Unit Plan
Year level: Grade six Duration: 5 weeks
Year Six achievement standards
By the end of Year 6, students compare and classify different types of observable changes to materials. They explain how natural events cause
rapid change to Earths surface. They describe and predict the effect of environmental changes on individual living things. Students explain how
scientific knowledge helps us to solve problems and inform decisions and identify historical and cultural contributions.
Students follow procedures to develop investigable questions and design investigations into simple cause-and-effect relationships. They identify
variables to be changed and measured and describe potential safety risks when planning methods. They collect, organize and interpret their data,
identifying where improvements to their methods or research could improve the data. They describe and analyses relationships in data using
appropriate representations and construct multimodal texts to communicate ideas, methods and findings.
Science and understanding
Earth and space sciences
Sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earths surface (ACSSU096).
Science inquiry skills
Communication
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
(ACSIS110)(ACARA, 2016).
Cross curriculum Priorities
Within this unit plan erosion and weathering are concepts that cover sustainability and is explored though an understanding from a social,
economic, political and environmental perspective and how the future will be impacted (ACARA, 2016). Sustainability is an ongoing issue that is
faced not just currently by our world but future civilisation. The unit explores skills and knowledge needed to provide background information and
looks to the future for ways and means in protecting environments and coming up with solutions and ideas to maintain contribute to a better
sustained world through informed citizens and actions (ACARA, 2016).
General capabilities
Literacy: ACSIS107
Students during the unit will develop literacy, through the use of language, observation, collection of data and develop skills in describing events,
recounting information and recording this to support scientific inquiry (ACARA, 2016). They also comprehend and compose multimedia text of
graphs and tables (ACARA, 2016).
Compose texts (ACARA, 2016).
Compose spoken, written, visual and multimodal learning area texts (ACARA, 2016).
Use knowledge of text structures (ACARA, 2016).
Use knowledge of text cohesion (ACARA, 2016).
Understand how visual elements create meaning (ACARA, 2016).
Numeracy: ACSIS104
Numeracy falls under the science inquiry skills through students exposure to practical measurement and the collection, representation and
interpretation of data taken from investigations (ACARA, 2016). Students use measurement, statistical data building, data analysis skills with a
focus on identifying trends and patterns to support hypothesis (ACARA, 2016).
Interpret data displays (ACARA, 2016).
Using measurement (ACARA, 2016).
Estimate and measure with metric units (ACARA, 2016).
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability: ACSIS104
This unit plan employs the use of ICT and capabilities where students use technology to research and communicate scientific concepts through
audio and visual representations (ACARA, 2016). Students use IPad, computers and programs and apps to collect data and represent data as well as
model information. Furthered more the use of news segments and enhance students engagement with the content (ACARA, 2016).
Investigating with ICT
Locate, generate and access data and information (ACARA, 2016).
Managing and operating ICT
Select and use hardware and software (ACARA, 2016).
Manage digital data (ACARA, 2016).
Student learning outcomes
By the end of this unit students should be able to ........
Define and explain what erosion and weathering is.
Describe how erosion can change landforms over a period of time due to weathering and erosion.
Demonstrate an understanding that erosion has both positive and negative effects.
Communicate the difference between chemical and physical and describe methods that it occurs.
Record observation.
Draw from observations and construct scientific representation through graphs and presented through multi-modal representations.
describe and respond to the effects of erosion can be influences by human activity.
evaluate, plan and respond based upon students own knowledge to construct realistic and real world solutions.
Engage The beginning lesson will introduce the concept of erosion to the students. The aim of this lesson is to identify any prior student
knowledge and engage the students through activities and open-ended questions (AAS, 2016). Moreover, from this lesson student will
gain the primary knowledge necessary for understanding what erosion is and how it happens. A KWL (Know, want to know, Learned)
will be used to establish what prior knowledge the students have.
The application Popplet would be utilized here
This application allows students to write out and organize their ideas and understandings visually and interactively.
Assessment
Diagnostic assessment:
Teachers will use the collected data from Popplet to establish student understanding using diagnostic assessment. Teachers will assess
student prior knowledge, generated questions and assumptions the students have made. This assessment will then be used to scaffold
the learning in further lessons.
Explore Aim: Student explore erosion and weather through using scientific models.
Introduction: Engage activity
Students use their KWL charts from last lesson to review their thoughts and ideas about erosion being up their pre-conceived notion
and understanding. Go for a quick walk around the school in order to see if there are any possible causes for
Enhance phase: Modelling of erosion activity
As this lesson is a type of experiment students will first discuss health and safety information before engaging with the
materials.
Students work within teams each having a purposeful job to do during the experiment.
