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Design - UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE

Title: Science- Materials and their appropriate uses
Year Level: 4

Teacher: Eunice Tan

Focus Curriculum Area (s): Science- Material world: natural and processed material

Duration: 3 Weeks

STAGE 1: Curriculum Links

(What do we want students to learn? From the Australian/SCASA Curriculum)

Literacy

Numeracy

ICT

Critical and Creative Thinking

Ethical Behaviour

Personal and Social

Intercultural Understanding

Cross-curriculum
Priorities (CCP)

Aboriginal and TSI

Asia and Australias

Histories and Culture

Engagement with Asia

Year Level Content

Science

By the end of Year 4, students apply the

Descriptors

Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties

observable properties of materials

that can influence their use (ACSSU074).

to explain how objects and materials

can be used.

Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and

relationships(ACSHE061).

Students follow instructions to identify

General Capabilities
(GP)

Sustainability

Year Level Achievement

investigable questions about familiar

With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find

Standards

contexts and make predictions based on

answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate

prior knowledge.

materials and equipment (ACSIS065).

Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements

Students suggest explanations for

and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record

observations and compare their findings

observations accurately (ACSIS066).

with their predictions.

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Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs

to represent data and to identify patterns and trends (ACSIS068).

Math

Math

They construct data displays from given

Construct suitable data displays, with and without the use of digital

or collected data.

technologies, from given or collected data. Include tables, column

graphs and picture graphs where one picture can represent

Design and Technology

many data values (ACMSP096).

Students create designed solutions for

each of the prescribed technologies

Design and Technology

contexts. They explain needs or

Investigate how forces and the properties of materials affect the

opportunities and evaluate ideas and

behaviour of a product or system (ACTDEK011).

designed solutions against identified

criteria for success, including

Investigate the suitability of materials, systems, components, tools

environmental sustainability

and equipment for a range of purposes (ACTDEK013).

considerations. They develop and

expand design ideas and communicate

English

these using models and drawings

Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations incorporating learned

including annotations and symbols

content and taking into account the particular purposes and

audiences(ACELY1689).

English

Students create structured texts

to explain ideas for different audiences.

They make presentations and
contribute actively to class and group
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discussions, varying language according
to context.


Knowledge (What are students expected to learn?)

Skills (What are students expected to be able to do?)

The properties of natural and processed materials.

Make predictions and describe patterns in data.

How properties of a material affects its use.

Suggest explanations for their findings.

Accurately record information using tables and graphs.

Compare findings with their predictions.

Conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions.

Record information using a table and a graph

LEARNING OUTCOMES: What relevant goals will this unit of work address? Draw these out of the content descriptors and the achievement standards.
Students will be able to......
-

Explain the physical properties of natural and processed materials such as insulation and tensile strength

Apply their knowledge through observations about the properties of materials to explain how they can be effectively used.

Construct predictions based on prior knowledge.

Suggest explanations for their observations.

Compare findings with predictions.

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UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Task description:
This summative task will require students to individually write about different materials that they would use to create an outfit for Mr Tuggles when he travels around
the world, where he will be living in different climates and participating in different activities. Writing about their chosen material and the reason behind choosing that
specific material. Students will then choose one scenario from Mr Tuggles travelling adventures and design and outfit for the chosen scenario. Students will then use a
range of materials to create their out fit, by cutting out material of the shapes of clothes that they have designed and gluing them onto a cardboard man. Students will
present their design to the class through an oral presentation, explaining their chosen scenario and how their out fit caters for Mr Tuggles circumstances in the chosen
scenario. To cater for a diverse range of learners, students are given opportunities to write about appropriate materials that can be used through a written form.
Students are also given the opportunity to draw their design and explain their design and the choices that they have made through simple annotations. Lastly, students
will be creating their outfit then presenting this to the class through an oral presentation giving student the ability to talk about their design as some students may
struggle to write their thoughts into words. This therefore gives students the ability to demonstrate their understanding through three forms, being: written, graphic and
oral presentation. This assessment will be due at the end of the unit of work, after students have experimented with different materials and their properties, where they
can now demonstrate their learning and understand of different materials and their uses.

