TOPIC 2

Language of learning
2.1 Overview
What do you know about ‘big picture’
learning? Your brain may have trouble taking
on a whole concept or big idea at once … so
you can ‘nibble away’ at a concept and build a
model up over time. To do this, it often helps
to be able to map out your learning journey
so that you know where you are going.

2.1.1 Think about

learning
•• Which coloured hat should you ‘wear’
to think creatively?
•• What’s the difference between a ‘fat’
and a ‘skinny’ question?
•• What can you do to make a good first
impression?
•• How do we communicate our feelings
without using words?
•• Who gave dinosaurs their names and why?
•• What do emotions have to do with memory?

LEARNING SEQUENCE
2.1 Overview38
2.2 Problem solving with thinking hats
2.3 The language of understanding
2.4 At first glance
2.5 Coded communication
2.6 Telling tales
2.7 Cartoon quest
2.8 Unlocking meaning
2.9 Total recall?
2.10 Thinking tools: Venn diagrams
2.11 Review

Numerous videos and interactivities are embedded just where you need them, at the point of learning, in
your learnON title at [Link]. They will help you to learn the concepts covered in this topic.

38  Jacaranda Science Quest 8

2.1.2 Your quest Are you on your first, second or third thinking floor?
The three-floor thinking model
On what floor is your thinking?
First-floor thinkers gather information. It
is on this floor that the groundwork is laid.
Second-floor thinkers process the infor-
mation. On this floor, thinkers decide which
information is relevant and which is not, and
then try to make some sense of it. This may
involve brainstorming and playing with the
ideas, looking for patterns or analysing data.
Third-floor thinkers apply information.
They understand what needs to be done and
complete it. On this floor, tasks are prioritised
and further ideas are synthesised or evaluated.
This may also be the floor for assembling the
parts and adding the creative finishing touches.

Investigate, design and create

1. Select a project topic from one of the
following and use the three-floor thinking
model to gather, process and apply your
information. Include information on the
chemical and physical properties of your
selected topic. Invent, design and construct
a model of a device or method that would
help to:
(a) identify a range of common rock types
(b) sort household wastes
(c) recycle household wastes
(d) test the effectiveness of detergents
(e) test the effectiveness of toothpaste.
2. Use the three-floor thinking model to gather,
process and apply information about an
example of how science informs laws and
guidelines about health or our environment.
Present your findings as an advertisement
that incorporates m ­ ultimedia or animation
to effectively communicate the relevant
­scientific understanding behind the law
or guideline. You may select one of the
following examples or identify your own
example. Some examples of laws and guidelines influenced by our scientific knowledge include:
•• quarantine laws
•• food handling laws
•• bushfire safety guidelines
•• laws about the wearing of seatbelts
•• chemical storage guidelines
•• fire restriction laws.

TOPIC 2 Language of learning  39

2.2 Problem solving with thinking hats
2.2.1 What is the problem?
If there is a problem, this
often suggests that some-
thing could be improved
or made better. Your black
thinking hat is a good hat
to put on for thinking about this.
Once you have pinpointed your
problem, you can start thinking about
what end results or outcomes you would
like. It is sometimes helpful to consider
the hurdles that may impede your suc-
cess and how high you will need to
jump to overcome them!
Writing a problem statement to help you focus on the issue is often useful. For example, you may state
‘who’, ‘does’ (action verb) and ‘what’ for your problem. However you express it, it’s important that you
take ownership of the problem and phrase it in your own words.

2.2.2 What are the facts?

This is the time to put on your white thinking hat and move into your first-floor thinking
room. It is here that you lay the groundwork. If you are accurate, persistent and thorough
in this stage, then your progress through the other phases is likely to be much smoother.
Start with what you already know about the problem. Ask yourself questions about who,
where, when, why, how and what has been tried so far. You can document this initial infor-
mation as a KND chart by listing what you ‘know’, ‘need to know’ and ‘need to do’ in a table or columns
with these title headings.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.2.3 After the facts
Once you are clear about what the problem is, you need to look at it from different per-
spectives. Remember that there is usually more than one side to a problem. When you are
finding your information, consider different points of view so that you can better under-
stand the issue. It is also useful to talk to others to find out how they feel about it.
During this phase, the information that you find may require you to modify or rephrase
your problem statement.

2.2.4 What are some possible solutions?

Now it is time to move up to your second floor of thinking and put on your blue and yellow
thinking hats.
With your blue hat on, you can think about what you now know and try to make sense
of it. You can use target maps to determine what is relevant to possible solutions and what
is not.
Then you can put on your yellow hat. This is when you and your team can become a
real ‘think tank’. You may find thinking keys and visual thinking tools very useful in this
creative part of problem solving. Some of the really useful keys are the ‘What if’ and
the ‘Forced relationship’ keys. Most brainstorming webs help you to develop your crea-
tive thinking. Brainstorming can be well recorded on mind maps, cluster maps or single
bubbles.

2.2.5 Which is the best idea?

Your critical thinking becomes very important in selecting the best possible solution to your problem.
Many of the habits of mind may help you to use intellectual behaviours that support the development of
critical thinking. This is when task-specific graphic organisers such as priority grids can help you to struc-
ture your thinking, organise your ideas and stay focused.
Selection criteria can also be useful to help you to select the most appropriate alternative or idea. These
may include consideration of an idea’s usefulness in achieving something, effects that it may have or how
feasible it is.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.2.6 Your action plan

You are up on the third floor now. This is where your green thinking hat can be put to good
use. The time has come to divide and prioritise tasks and check your time lines. You can
use thinking process maps to help both creative and critical thinking. You may use them to
decide what needs to be done and then to order or sequence this within a time frame. Visual
maps that may help you with this include time lines and flowcharts.2.2 Exercises: Under-
standing and inquiring

When you are working on trying to solve a problem, it is easy to get ‘stuck’. The important thing is not
to give up and to develop your own strategies to help you ‘move on’.

Stay stuck!

Stuck? Make a decision. Ask a question? Move on!

Make a link? Prior knowledge?

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.2 Exercises: Understanding and inquiring
To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Remember
1. If there is a problem, what does this often suggest?
2. Suggest a way that a problem statement can be constructed.
3. Which thinking hat and thinking floor are used for fact finding?
4. Suggest how target maps can help you in the problem-solving process.
5. How can yellow thinking hats and visual tools help you to solve problems?
6. Which visual tools may help you develop your action plan?

