EDSE12024 AT2 PADLET by

Subatomic Particles explanation

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:05:54 UTC

This video provides the fundamental knowledge behind the AC9S9U06 Content Descriptor, discussing the varying properties of subatomic particles and how their arrangements confer explanations to the properties of atoms. Graphics and models created in this video cater to an inaugural understanding of atomic modelling and can be further expanded upon through use of other models. Used as an introduction to the unit, students are able to begin to frame their understanding of subatomic arrangement and the animations support the reasoning and process behind the core content for the unit.

PhET Simulation - Building an Atom

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:08:30 UTC

PhET Simulation - Isotopes

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:09:57 UTC

Subatomic Particles Tabular Worksheet

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:11:38 UTC

This worksheet can be employed in a practical investigation context, in conjunction with the PhET simulation for building an atom. Uploaded to a cyberspace classroom, students can collaboratively collect data and complete the worksheet across their devices whilst simultaneously exploring the simulation and conducting wider research. This worksheet shows potential to be expanded upon, encapsulating a tabular exploration of isotopes by following the same design principle as this worksheet. The notion of collaborative investigation and completion of an online worksheet can also be contextualised to investigating radioactive decay by use of the PhET simulations and the experimental designs collected in this padlet.

Mungo Man - Radiometric Dating

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:16:51 UTC

This article provides fundamental knowledge about the different methods of radiometric dating and how they have been employed at the Mungo site to determine the age of Mungo Man. This article is interned to exist in a range of literature provided for students to comprehend the application of the AC9S9U06 descriptor in determining historical timelines of human history, and the value it has afforded to knowledge of Indigenous history. These articles are intended to develop student's intercultural understanding and competency with a direct application to their country. This is further intended to introduce this contextualisation of the content descriptor, and can be used in conjunction with other mapping/modelling technologies to reinforce the significance of the site.

Radiometric Dating of First Nations Communities

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:17:53 UTC

This is another article that supports the application of radiometric dating to determine the age of historical Indigenous communities, intended to be used in conjunction with other articles provided in this Padlet to provide students with real-world examples of this technology. The range of sites mentioned in this article can be accompanied by a mapping tool to create an artefact site map of the area.

Simulated radiometric dating using shampoo experimental design

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:21:54 UTC

The experimental design published on this website explores radioactive decay constants that are represented by widths of a funnel that shampoo is poured through. The larger width of a funnel in this experiment ultimately represents higher decay constants and thus correspond to lower half-lives of radioactive isotopes, and vice-versa. This simulation allows students to gather data and consequently plot graphs of decay to interpolate data to date an "unknown" sample. Although conducted primarily physically, data collection can be facilitated through a collaborative online platform where students can all contribute to the working document, strengthening numerical translations into graphs and reasoning to support conclusions drawn from experimental data. This experimental design can be expanded or minimised in complexity in accordance with student comprehension and to support differentiation; For example: the number of funnels, and therefore data gathered, can be altered to ensure the fundamental principle is understood and, contrastingly, students are challenged.

Radiocarbon Dating explanation

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:23:57 UTC

This video supports the AC9S9U06 descriptor by providing a supportive explanation of radiocarbon dating, potentially used to introduce the topic after thorough exploration of subatomic particles and isotopes. The animations and graphics employed in this video provide a reference for students to return to when conducting the physical investigation activities that are designed to follow.

First Nations Artefact Dating

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 00:30:44 UTC

This fact sheet provides information about the kinds of Indigenous artefacts that are able to be radiometrically dated to determine the age of Indigenous populations. This document further explores the ethics of interacting with the explored artefacts and reverberates a notion of protection and conservation through means of educating students about their significance. The information can be supported by simultaneous use of tools that exhibit discovered artefacts (or their replicas) in online museum tours or potentially through a Zoom call with an Indigenous historian who can speak to the significance of discovered artefacts.

ACARA guidelines to support the exploration of ethical investigation

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 23:40:12 UTC

The background information provided by ACARA enables teachers to understand how they may direct the design of a unit encapsulating the AC9S9U06 content descriptor in the context of using radioactive dating to date Indigenous artefacts. This document introduces the practical application of radioactive dating within the aforementioned context, introduces the ethical implications of scientific investigation and disruption of sacred Indigenous sites, keeping Indigenous perspectives at the forefront of the unit. The document also navigates how to address the potential insensitivities of scientific determination of dating sacred artefacts, especially for students in the classroom who are of Indigenous or Torres Strait Islander identities. Although originating from Version 8.4 of the Australian Curriculum, the information remains applicable to the Version 9 equivalent.

PhET Simulation - Alpha Decay & Half Life

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 23:41:29 UTC

Simulated Radioactive Decay & Half Life using Dice experimental design

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 23:49:39 UTC

This online experimental simulation supports the AC9S9U06 content descriptor by providing a tool to explore rates of radioactive decay and half-lives of isotopes within the context of rock dating. The simulation is modifiable as the source code is provided alongside the experiment, therefore, students are able to explore differing decay constants and construct differing graphs to explore each constant. Students are able to explore spontaneous radioactive decay over time that would not be achievable (in a time and safety context) using practical data collection. Data collection is modelled and therefore can be reflected in a collaborative worksheet that is completed among student groups as they calculate decay constants. Although this experiment provides no prescribed context for data interpolation to determine the ages of "unknown" samples, there is immense potential for teachers to supply simulated samples that are plotted against previously determined decay rates to derive the isotopic abundance of samples, thereby discovering their ages.

Ethics of Science vs Tradition - Indigenous Perspective

brockclifton — 2025-06-03 23:51:07 UTC

This article provides an incredibly rich Indigenous perspective on the importance of Indigenous consultation and voice within the context of scientifically determining the ages of artefacts. The notion at the forefront of this article can be redefined by inviting an Indigenous elder from the Paakantji, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa countries to join a classroom via Zoom to discuss the implications of disrupting sites and respecting histories. This overall concept can be expanded to relate to the local region where this unit is taught in, and elders from the community can also be invited to facilitate a culturally-sensitive discussion in relation to the content explored. The employment of radiometric dating does affirm a deep Indigenous history of Australia, but what is the cost of confirming the age of artefacts by use of modern technologies?

PhET Simulations

brockclifton — 2025-06-04 00:34:23 UTC

Simulations facilitated by the PhET platform confer student agency to experimental exploration with the models that support the fundamental knowledge of the AC9S9U06 content descriptor. The simulations enable students to develop comprehension of the topics by providing visually-enticing, practical and interactive simulations that function to provide students a supportive model to refer to when applying theoretical knowledge in practical contexts explored in this unit. The simulations are intended to be explored in groups in conjunction with a supporting worksheet that enables students to document their explorations and how they impact the properties and identities of atoms and isotopes. These simulations are also intended to be implemented into theory lessons throughout the unit, prior to the practical experimental designs, simultaneously strengthening declarative and procedural knowledge required to achieve the standard for this descriptor.