Year 4 Learning Term 3 Weeks 1‐6 Unit of Inquiry: How the World Works An inquiry into how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment Central Idea Investigating the states and properties of matter leads to new understandings about the world Concepts and the related Lines of Inquiry Reflection Change Causation Causation The ways to predict, measure and explain states and properties of matter How matter changes Ways people manipulate matter for a particular purpose Issues related to the human use of matter Subjects: Science, Social Studies, Language, Mathematics Overview This unit provides students with the opportunity to explore how everything in their world is made up of varying forms of matter. After consolidating their understanding of states of matter, the students are extended by inquiring into the properties of matter and the ways in which physical and chemical change can occur. This unit is intended to be very practical, involving the combining and separating of materials including, filtering, evaporating, heating and mixing. The students can investigate the ways humans manipulate matter to suit different purposes (glass, wood, metal, gas, cooking) and understand that there are benefits and consequences regarding the use of matter. Subject related learning experiences: This unit is driven by the subject of Science, and in particular, students will focus on the strand of Materials and Matter. Student learning will centre around the development of the following skills:  Observe carefully in order to gather data  Use a variety of instruments and tools to measure data accurately  Use scientific vocabulary to explain their observations and experiences  Plan and carry out systematic investigations, manipulating variables as necessary  Make and test predictions  Interpret and evaluate data gathered in order to draw conclusions Practical experiences include: observing and manipulating the results of ingredients that set such as jelly and Plaster of Paris, use of corn starch and water to create gloop/goo, carrying out investigations to understand physical and chemical change by cooking (combining, separating, dissolving), and watching change over time by growing crystals, testing rusting on steel wool. To reflect on learning, the students will complete a visible thinking routine after each practical investigation. Incursion: Each class will be involved in a one hour Mad Science workshop, where experts will come in to work with students, providing a mix of demonstrations and practical tasks about physical and chemical change, manipulating matter and working through a scientific method. This will be held in a school lab. Language: Because of the experiment based nature of the unit, the students will concentrate on writing scientific procedures, including writing methods for experimentation and recipes. Mathematics: Students will have the opportunity to estimate and measure time, size and temperature Social Studies: By recognising the ability to manipulate matter, the students will investigate the consequences of human use of matter. Attitudes
Transdisciplinary Skills
Learner Profile Curiosity: Knowledgeable: Research Skills: Observing, Asking why and Develop a base of understanding around gathering, recording, interpreting how questions elements, states and properties of matter data to fully understand a Thinker: Self‐management skills: process or Exercise initiative in applying thinking skills when Safety – Monitoring personal outcome researching, and predicting and testing ideas behavior to avoid risk to self or others. Vocabulary Elements Atoms Molecules States Properties Matter Materials Manipulation Change Causation Mixing Dissolving Separating Filtering Predicting Hypothesis Results Conclusion Fair testing Scientific method Equipment Estimating Measuring Variable Control
How you can help at home  Cooking is a fantastic way for children to witness change when ingredients are combined or heat is added. Making bread using yeast, cooking ANZAC biscuits or making Hokey Pokey (honey comb) are good examples of chemical change. This site may give you ideas…
http://pbskids.org/zoom/games/kitchenchemistry/  There are a number of wonderful websites and books that hold ideas for home and kitchen chemistry, and toy stores also have some useful science based kits to consider.  Head Rush is a TV series derived from Myth busters that has some fascinating science clips. Some are housed on You Tube, such as the following:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DJ6PfcTiKM Try making your own soap, slime or perfume ‐ what can your family conjour up together?