Think, discuss and investigate

7. (a)  Appropriate use of language can also help you to clarify problems. Some personal problem statements
may begin as shown below. For each of these, complete the sentence to describe a personal problem
that may be experienced by someone your age.
• ‘I feel angry when …’
• ‘It worries me that …’
• ‘I’d love to be able to …’
• ‘I hate it when …’
• ‘It stresses me that …’
(b) Select one of these problems and go through the problem-solving stages 2–6 shown in this section.
8. (a)  In your team or class, brainstorm examples of problems that would fit under each of the following
problem categories.
(i) What is unjust in Australia?
(ii) What takes too long?
(iii) What costs too much?
(iv) What is disorganised?
(b) Select one of these problems to research and put together a suggested action plan to solve it.
9. (a)  Some believe that teaching people to think critically is the best training for informed and intelligent
democratic citizens. Do you agree with this idea? Why? Show your responses in a SWOT analysis.
(b) Are asking questions, probing assumptions and seeking reasons valued in all cultures? Give examples to
support your response.
10. (a)  Brainstorm a list of at least 10 things that need improving at your school.
(b) For each item, suggest a reason why it needs to be improved.
(c) Select one of these things to investigate and creatively problem solve.
11. Select one of the following categories of problems and then focus on one problem that is relevant to it. Use
your creative problem-solving skills to come up with an action plan.
(a) Social problems (examples include drug abuse, bullying, racism)
(b) Environmental problems (examples include pollution, endangered species, bushfires, droughts, floods)
(c) Global problems (examples include terrorism, disease/health, national disasters)

RESOURCES — ONLINE ONLY

Complete this digital doc: Worksheet 2.1: Thinking keys (doc-18704)

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.3 The language of understanding
2.3.1 Are you wearing your words?
The words that you use to communicate reveal a lot about you — your beliefs and assumptions, and your
feelings about yourself and others. When speaking to others, try to use language that is inclusive (that
doesn’t make people feel left out and uncomfortable), avoid putting yourself or others down, refrain from
labelling others and use proactive rather than reactive language. For example, instead of saying ‘There’s
nothing I can do about it,’ say ‘Let’s think of the alternatives.’

Understanding language
When you are trying to make sense of words associated with understanding, it is helpful to divide them up
into categories:
•• apply — How and where can I use this knowledge?
•• explain — Why is it so? How does it work?
•• self-knowledge — What are my weaknesses? How do I best learn?
•• interpret — What does this mean?
•• perspective — Is it reasonable? Whose point of view is this?
•• empathy — What are others aware of that I am missing?
An awareness and working knowledge of these types of thinking can increase the depth of your
understanding.

Design Demonstrate
Create Solve
Read between the lines
Synthesise
Produce Decide
Tell a story
Apply
Show

Translate
Explain Justify
Interpret
Judge
Design

Evaluate
Language of
understanding
Be aware of
Compare
Realise
Contrast Perspective Self-knowledge

Recognise
Argue Empathy
Reflect
Consider Imagine
Analyse
Criticise Self-assess
Believe Relate
Be like

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.3.2 Is your learning bag packed?
One of the goals of learning is to make information portable, so that it can be used in new situations and
locations. Transfer of learning occurs when learning is taken into new contexts and applied in innovative
ways.
At first glance, transfer of learning may seem to be difficult and out of reach. You may need to use your
critical and creative thinking to make the task more manageable. Visual thinking tools can provide you with
opportunities to practise these types of thinking.

‘Fat’ and ‘skinny’ questions

If you don’t ask the right question, you won’t get the right answer! ‘Skinny’ questions usually require only
a brief, simple response. For example, ‘Name your best friend.’ or ‘Have you had science class yet?’
‘Who influences you and how?’ is an example of a ‘fat’ question. These questions take time to think
through. This is because they require deeper understanding. They need a lot of discussion, and explanations
that include relevant examples.

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Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 2.3 Exercises: Understanding and inquiring
To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Think and discuss

1. Suggest ways that you can use language positively when you communicate with others.
2. For each question below, provide a response and suggest which type of understanding it belongs to.
(a) Why is it illegal to smoke cigarettes in restaurants and other public areas?
(b) What are the different points of view about stem cell research?
(c) What would it be like to be a genetic engineer?
3. When you ‘think about your thinking’ you are being metacognitive. You can develop this type of learning by
writing your thoughts and reflections in your learning journal. In your team, discuss specific strategies to help
incorporate metacognition in your learning.
4. Australia is often described as being a multicultural country because it contains people from many different
cultural groups.
(a) In teams, identify examples of two different cultural groups in Australia.
(b) Use a KWL tool to record what you already know, what you want to find out and what you have learned
after researching the different perspectives each of these cultural groups have on science.
(c) Suggest three ‘fat’ questions that would help you to deepen your understanding of the different cultural
perspectives.
(d) Share your findings with others in the class and create a class collage of the different cultural perspectives
of science.

2.4 At first glance

2.4.1 Rapid rapport
Your understanding can be influenced
When you meet someone for the first time, what sorts of things
by trust. When you meet someone for make a good impression on you? What sorts of things make a
the first time, you may be lucky enough bad impression?
to have rapport; however, trust needs
time to develop. Your verbal and non-
verbal communication can influence
not only how others see you, but also
how you see yourself.
You meet someone for the first time
and want to make a good impression.
In fact, you really want to make a good
first impression! Good rapport may be
initiated by non-verbal signals such as
eye contact, mirroring behaviour, pos-
ture or breathing. In fact, non-verbal
cues are thought to make up about
65  per cent of your first impression.
Only 35 per cent is due to verbal cues
such as words, pace, inflection, pitch
and volume.
If you want to develop rapport, then you can pay attention to another person’s body language and subtly
mirror it. For example, you could mirror their gestures, postures, muscle tension and facial expressions.
You can also show active listening skills in both verbal and non-verbal ways.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.4.2 Listening skills
The big bad Ws
Are you a good listener? Do you
really listen to what the other person is
saying, or do you:
•• want to interrupt
•• want to have your own conversation
within (rehearsing what you want
to say)
•• wait for an opportunity to make
public only your own wishes and
wants?

INVESTIGATION 2.1
Another perspective
AIM: To research and think about how scientists observe animals in the wild
Scientists often observe animals in their natural wild habitat. Some animals react aggressively to the presence
of humans, although the scientists make painstaking efforts to be unobserved. Often the presence of humans
changes the animals’ normal behaviour.
1. Find out more about scientific observations of animals in the wild and summarise your findings into a
PMI chart.

Discuss and explain

2. (a)  State and justify your opinion about scientists observing animals in the wild.
(b) Suggest comments that a scientist involved may have regarding your opinion.
3. Use your imagination to write a story from the perspective of the animal being observed.

Three Ps of listening skills

When you are listening, do you:
•• pause and not talk over the other person
•• probe what they are really saying? Are there generalisations, omissions or distortions in their comments?
Do you need to ask questions to gain clarity about what they really mean?
•• paraphrase what they have said to show that you have been listening and to develop rapport?

2.4.3 What are you saying?

Whether you are talking informally or giving a formal presentation, it is good to consider how you com-
municate your thoughts, emotions and attitudes. For instance, when you are having a conversation, do you
map what you or the other person is saying in your mind? This can help to clarify and give structure to your
shared dialogue.
If you look at a road map, you see that locations are indicated by different fonts (for example, larger or
coloured letters) and areas are indicated by colours or shading. In a conversation, your non-verbal signs
indicate parts that have greater influence or meaning (for example, when you increase your volume or alter
your tone). There are often hidden meanings (assumptions and beliefs) below the surface of language. Can
you think of any examples?

