Year 7 Science · Unit 4 · Lesson 12
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Learning Goals
Because… chain
Fill in the missing steps. This chain follows how a single observation becomes reliable, predictive knowledge about Country.
Overall conclusion:
Real-world context
Across the year, different sky events line up with different events on Country. For example, the Seven Sisters appearing can mark a change of season, the changing Emu in the Sky signals when emus are nesting, a full or new Moon brings the biggest tides, and a certain star first appearing can mean a plant is about to flower. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples built this detailed knowledge through careful observation over tens of thousands of years, and each Nation has its own Cultural Knowledges tied to its own Country.
(a) Match each sky event to the natural event it helps predict. Write the matching event in the right-hand column.
| Sky event | What it helps predict |
|---|---|
| The Emu in the Sky changing position | |
| A full Moon or a new Moon | |
| The Seven Sisters appearing in the sky | |
| A certain star first appearing before dawn |
(b) Stars seem to twinkle more strongly on some nights than others. Explain what causes this twinkling, and how it can be read as a sign of changing weather.
(c) Knowing exactly when emus are nesting helped people decide when to collect eggs and when to leave nests alone. Explain why this knowledge also helped care for and protect the emus.
1. A classmate says "reading the stars is just superstition, not real science." Using one example from the lesson, explain why this is wrong.
2. Why is it important to say "many Nations, each with its own Cultural Knowledges" rather than talking about one single belief shared by everyone?
Wrap Up
In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?