SCIENCE

Planning
Document
Primary & Secondary
University of
Notre Dame
Australian Curriculum: Science (Year 4)
Sub-strands Content Descriptions Achievement Standard

Biological sciences  Living things have life cycles (ACSSU072) By the end of Year 4, students apply the
o observable properties of materials to explain how
o objects and materials can be used. They use
o contact and non-contact forces to describe
 Living things, including plants and animals, depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073) interactions between objects. They discuss how
o natural and human processes cause changes to
o the Earth’s surface. They describe relationships
that assist the survival of living things and
sequence key stages in the life cycle of a plant or
animal. They identify when science is used to ask
Chemical sciences  Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties; These properties can influence their use (ACSSU074) questions and make predictions. They describe
situations where science understanding can
influence their own and others’ actions.
Earth and space sciences  Earth’s surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity (ACSSU075)
Students follow instructions to identify
 Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance (ACSSU076) investigable questions about familiar contexts
Physical sciences and predict likely outcomes from investigations.
They discuss ways to conduct investigations and
Nature and development  Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE061) safely use equipment to make and record
of science observations. They use provided tables and
simple column graphs to organise their data and
Use and influence of  Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062) identify patterns in data. Students suggest
explanations for observations and compare their
science
findings with their predictions. They suggest
Questioning and  With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and predict what might happen based on prior reasons why their methods were fair or not. They
predicting knowledge (ACSIS064) complete simple reports to communicate their
methods and findings.
Planning and conducting  Suggest ways to plan and conduct investigations to find answers to questions (ACSIS065)
 Safely use appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record observations, using formal measurements and digital technologies
as appropriate (ACSIS066)

Processing and analysing  Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends (ACSIS068)
data and information o
o
o
 Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (ACSIS216)

Evaluating  Reflect on the investigation, including whether a test was fair or not (ACSIS069)

Communicating  Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways such as diagrams, physical representations and simple reports (ACSIS071)
 English
Word wall consisting of key terms from the
topic
Religious Education / Spiritual Education
Spelling for the week are words specifically
related to the topic
Reading books to the students about the earth
Get the students to write creative stories
about things that could have an impact on
changing the Earth’s surface
Students are also to create a speech that is to
be presented to the class about how humans
have also impacted the Earth’s surface
Concept: Earth Term: 2 Weeks: 1-10
CONCEPT MAP
(option 1) Maths
Select and trial methods for data collection,
including survey questions and recording
sheets (ACMSP095) – get students to ask
The teacher is to use godly play to illustrate how God other students, parents, friends and family
created the world to the students and then ask students questions about how the Earth’s surface has
how the Earth has changed since then changed. Then get students to record the data
to share with the class and compare results
Draw an illustration of how the Earth would have
looked when God first created it and then draw another Identify events where the chance of one will
picture of what it looks like now. not be affected by the occurrence of the
other (ACMSP094)- teacher is to create
events from content learnt about the earth and
students must decide the likelihood of it
occurring
©The University of Notre Dame 2010 developed by C McGunnigle

Science / Technology & Enterprise Health & Physical Education

Create a building that will withstand an earthquake. Individual that Discuss the importance of recycling and being sustainable, as not doing
creates the building that is able to stand for the longest is awarded 10 theses thing can impact the Earth
dojo points.
Students are to create a video that indicts how to be sustainable and
how to recycle properly

Geography History
Investigate the main characteristics
Explore the journey of a world explorer (e.g.
The Arts
(e.g. climate, natural vegetation, Get students to perform a dance piece of the
Christopher Columbus) including their
landforms, native animals) of the
contacts and exchanges with societies in earth’s surface changing over time
continents of Africa and Europe, and
Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania
the location of their major countries in
(ACHASSK084) Students are to draw a picture of the earth’s
relation to Australia (ACHASSK087) surface changing over time using the skills
Explore how the surface of the Earth has learnt in art. They are to create a past, present
Explore how theses characteristic’s and future representation of the Earth’s
changed from the beginning of time until now
have changed over time. surface in art.
 FORWARD PLANNING DOCUMENT

