Unit of Work:

Earth’s rotation on its axis and regular daily changes

Year Level: Year 3 Teacher: Amanda Kirou
Focus Curriculum Area (s): Science, English Duration: 5 weeks

STAGE 1: Curriculum Links

General Capabilities ☒ Literacy ☐Numeracy ☐ICT ☒Critical and Creative Thinking

(GP)
☐Ethical Behaviour ☐Personal and Social ☐Intercultural Understanding
Cross-curriculum
Priorities (CCP) ☐Aboriginal and TSI ☐Asia and Australia’s ☐Sustainability
Histories and Culture Engagement with Asia
Year Level Learning area 1 – Science Year Level Achievement Standards Learning area 1
Content Learning area 1 – Science Students recognise that the Earth’s
Descriptors Earth Science:
rotation on its axis is responsible
Earth Science: for the regular changes of day and
 Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including
At Standard, students use their night.
night and day (ACSSU048)
understanding of the rotation of Earth
Science as a Human Endeavour: to suggest explanations for everyday Students predict, conduct scientific
observations. investigations and record
 Science involves making predictions and describing
observations of patterns that occur
patterns and relationships (ACSHE050) Science as a Human Endeavor:
Students describe how they can use in nature due to the Earth’s
Science Inquiry Skills: science investigations to respond to rotation on its axis.
 With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to questions.
find answers to questions, considering the safe use of Students compare results of their
appropriate materials and equipment (ACSIS054) Science Inquiry Skills: investigation with their predictions
  Use a range of methods including tables and simple column Students use their experiences to and suggest reasons for why these
graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and identify questions and make regular changes occur over a day.
trends (ACSIS057) predictions about scientific
 Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible investigations. Students record, represent and
reasons for findings (ACSIS215) They follow procedures to collect and verbally communicate the regular
 Represent and communicate observations, ideas and record observations and suggest changes they find in nature, and
findings using formal and informal possible reasons for their findings, how the Earth’s rotation is
representations (ACSIS060) based on patterns in their data. responsible for them.
(School Curriculum and Standards Authority [SCSA], 2016a) Students use diagrams and other
representations to communicate their Learning area 2
Learning Area 2 – English
ideas. Students understand technical
Language:
vocabulary, related to the Earth’s
 Learn extended and technical vocabulary and ways of (SCSA, 2016a)
orbit, day and night.
expressing opinion including modal verbs and
Learning Area 2 – English
adverbs (ACELA1484)
Reading and viewing: Students deliver short
Literacy:
They understand vocabulary choices presentations of their findings of
 Plan and deliver short presentations, providing some key what causes day and night, in a
are used for different effects.
details in logical sequence (ACELY1677) clear coherent manner, using the
 Use interaction skills, including active listening behaviours relevant science vocabulary.
Speaking and listening:
and communicate in a clear, coherent manner using a
Students contribute actively to class
variety of everyday and learned vocabulary and Students listen to presentations of
and group discussions, asking
appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume (ACELY1792) their peers.
questions, providing useful feedback
(SCSA, 2016b)
and making presentations.
Learning Area 3 – Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) (SCSA, 2016b) Learning area 3
HASS Skills: Students’ brainstorm what they
Learning Area 3 – Humanities and already know about day and night
 Identify current understanding of a topic (WAHASS26)
Social Sciences (HASS) from their everyday experiences
 Record selected information and/or data (WAHASS29)
 Interpret information and/or data collected (WAHASS32) and past learning.
 Translate collected information and/or data into different
formats (e.g. create a timeline, change data in to a table
and/or graph) (WAHASS34)
(SCSA, 2016c)
Students develop questions, locate
and collect information and/or data
from a variety of sources.
They record their information and/or
data in a range of formats.
They present findings using a range of
communication forms appropriate to
audience and purpose, using relevant
terms.
(SCSA, 2016c)
Students record specific changes
they see in nature, over a day.
Students interpret events and
records to identify regular patterns
and changes throughout the day.
Students present their findings of
regular patterns and changes
throughout the day to their peers.
Knowledge Skills
 Characteristics of day and night  Describe characteristics of night and day
 How day and night look from outer-space  Predict the way specific things (such as the sun) change regularly throughout the day
 Direction of the sun’s ‘movement’ in the sky throughout the day  Investigate the way specific things (such as the sun) change regularly throughout the
 What causes day and night day through class observations and small individual experiments

