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Your name:
Assessment #
Faculty of Education
ESH350
Unit Name Planning and Assessing in Primary and Early Childhood Science
Assessment Task
Planning a unit of work/AT2
Title/Number
Word Count 2,214
I declare that all material in this assessment task is my own work except where there is clear acknowledgement or reference
to the work of others and I have complied and agreed to the University statement on Plagiarism and Academic Integrity on
the University website at www.utas.edu.au/plagiarism *
Signed
Kiara Davis
Date 25/05/2015
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declaration set out above.
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become muddied or lost, particularly with beginning teachers (Gilbert & Hoepper, 2014).
Wiggins and McTighe (2005) provide an interdisciplinary planning framework which is
consistent with the outcomes based learning supported by the national curriculum. The
Understanding by Design approach incorporates backwards planning1 which, when
applied in science, allows teachers to effectively align their teaching with assessment
opportunities and therefore plan for evidence-based reporting (Churchill et al., 2011). The
below unit plan has been designed with this framework in mind.
Backwards planning also known as backwards design is: associated with the Understanding by Design framework. The
teacher starts by determining what the learning outcomes will be and then plans the curriculum (unit), choosing the learning
experiences and resources that will foster student learning (Churchill et al., 2011, p. 217).
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My understandings are shown in Figure 1 as a concept map. Understandings evident in this map have been adopted from Full Cycle (2009)
and Redman & Redman (2014).
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(ACHGK025)
(ACELY1694)
(ACELY1689)
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Resources:
- Collected materials ie: glass
bottle/jar, plastic bag, milk carton,
egg box, newspaper, aluminium
can
- Required collected resources for
experiment (Appendix B).
Teaching/Learning Specifics:
Class brainstorm:
- What is waste?
- What types of rubbish/waste do we create?
Show class rubbish items made from different materials:
Ask children to identify.
Children conduct a survey of their own personal lunch waste (Appendix A).
Predict what they think will show the most/least.
Teacher models bar graph/ students create their own regarding the whole class findings,
discuss observations, finding vs predictions, reasoning.
Fill out remaining part of worksheet.
Class Discussion
- Is rubbish really rubbish? (discuss reuse)
- Where does rubbish go?
Show Landfill from ABCs Behind The News:
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3953606.htm
Discuss rubbish dumps/landfills and associated problems/benefits from video.
Class activity in pairs:
Create a mini landfill experiment (Appendix B)
Assessment of learning:
- Prior learning uncovered (note taking)
- Questioning
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Active observation
Collection of work samples
Resources:
- Milk, Vinegar, Pan, Hot Plate,
Moulds, Sink
Teaching/Learning Specifics:
Class discussion:
We live in a throwaway culture
Children write a few sentences on their view of the statement and keep to revisit later.
Show The Majestic Plastic Bag - A Mockumentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLgh9h2ePYw
Small group brainstorm about environmental issues conveyed in film.
Discuss plastic:
- Is it natural or man-made?
- What do we do with it?
- Why do we use plastic?
- How does plastic affect the environment?
Make your own plastic experiment:
Access experiment here: http://www.kidspot.com.au/kids-activities-andgames/Science-experiments+10/Plastic-milk-experiment+11739.htm
Show the video Plastic Oceans from ABCs Behind the News:
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3591476.htm
Students answer questions on worksheet (Appendix C)
Worksheet are discussed as a class/scaffolded by teacher.
Assessment of learning:
- Note taking
- Active observation
- Questioning
- Collection of work samples
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Teaching/Learning Specifics:
Introduce/scaffold concepts (multi-modal presentation of information):
- Great Pacific Garbage Patch
- Gyres
Note: Ask the children to recall videos/re-visit their worksheets. Re-show videos if
necessary.
In pairs students research aspects/answer questions of new concepts given to them by
teacher (questions should address learning outcomes sufficiently).
Multi-modal research sources to be used (internet provide website links to save time,
books, posters, media etc)
Students present their findings orally to the class in short presentations, they may include
printed images/poster if time allows.
Assessment of learning:
- Assessment of short presentation (take notes and question)
- Observation of group/partner work
- Questioning throughout lesson
Lesson Four: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse and Resources:
Recycle! The 4Rs
- 4 large boxes to decorate and 1
Duration: 60 90 minutes
plastic bin
Stage of the 5Es: Explore, Explain
Learning outcomes engaged: LO1, LO2
General capabilities and cross-curricular priorities engaged:
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Teaching/Learning Specifics:
Introduce new concept: The 4Rs (Sustainability Victoria, 2007)
- Refuse
- Reduce
- Reuse
- Recycle
Students predict what each might mean.
