SCIENCE

Achievement Standard
(indicate standards relevant to this unit of study)

Year 4 By the end of Year 4, students:

apply the observable properties of materials
explain how objects and materials can be used
Term: 3 describe how contact and non-contact forces affect interactions between objects
discuss how natural processes and human activity cause changes to the Earth’s surface
describe relationships that assist the survival of living things
Calendar Year: 2021 sequence key stages in the life cycle of a plant or animal
identify when science is used to understand the effects of their actions
Skills
follow instructions to identify investigable questions about familiar contexts
make predictions based on prior knowledge
describe ways to conduct investigations
safely use equipment to make and record observations with accuracy
provide tables and column graphs to organise data and identify patterns
suggest explanations for observations, compare their finding with their predictions
suggest reasons why a test was fair or not
use formal and informal ways to communicate their observations and findings



Content Descriptor
Strand – Understanding Science
Sub-strand
Biological sciences Chemical sciences Earth and space sciences Physical sciences
Living things have life cycles (ACSSU072) Natural and processed materials have a Earth’s surface changes over time as a Forces can be exerted by one object on
Living things depend on each other and the range of physical properties that can influence result of natural processes and human activity another through direct contact or from a
environment to survive (ACSSU073) their use (ACSSU074) (ACSSU075) distance (ACSSU076)
 Strand – Science as a Human Endeavour
Sub-strand
Nature and development of science Use and influence of science
Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE050) Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (ACSHE051)




Strand – Science inquiry skills
Sub-strand
Questioning and predicting Planning and conducting Processing and analysing data Evaluating Communicating
With guidance, identify With guidance, plan and conduct and information Reflect on investigations, Represent and communicate
questions in familiar contexts that scientific investigations to find Use a range of methods including whether a test was fair or observations, ideas and findings
can be investigated scientifically and answers to questions, considering including tables and simple column not (ACSIS058) using formal and informal
make predictions based on prior the safe use of appropriate materials graphs to represent data and to representations (ACSIS060)
knowledge (ACSIS053) and equipment (ACSIS054) identify patterns and trends
Consider the elements of fair (ACSIS057)
tests and use formal measurements Compare results with
and digital technologies as predictions, suggesting possible
appropriate, to make and record reasons for findings (ACSIS215)
observations accurately (ACSIS055)


General Literacy ICT Critical and Ethical Personal and Inter-cultural
Capabilities Numeracy creative thinking behaviour social competence understanding
“Teachers are Using iPads/camera Group discussions
expected to teach and
assess general
to take photos of Working in groups
capabilities to the changes of their to complete
extent that they are living thing. activities, i.e. Venn
incorporated within
Diagram and
 each learning area.” sorting picture into
ACARA
produces,
consumers and
decomposers


Cross-curricular priorities Integration with other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Asia and Australia’s Sustainability
curriculum areas Islander histories and culture engagement with Asia
Are embedded in the curriculum and English: writing Information
will have a strong but varying
presence depending on their
reports.
relevance

Supporting and extending students
Different ending places Different time expectations Peer mentoring Assistance from support staff Extra assistance from class teacher Scribed work
Graded worksheets Separate task on same topic Template given
Other (specify)


Assessment tasks
Summative assessment Bookwork Demonstrate learning using materials ICT Presentation Demonstrate learning through explanation Poster
Science journal entry Report Class discussion and participation
Moderated assessment task Other (specify)

Students using ILP tasks – Jaxon
(scribed and read for by the teacher during writing tasks), Sienna, Harlem
Students using At Level tasks – Lilliana, Ryder, Amelia, Zahlia, Maya-Rose, Stefan, Oscar, Inara, Ethan, Nate
Students using Extending tasks (and At Level) – Xavier, Tyler, Brianna, Mackenzie, Yemimah, Justin, Emily
WK Understanding science Science as a human endeavour Science inquiry skills
Biological sciences Chemical sciences Earth and space
sciences Physical sciences
Topic:
LESSON 1: LIFE CYCLE OF A PLANT:
1. Show students a rock- is it living or non-living? How do you know?
What about us? Are we living or non-living? How do we know?
Revise criteria for living things (Discussion)
2. What are the stages in the human life cycle (Think? Pair. Share)
3. Students watch video on the life cycle of a butterfly
4. What are the stages in the life cycle of a butterfly? (Discussion)
5. Students draw stages on their sheet.
1
ILP: key vocabulary will be written on the board to help students recall
and label the life cycle of a butterfly.
Extending: encouraged to use correct vocabulary in their description.

