This unit is designed to cover ten lessons for the Australian National Curriculum for Year 5 Chemical Science. During this unit, students learn the building blocks of chemistry, learning about matter, mixtures, chemicals and compounds, focusing on the way that matter is able to change states with the addition or subtraction of energy (usually in the form of heat).
During the unit, students watch presentations, demonstrations, and take part in investigations. Each lesson has a theme and linked activity, and the unit ends with a piece of summative assessment that can be used for reporting on the Chemical Sciences curriculum for Year 5.
Explain observable properties of solids, liquids and gases by modelling the motion and arrangement of particles
Examine why advances in science are often the result of collaboration or build on the work of others
Investigate how scientific knowledge is used by individuals and communities to identify problems, consider responses and make decisions
Pose investigable questions to identify patterns and test relationships and make reasoned predictions
Plan and conduct repeatable investigations to answer questions, including, as appropriate, deciding the variables to be changed, measured and controlled in fair tests; describing potential risks; planning for the safe use of equipment and materials; and identifying required permissions to conduct investigations on Country/Place
Use equipment to observe, measure and record data with reasonable precision, using digital tools as appropriate
Construct and use appropriate representations, including tables, graphs and visual or physical models, to organise and process data and information and describe patterns, trends and relationships
Compare methods and findings with those of others, recognise possible sources of error, pose questions for further investigation and select evidence to draw reasoned conclusions
Write and create texts to communicate ideas and findings for specific purposes and audiences, including selection of language features, using digital tools as appropriate
Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties and behave in different ways
Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and reflects historical and cultural contributions
Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions
With guidance, pose clarifying questions and make predictions about scientific investigations
Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks
Decide variables to be changed and measured in fair tests, and observe measure and record data with accuracy using digital technologies as appropriate
Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data using digital technologies as appropriate
Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations
Reflect on and suggest improvements to scientific investigations
Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts
Plans and conducts scientific investigations to answer testable questions, and collects and summarises data to communicate conclusions
Plans and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity
Explains the effect of heat on the properties and behaviour of materials
Explains how the properties of materials determines their use for a range of purposes
Examines how the environment affects the growth, survival and adaptation of living things
Explains how food and fibre are produced sustainably in managed environments for health and nutrition
Explains how energy is transformed from one form to another
Investigates the effects of increasing or decreasing the strength of a specific contact or non-contact force
Defines problems, and designs, modifies and follows algorithms to develop solutions
Explains how digital systems represent data, connect together to form networks and transmit data
Explains regular events in the solar system and geological events on the Earth’s surface
Solids, liquids and gases behave in different ways and have observable properties that help to classify them
Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to inform personal and community decisions and to solve problems that directly affect people’s lives
With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be based on previous experiences or general rules
With guidance, plan appropriate investigation types to answer questions or solve problems and use equipment, technologies and materials safely, identifying potential risks
Decide which variables should be changed, measured and controlled in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data
Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to record, represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data
Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations
Suggest improvements to the methods used to investigate a question or solve a problem
Communicate ideas and processes using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and to identify simple cause-and-effect relationships
The key concepts in this unit include: