Content Teaching, learning and assessment Resources Students: Working scientifically ask questions about the world around them make observations and pose questions based on these observations accurately record observations and data when participating in an investigation Substances needed for the survival of living things recognise resources needed by living things to survive The focus of this module is investigating how the environment affects plant growth and how humans can demonstrate responsible garden management. However, before beginning the investigations into plant growth some students may require a review of what living and things are and the two main groups of living things – plants and animals. Review living and non-living things Students engage in a variety of activities to review their understanding of the difference between living and non-living things, for example: select examples and pictures of living and non-living items from around the school, home, community, magazines, internet sort and display the collected items into a classification chart identify living and non-living items label living and non–living items identify the odd one out create a poster showing living and/or non–living items describe characteristics of living things, eg grow and change, use food, use water and air, respond to changes, reproduce make a multimedia presentation or other means of communication to present findings. Review two main groups of living things – plants and animals Students engage in a variety of activities to review their understanding of the difference between plants and animals, for example: collect pictures of plants and animals sort and display the collected items into a classification chart respond to teacher questioning to identify which are plants and which are animals create a poster make a multimedia presentation or other means of communication to present findings
identify the odd one out identify external features of animals and plants discuss how Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ classification of objects such as food, shelter, fibre, medicine and tools depends on how they are used. For example, Aboriginal People may classify kangaroos as food, clothing or as a totem moiety or to represent a clan. Students: Working scientifically ask questions about the world around them make observations and pose questions based on these observations Introductory stimulus material for investigations and fieldwork activities With each investigation, to create interest and stimulate inquiry, students may be introduced to the activity through a phrase, picture, poem, short excerpt or video. From this students generate a list of ideas, words and associations, making connections where possible. For example, when doing the investigation ‘Do seeds need water to germinate?’ read the poem ‘Little Brown Seeds’ (author unknown) from The Flower Fields about a seed needing water to grow. Activities in response to the texts may include: ask ‘What do you think ...?’ – generate a list of ideas, words and associations, making connections where possible ask ‘What made you think of …?’ ask ‘Do you have any new ideas about …?’ create a ‘What I Know; What I Want to Learn; How am I to Learn; What I Learned’ chart (KWHL) create a sight-word garden. The Flower Fields Sid the Seed by Daniel R Pagan The Tiny Seed by Eric Carle Plant Growth – 4 Important Factors – A teaser Students: Working scientifically identify practices to enhance safety in a scientific Inquiry question: How does the environment affect plant growth? The following investigations explore some aspects of plant growth and the requirements for successful plant growth (for example, availability of water, sunlight and nutrients). Investigations
Working scientifically ask questions about the world around them make observations and pose questions based on these observations make predictions based on questions from observations recognise variables to be measured, changed and maintained in an investigation recognise a plan as a sequence of steps follow a plan to participate in an investigation engage in safe practices when participating in an investigation accurately record observations and data when participating in an investigation work individually and/or collaboratively to conduct an investigation use digital technologies to collect or represent Students participate in an investigation to determine whether seeds and seedlings need water to germinate or grow. Investigation: What do you need? – clear plastic cups, cotton wool (same number for each cup), seeds, such as Cress seeds (same number for each cup) What will you do? – water one of the cups What do you think will happen? – ‘The seeds with water will grow’; ‘I need to drink water so the seed will need water too’ What did you observe? – observe, record and communicate observations which may include ‘Only the seeds that we watered grew’; ‘The seeds that we did not water did not grow’ What conclusions can you make from this investigation? – ‘For a seed to germinate you need to water it’ Further student questions from investigation may include – Do bigger seeds need more water than little seeds? Investigation 2: Do plants need soil to grow? Knowing that water is needed for seeds to germinate this investigation considers whether seeds need soil to grow. Further investigations consider the type of soil for optimum growth and what can be done to improve soil structure for better plant growth. Investigation: What do you need? – Clear plastic cups, cling film for lids, seeds, range of materials (soil, sand, paper, compost, cotton wool), one cup for no material What will you do? – Fill each cup with either soil, sand, paper, compost or cotton wool; add the same number of seeds to each cup; place all the cups in the same location; water each cup with the same amount of water and at the same time each day. Discuss what is meant by amount (is it weight, or volume or depth?) What do you think will happen? growing viewed in place of the investigations Effect of water on plant growth Types of Soil - Clay, Sandy, Loam - Activity & Quiz Does the type of soil affect the growth rate of plants? Effect of light on plant growth Coloured lights affect plant growth
