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Unit Planner: Science M 2016

Jordan Lindsay

Unit Theme: Habitats Year 4

The topic under examination in this instance is Habitats, tailored to a Year Four Band Level. This topic links
directly to Biological Sciences and encourages students to build upon their knowledge and understanding of
living things while also encouraging them to explore the impact of humans and the environment on the needs of
their habitats. Learning about Habitats in science is very important in the early years development of science
understanding and it is through learning about the needs of animals within their habitats that students can begin
to understand the impact of humans on the environment and in-turn make safe and sustainable life choices.
Teaching science in a year four context allows for mature discussion and investigation surrounding various
areas of interest, a unit on Habitats at a year four level involves an exploration of the needs of various animals
and plants and investigations into how these plants and animals depend on each other and the environment to
survive.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

ICTs:

Use of digital technologies including iPads and laptops to research,


photograph and document findings.

Literacy Links:

Recording findings/observations and creating a written recount as a


means of communicating student understanding.

Mathematical Links:

Creation of Tables and Graphs as a means of communicating student


understanding.

Other Learning Area Links:

- Design and Technology and Visual Arts through the creation of


classroom displays and visual representations of findings.
- Humanities and Social Sciences exploring the importance of environments, including natural vegetation, to animals and people
(ASCASSK088)

GCs and CCPs:

Literacy, ICT Capability, Critical and Creative Thinking,


Ethical Understanding, Sustainability

Rationale:
This unit has been designed for a class of Year 4 students and will explore a theme of Habitats, sitting
within a larger theme of Living Things. Primary Connections 5E Teaching Approach will be used to introduce students to various themes and concepts surrounding Habitats and encourage students to gather
information, make observations and draw conclusions. The unit has been designed to allow students to
work both individually as well as within small groups both inside in the classroom and outside in the school
yard as well as visiting the Adelaide Zoo for a class excursion. It is through the range of activities within this
unit that students will be given opportunity to explore and research; answering questions and expanding
their understanding of the theme of habitats. Students will leave this unit with a strong understanding of
the threats many animals face within their Habitats and will design and construct a social action to inform
members of the public and the school community of the impact humans have on many animals habitats.
Achievement Standard:
By the end of Year 4 students discuss how natural processes and human activity can cause changes to
Earths surface and describe relationships that assist the survival of various living things. Students follow
instructions to identify investigative 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 use formal and informal ways of
communicating their observations and findings (Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority,
2016).

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Science Understanding

Science Inquiry Skills

Science as Human Endeavour

Sub-strand: Biological Sciences

Sub-strand: Communication

Sub-strand: Use and Influence of

Sub-strand Description:

Sub-strand Description:

Science

Living things, including plants and

Represent and communicate ideas

Sub-strand Description: Science

animals depend on each other and

and findings in a variety of ways

knowledge helps people to

the environment to survive

such as diagrams, physical

understand the effect of their

(ACSSU073)

representations and simple reports

actions (ACSHE062)

(ACSIS071)
Relevant Elaboration:

Relevant Elaboration:

Relevant Elaboration:

- Investigating how plants provide

- Communicating with other

- Exploring how science has

shelter for animals (BS1)

students carrying out similar

contributed to a discussion about

- Predicting the effects when living

investigations to share experienc-

an issue such as loss of habitat for

things in feeding relationships are

es and improve investigation skills

living things or how human activity

removed or die out in an area (BS2) (SI1)

has changed the local environment


(HE1)

* Please refer to these codes within the lesson sequence

Teacher References/Support Materials

For Student Use:

Clutterbuck P 2003, Understanding Science Upper Primary, Fun Activities to Introduce Science Concepts and Vocabulary, Blake Education NSW Australia, pp. 24.
Crash Course Kids 2015, Home Sweet Habitats: Crash Course Kids #21.1 Video,
You-tube, 1 June 2016, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p15IrEuhYmo>
Scott, L 1999, Science Scope 1: Units of Work for The Early Years, Department of
Education, Addison Wesley Longman, Victoria Australia, pp. 24.
Scott, L 1999, Science Scope 2: Units of Work for The Middle and Upper Primary,
Department of Education, Addison Wesley Longman, Victoria Australia, pp. 24-32.
Skamp, K & Preston, C 2015, Teaching Primary Science Constructively, 5th Edition,
Cengage Learning, South Melbourne, Vic.

tween 4 Students)
- Magnifying Glasses (1 Per Student)
- Recording Materials (Textas,
Pens, Paper, Pencils)
- Craft Materials (Textas, Paints,
Paper Cardboard, Crepe Paper,
Glue, Paint, Brushes)
- Ipads
- Cameras
- Interactive Whiteboard
- Access to school library (and

Wiley D & Royce C 2000, Investigate and Connect, Life Science, Hawker Brownlow
Education, Victoria Australia.