 Direction of the Earth’s orbit  Record the changes that occur over a day using a range of strategies

 The sun remains stationary
 Technical vocabulary relating to the Earth’s rotation on its axis
 Describe the direction of the sun’s ‘movement’ in the sky throughout the day (and
every day) using technical vocabulary
 Explain how the Earth rotates to create these changes, through verbal and written
responses, using technical vocabulary
 Demonstrate how the Earth rotates to create these changes through multimodal
presentations

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
 Identify day and night from an outer-space view
 Identify the different characteristics of day and night
 Predict, observe and record/represent patterns and changes that occur in the sun’s position throughout the day
 Recognise that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West
 Explain and demonstrate how the Earth makes a full rotation in 24 hours on its axis in an anti-clockwise direction to cause day and night
 Recognise there is always part of the Earth experiencing day and there is always part experiencing night
 Extend knowledge of the sun’s movement and Earth’s rotation to the changes in shadows throughout the day
 Understand and use new technical and scientific vocabulary introduced throughout the topic to explain natural phenomena
 Communicate/present findings and learning of day and night
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE
Summative Task:
Task description:
Students will individually create an interactive diorama (that depicts how
the sun and the rotation of Earth creates day and night) and present it to
their peers. Some children may use instructions to guide construction,
whilst others may opt to create a diorama using their own method
(depending on ability level).
Dioramas should include:
 A labelled, stationary ‘Sun’
 A labelled, rotating ‘Earth’
 An accompanying explanation of how day and night is created by
the Earth’s rotation on its axis
The presentation will involve:
 Presenting and explaining the structure of the diorama
 Reading explanation of how the Earth rotates to create night and
day
 Demonstrating Earth’s rotation using the model
 Identifying ‘daytime’ and ‘night time’ on the ‘Earth’ ball
The diorama construction and presentation will conclude the unit of work
Assessment Criteria:
 Presentation:
clear speaking voice, use of eye contact, engages the audience
 3D model:
Diagnostic Task:
Task description:
 Day and night brainstorm observations – viewing and discussing
words/images in children’s ‘day and night brainstorm’ to assess children’s
existing knowledge and understandings of the topic.
Formative Tasks:
 Sun movement activity observations – viewing workbooks and making
general observations of children’s ability to predict, record and describe
changes in the sun throughout a day.
 Anecdotal notes [see Appendix 2] – gauging students’ understanding of the
Earth’s rotation, ability to identify places experiencing day and night and
use related vocabulary, by making observations and notes throughout the
lesson. Students’ science workbooks will also be collected and be made a
note of.
 Check-list/notes [see Appendix 3] – making observations and notes of
children’s progress throughout the lesson. Collecting children’s work on
changing shadows and assessing their ability to make logical predictions
about how shadows change throughout the day; clearly and accurately
record/trace shadow lines; correctly identify the time of the longest and
shortest shadow, as well as the pattern in how they change direction; and
recognise connections between sun changes/Earth’s rotation and shadow
changes.
Feedback:
 Sun and Earth are represented clearly and realistically (In relative size
and movement)
 Explanation of what causes day and night:
a thorough explanation of what causes day and night, using relevant
vocabulary learnt over the course of the unit
Students will receive ongoing individual feedback throughout lessons, as well
as generalised class feedback at the conclusion of a lesson, updating children
of their progress, strengths and areas for improvement/practice.

Assessment recording template:

Student achievement will be recorded using a rubric [see Appendix 5]. It will
align with listed criteria, and three possible marks/levels of achievement.

Feedback:
Students will receive ongoing feedback throughout the assessment process.
Students’ presentation, diorama and explanations will also receive feedback in
the “teacher’s comments” section at the bottom of the rubric.

