Mark Jennings

Summary Sheet for A Differentiated Learning Experience

Context
The lesson is part of a physics unit with the title Spaceflight and Rocket Science:
Energy and Heat. The content knowledge follows the South Australian Certificate of
Education (SACE) Physics topic 3 (Heat) and 4 (Energy and Momentum) integrated with
the science as a human endeavour strand of science.
The aims of the unit are to allow students to apply their understanding of human
endeavour of science and its interaction with society and to investigate and learn the
dynamic nature of science. This activity would be undertaken after students have
learned the scientific concepts of linear motion (displacement, velocity and acceleration)
and Newtons Laws in relation to forces and momentum. Students will also have been
taught some of the landmarks in the Russian and American (NASA) space programs
such as the Apollo, Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs. They will
also have been carried out short activities that investigate the hazards of working in
space.
This activity takes place before students then go on to explore and learn about further
concepts in heat, energy and momentum and allows students to relate these further
topics to this activity to create a strong connection and means of engagement.
The activity is planned to take place over five lessons of study in the subject which
should equate to one week of study.

Learning Objectives
As a result of engaging with the differentiated lesson or task, students will:
understand that

The use of scientific knowledge is influenced by social, economic, cultural and ethical
considerations (ACSPH056) and may have beneficial, harmful and/or unintended consequences
(ACSPH057)

Know Be able to (do)

Some factors that lead to the development
of space technology. E.g. Humankinds
nature of exploration, political and national
rivalries.
Some impacts of space technology on
society.
Design a generally clear and considered physics
investigation.
Analyse and interpret data and information to
formulate appropriate conclusions with some
justification

Essential Questions (These should help students engage with the big ideas or understandings)

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What are the uses and influence of physics in society?

How are scientific developments and progress shaped by social, economic, ethical and cultural
factors?

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Stage 1 Physics
Investigations Task: Science as a Human Endeavour
The History and Future of Rocket Science

Choose one of the options in the boxes below.

You may work with up to 2 other students who are working on the same topic, but your final submission must be your own
work, i.e. an individual piece of work that you have done.
Select your presentation format.
Use the guidance notes attached to plan your investigation.
Final Submission has a word limit of 1000 words or a 6 minute video.

Learning Task Raft

Role Audience Format Topic
Journalist General Public Full page news Write an article about South Australias contribution and involvement in
article scientific research at the Woomera Rocket Range during the 1950s.
Describe the interaction between society and science; using examples
such as military involvement and the impact on Aboriginal communities
impacts on the indigenous population.
School student Charitable Fund Formal Letter In the form of a letter, explain how student participation in the
Manager Launchbox satellite program benefits the school and broader
communities and write a funding request on behalf of the school to the
Sir Ross and Sir Keith Smith Fund so that the school can take part in the
Launchbox program.
Scientific Science Magazine article Write a magazine article that explores how socio-economic, cultural and
magazine magazine political aspects influence the scientific endeavour of the International
writer readers Space Station program which is a collaboration of the United States, the
Russian Federation, Japan and the European Space Agency. How have
the member nations of this collaboration been influenced by the
program?
Journalist General Public Full page news Explain some of the societal drivers behind the science of rockets that
article have propelled humans to the Moon and assisted with exploring the
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universe, but, have also brought great devastation. Describe the benefits
and the harm of rocket science.
Community Government Formal Letter Describe the benefits of increasing funding for space research in South
member minister Australia in the form of a request for additional funding to the relevant
government minister.
Marketing General Public Advertorial Design an advertorial for Virgin Galactic or Space X detailing the
specialist benefits to the future of the involvement of private agencies and ventures
in space for profit

Guidance notes:
Here is a suggested approach to your physics investigation
Start by answering What is the research question? That is, which is the chosen subject area?
o The assignment asks you to choose a subject area these are you research question that you need to develop in order to
provide the required outcome, e.g. a piece of writing of some sort. If you look at the table of possible tasks, youll see
that each one is structured with a subject to be researched with an outcome.

Having considered the main question from the assignment; What are the sub-questions that will help you define how you will
be researching the chosen topic?
o The topic areas are quite broad and need some refining to limit the amount of research and work required to complete
the task. Therefore, relevant sub-questions need to be defined to make the task manageable. This is also where your
task will develop its individuality.

What processes will you use to find information about your chosen topic? E.g. books, websites, articles, etc. List these in bullet
points (they will form your reference list later on). Using flow charts, tables, mind or concept maps may assist in your planning
(even if they are small)

Decide on how you intend to present your findings and any sources that influence the way you will present it e.g. news or
magazine articles you have found.

You should aim for your work to be: logical (shows you are capable of clear, well thought out reasoning), coherent (clear and ties
everything together), and detailed (covers everything it needs to cover)

