SCIENCE

Planning
Document
Primary & Secondary
University of
Notre Dame
 CONCEPT MAP
(option 1)

Concept: Term: Weeks:

English
- Explaining their reasoning
effectively.
- Keeping a science journal.
Maths
- Using accurate units of
©The University of Notre Dame 2010 developed by C McGunnigle
measurement when
measuring water and
distance
- Developing tables and
charts to represent results
for investigations

Science / Technology & Enterprise

- Designing a boat that is capable of
supporting itself when marbles are placed in.
- Recycling
 FORWARD PLANNING DOCUMENT

TERM/WEEKS: 3 YEAR LEVEL: 4 LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Science

AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
General Capabilities:
Literacy Numeracy ICT Critical and creative Ethical Behaviour Personal and social Intercultural Understanding
thinking Competence
Cross-curriculum priorities:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and Cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability

Curriculum Links

Science Understanding

Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties that can influence their use (ACSSU074)

Science as a Human Endeavour

Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE061)
Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062)

Science Inquiry Skills

With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior
knowledge (ACSIS064)
With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and
equipment (ACSIS065)
Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record observations
accurately (ACSIS066)
Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends (ACSIS068)
Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (ACSIS216)
Reflect on investigations, including whether a test was fair or not (ACSIS069)
Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and informal representations (ACSIS071)
 5E’s- ENGAGE (1-2 lessons)

To capture student interest and find out what they know about XXXXX
 To elicit students’ questions/ prior knowledge about XXXXX
 Diagnostic assessment used- in this lesson you will find out what the students already know about XXXXX. This will allow you to take account of students’ existing ideas when planning learning
experiences

W AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES

E LINKS LESSON (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
E OBJECTIVE (include learner diversity)
K/ Science Science as a Human Science Inquiry Skills
LE Understanding Endeavour
S
S
O
N
(ACSIS071) Students can DIAGNOSTIC 1. Have students list as many different materials as What do you Materials Poster
1 (ACSSU074) state what a they can of different things as they can. Offer think a natural
natural Brainstorm prompts with different classroom items and have material is? Natural Materials
material is what are students explain these. Work through a basic Poster
and give some of the Why do you
examples natural brainstorm template on the board to assist think that item Natural Materials
materials they weaker students. belongs in that sort
can discover 2. Ask the students what they think a natural category?
around the material is and have them do a think pair share
school on the mat. Give them some time and then have
them come back together to discuss as a group.
Sort the
Have each group list one of the natural materials
difference
between a they thought of (prompt towards ones other
natural and a groups have not said).
man-made 3. Give the students different categories of
resource. “Underground, animals and plants” and have
them come up with some materials. Have the
posters on display to help assist the students.
4. Go for a school walk and have students list some
of the items that could fit into each of the
categories and have the classroom leaders for
the day collect samples of each item.
5. Have the students discuss in the class the items
and then have them sort a list of items into the
categories. (pre-determined items)
 5E’s- EXPLORE (2-3 lessons)
 To provide hands on, shared experiences of XXXXX
 To support students to investigate and explore ideas about XXXXX
 Formative assessment

W AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES

E LINKS LESSON (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
E OBJECTIVE (include learner diversity)
K/ Science Science as a Human Science Inquiry Skills
LE Understanding Endeavour
S
S
O
N
2 (ACSSU074) (ACSHE062) (ACSIS068) Students to FORMATIVE 1. Talk to the students about how different materials What are some Properties of
(ACSIS066) explore the have different properties and ask the students of the materials poster
properties of Students to what some of those properties could be. Have the properties that
(ACSIS071) different record the we find in Materials
students do a think pair and share and discuss
materials. properties of materials? property table
a material what some examples are of a material with the worksheet.
onto a table given properties.
2. When the students have identified the properties, Samples of
display the properties poster on the board and different
elaborate on each with the students. materials such
3. Break students into groups and give each group as paper, wood,
glass, plastic,
a different object and discuss what are the main
rubber and
properties. For a basic understanding, the fabric.
students will just cross or tick where it sits. For a
higher understanding, they will describe the
property that the material shows. All of this data
will be recorded on the table sheet offered
4. Have each group present their findings on each
of the materials and have them discuss their
findings. The other groups will record the
information on their on table
 5E’s- EXPLAIN (1 lesson)
 To support students to develop explanations for experiences and make representations of developing conceptual understandings
 Formative assessment

W AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES

E LINKS LESSON (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
E OBJECTIVE (include learner diversity)
K/ Science Science as a Human Science Inquiry Skills
LE Understanding Endeavour
S
S
O
N
3 (ACSSU074) (ACSHE062) (ACSIS064) Students will FORMATIVE 1. Present students with the research question of What is Different materials
(ACSIS065) investigate a finding out the absorbency levels of different absorbency? – paper towel,
particular The student’s materials and ask what could be some of the paper, cardboard,
(ACSIS066) property ability to What could aluminium foil,
(ACSIS216) different ways that we could test this. Have this
(Absorbency) contribute to be some of fabric.
as a class discussion.
(ACSIS069) across a the classroom the methods
range of discussion 2. Project a planning template onto the whiteboard to test Planning template
materials about and fill out as a class. Discuss what would be absorbency?
absorbency some of the variables and what are the important
and how to things to keep the same and what we will be
test it. testing. Recommended procedure- Hold material
over a tray and pour 100mL of water onto the
Students will
not be given a middle. Allow 30 seconds and then tip the
table to material so any water that is not absorbed runs
record the into the tray. Have students measure the
data, they will remaining water to calculate how much was
need to absorbed. 

develop their 3. Have the students break into their “Science
own. A
teams” (Set up at the beginning of each term) and
template to be
offered to the they will test the absorbency of each of the
weaker materials from the method agreed on from the
students. whole class. Before the students start the
experiment, have them predict which material will
The students absorb more liquid.
ability to
4. Compare the results each group discovered and
make
predictions reflect upon their results and the predictions that
and then they made prior to the experiment.
appropriately
reflect upon
the findings.
 5E’s- ELABORATE (1-2 lessons)
 To challenge and extend students’ understandings in a new context or make connections to additional concepts through a student planned investigation
 To use investigative/ inquiry skills
 Summative assessment of science inquiry skills

W AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES

E LINKS LESSON (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
E OBJECTIVE (include learner diversity)
K/ Science Science as a Human Science Inquiry Skills
LE Understanding Endeavour
S
S
O
N
(ACSSU074) (ACSHE062) (ACSIS064) Students will SUMMATIVE- 1. Students will be faced with a challenge to create What would be Design brief
4 design a boat Science a boat that is no larger than 10 cm by 10 cm and some of the
(ACSIS065)
that is Inquiry Skills no taller than 3 cm tall. They can choose any of properties that Materials for
(ACSIS066) capable of will be boat building
(ACSIS216) the materials found on the table at the front of the
floating Reflection on important to
classroom and create their boat from these
(ACSIS069) across a tub what each our boats Planning
while student has objects. They will be required to test that their design? template
carrying a done so far vessel floats, and then is able to carry marbles.
load, which and what has 2. To start the lesson, there will be a classroom How could we
follows the worked for discussion where we talk about as a whole what test materials
specifications the students. are the important aspects we need to remember for our boats?
of a design
before they begin planning their vessel.
brief. Planning
template 3. Students will begin by planning out their vessel
sheet and has and will need to record down the materials used,
the student a diagram showing what items are used and then
been able to finally, a quick explanation of why they chose
effectively those materials when designing their vessel.
plan using 4. Once the students have completed the plan for
materials,
the vessel, then they are able to start
draw diagram
and why they constructing their vessel.
chose it. 5. As a closure for the lesson, the students will then
provided what has worked for them and what
hasn’t.
 5E’s- EVALUATE (1 lesson)
 To provide opportunities to review and reflect on their learning about XXXXX and represent what they know about XXXXX
 Summative assessment of science understanding

W AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES

E LINKS LESSON (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
E OBJECTIVE (include learner diversity)
K/ Science Science as a Human Science Inquiry Skills
LE Understanding Endeavour
S
S
O
N
5 (ACSSU074) (ACSIS071) Students will SUMMATIVE- 1. Students will be completing a test on materials in null Test
complete a Science this lesson.
test on Understanding
2. Start the lesson with discussing some of the
materials
Standardised findings from the previous investigation and what
test were some of the important properties of
Total score 32
D <15 materials
C 15+ 3. Read through the entire test, but do not have the
B 24+ students discuss the answers. This will assist the
A 28+ students who are unable to read some of the
Scores to be answers.
moderated