Science Organisms & Life Processesusually ages 10–11

Evolution vocabulary

Use technical vocabulary for evolution and natural selection — adaptation, evolution, natural selection, extinct, extinction, fossil record, species, common ancestor, mutation, variation — and explain the mechanism of natural selection using these terms in the correct sequence

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Use 'adaptation' correctly to describe a feature that helps an organism survive in its environment
Explain natural selection using 'variation', 'selection pressure', and 'reproduction' correctly in sequence
Use 'extinct' and 'extinction' correctly and distinguish them from 'endangered'

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Try this together

Can your child explain in their own words why giraffes have long necks — using words like 'adaptation' or 'natural selection' rather than just 'so they can reach leaves'?

Where this sits on the map

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Builds on

Nothing on the map comes before this — it’s a starting point.

Evolution vocabularythis skill · ages 10–11

Unlocks

How animals adapt to environmentsages 8–11Understanding that adaptation may lead to evolution requires both 'adaptation' and 'evolution' vocabulary

Life Changed Over Timeages 10–11Recognising that living things have changed over time and fossils provide evidence requires evolution and fossil record vocabulary

Fossils as Evidenceages 8–11Interpreting fossil data as evidence of past organisms benefits from fossil record and extinction vocabulary

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

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

Show candidate curriculum codes · 1 ACARA · 1 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9S6U01low confidenceYear 6 · Science understanding

investigate the physical conditions of a habitat and analyse how the growth and survival of living things is affected by changing physical conditions

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2S6U01low confidenceScience · Levels 5 and 6 · Science Understanding 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

Diet, Exercise & Lifestyleages 10–11 Energy from Food & the Sunages 10–11 Nutrient Transport in Animalsages 10–11 Plants Grow from Air & Waterages 10–11

All Organisms & Life Processes skills →