Topic: Chemical Sciences

Year Level: Grade 1

Unit outcomes
AusVELS (All strands, other domains)
According to the Australian Curriculum (2014) the science strand that is applicable to this unit is everyday materials can be physically
changed in a variety of ways (ACSSU018).

Concepts: (include representations and practices that may be relevant)

Materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways through the process of melting and freezing.
Understanding the various changes that occur to objects and products when they are heated or cooled
Solids hold their shape, liquids flow and settle in containers, gases take up space in containers
Melting involves a change from a solid to a liquid, caused by heating

Unit outcomes: (Consider: Content, Skills/processes, Human endeavour, Other domains)

Students will explore the concept of forming a hypothesis (prediction) prior to testing everyday materials.
Students will undertake guided investigations
Students will pose questions Science as a human endeavour.
Develop skills in presenting their recorded data in numerous ways
Students will learn about fair testing and how it impacts upon results obtained from experiments

- Unit Overview Phase/ Lesson

Lesson 1
(Engage)

Science outcomes

Literacy outcomes

Lesson Summary

Hypothesising which everyday

objects are susceptible to
melting and which ones are not
when they are subjected to heat.

Students will represent and

communicate observations
and ideas in a variety of ways
such a oral and written
language, drawings and role
play (ACSIS029)

We observed an icy-pole at the

beginning of the lesson and then
discussed the changes that had
occurred when we revisited it at the
end of the lesson. Then, students
were given pictures of everyday

Assessment
opportunities
The responses from the
activities and the students
explanations that have been
recorded in their science
journals. This can then be
used as a form of diagnostic

Lesson 2
(Explore)

Students will participate in

different types of guided
investigations to explore and
answer questions, such as
manipulating materials, testing
ideas and accessing information
sources (ACSIS025). Through
discussions, students will also
demonstrate an ability to
compare observations with
predictions.

Students will use a range of

methods to record their
observations from the
experimental process.

Lesson 3
(Explain)

The main science idea that we

are aiming to explain during this
lesson is how solids, liquids and
gases are compiled of particles.
Whole-group discussion involved
explaining how particles (or
little pieces as we referred to
them) are arranged within
solids, liquids and gases.
Students also took part in a roleplay activity whereby they acted
as the particles in various
situations.

Engage in conversations and

discussions, using active
listening behaviours, showing
interest, and contributing
ideas, information and
questions (ACELY1656)
Science involves asking
questions about, and
describing changes in, objects
and events (ACSHE021)

objects and asked to consider

whether or not a change would
occur. If so, what did they notice?
We encouraged students to use
their senses, i.e.) what will the
object feel/look like when placed in
the freezer or the oven? Students
recorded their responses and
explanations in their science
journals.
In the previous lesson, students
predicted what changes would
occur when warmed or cooled. This
lesson will be based around
conducting an experiment to
observe what changes evidently
occur when chocolate, play-dough
and water are warmed and cooled.
Students will draw an image of the
change that has occurred to the
objects when heated or cooled.

assessment in order to help

inform future teaching
objectives and direction.

This lesson focuses on encouraging

the students to understand how
particles are arranged within solids,
liquids and gases. The lesson began
with a teacher-lead discussion
whereby the concept of particles
was introduced. We then asked the
students to represent how these
particles are arranged by using
paints and sponges. Once students
had finished their pictorial
representations, we took the
students outside and they were are
you physically demonstrate how
these particles act. For example, all
the students clustered together to
represent a solid.

The sponge paintings that

the students completed
provided an opportunity for
formative assessment to
occur.

The representational
drawings that are created by
the students will be the
overall assessment for this
particular lesson. Students
will then compare the
results from the experiment
with their predictions from
the previous lesson.

Lesson 4
(Explain)

The aim of this lesson is to

understand the formulas of
solids, liquids and gases and
how they relate to each other.
Students will develop the
formulas to explain what occurs
when these products are heated
or frozen, and how this causes
them to change state.

Students will represent and

communicate observations
and ideas in a variety of ways
such a oral and written
language, drawings and role
play (ACSIS029)

To begin the lesson, we will revisit

the concept of particles and ask the
students to explain what they are in
their own words. To gain a better
understanding of whether or not
students were able to fully
understand the concepts explored
in the previous lesson, we get them
to describe how particles move and
demonstrate with their bodies.
Following this discussion, the
teacher will show the students the
foldout booklet that explains how
solids, liquids and gases change
states when heat is applied or when
they are frozen. Students will then
create their own booklet under
teacher guidance. The booklet uses
images, words and formulas to
explain this process.

The booklet will be used as

formative assessment to
monitor their ongoing
knowledge development
surrounding solids, liquids
and gases and how these
can change states.

Lesson 5
(Elaborate)

The focus of this lesson is based

around asking the students to
consider whether milk chocolate
or white chocolate will melt the
fastest. Students will also be
introduced to the concept of
how to conduct a fair test.

Students will use a range of

methods to record their
observations from the
experimental process.

The lesson will begin by informing

the students of the experiment that
they will be conducting. The
question (will milk or white
chocolate melt faster) will be posed
to the students and together we will
brainstorm their ideas. Through
teacher-lead discussion and
prompting, the concept of fair
testing will be explored. We need to
ensure that we are only changing
one variable. The temperature, the
time that the candle is lit, the brand
of chocolate and the amount of
chocolate pieces placed into the
bowl will all remain the same.
Students will predict which
chocolate type will melt the
quickest. Students will then conduct
the experiment and observe

The brainstorm of what are

all the different ways heat
can be applied will be used
as a small assessment
indicator.

Science involves asking

questions about, and
describing changes in, objects
and events (ACSHE021)

At the end of the lesson, we will

introduce the students to the book
in which they will be creating for
celebration day.
Lesson 6
(Evaluate)

This is the final lesson to bring

together this unit of work.
Students will each be given a
page of our lift-the-flap book
that they are responsible for.

Students will represent and

communicate observations
and ideas in a variety of ways
such a oral and written
language, drawings and role
play (ACSIS029)

The booklet will explain the

common characteristics of solids,
liquids and gases and also explain
how hot and cold environments can
cause these products to change
state. This booklet requires the
students to use the knowledge
gained from the previous lessons to
help them design their page and
construct their ideas. This task is
differentiated for each of the
students as it has become clear that
some students have a deeper
understanding compared to others.

Celebration Day

The book will be bound and this will be presented on the celebration day.

This collaborative booklet

will be used as summative
assessment as it
encapsulates the key
concepts that we have
explored throughout this
unit. Students are
responsible for designing
their own page and
including all of the
necessary information. As
teachers, this provides us
with the perfect opportunity
to determine how well
students have grasped and
understood this topic. The
amount of detail shows us a
sound understanding
whereas a page that lacks
detail can demonstrate a
more simplistic approach to
the content that has been
taught.