Tasmanian Curriculum : Science

All four strands of the Science curriculum document have strong links to sustainability, as outlined below.

Science as a human endeavour – strong link through the last main idea, in particular, Applications of science have systems impacts.
Scientific inquiry - the links are not explicitly made, but teachers can identify many opportunities to conduct inquiries around sustainability issues. Some examples are included in the sample learning activities, such as:

investigating what happens to paper/plastic/food scraps/cans/glass bottles left in the open
investigating how a local area changes following a disturbance such as a bushfire
investigating how much water is used if the tap is left running whilst cleaning teeth
investigating energy use in their households.

Science communication - the links are not explicitly made, but there are many opportunities for acquiring, critically evaluating and communicating information to have a sustainability focus. Some examples are included in the sample learning activities, such as:

creating a column graph to show the ways in which people use water in their homes
interviewing an expert or visiting a local recycling plant to find out what happens to objects after they are placed in the recycling bins
reporting on the effect that the introduction of exotic species to an ecosystem can have on its nature and viability
presenting a considered view as part of a debate on a global issue, such as the selling of uranium, for example, through a role play.

Science as a body of knowledge - sustainability is explicitly referred to in the last main idea of each sub-strand:

humans use energy and this raises ethical and sustainability issues
humans use matter and this raises ethical and sustainability issues
humans interact with ecosystems and this raises ethical and sustainability issues
humans use the earth and this raises ethical and sustainability issues.

Examples of sustainability links to main ideas in the Tasmanian curriculum

In an Energy unit, with an Energy and force focus

	Main idea	Possible sustainability link
Science as a body of knowledge – Energy and force	The behaviour of objects is determined by the forces that act on them	How is energy generated in the area we are considering? e.g. wind turbine, hydro
	Energy can be transferred and transformed	How is energy used in our community? Where does it come from?
	Humans use energy and this raises ethical and sustainability issues	What are the positive and negative effects of humans using energy? What issues does this raise?
Science as a human endeavour	Scientists work, think, inquire and know in particular ways	How do scientists find better ways of generating energy? How do they find out about the effect that a wind farm is having on a particular area?
	Applications of science have shaped and changed the world	What has been the impact of building dams to generate energy?
	Applications of science have systems impacts	Why did people protest against the building of some Tasmanian dams?

In a Waste unit, with a Matter focus

	Main idea	Possible sustainability link
Science as a body of knowledge - Matter	The chemical and physical properties of materials are determined by their structure	What are the characteristics of the different types of waste that we produce?
	Materials react and change in a variety of ways	How do different materials break down – what happens if you leave them outside?
	Humans use matter and this raises ethical and sustainability issues	What are the positive and negative effects of human waste in the environment that we are studying? What issues does this raise?
Science as a human endeavour	Scientists work, think, inquire and know in particular ways	How do scientists find new ways of recycling materials? How do they find out about the effect that waste is having on a particular area?
	Applications of science have shaped and changed the world	How have recycling schemes changed the way materials are sourced and used?
	Applications of science have systems impacts	What has been the impact of implementing recycling schemes?

In a Biodiversity unit, with a Life and living focus

	Main idea	Possible sustainability link
Science as a body of knowledge – Life and living	The structure and characteristics of living things affect their behaviour and functioning	What do plants and animals need to survive?
	A diverse range of living things have evolved on the Earth	What types of plants and animals are found in the environment we are studying?
	Humans interact with ecosystems, and this raises ethical and sustainability issues	What positive or negative impacts do humans have in the environment we are studying? What issues does this raise?
Science as a human endeavour	Scientists work, think, inquire and know in particular ways	How do scientists find out about the plants and animals in a particular area?
	Applications of science have shaped and changed the world	What has the development of improved machinery affected biodiversity on a global level?
	Applications of science have systems impacts	What are the likely impacts of a proposed development on a local area?

In a Water unit, with an Earth and space focus

	Main idea	Possible sustainability link
Science as a body of knowledge – Life and living	Earth and space have characteristic features and patterns of activity	What is the water cycle?
	Earth and space systems continue to be shaped by the changes they experience	How do changes in water flow impact on the area we are studying?
	Humans use the Earth and this raises ethical and sustainability issues	What positive or negative effects do humans have on the water supply in the area we are studying? What issues does this raise?
Science as a human endeavour	Scientists work, think, inquire and know in particular ways	How do scientists investigate changes that are occurring in waterways?
	Applications of science have shaped and changed the world	How have water recycling or irrigation schemes changed the way that people live?
	Applications of science have systems impacts	Why has there been controversy over some water recycling schemes?