Can "Good Vibes" provide a survival advantage?
Culture Shift is a population genetics problem that challenges students to investigate whether cultural preference can override natural selection.
Using a hands-on simulation, students model a population with genetic variation exposed to random environmental disturbances and selection pressures. Midway through the investigation, one phenotype becomes socially favoured despite offering no biological advantage, requiring students to make and justify a management decision.
Outcomes are intentionally variable. Students are not rewarded for making a particular phenotype “win”, but for analysing population data, identifying selection pressures, and evaluating the effectiveness and limitations of human intervention. The task prioritises problem-solving, evidence-based reasoning, and evaluation, making it well suited to deep discussion and authentic scientific thinking in senior biology classrooms.
Immersive, scenario-driven science problems that feel real, not like another worksheet.
Problems Lab keeps senior science practical, rigorous and doable, with inquiry problems that align with all Australian states and territories so you can focus on teaching, not reinventing the wheel before every assessment window.
Teacher notes, editable student tasks and marking guidance built for Australian classrooms, including state-based outcome selectors on each resource.
Our favourites
Packs to keep coming back to year after year
A curated selection from the shop of our most popular problems.
Inside the pack
See exactly what a Problems Lab pack contains
Each pack includes teacher guidance, student tasks, stimulus data, marking criteria, and worked solutions so you know what students will get.
What you get in every pack
Teacher guidance
Each pack includes a clear teaching brief that explains the intent of the task and what success looks like. Setup notes, pacing guidance, and common misconceptions help you facilitate discussion and support student reasoning.
Student-facing tasks
Students are placed in a realistic problem-solving role and guided through a structured investigation using clear instructions, defined challenges, and explicit expectations.
Stimulus and data
Each pack includes stimulus materials that establish the problem context and give students something to work with throughout the task.
Assessment and feedback
Assessment rubrics focus on scientific reasoning and use of evidence. Worked solutions and annotated exemplars model high-quality responses and support consistent marking.
Print and digital ready
All materials are presented in clean, high-contrast layouts suitable for immediate classroom use, whether printed or delivered digitally through your LMS.
Pack preview
Free problem pack walkthrough
See the flow of a complete pack before you buy. Video walkthrough coming soon.
What you can explore now
Download the free pack to view the structure, rubric, and worked solution. The video walkthrough will live here once it is recorded.
Open the free packReal classroom frustrations
Why we exist
Engagement & fun
Students switch off when the context feels generic. We use real-world scenarios that pull them into the problem.
Higher-order thinking
We push application of knowledge, not recall. Students analyse, justify and evaluate with purpose.
Teacher time
Creating high-quality tasks drains planning time. Packs are curriculum-aligned so you can teach, not rebuild.
Assessment overload
Designed for presentation and peer feedback, with marking guidance and exemplars to reduce your load.
Classroom delivery
How it works in an Australian classroom
Prep using the teacher brief and select relevant outcomes.
Launch the scenario and introduce students to the problem.
Guide the investigation with built-in prompts as needed.
Use rubrics and exemplars to support consistent feedback.
Ways to access Problems Lab
What we offer
Most problem packs are priced around $8.99 (about a couple cups of coffee to keep us going!), so you can trial a topic before committing to discounted bundles.
Individual problems by subject
Choose the packs you need for the next unit. Each includes all deliverables plus state-based outcomes.
- Biology
- Chemistry (coming soon...)
- Physics (coming soon...)
Packages & bundles
Bundle problem sets for a topic or term to streamline moderation and assessment planning.
TODO: enable bundle filtering in the shop view.
View bundlesFree content
Download freebies to test the flow with your class or share with faculty before purchasing.
Access freebiesCustom problems
Request a tailored scenario for your context, assessment needs or local syllabus emphasis.
Request a custom packFAQ
Common questions answered clearly
Teacher notes with curriculum links, student materials in printable and editable formats, marking guidance and moderation notes. Each resource lists NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, WA, TAS, ACT and NT outcomes.
It depends on your context. Use the high-contrast PDF for A4 print runs or post to your LMS for BYOD classrooms. You may just need to select which pages you would like your students to see.
Yes, a purchase covers one school site. Teachers can email the files internally as long as they remain inside your school community.
Select your state or territory on the product page to reveal the matching syllabus outcomes and suggested adjustments. Swap states any time to plan for new contexts.
If a resource does not match the description or you experience a technical issue, contact us at support@problemslab.com.au for help.
Yes. When syllabuses shift or teachers suggest improvements, we refresh the files and notify past purchasers.
Timing varies by task and delivery style (lesson, assessment or presentation). Typically two 60 minute sessions are recommended for the completion of a problem, with additional time allocated for presentation if desired.
Each task includes prompts, sentence starters and extension suggestions so mixed classes can engage meaningfully.
Mailing list
Join the Problems Lab dispatch
Get first access to new problem packs, free resources and classroom-ready updates.
No spam. Unsubscribe at any time.