 3 in the modules and hence enrich
learning and manage teaching time more efficiently.
Water for Living: Pollution in My Day
Contextual Outline
The Earth’s water budget was essentially fixed as it cooled
when gaseous water condensed and settled on the cooling planet.
Free water exists in liquid form as surface and ground water and
it is this water which is available for living things. It is also
in the atmosphere as the main gas that absorbs back radiation from
the earth to assist in stabilising the earth’s surface temperatures
and climatic conditions.
The terrain and climate determine the amount of water available
for an individual continent. Australia has an arid environment because
its water budget is limited in most areas due to a combination of
factors, such as the Great Dividing Range, which limits rain coming
in from the east, the Papua-New Guinea Highlands, which limit rain
entering inland from the north, and very cold atmospheric and ocean
currents coming in from Antarctica, which limit rain entering Australia
from the south.
The NSW river systems have been disturbed by many factors, including
run-off from pastoral systems and the damming and re-routing of
others. There are now limits regulating the discharge permitted
into the river systems and the health of these systems is continuing
to improve.
Prescribed Focus Areas
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Syllabus Objectives
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Syllabus Outcomes
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Students will develop knowledge and understanding of:
- The nature and practice of science
- Applications and uses of science
- The implications of science for society and the environment
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A student:
P2. applies the processes that are used to test and validate
models, theories and laws of science, with particular emphasis
on first-hand investigations
P3. assesses the impact of particular technological advances
on science
P4. identifies applications of science that affect society
and the environment
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Domain: Knowledge and Understanding
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Syllabus Objectives
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Syllabus Outcomes
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Students will develop knowledge and understanding of:
- the resources of the Earth
- internal and external environments
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A Student:
P6. identifies the origins of Earth’s resources
P7. explains relationships between organisms in the environment
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Domain: Skills
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Syllabus Objectives
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Syllabus Outcomes
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Students will develop skills in:
11. planning investigations
12. conducting investigations
13. communicating information and understanding
14. developing scientific thinking and problem-solving techniques
15. working individually and in teams
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A Student:
P11. identifies and implements improvements to investigation
plans
P12. discusses the validity and reliability of data gathered
from first-hand investigations and secondary sources
P13. identifies appropriate terminology and reporting styles
to communicate information and understanding in science
P14. draws valid conclusions from gathered data and information
P15. implements strategies to work effectively as an individual
or as a member of a team
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Domain: Values and Attitudes
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Syllabus Objectives
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Syllabus Outcomes
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Students will develop positive values about and attitudes
towards:
themselves, others, learning as a lifelong process, science
and the environment
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A student:
P16. demonstrates positive values about and attitudes towards
both the living and non-living components of the environment,
ethical behaviour and a desire for a critical evaluation of
the consequences of the applications of science
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Core Content
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Outcomes
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Students Learn To:
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Students:
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Skills
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Activities/ Teaching Learning Sequence
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P6, P7
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4. The possible strategies to reduce water pollution can
be a personal initiative and a government legislation
Students learn to:
• describe some of the strategies that households use
to reduce water pollution
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• identify data sources, plan, gather, process, analyse
and present information and use available evidence to outline
ways of reducing water pollution
• perform a first-hand investigation to determine the
amount of water used per household for activities such as
– water used per toilet flush
– water use per shower
– water use by dishwasher
– water use by washing machine
and identify ways in which it can be reduced
• identify data sources, gather, process, analyse, solve
problems associated with and present information and use available
evidence to develop an action plan to use water sustainably
both locally and globally
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P11, P13, P14
P16
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Information Sheets
E3
– Environmental Legislation Issues
E7
- Water pollution Issues
Using the information sheet and the NSW Government website
(www.nsw.gov.au), if necessary, write a
summary of how each of the pieces of legislation affect people
in the Upper Parramatta River Catchment.
Describe the major pollutants of surface water in the Upper
Parramatta River Catchment
What impact do these pollutants have on living things in
the waterways?