Self-assessment:
Students self-assess after completion using the “Self-Evaluation Form”
[see Appendix 6].
UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION

Learning Experiences Assessment For/As Learning Resources

(Formative Assessment)
1 Learning Experience 1: changes from night to day (engage) Diagnostic  Smartboard/projector
(observations of children’s  Butcher’s paper
Show children video “From Night to Day to Night Again” day/night brainstorm and  Students’ science
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQD320c_q7Q&t=5s expression of prior knowledge) workbooks
And ask them to turn to the person next to them (for 2 minutes) and discuss what they saw
and what they thought was happening. When time is up, ask students to share with the
class.
Record key words on the board.
Explain that this is what day and night look like from outer-space – the video featured the
Earth, a satellite and the sun’s light shining on the Earth.
Ask students to now draw a line down the centre of their page (in their workbooks), writing
“day” in one half and “night” in the other. Draw pictures, describe what you see, do and
feel at night and during the day, as well as anything you know about daytime and night
time.
After children finish, ask them once again to share and discuss with the class what they had
written/drawn and add important/interesting words to a large sheet of butcher’s paper,
that will become the class’s science word wall.
Start by writing key words: daytime, night time, light, dark, sunrise, sunset and any other
words of students’
Students then re-watch the clip of day and night from outer-space, and identify when the
Earth appears to be experiencing daytime, night time, sunrise and sunset, as a class.
 Homework: find the time of sunrise and sunset in the newspaper for the next lesson – how
the sun changes throughout the day

2 Learning Experience 2: changing sun position (explore) Formative  1x Blank A4 sheet of paper
(Observation of children’s for each student
Ask children for times of sunrise and sunset from homework and record in the corner of progress in writing predictions,  Smartboard/projector
the board. observing, recording and  Students’ science
“Who ever goes outside and watches the sunset?” “Where do you watch it?” describing changes in the sun’s workbooks
Hand out blank A4 paper and ask children to speed draw where they see the sunset, in 2 position)  Word wall
minutes.
Ask students if any drew the sun setting over the ocean and if they ever see the sun rise
from the same place.
Explain that this will never be the case because the sun’s position in the sky changes
throughout the day. It rises and sets in the same places every day – rises in the “East” and
sets in the “West” (add these words to word wall).
Tell students that there are other things that can change throughout the day with the sun –
like sunflowers.
Explain:
Children will predict, observe, record (in their workbooks) and describe how
sunflowers change throughout the day.
After children have written predictions in their workbook, they must rule up 4 equal boxes
to draw their observations of how the sunflower plant actually looks at 7am, 11am, 3pm
and 7pm.
Using the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8mr0R3ibPU and pause at the stated times for
children to draw the position of the sunflower.
 After children have recorded their sunflower movements, discuss as a class how you would
describe their movement.
“What else moves the same way?”
Explain that this is because they follow the sun, so they also move from East to West.
Ask students to describe the movement of the sunflowers (and sun) throughout the day,
using the word “cycle” to describe its reoccurring nature (also add cycle to word wall).
Referring to the sunrise and sunset times previously recorded on the board, ask children:
“At what time would have the sunflowers/sun been furthest East today?”
“At what time would they have been furthest West?
3 Learning Experience 3: what causes night and day? (explain) Formative  World globe
(anecdotal notes of children’s  Torches (one for each
Recap on the learning of the previous lesson about how the sun changes from day to night, understanding of how day and group of three)
moving from East to West. night is caused, based on ability  Word wall words on paper
Ask children to think about why they think this happens. to demonstrate Earth’s rotation slips (for grouping into
Watch “From Night to Day to Night Again” to prompt children’s theories. and identify day and night) threes)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQD320c_q7Q&t=5s  Wrap around map [see
Explain that it is in fact due to the Earth (not the Sun) moving, by “spinning” or “rotating” Appendix 1]
“anti-clockwise” on its “axis” for “twenty-four hours” (add these words to the word wall).  Students’ science
Demonstrate this process to the class using a torch and a world globe. workbooks
Note that the Sun remains “stationary” (adding this to the word wall also), and the bright  Anecdotal note template
“daytime” area and shadowed area of “night”. [see Appendix 2]
Explain the following activity to children:  Word wall
They will be taking turns being the “Sun” (holding a torch), the “Earth” (wrapped in
a world map) [see Appendix 1] and the pointer. The map will have a sticker on a
particular location in the world and the “Earth” must rotate anti-clockwise, with
the Sun shining on it until the teacher says “Stop!”. After stopping, the pointer
must locate the sticker, point, and the group must decide wether it is experiencing
daytime or night time. After 3 turns in their positions, students will swap placed.
 Group children into threes by handing out word slips (which will feature words from the
word wall). Children with matching words form a group.
Pack up after several rounds of the Earth rotation game and conclude by viewing “STD 03
(Science) - Day and Night Cycle”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm6RKqFAwIg&t=32s
Students reflect in their workbooks, stating: what they did today, what they learned today,
what they liked, and what they found difficult.
4 Learning Experience 4: changing shadows (elaborate) Formative  1x Blank A4 sheet for each
(check-list and notes to monitor student
Teacher opens stating that when they were recently outside, their shadow looked different children’s learning and ability to  1x pop-stick for each
from how it did earlier in the morning. predict, observe, record and student
“Has anyone else noticed that their shadows change throughout the day?” interpret changes in shadows  1x Artline pen for each
“Turn to the person next to you and talk about ways you have noticed your shadow change independently) student
throughout the day.” (e.g. longer, shorter, direction, light, sun, shade)  Students’ science
After one minute, children share what they discussed with the rest of the class. workbooks
Record any new words on the word wall.  Teacher check-list/notes
Explain that this is what will be investigated in the next activity: [see Appendix 3]
Students will first write a prediction (in their workbooks) of how they think  Word wall
shadows change throughout the day, including the time when the shadow will be
the longest, when it will be the shortest and if/how it will change direction over the
day. Children will record results by tracing the shadow of a pop-stick (onto paper,
using an Artline pen) at different times of the day. They will then state the actual
times of the longest and shortest shadow, as well as if the shadow did in fact
change direction over the course of the day.
Students will be taken outside to record shadow changes at 9:30am, 11am, 1pm, and 15
minutes before school ends.
Ensure students mark where they put their pop-stick on their piece of paper, so they are
tracing the shadow from the same position every time.
Write the correct time beside each shadow trace.
 (model this process before first recording).
After recording all the shadows throughout the day, children write the time of the longest
and shortest shadow, as well as a sentence describing how they changed (size and
direction) over the day.
Class will conclude with a discussion of children’s predictions compared to their results.
“Were your predictions similar or very different?”
“Was anyone surprised by the results?”
“Why students think the shadows acted in this way?”
Conclude by confirming that it is related to the position of the sun - the higher the sun is
above you, the smaller the shadow; and the direction of the sunlight influences the
direction of the shadow.
Students record this in their workbooks to reason their shadow study results.

