In this unit, designed to last 10 lessons, students will complete the Year 6 ACARA Earth and Space Sciences curriculum, which focuses on natural disasters and extreme climate events.

The final piece of the unit is a group project and presentation, which may take more than one block of class time, and you may want to incorporate the project into your literacy time, condense (lessons 2 & 3) or omit (lesson 8) earlier lessons to compensate.

The presentation itself will be modelled in lesson 4, where you will complete a similar presentation about an earthquake.

8 x 1 hour lessons
Cross curriculum
26x resources/worksheets
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Australian Curriculum - (QLD/SA/WA/NT/TAS/ACT)

ACSSU096

Sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earth’s surface


ACSHE098

Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and reflects historical and cultural contributions


ACSHE100

Scientific knowledge is used to solve problems and inform personal and community decisions


ACSIS232

With guidance, pose clarifying questions and make predictions about scientific investigations


ACSIS103

Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks


ACSIS104

Decide variables to be changed and measured in fair tests, and observe measure and record data with accuracy using digital technologies as appropriate


ACSIS107

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


ACSIS221

Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations


ACSIS108

Reflect on and suggest improvements to scientific investigations


ACSIS110

Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using scientific representations in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts


NSW

ST3-1WS-S

Plans and conducts scientific investigations to answer testable questions, and collects and summarises data to communicate conclusions


ST3-2DP-T

Plans and uses materials, tools and equipment to develop solutions for a need or opportunity


ST3-4LW-S

Examines how the environment affects the growth, survival and adaptation of living things


ST3-5LW-T

Explains how food and fibre are produced sustainably in managed environments for health and nutrition


ST3-6MW-S

Explains the effect of heat on the properties and behaviour of materials


ST3-7MW-T

Explains how the properties of materials determines their use for a range of purposes


ST3-8PW-ST

Explains how energy is transformed from one form to another


ST3-9PW-ST

Investigates the effects of increasing or decreasing the strength of a specific contact or non-contact force


ST3-10ES-S

Explains regular events in the solar system and geological events on the Earth’s surface


ST3-3DP-T

Defines problems, and designs, modifies and follows algorithms to develop solutions


ST3-11DI-T

Explains how digital systems represent data, connect together to form networks and transmit data


VIC

VCSSU073

Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to inform personal and community decisions and to solve problems that directly affect people’s lives


VCSIS082

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


VCSIS083

With guidance, plan appropriate investigation types to answer questions or solve problems and use equipment, technologies and materials safely, identifying potential risks


VCSIS084

Decide which variables should be changed, measured and controlled in fair tests and accurately observe, measure and record data


VCSIS085

Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and graphs, to record, represent and describe observations, patterns or relationships in data


VCSIS086

Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations


VCSIS087

Suggest improvements to the methods used to investigate a question or solve a problem


VCSIS088

Communicate ideas and processes using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena and to identify simple cause-and-effect relationships


Overview

In this unit, students:

  • Learn the common causes of natural disasters (earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes) and extreme weather events (flood, cyclones, tornadoes).
  • Discover how these events shape the surface of the earth and how they impact humans.
  • Investigate how human-caused climate change could be affecting the frequency and severity of these events.
     
Learning Intention
  • We are learning to understand that sudden geological changes and extreme weather events can affect Earth’s surface.
Lessons
Linked Resources & Activities