Overview

Learning Area: Science Year Level: Year 3 to 6

Achievement Year 3
Standard: By the end of Year 3, students use their understanding of the movement of Earth, materials and the behaviour of heat to suggest explanations for
everyday observations. They group living things based on observable features and distinguish them from non-living things. They describe how they
can use science investigations to respond to questions.

Students use their experiences to identify questions and make predictions about scientific investigations. They follow procedures to collect and
record observations and suggest possible reasons for their findings, based on patterns in their data. They describe how safety and fairness were
considered and they use diagrams and other representations to communicate their ideas.

Year 4
By the end of Year 4, students apply the observable properties of materials to explain how objects and materials can be used. They describe how
contact and non-contact forces affect interactions between objects. They discuss how natural processes and human activity cause changes to Earth’s
surface. They describe relationships that assist the survival of living things and sequence key stages in the life cycle of a plant or animal. They identify
when science is used to understand the effect of their actions.

Students follow instructions to identify investigable questions about familiar contexts and make predictions based on prior knowledge. They
describe ways to conduct investigations and safely use equipment to make and record observations with accuracy. They use provided tables and
column graphs to organise data and identify patterns. Students suggest explanations for observations and compare their findings with their
predictions. They suggest reasons why a test was fair or not. They use formal and informal ways to communicate their observations and findings.

Year 5
By the end of Year 5, students classify substances according to their observable properties and behaviours. They explain everyday phenomena
associated with the transfer of light. They describe the key features of our solar system. They analyse how the form of living things enables them to
function in their environments. Students discuss how scientific developments have affected people’s lives, help us solve problems and how science
knowledge develops from many people’s contributions.

Students follow instructions to pose questions for investigation and predict the effect of changing variables when planning an investigation. They
use equipment in ways that are safe and improve the accuracy of their observations. Students construct tables and graphs to organise data and
identify patterns in the data. They compare patterns in their data with predictions when suggesting explanations. They describe ways to improve the
fairness of their investigations, and communicate their ideas and findings using multimodal texts.

Year 6
By the end of Year 6, students compare and classify different types of observable changes to materials. They analyse requirements for the transfer of
electricity and describe how energy can be transformed from one form to another when generating electricity. They explain how natural events
 cause rapid change to Earth’s surface. They describe and predict the effect of environmental changes on individual living things. Students explain how
scientific knowledge helps us to solve problems and inform decisions and identify historical and cultural contributions.

Students follow procedures to develop investigable questions and design investigations into simple cause-and-effect relationships. They identify
variables to be changed and measured and describe potential safety risks when planning methods. They collect, organise and interpret their data,
identifying where improvements to their methods or research could improve the data. They describe and analyse relationships in data using
appropriate representations and construct multimodal texts to communicate ideas, methods and findings.

Learning ● reads aloud some familiar words and ● identifies pictures, words, spaces
Progressions: identifies them in environmental print between words and numerals in texts
(classroom labels, shop names, street (points to/indicates pictures, words and
signs) spaces around words in a continuous
text)

Content Year 3
Descriptors: Heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another

Year 4
Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance

Year 5
Light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted

Year 6
Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits and can be generated from a range of sources
Elaborations: Year 3
● investigating the production and transfer of heat in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ methods of cooking, such as the use of
ground ovens
● describing how heat can be produced such as through friction or motion, electricity or chemically (burning)
● identifying changes that occur in everyday situations due to heating and cooling
● exploring how heat can be transferred through conduction
● recognising that we can feel heat and measure its effects using a thermometer

Year 4
 ● investigating the effect of contact and non-contact forces on the movement of objects in traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
children’s instructive toys and games
● observing qualitatively how speed is affected by the size of a force
● exploring how non-contact forces are similar to contact forces in terms of objects pushing and pulling another object
● comparing and contrasting the effect of friction on different surfaces, such as tyres and shoes on a range of surfaces
● investigating the effect of forces on the behaviour of an object through actions such as throwing, dropping, bouncing and rolling
● exploring the forces of attraction and repulsion between magnets

Year 5

● recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ understanding of refraction as experienced in spear fishing and in shimmering body
paint, and of absorption and reflection as evidenced by material selected for construction of housing
● drawing simple labelled ray diagrams to show the paths of light from a source to our eyes
● comparing shadows from point and extended light sources such as torches and fluorescent tubes
● classifying materials as transparent, opaque or translucent based on whether light passes through them or is absorbed
● recognising that the colour of an object depends on the properties of the object and the colour of the light source
● exploring the use of mirrors to demonstrate the reflection of light
● recognising the refraction of light at the surfaces of different transparent materials, such as when light travels from air to water or air to glass

Year 6

● recognising the need for a complete circuit to allow the flow of electricity
● investigating different electrical conductors and insulators
● exploring the features of electrical devices such as switches and light globes
● investigating how moving air and water can turn turbines to generate electricity
● investigating the use of solar panels
● considering whether an energy source is sustainable
Learning Learning Intentions Success Criteria
Intentions: What do you want students to know, understand or do? How will students know that they’ve been successful?

Success Criteria: Year 3 Year 3

Investigate and describe the different ways that heat can be produced and Describing and understanding the different ways that heat can be produced
how it is used in everyday life. and describing how heat is used in everyday life.

Year 4 Year 4
Recognise and explore the effect of push and pull forces on different Recognises the effect of push and pull forces and is able to describe how these
forces make something move.
objects.
Year 5
Identifies that the distance and speed an object moves is affected by the
 strength of force applied. Has an understanding of light and is able to describe how light travels in
straight lines called rays.
Year 5
Understand that light travels in straight lines called rays. Year 6
Recognises the different types of energy and describes how energy is
Year 6 transformed from one form to another.
Understand the different types of energy and how energy is transformed
from one form to another.

Prior Prior Knowledge Eliciting Evidence of Learning Developing Expert Learners and the
Knowledge: What are the students bringing to the learning? How will students demonstrate their learning? Learning Culture
How is student agency incorporated within these
Evidence of personal experiences, connections to self and Through investigations, questioning and learning tasks?
Learning:
their world, brainstorm of subject words. observing, data collection and recording.
Expert Learners
Devising their own questions to investigate and
& Learning evaluate.
Culture:
Word bank that students can add to.

Sharing and analysing their data with their peers.

Task Design: Year 3:
Week 1:
Assessment Heat and seek
Task: Looking at how heat is used and produced in our everyday lives and looking at how heat is used in different work forces including the use of thermal
cameras in different work forces.

Week 2:
Heat flows
Looking at heat and how it flows and transfers from one thing to another and how we see this in our everyday lives. Focusing on how heat can be
transferred from objects to our bodies and from our bodies to objects.

Week 3:
Hot or cold?
Looking at how we can measure heat in different situations and how we can measure our body heat using a thermometer and how this can change when
we are sick etc.

Week 4-5:
Heating up
Looking at how we use and rely on heat for everyday activities and how heat can be used for different things including cooking food and what can
happen when we have too much heat.
Week 6:
Power on
Looking at how we use and rely on electricity every day and how different types of energy is used to produce electricity for different uses.

Week 7:
Assessment: Heat Energy
Focusing on the understanding of how heat is produced and how different people use heat and rely on heat in their everyday lives including parents,
chefs and designers.

Week 8:
Shadow Show
Looking at the different types of shadows and how and why they are created and focusing on ways that we can create our own shadows.

Year 4:
Week 1:
Move it
Looking at how we can make things move and introducing what a force is and beginning to look at vocabulary such as push and pull and how we can
apply this to different objects.

Week 2:
Forceful Friction
Looking at how we can make different objects such as a moving scooter slow down and introducing friction and where we see friction occurring in our
everyday lives.