- Hula Hoops (1 Hula Hoop be-

Habitat Books)
- Science Work Book

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Assessment of Learning
(How do I know what the students know, understand, and are able to do in this science unit?)
1. What Science Understandings do I want the students to know, or to understand?
- Understanding that different animals have different habitats

- Understanding that animals gather their needs from the habitats they live in
- Understanding that plants provide shelter for animals
- Understanding that humans and their actions can have drastic effects on the habitats of many animals
2. What Science Inquiry Skills do I want the students to have?

- The ability to identify questions that can be investigated scientifically.


- The ability to visually represent their findings through drawings, photographs, tables and graphs
- The ability to communicate verbally their findings from investigations and observations with their peers
and their teacher
- The ability to share experiences to improve their investigation skills
3. When and How will I gather and record this information?
Both Formative and Summative forms of assessment will be used to gauge student knowledge, understanding and skills throughout this unit of work. All assessment tasks stem from the Science Knowledge
and Understanding and the Science Inquiry and Skills descriptors determined by the Australian Curriculum for Year 4 Science, as discussed in the rationale (ACARA, 2016). The teacher will maintain a journal
throughout the course of the unit and make observations and notes regularly regarding student engagement with class activities, participation in group work and demonstration and understanding of scientific
concepts. At various points of the unit the teacher will engage in conversations with students individually
either informally or in small conferences regarding their understanding of scientific terms and their findings from investigations.
Throughout the unit there are two summative assessment points, which are marked and graded using
different assessment criteria and methods. Students will create a reflectional recount upon their return
from the Adelaide Zoo and this will be formally assessed through the use of a checklist; this assessment
explores personal reflection and understanding of events, and asks students to explore their new knowledge and understandings surrounding habitats at risk. Students will also be formally assessed through
their Social Action; their ability to use new knowledge to develop an action to inform the public will be
assessed using a rubric that is created in collaboration with students and teacher.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Your Evaluation of the Unit


1. How well did I engage students with the themes of the unit to excite and motivate them to learn more
about animals and their habitats?

2. How successful were students in working collaboratively in small group exercises?

Prior Knowledge of Students


KWL Chart:
KWL charts are an effective means to gauge the understanding and knowledge of students and encourage
them to pose questions that they can explore. Students are encouraged to consider what they know about
a topic and identify areas they wish to know more about. At the conclusion of a unit students are encouraged to reflect upon their initial understanding of the concept and development of questions and explain
what they have learned. KWL Charts are a successful way of giving power to students and allow them to
have a say in the direction of their own learning while also providing teachers with an insight of their initial
understanding.
A KWL chart was used on a sample of two Year 4 students prior to the development of this unit plan to
assess their knowledge on habitats and what it was that they were interested in learning more about.
The data collected was used to form the basis of the unit and helped to structure the learning and guide
themes. The KWL charts were completed at the students family home in a causal setting where students
felt comfortable, I sat with them and posed questions when they needed prompting.
If this activity were to be performed in a classroom setting, students would be individually asked to complete their tables followed by a class discussion, this discussion will help students learn from their peers
responses as well as allowing them to explain their own.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Findings From Prior Knowledge Activity