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

INVESTIGATION 2.2
Active listening
AIM: To practise and develop active listening skills
There are many ways to help you develop your active
listening skills. Some people use the PACTS method:
Paraphrase or play back what has been said in your
own words.
Affirm or appreciate what has been said.
Clarify or check on specific details of what has been said.
Test options and prompt talk that tempts new ideas.
Seek out and be sensitive to the talker’s feelings.
Practise the PACTS method by completing the following
tasks:
1. Research a scientific discovery, summarising your
findings into a cluster map or mind map.
2. In a team of three, decide who will be persons A, B and C.
3. Person C watches and records a PMI on what happens between person A and person B.
• Person A talks about ‘their scientific discovery’ for two minutes, while person B listens.
• Person B then paraphrases what person A has said, asks questions to clarify, and provides affirming
comments to show what they particularly appreciated.
• Person C shares their PMI chart with persons A and B and the team discusses it.
4. Now, swap roles, with person A watching and recording a PMI chart on what happens between person B
and person C. Person B talks about ‘their scientific discovery’ for two minutes, while person C listens.
Repeat the steps from the previous exercise.
5. Individually reflect on what you have learned, and how you could use this to become a more effective
listener.

2.4 Exercises: Understanding and inquiring

To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Think, discuss and create

1. (a) Think about an occasion when you met someone for the first time. List the sort of things you noticed
about them in the first few minutes.
(b) Compare your list with others in your team. Use a Venn diagram to show any similarities and differences.
(c) With your team, discuss the similarities and suggest reasons for your shared first impressions. Use a
cluster map to summarise the key points.
(d) With your team, discuss whether the features of a good first impression are always the same or if they
change in different situations.
(e) Use a diagram, sketch or caricature of yourself to describe the first impressions that you give to others.
(f) On the basis of this activity, are you likely to change anything you do or say prior to meeting someone
you want to impress? Jot these ideas down in your personal learning journal and think about how you can
incorporate them into situations when meeting someone for the first time.
2. (a) Score yourself between 0 and 4 on the following questions (where 0 is never and 4 is always).
(i) I fidget when someone is talking to me.
(ii) I finish other people’s sentences.
(iii) I talk over other people.
(iv) My body language suggests that I’m not interested in what people are saying.
(v) I interrupt when someone else is talking.
(vi) I don’t look at the speaker when they are talking to me.
(vii) I think about what I will say next, rather than listening to the person talking.
(viii) While listening, I sneak a look at my watch.
(b) Comment on what you have learned from this quiz and what you could do to be a more effective listener.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.5 Coded communication
Science as a human endeavour

2.5.1 Turning on your transmission

Interpersonal communication is the transmission
of information between two or more people. The
sender encodes the message and the receiver
decodes the message. Verbal communication
involves speaking or writing the words, whereas
nonverbal communication relies on other methods.

2.5.2 Verbal communication

Verbal communication includes not only what we
say, but also how we say it. We often modify our
verbal messages to match our perceptions of the
intended receiver. You can learn a lot about the atti-
tudes of others not only by what they say or write,
but also by interpreting how they communicate it.

Nonverbal communication
Nonverbal communication can be divided into three general
categories: kinesics, personal space and paralinguistics.
Kinesics involves the use of body movements or actions to
convey a specific meaning or idea and is often referred to
as body language. Personal space is the ‘invisible’ physical
area surrounding your body that you regard as your personal
territory. Paralinguistics involves how or the way that
something is said.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

INVESTIGATION 2.3
Do you get the message?
AIM: To identify and create emotion through body language
(a) Look at the body posture, gestures and facial expressions of the
people in the photos and select the attitude or emotion that best
matches them from the following list.
curiosity shyness
empathy determination
enthusiasm confidence
puzzlement happiness
welcome excitement
suspicion scared
confused anger
upset rejection
(b) In your team:
(i) Write the terms in (a) onto different cards.
(ii) Shuffle the cards and place the pack face down.
(iii) Take turns to pick up a card and mime the emotion for other members of
the team to guess.
(iv) Keep scores for each team member to see who gets the most correct.
(v) Brainstorm other examples of emotions or attitudes and write these on
additional cards.
(vi) Repeat steps (ii) to (iv) with your new set of cards.
(vii) Were some emotions or attitudes easier to guess than others? Suggest
reasons for this.
(viii) Suggest how this activity may be used to increase the effectiveness of
your communication with others.

2.5 Exercises: Understanding and inquiring

To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Remember
1. Describe what is meant by ‘interpersonal communication’.
2. What is the difference between verbal and nonverbal communication?
3. Is verbal communication related only to what we say? Explain.
4. Use a cluster map to show details of the three general categories of nonverbal communication.

Think and discuss

5. (a) In your team, discuss examples of appropriate and inappropriate methods of verbal and nonverbal
communication. Summarise your discussion into a visual thinking map such as a mind map or
cluster map.
(b) Share a summary of your discussion with other teams.
(c) Back in your teams, reflect on similarities and differences of the discussions.
(d) Suggest what your class can do with the information gained and communicated during this activity.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 Investigate, discuss and present
6. Identify three advertisements that include ‘scientific claims’ to support a particular product or practice.
(a) State the scientific claim.
(b) Investigate other resources to see whether there is unbiased evidence to support the claim.
(c) Describe any verbal or nonverbal communication that is used to support the scientific claim.
(d) Design a ‘fair test’ that could be used to collect evidence that may support or disprove the scientific claim
used in the advertisement.
(e) Construct a PMI chart about the advertisement based on how effectively it provides data to support the
scientific claim made.
(f) Based on your findings, in which ways could you improve:
(i) the advertisement so that it is more scientifically accurate
(ii) the product so that it more effectively meets the scientific claim?
7. Find out more about kinesics, personal space and paralinguistics. Discuss with your team some
rules or guidelines that could be used to make your communications with each other more effective.
Present your findings and discussion summary as a communication guideline or rule book, cards, brochure
or poster.

2.6 Telling tales

Science as a human endeavour

2.6.1 Interpersonal and intrapersonal

To be an effective learner, you need to develop both ‘I’ and ‘we’ learning. This means that you need to
consider activities and strategies that tap into both your intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences.
Intrapersonal and interpersonal intelligences deal with people — yourself and others. Some may suggest
that these two intelligences are intimately related because you cannot fully know others until you know
yourself!

Interpersonal (‘we’) and intrapersonal (‘I’) learning

Reflecting Quotations

Meditating Creative expression

Examples of
Studying Ways of learning activities Goals

Journalising Poetry

Expressing Intrapersonal Blogs

Self-assessment Interpretations
‘I’ and ‘we’
learning
and multiple
intelligences
Paraphrasing Group/team projects

Responding Social interactions

Examples of
Surveying Ways of learning activities Round robins

Affirming Debates

Reporting Games
Interpersonal
Discussing Sports

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.6.2 Morals — learning how to live together
The idea of morals and ways of behaving may have originated Statue of Hans Christian Andersen
from not wanting others to experience something that we would
not like to experience ourselves. By identifying with others and
treating them with the respect and care that we would want our-
selves, we can become valued members of our communities.
This can also lead to a happier life for both yourself and those
around you.
One way morals have been passed down over many gener­
ations has been by telling stories. Many fairytales and fables
have such messages woven into them.