Resources:
• Living and Non-living Posters (for display)
• Butterfly template
• Cartoon video: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=O1S8WzwLPlM
or Real video: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=7AUeM8MbaIk

LESSON 2: LIFE CYCLE INVESTIGATION: 4. At different stages in the development
1. Introduce living thing to observe: growing beans in a cup. students 
observe and document the
(Discussion). changes. Depending on the growth
schedule of the living thing you pick this
may need to be down every few days,
Resources: once a week or every few weeks. You
2 • Investigation Booklet (print page 1 and 2 for all students and then may want to document on a regular
page 3 as many times as required for each 
student) schedule or only when there is a
• Observation Poster noticeable 
change
• Camera/iPad - to take photos of changes
2. Allow time to research the living thing and
find out 
about their life cycle and their
needs. There is a space in the investigation
planner for students to record 
how those
needs will be met
3. Students observe the thing and complete
the first 
page of their investigation
booklet
ILP: work with students on filling in booklet.
Students will be encouraged to work in pairs;
particularly with those who can offer additional
assistance.
 Life Cycles 1. Students are split into groups which will be
their home groups (Jigsaw)
Resources: 2. They then form groups of the same
Retrieval Chart highlighted topic to research. Using the
Life cycle informational sheets information provided they construct a flow
chart of the life cycle. Ensure they label
the name of each stage and not just copy
the pictures (retrieval chart)
3. Students return to their home group
where they explain the life cycle they
3
learnt about to the rest of the group. The
rest of the group records the flow chart on
their sheets
4. Go through the different life cycles as a
class to ensure everyone has the correct
answers (Discussion)

ILP and Extending students grouped together

to promote sharing of knowledge and skills.

Lifecycle of a Plant 1. Ask students to draw the lifecycle of a

3. Take students through the presentation of a plant’s life cycle plant to the best of their ability. Do not
4. Watch video from Billy Nye the Science Guy on Life Cycles: help them and do not allow them to talk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aAS1z5KW9M about it
5. Have them compare it to the different animals. How is it the same, 2. Allow students to discuss their lifecycle of
how is it different? (Venn Diagram) a plant with others and then have them to
have another go at drawing the lifecycle
Assessment: and adding the name of any of the stages.
4
Resources: ILP: key vocabulary will be written on the
• Paper for drawing the plant lifecycle board to help students recall and label their life
• Paper for placement cycles.
• Venn Diagram Jaxon will be scribed for by the teacher, who
• Plant Lifecycle Presentation will write his instructions on the board, which
he will then copy into his book.
 Environmental Effects: 1. Watch video:
2. Ask questions about the video. Why did
Resources: the frog hibernate? What is hibernating?
• Hibernating frog https://www.youtube.com/wat When a frog hibernates what happens to
ch?v=pLPeehsXAr4https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLPeehsXAr4 its life cycle? (Questioning)

• Fire for germination: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=Z4Ur8ky- 3. Students watch video on fire while
Q2I answering as many of the questions as
• Video Question Sheet they can. Watch video twice if time allows.
4. Go through and mark answers
5. Can you think of other examples where
the environment affects life cycles?
(prompts for students if needed- what
might stop a life cycle before its finished? -
5
disease/sickness. What if a plant gets no
sun or only from one direction? – it dies or
grows towards the light (Community
Circle) 


ILP: will be scribed for by the teacher (as

required) and grouped with those with
profound understanding. 1-1 support will be
given when necessary.
Extending: students will be encouraged to
work independently and support those that
may be finding the task difficult.

Plant Shelter 1. Have students construct a diorama with at

least one tall tree and then some plants
around the bottom.
Resources: 2. How do animals use plants for shelter?
• Box to build diorama in (Discussion)
• Scrap items to make trees and plants e.g. crepe paper, tissue 3. Have students add animals into their
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paper, wooden roles diorama in places they would shelter.
Encourage them to cover all different
types e.g. a bird in a nest at the top,
insects under fallen leaves at the bottom,
an owl in a tree hole, a rabbit in a burrow
under a large root.
 4. Have students add labels on their diagram
to explain the animals and how they are
using plants for shelter.