growth and ways to improve soil structure participate in an investigation to identify and resolve a specific nutritional problem for a plant the same time each day. What do you think will happen? – ‘All the seeds will grow?’; ‘The seeds in the dark won’t grow at all.’ What did you observe? – ‘The seeds in the pot with the hole in it grew to the side’; ‘The seeds with light grew the best’. What conclusions can you make from this investigation? Further student questions from investigation may include – ‘Why did the seed with no light still grow?’; ‘Are there plants that don’t need light to grow?’ Students undertake further research to identify plants that don’t need light to grow and report findings to the class. The video The Dark World of Fungi can be used as a stimulus or to support students’ understanding. Investigation 4: Does fertilising help plants grow better? Having established that seeds and seedlings need water, loamy soil and light to grow, students investigate the use of fertiliser for plant growth. Investigation: Before conducting the investigation, discuss what is meant by ‘better’ – is it size, colour, weight, height? What do you need? – Tubs, mineral salts or liquid fertiliser, water, radish seeds. What will you do? – Plant the same number of seeds in each tub. Add varying amounts of fertiliser to each tub (ensure one tub receives no fertiliser). Place tubs in the same location. Water the tubs with the same amount of water and at the same time each day. What do you think will happen? – ‘The seeds with the most fertiliser will grow the best’; ‘Just water is good enough’. What did you observe? – Compare the size and width of the largest slices of radish to find which amount of fertiliser gave the best result. What conclusions can you make from this investigation? Fungi Gardening Australia – Compost
Further student questions from investigation may include: ‘You can have too much fertiliser.’; ‘How do you know what is the right amount of fertiliser to use?’ Possible further investigation: Can we make the soil better to improve plant growth? Refer back to the photographs and matching soil type. Teacher directed questioning may include, ‘We wish to have the plants growing better where there is clay soil. How can we do this?’; ‘One way of improving soil structure is to add compost. What is compost?’ Using the Gardening Australia article on ‘How to Make Compost’, students: identify ‘scraps’ that are suitable for a compost, classifying brown and green ingredients design a pie chart to show brown and green ingredients create a ‘lasagne’ display by using pictures from magazines/newspapers to show the ingredients and the steps in making the compost identify ‘scraps’ that are unsuitable to use. As a class, students make a compost heap, deciding collaboratively on the best location. Students communicate where the compost will be located, who will collect the ‘scraps’ and how the ‘scraps’ are to be collected safely. Students create a job list displaying who will be doing which jobs and when, and complete a timesheet to show when they have done their jobs. Students: Working scientifically communicate ideas related to an investigation use digital, visual, written or oral forms of communication as appropriate Substances needed for the Conclusion from investigations Having participated in the four investigations, students develop an infographic, multimedia presentation or video to communicate what is needed to grow a garden.
collaboratively to conduct an investigation Impact of human activity on garden habitats investigate different ways of controlling pests in the garden investigate environmentally friendly methods to control garden pests Students: Working scientifically ask questions about the world around them make observations and pose questions based on these observations identify strategies that can be used to solve a problem use primary data or secondary information when exploring a problem recognise and use skills, eg questioning, collaboration, planning use strategies to solve Inquiry question: What are the benefits of maintaining a garden? Before students design, plant and maintain their garden, students can explore the benefits of gardening which include improving communication and social skills, fitness, wellbeing, nutrition and enjoyment. Students watch the video Teenagers create a community garden maintenance project in Dublin to explore the benefits students have gained from designing, planting and maintaining a garden. Students respond to questions such as: Why did the students take up gardening? – ‘To make their area look better’. What happened to their first garden? – ‘It didn’t work out’; ‘All the plants died’; ‘The snow killed the plants’. It doesn’t snow here but what other issues could we have with our garden? – ‘It gets really hot’; ‘It might be hard getting the soil and plants’; ‘There’s a lot of clay about’; ‘Where can we put the compost heap?’ Who’s Jack? – ‘A boy’; ‘A boy in a wheelchair’; ‘He’s got a disability’. Better Health Channel – Gardening - people with disabilities Foroige Channel – Teenagers create a community garden maintenance project in Dublin 1
participate in making decisions about how to test questions or hypotheses work individually and/or collaboratively to design a scientific investigation to test a question or hypothesis use digital, visual, written or oral forms of communication as appropriate Impact of human activity on garden habitats explore a garden or model of a garden to recognise the physical characteristics and diversity of plants and animal species Students collaborate in planning for the ongoing care of their class garden. Students explore a range of household or community gardens to develop an understanding of common plant species and features of gardens (this may be done by visiting local gardens, or viewing videos or images of gardens). If planting a new garden, students discuss the most suitable location for the garden, using the knowledge and understanding gained from their investigations. Students nominate a location and provide reasons for why this is a suitable location. The class may then vote or elect a ‘head gardener’ to make the final decision. Using digital technology as appropriate, students design a visual representation of their garden, identifying what they will plant and other aesthetic features they might like to include. If caring for an existing garden, students contribute to creating a visual representation of the garden, using digital technology as appropriate and including plants and features they might like to add to the garden. In planning their garden, students consider: how to make the garden accessible the tools and equipment required equipment and materials they might need to enhance the safe management of their garden. As a class, students collaboratively determine a roster of duties for caring for the garden. Duties are distributed among the class. Students can produce a video to illustrate how the class designs, plants and cares for their garden. City of Sydney – Community Garden Profiles Australian City Farms and Community Gardens Network