Primary Connections - Heating Up
Primary Connections - Heating Up
Primary Connections - Heating Up
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Heating up
Year 3
Physical sciences
PrimaryConnections project
Director Ms Shelley Peers (Australian Academy of Science)
Reference Group Professor Jenny Graves, AO FAA (Australian Academy of Science) [Chair]
Ms Shelley Peers (Australian Academy of Science)
ACT Department of Education and Training
Australian Council of Deans of Education
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA)
Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
Australian Literacy Educators’ Association
Australian Primary Principals Association
Australian Science Teachers Association
QLD Department of Education, Training and Employment
Independent Schools Council of Australia
Indigenous Education Consultative Body
National Catholic Education Commission
NSW Department of Education and Communities
NT Department of Education and Training
Primary English Teaching Association Australia
SA Department for Education and Child Development
TAS Department of Education
VIC Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
WA Department of Education
Heating up
Year 3
Physical sciences
Heat is important to us in many ways in our everyday lives. We use heat in practical ways, such as
drying our hair, cooking our dinner and warming our water. We enjoy the feel of the Sun’s warmth
on our skin on a spring day or the satisfying warmth of holding a cup of hot chocolate on a cold
winter’s night. But we also know about the dangers of heat and react instinctively when we touch
a hot stove or walk barefooted on hot sand. However, heat also preoccupies us. We worry about
things being too hot or too cold—the daily temperature, our coffee, our food, the water in the
shower, how we sleep.
The Heating up unit is an ideal way to link science with literacy in the classroom. It provides
opportunities for students to investigate different heat sources and how heat moves from one
object to another. Through hands-on activities, students investigate the difference in conductivity
of materials.
ii
Contents
Unit at a glance 1
Introduction to heat 8
Lesson 1 Warming up 10
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PrimaryConnections
Foreword
The Australian Academy of Science is proud of its long tradition of supporting and informing
science education in Australia. ‘PrimaryConnections: linking science with literacy’ is its flagship
primary school science program, and it is making a real difference to the teaching and learning
of science in Australian schools.
The PrimaryConnections approach has been embraced by schools since its inception in 2004,
and there is substantial evidence of its effectiveness in helping teachers transform their practice.
It builds teacher confidence and competence in this important area, and helps teachers use
their professional skills to incorporate elements of the approach into other areas of the
curriculum. Beginning and pre-service teachers find the approach do-able and sustainable.
PrimaryConnections students enjoy science more than in comparison classes, and Indigenous
students, in particular, show significant increases in learning using the approach.
The project has several components: professional learning, curriculum resources, research
and evaluation, and Indigenous perspectives. With the development of an Australian curriculum
in the sciences by ACARA in December 2010, it is an exciting time for schools to engage
with science, and to raise the profile of primary science education.
Students are naturally curious. PrimaryConnections provides an inquiry-based approach
that helps students develop deep learning, and guides them to find scientific ways to answer
their questions. The lessons include key science background information, and further science
information is included on the PrimaryConnections website (www.primaryconnections.org.au).
Science education provides a foundation for a scientifically literate society, which is so important
for engagement in key community debates, such as climate change, carbon emissions, and
immunisation, as well as for personal decisions about health and well-being. The inquiry
approach in PrimaryConnections prepares students well to participate in evidence-based
discussions of these and other issues.
PrimaryConnections has been developed with the financial support of the Australian Government
and has been endorsed by education authorities across the country. The Steering Committee,
comprising the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations and Academy
representatives, and the Reference Group, which includes representatives from all stakeholder
bodies including states and territories, have provided invaluable guidance and support.
Before publication, the teacher background information on science is reviewed by a Fellow
of the Academy. All these inputs have ensured an award-winning, quality program.
The Fellows of the Academy are committed to ongoing support for teachers of science at
all levels. I commend PrimaryConnections to you and wish you well in your teaching.
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Heating up
More information on PrimaryConnections 5Es teaching and learning model can be found at:
www.primaryconnections.org.au
Assessment
Assessment against the year level achievement standards of the Australian Curriculum:
Science (ACARA, 2014) is ongoing and embedded in PrimaryConnections units.
Assessment is linked to the development of literacy practices and products. Relevant
understandings and skills are highlighted at the beginning of each lesson. Different types of
assessment are emphasised in different phases:
Diagnostic assessment occurs in the Engage phase. This assessment is to elicit
students’ prior knowledge so that the teacher can take account of this when planning how
the Explore and Explain lessons will be implemented.
Formative assessment occurs in the Explore and Explain phases. This enables the
teacher to monitor students’ developing understanding and provide feedback that can
extend and deepen students’ learning.
Summative assessment of the students’ achievement developed throughout the unit
occurs in the Elaborate phase for the Science Inquiry Skills, and in the Evaluate phase for
the Science Understanding.
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Heating up
Science Understanding
Earth and space sciences Understanding Earth’s dynamic structure and its place in the cosmos
Physical sciences Understanding the nature of forces and motion, and matter and energy
Use and influence of How science knowledge and applications affect people’s lives and
science how science is influenced by society and can be used to inform
decisions and actions
Planning and conducting Making decisions regarding how to investigate or solve a problem
and carrying out an investigation, including the collection of data
Processing and analysing Representing data in meaningful and useful ways; identifying
data and information trends, patterns and relationships in data, and using evidence to
justify conclusions
All the material in this table is sourced from the Australian Curriculum.
There will be a minimum of four PrimaryConnections units for each year of primary school
from Foundation to Year 6—at least one for each Science Understanding sub-strand of
the Australian Curriculum. Each unit contains detailed information about its alignment with
all aspects of the Australian Curriculum: Science and its links to the Australian Curriculum:
English and Mathematics.