Telling tales
Hans Christian Andersen (1805–1875) was one of the first
known creators of fairytales and wrote more than a hundred
stories. A number of his stories dealt with the main character
feeling uncomfortable with themselves or wishing to be some-
where or something else. You may know two of his stories: The
Little Mermaid and The Ugly Duckling.
Aesop’s fables are further examples of stories with morals that suggest ways or behaviours to help people
live and get on together. The Crow and the Pitcher is one example. Other examples of some fables and their
morals are shown in the table below.

Examples of Aesop’s fables and their morals

Fable Moral of the story
The Boy and the Nettles Whatever you do, do with all your might.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
The Crow and the Pitcher 
Little by little does the trick.
The Dancing Monkeys Not everything you see is what it appears to be.
The Eagle and the Fox Treat others as you would like to be treated.
The Four Oxen and the Lion United we stand, divided we fall.
The Fox and the Goat Look before you leap.
The Mule Every truth has two sides.
The Wolf and the Kid It is easy to be brave from a safe distance.

2.6.3 Tell a tale

Did your parents read to you when you were little? Reading or being read to stimulates your imagination
and takes you on an emotional journey. Stories can help you to learn about other people and how they com-
municate, express themselves, think and feel, and ways that they can support each other.
Stories can also help you to discover more about yourself. You may explore your strengths and vulnera-
bilities, and your likes and dislikes. Stories can even help you to develop your imagination and creativity,
and to think up your own ideas and be flexible in your thinking. This type of open-ended thinking can open
up lots of new possibilities, rather than focusing on a single right answer. As a storyteller, you can provide
a framework for your reader’s imagination to flourish.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

The Crow and the Pitcher is a fable about a crow dying of thirst. The
crow found a pitcher and excitedly flew down to drink from it. Sadly,
when he got there, it contained only a very small amount of water at
the bottom that he could not reach. He tried all sorts of ways to get
to the water, but his efforts were in vain. Then he had a brainwave; he
collected some stones and dropped them one by one into the pitcher.
Finally, the water level rose high enough for him to drink it. His life
had been saved.

The Ugly Duckling is a story about a very ugly baby ‘duck’. It is about viewing
the world from different perspectives. The other ducks teased her and made
fun of her because they thought that she was so ugly. As she got older,
however, instead of growing into an adult duck, she became a beautiful swan.
It was a pity that she didn’t have the classification knowledge that you will have
by the end of Year 8. She would have been saved a lot of pain and suffering —
but then she also would have if the ducks had shown some empathy!

2.6 Exercises: Understanding and inquiring

To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Investigate and think

1. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have traditional stories that are passed from one generation to
the next. Find examples of traditional stories:
(a) used as a basis to understand their ecosystem
(b) used to describe their special relationship with the land, native flora and fauna
(c) about the formation of Australian landform features (for example, the Twelve Apostles, Cradle Mountain,
Pinnacles, Flinders Ranges or Warrumbungles).
2. Use the ‘thinking floor model’ to collect information, organise it and then construct your own story on one of
the following.
• Why Australian flora and fauna are different from those of many other countries
• Why kangaroos have a pouch and hop
• The impact of cane toads on our native animals
• Why southern Australian koalas have different sized ears from northern Australian koalas
• How cutting down trees can affect the survival of other Australian organisms
• How to encourage children (and adults) to appreciate, respect and take care of one of the following:
• the diversity of living things on our planet
• their environment
• their bodies.
3. Identify a product you would like to sell and develop an advertising campaign that includes claims from
scientific perspectives and uses storytelling.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.7 Cartoon quest
Science as a human endeavour

2.7.1 Telling the ‘story’ … You may find visual thinking tools useful
You may be wondering how telling fairytales and fables fits in planning your story.
into the seriousness of learning science and being an effective What do I already
scientist. No matter how clever you are or how much you can Gather my know about
thoughts this topic?
remember or understand, it is very important for you to be able
to communicate your ideas to others effectively. Wouldn’t it be Topic

great if you could have lots of fun at the same time?

One man who has found a way to do this is Bruno Annetta,
a film-maker, graphic designer, actor and science teacher.
Through his animated cartoons, Bruno can communicate Research

­scientific ideas effectively and share his excitement about the

wonders of science. His cartoon Foodchain is show on the next
page and an image from his animation The Life of a Red Blood
Cell is shown below.
Expand
How is all What
I know I know
‘I’ve always found it easier to remember information by doing about this
something with it that was personal to me. The basic idea for topic linked?
the film The Life of a Red Blood Cell came out of me trying to
remember the circulatory system when I first encountered it in
Year 9 (Form 3). I created the animation in my head and later
turned that idea into a film.’
What is really Irrelevant
In The Life of a Red Blood Cell, we follow the red blood Select Irrelleevvaant
relevant to
cell as it goes from the bone marrow, where it is formed, Re v n
le
this topic? Re an

t t
into the blood circulatory system and starts its journey.
Topic

How is the
Organise
relevant
Group 1 Group 2
material
best
organised?
Group 3 Group 4

What is the best way to organise

Sequence
the material on my topic?

‘I believe that, through the use

of animation, humour, music and
storytelling, learning can be fun and
easy. I have used science in the making 1 2 3 4 5
of animated films. An understanding
of light, lenses and different coloured How will I use this information to
filters is crucial in exposing film Action write my story?
correctly. I believe that through
combining the sciences with the arts,
one has a richer and more fulfilling life.’
DO IT

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.7.2 Scenes from Foodchain

This is a musical and wacky animated look

at a food chain from a freshwater ecosystem.
It starts with a zoom in to a small section of
pond in front of a child fishing. A series of
cartoon character organisms are encountered
and information is presented in the form of
images, song and comical dialogue.
The zoom takes us to a microscopic
view of Spirogyra crassa (commonly called
filamentous algae). The ‘crass’ nuclei refer to
chloroplasts, sugar production and aerobic
respiration. They also allude to the fact that
they are a ‘duck’s dinner’.
We are then introduced to Chlamydomonas
(a mobile single-celled plant), which is the first
organism of the food chain being investigated.
Through their dialogue we learn about Euglena
and are introduced to the terms ‘autotroph’
and ‘heterotroph’.
Vorticella ‘suck in’ the Chlamydomonas
and lead us to the second level of the food
chain — the first-order consumer. Eight
Vorticella clinging to a twig sing an opera
tune — ‘O sole mio’. They each represent a
different note from an octave. Their scientific
name is Vorticella octava.
The names and personalities have been
carefully chosen to aid memory of each
organism and their scientific name. Daphnia
magna (water flea) are portrayed as ‘toffy’,
upper middle-class women.
Damselfly nymphs feed on Daphnia and
are portrayed as street-smart young girls.
Incidental characters such as the Australian pygmy perch are introduced to allow discussion to flow into food
webs.
Yabbies are presented as ‘true blue’ Aussies and scavengers (scientific name — Cherax destructor). The story
ends with one of the yabbies being caught by the child who we saw sitting on the bank at the start of the video.
This finishes the food chain with ‘man’ as the last organism.
Videomicroscopy of the real organisms is provided at the end of the program, along with their scientific
names.

