Primary Science FPD

Australian Curriculum: Science (Year 4)

Sub-strands Content Descriptions Achievement Standard

• Living things have life cycles (ACSSU072) By the end of Year 4, students apply the
Biological sciences
observable properties of materials to explain
• Living things, including plants and animals, depend on each other and the environment to survive (ACSSU073)
how objects and materials can be used. They
use contact and non-contact forces to describe
Chemical sciences • Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties; These properties can influence their use (ACSSU074) interactions between objects. They discuss how
natural and human processes cause changes to
the Earth’s surface. They describe relationships
Earth and space • Earth’s surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity (ACSSU075)
that assist the survival of living things and
sciences sequence key stages in the life cycle of a plant
or animal. They identify when science is used
• Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance (ACSSU076)
Physical sciences to ask questions and make predictions. They
describe situations where science
• Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE061) understanding can influence their own and
Nature and
development of science others’ actions.

• Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE062) Students follow instructions to identify
Use and influence of investigable questions about familiar contexts
science and predict likely outcomes from
• With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and predict what might happen based on investigations. They discuss ways to conduct
Questioning and investigations and safely use equipment to
predicting prior knowledge (ACSIS064)
make and record observations. They use
• Suggest ways to plan and conduct investigations to find answers to questions (ACSIS065) provided tables and simple column graphs to
Planning and
• Safely use appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record observations, using formal measurements and digital organise their data and identify patterns in
conducting
technologies as appropriate (ACSIS066) data. Students suggest explanations for
observations and compare their findings with
Processing and • Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends (ACSIS068) their predictions. They suggest reasons why
analysing data and • Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (ACSIS216) their methods were fair or not. They complete
information simple reports to communicate their methods
and findings.
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)
 Concept: Biological Sciences Term: 1
Weeks: 5-10
English
Language: Language for interaction
Understand differences between the language of
opinion and feeling and the language of factual
reporting or recording (ACELA1489)
• Students engage in a few lessons
investigating the language within factual
reporting and recording. These lessons
coincide with the science FPD to build
scientific literacy within the students.
Literature:
Responding to Literature
Discuss literary experiences with others, sharing
responses and expressing a point of
view(ACELT1603)
• Guided reading of Uno's Garden by
Graeme Base. Students discuss the moral
of the story in relation to the science
investigation: Save The Amazon.
Students also explore the point of view
that the author projects compared to the
point of view of climate sceptics.
Creating Literature
Create literary texts by developing storylines,
characters and settings (ACELT1794)
• Students create a narrative on the theme
climate change. Students explore extreme
weather events that impact people and
how to overcome the devastation of the
communities.
CONCEPT MAP
HASS: Geography
The importance of environments to animals and
people, and different views on how they can be
protected (ACHASSK088)
• Research assignment on the Amazon
Forest habitats and ecosystems. Engage
in the importance of rainforests for
animals and people, and how organisms
rely on these environments to survive.
Students choose 1 animal that lives in the
forest and explore how this animal
depends on the forest to live. They also
research different perspectives of how to
protect this region from harm (such as
bushfires).
The natural resources (e.g. water, timber,
minerals) provided by the environment and
different views on how they can be used
sustainably (ACHASSK090)
• Students engage in an ICT workshop
learning about natural resources and their
significance in the environment. Students
explore ways they can sustainably use
these resources. Students are asked to
consider the threat to the Amazon in this
task.
• See this link for more information:
https://naturalresources-
year4.weebly.com/
Mathematics
Measurement and Geometry
Use scaled instruments to measure and compare
lengths, masses, capacities and
temperatures (ACMMG084)
• Explore the 'real life' size of trees.
Students kinaesthetically portray the size
of Peppermint Trees by laying down.
Using this non-standard unit knowledge
students can visualise how large this type
of tree is. Students are then to measure
the size of 3 different trees in the school
and make comparisons between the
lengths.
Statistics and Probability
Select and trial methods for data collection,
including survey questions and recording
sheets (ACMSP095)
Construct suitable data. displays, with and
without the use of digital technologies, from
given or collected data. Include tables, column
graphs and picture graphs where one picture can
represent many data values (ACMSP096)
• Students survey another group exploring
the natural resources used within their
homes. Students are to gather data by
constructing a simple survey or ballot.
They then must record this data and
compare with their peers the differences
in data collection and what technique
was the most effective (and why).
• Students graph their data on excel.
 FORWARD PLANNING DOCUMENT

