Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

How do they grow?

Teachers:
Jessica Clarke s3491428
Jacquelyn
Scott
s3494408
Assessment
Task
2: Unit plan
Oliva DiCello s3477105
Antonia Ioannou s3378576
Tony Ciancio s3434919
Amy Mitsis s3476716

How do they grow?

Materials:
Mealworm journals (x45)
KWL charts (x45)
Coloured pencils/Textas
Poster paper
Glue sticks/scissors
Baby photos/info (weight, height)
Enlarged human/mealworm lifecycle cards
Human/mealworm lifecycle cards (x9)
Mealworm lifecycle cards
A3 paper (x60)
Worm farm house (three stack draw)
Oats 1kg, bag of carrots
At least 50 live mealworms
8 x Magnifying glasses
8 x Plastic containers (ice cream container size)
ICT resources (iPad/computer/laptop)
Printer
Photo of a plant
Relevant Curriculum Links/grade level:
See Appendix 1
Overall learning intentions of unit:

Students will be able to describe the life cycle of a meal worm

Students can identify that each animal life cycle is different
Students can identify similarities and differences in life cycles
Students will be able to explain how different variables can cause an array of affects on an
animals life cycle

The learning intentions follow the curriculum links associated with this unit to ensure that they are
being followed and that the unit is being taught to the standards. Each learning intention promotes
Science Inquiry Skills and Knowledge in various areas, as students are encouraged to explore and
investigate various lifecycles of animals.
The learning intentions involve observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in life
cycles and promote the use and influence of science as a Human Endeavour.
Additionally, the learning intentions adhere to specific links within the learning areas of English and
Mathematics.
Differentiation strategies to meet diverse learner needs:
What are you doing to accommodate your high achievers?
Students use collected data to create graphs, tables etc. to show their findings
Students create questions to survey their peers ideas and opinions on life cycles
Students research life cycles of other animals they are interested in
What are you doing to accommodate your low achievers?
Grouping effectively with higher-level students (this will be difficult though as we dont know
the students)
Teacher questioning mainly directed at the lower Blooms Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956) levels,

Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

Common Alternative Conceptions:

1.
Misconception: The first stage of each life cycle is the egg; every life cycle begins with the egg;
Labelling the egg as the first stage.
Fact: The stages in a life cycle are repeated and there is no first or last stage.
2.
Misconception: Eggs and seeds are non-living things.
Fact: Eggs and seeds are living things.

Dominant pedagogical paradigms:

In this scientific unit, we have included several pedagogical paradigms that are specifically
chosen to suit the environment, context and learning outcomes of students. This unit involves teaching
more than 40 students at the same time; therefore the dominant pedagogical paradigm underpinning
this unit is social constructivist learning. From the beginning of the unit, students are situated in small
groups to carry out their learning more intimately; Skamp and Preston (2015) assert that as students
work in a social constructivist environment, students enter a dynamic learning process where their
understanding of life cycle concepts and ideas will result from interacting with their peers (pp. 14). As
students indulge in the science culture - that is learning collaboratively in set activities and
investigations and experience a change in language, students learning moves to a more personal
learning plane (Skamp & Preston, 2015, p. 14-15). This is where personal constructivist learning is also
underpinned in this unit. Although it is not a dominant pedagogical paradigm, nor do we formally assess
students individually on their knowledge, this learning is supported to occur when students create
personal meaning and establish new beliefs from the teaching of human and animal life cycles from a
scientific perspective (Skamp & Preston, 2015, p. 14). In relation to students cognitive development,
our unit supports Vygotskys pedagogical approach to learning in a social environment (ODonnell et.al,
2012). All throughout the unit, students undergo guided participation with their peers as well as with the
group of teachers as we scaffold their understanding of the science behind living things in task specific
investigations and activities.
Teaching/learning strategies used:
Throughout the unit, there are a range of teaching and learning strategies compiled and
created with a focus on Gardners Multiple Intelligences (Gardner, 1993), and Blooms Taxonomy
(Bloom, 1956). It was deemed important for each lesson that a wide range of activities and strategies
were created to cater for the kinesthetic (mixture between whole-class focuses and small group work),
spatial (observing mealworms and their growth), intrapersonal (comparing baby photos), interpersonal
(creating KWL charts for personal learning), linguistic (labeling diagrams), mathematical (ordering
lifecycles), and naturalistic (caring for mealworms) learners, in order for optimal learning to occur.
The key questions planned for each lesson are purposely prepared to promote optimal and
constructive learning through the connection to Blooms Taxonomy of higher order thinking. As well as
questioning, Blooms Taxonomy is thoroughly embedded into the lesson sequence, for example, each
lesson re-iterates the key points learned in the previous lesson, ensuring that the students are
undergoing the Remembering element of the Taxonomy. As the unit is based around an investigation,
Blooms order of Analysing, is evident in each lesson, through comparing, observations and exploring.
Other pedagogical strategies used throughout this unit to scaffold students learning and aid the
development of their scientific skills include: Think-Pair-Share, Cubing and Assigning roles for groups.
These strategies are all valuable within the devised lessons as they promote critical thinking and help
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Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

students make meaning of the scientific concept being investigated. The KWL graphic organiser is also
a crucial tool for this unit as its not only used for diagnostic and summative assessment, but also
effectively informs our planning for the following phases of the unit where adjustments may be
necessary to meet any unexpected needs of the students.

Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

Appendix 1: AusVels Curriculum Links

Science:
Science Understanding/Biological sciences: Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to
themselves (ACSSU030)
Science as a Human Endeavour/Nature and development of science: Science involves observing,
asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE034)
Science as a Human Endeavour/Use and influence of science: People use science in their daily
lives, including when caring for their environment and living things (ACSHE035)
Science Inquiry Skills/Questioning and predicting: Pose and respond to questions, and make
predictions about familiar objects and events (ACSIS037)
Science Inquiry Skills/Planning and conducting: Participate in guided investigations to explore and
answer questions (ACSIS038)
Science Inquiry Skills/Processing and analysing data and information: Use a range of methods to
sort information, including drawings and provided tables and through discussion, compare
observations with predictions (ACSIS040)
Science Inquiry Skills/Evaluating: Compare observations with those of others (ACSIS041)
Science Inquiry Skills/Communicating: Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety
of ways (ACSIS042)
English:
Reading and Viewing/Language: Know some features of text organisation including page and screen
layouts, alphabetical order, and different types of diagrams, for example timelines (ACELA1466)
Reading and viewing/Language: Understand that different types of texts have identifiable text structures
and language features that help the text serve its purpose (ACELA1463)
Speaking and Listening/Literacy: Listen for specific purposes and information, including instructions,
and extend students own and others' ideas in discussions (ACELY1666)
Speaking and Listening/Literacy: Rehearse and deliver short presentations on familiar and new topics
(ACELY1667)
Mathematics:
Measurement and Geometry/Using units of measurement: Use a calendar to identify the date and
determine the number of days in each month (ACMMG041)
Statistics and Probability/Data representation and interpretation: Collect, check and classify data
(ACMSP049)
Statistics and Probability/Data representation and interpretation: Create displays of data using lists,
table and picture graphs and interpret them (ACMSP050).

Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

Appendix 2: Pages for Mealworm Journal

1. Cover

Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

2. Initial Observations

3. KWL Chart

Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

Appendix 3: Additional Resources

1.

Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

2.

Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

3.

3. Summative Assessment Rubric #1

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Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

4. Summative Assessment Rubric #2: Group Poster

Points
3

Criteria
Students identify all life stages and changes of chosen life cycle
in correct sequence and explain them as progressive.
Students identify 3-5 factors that influence the animal life cycle
and they address how this affects the animals growth.
Students include 3-5 labeled diagrams and pictures of growth.
Students poster is very well organized, structured including
headings, subheadings; information is sequenced and is poster
visually appealing.
Students identify most life stages and changes of chosen life
cycle; are almost in correct sequence and identify them as
progressive.
Students identify 2-3 factors that influence the animal life cycle
and briefly comment how it affects animals growth.
Students include 1-2 labeled diagrams and/or pictures of
growth.
Students poster is organized and structured with headings and
subheadings and is visually appealing.
Students identify few of the life stages and changes of chosen
life cycle.
Students identify one factor that influences the animals life
cycle.
Students include non-labeled diagrams/pictures of growth.
Students poster includes a heading is somewhat visually
appealing.
Students do not identify the life stages or changes of chosen
life cycle.
Students do not identify factors that influence animal life
cycles.
Students do not include any diagrams or pictures of growth.
Students poster is not organized or visually appealing.

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Assessment Task 2: Unit plan

How do they grow?

References
Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives. New York: David McKay, 356, 1998-1999.

Gardner, H. (1993). Multiple intelligences: The theory in practice. Basic books.

ODonnell, A., Dobozy, E., Bartlett, Bryer, Reeve & Smith (2012). Educational Psychology. Milton, QLD:
John Wiley & Sons Australia Ltd.

Primary Connections (2012). Watch it grow. Canberra, ACT: Australian Academy of Science.

Skamp, K., & Preston, C. (2015). Teaching primary science constructively (5th ed.). South Melbourne,
Vic.: Thomson Learning Australia.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (2016). AusVELS, Level 2,

Science/English/Mathematics. Retrieved from http://ausvels.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Level2?
layout=1&d=S.

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