Activity Introduction
Subjects: Science.
Year Levels: Year 8, Year 9 & Year 10.
Topics: Climate change. Click here for more lessons on these topics.
Teaching Time: 60 minutes.
Quick summary: Students consider the benefits and challenges associated with reducing carbon emissions through carbon capture technologies. They design a solution that captures and safely stores carbon emissions from the atmosphere.
Cool would like to thank the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation and The Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation for generously supporting the development of these lessons.
21st-century skills:
Australian Curriculum Mapping
Content descriptions: Year 8 Science:
- Differences between elements, compounds and mixtures can be described at a particle level (ACSSU152)
- Solutions to contemporary issues that are found using science and technology, may impact on other areas of society and may involve ethical considerations (ACSHE135)
Relevant parts of the Year 8 English achievement standards: Students compare physical and chemical changes and use the particle model to explain and predict the properties and behaviours of substances. They explain how evidence has led to an improved understanding of a scientific idea and describe situations in which scientists collaborated to generate solutions to contemporary problems. They reflect on implications of these solutions for different groups in society.
Content descriptions: Year 9 Science:
- All matter is made of atoms that are composed of protons, neutrons and electrons; natural radioactivity arises from the decay of nuclei in atoms (ACSSU177)
- Chemical reactions involve rearranging atoms to form new substances; during a chemical reaction mass is not created or destroyed (ACSSU178)
- Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE228)
Relevant parts of Year 9 Science achievement standards: Students explain chemical processes and natural radioactivity in terms of atoms and energy transfers and describe examples of important chemical reactions. They analyse how biological systems function and respond to external changes with reference to interdependencies, energy transfers and flows of matter. They describe social and technological factors that have influenced scientific developments and predict how future applications of science and technology may affect people’s lives.
Content descriptions: Year 10 Science:
- The atomic structure and properties of elements are used to organise them in the Periodic Table (ACSSU186)
- Different types of chemical reactions are used to produce a range of products and can occur at different rates (ACSSU187)
- Global systems, including the carbon cycle, rely on interactions involving the biosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere (ACSSU189)
- Values and needs of contemporary society can influence the focus of scientific research (ACSHE230)
Relevant parts of Year 10 Science achievement standards: Students explain how chemical reactions are used to produce particular products and how different factors influence the rate of reactions. Students analyse how the models and theories they use have developed over time and discuss the factors that prompted their review.
Syllabus outcomes: SC4-16CW, SC5-16CW, SC5-11PW, SC5-12ES
General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and Creative Thinking.
Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability.
This lesson is part of the wider unit of work IPCC Climate Change Solutions.
Level of teacher scaffolding: High – Discuss the IPCC report with students, lead students through explicit teaching about the carbon cycle and cellular respiration, and support them in independent work.
Resources required:
- A device capable of presenting a video to the class
- Individual devices capable of accessing the internet – one per student (optional)
- Presentation Slides
- Student Worksheet – one per student.
Related Professional Development: If you’re interested in learning more about how to approach challenging topics around climate change and sustainability in your classroom through a Hope and Optimism lens, consider our PD course.
Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum.
