Year 7 Science invites students to look more closely at the world and ask, “How does this actually work?” They explore big ideas such as how living things are grouped, how ecosystems stay balanced, how mixtures and materials behave, how forces affect motion, and how the Earth, sun and moon create patterns we notice every day.
As students investigate these ideas, they learn to ask thoughtful questions, test predictions, collect and interpretevidence, and explain their thinking clearly. The Australian Curriculum is designed to build both scientific understanding and curiosity, helping students see science not just as a subject, but as a way of exploring real-world problems, making sense of everyday life, and discovering the hidden patterns behind the world around them.
Unit 1: Chemistry - Particle Theory; Particle Model; Separating Mixtures
Students will learn essential laboratory equipment and safety, as well as correct techniques in using the Bunsen burner. Students will use particle theory to explain physical properties of substances, highlighting the differences between solids, liquids and gases in terms of attractive forces, relative distances and movement of particles. Based on students understanding of particle theory, they will represent pure substances and mixtures and analyse how the physical properties of substances in a mixture can be used as basis for developing separation processes. Students will explain the role of science communication in shaping viewpoints, policies and regulations around household waste and recycling OR desalination plants producing fresh | Unit 1 Assessment
Exam - Particle theory and model.
Plan and conduct a separating substances experiment. Written response to explain science communication
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Unit 2: Earth and Space Students will learn how to model cycles of the Earth-sun-moon systems and explain how these effect phenomena on Earth. Students will develop skills to select, organise, process and represent data and information. They will analyse their data/information to describe trends, patterns and relationships. Student assessment will include the use of teacher-provided information and data to create a digital presentation for a family member using an iPad app. They will select one of the following topics tides, lunar cycles, eclipses, seasons, day lengths, various calendars including indigenous. Students will identify factors that have led to the development and changes from the earth centric to the sun centric theories.
| Unit 2: Assesment
Digital Presentation to model and explain a phenomenon of the Earth-Moon-Sun system.
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Unit 3: Biology Students will learn how to explain biologicaldiversity and represent flow of matter and energy. They will use this to predict environmental changes. Students will develop inquiry skills that form the basis of evaluating claims using given data sets. They will work collaboratively to present science as a human endeavour for addressing invasive species through a science week poster.
| Unit 3 Assessment
Exam: Biodiversity, flow of matter-energy, predict change. Structured response to evaluate a claim. Data sets provided.
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Unit 4: Physics Students will investigate balanced and unbalanced forces analysing the effect on an objects motion such as starting, stopping and changing direction. They will define gravitational force as an attractive force pulling objects towards the centre of Earth. Students will conduct an experiment measuring frictional forces with a force meter. They will process their quantitative data in tables and graphs, analyse it to describe the patterns, trends and relationships and use this to support their conclusions. They will identify possible sources of error in their methods and identify unansweredquestions in their conclusions.
| Unit 4 Assessment Scientific Report into frictional forces. Exam – Analysing forces
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