TERM/WEEKS: T4 Wk 5- YEAR LEVEL: 4 LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Science: Biological Sciences

General Capabilities:
Literacy
Speaking/Listening
Writing
Cross-curriculum priorities:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and Cultures
10
AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
Key- Purple: *Differentiation Red: Health and Safety Concerns
Numeracy ICT Critical and creative Ethical Behaviour Personal and social Intercultural Understanding
Measurement- using standard Using ipads thinking Competence
units Padlet/Excel Create their own investigation Interacting with others and
learning individually
Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability
Re-use plastic water bottles or jars for terrariums
Exploring the significance of protecting The Amazon

5E’s- ENGAGE (1 lesson)

• To capture student interest and find out what they know about the greenhouse gas effect
• To elicit students’ questions/ prior knowledge about the biosphere and the difference between living/non-living things
• Diagnostic assessment used- in this lesson you will find out what the students already know about biosphere. This will allow you to take account of students’ existing ideas when planning learning experiences

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON
CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
LINKS (include learner diversity)

Science Science as Science

Understan a Human Inquiry
ding Endeavour Skills

1 Use 1. Students DIAGNOSTIC Introduction What are the

Living and 1. Observational 1. Students revisit prior knowledge by main https://www.you
categorise at
things Influen checklist. differences tube.com/watch
depend ce of least 5 labels of categorising labels into living and non-
2. Work samples between ?v=VMxjzWHb
on each Science each living under the headings biosphere and geosphere yFM
other Science of 1-pager: geosphere.
(living/non- and
and the knowle Rubric. biosphere?
environ dge living) into 2. Class discussion on biosphere and
ment to helps biosphere and geosphere from watching crash course
survive people geosphere video. What is
(ACSS to
headings. occurring in
U073) underst Body the media
and the 2. Students 3. Teacher introduces design brief project: about the
This effect complete a 1-
link of their 'Help Rebuild the Amazon' (APPENDIX 1) Amazon?
apply actions pager exploring 4. Read the 'problem' and 'role' sections of the
to all (ACSH the enhanced design brief and have a discussion on the
E062) https://www.you
greenhouse importance trees in maintaining a healthy Why are trees tube.com/watch
This effect and the greenhouse gas effect. so important ?v=rhVEk9M_v
link importance of 5. Watch video on enhanced greenhouse gas for survival? qI&t=43s
applies trees. effect.
to all 6. Students complete a 1-pager exploring these What
lessons topics. *This activity allows for enabling happens to
the carbon
students to draw their response rather than when trees
write it. It also allows for creativity and are cut down?
personal reflection. Extension: students are
to convey a symbol/metaphor.

Closure
7. Students complete a gallery walk of all the
1-pagers. Teacher chooses some students to
share their favourites and identify why.
 5E’s- EXPLORE (1 lesson)
• To provide hands on, shared experiences of making a terrarium
• To support students to investigate and explore ideas about survival of living things
• Formative assessment
WEE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
K/
LINKS LESSON (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
LESS
ON OBJECTIVE (include learner diversity)
Science Science as a Science Inquiry
Underst Human Skills
anding Endeavour