Assessment Criteria:
-

Have students applied their knowledge about properties of natural and processed materials to explain how and why they can be effectively used?

Have students understood thermal insulation?

Have students understood absorbency?

Have students understood tensile strength?

Assessment recording template: For each lesson, there will be a form of recording either through a checklist, anecdotal notes or a rubric. See Appendix.

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Feedback: Students will receive formative feedback during the unit of work such as when conducting their investigations. Questions will be asked to prompt students to
further think about their answers and to apply their knowledge from the previous lesson.

Self-assessment: At the end of lesson 2, 3 and 5, students will participate in a group brainstorm identifying new learned knowledge about the concepts of:
absorbency, tensile strength and thermal insulation, respectively. Through this, students are prompted to think about the investigation that they had just conducted
and identify new knowledge, sharing this with their group to extend the learning of their peers.



















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UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND INSTRUCTION

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What events will help students:

Experience and explore the enduring understandings and essential questions in the unit?

How will you equip them with needed skills and knowledge?

Achieve the desired results identifies in Stage 1?

Equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?

Learning Experiences

Assessment For/As Learning (Formative

Assessment)

Science - (Engage)
-

Read Mr Tuggles Trouble by LeeAnn Blankenship.

Discuss questions related to the book such as:

Resources

Diagnostic assessment (Anecdotal notes-

Mr Tuggles book

Appendix 8):

Identifying vocabulary that

Butchers paper

Why would you wear gumboots?

students already know and

Why wouldnt you wear them to run?

vocabulary that they didnt know

Textas

Would you wear short in Antarctica?

or needed to be prompted to

Create word wall with students about materials and their properties.

think about when creating the

Object, material, properties

Using vocabulary from the word wall complete the object, material,

word wall.

table sheet

properties table (Appendix 1). Students will be required to write down

what material the object is made from and its properties.

The object, material, reason

tables will be collected to identify
the students current knowledge
of materials and their properties.

Science - (Explore)
-
-

Diagnostic assessment (Anecdotal notes-

Tissues

Class discussion question: What material would you want your library bag Appendix 9):

to be made of if it is raining and why?

Identify knowledge that students

Paper towels

have of absorbency for different

Investigation to test the absorbency of materials:

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1. Introduce three types of materials (tissue, paper towel and plastic
wrap).
2. Ask students what they would use each material for?
3. Discuss the terms: leak, soak and repel.
4. Students form into their science group and set up experiment.

Plastic wrap

Jars

Formative:
-

Are students able to identify the

Eye dropper

Students will have three clear jars, three elastic bands, coloured

uses for different materials using

water, an eye drop and a sample of each material.

their understanding the

Coloured water

absorbency of each material?

5. Students will secure each material on top of each jar with the

materials.

elastic band and use the eye dropper to drip drops of water onto

Elastic bands

the material, keeping tally of how many drop they make on the

investigation sheet (appendix 2).

Investigation task sheet

Class discussion on variables in experiment (changed variable and

measured variable) and fair testing.

Discuss results from experiment and use for each material.

Update word wall.

Science - (Explore)
-

Conduct investigation on the tensile strength of materials in science

Pegs

Are students able to identify the

groups.

tensile strength of different

Rubber

Discuss meaning of tensile strength and materials that have high, medium

materials?

Through their findings, are

Tissues

or low tensile strength.

-

Formative (Checklist- Appendix 10):

Investigation: students will be given three materials (rubber, tissue and

students able to identify different

cloth) that they will attach to three different pegs (closed). Students will

uses of materials according to

Cloth

then open the peg to test the tensile strength of the different materials to

their tensile strength?

identify if it snaps, tears or stretches and record their results (appendix

Sticky tape

3).

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Students will then write about the uses they would have for each

Snap, tear or stretch task

material and why they would use that material.

sheet

Discuss findings as a class.

Discuss fair testing and variables.

Discuss how knowing the tensile strength of materials can be helpful

when selecting materials for different purposes.

-
4

Update word wall.

Science - (Explain)
-

Discuss how specific properties are suitable for making certain objects.

Formative (Checklist- Appendix 11):

-

5 different bags

Are students able to identify

Ask students if they have ever had difficulty carrying something in a bag

suitable uses for the given

Carrying dilemma task sheet

and what material that bag was made with. What material would they

materials and provide an

have chosen to use instead.

explanation based on tensile

Introduce 5 bags to students (bags will be made of different materials),

strength?

bags will be numbered 1 to 5.

-

In partners, discuss what use each bag could be for.

Individually complete (Carrying dilemma) material, object and reason

task sheet (appendix 4).

Share solutions with class.

Update word wall.

Science - (Elaborate)
-

Conduct and investigation to identify the thermal insulation properties

Formative (Checklist- Appendix 12):

-

Can students record their results

in a table?

Hot water

Can students identify which

materials (wool, plastic and cotton or thin material) will be wrapped

material provided the most

Wool

around each tin to identify, which material provides the most insulation.

insulation?

of different materials.
-

Tins

Investigation: 3 different tins will be filled with hot water, 3 different

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Discuss variables.

Students will measure the temperature of the water every 3 minutes and

record this result in their table (appendix 5).

Plastic

material with least insulation?

Can students identify appropriate Thin material

After 15 minutes students will take the last reading and record the result.

uses for each material?

Discussion the class results and which material provided the most and

Thermometer

-
6

Can students identify the

least insulation and the uses for each material.

Update word wall

Investigation sheet

Math Graphing
-

Formative (Checklist- Appendix 13):

Using the data from the thermal insulation investigation, students will

graph their results on a grid.

-

Have students given the graph

a title?

An example will be demonstrated on the board identifying the

elements of a graph (title, x and y axis) to explain the use of the x and y

Have students correctly

labelled the x and y axis?

axis of the graph to students.

-

Graph paper

Students will then label their graph with a title and the x and y-axis and

Have students accurately

graphed their results?

accurately graph their results on graph paper.

7

Science (Evaluate)
-

Mr Tuggles Travelling

Have students understood thermal

Adventures sheet

Adventures sheet (appendix 6) where they will have to demonstrate

insulation by providing an

their understanding of properties of different materials such as

appropriate material choice and

Mr Tuggles outfit sheet

thermal insulation and absorbency through given scenarios by choosing

explanation?

Summative task: students will be given Mr Tuggles Travelling

appropriate clothes that Mr Tuggles should take with him and

Summative (Rubric grid- Appendix 14):

-

Have students understood

explaining why.

absorbency by providing and

Students will then choose one scenario and design and outfit

appropriate material choice and

(appendix 7) based on the materials they have described, providing

explanation?
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explanations for their choices by annotating the diagram.

Have students understood tensile

strength by providing an appropriate
material choice and explanation?

Have students been able to design an

appropriate outfit for Mr Tuggles
(e.g. material choice, length of
clothes)

Have students provided a

comprehensive explanation for their
choices when annotating the
diagram.

Science (Evaluate) and Design and technology

-

Summative (Checklist-Appendix 15):

A range of materials

Have students been able to choose

e.g. Thin material (cotton),

supplied materials to physically make their outfit by cutting out clothing

materials appropriate for Mr Tuggles

spandex, wool, felt, plastic

designs from different material types and gluing them onto a cardboard

out fit?

etc.

Are students able to choose the

Using the out fit that students have designed, students will use a range of

man (Mr Tuggles).

length of the design of clothes

appropriate for Mr Tuggles?
-

Do students understand, which

Cut out cardboard man

materials are appropriate to use for

Scissors

their purpose?

Have students been able to

Glue

communicate their ideas through

models.
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English- Speaking
-

Summative (Checklist-Appendix 16):

After creating an out fit for Mr Tuggles, students will present a speech to

Does the student speak clearly?

the class, explaining their chosen scenario and how the out fit has catered

Has the student implemented

for its purposes.