TERM/WEEKS: Term 2 YEAR LEVEL: 4 LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Science – Earth and space
weeks 1-10
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
General Capabilities:
Literacy Numeracy ICT Critical and creative Ethical Behaviour Personal and social Intercultural Understanding
thinking Competence
Cross-curriculum priorities:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and Cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability

5E’s- ENGAGE (1-2 lessons)

 To capture student interest and find out what they know about XXXXX
 To elicit students’ questions/ prior knowledge about XXXXX
 Diagnostic assessment used- in this lesson you will find out what the students already know about XXXXX. This will allow you to take account of students’ existing ideas when planning learning
experiences

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON LINKS OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
(include learner diversity)
Science Science as Science
Understand a Human Inquiry
ing Endeavour Skills
Week ACSSU ACSHE ACSIS0 1. Correctly identify DIAGNOSTIC Start the lesson with the students on the mat and go through a Does this image  PowerPoint
1 075 061 71 if 8 out of the 10 Collection and PowerPoint presentation which consists of different images of change the with 10
images either do recording of things such as erosion, flood waters and dust storms which Earth’s surface images of
Lesson not or change the student’s depict how the Earth’s surface changes. Include images of or not?
different
1 surface of the worksheets and things that would not change the surface of the Earth.
Earth PMI sheets with What is things that
Before going through the PowerPoint, pass around a paddle
anecdotal notes. different could/could
which is a pop stick with a green piece of paper stuck to one
2. Complete the side and a red piece of paper stuck to the other side. between the two not affect the
worksheet using Focus Q- What
Each time the image changes, get students to either show the
images? Earth’s
full sentences. might have caused surface
green side of the paddle if the image changes the Earth’s
the difference in the What might
surface or the red side of the paddle if the image does not  Paddle with a
3. Be a productive Earth’s surface cause the
change the Earth’s surface. This is to determine their previous green and red
and fair group when comparing second image to
knowledge on the subject. side – 1 per
member during the image 1 and 2? be different?
activity. child
(Behavioural Checklist of lesson Then move students into the groups of 4 which have been  Worksheet
expectations) objectives previously picked by the teacher so that there are a range of A3 – 1 per
abilities in each group. Explain to the students that they will
be given 4 pairs of images per group. Each image has a child
partner image which is a little different. Therefore, there  8 images in
should be 8 images in total per group. Each group will have total of the
the same images. Students will have to state what is different earth surface
between the two images and what they think caused this changes
difference. This will be written down on the worksheet. before and
Students can either complete at their desks or on the mat.
after – 1 per
group
 Once finished the teacher will get the class to sit on the mat  PMI
with their worksheets and go through all the images and then worksheet – 1
ask the students their thoughts/ opinions. per child

When finished the discussion, the teacher will collect the

student’s worksheets. The teacher will scan over the
worksheets and take out key words that students used and
create a word wall with them. The word wall will consist of
words from the students and words the teacher wishes to
introduce about the topic changes to the Earth’s surface.

When the class discussion is finished, and the worksheets

have been collected. The students must collect the PMI sheet
from the teacher and then go back to their desks and complete
it. Students must write on the sheet a positive and a minus
from the lesson and also write something interesting from the
lesson.
To go to recess, students must have handed in to the teacher
the filled in PMI sheet with their name on it

Teacher to provide a prefilled worksheet with certain areas

already filled in for the child for students that struggle.

