Appendix 1

LESSON PLAN
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
!

LESSON ORGANISATION
Year Level: 4 Time: 1:20-2:15 Date: Tuesday
4/6/19
Learning Area: Science
Strand/Topic from the Australian Curriculum:
Questioning and Predicting - With guidance,
identify questions in familiar contexts that can be
investigated scientifically and make predictions
based on prior knowledge (ACSIS064)
Students’ Prior Knowledge:
1) Prior lessons focused on fair scientific testing
2) Familiar with scientific questioning and
predicting
3) Previous lessons focused the properties of
different materials
4) Familiar with working in groups

Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal 5) Familiar with collecting data
measurements and digital technologies as
appropriate, to make and record observations
accurately (ACSIS066)

General Capabilities (that may potentially be covered in the lesson)

Literacy Numeracy ICT Critical and Ethical Personal and Intercultural
competence creative behaviour Social understanding
thinking competence

Cross-curriculum priorities (may be addressed in the lesson)

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Asia and Australia’s engagement with Sustainability
histories and cultures Asia

Proficiencies:(Mathematics only)
Lesson Objectives (i.e. anticipated outcomes of this lesson, in point form beginning with an action
verb)

As a result of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Carry out a fair scientific investigation
• Apply knowledge and reasoning skills to make predictions about the tensile strength of
different materials

!1
Teacher’s Prior Preparation/Organisation: Provision for students at educational risk:

1) Have worksheets prepared and printed
2) Have materials ready and set out on a materials
table: pegs, sample materials cut into strips,
rubber bands, magnifying glasses, trays
3) Have put students into groups based on ability
levels and compatibility
LESSON EVALUATION (to be completed AFTER the lesson)
Assessment of Lesson Objective and Suggestions for Improvement:
1) EA to support students who require more
help
2) EA to act as scribe for students who require
assistance
3) Students who need extending can investigate
a material of their choice/test how moisture
affects the tensile strength
4) Students who finish early can discuss results
with their partner and prepare an observation
to share with the class during the discussion

Teacher self-reflection and self-evaluation:

This was my smoothest and most successful lesson. The students were engaged and they contributed
really well to discussion. The demonstration worked really well as an engagement and instruction tool
and the groups worked well together.The extension activity was a success, it made students
concentrate harder so they could get to it, and because it also required their reasoning skills it extended
their learning.

The only thing I will change for the 4Gs tomorrow is wait until they have completed their predictions
BEFORE I hand out the pegs so they can’t skip sections and rush through reasoning.

!2
[OFFICIAL USE ONLY] Comments by classroom teacher, HOPP, supervisor:

Science 4th June 1:20pm (4Bs)

Great brainstorm, your questions were really scientifically targeted to help the students get ready for
today’s lesson! Good demonstration too - the class were enthralled!

I am writing this before the experiment begins but we’ve had a problem with predictions in previous
lessons - maybe get ALL PREDICTIONS done first before collecting equipment tomorrow?

The class is working well during the experiment - you’ve got good movement throughout the classroom
too!

Perfect organisation, something I thought of that you might like to keep in the back of your mind is the
returning groups could prepare the equipment for tomorrow’s lesson.

I just realised the black plastic on the floor is a good idea as you can instantly see how many groups
are finished the main experiment and how many are still going, plus the stragglers might be motivated
to get a move on. Although we didn’t think about 22 kids crammed around it… good thinking on your
feet moving a couple of groups!

Just a timing note - at 2:00 you gave the class 5 more minutes of experimenting. This leaves 5 minutes
for discussion/wrap-up, handing books in, stack and pack and line up for DigiTech. Remember that
pack-up takes around 5 minutes!

Science 5th June 11:50am (4Gs)

It was a frantic transition as usual but having the gluing in was a great way to calm down the class and
get started nicely! We were about 4 minutes late so a strategy you can use is to say “work hard so we
don’t have to stay in at lunch!”

I am noticing you trying suggestions I have made from other lessons - wow!
Handing out the pegs after predictions were made
Not giving instructions until all are listening
Not letting some people keep talking after calling out one person
Experiment finishing a bit earlier

The usual suspects were a bit silly. I feel like you should reward some of the hard workers; dojo points,
send Leeanne out and the good kids early to lunch, let them discuss their results first.

LESSON DELIVERY (attach worksheets, examples, marking key, etc, as relevant)

!3
Time Motivation and Introduction: (11:50am start for 4gs) Resources/
References
Greet and settle students. Hand out worksheets to glue into Align these with the
Integrated Studies books.
1:20pm segment where they will
Recap material properties eg: waterproof, strong. Introduce new be introduced.
(15 property: stretchiness.
mins)
Ask about stretchy materials eg: why wouldn’t you wear jeans if you Worksheet (glued into
were doing gymnastics? (today’s investigation). Integrated Studies
book)
Lesson Steps (Lesson content, structure, strategies & Key
Questions):

Introduce new vocabulary ’What are you investigating?’: The

tensile strength different materials.

Explain tensile strength and draw scale on the board: (materials

with high tensile strength don't snap, tear or stretch under tension.
Medium tensile strength stretch, and materials with low tensile
strength snap or tear easily).

Tell students to refer back to the scale when making their predictions.
Explain the experiment and discuss how we will keep it fair: change,
measure/observe, keep the same.
Make notes on the board for students to copy onto worksheet.

Demonstrate how to wrap the material sample around the peg and
apply force. Do 1 example with the students so they understand the
process eg: tissue paper, and fill out the work sheet. Sample materials and
tray, peg, magnifying
Discuss the result and the level of tensile strength (write it on the glass
scale).
Demonstrate how to fill out the worksheet (ie: prediction and
reasoning before conducting the experiment).

Start experiment by 1:35 and display groups on TV and instructions/

1:35pm equipment list (give out equipment in a tray).

If students finish before 1:55pm: extension activity - test whether

moisture affects the tensile strength of their sample materials (plastic
sheet down and spray bottle at the back of the class).

At 2pm give students a 5min warning - need to be finishing last

sample and tidying up now.

If students finish early write instructions on the board:

1) Paper, plastic and envirobag samples in the bin
2) Equipment (including rubber bands) back on the table
3) Books on my desk (need to have done 5 samples)
4) Discuss results with partner ready to share “which material had the
highest tensile strength? The lowest? Were your predictions
accurate?”

!4
Lesson Closure:(Review lesson objectives with students)

2:05pm start class discussion:

Discuss results.”Which materials had high tensile strength? What kind of objects could you carry in a bag
made from…?”
“Would you choose a thin plastic bag for sharp objects? Why/why not? Where would you put it on the
scale?”

Transition: Tidied and ready lining up for Digitech.

Assessment: Worksheet marked out of 20 (1 mark per correctly completed section).

!5