Oxford Science 7–10

Australian Curriculum 9.0

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Build Science Inquiry Skills with Oxford Science 7-10


The Australian Curriculum has changing and Oxford is here to support your transition. In science, there is a stronger focus on students mastering the essential facts, skills, concepts and processes, and being introduced to these at the right time.

Oxford Science 7–10 is a new teaching and learning resource written for the new Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0).

Featuring an innovative reporting system that makes it easy for you to identify misconceptions and deliver differentiated, personalised learning experiences, build students’ confidence, and save time planning lessons.

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Supporting teachers with obook pro


Premium digital content thoughtfully curated to provide you a roadmap for teaching the new curriculum.

Sample teaching resources now available.

-    Year 7 Curriculum Grid
-    Years 7–10 Course Planner
-    Year 8 Lesson Plans

Register for a digital sample and explore the seamless integration of Student Book, digital resources and lesson plans.
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Oxford Science 7 Australian Curriculum

Oxford Science 7
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 7
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 7
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 7
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 7
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 8 Australian Curriculum

Oxford Science 8
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 8
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 8
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 8
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 8
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 9 Australian Curriculum

Oxford Science 9
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 9
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 9
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 9
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 9
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 10 Australian Curriculum

Oxford Science 10
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 10
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 10
Australian Curriculum
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Oxford Science 10
Australian Curriculum
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Australian Curriculum
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Bring the curriculum to life with thousands of curriculum-aligned videos


Oxford University Press Australia is delighted to announce a unique partnership with ClickView – Australia's leading video solution for schools – to deliver thousands of brand-new, curriculum-aligned videos for secondary schools across Australia.
Find out more

In May 2022, an updated version of Australian Curriculum Science for Years 7–10 (known as Version 9.0) was released by the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA).

From Term 1 2023, schools around Australia will begin to implement the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0), most according to their own state and territory timelines.

Schools in some states and territories will be required to adopt the new curriculum in its entirety, while curriculum bodies in other states and territories will adapt the new curriculum and integrate it into their existing state curricula.

Regardless of the approach taken in your state, the Australian Curriculum forms the basis of all state and territory curricula, so this change will affect aspects of teaching and learning across Australia.

We're here to support you. Register your interest to stay up to date with implementation news in your state or territory and to receive invitations to professional development events and access to sample pages of Oxford’s Australian Curriculum resources.

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Implementing the Australian Curriculum Science (9.0): Challenges and opportunities webinar

Hear from Oxford experts as they outline the key features of the new Australian Curriculum: Science 7–10 (Version 9.0) and share a range of practical strategies and resources designed to help set your students up for success in secondary science!

Why is the Australian Curriculum changing?

The Australian Curriculum is reviewed by ACARA every 6 years and the 2020–2021 review resulted in the Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0.

The review was conducted to ensure the curriculum was up to date, had a strong evidence base, and matched the high standards expected in other high-performing countries.

According to ACARA, ‘Australian Curriculum, Version 9.0 is a more stripped-back and teachable curriculum that identifies the essential content our children should learn’.

In science, there is a stronger focus on students mastering the essential facts, skills, concepts and processes, and being introduced to these at the right time.

The new Australian Curriculum Science has been designed around the assumption that students will study science in each year of schooling from Foundation to Year 10, but state and territory policies differ, so check with the curriculum or education authority before finalising your teaching programs.

For more detailed information on the changes to Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0), visit the Australian Curriculum website (australiancurriculum.edu.au).

How is the structure of the new Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0) changing?

The basic structure of the Australian curriculum remains unchanged, but most of the content descriptions and achievement standards have changed

The structure of Version 9.0 is still three dimensional – meaning it includes Learning areas, General capabilities and Cross-curriculum priorities:

Learning areas

The essential knowledge, understandings and skills that students should learn in 8 learning areas.

  • English
  • Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Health and Physical Education
  • Languages
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Technologies
  • The Arts

General capabilities

The knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions required to live and work successfully.

  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Digital Literacy
  • Ethical understanding
  • Intercultural understanding
  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Personal and social capability

Cross-curriculum priorities

Priorities that reflect national, regional and global contexts.

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
  • Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
  • Sustainability

Overall, there is a much greater emphasis on the cross-curriculum priority of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

How is the content of the new Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) changing?

The following table provides a brief overview of the key content that is changing in Australian Curriculum Science (version 9.0) at Years 7–10.

A detailed summary of all content and assessment changes, including course planners, scope and sequence charts, teaching programs, lesson plans, and assessment support will all be available for schools implementing the Australian Curriculum with Oxford resources.

What’s been added?

What’s been removed?
Strand: Science understanding
  • Models to represent matter and energy flow in ecosystems AC9S7U02 MOVED FROM YEAR 9
  • Predicting the impact of changing abiotic and biotic factors on populations AC9S7U02 MOVED FROM YEAR 9
  • Particle theory in relation to arrangement of particles, motion and attraction between particles and substance properties AC9S7U05 MOVED FROM YEAR 8
  • The water cycle and resources ACSSU116 REMOVED
Strand: Science as a human endeavour
  • The influence of cultural perspectives and world views on the development of scientific knowledge AC9S7H02 NEW
  • The role of science communication in informing individual viewpoints and community policies and regulations AC9S7H04 NEW
  • Science understanding and skills in occupations and how this has influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity ACSHE121 & ACSHE136 REMOVED
Strand: Science inquiry
  • Planning and conducting reproducible investigations AC9S7I02 NEW
  • Identifying assumptions AC9S7I02 NEW
  • Recognising key considerations regarding heritage sites and artifacts on Country/Place AC9S7I02 NEW

What’s been added?

