The sciPAD BIG IDEAS Year 9 workbook is a thoughtfully structured resource that enables students to explore the interconnected systems that underpin the natural world. Aligned with the Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0), it builds on prior learning and challenges students to apply scientific concepts with increasing depth and sophistication.

Across biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and space science, students investigate how living systems respond to internal and external changes, including physiological feedback mechanisms and reproductive strategies. They explore energy and matter at the atomic level, examining how particles are rearranged during chemical reactions and how this relates to the conservation of mass. They study Earth’s carbon cycle and examine the role of feedback systems in regulating climate and ecosystems. The physical sciences focus on energy transfer and the dual wave-particle nature of phenomena such as light and sound.

Real-world examples and inquiry-based activities are used to support conceptual understanding and link science to contemporary issues. The workbook integrates First Nations Australians’ knowledges in contextually relevant ways and draws on Australian case studies, including land management, biodiversity, carbon farming, and the design of traditional technologies.

Structured explanations, step-by-step investigations, and varied response formats actively support the development of core science inquiry skills. Students learn to evaluate evidence, analyse relationships within systems, identify potential sources of error, and clearly communicate their conclusions using scientific conventions. This workbook helps teachers confidently nurture scientific literacy, critical thinking, and a deeper appreciation of how science explains and influences the world around us, both locally and globally.