5E’s- EXPLORE (2-3 lessons)

 To provide hands on, shared experiences of XXXXX
 To support students to investigate and explore ideas about XXXXX
 Formative assessment

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON LINKS OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
(include learner diversity)
Science Science as a Science
Understandi Human Inquiry Skills
ng Endeavour
Week 4 (ACSSU (ACSHE (ACSIS0 1. Create and write FORMATIVE What do you  Jigsaw
Students are seated on the mat and are given either a blue,
075) 061) 65) the definitions of Teacher will use a think will tectonic plate
green or red pop stick. Students are then to get into groups
Lesson 4 a volcano, sea grow and glow happen with the puzzle (cut
of three with only ONE blue, green and red pop stick in their
floor spreading
checklist sheet to tectonic plates out) – 1 for a
groups
assess students when creating a group of 3
and a mountain
(ACSIS0 and anecdotal Once students are in the groups, teacher hands out jigsaw mountain,  Tables set up
71) in our science notes puzzle of the tectonic plates with the pieces already cut out. volcano or sea into 3 big
journal. Students are then given 5-8min to complete the puzzle and trench? group
Each of the lesson the winners are awarded dojo points.  Popsticks in
objectives will be green, blue
2. Record our at the top of the Do the tectonic and red – one
The students then hand back puzzle to the teacher and sit on
predictions and page with the plates pull apart, colour for
the mat while the teacher goes through prior knowledge
student’s name push together or each child
observations in  There are many layers to the Earth: crust, mantle,
our science
going down in the overlap?  Ipads
outer core, inner core
first left hand  Worksheet
journal using full  The Earth’s crust is broken up into large pieces of
column. What is the A3 – 1 per
sentences. rock called tectonic plates. difference with child
 Some tectonic plates are under land (continental)
The teacher will the tectonic  Plates – 1 per
use either a are lighter plates when child
3. Be a productive  Some tectonic plates are under water (oceanic) and
yellow highlighter creating a  4 cans of
and fair group to state that the are heavier volcano and shaving
member during students Once finished, teacher explains the lesson objectives and creating a cream
understands and then explains the activity. mountain?
our activity.  Crackers – 2
(Behavioural flourished during per child
the lesson or a Get students to move to one of the three stations around the
expectations) classroom depending on the colour of their pop stick  Post it note
green highlighter exit strategy-
to state that the Students are to complete the activity in their big groups and
then go back to the small groups they originally completed 1 per child
student needs
the puzzle activity with and share all the information they  Weebly
some more work
learnt from their big groups. website
on the content
Each station is focusing on a different structure, either  QR codes
taught.
mountain, volcano or sea trench. printed and
stuck around
The teacher at each station will introduce a picture of the the classroom
structure to get students talking about what it is and then – 1 for each
they will complete the activity with the shaving cream and structure
crackers on the plastic plate. Before they complete the covered
activity with the shaving cream, students must define what
the structure is and predict what will happen with the
shaving cream and the crackers (pull apart, push together or
overlap) on their worksheet. The students will then complete
the experiment and write on the worksheet what happened
and draw what it looked like.

Once finished the activity in their big groups, the students

will move back into their small groups of three and share the
information they found for each structure. Students will then
fill in on their worksheet any information they do not have.
The teacher will come around while students are completing
the worksheet to collect the plates with shaving cream and
crackers.

When the students have finished the worksheet, the whole

class will discuss the answers found on the worksheet. Then
the teacher will collect the worksheets and hand out post it
notes. The students must write on the post it one thing they
learnt from the lesson today and their name. As they are
 walking out the classroom to lunch, they must pass the
teacher this post it note to be able to leave.

If students finished the activity early, they can use an iPad

and scan the QR codes around the room which provide extra
information about the three structures.

Teacher to provide a prefilled worksheet with certain areas

already filled in for the child for students that struggle.