Teacher defines each aspect on the board.
Ask for examples of each scaffold ideas.
Students play Clean Up and Recycle game in pairs. Screen shots for game seen in
Figure 2. Access game from this link: http://cleanup.noco2.com.au/
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What can they do in the classroom to help reduce, reuse and recycle their
waste?
Teaching/Learning Specifics:
Class discussion:
- What can they do with the food scraps their bin?
Introduce - Worm Farm/Compost Bin:
- What it does
- Why it is used
- How it helps the environment
Note: Obtain permission to have a worm farm/compost bin outside.
Class discussion:
- What happens to their food scraps at home?
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How could they encourage people others to have a worm farm/compost bin?
Individually or in groups the students research and design posters to display in the local
community that convince others to start their own worm farm/compost bin and how it
helps the environment.
Assessment of learning:
- Active observation and note taking
- Questioning
- Assessment of posters to check for understanding
Lesson six: Paper, Paper Everywhere!
Resources:
Duration: 90 minutes or 2x 60 minute
- Collected resources required for
lessons depending on length of paper
paper making (Appendix E)
making
Stage of the 5Es: Elaborate, Evaluate
Learning outcomes engaged: LO1, LO2, LO3
General capabilities and cross-curricular priorities engaged:
Teaching/Learning Specifics:
Introduction video: How Paper is Made see a screenshot from the video below in Figure
2.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IP0Ch1Va44
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Ask the students for some solutions regarding each of the 4Rs.
Remind/scaffold.
Class activity: Making Paper (Appendix E)
Students write a journal entry in their book:
- About the paper making process
- What they liked/disliked about it
- How recycling paper helps the environment
Students revisit and discuss their original responses to:
We live in a throwaway culture
Rewrite responses in light of their new knowledge learned in the unit.
Assessment of learning:
- Active observation and note taking
- Questioning
- Collection of work samples
Lesson seven: Lets Convince Others
Resources:
Duration: Timing will vary - guide: 2x 60
- Plastic gloves for looking through
minute lessons
mini landfills
Stage of the 5Es: Evaluate
Learning outcomes: LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4
General capabilities and cross-curricular priorities engaged:
Teaching/Learning Specifics:
Examination of landfill experiment from lesson one.
Discuss/record:
- Predictions vs results
- How, what and why the results occurred. Explain their thinking.
- What they predict would happen if they left their landfills alone for a whole
year? Why?
Persuasive Writing Task:
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Students create a piece of persuasive writing to convince the community to use one or
more of the 4Rs in order to help the environment (Appendix F).
Teacher models a short persuasive text on a different subject.
Their final good copy is written on their recycled paper they made in class.
Note: (ACELY1671) (ACELY1682) These codes taken from The Australian
Curriculum: English (ACARA, 2014b) demonstrate that students should have sufficient
prior knowledge about the construction of a persuasive writing piece.
Assessment of learning:
- Final assessment rubric (Appendix G)
- Overview of work samples
- Observe and question.
- Question/take notes to fill any gaps in assessment for individual students.
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References
ACARA. (2015b). The Australian Curriculum: English (Version 7.4). Retrieved from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/download/f10
Board of Studies for Teaching and Educational Standards New South Wales. (n.d.).
Planning for Effective Learning and Assessment. Retrieved from
http://syllabus.bos.nsw.edu.au/support-materials/planning-programming/
Churchill, R., Ferguson, P., Godinho, S., Johnson, N., Keddie, A., Letts, W., Vick,
M. (2011). Teaching: Making a Difference. Milton, QLD: John Wiley & Sons
Australia, Ltd.
Gilbert, R., & Hoepper, B. (Eds.). (2014). Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences:
History, Geography, Economics & Citizenship (5th ed). Southbank, VIC:
Cengage Learning.
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Fahey, C. (2012). Planning for Teaching and Learning in Geography and History. In
Taylor, T., Fahey, C., Kriewalt, J., & Boon, D. (Eds), Place and Time:
Explorations in Teaching Geography and History (pp. 165-176). Frenchs Forest,
NSW: Pearson Australia.
Full Cycle. (2009). What is waste and why is it a problem? Retrieved from
http://www.fullcycle.co.za/index.php/what-is-waste-and-why-is-it-aproblem.html
Redman, E., & Redman, A. (2014). Transforming sustainable food and waste behaviors
by realigning domains of knowledge in our education system. Journal Of Cleaner
Production, (64) 147-157. Doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.09.016
Schn, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action. New
York: Basic Books. Retrieved from http://smeduquedecaxias.rj.gov.br/nead
/Biblioteca/Forma%C3%A7%C3%A3o%20Continuada/Artigos%20Diversos/ref
lective%20practitioner%20-%20schon.pdf
Sustainability Victoria. (2007). How to reduce, reuse and recycle waste in schools.