A habitat has been defined as the natural home or environment of an animal, plant or organism. It is evident when exploring the responses of two beginning Year 4 students that the basic concept of Habitats
were understood, both students acknowledged that habitats were where animals live. Both students were
excited to share their knowledge surrounding living things and explained the needs of various living animals, which was reflective of their science education of previous years. Their excitement gave me confidence that a unit surrounding the habitat needs of these living things would be well received.
Both students described various animal features and these responses accounted for over half of those
gathered. Both students had a sound knowledge of various types of habitats and their responses indicated that they were ready to build upon this knowledge. One students response stated that Some animals
Habitats are being destroyed and another also expressed interest in wanting to know more about why
humans cut down habitats, also linking well to sustainability and the responsibility we have to protect and
conserve all environments and habitats of living things. Responses like this lead to the way the unit was
constructed and lead to linking the activities to the Science as a Human Endeavour stream of the Australian Curriculum, I also found a connection to the Humanities and Social Sciences stream of the Australian
Curriculum which I felt connected well to this unit and have included it within the final stages of the lesson
sequence, ASCASSK088.
It was the students responses in the What I want to know component of the KWL chart that also influenced the planning of this unit. Various questions raised were surrounding the habitats of specific animals
and this lead to the development of stages of investigation, where students could individually or in small
groups investigate animals of their choice, considering their habitat and their needs. The KWL chart was an
effective way of exploring the knowledge and the interests of students prior to developing a unit of work, it
gave insight into which direction to take to best engage them with their learning and expand their knowledge.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Science Inquiry Skills


Early Years (F-2)

Middle Years (6-7)

Primary Years (3-5)

Pose questions

Ask simple investigable questions

Formulate questions for

Make inferences and predictions

Suggest ways to plan investigations

investigation

Participate in guided investigations

Predict outcomes

Plan and conduct investigations

Reflect on investigations

Reflect on investigations

Design fair tests with variables

Manipulate materials

Compare results with predictions

Predict, hypothesise

Use informal measurements

Make measurements and record

Select and safely use specialised

Compare observations

using standard units

equipment

Sort information

Use a range of equipment safely

Be methodical and precise with

Communicate observations

Identify and describe patterns or

measurements

relationships

Control variables

Identify variables and fair testing

Accurately collect and record data

Record and report evidence in a

Construct and use a range of rep-

variety of ways

resentations e.g. tables and graphs

Suggest improvements to

to represent and analyse data

investigation methods

Compare data
Reflect on investigative methods
Use information based on scientific
evidence
Evaluate claims from a scientific
perspective

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Detailed Planner: The Learning Sequence


Links to Learning

Lesson Sequence

Resources

Engage

Activity One: Students to individual-

KWL Chart Adapted from

Activity One: BS1

ly complete a KWL chart (Appendix

EveryLanguageLearner.com 2013

Activity Two: BS2, SI1

1.0) to gauge what they know about

Recording Materials

habitats and what they are interested


in learning, this will help develop questions of inquiry in the following activities (Print at A3 Size). This is a general
investigation of knowledge that will be
revisited within the evaluation stage.
Activity Two: Teacher to engage stu-

Interactive Whiteboard

dents in a class discussion about the


ways that humans change their environments to suit their needs, and that
these changes influence animals that
were living beforehand.
Teacher to ask students what they think
a habitat is, remind them that habitats
can be as small as a leaf and as large
as a jungle; teacher to record answers
on an interactive white board, creating
a digital document. Students to develop a range of questions surrounding
habitats that they would like to explore
as a class, teacher to add these to
digital document.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Links to Learning

Lesson Sequence

Resources

Explore

Activity One: Teacher to ask students to

Habitat Investigation Table

Activity One: BS2, SI1

consider their favourite animals. Students

Ipads

Activity Two: BS1, SI1, HE1

in small groups are to complete an Habi- Craft materials

Activity Three: SI1, HE1

tat Investigation Table (Appendix 2.0) using provided ipads. This activity involves
choosing various animals and conducting
research into their habitats including what
they require for shelter, food and protection. Teacher to walk around classroom
and engage students in conversations
about their research and encourage them
to discuss their findings.
Students to visually represent their findings using craft materials such as coloured paper, glue, paints, textas and found
materials. These findings are hung in the
Habitat Corner of the classroom, creating a display.
Activity Two: Teacher to play factual and

Crash Course Kids 2015, Home

informative YouTube video Home Sweet

Sweet Habitats: Crash Course Kids

Habitats: Crash Course Kids #21.1.

#21.1 Video, You-tube, 1 June

Teacher to generate class discussion

2016, <https://www.youtube.com/

at various points of the video- defining

watch?v=p15IrEuhYmo>

words, exploring differences in animals


habitats and discussing the relationship
between the environment and the life of
various living things. Teacher to document
student responses on the interactive
whiteboard. Students to add key words
to a classroom Word Wall.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Links to Learning

Lesson Sequence

Resources

Activity Three: Teacher to ask students what Ipads


animals or insects they think live within the

Cameras

school yard, teacher to guide student think-

Magnifying Glasses (1x Per Stu-

ing posing questions to them about what

dent)

animals may live in trees or under rocks,

Hula Hoops (x4)

record findings on interactive whiteboard.

