F-2 Understanding Daily and Seasonal Weather Changes

Daily and seasonal changes in the weather and the environment can be observed and affect decisions made in everyday life.
VC2S2U07

  • Observing Weather and Seasonal Changes

  • Planning Based on Weather Patterns

  • Indigenous Knowledge of Time and Weather

  • Weather and Clothing Decisions

  • Seasonal Impacts on Living Things

  • Sustainable Living through Indigenous Seasonal Calendars

F-2 Exploring Celestial Patterns and Our Solar System

Earth is one of 8 planets in our solar system; observing the sky reveals patterns in the changing positions of the Sun, Moon, planets and stars.
VC2S2U08

  • Exploring Representations of the Solar System

  • Daytime and Nighttime Sky Observations

  • Tracking Lunar Changes

  • Recognising Sky Patterns and Events

  • Cultural Interpretations of Celestial Patterns

  • Understanding Retrograde Motion Through Cultural Narratives

F-2 Caring for Earth’s Resources through Sustainable Practices

Taking care of Earth’s water, land and air involves consideration of reducing, re-using and recycling materials to conserve Earth’s resources.
VC2S2U09

  • Helium Balloons and Environmental Impact

  • Re-using and Recycling Materials Creatively

  • Composting to Reduce Food Waste

  • Saving Water through Everyday Actions

  • Repurposing through Physical Changes

  • Seasonal Eating and Reducing Food Miles

3-4 Earth Resources: Rocks, Minerals, and Soils

Rocks, minerals and soils are important Earth resources and have observable properties that enable them to be used in a variety of ways.
VC2S4U06

  • Soils and Their Role in Supporting Life

  • Minerals as the Building Blocks of Rocks

  • Observing and Comparing Rocks in the Local Environment

  • Uses of Rocks and Minerals in Everyday Life

  • Cultural Uses of Rocks and Minerals by First Nations Peoples

  • Local and Regional Resource Extraction

3-4 The Water Cycle and Earth's Water Resources

Water is an important Earth resource that originates from various sources; water cycles through the environment by moving through the sky, landscape and ocean, and involves processes including precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, condensation, melting, freezing, crystallisation, infiltration and run-off.
VC2S4U07

  • Salt and Fresh Water Distribution

  • Cultural and Spiritual Significance of Water

  • Sources and Changes in Fresh Water

  • Exploring the Water Cycle

  • Examples of Water Cycle Processes

  • Water Supply and Drainage Pathways

  • Cloud Formation and Precipitation

3-4 Impacts of Weather, Climate, and Human Activity on the Environment

Weather events and climate have impacts on the land, air, water and living things; human activity can affect climate.
VC2S4U08

  • Weather vs Climate

  • Human Influence on Climate

  • Climate Action Strategies

  • Historical Climate Change and Human Response

5-6 Shaping Earth's Surface through Geological Processes

Geological processes including weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition can cause slow or rapid changes to Earth’s surface.
VC2S6U05

  • Mechanical and Biological Weathering

  • Causes and Effects of Erosion

  • Weathering vs Erosion

  • Landscape Simulation and Erosion Mitigation

  • Human Impact on Erosion Rates

  • Cultural and Environmental Impacts on First Nations Peoples

5-6 Impacts and Mitigation of Sudden Geological Changes and Extreme Weather

Sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can affect Earth’s surface and atmosphere; the impacts of natural hazards, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires and floods, can be reduced by human actions and technological innovations.
VC2S6U06

  • Monsoons and River Sediment Transport

  • Major Geological Events

  • Earthquake-Tsunami Connection

  • Drought and Environmental Impact

  • Cultural Heritage and Natural Hazards

5-6 Gravity, Orbits, and Earth's Movements: Understanding Cyclic Phenomena

The force of gravity keeps Earth and other planets in the solar system in orbit around the Sun; cyclic observable phenomena, including variable day and night length, can be related to Earth’s tilt, rotation on its axis and revolution around the Sun.
VC2S6U07

