Year 2 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 Good to grow One term Unit outline Children learn that observations can be organised to reveal patterns, and that these patterns can be used to make predictions about phenomena. They learn about how science is used in their daily lives, including caring for their environment and living things. Children learn about how Earth’s resources, including water, are used in a variety of ways. Children inquire about how living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves as they develop a community garden. Questions that shape the inquiry include: What are the living things in our garden? Which of Earth’s resources are needed in our garden? How do Earth’s resources support life in our garden? What is the relationship between living things in our garden? How could I help the living things in our garden to continue to grow? How could this garden help me? 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 grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves Earth and space sciences Nature and development of science Science involves asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events Use and influence of science Questioning and predicting Respond to and pose questions, and make predictions about familiar objects and events Planning and conducting Literacy Record observations, labelling diagrams Numeracy Interpret data
Earth’s resources, including water, are used in a variety of ways People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living things Participate in different types of guided investigations to explore and answer questions, such as manipulating materials, testing ideas, and accessing information sources Use informal measurements in the collection and recording of observations, with the assistance of as appropriate Processing and analysing data and information Use a range of methods to sort information, including drawings and provided tables Through discussion, compare observations with predictions Evaluating Compare observations with those of others Communicating Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways such as oral and written language, drawing and role play ICT capability Use digital photography Use a range of digital resources Critical and creative thinking Use thinking skills to complete group activities Ethical behaviour Consider animal ethics when making observations in the school grounds Personal and social capability Care for the garden and complete jobs Intercultural understanding Appreciate that environments differ around the world Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures Investigate seed germination and sustainability of plants Sustainability Explore connections between all living things Achievement standard By the end of Year 2, students describe changes to objects, and living things. They identify that certain and resources have different uses and describe examples of where science is used in people’s daily lives. Students pose questions about their experiences and predict outcomes of . They use informal measurements to make and compare observations. They follow instructions to record and represent their observations and communicate their ideas to others. Relevant prior curriculum Curriculum working towards In the Australian Curriculum: Science at Year 1 Science Understanding Biological sciences In the Australian Curriculum: Science at Year 3 Science Understanding Biological sciences
reflect on observations and discuss why things happen, and consider other points of view. Links to other learning areas In the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics at Year 2 Create displays of using lists, table and and interpret them. In the Australian Curriculum: English at Year 2 Construct featuring print, visual and audio elements using software, including word processing programs. Assessment Make judgments Describe the assessment Assessment date Teachers gather evidence to make judgments about the following characteristics of children’s work: Understanding description and identification of interactions and changes involving living things using scientific knowledge use of scientific knowledge to explain a situation identification of the use of science in daily life Skills collection and recording of observations in guided investigations sort and compare 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: Children are given opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding through both formative and summative assessment. The assessment is collated in assessment folios and allows for ongoing feedback to children on their learning. Year 2 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 (Written) 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, 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 others’ thinking class or group discussion about ideas drawing of concept maps. Suggested conditions: Throughout the term