Learning Map
ScienceDinosaurs & Paleontologyusually ages 9–11

Changing Scientific Knowledge

Evaluate competing scientific explanations about dinosaurs by weighing fossil evidence — understanding that scientific knowledge changes as new fossils are discovered and new methods of analysis are developed

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If your child read two different explanations for why dinosaurs went extinct, could they discuss what evidence supports each idea and why scientists sometimes change their minds?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on
Dinosaurs Around the Worldages 7–9Evaluating competing scientific explanations about dinosaurs is enriched by knowing about the global distribution of dinosaur species and how continental evidence informs competing theories
Birds Evolved from Dinosaursages 9–11The bird-dinosaur connection is an example of scientific knowledge evolving with new evidence
Evidence Supporting Ideasages 9–11Curriculum skill of evaluating scientific evidence supports evaluating competing dinosaur explanations
How Palaeontologists Workages 9–11Evaluating competing scientific explanations about dinosaurs requires understanding how palaeontologists gather and interpret evidence in the field and lab — methodology underpins evidence evaluation
Palaeoart & Speculationages 9–11Evaluating competing scientific explanations is enriched by understanding how palaeoart works — students who know that dinosaur reconstructions involve informed speculation can better distinguish evidence from interpretation
The K-Pg Extinction Eventages 9–11The extinction debate is a key example of evaluating competing explanations
Changing Scientific Knowledgethis skill · ages 9–11
Unlocks
Modern Archaeology and Egyptian Ethicsages 10–12Ethics of Egyptology parallels ethics of scientific inquiry and evidence evaluation in paleontology

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

Show candidate curriculum codes · 3 ACARA · 1 NSW · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9S4H01medium confidenceYear 4 · Science as a human endeavour

examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations

AC9S3H01medium confidenceYear 3 · Science as a human endeavour

examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations

AC9S6H02medium confidenceYear 6 · Science as a human endeavour

investigate how scientific knowledge is used by individuals and communities to identify problems, consider responses and make decisions

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

ST3-SCI-01medium confidenceScience and Technology K-6 · Stage 3

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2S6H01medium confidenceScience · Levels 5 and 6 · Science as a Human Endeavour strand
VC2S4H01medium confidenceScience · Levels 3 and 4 · Science as a Human Endeavour strand
VC2S4H02low confidenceScience · Levels 3 and 4 · Science as a Human Endeavour strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Birds Evolved from Dinosaursages 9–11 Dinosaur Hip Groupsages 9–11 How Palaeontologists Workages 9–11 Palaeoart & Speculationages 9–11

All Dinosaurs & Paleontology skills →