Recording Materials

Teacher to take students outside into the

Science Work Books

school yard and explore the natural habitats

Craft Materials

of various animals. Students to look for and


consider the animals and insects that live
in their environment and what they need to
survive. Teacher to ask prompting questions
and remind students to respect the habitats
of these animals while they look under logs,
in garden beds and up in trees.
Break students into groups of four and
provide each group with a Hula Hoop. Students are to become Scientists and explore
a small section of the yard within their Hula
Hoop. Students are to record what insects
or animals they can see within their Hula
Hoop area in a table (Appendix 3.0), they can
also visually record their findings by taking
photographs or videos on provided ipads or
drawing what they see (Appendix 3.1). These
visual representations will be added to the
Habitat Display in the classroom. Students
to discuss in a class circle what they found
within their Hula Hoop zone and what they
think the animals/insects they found need to
survive.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Links to Learning

Lesson Sequence

Resources

Explain

Activity One: Teacher to liaise with-

School Library

Activity One: BS1, BS2

School librarian; students to meet

Interactive Whiteboard

with librarian in school library and view Habitat Books


a selection of chosen books related

Science Work Books

to habitats and animal conservation.


Students should be encouraged to
explore information relevant to the
questions they posed within the initial
stages of the unit in classroom discussions, these can be displayed on
the interactive whiteboard for students
to refer back to. Students to add
interesting words that they find to the
class word-wall.

Elaborate

Activity One: Zoo Excursion

School Bus/Transport

Activity One: BS1, BS2, SI1

Students to attend an excursion at the Appropriate Clothing, hat etc.


Adelaide Zoo with their class teacher

Zoo Map

and adult supervisors. Presentation by Ipads/Camera


zoo keeper exploring various animals

Science Work Books

and their habitats, focus on animals

Recording Materials

whos habitats are at risk.


Students to follow a zoo map and observe many animals in their habitats,
students in small groups are to make
formal observations of one animal at
risk of their choice, observing their
enclosure, their eating and behaviour
habitats.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Links to Learning

Lesson Sequence

Resources

Evaluate

Activity One: Teacher to lead classroom

Science Work Books

Activity One: SI1, HE1

discussion about zoo excursion, asking

Recording Materials

Summative Assessment: Writ-

students to describe their most mem-

ten Recount, assessed using a

orable moments and what they found

checklist created in collaboration most interesting in relation to habitats.


Students to complete a written reflection
with students.
of their time at the zoo including what

Activity Two: SI1, HE1


HASS Link: ASCASSK088

Summative Assessment: Social

they learned about habitats under threat


of destruction. Students to refer to word
wall and try to include as many scientific

Action and Presentation, marked words and terms as they can.


using a rubric created in collaboration with students.
Activity Three: SI1, HE1

Activity Two: Students to design and


create a visual form of social action to

Craft Materials

inform members of the public about


the human impact on animals habitats.
Students to verbally present their visual
action in small groups to other classes
within the school to inform them of what
they have learned.
Activity Three: Teacher to lead discussion about the unit of work. Key discussion questions may include: What have
you enjoyed doing? What new knowledge
do you have? What would you have done
differently? Teacher to then hand back
original KWL charts for students to finish.
End on a positive note and praise students for their hard work, commitment
and their inspiring social actions. Encourage students to continue to engage in
practices that promote the protection of
habitats.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Appendix

KWL CHART
Student Name:
Date:
What I Know

What I Want To Know

What I Learned

Appendix 1.0: KWL Chart To be printed at A3 size for each student


Adapted from EveryLanguageLearner.com 2013

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

Animal Name

Shelter

Food

Protection

Family

Elephant

Appendix 2.0: Habitat Investigation Table, to be printed at A3 size for each student.

Name of Living Thing

How many can you see?

What do they look like?

What is their habitat?

Appendix 3.0: School Yard Habitat Investigation Table, to be printed at A3 size for each student.

Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

What can you see in your Hula Hoop?


Can you draw what you can see?

Appendix 3.1: What can you find in your Hula Hoop worksheet, to be printed at A3 size for each
student.
Science Unit Plan // Habitats Year 4, Jordan Lindsay

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