Individually created Mr
Tuggles.

ways to engage the audience?

-

Has the student chosen

appropriate materials?

Has the student explained the

purpose of their chosen material
well?

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Appendices
Appendix 1- Object, material, properties

Object

Material

Properties

E.g. rain coat

E.g. plastic

E.g. waterproof

Wool jumper


Rubber welding gloves

Sneakers



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Appendix 2- Absorbency investigation

Type of
material
What do you
predict will
happen?
Explain why.

Water drop
tally
Write and
draw your
observations.

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Appendix 3- Snap, tear or stretch investigation

Material

Prediction

Reasons for
prediction

Result (snap, tear

or stretch)

Uses for this

material

Elastic band





Tissue





Cloth

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Appendix 4- Carrying dilemma

Students are required to identify and explain what kind of bag they would use to carry each of the objects listed. A choice of 5 different bags made with different
materials will be given to the students.

Object

Material that bag is made

with

Why did you make this

choice?

Watermelon

Binder file

A wet towel
Sandy shells
Frozen icy poles
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Appendix 5- Thermal insulation

Students are required to record the temperature of water over time. Each tin will be wrapped with different a different material to identify the thermal insulation, which
it provides.

Time since the water Temperature of tin 1 Temperature of tin 2 Temperature of tin 3
was added (minutes)

3 minutes

6 minutes

9 minutes

12 minutes

15 minutes

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Appendix 6- Mr Tuggles Adventure

Mr Tuggles has now decided that he would like to travel the world! Using your knowledge of
materials and their properties can you help him to plan his outfits for his following adventures
and explain why you have chosen these outfits?
Walking through the wet Amazon jungle.

Climbing up a mountain in Antarctica.

Participating in a gymnastics competition in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

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Appendix 7- Design one of Mr Tuggles outfit and annotate reason for using chosen materials




































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Appendix 8- lesson 1 diagnostic assessment: anecdotal notes

Name
Lesson 1: diagnostic assessment, anecdotal notes
Nick
Nick has demonstrated a sound understand of absorbency however he does not understand the meaning of tensile strength and has not developed
the understanding to describe thermal insulation.
Austin

Michael

Jan

Caryn

Mila

Matilda




Appendix 9- lesson 2 anecdotal notes on absorbency

Name
Lesson 2: diagnostic assessment, anecdotal notes
Nick
Nick has demonstrated a sound understand of absorbency however he has not yet developed the knowledge and understanding in his thinking to
identifying materials that have high absorbency or materials that repel water.
Austin

Michael

Jan

Caryn

Mila

Matilda











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Appendix 10- lesson 3 checklist on tensile stregth

Name
Are students able to identify the
Through their findings, are students able to identify different
tensile strength of different materials? uses of materials according to their tensile strength?
Nick
Yes
Yes

Austin
Yes
Yes

Michael
Yes
No

Jan
No
No

Caryn
Yes
Yes

Mila
Yes
No

Matilda
No
No



Appendix 11- lesson 4 checklist on tensile strength

Name
Is the student able to identify suitable
Can the student explain the reasons for
uses for the materials?
materials being used for specific tasks?
Nick
Yes
Yes

Austin
Mostly
Yes

Michael
Yes
No

Jan
Yes
No

Caryn
Yes
Yes

Mila
Mostly
Mostly

Does the student use vocabulary related

to tensile stretch?
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
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Matilda
Mostly
No

Appendix 12- lesson 5 checklist: thermal insulation

Name
Can student record their results Can student identify which
in a table?

Nick
Yes
Austin
Yes
Michael
Yes
Jan
No
Caryn
Yes
Mila
No
Matilda
Yes



Appendix 13- lesson 6 math (graphing) checklist

Name
Have students given the graph
a title?

No

Can student identify the

Can student identify

material provided the most

material with least insulation?

appropriate uses for each

insulation?

material?

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes

Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes

Have student correctly labelled

Have student correctly labelled

the x-axis?

the y-axis?

