Prep unit overview — Australian Curriculum: Science Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), Australian Curriculum v3.0: Science for Foundation–10 <www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/Science/Curriculum/F-10>. School name Unit title Duration of unit Our School Our living world One term Unit outline Children generate and investigate ideas about living things. Children use the senses to investigate and gather information in order to explore and develop understanding about the basic needs of all living things. Learning opportunities in this unit are collaboratively developed between children and adults. Learning values and develops the wide range of experiences children contribute and build on from their home and community lives. Learning is embedded within the five contexts for learning in the Early Years Curriculum Guidelines and uses intentional teaching practices to make learning explicit, challenge children to consider new ideas, test current thinking, and develop deeper understanding. Questions which shape the inquiry include: What do living things need? Do living things need different things in different situations? Identify curriculum Content descriptions to be taught General capabilities and crosscurriculum priorities Science Understanding Science as a Human Endeavour Science Inquiry Skills Biological sciences Living things have basic needs, including food and water Nature and development of science Science involves exploring and observing the world using the senses Questioning and predicting Respond to questions about familiar objects and events Planning and conducting Explore and make observations by using the Processing and analysing data and information Engage in discussions about Literacy Explore and develop literacy skills embedded in teaching and learning within science, e.g. purposes of texts, text types (spoken and written), making meaning and comprehending texts Critical and creative thinking Apply critical thinking when
description and identification of the behaviour of living things using scientific knowledge use of scientific knowledge to explain familiar situations Skills relevant responses to questions about familiar objects and events collection of observations representation and communication of observations and ideas. For further advice and guidelines on constructing guides to making judgments refer to the Learning area standard descriptors: learning. Prep teachers make decisions about the length of time required to complete the tasks and the conditions under which the assessment is to be conducted. The teaching and learning experiences throughout the term provide opportunities for children to develop the understanding and skills required to complete these assessments. As children engage with these learning experiences, the teacher can provide feedback on specific skills. Collection of work (Multimodal) Children explain their understanding and thinking as they participate in learning experiences. The teacher records observations of children and determines their individual needs for exploring and developing knowledge, understanding, skills and processes associated with this area of science. The sequence of teaching and learning allows opportunities to gather evidence within: responding one-to-one conferencing (discussion circles) where children discuss and explain verbal reporting to the group on their own and/or others’ thinking class or group discussion about ideas. Suggested conditions: supervised/open. Experimental investigation: Recorded observations (Multimodal) Children communicate their observations and ideas during or following each lesson. The teacher provides ongoing feedback as children answer the question: What are the needs of living things? Entries include: observation records from guided investigations reflection about learning mind maps about living things and their needs labelled diagrams showing their ideas about the needs of living things. Suggested conditions: supervised/open. Throughout the term Teaching and learning Supportive learning environment