2.7 Exercises: Understanding and inquiring

To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Remember
1. How can ‘telling stories’ help you in your learning of science and being a scientist?
2. Describe how Bruno Annetta shares his passion for science and learning.
3. In which part of the body is a red blood cell formed?
4. Use information in the Foodchain cartoon to answer the following questions:
(a) What is the scientific name for filamentous algae?
(b) What is special about Euglena?

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 (c) What is the name of an organism that eats Chlamydomonas?
(d) How did Bruno use music to help you remember the species name Vorticella octava?
(e) What is the common name for Daphnia magna?

Investigate, think, design and create

5. (a) Select one of the following topics for a story: skin cells, neurons, chloroplasts, nucleus, amoeba, fungi,
muscle tissue, connective tissue, white blood cells, swine flu, solar-powered cars, oxygen, electronic
optics, mitosis.
(b) Brainstorm and list the key ideas or facts that could be included in your story.
(c) Construct a storyboard or flowchart to show how your story will be sequenced.
(d) Add more details (picture, songs, words) to your story.
(e) Present your story to the class as a cartoon, PowerPoint presentation, Flash animation, storybook, or in
some other creative way.

2.8 Unlocking meaning

2.8.1 Name me a dino …
Scientists use a language that may appear alien, but once you find some of the keys and can unlock the
meaning of words, it starts to make sense.
Tyrannosaurus, Pterosaurus, Stegosaurus… Did you ever wonder why the dinosaurs had such big names?
Do you know what they mean? The term ‘dinosaur’ was actually decided on by British anatomist and pal-
aeontologist Sir Richard Owen in 1842. Dino means ‘terrifying’ and saur means ‘lizard’. Some dinosaurs
were named for their unusual head or body features, others for their teeth or feet, or after a person or place.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.8.2 Unlocking patterns
Many scientific terms, like others in our language, begin with a particular prefix and end with a specific
suffix. These can give you hints as to what the words mean. For example, the terms ‘chlorophyll’ and ‘chlo-
roplast’ both begin with chloro, which comes from the Greek word chloros, meaning ‘green’. ­Chlorophyll
is the green pigment found in the chloroplasts of plant cells. This green pigment captures light
energy so that plants can make their own food using the process of photosynthesis
(photo = ‘light’ and synthesis = ‘to make’). The presence of chlorophyll in
the chloroplasts is the reason that they (and plants) appear green.
Leucoplasts (leuco = ‘white’) and ­chromoplasts (chromo = ‘colour’),
like chloroplasts, are plastids found in plant cells. Leucoplasts are
not coloured as they do not contain coloured pigments.
Chromoplasts  are coloured and contain pigments
­
other than chlorophyll. They are responsible for
pigment synthesis and storage and are found in
the coloured parts of plants, such as fruit and
petals, giving them their characteristic colours.
These pigments can be extracted and used as plant
dyes.
Chemicals such as those in foods that you eat also
have clues in their names that help you to work out
what they are made of. You may have heard of glucose,
sucrose and starch. ­Glucose and sucrose are both sugars.
Glucose is a m­ onosaccharide (mono  = ‘one’ and saccharide
= ‘sweet’). Sucrose is a disaccharide and is made up of two
monosaccharides. Starch is a polysaccharide and is made up
of many monosaccharides.
There are other prefixes that provide you with clues about Erythrocytes (red blood cells) and
leucocytes (white blood cells)
size and number. A microscope (micro = ‘small’  +  scope =
‘view’) and megafauna (mega = ‘large’ + fauna = ‘animal’)
are examples of terms that indicate size in their names. Can
you deduce which numbers are indicated in the following
words: u­nicellular, binary, dichotomous, tripod, quadrant,
­decimal, centigrade, millipede?

2.8.3 ‘Cell speak’

Later, when you study different types of blood cells, you will
come across terms containing the suffix or prefix cyte. This
is a variation of cyto, which means ‘cell’. Examples of terms
that you may come across include:

monocytes cytosol phagocytosis

phagocytes cytoplasm endocytosis
leucocytes cytology exocytosis.
lymphocytes cytoskeleton  
erythrocytes cytotoxic  

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.8.4 Inside or within Tapeworms are endoparasites and
In science, you will learn about endoskeletons, endocytosis, live inside their host. You can see the
endoplasmic reticulum, the endocrine system and endopar- hooks and suckers that this tapeworm
uses to attach itself to its host.
asites. The prefix endo in these words tells you that they all
have something to do with ‘inside’ or ‘within’. Even without
knowing their full definitions, you can begin to see patterns and
get an idea as to what they may refer to.

2.8.5 Numbers or words?

In science you also need to know the difference between two
­different ways of describing your data. One of these is q­ ualitative
and the other is quantitative. Qualitative data describe your
observations in words (describing the ‘qualities’ of the data),
whereas quantitative data use numbers (or ‘quantities’).

The prefixes and suffixes of scientific terms often give you hints as to what they mean.

Unlocking language

Prefix Suffix

Chloro Di Cyte

Dichotomous Lymphocyte

Chloroplast Dissect Phagocyte

Chlorophyll Disaccharide Erythrocyte

2.8 Exercises: Understanding and inquiring

To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Remember
1. Suggest what type of animal may have saur in its name.
2. Outline the difference between the terms ‘prefix’ and ‘suffix’.
3. Identify the shared meaning between the terms:
(a) chlorophyll and chloroplast
(b) monocytes, leucocytes, erythrocytes.
4. (a)  Where are you likely to find leucoplasts, chromoplasts and chloroplasts?
(b) Describe how they differ.
5. Outline the difference between qualitative and quantitative data.
6. Suggest the suffix that sugars may share in their names.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 7. Distinguish between monosaccharides, disaccharides and polysaccharides.
8. If you came across two words and one began with micro and the other with mega, predict what the
difference between them would be.