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes

Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Have students accurately

graphed their results?

Nick
Austin
Michael
Jan
Caryn
Mila
Matilda

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes

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Appendix 14- lesson 7 summative assessment rubric

Materials and their uses (Mr Tuggles adventures scenarios)
Limited

Satisfactory

Good

Excellent

Has the student understood

Student does not understand

Student understands concept

Student has a sound

Student has a sound

thermal insulation by providing

concept, does not provide

and provides an appropriate

understanding of concept and

understanding of concept and

an appropriate material choice

appropriate material choice and

material choice. Student does

provides an appropriate

provides an appropriate

and explanation?

does not provide an

not provide a sound

material choice. Student

material choice. Student

explanation.

explanation.

displays a sound explanation of

displays a detailed explanation

chosen material.

of chosen material using

terminology such as thermal
insulation.

Has the student understood

Student does not understand

Student understands concept

Student has a sound

Student has a sound

absorbency by providing and

concept, does not provide

and provides an appropriate

understanding of concept and

understanding of concept and

appropriate material choice and

appropriate material choice and

material choice. Student does

provides an appropriate

provides an appropriate

explanation

does not provide an

not provide a sound

material choice. Student

material choice. Student

explanation.

explanation.

displays a sound explanation of

displays a detailed explanation

chosen material.

of chosen material using

terminology such as absorbency
and repelling.

Has the student understood

Student does not understand

Student understands concept

Student has a sound

Student has a sound

tensile strength by providing an

concept, does not provide

and provides an appropriate

understanding of concept and

understanding of concept and

appropriate material choice and

appropriate material choice and

material choice. Student does

provides an appropriate

provides an appropriate

explanation?

does not provide an

not provide a sound

material choice. Student

material choice. Student

explanation.

explanation.

displays a sound explanation of

displays a detailed explanation

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chosen material.

of chosen material using

terminology such as tensile
strength.

Has the student been able to

Student has used an

Student has used an appropriate Student has chosen an effective

Student has chosen a highly

design an appropriate outfit for

inappropriate choice of

choice of material. Student has

choice of material. Student has

effective choice of material.

considered functionality of the

considered functionality of the

Student has effectively

outfit such as length and type of

outfit such as length and type of

considered functionality of the

out fit (e.g. dress, shorts, pants

out fit (e.g. dress, shorts, pants

outfit such as length and type of

etc.)

out fit (e.g. dress, shorts, pants

Mr Tuggles (e.g. material choice, material.

Student has not considered
length of clothes)?
functionality of the outfit such

as length and type of out fit (e.g. etc.)

dress, shorts, pants etc.)

etc.)

Has the student provided a

Student has not provided an

Student has provided a brief

Student has provided a

Student has provided a highly

comprehensive explanation for

explanation for their choices or

explanation for their choices

comprehensive explanation for

detailed explanation for their

their choices when annotating

has provided a scientifically

when annotating the diagram.

their choices when annotating

choices when annotating the

the diagram?

incorrect explanation.

the diagram.

diagram and uses relevant

terminology

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Appendix 15- lesson 8 Design and Technology checklist

Name

Has the student been able to

Is the student able to choose

Does the student understand,

choose materials appropriate

the length of the design of

which materials are

for Mr Tuggles out fit?

clothes appropriate for Mr

appropriate to use for their

Tuggles?

purpose?

Has the student been able to

communicate their ideas
through models?

Nick
Austin
Michael
Jan
Caryn
Mila
Matilda

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes

Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes

Does the student speak clearly? Has the student implemented

Has the student chosen

appropriate materials?

Has the student explained the

purpose of their chosen
material?

Yes
No
Yes
Yes

Yes
No
Yes
No

Appendix 16- lesson 9 English (speaking) checklist

Name

ways to engage the audience?

E.g. uses eye contact and
gestures.

Nick
Austin
Michael
Jan

Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
Yes
No
Yes

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Caryn
Mila
Matilda

Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
No
Yes

Yes
Yes
Yes

Yes
No
Yes

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