22 Nature Questioning 1. Students list FORMATIVE Introduction

and and 1. Class padlet 1. Introduce lesson by showing students a
Predicting
5 facts about What is the Pre-made
Develop- 2. Book Creator- made terrarium of a succulent.
With photosynthes process terrarium with
ment of Work samples
science guidance, is in pairs by 2. Whole class brainstorm of what components called that succulent
identify Checklist occurs when https://www.y
Science questions uploading made up the terrarium (soils, water, plants,
involves plants make outube.com/wa
in familiar them on the sunlight)
making contexts that
their own tch?v=UPBM
class padlet. 3. Students complete a think, pair, share of food? G5EYydo
prediction can be
s and investigated 2. Students what photosynthesis is and why it is
describing scientifically investigate important by watching a video and Why is this Class set of
patterns and make uploading 5 main points on the class padlet. process iPads- link to
predictions by recording
and important Padlet
based on observations *Students are paired based on ability- 1
relationsh for
prior student extending/1 student enabling.
ips (ACS
knowledge (
(1), and biodiversity
HE061) ACSIS064) making Body to survive?
hypotheses 4. Teacher directs students of how to build a
(7-day terrarium by directing them to place pebbles
period). first, then soil, then plant seeds and then
pop the lid on. Basic health and safety
including: no running with equipment,
washing hands with soap before and after
using soil, be careful of sharp edges when
cutting plastic bottles, complete this activity
outside or use newspaper.
Book Creator
5. Students build their own terrarium and then
are required to take a photo of it and label
the materials, using book creator.
 6. Students record 1 observation of their What do you Materials for
terrarium. include in a terrarium:
7. Students are asked to hypothesise what will hypothesis? water bottle,
seeds, water,
happen to the seed within 7 days, and record
soil, pebbles,
in their book by writing a complex sentence scissors
*Differentiation: enabling students can
record their sentence verbally instead of
writing it

Closure
8. Teacher revises lesson by asking each
student to share 1 thing they either learnt or
predicted in the lesson.
 5E’s- EXPLAIN (1 lesson)
• To support students to develop explanations for experiences and make representations of developing conceptual understandings
• Formative assessment

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
LINKS (include learner diversity)

Scien Science as a Science Inquiry

ce Human Skills
Unde Endeavour
rstan
ding

3 Nature Planning 1. Students create FORMATIVE Introduction

and and at least 1 design 1. Template 1. Students make another observation (noting Measurement
Develop conducting either speeding (APPENDIX 2) growth in cm) after the 7-day period of their equipment-
-ment With
up or slowing work sample. terrarium and record it in their book tape
of guidance,
plan and down the Checklist measure/ruler
science *Differentiation: enabling students can Why is that
Science conduct growth of the
scientific record their sentence verbally instead of some have
involves plant inside the
investigation writing it grown faster
making terrarium.
s to find 2. Whole class brainstorm on or slower
predicti answers to 2. Student Ipad per
ons and similarities/differences of terrariums over than others?
questions, complete the student
describi considering the 7-day period
ng
investigation What could Book Creator
the safe use
patterns of template stating you change
Body
and appropriate their to increase
materials 3. Introduce 'generating designs' from design
relations independent, the growth
hips (A and brief and explain that students are to design
controlled, speed?
equipment ( an experiment that compares the growth of
CSHE0 dependent Design Brief
ACSIS065)
61) variables, list of the terrarium by changing 1 factor
materials and a (independent variable)
hypothesis. 4. Students create 1-2 different designs using
3. Students make the template (APPENDIX 2) and label
their own them. The designs must be 1 independent
terrarium variable that will change the speed of
changing 1 growth either speeding it up or slowing it Template
factor down. *Enabling students create 1 (guided), (APPENDIX
(independent 2)
middle group create 1 and extension create
variable) either
2.
increasing or
decreasing the
5. Students list the independent, controlled and
dependent variables of their experiment,
 speed of and write a hypothesis. The materials
growth. needed for their experiment must listed too.
6. The template must be added to their book
under the title Method
7. Students create their new terrarium of their
investigation and repeat the process of the
first one (take picture/label). Basic health
and safety including: no running with Materials for
equipment, washing hands with soap before terrarium 2:
soil, charcoal,
and after using soil, be careful of sharp
moss, pebbles,
edges when cutting plastic bottles, complete rocks, seeds,
this activity outside or use newspaper. water bottle,
Student led discussion of these concerns. water

*Extension students design 2 but choose 1 they

believe will be most significant.
Closure
8. Students complete an exit slip writing their
independent variable.