Experiment/Activity
Students work in groups with hands on material models of the three different types of erosion wind water and ice. Students will make
initial predictions based upon prior knowledge before engaging with the material. Students use the smaller constructed envrionmnet to
observe the processes of weathering and erosion change and move materials that become soil. Throughout experimenting with the
materials observations are recorded and students formulate reasoning making connections between scientific models and how it
occurred. Students move between the different models of wind, water and glacier.
Discussion
Provide the students with the discussion time to talk about what they observed.
Have the groups report back to the class about what they would have or not notices.
Use inquiry questions to discuss information future. Refer back to KWL Question that the student may or may not have known.
Allow students to debate and theorizes why they received the results they did.
Discussion questions to spark dissection and inquiry (Examples)
What did you observe?
How does the introduction of rocks and plants change the effect of moving the sand and water?
How does the sand interact with the water?
What does this experiment tell us about erosion?
Assessment:
Formative assessment
Students record their observations compare results with prediction.
Question and answer sessions providing ongoing for the adjustment of the learning experience.
Warm down activity
Add to the KWL Chart about what students have gained through exploration with materials.
Explain Throughout the explain phase of the unit students will be exploring why things are happening. Students have moved through the
engage and explore steps where they have had the chance to draw their own conclusions of the processes. However, now teachers have
the chance to provide scientific explanations as what is occurring (AAS, 2016). Moreover, teachers will use correct language and
terminology to teach. This will be achieved through reflection on previous experiments, collecting data, utilizing ICT and further
experimentation.
ICT can be an effective tool in teaching students about the different forms of erosions and how it takes place all over the globe.
YouTube and Behind the News (BTN) are two sources that can be easily accessed. For example, this BTN article discusses the cause
and effect of wind/sheet erosion by discussing the 2009 dust storm that affected eastern Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2709831.htm
Formative Assessment
Teachers will assess this phase using a variety of formative assessments. Teachers will assess student growth and understanding
through:
Observing student discussions
Identifying students using correct language and terminology
Questioning
Student ability to reflect on prior assumptions and misconceptions
Teachers will further assess students ability to:
Take notes and collect data
Formulate data into tables or graphs and effectively explain them
Identify and recognition that erosion is a global effect
Erosion comes in many forms; water, sheet, wind, gully and rill, mass, temperature, etc.
Experiments are an effective way of exploring a new concept (AAS, 2016). Therefore, through multiple mini experiments, students
will be able to explore the concept of erosion in this unit. During these experiments students will develop predications, observations,
data collection, evidence and reflections.
Engage activity
Students review what was learnt in the last lesson.
Refer to KLW chart.
Enhance activity
A simple experiment that will be explored is sugar cubes in water.
Students place sugar cubes in a bottle, add water and shake.
They must observe that changes and identify what is happening to the sugar cubes.
Formative Assessment
Teachers will assess student growth and understanding through observing students:
Predications
Observations
Data collection
Evidence: photographs/video and the running records that support this
Reflections: how the students reflect on their prior knowledge and misconceptions.
Elaborate Aim: Students use knowledge gained over the past couple of lesson to make informed decisions about the topic at a more global level.
Engage activity
Review of the KWL chart and go through the information provided.
Main activity
Students are given a situation in which they are scientist invited to a summit about to discuss erosion effects both positive and negative
in response to an event. The initial activity of this includes a Q and A session about the event providing the students with the
opportunity to ask question about events, clarify information and debate possible option. They must respond using the data provided
and through further research into the content then report back through either a podcast, news report or speech which will be recorded
for assessment purposes.
Warm down
Students discus the overall experience ad reflects upon what they leant.
Add to the KWL chart.
Assessment: formative
Data interpretation
Evidence based argument including photographs/video and statistic to support this.
Students use analysed information to make informed decision about the how to proceed in the situation.
Students ability to communicate information through a variety of methods both written and verbal.
Evaluate Aim: Students used knowledge gained in the classroom envrionmnet to respond to local issues through design and development.
Description of activity
Students are taken to a local beach or creek water way, showing signs of erosion. Using the skills gained in previous lessons, students
will observe the environment. The students will document their observations by taking photographs, drawing and jotting key
observations.
As a follow up activity from the excursion, students will need to work together to create an action plan, for that local area, to create
awareness of erosion and prevention steps. Scaffolding will be provided to students, however students will be supported to direct their
own learning. For example, students may choose to make a poster, a sign, a PowerPoint, a presentation, a recorded video using iPad, or
pamphlets.
Assessment summative
Students will be assessed on their ability to
Choose a medium in which to present their findings and present their action plan.
Work collaboratively with others
Communicate ideas and understandings
Define and explain what erosion and weathering is.
Demonstrate an understanding that erosion has both positive and negative effects.
Describe and respond to the effects of erosion can be influences by human activity.
Evaluate, plan and respond based upon students own knowledge to construct realistic and real world solutions.