  • Exploring Spatial Relationships

  • Gravitational Forces and Orbits

  • Earth's Rotation and Day-Night Cycles

  • Polar Daylight Patterns

  • Seasonal Changes and Earth’s Tilt

  • Cultural Astronomy and Timekeeping

7-8 Sustainable Use of Earth’s Resources

The sustainable use of Earth’s resources is influenced by whether the resources are renewable or non-renewable; the processes involved in resource extraction and energy production come with both benefits and risks to sustainability.
VC2S8U09

  • Understanding Renewable Resources

  • Regeneration Timeframes

  • Visualising Energy Choices

  • Case Study on Mine Regeneration

  • Impacts of Desalination

  • Innovative Transport Solutions

7-8 Understanding Earth’s Dynamic Nature Through Plate Tectonics

Earth is a dynamic planet as demonstrated by tectonic activity, including the formation of geological features at divergent, convergent and transform plate boundaries; the theory of plate tectonics is supported by scientific evidence.
VC2S8U10

  • Patterns in Tectonic Activity

  • Impacts and Human Responses

  • Forces Behind Plate Movement

  • Australia’s Tectonic History

  • Evidence from Ocean Mapping

  • Cultural Accounts of Geological Events

7-8 Understanding the Rock Cycle and Its Impact

Key processes of the rock cycle occur over different timescales; the properties of sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks not only reflect their formation but also impact their usefulness and determine the methods used when mined.
VC2S8U11

  • Identifying Rock Types

  • Processes of the Rock Cycle

  • Forces and Timescales

  • Fossil Evidence and Rock Formation

  • First Nations Quarrying Practices

  • Environmental Impacts of Mining

7-8 Cycles of Earth, Sun and Moon: Influences on Seasons, Tides and Eclipses

Cyclic changes in the relative positions of Earth, the Sun and the Moon can be modelled to show how these cycles cause eclipses and influence predictable phenomena on Earth, including seasons and tides.
VC2S8U12

  • Seasonal Light Variation and Earth’s Tilt

  • Gravitational Forces and Tidal Changes

  • Lunar Phases and Eclipses

  • Lunar Knowledge and Tidal Predictions

  • Seasonal Calendars and Ecological Indicators

  • Eclipses in Cultural Traditions

9-10 Carbon Cycling and Earth's Systems

Carbon is cycled on Earth through key processes including photosynthesis, respiration, fire, weathering, vulcanism and the combustion of fossil fuels; these processes change the composition of Earth’s interrelated systems (atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere) over time.
VC2S10U10

  • Understanding Earth as a System

  • Visualising and Explaining the Carbon Cycle

  • Investigating the Greenhouse Effect

  • Cultural Burning and Energy Transfer

  • Cultural Burning and Emissions Reduction

  • Field Investigation of Carbon Sequestration

  • Carbon Capture and Storage

9-10 Modelling and Mitigating Global Climate Change

The dynamics of global climate change can be modelled and explained by examining the interactions between greenhouse gas emissions and energy exchanges within and between Earth’s systems; mitigating human-induced climate change requires addressing various activities including power generation, deforestation, manufacturing, transportation, food production and resource consumption.
VC2S10U11

  • Radiation and the Climate System

  • Indicators of Climate Change

  • Energy Balance and Climate Shifts

  • Ocean Currents and Climate Regulation

  • Forecasting and Mitigation Strategies

  • Personal Impact and Carbon Footprints

9-10 Exploring Beyond Earth: The Purpose and Challenges of Space Exploration

Space exploration seeks to expand knowledge of the origins and structure of the universe and to resolve the challenges of humans travelling and living away from Earth’s surface.
VC2S10U12

  • Life on Mars

  • Rocket Science and Propulsion

  • Designing for Survival in Space

  • Living in Orbit

  • Microgravity and the Human Body

  • Everyday Technologies from Space Research

9-10 The Universe and the Big Bang Theory

The universe contains features including galaxies, stars, solar systems and black holes; the big bang theory models the origin and evolution of the universe and is supported by evidence.
VC2S10U13

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Knowledges of the Universe

  • Technologies and Terminology in Astronomy

  • Using Light to Study Stars

  • Timeline of the Universe

  • Evidence Supporting the Big Bang Theory

  • Recent Advances in Astronomy and Astrophysics