5E’s- ELABORATE (1 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 SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
LINKS (include learner diversity)

Science Science as a Science

Underst Human Inquiry Skills
anding Endeavour

4 Nature Processing 1. Students SUMMATIVE- Introduction

and and
construct a table Science Inquiry 1. After 7-days students make an observation What do you Class set of
analysing
Develop comparing Skills observe
data and
1. Observation, about their second terrarium and record this ipads- book
-ment informatio growth about your
of n anecdotal notes. in their book. They also measure, noting the creator
Use a measurement See APPENDIX 3 terrarium?
science growth in cm.
Science range of (cm) from (rubric) for more Has it Measurement
methods terrarium 1 and information 2. Students share their observation with a peer increased in equipment-
involves
making including terrarium 2, who completed a different investigation and size or tape
tables and stayed the
predicti using excel. discuss these key questions measure/ruler
simple
ons and column 2. Students convert same?
describi graphs to their table into a Body
ng represent d column graph 3. Students construct a table comparing Why do you
patterns ata and to using excel, predict this
measurements between the two
and identify showing the is?
relations patterns experiments, terrarium 1 and terrarium 2:
and different colours
hips (A • The table must include initial What have
trends (AC for each
CSHE0 measurements for each terrarium
61) SIS068) terrarium. you
3. Students write a and then the other measurements discovered
Compare
paragraph occurred after the 7-day period. in your
results
with stating whether • They then must calculate the experiment?
predictions their hypothesis difference in measurement and
, was correct or Was the
suggesting indicate which terrarium produced hypothesis
incorrect and
possible the fastest growing plant.
discuss the correct.
reasons for
findings (A evidence they 4. Teacher directs students to graph (column Why/why
CSIS216) found in their graph) their results using excel and then to not?
investigation. screenshot and place it within the Results
9. page.
5. Teacher directs students to make
judgements about their investigations.
Students write a paragraph stating what
their hypothesis was, what the results were
 and if they were correct or incorrect in their
predicting. *Enabling students are
encouraged to write this paragraph but can
use dot point form. Extension students use
comparative language in their paragraph to
extend their writing.
6. Students type up this paragraph and
measurements, and insert it into their book
creator under the title Results.

Closure
7. Students reflect on what factor they would
change if the experiment was repeated to
further increase or decrease the speed of
growth.
 5E’s- EVALUATE (1 lesson)
• To provide opportunities to review and reflect on their learning about plant and how they depend on external environmental factors to survive, and represent what they know about making investigations.
• Summative assessment of science understanding

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
LINKS (include learner diversity)

Scien Science as a Science Inquiry

ce Human Skills
Unde Endeavour
rstan
ding

5: Use and Evaluating 1. Students reflect SUMMATIVE- Introduction

This Influenc Reflect on on the fairness Science 1. Class discussion on fairness of Was your
e of investigation Understanding
lesson is of their investigation. Students complete a think, investigation
Science s, including 1. See
split into investigation fair?
two Science whether a APPENDIX 3 pair, share and discuss how fair or not their
knowled test was fair through class Why/why
session (rubric) for individual investigation was. They explore not?
ge helps or discussion.
to allow not (ACSIS0 more ways to improve the fairness for future
people to
for 69) 2. Students information How could
students
understa investigations.
nd the communicate you make it
to be effect of Communic their book fairer next
fully Body
their ating creator time?
prepared actions (
Session 1
Represent
for their investigation to 2. Students are given some time to finish their
ACSHE0 and
presentat 62) communicat the class in an book creators ensuring they have
ions. e oral observations/hypotheses, method, findings.
observations, presentation
ideas and They need to include all the elements from From the Class set of
findings
discussing their investigations, ipads
the past 4 lessons.
using formal observations, what are Projector- to
3. They are then allowed some time to practice some factors
and informal method and showcase book
representatio findings for 5 their presentations. to increase on large screen
ns (ACSIS0 the speed of
71) minutes.
Session 2 growth in
4. Students communicate their book creator plants?
investigation to the class for 5 minutes.
What are
5. Students complete a verbal 2 stars and 1 some factors
wish giving feedback to their peers. that hinder
the speed of
Closure growth?
6. Teacher closes with a discussion on the
design brief: Save The Amazon
 References

School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2016). Judging standards. Retrieved

from http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/

School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2014). K-10 outline. Retrieved

from http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/