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Notes
Design a physics Investigation
Analysing and interpreting
information gathered during
research of the topic
Formulating and justifying
conclusions explaining factors
affecting scientific development
and the impact on society
Discussion of the factors leading
to the development of rocket and
space technology and its impact
on society.
Use appropriate terminology,
terms and conventions in
communicating knowledge and
understanding of physics.
Reference list or bibliography
(SACE, 2016)
Rubric
SF A B C D E
Designs a logical, Designs a well- Designs a considered Prepares the outline of Identifies a simple
IAE1 coherent, and detailed, considered and clear and generally clear a physics investigation. procedure for a I
physics investigation. physics investigation. physics investigation. physics investigation.
Systematically Logically analyses and Undertakes some Describes data and Attempts to describe
analyses and interprets interprets data and analysis and undertakes some basic results and/or interpret
data and evidence to evidence to formulate interpretation of data interpretation to data to formulate a
formulate logical suitable conclusions and evidence to formulate a basic basic conclusion.
IAE3 conclusions with with reasonable formulate generally conclusion. I
detailed justification. justification. appropriate
conclusions with some
justification.
Critically explores and Logically explores and Explores and Partially explores and Attempts to explore
understands in depth understands in some understands aspects of recognises aspects of and identify an aspect
the interaction between depth the interaction the interaction between the interaction between of the interaction
KA3 I
science and society. between science and science and society. science and society. between science and
society. society.
Communicates Communicates Communicates Communicates basic Attempts to
knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and physics information, communicate
understanding of understanding of understanding of using some information about
physics coherently, physics mostly physics generally appropriate terms, physics.
KA4 with highly effective coherently, with effectively, using some conventions, and/or I
use of appropriate effective use of appropriate terms, representations.
terms, conventions, appropriate terms, conventions, and
and representations. conventions, and representations.
representations.
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Explanation:
This activity is based on the Science as a Human Endeavour strand of the SACE curriculum and
is an inquiry oriented investigation which research shows can maintain students interest in the
study of science (Hackling, 2012). Inquiry can be used for small-scale research projects that
engage students in posing relevant questions, getting and analysing information form relevant
sources, making decisions and drawing conclusions. (Killen, 2013). This learning activity is
structured according to principles that encourage students to follow a systematic process. That
is, a compelling question is posed as a focus for student learning, students plan and conduct the
investigation to answer the question, students search for information and understanding,
students are encouraged to discuss their learning experience and students individually reflect on
the research question (Killen, 2013). Structured inquiry challenges, engages motivates and
extends all learners rather than just the more capable learners (Killen, 2013).

A RAFT assignment was chosen because it is well suited to addressing student interest and
learner profile, a view supported by Tomlinson and McTighe (2006) who state:

RAFT assignments are well suited to addressing readiness, interest, and learner profile
simultaneously. (p.99).

Interest is a feeling or emotion causing students to focus on or attend to things because it

matters to the student. Things that are interesting to a student holds their attention and result in
students concentrating on those elements of interest. This is important when differentiating in
the classroom because it leads to greater engagement, productivity and achievement for
students. (Sousa and Tomlinson, 2011). Learning profiles are how people come at learning
and relate to how students learn and how they process what they learn. (Sousa and Tomlinson,
2011). The RAFT option differentiates in process for both interest and leaner profile (Tomlinson
& Imbeau, 2010) because: the various RAFT options engage the attention, curiosity and
involvement of students who have chosen to take physics as a SACE subject which stimulates
interest and the options allow for a wide range of expression for learning styles, intelligence
preferences and culture which accommodate learning profiles which are preferences for taking
in, exploring and expressing content. (Tomlinson & Imbeau, 2010).

The first task in the list includes in its topic looking at the development of science from a
perspective that considers the injustice of indigenous peoples displacement from their land for
the furtherance of science. This acknowledgement of racist behaviour and its impact is a means
of including indigenous perspectives in the curricula and is a way that can enhance indigenous
students learning. (Duchesne, McMaugh, Bochner, & Krause, 2013; Harrison, 2011), However,
Harrison (2011) also states that inquiry-based learning is generally unsuccessful for Aboriginal
children, so, to mitigate this disadvantage, the task includes structured guidance notes that
describe the steps necessary and includes options for students to work collaboratively to share
their findings and support each other.

The task is a formatively assessed piece of work. The learning goals are clearly designated and
the associated rubric uses clearly defined outcomes that are aligned to the learning goals to
measure student proficiency which is needed for an effective quality assessment. (Tomlinson &
Moon, 2013). The RAFT provides several different activities for students to choose which
ensures that the assessment provides several opportunities for students to reveal their
proficiency in relation to the main big idea. (Tomlinson & Moon, 2013).

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References
Australian Curriculum Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA]. (2017). The Australian
Curriculum: Senior Secondary Curriculum v.8.3. Retrieved from
https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/senior-secondary-
curriculum/science/physics/?unit=Unit+1&unit=Unit+2&unit=Unit+3&unit=Unit+4

Duchesne, S, McMaugh, A, Bochner, S and Krause, K, (2013), Educational psychology

for learning and teaching. (4th ed). Victoria: Cengage Learning Australia.

Hackling, M. W. (2012). Inquiry and investigation in Science, in Venville, G. and

Dawson, V. (2nd ed.), The art of teaching Science: For middle and secondary school (pp.
104-121). NSW, Australia: Allen & Unwin.

Harrison, N. (2011). Aboriginal ways of learning. In Harrison, N. (2nd ed.), Teaching and
learning in Aboriginal education (pp. 39-56). Melbourne, Vic: OUP Australia and New
Zealand.

Killen, R. (2013). Effective teaching strategies: Lessons from research and practice. (6th
ed.). South Melbourne, Vic: Cengage Learning.

South Australian Certificate of Education [SACE]. (2017). South Australian Certificate of

Education Physics Outline. Retrieved from SACE:
https://www.sace.sa.edu.au/web/physics/stage-1/support-materials

Sousa, D. A. & Tomlinson, C, A, (2011). Differentiation and the brain: how neuroscience
supports the learner-friendly classroom. Bloomington, Ind: Solution Tree Press.

Tomlinson, C. A. & Imbeau, M. B. (2010). Leading and Managing a Differentiated

Clasroom. Alexandria, Va: ASCD

Tomlinson, C. A. & McTighe, J. (2006). Integrating + Differentiated Instruction:

Understanding by Design. Heatherton: Hawker Brownlow.

Tomlinson, C. A. & Moon, T. R. (2013). Assessment, grading and differentiation, in

Tomlinson, C. A. & Moon, T. R., Assessment and student success in a differentiated
classroom (pp 120-140). Alexandria, Va: ASCD.