Think, investigate and discuss

9. (a)  Carefully examine the dinosaur names below and discuss with your partner any clues that may help
you predict their meaning. Triceratops, Spinosaurus, Ceratosaurus, Heterodontosaurus, Pentaceratops,
Microdontosaurus, Microceratops
(b) Find out the meaning behind the dinosaur names above.
(c) Based on your findings, comment on any patterns and suggest groups you could divide them up into.
10. Find out about the life and scientific contributions of Sir Richard Owen. Report your findings in a timeline.
11. Research examples of Australian megafauna. Report on clues within their names that help describe what
they may have looked like.
12. Find out what palaeontologists do, investigate their distinct ways of working and representing their
specialised knowledge, and give an example of a contribution an Australian palaeontologist has made to
our understanding of ancient life in Australia.
13. Find out prefixes for one, two, three, four, ten and hundred that have originated from Latin or Greek words.
State an example of a scientific term that is used for each.
14. Find out the meaning of and similarities and differences between the following:
(a) microscopes, telescopes, periscopes
(b) millimetre, centimetre, nanometre, kilometre
(c) binary fission, dichotomous key, binocular
(d) Tyrannosaurus, Pterosaurus, Stegosaurus
(e) anatomist, scientist, palaeontologist
(f) cardiac, renal, pulmonary
(g) dehydrated, deoxygenated, denatured
15. Throughout history, coloured pigments from plants and animals have been used by humans. Find out about
two plant and two animal examples. Identify the scientific names of the pigments and what they mean.
16. Chlorine is an element. Suggest what colour it may be.
17. Find out the history behind the names of the elements in the chemistry periodic table. Present your findings
as a picture book.
18. Find out the definition and two key points for each of the ‘endo’ and ‘exo’ words shown in the diagram
below.

endocytosis endoskeleton

endo = inside

exo = outside

exocytosis exoskeleton

19. (a)  Find at least five examples of scientific terms that begin with the following prefixes: endo, bio, anti,
chloro, thermo, bi, hetero.
(b) Create your own set of scientific terminology cards, using a particular colour for each prefix and adding
a diagram or image for each that provides a hint of its meaning.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 The illustration at right shows what your cards
may look like. An example of what your cards may look like
(c) Design a game that uses the cards to teach
students about scientific terminology. endosperm endoskeleton
Include an instruction brochure or rule book
with your game.
(d) Play your game and those of others. Endosperm
(e) Construct a PMI chart for each game that
you play.
Bran

Embryo

2.9 Total recall?

Science as a human endeavour
The information processing model provides a simplified
2.9.1 What is memory? explanation of how your brain deals with external
stimuli (information) from your environment.
If a friend gave you her phone number, how long
could you remember it without writing it down? Environment
While learning is about gaining new knowledge,
memory is about retaining and then retrieving that
learned information. That is, for us to remember
something, we have to be able to record the
experience and store it in an appropriate part of Sensory register OUT

the brain. If we are unable to retrieve or pull out

that information, we have forgotten it.

2.9.2 Building memories

Immediate memory OUT
Modelling memory?
Scientists construct models to communicate
ideas. Models can be concrete (e.g., a plastic
model of the brain) or symbolic (e.g., a map or
diagram). Models help learners to bring previous Working memory OUT
knowledge into their working memory. This
assists learners to attach meaning to, and make
sense of, their new learning.
A model can be used to represent various ACTIVE
stages in how information is processed by your PROCESSING
brain. Shown at right is a simplified version of an
information processing model. While this model
has many limitations, it provides a framework that
can be used to help you attach previous knowl-
edge to new learning about the stages of memory. Long-term storage

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 RESOURCES — ONLINE ONLY

Watch this eLesson: Teen brain (eles-0224)

Filtering
What was that? You use your senses (for example, sight and hearing) to detect various stimuli in your
environment. Incoming information is filtered through a system called the sensory register (shown in the
model as venetian blinds). This system filters incoming information on the basis of its importance to you.
Your sensory register involves your thalamus (a part of the limbic system of your brain) and a portion of
your brain stem called the reticular activation system (RAS). The more important the information is to
your survival, the higher the chance that it will get through for further processing in your brain.

Remember me?
Even if information has made it through your sensory register, it doesn’t mean that you will remember it.
You will remember information only if you have stored it in long-term storage (shown in the model as a
filing cabinet). It is the job of your hippocampus to encode information and send it to one or more of the
long-term storage areas in your brain. This encoding takes time and is usually done during deep sleep.
Memories are not stored as a whole or in one place. When you retrieve and reconstruct memories, storage
areas distributed throughout your brain are activated. While long-term storage can be thought of as where
your memories are stored in your brain, your long-term memory relates to the dynamic process of sorting
and retrieving the information.

HOW ABOUT THAT!

Memory is not stored in just one place in your brain. It is currently thought
that memories exist as patterns of connections at the synapses between
the brain’s neurons. To store a particular memory, nerve signals travel
along a specific pathway through certain synapses. Each time this memory
is remembered, nerve signals are reactivated to again travel along this
pathway.

Just visiting?
Before any information is stored in long-term
storage, it needs to pass through your tempo­
rary short-term memory. Examples of s­ hort-term
memory include immediate memory (shown as
a notepad in the model) and working memory
(shown as a table in the model).
‘Notepad’ memory
Information that has made it past your ­thalamus
moves to your immediate memory where a deci­
sion is made about what to do with it. Your past
experience helps to determine its importance. An
example of the length of time information will
stay in this type of memory is when you tem- Hypothalamus
porarily remember a phone number and ring it.
After this time, the information may be lost or,
Amygdala
if considered important enough, moved to your
working memory. Hippocampus Thalamus

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

‘Working table’ memory
It is within your working memory that information generally captures your focus and demands attention.
There is a limited capacity (amount of information dealt with) and time limit for this type of memory.
Research suggests that this capacity changes with age. Between the ages of 5 and 14 years there is a range
of about 3–5 ‘chunks’ that can be dealt with at one time; after this age it increases to about 5–7 chunks.
This limited capacity is one of the reasons why you need to memorise songs, poems or other information
in stages. By memorising a few lines at a time and repeating them (or rehearsing them) you are able to
increase the number of items in your working memory. This is an example of chunking.
Studies have suggested that the time limit in working memory is about 10–20 minutes. This is often the
amount of time you can spend on one activity. This time, however, can be influenced by interest and motivation.
Both of these can have emotional elements and also involve a special part of your brain called the amygdala.

2.9.3 Remember to learn

Your past experiences influence new learning. What you already know acts as a filter to help you focus on
things that have meaning and ignore those that don’t. Your self-concept (how you see yourself in the world)
is also shaped by your past experiences. It is your self-concept that often determines how much attention
you will give to new information.
You can transfer things from your short-term memory into your long-term memory by rehearsing infor-
mation (practising) and applying meaning to it. The two key questions asked in the decision of whether to
move information into long-term memory are:
•• does it make sense?
•• does it have meaning?
I don’t understand! This is the type of comment made when a learner is having trouble making sense of
new learning. Determining whether new information ‘makes sense’ is related to whether the new informa­
tion fits in with what you already know.
Why do I have to know this? Whether the new information ‘has meaning’ relates to whether it is relevant
to you and whether you consider that the purpose of remembering it is worthwhile. You can improve the
chance that you remember something by making connections between the new learning and your previous
knowledge.

If both sense and meaning are present, there is a very high chance that the information will be sent to long-term
storage.
Is meaning

Yes

Moderate to high Very high

present?

No

Very low Moderate to high

  No Yes

Is sense present?

