ST PAULS CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL Science Unit

Term

Learning Phases

Literacy

Year
TuningLevel
In

Finding Out

General Capabilities
Critical & Creative Thinking

Year

Sorting Out

2015

Going Further

Reflection

Developing students scientific Literacy

awareness of how science and technology shape our material,
intellectual

Numeracy
Ethical Behaviour
ICT
Intercultural Understanding
Personal and Social Competence
Learning Areas
Understanding the composition and behaviour of substances

and cultural environments

The Arts
English
Mathematics
Health and PE

Civics and Citizenship

Economics and Business
History
Geography

Technologies
Science
Science outcomes- which can be seen, heard, felt, tasted or smelled either directly by an individual or indirectly by a measuring
device e.g. a ruler, camera or thermometer.

Overview/Science question:

What is chemical science? What are the different objects in the school? What does it made of? And what part of the body we use
to find the objects? How does this object feel? What shape is this object? How are the ends of this object the same or different?
What do you think this object is made of? What is the objects name?

Assessment
Diagnostic Assessment
How will you assess the students prior
knowledge and skills.

Objects they find in their classroom and school

environments, the materials they are made of
and the observable properties of the materials,
and how science involves observing the
environment using their senses. You will also
monitor their developing science inquiry skills

Formative Assessment
Through what other evidence will students
demonstrate achievement of the desired results?

Summative Assessment
Through what authentic performance task will
students demonstrate the desired
understandings?

Observations
Anecdotal records
Checklist of outcomes

After completing a series of activities,

brainstorm what students now know about the
topic. Compare this with the initial class
brainstorm. Highlight interesting concepts.

Week
1
2
3
4
5

Learning Steps

Tuning In:

Week 1- Mapping & Observe the objects

As we already done the mind map of the school before. Review students
what we going to do today and purpose of the lesson observe the objects.
Create a class KWL chart- what I Know, what I Wonder and at
conclusion of unit what l Learned.

Explain that students will go for ar walk around the school to explore the object
they observed and the materials it is made of. Explain that students will first look
at objects in their classroom to help them observe and describe objects and the
materials that they are made of. Using one everyday object, model this process
by asking students questions,

What is the object? For example, a wooden block.

What is the object made of? For example, wood.
Can you describe the object? For example, brown and small.
Can you describe the material that the object is made of? For example, hard, smooth
and heavy.
Can you find something made of the same type of material? For example, another
wooden object.
What parts of our bodies do we use to find out about objects and materials? For
example, our eyes, our hands.
Closure: Record students worksheet work and stick in inquiry notebook. Reflection

Country
Mind on maps and objects observation
The name game
Making sense of materials
Waterproof wonders
Location

time.

Week 2 The name game

Tunning in what we did last week.

Collect a range of objects that are made of different materials that have different
properties, for example, strength, flexibility, hardness, such as: Class recycling
objects near the book corner.
Take a familiar object, for example, a pencil, and ask students what they might
say if they felt the pencil when it was inside the box. Ask questions, such as:
How does this object feel?
What shape is this object?
How are the ends of this object the same or different?
What do you think this object is made of?
What is the objects name?
Display the contents of the Feely box and discuss how objects can also be made
of more than one material, for example, spoons can be made from metal, plastic
or wood. Ask students to suggest reasons why the same object would be made
from different materials.
Play a game on the mat with whole class by hiding some different objects in the
back and class will ask them questions regarding the objects.
Make a word chart for display.

Week 3- Making sense of material:

Tunning in what we learning these days about science ask if have any
question regarding the objects topic.
Ask students:

suggest why some materials are more suitable than others to make particular
objects draw a picture of an object made of an unsuitable and a suitable
material.

Properties of materials include:

1
2

densityis it heavy or light for its size?

textureis it rough or smooth?

3 flexibilityis it bendy or stiff?

4 hardnessis it hard or soft to scratch or dent?
5 reflectivityis it shiny or dull?
6 elasticitywill it return to its original shape after being stretched or bent?
7 strengthis it hard or easy to break?
8 compressibilitycan it be pressed into a smaller shape?
9 transparencydoes it let light through?
10 opacityis it hard to see through?
Introduce an enlarged copy of Whats it made of? (Resource sheet 3) and model how to
fix a sample object onto the page using self-adhesive tape or glue, name the object and
the material it is made of and use drawings and words to describe how the material
looks and feels.
Write a silly story.
Introduce the class to the Silly stories written in the class science journal. Read the silly
stories to the class and encourage students to think of the objects and materials
mentioned in each story.

Week 4- Waterproof wonder

Tunning in time.

Review the class picture map and ask the students to recall what the objects in the
school environment were made of, for example, metal, wood, concrete, brick or plastic.
Ask students to suggest why these were used. For example, they are strong and easy to
build with and they are waterproof. Discuss students experiences of what objects
outside the classroom are made of and ask What happens to different materials when
they get wet?. Discuss different ways that materials can get wet outside (rain, school
sprinklers, dew, students spilling drinks).
Use small container and Introduce the selection of materials the students will test (pop
sticks, white crepe paper, writing paper and plastic). Put a sample, a label and a
description of each material in the class science journal.

Week 5- Location
Tunning in what we learning this week. What they feel about their learning.
Share the ideas and different objects observation with class.
Use the objects that available in the class and make a special object for

class.
Give a reflection on the object what they made.
Ask question like:

To elicit what students understand about objects, materials and the use of materials for
particular purposes, ask students questions, such as:
What is your object?
What material is your object made of?
What can you tell us about the materials you used?
Why did you use that material for the object and not another material? For
example, using plastic and not paper.

Finding Out:
Every day on while science lesson student are welcomed to write about their new
object that they find on the white board.
Sorting Out:
Observe and compare the different objects. Participate equally while pair to pair
and class discussion.
Going Further:
Students take on the challenge of finding out about another objects in school and
at home.
Reflecting:

Assessment Evidence

Resources
Snapshots of Asia resource kit
http://www.asiaeducation.edu.au/resource/snapshots_of_asia.html
http://www.curriculumpress.edu.au/sample/pages/SnapshotsOfAsiaTeacherGuide.pdf