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NSW Curriculum
NSW Education Standards Authority

7–10Science 7–10 Syllabus

Record of changes
Implementation from 2026
Expand for detailed implementation advice

Content

Stage 5

Environmental sustainability

Working scientifically

In this focus area, students develop skills in analysing data and information, and problem-solving. Additional Working scientifically outcomes and skills may be integrated with this content.

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Sustainability
  • Identify the principles and goals of sustainability

  • Apply scientific understanding to propose valid solutions to identified problems relating to sustainability

Climate science
  • Distinguish between climate and weather

  • Investigate data to determine what trends are evident in the world’s climate

  • Explain how the natural greenhouse effect influences global climate

  • Analyse data on global emissions and atmospheric temperatures to explain the enhanced greenhouse effect and its impact on climate and ecosystems

  • Identify the advantages and limitations of methods used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

  • Analyse data that shows the relationship between industrialisation and the rise in global temperatures

Impacts of present-day climate change
  • Identify the characteristics of climate change

  • Investigate and report on the consequences of climate change

  • Investigate the effects of climate change on the water cycle and ecosystems

  • Investigate how satellites collect global data, including data on ocean temperatures, sea levels, and forest and ice cover, and examine how this data is used to evaluate the impact of climate change

Alternative resource use and recycling
  • Describe the causes of environmental pollution and discuss its implications

  • Research how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have developed sustainable harvesting practices and Cultural protocols based on deep ecological understandings

  • Discuss alternatives to the current resource use, including how to reduce, reuse and recycle

  • Describe current processes for recycling materials

  • Investigate how scientists have developed innovative ways to recycle materials

Environmental sustainability in context
  • Discuss the link between human activity and one specific environmental pollution concern

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