Retrieved from http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/~/media/resources/docum
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ents/services%20and%20advice/schools/5star%20sustainability%20certification/
waste%20module/waste%20module%20resources/sv%20rs%20reducereuserecyc
le1.pdf
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Appendix A
This worksheet was created/adapted from Discovery Education (2009): What is in Our
Trash?
How many?
Glass
How many?
Other (describe)
How many?
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Appendix B
This experiment is adapted from curriculum materials at
http://5gyres.org/education_and_exhibits/
Children predict what they think will happen to the items in their mini landfills.
What might happen to the items, dirt or bottle?
What effect might the sun have?
During the unit children can observe their landfills and spray as necessary (with
teacher supervision)
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Appendix C
Original worksheet created for students to use during lesson two.
Name__________________
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Appendix D
Checklist created for lesson four.
Students can
define the
4Rs in their
own language
Students
can provide
scenarios
where each
of the 4Rs
would be
used
Students can
Notes
articulate why
the 4Rs are
important to the
environment
Annabelle
Tim
Struggles to
define and
explain
Offers
recycling
scenario only
Solid
understanding.
Able to help
others.
Limited
understanding
More
scaffolding
needed.
Satisfactory
understanding.
Josh
Students names
cont
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Appendix E
Paper making activity for lesson six sourced from
http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/fun_n_games/printables/activities/assets/science_nature/pape
r_making.pdf
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Appendix F
Original task sheet created for final lessons persuasive writing piece.
Help!
People in your community are throwing everything away into
the rubbish bin!
They dont think that their rubbish has anything to do with
the health of the Earths environment.
Its up to you to convince them to start using the 4Rs!
YOUR TASK:
You must create a piece of persuasive writing addressing the
editor of the local paper to convince the community to start using
one or more of the 4Rs.
Choose one of the following topics:
- Plastic in the oceans
- Landfills
- Recycling paper
You must:
1. Convince the local community to use the 4Rs (Why are
their actions effecting the environment?)
2. An argument to support (why should the community do
what you ask?)
3. Strengthen your argument by backing it up further in a
few sentences
Your final good copy will be written on the recycled paper you
made in class and displayed in the hall.
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Appendix G
Final rubric to assess unit outcomes/science knowledge and understanding.
Describe common
materials and
explain why the
properties of such
materials
influence waste
management and
can lead to
pollution
(ACSSU074).
Can describe
methods of waste
management
covered during the
unit and articulate
their benefit or
detriment to the
environment
(ACSHE062).
Can effectively
communicate
scientific ideas and
understandings in
a variety of ways
including posters,
answering
questions,
worsheets and
written and oral
reports
(ACSIS071).
Can articulate how
well predictions
matched results
and explain
proposed reasons
for findings.
Explain reasoning
(ACSIS216).
Beginning
Can list a small
number of
materials
addressed
throughout unit.
Little or no
explanation of why
these effect waste
management can
lead to pollution.
Can recall one or
two waste
management
solutions from
unit.
Limited
explanation as to
why these are
beneficial/detrime
ntal to the
environment.
Is able to
communicate
scientific ideas in a
limited fashion.
Consolidating
Can list most
materials
addressed in unit
Limited
explanation of why
these effect waste
management and
can lead to
pollution.
Proficient
Lists all materials
addressed in unit.
Exemplary
Lists all materials
addressed in unit.
Provides
acceptable
explanations of
why these
materials effect
waste
management and
can lead to
pollution.
Can recall all waste
management
methods
addressed in unit.
Provides rounded
explanations as to
why these effect
waste
management and
can lead to
pollution.
Competently
explains their
benefits/detriment
s to the
environment.
Limited reasoning
provided.
Can communicate
scientific ideas
through all
expected means.
Competently
explains their
benefits/detriment
s to the
environment and
provides
reasoning.
Can communicate
scientific ideas
through all
expected means.
No work during
unit incomplete.
Two or more
pieces of work
during unit
incomplete.
No work during
unit incomplete
Offers limited
proposed reasons
for findings.
Articulates
proposed reason
for findings and
backs up with
personal
reasoning.
Reasoning
explanation limited
Explain reasoning
(N/A).
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Extra work
completed during
unit.
Can explain in a
sophisticated
fashion how well
predictions
matched results.
Articulates more
than one proposed
reasons for
findings and backs
up with personal
reasoning.