This 7-lesson unit covers all the Year 4 Chemical Sciences material for the Australian National Curriculum. Throughout the unit, students consider the choices that designers and engineers make and the physical properties of the materials that influence those choices.
The unit culminates in a STEAM activity where students use their new understanding of materials to design a real-world solution to a fictional problem.
Examine the properties of natural and made materials including fibres, metals, glass and plastics and consider how these properties influence their use
Examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations
Consider how people use scientific explanations to meet a need or solve a problem
Pose questions to explore observed patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations
Use provided scaffolds to plan and conduct investigations to answer questions or test predictions, including identifying the elements of fair tests, and considering the safe use of materials and equipment
Follow procedures to make and record observations, including making formal measurements using familiar scaled instruments and using digital tools as appropriate
Construct and use representations, including tables, simple column graphs and visual or physical models, to organise data and information, show simple relationships and identify patterns
Write and create texts to communicate findings and ideas for identified purposes and audiences, using scientific vocabulary and digital tools as appropriate
Make and record observations, including informal measurements, using digital tools as appropriate
Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties that can influence their use
Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships
Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions
With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior knowledge
With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment
Consider the elements of fair tests and use formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate, to make and record observations accurately
Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends
Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings
Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and informal representations
Questions, plans and conducts scientific investigations, collects and summarises data and communicates using scientific representations
Selects and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity
Describes how adding or removing heat causes a change of state
Investigates the suitability of natural and processed materials for a range of purposes
Compares features and characteristics of living and non-living things
Describes how agricultural processes are used to grow plants and raise animals for food, clothing and shelter
Investigates regular changes caused by interactions between the Earth and the Sun, and changes to the Earth’s surface
Describes the characteristics and effects of common forms of energy, such as light and heat
Describes how contact and non-contact forces affect an object’s motion
Defines problems, describes and follows algorithms to develop solutions
Describes how digital systems represent and transmit data
Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties; these properties can influence their use
Science knowledge helps people to understand the effects of their actions
With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and predict what might happen based on prior knowledge
Safely use appropriate materials, tools, equipment and technologies
Use formal measurements in the collection and recording of observations
Use a range of methods including tables and column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends
Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings
Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings to show patterns and relationships using formal and informal scientific language
The key concepts in this unit include: