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Standard 3 - Science Unit Planner On Ik
Standard 3 - Science Unit Planner On Ik
Standard 3 - Science Unit Planner On Ik
Year Level:
3-4
Key Vocabulary:
Culture
Different
Time
Measurement/Measure
Growth
Developed
Indigenous
Timeline
Creation
World
Formed
Land/Mountains/Valleys
Waters/Sea/Rivers
Sky/Sun/Moon
Story
Evidence
Seasons/Seasonal
Calendar
Clock
Date
Circular
Saint Days
Star/Zodiac Signs
Czech
Indigenous Australian
Birthdays
Native American
Egyptian
Hands
Method
Sessions:
3
Date:
3.3, 3.5 & 3.6 This section describes the teaching strategies utilised
throughout the unit. It demonstrates my knowledge of a wide range of
strategies that also incorporate the use of various communication
approaches. The learning journal is also an effective strategy to help
evaluate and improve programs based on student level of achievement
and satisfaction shown by students when completed.
Key Equipment/Resources:
Learning Journal
Timeline
Creation Story Pictures
Blank Paper
Pencil Cases
Blu-Tack
Indigenous Australian Pictures
Vietnamese Story Pictures
Calculator
Ruler/Measuring Tape
Lucky Dip Box/Bag
Everyday items to measure with
Popsicle Sticks
Paper Plates
Czech Clock Handouts
Indigenous Australian Handouts
They explain how natural events cause rapid change to Earths surface.
Students explain how scientific knowledge develops from many peoples
contributions and how scientific understandings, discoveries and
inventions affect peoples lives.
They organise data into tables and graphs to identify and analyse patterns
and relationships.
They suggest where improvements to their experimental methods or
research could improve the quality of their data.
They have an understanding of historical and cultural contributions to
science.
know.
(It is expected that at least one student will suggest the Catholic story of Creation. If not, they will be
prompted. If a child mentions another story, listen and draw the steps as they explain it).
Ask students to explain the catholic creation story to the rest of the group, as they explain it, a pre-service
teacher will place the corresponding picture on the blank timeline. Explain this process (and what a
timeline is) as you go.
(3.5)Ask students: do you think that everyone in the world agrees with this timeline? Why? Why not?
Discuss that this is just one cultures opinion; one cultures version. It doesnt make it right or wrong it is
just what they believe.
(3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5)Separate the group into three smaller groups; one focusing on the formation of
land/mountains/valleys/etc; one focusing on how the waters/rivers/seas were formed; and one focusing
on how the sky/sun/moon came to be. Students are asked to work individually, to create and draw a way
in which each component is formed.
Once their individual drawings are complete, take one student from each group and form a mini-culture.
With a pre-service teacher, have students turn their pictures into a chronological timeline of creation. Ask
students to justify their decisions (e.g. fish cant live without water, so that had to come first).
When the timelines are in order, blu-tack them to the wall with the earlier Catholic timeline and as a class,
let each group explain their timeline and discuss how each culture is different but still valid. Add to the wall
an Indigenous Perspective and the Vietnamese Timeline and continue to discuss similarities and how there
is no right or wrong way.
(3.6)ASSESSMENT LEARNING JOURNAL: How many stories about the creation of the world do we know now?
What have we learnt about OUR views of different cultures? (Sneaky prompts: were all these timelines the same? Are any of them right or wrong?)
(3.5)Ask students How can you prove to me what time of the year we are currently in without bringing me a calendar.
Ask students to go outside and get any object from the school grounds (e.g. leaves/jackets) to prove to the pre-service teacher what time of the year it is.
(3.3)Students have 5 minutes to find their objects and bring them back. Have a class discussion and come to a conclusion that it is Autumn which means it
(3.3, 3.4)Ask students to mark on their calendar where today might be. They can label their calendar to assist them. (Ask why there are four sections).
Also ask students to mark their birthday on the calendar; ask them what seasonal changes/natural occurrences happen around their birthday?
Whats the weather like on your birthday?
