Yr+4+Scenario

__** Part B - Year 4 Science Curriculum **__

//**Flood Scenario:**//

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//figure 1//

__ **//Australian Curriculum Links: Year 4 (ACARA, 2012)//** __

// (SU) // || **Earth and space sciences** Earth's surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity    ( ACS**SU**075)  || // (SHE) // || **Use and influence of science** Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (AC**SHE**062) || // (SIS) // || **Questioning and predicting** With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and predict what might happen based on prior knowledge (AC**SIS**064)
 * **Strand** ||  **Sub-strand**  ||
 * // Science Understanding //
 * // Science as a Human Endeavour //
 * // Science Inquiry Skills //

**Planning and conducting** Suggest ways to plan and conduct investigations to find answers to questions (AC**SIS**065)

Engage in discussions about observations and use methods such as drawing to represent ideas (AC**SIS**233)
 * Processing and analysing data and information**

**Communicating** Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways such as diagrams, physical representations and simple reports (AC**SIS**071)  || (ACARA, 2012)

**//__Informed Learning Design:__//**

AC**SIS**064 AC**SIS**233 AC**SIS**071 || Example websites:
 * ** Aims ** || **Inquiry Phase**  ||  **Learning Summary**  ||  **Lesson Outcomes**  ||
 * * an interest in science as a means of expanding their curiosity and willingness to explore, ask questions about and speculate on the changing world in which they live (ACARA, 2012). || //Engage// || The learning manager would provide visual stimulus such as familiar pictures of landscapes in the local area ([|Mount Coolum]) to assess students prior knowledge and pre-existing notions about soil, rocks, land formations and how they have altered over time. Ideas and questions about how changes occur would be discussed through the use of a [|TWLH chart]. Students would use a journal to draw a storyboard to depict and speculate how they think the Earth's surface changes over time due and various processes involved such as wind, water, waves or plant growth. Sharing time would be provided for students to present their storyboard, ask questions or respond to their peers. A word wall would also be provided for students to add relevant words to at any time during the learning journey (Australian Academy of Science, 2012). || ACS**SU**075
 * * an understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry and the ability to use a range of scientific inquiry methods, including questioning; planning and conducting experiments and investigations based on ethical principles; collecting and analysing data; evaluating results; and drawing critical, evidence-based conclusions (ACARA, 2012). || //Explore// || In this phase students would investigate soil and its organic and non-organic components. They would be encouraged to identify questions and suggest effective hands-on inquiries to answer them (Australian Academy of Science, 2007). Students would be asked to gather soil samples from home and the playground to bring into the classroom. Working collaboratively students would be provided materials such as straws, fabric (sieve), water and magnifying glasses to observe and explore properties. Samples would be gathered and put in water to observe and discuss layers at a later time. Students would evaluate results of inquiry methods and encouraged to draw conclusions based on their understandings. Students would explore layers in further depth and go on a local field trip to observe soil profiles and to get an understanding of different layers, types and qualities. The terms erosion and weathering would be introduced so students understand the natural processes that can affect certain layers such as topsoil. They would then go beyond the surface to differentiate soil from rocks. Various samples would be provided so students could group (classify) rocks accordingly based on observations and draw pictures in their journals to describe samples such as texture, size and shape of particles and general appearance. They would consider how different rocks become smaller sediments and mineral particles that form a component of soil as a result of erosion and weathering (Skamp, 1998). Web-based articles would be provided to further support students understanding of the movement of weathered rocks and particles in relation to the Earth's surface.

[|Interactive Rock Cycle]

[|Rock Cycle Animation]

[|Landforms] || ACS**SU**075 AC**SIS**064 AC**SIS**065 AC**SIS**233 AC**SIS**071 || AC**SHE**062 AC**SIS**233 AC**SIS**071 || AC**SHE**062 AC**SIS**065 AC**SIS**071 || AC**SHE**062 AC**SIS**071 ||
 * * an ability to communicate scientific understanding and findings to a range of audiences, to justify ideas on the basis of evidence, and to evaluate and debate scientific arguments and claims (ACARA, 2012). || //Explain// || Students would continue to work collaboratively in developing a way to communicate their scientific understandings and reasonings about how rocks, soils and landscapes can change over time. They would use a range of graphical and written explanations to present evidence that they have learned about in the previous phase (Australian Academy of Science, 2007). A number of ways to present their understandings would be suggested such as Power Point, poster or claymation to share with their peers to describe the phenomenons that contribute to changes over time (Fleer et al, 2007). Students would be encouraged to compare explanations and differences in evidence and provide feedback to peers. Using current understandings of erosion, students would be introduced to the scientific claim that it can be further influenced by human activity. They would debate whether they believe it is true or false and provide reasoning. The learning manager would add to the TWLH chart as understanding progresses throughout the learning process (Australian Academy of Science, 2012). || ACS**SU**075
 * * an ability to solve problems and make informed, evidence-based decisions about current and future applications of science while taking into account ethical and social implications of decisions (ACARA, 2012). || //Elaborate// || The concept of the effects of water and how it contributes to erosion is further reinforced. Students would utilise the above **flood scenario** (//figure 1//) to extend additional concepts that water is a major factor of erosion and that human activity can also contribute to its severity (Australian Academy of Science, 2011). This might include issues such as where people decide to build houses, controlling stormwater run-off or disturbances to soil ([|deforestation]) that leads to further erosion or increased flooding incidents. Students could look at local articles to investigate the cause of erosion and changing landscapes in the local area such as beach erosion and the efforts and cost of regeneration projects currently happening. Students would be encouraged to plan their own investigation to represent how erosion occurs through the movement of water (ACARA, 2012). This might be done through creating models of landscapes and using water and various particles to show the flow-on effects of water. Students would be encouraged to discuss how they believe erosion problems could be minimised in the future based on scientific evidence in relation to social implications such as human activities that they have learned about in the elaborate phase. || ACS**SU**075
 * * an understanding of historical and cultural contributions to science as well as contemporary science issues and activities and an understanding of the diversity of careers related to science (ACARA, 2012). || //Evaluate// || Students would be asked if they could think of any scientists that they heard or read about during their learning such as geologists or environmental scientists. A discussion would be generated to emphasise why these particular roles are important in relation to new understandings. Students would engage in a reflective activity that involved them imagining they were a scientist to encourage them to reflect and evaluate the scientific processes and skills (nature of science) they participated in that are vital in learning about changes to the Earth's surface due to natural events and human activity (Bell, n.d.). Guided questions would be provided to describe why such processes are an essential part of science particulalry in helping people understand the impact of their actions or to influence positive fututre decisions (Australian Academy of Science, 2012). || ACS**SU**075