5E’s- EXPLAIN (1 lesson)

 To support students to develop explanations for experiences and make representations of developing conceptual understandings
 Formative assessment

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON LINKS OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
(include learner diversity)
Science Science as Science
Understand a Human Inquiry
ing Endeavour Skills
Week ACSSU ACSHE ACSIS 1. Complete the FORMATIVE The teacher is to review the previous lessons. Once finished What will the  iPads
6 075 061 068 Venn diagram the teacher must introduce photos that have been previously landscape look  Red rock
worksheet neatly Checklist: prepared of strongly eroded landscapes. While showing the like in a million rising
Lesson Ensure that students images, the teacher must ask: years?
and using full worksheet – 1
6 ACSIS are able to  Do you recognise this landform?
sentences How are we per person
071 effectively compare  Why do you think it looks like this?
sure this is what  Images
2. Create a video
and contrast  What might it have looked like a long time ago?
between their it would look previously
depicting what opinions and one like? cut out of
Then hand out the ‘red rock rising’ worksheet. Inform
would/ would not other groups students to read through the sheet individually and highlight landmarks by
change to the opinions on the What would the
any key words, dates or names that might be relevant in erosion
topic through the landscape have
landscape explaining the origin of Uluru.
looked like a  Venn
Venn diagram. When the students have finished reading through the
Students must also million years diagram
3. Be a productive worksheet, discuss the terms that students have highlighted.
use full sentences ago? worksheet
Teacher make note of important words that can be added to
and fair group and neat writing the word wall. Discuss with students what the area might have
member during our How do you
looked like millions of years ago compared to now. Then ask
activity. Check students know it would
students if they think it is possible to ever be exactly sure of
(Behavioural have created a have looked like
what it looked like? Why/Why not?
video that has the that?
expectations)
content required Then inform students that they will working in collaborative
groups to create an annotated diagram of what the landscape
All group members at Uluru might look like 100 years after the map was drawn
have contributed and then millions of years in the future.
equally
 Then explain to students that there are iPads at the front of the
classroom for the students to google search about erosion and
landscapes if they are unsure about the changes that may
occur to the landscape.

Ask students to create a video with the iPads including all the
group members explaining why they think these changes may
or may not happen.

When students have finished creating their videos, get

students to present the videos to the class. After watching
each video discuss the ideas suggested by the groups and look
to see if there is any variation or similarities between the
groups to bring to the student’s attention.

Then get students to go back to their desks and write down at

least two things in each circle of the Venn diagram worksheet.
Circle 1- with their video what was original content. Students
then need to pick another group to compare their video with.
Then in circle 2 they are to write what is similar between the
two groups videos and finally in circle 3 they are to write
what is different in the group’s video that they are comparing
their video against

Students must hand in the Venn diagram sheet to the teacher

once finished to be able to go to lunch or they are to finish it
for homework and hand it in the next day.

5E’s- ELABORATE (1-2 lessons)

 To challenge and extend students’ understandings in a new context or make connections to additional concepts through a student planned investigation
 To use investigative/ inquiry skills
 Summative assessment of science inquiry skills

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON LINKS OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
(include learner diversity)
Science Science as Science
Understand a Human Inquiry
ing Endeavour Skills
Week ACSSU ACSHE ACSIS0 1. Write a hypothesis SUMMATIVE- Teacher will revise the previous lessons content covered by What makes a  Science
8 075 061 64 for the Science Inquiry getting the students to participate in a kahoot using their fair test? journals
investigation. Skills iPads.
Lesson ACSIS0 Rubric of inquiry Once students have finished completing the kahoot, teacher What variables Per group:
8 66 skills: will explain the experiment that students will complete in do you need to  6 empty coke
2. Work cohesively groups of 4. keep the same to
bottles
ACSIS2 - Write the make this a fair
16
in a team to set up
The teacher will have previously cut 3 empty coke bottles in test?  1 piece of
the experiment variables
half and with another 3 coke bottles they will have cut a large plywood
- Write a
ACSIS0 rectangular hole down the side of the 3 bottles. The teacher Which bottle  Wood glue
hypothesis
69
3. Observe and
will then stick the bottles with the hole, down on a piece of will the soil stay  Scissors and
- Write down the wood, ensuring that the necks of the bottles are protruding in?
record the results Stanley knife
ACSIS0 procedure over the edge of the board. The teacher will then use the
71 of the remaining three bottles that are cut in half. They will place a Which bottle  String
- Set up the
investigations string through them and hang them over the necks of each of will the soil  Soil from the
investigation
the three bottles on the board. The teacher will repeat this erode in? garden and
from the
process five more times, so that there is enough for one per compost
teacher’s
group.  4 seedlings
instructions
- Record  Mulch
For the experiment students will place plain garden soil in the
observations in first bottle and then for the other two bottles the students will  Water
a suitable way. place a soil and compost mixture in each. The students must  iPad
- Make then cover the second bottle with mulch (bark/sticks/dead
leaves). While in the third bottle students must plant
evidence-based
seedlings. When students have completed this, they will then
conclusions slowly pour equal amounts of water into each of the bottles.
The students will continue to do this last step every day for 10
days and record their observations. Students will take a
picture on their iPads each day of the experiment to determine
the difference in the bottles.