Week 3:
Grip or Slip
Continuing to look at what friction is and how it can impact different forces and conducting different experiments where friction plays a part.

Week 4:
What goes up, must come down
Introducing the force of gravity and where we see gravity taking place in our everyday lives and conducting tests with gravity to see how it changes
with the use of different objects.

Week 5:
An invisible push and pull
Introducing what a magnetic force is and conducting experiments to see how a magnet works with a variety of different objects and why.

Week 6:
Let’s build bridges
Focusing on the importance of designing something before building and why it is important for builders of bridges etc to think about their design before
building for it to be strong enough and practical for its purpose.

Week 7:
Assessment: Forces and Design
Focusing on understanding of forces and how they are able to make things move including a skateboard and looking at how the Sydney Harbour Bridge
is built and how and why it is strong enough for its purpose.

Week 8:
How do forces move people
Looking at different things such as hover shoes, rollercoasters, slides, sky diving and planes and using our knowledge of forces of how these things are
able to move people.

Year 5:
Week 1:
A little ray on sunshine
Looking at what light is and how use and rely on light in our everyday lives. Focusing on what produces light and how light rays help us to see.

Week 2:
Passing through or bouncing off?
Looking at why windows are made of glass, how they allow us to see and why different types of glass is used in different situation. Focusing on
vocabulary including: transparent, translucent and opaque.

Week 3:
Mirror, Mirror on the wall
Looking closer at light rays and how they allow us to see, including how light bounces and how mirrors work and where use and rely on mirrors.

Week 4:
Getting Focused:
Focusing on how we rely on science in our everyday lives and how science is able to help us focus and see including the use of glasses and how they
work and how our eyes work to allow us to see.

Week 5:
Describing Forces:
Looking at different forces and how we describe what a force is and how we use and see forces in our everyday lives and looking at vocabulary
including push and pull.

Week 6:
Gravity gets you down
Looking at our understanding of what gravity is and examples of this in our everyday lives and comparing how gravity works on Earth in comparison
to space.
Week 7:
Assessment: Project
Project focusing on the unit as a whole with questions from all areas for students to choose from and answer through a presentation or poster. Focusing
on how light works, how we see and how our eyes work, forces and air resistance/gravity.

Week 8:
How do we bring astronauts safely back from space
Looking at air resistance and how it works and looking at how we see air resistance in our everyday lives. Examining how air resistance plays a part in
astronauts going and coming back safely from space and conducting our own air resistance experiments.

Year 6:
Week 1:
Different types of energy
Looking at how energy works and how we rely on and use energy in our everyday lives. Looking at the different types of energy and examples of these
that we see around us.

Week 2:
How do we produce electricity?
Focusing on how electricity is produced and what electricity and energy sources we see being used here in Australia. Introducing types of renewable
and non-renewable energies.

Week 3:
How do we use electricity in our homes?
Thinking about how we use electricity in our everyday lives in both our homes and at school and looking at how electricity and the appliances we use
has changed over time from the past and into the future.

Week 4:
Why is electricity so important?
Looking at why electricity is so important in our everyday lives. Examining how we use and supply electricity compared to other countries and looking
at how different groups of people rely on and use electricity.

Week 5:
My electric house
Looking more closely at how we use electricity in our homes through appliances and looking at what appliances use the most and the least energy in
Australia and the cost that comes with this using electricity calculators.

Week 6:
Different types of energy
Revision of the different types of energy and how they are used and seen in our everyday lives and revisiting how different types of energy are used in
different parts of the world.
Week 7:
Assessment: It’s electrifying
The first part of the assessment is looking at the different types of energy and examples of them and the second part of the assessment is looking at how
our use of electricity has changed and if we are going in the wrong direction by relying so much on modern technologies.

Week 8
House Design
Looking at how we would use electricity and lighting wisely when designing a house and looking at some housing plans and working as a group to
come up with an effective house design.