Homework: bring a shoe-box for next lesson

5 Learning Experience 5: day and night diorama and presentation (evaluate) Summative  ‘Building a Diorama’
(assess children’s overall worksheet (for students
Without looking at the word wall, students will brainstorm the words and facts they have learning of day and night, how it who request) [see
learnt so far about day, night and the way Earth moves. occurs, use of appropriate Appendix 4]
Revise how the earth rotates on its axis through class discussion, with one student technical vocabulary and ability  1x piece of writing paper
volunteering to demonstrate an anticlockwise rotation. to communicate findings – using (for
“What is the axis?” “What does it look like?” a rubric) description/explanation of
“Does the sun move?” “Is it bigger, smaller or the same size as earth?” Self-assessment diorama)
Explain task: (children reflect on learning  Shoe-boxes (collected
making a diorama, featuring a rotating ‘Earth’ and a ‘Sun’, that will show day and using a self-evaluation from class)
night on Earth. It will be accompanied by a written explanation of how day and worksheet)  Different sized Styrofoam
night are caused (in students’ own words). Students will present these individually balls
to he class, reading their explanation and demonstrating how their ‘Earth’ rotates  Styrofoam disks
on its axis.  Wooden skewers
 Go over rubric criteria with the class, writing key criteria on the board to assist  Torches
students.  Glue
Tell children they may use the materials to construct a diorama in their own way, or using  Colouring utensils (for
the instructions provided [see Appendix 6]. decorating)
Students work on this individually, presenting their final product at the end of the lesson.  Day and Night
Teacher will assess their 3D model, explanation of day and night and presentation against Presentation marking
the criteria listed in the Day and Night Assessment Rubric [see Appendix 5]. rubric [see Appendix 5]
To conclude, after all have presented, children individually complete the Self-Evaluation  Self-evaluation form [see
Form [see Appendix 6] to assess their own work. Appendix 6]
 Appendices
Appendix 1

(each section = 1 A4 page)

Appendix 2

Date:

Lesson: What Makes Day and Night?