ILP: will be scribed for by the teacher (as

required) and grouped with those with
profound understanding. 1-1 support will be
given when necessary.

Extending: students will be encouraged to

work independently and support those that
may be finding the task difficult.
Producers, Consumers and Decomposers:
1. Watch video on ecosystem
2. Define the key terms (ecosystem, producers, consumers,
decomposers)
3. Students sort pictures into producers, consumers and decomposers
4. Go through answers and talk why they are in each category e.g. the
lion is a consumer, it eats other animals which makes it a carnivore
(Discussion)
5. Students complete worksheet.

7 Resources:
Ecosystem video: https://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=bJEToQ49Yjc
Ecosystem Posters (for display)
Consumer, Producer, Decomposer Sort
Consumer, Producer, Decomposer Worksheet

ILP: work 1-1 with teacher to sort picture into the correct categories.
Extending: students will be encouraged to work independently and
support those that may be finding the task difficult.

Food Chains 5. Hand out one of the sort cards to each of

1. Students watch video on food chains the students (double up as needed). Have
8 2. Define key terms (including revising ecosystem, producers, them spread themselves around an area
consumers and decomposers) primary consumers, secondary so there is a bit of space between each
consumers, apex consumers student. Give the ball of string/wool to a
 3. Have students make food chains with the pictures from the sort from producer (a student who has a plant card)
the previous lesson. Challenge them to make the longest they can, and ask them to throw the ball to
the shortest they can etc. someone that has a card that would eat
4. Students make a food web out of the pictures on the worksheet them but hold onto the end of the string.
The ball represents the energy
Resources: transferring. They then throw it someone
• Food Chain Video: that would eat them but remain holding
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLq2datPo5M on to a section of the wool. This keeps
• Consumer, Producer, Decomposer sort from previous lesson going but if you get to an apex consumer
• Food Web worksheet (top of the food chain, then they
• Prey/Predator Posters (for 
display) ‘decompose’ and pass it back to a
producer (but hold onto the string). So this
until everyone is holding onto at least one
ILP: work 1-1 with teacher to sort picture into the correct categories. piece of the string (students can pass to
Extending: students will be encouraged to work independently and ones who have already had a go if need
support those that may be finding the task difficult. but they must then hold multiple pieces of
wool. This will
6. What do the terms prey and predator
mean? How does that relate to the food
chain and food web?
7. Have students put a star next to the
predators on the food web worksheet.
Have students circle the prey
8. Mark answers (Discussion)

Interactions Between Living Things:

1. Give each student an information card and have them read and
memorise the information
2. Expose the students to the terms competitive and mutually
beneficial and go through the definitions for each include a couple of
examples e.g competitive- two tigers fighting for territory. Mutually
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beneficial – birds that eat ticks off other animals (Discussion)
3. Students must decide whether their information card represents a
competitive or mutually beneficial interaction
4. Students then go to other students to swap information for their
sheet. Students must record on their whether the relationship
between two particular living things is competitive or mutually
 beneficial and state the interaction (students only swap information,
they do not tell the other student what kind of interaction it is)
5. Mark answers

Resources:
• Competitive/ Mutually Beneficial Interaction Posters
• Interactions Sheet
• Information Cards (There are 12 cards, double up cards as needed.
Page 1 are all mutually beneficial, page 2 is all competition)

ILP: work 1-1 with teacher to read their information and share it with
others.
Extending: students will be encouraged to work independently and
support those that may be finding the task difficult.

Review:

1. Students review what they have learnt using the large graffiti
paper.
2. Students are given a test to complete
3. Go through answers with students
ILP: work 1-1 with teacher to read questions.
• Jaxon will be scribed for. The teacher will read the question, he
will give a response, which the teacher will write on a small
whiteboard, then Jaxon will copy it onto the test sheet.
• Sienna will receive support with reading the questions.
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Extending: students will be encouraged to work independently and
support those that may be finding the task difficult.

Assessments:
Summative: Living Things Test – Students correctly answer the questions.
Total score possible: 32
Developing: -15 Demonstrating: 15+ Advancing: 25+ Extending: 27+

Resources:
• Living Things Test (includes answer key)
 • Large paper with graffiti topic on them – life cycles of plants,
lifecycles of animals (including affects from the environment), plants
providing shelter, ecosystem (including consumes, producers and
decomposers), Food Chains (including predators and prey)