2.9.4 Memory aids

Have you used a mnemonic in your learning today? A mnemonic is something that helps you to remember
something else. It may take the form of a word, poem, story or image. Here are some examples:
•• Tell a tale: Make up a story using the words or information that you need to learn.
•• Link it: Link the words or pieces of information together with images.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

• First letter: Acronyms use the first letters of the words to make a new word. The example below shows
how this can help you remember some of the memory systems for different types of learning:
Spatial memory
Procedural memory
Episodic memory
Working memory
Semantic memory

2.9.5 Mind mapping

Mind maps help create memory (learning) in a way similar to that of the brain by presenting information
in a visual and connected form. Mind maps contain information in a predigested form that the memory can
most easily assimilate and access.

Why use them?

Mind maps appeal to the right side of the brain, which processes colours, relationships, pictures and
symbols. Using mind maps can increase your understanding of information and boost your recall of it
dramatically.

Mind mapping can help you find sense and meaning in your learning.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.9 Exercises: Understanding and Inquiring
To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Remember
1. Give two reasons scientists use models.
2. What is the key role of the sensory register in the information processing model?
3. Identify the part of the brain involved in transferring information from short-term memory to long-term
memory.
4. Outline the difference between long-term storage and long-term memory.
5. State the approximate capacity and time limits of working memory.
6. List the five different memory systems described in this subtopic.
7. What is a mnemonic? Give an example.
8. State the two questions ‘asked’ to determine whether information moves into long-term memory.
9. Suggest the advantage of traumatic or emotionally charged events being remembered more deeply.

Investigate, think and discuss

10. Outline some research on chemicals that can affect memory.
11. Get a pencil and paper and then concentrate on the number below for 7 seconds. After 7 seconds, look
away and write the number down. Did you get it right? Compare with others in your team.
5167340
Now repeat the procedure again with the number below. Did you get it right? Compare with others in your
team. Did you get the same results for each number? Discuss your results with your team. Suggest a
reason for any differences between results.
3847918362
12. Although we all use the same senses to collect information from our environment, they do not contribute
equally to our learning. Learners develop preferences for certain senses over others. This is where terms
such as ‘visual’, ‘auditory’ and ‘kinaesthetic’ learners originate.
(a) Research each of these types of learning and develop a set of questions that can be used to determine
which preferences you and others in your class have.
(b) Discuss the impact that these differences can have on your learning.
(c) Suggest how you can use this knowledge to be a more effective learner.
13. Find out the possible effects of the following chemicals on learning: adrenaline, phenylalanine,
norepinephrine, calpain and choline.
14. Find out more about memory drugs. Construct a PMI chart to summarise and share your findings. Do you
think they should be widely used?
15. Write a newspaper article, cartoon or web page on ways to improve your memory.
16. Find out more about research on memory and chemicals that may be used to enhance or erase it. Organise
a class debate on one of the following statements.
(a) Drugs that have an effect on memory should be illegal.
(b) Everyone should have access to drugs that erase memories.
(c) Research on drugs that alter memories should be stopped.

Investigate, create and present

17. Find out more about the information processing model; then, in teams of 8, discuss how you could act it
out. Include the following roles: sensory register, immediate memory, working memory, long-term storage
(two people), incoming information (three people).
18. Research the structure and function of the thalamus, amygdala or hippocampus, and construct a model to
communicate your findings to others.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.10 Venn diagrams
2.10.1 Venn diagrams

1. Draw two circles that overlap in the middle.

2. Write one of the words that you are comparing above each circle.
3. Write in the things that they have in common in the overlapped middle section.
4. Write the differences between them in each of the non-overlapped sections.

how to ...?

To show why Venn diagram Compare these

question
similarities and use? Term A Term B two topics.
differences
What are the
between two
similarities and
separate topics,
differences
terms or ideas
Features that between term A
Features that only BOTH term A Features that only and term B?
term A has and term B term B has
have

example

‘True frogs’ ‘True toads’

Smooth or slimy skin Warty and dry skin

Endoskeleton
Tend to lay eggs in Tend to lay eggs in
clusters Amphibian long chains

Strong, long, webbed Vertebrates Short hind legs

hind feet for leaping for walking
and swimming ‘Cold-blooded’
Belong to family
Belong to family Ranidae Bufonidae

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

2.10 Exercises: Understanding and inquiring
To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.

Think and create

1. Using the figure at right, construct your own Venn
diagram about your breakfast and lunch during Breakfast Lunch
school days.
2. Construct Venn diagrams on the following topics: At home
(a) ‘school day activities’ and ‘weekend activities’ With family At school
(b) ‘books’ and ‘movies’ Muesli With friends
(c) ‘fruits’ and ‘vegetables’. Milk Lunch bag
Food Water bottle
3. Research the meanings of the words below Juice
Drink Sandwich
Spoon
and then construct a Venn diagram to show Between bells
Plate
similarities and differences between them. Glass
(a) ‘chlorophyll’ and ‘chloroplast’
(b) ‘leucocyte’ and ‘erythrocyte’
(c) ‘prefix’ and ‘suffix’
(d) ‘endoparasite’ and ‘ectoparasite’
(e) ‘cilia’ and ‘flagella’
(f) ‘plant cells’ and ‘animal cells’
(g) ‘vertebrates’ and ‘invertebrates’
4. (a) Carefully observe the information in the boxes below, then construct Venn diagrams to compare the
different types of dinosaurs.
(i) Microceratops and Triceratops
(ii) Triceratops and Pentaceratops
(iii) Microdontosaurus and Heterodontosaurus
(iv) Microdontosaurus and Microceratops
(b) Suggest the meanings of the prefixes micro, tri, penta, micro and hetero.
(c) What do you think the prefix donto might refer to? Justify your response.

Microceratops Heterodontosaurus
• Name means ‘small-horned • Name means ‘different-
face’ toothed lizard’
• Only 76 cm long • Had three types of teeth
• Lived about 83–65 million • 2.2 m long
years ago • Lived about 208–200 million
years ago

Pentaceratops Triceratops
• Name means ‘five-horned • Name means ‘three-horned
face’ face’
• Had three horns on its head • ‘Frilled’ dinosaur
• 8 m long • Had three horns on its head
• Lived about 75–65 million • 8 m long
years ago • Lived about 75–65 million
years ago

Microdontosaurus
• Name means ‘tiny-toothed
lizard’
• 8 m long
• Lived about 75–65 million
years ago

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 5. Use the information in the diagram below to construct the following Venn diagrams.
(a) Dinosaurs under 10 metres long and dinosaurs over 10 metres long
(b) Dinosaurs with horns and spikes, and dinosaurs without horns and spikes
(c) Dinosaurs that weighed less than 8000 kilograms and dinosaurs that weighed more than 8000 kilograms

Dinosaurs

Ornithischia Saurischia

Ornithopoda Thyreophora Marginocephalia Sauropodomorpha Theropoda

Example: Iguanodon Example: Example: Triceratops Example: Example:

Weight: 5000 kg. Ankylosaurus Weight: up to 11 000 kg. Brachiosaurus Tyrannosaurus rex
Length: over 9 m, Weight: up Length: over 9 m. Length: up to 24 m, Weight: up to 8000 kg.
up to 5 m tall. to 4000 kg. up to 12 m tall. Height: over 6 m.
Length: over 10 m.