Notes regarding:
Demonstration of Earth’s rotation
Student Name Identification of day and night
Understanding/use of related vocabulary (e.g. identifies clockwise and anti-
clockwise)
Appendix 3

Date:
Science Inquiry: Investigating Shadows
Recognises
Correctly Correctly Correctly connections
Clearly and
Makes identifies identifies identifies between sun
accurately
logical time of time of trend in changes/Earth’s
Student Name records Other observations
predictions longest shortest shadow rotation/shadow
changes
( / X) shadow shadow direction changes
( / X)
( / X) ( / X) ( / X) ( / X)
Appendix 4

BUILDING A DIORAMA

Follow the steps below to help you create your 3D system:

1. Write your name on the back of your shoe-box and on the

lid.

2. Lay the shoe-box horizontally, with the lid underneath it (see

picture)

3. Decorate the inside of your shoe-box to resemble outer-space.

4. Colour the Styrofoam balls to create your model Earth and Sun. Label each.

5. Glue the Styrofoam disk to the shoe-box “ceiling”, where you want the Sun to hang.

6. Insert one end of the skewer into the “Sun” ball and the other end of the skewer into
the Styrofoam disk to keep it in place.

7. Place the “Earth” ball on bamboo another skewer so that the Earth can be held from
above and rotated.

8. Make a hole on the “ceiling” of the shoe box for where you wish to position your
Earth model, so you may spin the skewer from the outside of the box (making the
Earth rotate).

9. Write your explanation of how day and night are created on the paper provided.

10. Stick down explanation on the lid, in front of the shoe box (see picture).
Appendix 5
Appendix 6

Name: Date:

Self-Evaluation Form

1. The activity was (hard/easy) ____________ to complete

because
__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________.

2. The part I did best was ____________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________.

3. I could have done a better job if _____________________________

__________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________.

4. After completing the activity, I felt _________________________

because_________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________.

5. I would rate my work on this activity as

(excellent/good/fair/poor) because
__________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________.
Part B: Rationale
“Earth’s rotation on its axis and regular daily changes” is a unit of work, created for a year
three classroom, using a backwards design approach. This means that this unit was planned
by starting with the desired end result, and working backwards (Readman & Allen, 2015;
Wiggins, 2001). This involved first considering desired learning and outcomes, then deciding
what evidence will be needed to prove these outcomes have been reached (Readman &
Allen, 2015; Wiggins, 2001). As a final step, the learning experiences and instruction that
would enable students to develop the required skills and knowledge was planned (Readman
& Allen, 2015; Wiggins, 2001). Through planning curriculum in this manner, assessment is
placed at the forefront of the learning process, and its alignment to teaching and learning
tasks is improved (Readman & Allen, 2015).

Throughout this unit of learning, students will be engaging predominantly with science and
English curriculum. In particular, children’s learning experiences will align with the following
content strands:
 Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and
day (ACSSU048)
 Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and
relationships (ACSHE050)
 Learn extended and technical vocabulary and ways of expressing opinion including
modal verbs and adverbs (ACELA1484) (SCSA, 2016a)
 Plan and deliver short presentations, providing some key details in logical
sequence (ACELY1677)
 Use interaction skills, including active listening behaviours and communicate in a
clear, coherent manner using a variety of everyday and learned vocabulary and
appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume (ACELY1792)
(SCSA, 2016b)