Activity 1 AS9
– Home Environment Checklist
Activity 2 AS10
– Chemicals in the Home Survey
Activity 3 AS13
- Water Use in the Home
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P2, P4, P6
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5. Water pollution at the global level impacts on global
water
Students learn to:
• discuss types of indicator organisms that are found
in safe water supplies and those found in polluted water
• define what is meant by a catchment
• identify the local catchment area(s) and the sources
of water feeding into this catchment
• describe possible sources of contamination that may
enter catchments
• describe the types of tests that are used to monitor
and assess local water quality
• explain how water quality in one area can impact on
the water quality in other areas
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• plan, choose equipment or resources for, and perform
a first-hand investigation to determine the indicator organisms
present in and the chemical purity of water from the local
catchment area
• gather information on the source of water feeding
into the local catchment area using maps or field trips
• gather information from secondary sources concerning
the use and treatment of local water
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P13
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Part of activity in Local Environment below
Information Sheet-
C4
- Geomorphology
Use maps to describe the Upper Parramatta River Catchment
See Sydney Water website, www.sydneywater.com.au, Upper Parramatta
River Catchment Trust website, www.uprct.nsw.gov.au and local government
websites
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Unit 8.5 Local Environment
Contextual
Outline
The immediate environment has an impact on all living things in
many different ways. Each local environment has unique physical,
chemical, geological and biological features that are related to
various cycles in operation. The interaction of those features determine
the ecosystems that are present and the type and number of flora
and fauna the ecosystem is able to sustain. By drawing on their
existing knowledge of the local area,
students are able to expand their understanding of the scientific
concepts that impact on or are caused by biotic and abiotic factors
operating in the environment.
The complexity of ecosystems can make them difficult to study and
to understand but field study can also be very exciting and rewarding
as information is collected, analysed and discussed, leading to
a better understanding of the local area. students should be encouraged
to analyse those aspects of the local environment that have been
affected by people and propose realistic solutions to the problems
that may
exist as they undertake field work and develop their report. The
report should include: a statement of purpose, a clear and detailed
definition of the area studied, any background material collected
on the area, appropriate presentation of data collected, analysis
of data,
discussion of the relationships that exist in the area and an assessment
of human impact on the area.
Assumed Knowledge
Refer to the Science Stages 4–5 Syllabus for the following:
4.10a describe some adaptations of living things to factors in
their environment
4.10b describe how producers, consumers and decomposers in Australian
ecosystems are related, using food chains and food webs
4.10c recall the roles of photosynthesis and respiration in ecosystems
Outcomes
The main course outcomes to which this module contributes are:
A student:
P2 applies the processes that are used to test and validate models,
theories and laws of science, with particular emphasis on first-hand
investigations
P4 identifies applications of science that affect society and the
environment
P6 identifies the origins of Earth’s resources
P7 explains relationships between organisms in the environment
P8 describes reactions between compounds
P11 identifies and implements improvements to investigation plans
P12 discusses the validity and reliability of data gathered from
first-hand investigations and secondary sources
P13 identifies appropriate terminology and reporting styles to
communicate information and understanding in science
P14 draws valid conclusions from gathered data and information
P15 implements strategies to work effectively as an individual
or as a member of a team
P16 demonstrates positive values about and attitude towards both
the living and non-living components of the environment, ethical
behaviour and a desire for a critical evaluation of the consequences
of the applications of science
Core Content
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Outcomes
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Students Learn To:
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Students:
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Skills
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Activities/ Teaching Learning Sequence
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P2, P7
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3. Each local aquatic or terrestrial ecosystem is unique
Students learn to:
• examine trends in population sizes for some plant
and animal species within the ecosystem
• recall how producers, consumers and decomposers are
related using food chains and food webs
• outline factors that affect numbers in predator and
prey populations
• identify examples of parasitism, mutualism and commensalism
in the local ecosystem and the role of the organisms in each
type of relationship