2.11 Review
2.11.1 Study checklist
Language of learning
•• describe a strategy that helps a problem or issue to be considered from different perspectives
•• identify terms associated with each of these categories: apply, explain, self-knowledge, empathy,
­perspective, interpret
•• using a diagram example, identify a visual thinking tool associated with each of these types of critical
thinking: compare and contrast, evaluating, prioritising, sequencing, classifying
•• using a diagram example, identify a visual thinking tool associated with each of these types of creative
thinking: personifying, brainstorming, visualising, hypothesising
•• outline the key difference between ‘fat’ and ‘skinny’ questions, providing an example of each
•• suggest questions that would fit into each of the following categories: apply, explain, self-knowledge,
interpret, perspective, empathy
•• suggest skills important for effective listening
•• provide an example that supports the statement: Verbal communication includes not only ‘what’ we say,
but also ‘how’ we say it
•• list examples of activities that involve intrapersonal intelligences and interpersonal intelligences
•• describe how prefixes and suffixes can help unlock patterns in scientific terminology
•• outline the involvement of the amygdala and hippocampus in building memories
•• define the term ‘mnemonic’ and give an example of one that you have used
•• list five different memory systems and suggest a way of remembering them
•• construct a Venn diagram to compare and contrast: short-term memory and long-term memory; red
thinking hats and white thinking hats; ‘explain’ and ‘empathy’; ‘fat’ questions and ‘skinny’ questions;
leucocytes and erythrocytes

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

Individual pathways

ACTIVITY 2.1 ACTIVITY 2.2 ACTIVITY 2.3

Learning Investigating learning Developing learning skills
doc-6045 doc-6046 doc-6047

 ONLINE ONLY

2.11 Review 1: Looking back

To answer questions online and to receive immediate feedback and sample responses for every question, go
to your learnON title at [Link]. Note: Question numbers may vary slightly.
1. (a)  Use your three floors of thinking to help you create your own magazine cover of the key ideas that you
have learned from this topic. Remember to:
• gather your information — first-floor thinking
• process your information — second-floor thinking
• apply your information — third-floor thinking.
(b) Reflecting on your learning
(c) Metacognition is the act of ‘thinking about your own thinking’. This is when you notice and scrutinise
what you are thinking. It also involves thinking about how you are thinking. Ask yourself questions like:
• What am I thinking about?
• What am I thinking about what I am thinking about?
• What caused me to think about this?
• What have I learned?
• How do I know that I’m right?
• How might I think about this differently?
2. (a)  To assess the presentations you gave throughout this topic, mark yourself on a scale of 1 to 5 on each of
the following points.
• I spoke in a clear voice that communicated the information effectively.
• I was well organised.
• I knew the relevant information about my topic and was confident in presenting it.
• My presentation was interesting and entertaining.
(b) Describe what you liked about how others in your class presented information.
(c) From your new experiences in presenting and communicating ideas (and observing others), describe
things that you could do to be a more effective communicator.
3. Carefully study the cartoon at right.
(a) Paraphrase what the caveman is saying.
(b) Predict what his wife will say in return.
(c) Suggest what the caveman may say to his wife’s
comment.
(d) Describe a time when you were in a similar situation.
(e) Create your own cartoon to describe a situation in which
you effectively learned something.
4. (a)  Suggest how people remembered and communicated
ideas before pen and paper.
(b) What evidence is there that humans have tried to pass
knowledge from generation to generation?
(c) Which type of memory system would have been most
useful to cave people? Justify your selection with
examples.
(d) Suggest examples of inventions that would have been
useful to cave people.
(e) Design and construct an ‘invention’ for cave people. Describe how and when it would be used.

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 1. Generation of ideas
1 2 3 4
Few ideas generated Some of group pushed Most of group gave All of group gave
ideas creative ideas creative ideas
2. Time management
1 2 3 4
Lot of time wasted Often got distracted Progressed well once on Stayed on target; no
track time wasted
3. Decision making
1 2 3 4
Group conflicts not One person took over Group compromised on All group supportive and
resolved important points encouraged agreement
4. Overall
1 2 3 4
Goal not achieved Goal nearly achieved Goal achieved but Goal exceeded
no more

5. Sit with a partner and position yourself ‘Eye-to-Eye and Knee-to-Knee’. This will help you to maintain eye
contact and will promote active listening. While positioned this way, take turns to tell each other about the
sort of things that you think are important to make a good first impression. Use the active listening wheel
below to score how effectively you think you actively listened and then score your partner for their active
listening. Discuss what you found easy or difficult, and what you would try next time to enhance your
listening skills.
Give nonverbal
encouragement.
4 Give verbal
Look them ‘in encouragement.
4 3
the eye’. 3 4
2 2 3
Respect how 11 2 Don’t interrupt the
4 3 2 1 0 1
the speaker 1 1 2 3 4 speaker — wait until
may feel. 2 11 they have finished.
3 2 2
4 3
Ask relevant 3 4
Repeat the speaker’s key
questions. 4
ideas in your own words.
Affirm any
shared views.
6. Use the rating guide above to assess your individual and team activities throughout this topic.
(a) How productive was I?
(b) How productive was my team?
7. Use the three following guides to reflect about yourself.
How do you most want to be?
Honest 1 2 3 4 5
Caring 1 2 3 4 5
Creative 1 2 3 4 5
Logical 1 2 3 4 5
Independent 1 2 3 4 5
Cooperative 1 2 3 4 5
Playful 1 2 3 4 5
Adventurous 1 2 3 4 5

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 What are you and what do you prefer ...?

8. Use diagrams and thinking tools to describe yourself in the past,

ings that I did wel
present and future. Explain how and why you arrived there. 6 th l
9. Use the reflection umbrella to list six things that you do well,
two things you could do better and two things that you should
stop doing.

2 things I could
do better
2 thin

i ng
do
10. Self-analysis reflection s
g

Is
h o uld s t o

I tried to have an open mind and think p

flexibly.
0 1 2 3 4 5

I understood what I was to do.

0 1 2 3 4 5

I asked when I was not sure what was

expected of me.
0 1 2 3 4 5

I persisted, even when the going was

tough.
0 1 2 3 4 5

I used my time effectively.

0 1 2 3 4 5

I was well organised.

0 1 2 3 4 5

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2

 I contributed to team discussions.

0 1 2 3 4 5

I encouraged others.

0 1 2 3 4 5

I actively listened to others.

0 1 2 3 4 5

The most important thing that I learned during this topic was …

RESOURCES — ONLINE ONLY

  Complete this digital doc: Worksheet 2.2: Personal learning (doc-18705)

  Complete this digital doc: Worksheet 2.3: Summing up (doc-18706)

  Complete this digital doc: Worksheet 2.4: Looking back (doc-18707)

Jacaranda Science Quest 8, Topic 2