As children will be learning science in the form of inquiry, they will also be building science
and HASS inquiry skills:
 With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to
questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and
equipment (ACSIS054)
 Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to
represent data and to identify patterns and trends (ACSIS057)
  Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for
findings (ACSIS215)
 Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and
informal representations (ACSIS060)
 Identify current understanding of a topic (WAHASS26)
 Record selected information and/or data (WAHASS29)
 Interpret information and/or data collected (WAHASS32)
(SCSA, 2016a; SCSA, 2016c)

Due to this inquiry approach and the fact that students will be involved in presenting and
expressing their findings using scientific vocabulary, general capabilities of literacy and
critical and creative thinking (as highlighted by SCSA) are also incorporated throughout the
unit. Likewise, the achievements standards that guide the unit, included the child’s ability to:
 use their understanding of the rotation of Earth to suggest explanations for everyday
observations.
 describe how they can use science investigations to respond to questions.
 use their experiences to identify questions and make predictions about scientific
investigations.
 follow procedures to collect and record observations and suggest possible reasons
for their findings, based on patterns in their data.
 use diagrams and other representations to communicate their ideas.
 understand how vocabulary choices are used for different effects.
 contribute actively to class and group discussions, asking questions, providing useful
feedback and making presentations.
 develop questions, locate and collect information and/or data from a variety of
sources.
 record their information and/or data in a range of formats
 present findings using a range of communication forms appropriate to audience and
purpose, using relevant terms.
(SCSA, 2016a; SCSA, 2016b; SCSA, 2016c)

In order to tell if students are in fact progressing towards these intended outcomes, effective
assessment and recording is also required to gather evidence of student learning (Brady &
Kennedy, 2012; Kivunja, 2015; Readman & Allen, 2015; Wiggins, 2001). For this reason, a
variety of assessments, including diagnostic, formative and summative tasks, are present
throughout the unit. By incorporating all three types of assessment, teachers are informed of
where to start with learning activities and how much support will be necessary, children’s
ongoing conceptual development and learning on the topic, and whether students were able
to reach the intended learning outcomes (Kivunja, 2015; Readman & Allen, 2015). However,
equally important is the method in which this assessment is carried out and recorded. For
example, as the summative assessment involved student creativity and unique products, a
rubric was selected as the most appropriate recording method (Readman & Allen, 2015).
This is due to the way that rubrics account for a range of responses, and allocate
marks/grades based on a continuum what students might produce, rather than simply
providing a mark for being “right” or “wrong” (Readman & Allen, 2015). Moreover, to ensure
assessment is fair for children, and to reduce assessment related anxieties, expectations of
these tasks are clearly stated (Readman & Allen, 2015; Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013). In this
unit’s formative assessment tasks, this is present through clear explicit instructions, as well
as the modelling of processes and the gradual release of responsibility. Similarly, before
children begin their summative assessment task, marking criteria are written on the board so
that children know exactly what is required of them. Negative emotions that may affect
student performance are also further avoided through the avoidance of formal or high-stakes
testing as a means of assessment (Kivunja, 2015). Through incorporating a range of
assessment types, suitable record-keeping techniques and a fair assessment tasks, this unit
therefore strives to effectively inform educators on the teaching and learning process.

Upon informing teachers of student learning, it is also important that assessment informs
students on their progress towards learning goals (Kivunja, 2015; Readman & Allen, 2015).
For this reason, feedback from formative and summative assessment are also considered
throughout this unit of work. Specifically, students will receive meaningful and descriptive
feedback, both throughout and proceeding their learning process. For example, teachers will
utilise the formative assessment notes and check-list to providing honest, specific, outcome
related verbal feedback, to inform students on their current strengths, as well as what needs
work to appropriately prepare them for success in the summative assessment (Readman &
Allen, 2015; Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013). This way, students are able to recognise from early
on, what learning learning is required for academic success (Readman & Allen, 2015). As
strengths are also acknowledged, children may also recognise their potential to achieve, and
thus become inspired to continue learning (Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013). Furthermore, by
providing this constructive feedback throughout the learning process (rather than after),
children are also encouraged to critically self-assess and make changes and improvements
for continued growth (Readman & Allen, 2015). Evaluative feedback will also be provided at
the conclusion of the unit, however, to inform students of their overall learning throughout
the unit (Readman & Allen, 2015). This is expressed as both written comments at the bottom
of the summative assessment rubric, as well as verbally, to inform children of their overall
performance and justify their level of achievement (Readman & Allen, 2015). By providing
such feedback throughout the entire learning process in this way, I therefore hope to guiding
students towards becoming reflective; self-managing; and motivated to making
improvements and aim for even higher learning targets (Kivunja, 2015; Readman & Allen,
2015).

As children engage in inquiry learning throughout this unit of work, they will also be provided
with rich, aligned and authentic learning experiences. According to Crowther (2000), by
learning through inquiry, students are given the opportunity to pose questions about the
world and investigate natural phenomena. These are key aspects in authentic learning
experiences, as children engage with everyday, real-life problems, and are required to
actively think and act in order to solve them (Readman & Allen, 2015; Woolfolk & Margetts,
2013). For instance, through inquiry learning, children are required to analyse and evaluating
evidence, experience and discuss, and talk to peers about their understanding (Crowther,
2000). This is evident throughout the unit’s formative assessment tasks, as children are
continuously discussing and attempting to make sense of the occurrences that they witness
every day (such as the changes in the sun and shadows), through conducting scientific
investigations. As the unit is also constructed using the 5e model, where children engage,
explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate a topic idea or question, a strong alignment in
learning activities and assessment is established (Crowther, 2000; Readman & Allen, 2015).
This is due to the way that students are able to construct their understanding of a concept
over time, through interactive experiences and investigations (Crowther, 2000; Readman &
Allen, 2015). Throughout this unit, this relates to how children move from identifying changes
that occur in nature (such as day and night), explore this change (through investigating the
sun patterns that characterise it), discover how this natural phenomenon can be explained
(by the the Earth’s rotation on its axis), elaborating and extending this knowledge to other
investigated patterns in nature (such as the changes of shadow), to evaluating their learning
over the unit (through a 3D model creation and presentation). Using this process, children
are therefore able to develop a deep understanding of concepts, principles, models, and
theories through gradually building on the learning of previous lessons (Crowther, 2000).
Consequently, this lesson alignment also guides and prepares children for the concluding
summative assessment (Crowther, 2000; Readman & Allen, 2015). Therefore, throughout
this unit of work, students not only recognise how science is relevant in their own lives, they
also see the connection between assessment and learning (Readman & Allen, 2015;
Woolfolk & Margetts, 2013).
After the unit learning has taken place, reporting to on student achievement is also required.
That is, teachers must communicate information to parents/caregivers and students about
various aspects of the students’ development (AITSL, 2017; Brady & Kennedy, 2012). This
involves using records of student learning to prove the child’s progressive development of
understandings throughout the topic, term, semester or year (Brady & Kennedy, 2012;
Readman & Allen, 2015). As the assessments throughout this unit of work are directly linked
to learning objectives and the year three curriculum, records of anecdotal notes, check-lists
and rubrics may all be used, alongside student work samples, as evidence of their continued
learning. This will be presented in the format of a workbook portfolio, so that parents and
students can clearly see the individual’s progression of learning over the course of the topic,
through their collection of work (Readman & Allen, 2015). Students’ results and performance
in these related assessment tasks may also be formally documented on a school-wide
software program, so that children’s results may be compared to their performance
previously, in other topics/subject areas, and in relation to their year-group (Readman &
Allen, 2015). It is important, however, that records and student achievement are
communicated in a way that parents and students understand (Brady & Kennedy, 2012;
Readman & Allen, 2015). For this reason, face-to-face contact through two-way
(parent/teacher) and three-way (student/parent/teacher) communication would be utilised in
order to clearly and comprehensively inform parents and students on the child’s progress,
and break-down what is meant by the various records and work samples (Brady & Kennedy,
2012; Graham-Clay, 2005; Readman & Allen, 2015). This may take place in formal settings
such as scheduled parent/teacher interviews after a unit of learning; however, ongoing
casual conversations, such as those before and after class time, will also take place to keep
parents/carers updated throughout the child’s learning process (Graham-Clay, 2005). In
doing so, the teacher and school may therefore express their accountability in the learning
process, as well as effectively effectively report on and enhance student learning (Brady &
Kennedy, 2012).