• explain the importance of the role of decomposers
in the ecosystem
• explain trophic interactions between organisms in
the ecosystem using food chains, food webs and pyramids of
biomass and energy where appropriate
• outline energy flow and cycling of matter in the local
ecosystem studied
• recall some adaptations of living things to factors
in their environment
• identify and describe adaptations of a plant and an
animal from the local ecosystem
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Students:
• gather and process first-hand and secondary information
to identify OH&S issues to identify potential sources
of physical, chemical and biological risk before they undertake
their investigation of a local terrestrial or aquatic environment
• plan, choose equipment or resources for, and perform
a field study of a local terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem
to:
– measure abiotic variables in the ecosystem being studied
using appropriate instruments, compare with recorded values
and relate this to the distribution of organisms
– estimate the size of a plant and an animal population
in the ecosystem using transects and/or random quadrats and/or
capture-recapture and tagging/marking techniques
– gather data to describe the distribution of the plant
and animal species whose abundance has been estimated
– use available evidence to describe observed trophic
interactions and distribution and abundance of two plant and
animal species found in the area
– gather, present and analyse data by:
– tabulation of data collected in the study
– graphing changes with time in the measured environmental
data
• plan, identify equipment or resources for, and perform
a first-hand investigation (where appropriate) to determine
the indicator organisms present in, and the chemical purity
of, water in the local environment being studied
• process and analyse information to prepare a report
on the field study undertaken of the local ecosystem in which
the purpose is introduced, the methods described and the results
shown graphically and use available evidence to discuss the
results
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P11 P13, P14
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Field Trip
Use the Streamwatch water bug detective guide to construct
a key for macroinvertebrates.
Visit the chosen test site.
Carry out a macroinvertebrate study of the chosen creek and
use the Streamwatch water bug detective guide to determine
a pollution rating of the waterway.
Use the school data logger, Streamwatch kit or other kit
to perform water quality tests.
Comment on the correlation between the water quality results
and the types of macroinvertebrates present and the water
bug pollution rating.
Choose one of the macroinvertebrates found and make scale
drawings of it.
Label 3 adaptations of the macroinvertebrate and relate these
to the stream environment in which it lives.
Use the habitat assessment sheets AS7 to carry out a habitat
assessment of the creek at your test site.
What are the predominant plant types at your site? Identify
as many as you can.
Are any weeds present? Use the weed information sheet to
identify as many weeds as you can.
Choose one weed and make a scale drawing of it and of its
major features including leaves, flowers and any fruiting
bodies.
Describe the adaptations that make this a successful weed.
Changes over time
Examine past water quality data for your site (or the nearest
available site) obtained from the Streamwatch website, www.streamwatch.org.au
Present the data in the form of a graph for each parameter
to show trends over time.
Calculate mean values for each parameter.
Account for any variations.
Examine aerial photos from 1951 and 2001. Use the photos
to list the changes you can observe that have occurred over
this 50 year period.
Report
Use the above information and the results of your field trip
to write a report about the human impact on ecosystems in
the Upper Parramatta River Catchment. The report should cover
the purpose of the investigation, the methodology and results
of investigations.
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P2, P4
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4. The impact of humans on aquatic and terrestrial environments
varies from place to place
Students Learn to:
• describe the effects of a range of human impacts on
the local environment
• outline criteria for local government regulations
concerning zoning of the land for such as
– domestic housing
– units
– schools
– public transport facilities
– commercial developments
– primary produce
– industrial use
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• gather, process, analyse and present information from
secondary sources to trace the use of the local environment
over the last 50 years
• gather information from secondary sources to outline
local government regulations on land zoning for domestic,
commercial and industrial use
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P12, P14, P16
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Examine aerial photos from 1951 and 2001. Use the photos
to list the changes you can observe that have occurred over
this 50 year period.
Information Sheets
C6
- Landuse
C8
- Social History
E3
- Environmental Legislation
Local Government websites
(Baulkham Hill Shire Council, www.bhsc.nsw.gov.au, Blacktown
City Council, www.blacktown.nsw.gov.au,
Holroyd City Council, www.holroyd.nsw.gov.au,
Parramatta City Council, www.parracity.nsw.gov.au)
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