What’s been removed?
Strand: Science understanding
  • Tectonic activity including formation of geological features at divergent, convergent and transform plate boundaries and the evidence for the theory of plate tectonics AC9S8U03 MOVED FROM YEAR 9
  • Identify indicators of energy change in chemical reactions AC9S8U07 MOVED FROM YEAR 9
  • Properties of the different states of matter can be explained in terms of the motion and arrangement of particles ACSSU151 MOVED TO YEAR 7
Strand: Science as a human endeavour
  • The influence of cultural perspectives and world views on the development of scientific knowledge AC9S8H02 NEW
  • The role of science communication in informing individual viewpoints and community policies and regulations AC9S8H04 NEW
  • Science understanding and skills in occupations and how this has influenced the development of practices in areas of human activity ACSHE121 & ACSHE136 REMOVED
Strand: Science inquiry
  • Planning and conducting reproducible investigations AC9S8I02 NEW
  • Identifying assumptions AC9S8I02 NEW
  • Recognising key considerations regarding heritage sites and artifacts on Country/Place AC9S8I02 NEW

What’s been added?

What’s been removed?
Strand: Science understanding
  • Form and function of reproductive cells and organs in animals and plants and how processes of sexual and asexual reproduction enable species survival AC9S9U02 NEW
  • The carbon cycle and how processes including combustion, photosynthesis and respiration rely on interactions between Earth’s spheres AC9S9U03 MOVED FROM YEAR 10
  • The law of conservation of energy to analyse system efficiency in terms of energy inputs, outputs, transfers and transformations AC9S9U05 MOVED FROM YEAR 10
  • Interactions between organisms, including the effects of human activities can be represented by food chains and food webs ACSSU112 MOVED TO YEAR 7
  • Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through these systems ACSSU176 MOVED TO YEAR 7
Strand: Science as a human endeavour
  • Explain how scientific knowledge is validated and refined including the role of publication and peer review AC9S9H01 NEW
Strand: Science inquiry
  • Plan and conduct reproducible investigations AC9S9I02 NEW
  • Identifying and controlling for possible sources of error AC9S9I02 NEW
  • Developing risk assessments AC9S9I02 NEW
  • Considering ethical issues and addressing key considerations regarding heritage sites and artifacts on Country/Place AC9S9I02 NEW
  • Selecting and constructing appropriate representations to organise and process data and information AC9S9104 NEW
  • Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence ACSIS170 & ACSIS204 REMOVED

What’s been added?

What’s been removed?
Strand: Science as a human endeavour
  • Explain how scientific knowledge is validated and refined including the role of publication and peer review AC9S10H01(New)
Strand: Science inquiry
  • Plan and conduct reproducible investigations AC9S10I02 NEW
  • Identifying and controlling for possible sources of error AC9S9I02 AC9S10I02 NEW
  • Developing risk assessments AC9S9I02 AC9S10I02 NEW
  • Considering ethical issues and addressing key considerations regarding heritage sites and artifacts on Country/Place AC9S10I02 NEW
  • Selecting and constructing appropriate representations to organise and process data and information AC9S10104 NEW
  • Use knowledge of scientific concepts to draw conclusions that are consistent with evidence ACSIS170 & ACSIS204 REMOVED
  • Addition of new elaborations for Science as a Human Endeavour        
  • Greater focus on the inclusion of First Nations science

When will Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) be implemented in my state or territory?

Education authorities in different states and territories around Australia will determine the timeline for the implementation of the new Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0).

Information specific to each state and territory can be found in the table. All information provided was correct at the time of printing. Please confirm your approach with the education authority in your state or territory prior to implementation.

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in the ACT are required to adopt the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10 from Term 1, 2024.
For more information visit: ACT Education Directorate

• NESA is currently undertaking a review of existing curriculum in NSW. It’s likely they will incorporate some or all of the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) content as part of that review.
• All government, independent and Catholic schools in NSW will be required to implement the new NSW Curriculum Science at Years 7–10 from Term 1, 2025.
• More formal implementation timelines and additional details will be made available by NESA from the start of 2023.
For more information visit: NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA)

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in NT schools are required to adopt the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10. Implementation date to be confirmed.
For more information visit: Northern Territory Board of Studies (NTBOS)

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in Queensland are free to determine their own plan for the implementation of the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10 (with a few conditions). Schools can begin teaching the new curriculum at any year level from Term 1, 2023 onwards, but must have completed full implementation by the end of the 2025 school year. That is, from Term 1, 2026 all schools must be teaching Version 9.0 across Years 7–10.
For more information visit: Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA)

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in Tasmania are required to adopt the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10.Implementation dates are yet to be confirmed.
For more information visit: Department of Education Tasmania

• All government, independent and Catholic schools in SA will be required to adopt the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10. Implementation dates are yet to be confirmed.
For more information visit: South Australia Department for education and learning

• VCAA is currently undertaking a review of Victorian Curriculum. It’s likely they will incorporate some or all of the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) content as part of that review.
• Government and Catholic schools are required to continue teaching the Victorian Curriculum at Years 7–10 until further notice.
• Non-government schools may choose to adopt or adapt elements of the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) at Years 7–10 from Term 1, 2023 onwards.
For more information visit: Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA)

• SCSA is currently undertaking a review of Western Australian Curriculum. It’s likely they will incorporate some or all of the Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0) content as part of that review.
• All government, independent and Catholic schools are required to teach the current Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline at Years 7–10 until advised otherwise.
For more information visit: School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA)

Is your school implementing the new Australian Curriculum Science (Version 9.0)?

Contact your local sales consultant for further information.

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