(3.4, 3.5)Heres another calendar with the seasons and give students print outs of the Czech Astronomical Clock from Prague. Explain that this clock was
made in 1410 and it tells ancient Czech time; therefore it is from the Ancient Czech culture. Observe and discuss the different features of the
clock/calendar. SEE ATTACHMENTS FOR IMAGES
The Astronomical Clock tells us:
Monthly Illustration Descriptions:
- When the sun will rise
January: the celebration of a birth of a child as the New Year
- When the sun will set
February: a farmer warms his legs by the fire and his wife brings firewood (Winter)
- Ancient Czech time
March: the farmer ploughs the field
- Present-day time
April: the farmer fastens up the trees
- The movements of the sun, moon and stars
May: a young man decorates his hat and a maiden collects flowers (Spring)
- The current zodiac sign
June: the farmer cuts the grass
- Sun dial
July: the farmer mows the wheat
- The day
August: the farmer flails the crops
- The months
September: the farmer is sowing the seeds (planting)
- The Saint Day
October: the farmer reaps the grapes
November: cuts down an oak tree
December: farmer kills a pig (big meal? Christmas?)
For the purpose of this activity, just focus on the bottom clock.
Figure out the different elements and where today is; Ask students where they think today would be on their clock. Ask what else is happening today
based on the Astronomical clock and the same for their birthday. Have students write their answers in their learning journal.
(A discussion about European Seasons and Australian seasons may be necessary (as we dont generally need fires to keep us warm in February).
(3.2)If time permits: Present students with the Indigenous Calendar and ask them how many seasons they think there are. Pre-service teacher leads a
discussion about this calendar and students again figure out where today might be and their birthdays and see what else they can learn. SEE
ATTACHMENT FOR IMAGE
Key Questions:
Apart from the date, what else can we learn from these calendars? How do these calendars compare to our calendars?
(3.6)ASSESSMENT LEARNING JOURNAL: Make sure students names are on all their calendars and then pre-service teachers will attach them to their Learning
(3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5)In a lucky dip box have lots of every day objects (rubbers, pens, rulers, drink bottle, books, etc). Each child selects an item from the box
and uses that as a measuring tool to measure a table, chair and door. Students record their answers on a handout.
(3.5)As a group discuss who found this easy/difficult and why? Ask if some tools were better than others, why, why not?
Ask students what else they could use to measure things? (Brainstorm ideas).
(3.2, 3.3, 3.4)Split the group in half, give one group a popsicle stick each and the other group nothing. Say that both groups need to measure the
doorway/tree. Pre-service teachers will be with each groups and observe how they do it. Once they have figured out a method, the pre-service teachers
will introduce a new method (e.g. The Native American method for the group with popsicle sticks and the Egyptian Method for the group without sticks).
Students then re-measure the tree/door way and complete the maths with their pre-service teacher.
Students then come together and compare their answers. (Hopefully they are similar!)
Then, using the cultural tradition of oral language (aka jigsaw teaching strategy), have students share their method with a partner. If time allows, have
students try the new method that they have just learnt from their peer.
(3.6)ASSESSMENT LEARNING JOURNAL: Refer to the Session Three Page in the Learning Journal. Students should briefly reflect on their learning.
Final Conclusion: Discussion (record in learning journals) about what students have learnt over the past three sessions about different cultures.
3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6 This learning journal was a resource created and used
throughout this entire sequence of lessons. It recognises that teachers need
to plan, sequence and adjust learning experiences according to student
understanding. Using this resource allows for effective evaluation of the
teaching and learning in order to make adjustments for improved student
learning in the future. An a practical example; when I conducted this unit
with a group of students, their journal responses from session one indicated
that they had not made their own discoveries, but rather repeating what I
had vocalised. For the second session I therefore limited my talking and
more so guided them so that they could come to their own conclusions.
My Learning Journal
Name: ________________________
None
One
My Calendar:
chair
table
doorway
tree
The new method I learnt was from the
____________________culture.
The method I was taught was from the:
___________________culture.
I think these methods were:
Silly
Different
Comfortable
Valuable
Weird
Uncomfortable
Confused
Good
Useful
Accepting
Positive
(3.4) Resources
Illustrations:
Catholic
Creation
Story
Illustrations:
Indigenous
Australian
Creation
Story
Illustrations:
Vietnamese
Creation
Story