When the teacher has finished explaining the above

experiment and demonstrated to the students what to do. The
teacher must then assign students to their groups of four
which have been predetermined to contain a range of different
abilities.

In their groups, the students must prepare the equipment as

the teacher instructed and then get out their science journals.
As a group they are to write out in their science journals:
- Write a hypothesis
- Write a prediction of what will occur in the experiment
- Write down the controlled, dependent and independent
variables
- Write down the procedure
- Draw what the experiment looks like on day 1
 - Record/draw their observations
- Record their findings
- Write a conclusion

The teacher will have written on the whiteboard all the things
that the students are to include in their science journals.

The teacher will then go through the experiment and the

conclusion on the last day of running it and determine if it
was a fair test and the results.
Students that struggle will be assisted by the teacher and have
their science journal pre-filled out with some blank spaces for
answers from those children.

5E’s- EVALUATE (1 lesson)

 To provide opportunities to review and reflect on their learning about XXXXX and represent what they know about XXXXX
 Summative assessment of science understanding

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON LINKS OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
(include learner diversity)
Science Science as Science
Understand a Human Inquiry
ing Endeavour Skills
Week ACSSU ACSHE 1. Identify things that SUMMATIVE- Review the unit by going through a PowerPoint of the content Would you bury A4 grid paper for
9 075 062 cause landscapes Science learnt. Ensure to ask questions such as: your time each student
to change, Understanding - What did we learn about soil/rocks/landscapes/erosion? capsule near a
Lesson - How did they change over time? river? Why/why Science journals
including
9 Checklist- - How do we know? not?
weathering,
erosion and human Would you bury
Were students able Then ask students to share their ideas about time capsules.
activity Explain what a time capsule is and things that are normally your time
to justify their
2. Create a map and answers using included in them. capsule in soil
explain their knowledge learnt on top of a
choice of location from previous Explain to students that they will be creating a map and then mountain? Why/
lessons? they must pick a location on the map to hide their time why not?
to bury a time
capsule capsule and record it.
Did they write Students must write their reasoning for why they have chosen Would you bury
3. Contribute to your time
neatly and using this spot on the mat in their science journal.
discussions and They must answer the following questions: capsule under a
full sentence
express their structure? - Would you bury your time capsule near a river? boulder made of
opinions about hard materials?
Why/why not?
their learning Did they pick a Why/ why not?
- Would you bury your time capsule in soil on top of a
journey good location to mountain? Why/ why not?
bury their time
capsule?
- Would you bury your time capsule under a boulder made
of hard materials? Why/ why not?

The above questions will be placed on the whiteboard so that

the students can easily refer to it. Students that struggle will
receive a printed off version of the questions. These students
can either speak their answers while the teacher scribes it for
them or they can type the answers out on the iPad

Encourage students to start sentences with:

- The landscape where I would bury the time capsule is...
- I chose to bury it here because...
- The landscape might change in several ways, for
example…

When students have finished completing the activity, pick

volunteers to share their maps and explanations. Ask students:
- Why did you choose to bury it there?
- Do you think people will be able to find it? Why?