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PrimaryConnections
Safety
Learning to use materials and equipment safely is central to working scientifically. It is
important, however, for teachers to review each lesson before teaching to identify and
manage safety issues specific to a group of students. A safety icon is included in
lessons where there is a need to pay particular attention to potential safety hazards.
The following guidelines will help minimise risks:
• Be aware of the school’s policy on safety in the classroom and for excursions.
• Check students’ health records for allergies or other health issues.
• Be aware of potential dangers by trying out activities before students do them.
• Caution students about potential dangers before they begin an activity.
• Clean up spills immediately as slippery floors are dangerous.
• Instruct students never to taste, smell or eat anything unless they are given permission.
• Discuss and display a list of safe practices for science activities.
References
Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2014). Australian Curriculum: Science.
www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
Bybee, R.W. (1997). Achieving scientific literacy: from purposes to practical action. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Programme for International Student Assessment & Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
(2009). PISA 2009 assessment framework: key competencies in reading, mathematics and science.
Paris: OECD Publishing.
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Heating up
ENGAGE Lesson 1 To capture students’ interest and find out what they
Warming up think they know about how heat can be produced in
many ways and can move from one object to another.
To elicit students’ questions about heat and
keeping warm.
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PrimaryConnections
Science Physical ACSSU049 Heat can be produced in many ways and can 1–7
Understanding sciences move from one object to another
Science as Nature and ACSHE050 Science involves making predictions and 1–4, 6
a Human development of describing patterns and relationships
Endeavour science
Science Questioning and ACSIS053 With guidance, identify questions in familiar 1–4, 6
Inquiry Skills predicting contexts that can be investigated scientifically
and predict what might happen based on
prior knowledge
Processing and ACSIS057 Use a range of methods including tables and 2–4, 6
analysing data simple column graphs to represent data and to
and information identify patterns and trends
All the material in the first four columns of this table is sourced from the Australian Curriculum.
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Heating up
Year 3
All the terms in this diagram are sourced from the Australian Curriculum.
Patterns, order and Students classify heat sources into groups according to the type of energy
organisation used to produce the heat. They explore the cause and effect of heat transfer
from one object to another.
Form and function Students explore how materials can slow down heat flow (insulating properties).
They explore the observable properties of heat sources in the classroom and
at home.
Stability and change Students observe that the temperature of objects can change if they are touching
a heat source. They identify that objects lose heat until they are the same
temperature as the other object.
Scale and Students experience heat sources as cold, warm, hot and very hot. They measure
measurement how the temperature of materials changes over time to identify heat loss or
gain, and discuss whether the heat has transferred to or from the material.
Matter and energy Students identify sources of heat energy, both those that are actively producing
heat (primary sources) and those that are hotter than their environment due to
stored heat (secondary sources). They discuss different energy sources that
can be transformed into heat energy. Students explore basic principles of heat
energy transfer and represent heat flow on annotated diagrams.
Systems Students investigate simple thermodynamic systems of heat transfer. They describe
relationships and interactions between heat sources and other materials, such
as the air or hot water.
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PrimaryConnections
Curriculum focus
The Australian Curriculum: Science is described by year level, but provides advice across four
year groupings on the nature of learners. Each year grouping has a relevant curriculum focus.
Recognising questions that can Students use their everyday experience of warming
be investigated scientifically and themselves, or use stimulus material about animals trying
investigating them to keep warm, to generate inquiry questions about heat
conduction. They develop their science investigation
skills to conduct fair tests and gather evidence to support
their claims.
Achievement standards
The achievement standards of the Australian Curriculum: Science indicate the quality of
learning that students typically demonstrate by a particular point in their schooling, for
example, at the end of a year level. These standards will be reviewed regularly by ACARA
and are available from the ACARA website.
By the end of this unit, teachers will be able to make evidence-based judgments on whether
the students are achieving below, at or above the Australian Curriculum: Science Year 3
achievement standard.
General capabilities
The skills, behaviours and attributes that students need to succeed in life and work in
the 21st century have been identified in the Australian Curriculum as general capabilities.
There are seven general capabilities and they are embedded throughout the units. For further
information see: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
For examples of our unit-specific general capabilities information see the next page.
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Heating up
Literacy Literacy knowledge specific to the study In Heating up the literacy focuses are:
of science develops along with scientific • science journals
understanding and skills. • ideas maps
PrimaryConnections learning activities • word walls
explicitly introduce literacy focuses and
• tables
provide students with the opportunity to
use them as they think about, reason and • t-charts
represent their understanding of science. • posters.
Information and ICT competence is particularly evident Students are given optional opportunities to:
communication in Science Inquiry Skills. Students use • use interactive resource technology to view, record
technology (ICT) digital technologies to investigate, create, and analyse information
competence communicate, and share ideas and results. • use information technology to record and analyse
information.
All the material in the first two columns of this table is sourced from the Australian Curriculum.
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PrimaryConnections
Cross-curriculum priorities
There are three cross-curriculum priorities identified by the Australian Curriculum:
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
• Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
• Sustainability.
For further information see: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au
Sustainability
In Heating up, students discuss how heat sources need to continually transform another
energy source to keep something warmer than its surrounding environment. Teachers might
choose to elaborate on sustainable technologies to improve sustainable living in terms of
heating and insulating homes. This might assist students to develop knowledge, skills and
values for making decisions about individual and community actions that contribute
to sustainable patterns of use of the Earth’s natural resources.
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Heating up
English– Language for ACELA1475 Understand that languages have different written 1–7
Language interaction and visual communication systems, different oral
traditions and different ways of constructing
meaning
Text structure ACELA1476 Understand that successful cooperation with others 1–7
and organisation depends on shared use of social conventions,
including turn-taking patterns, and forms of
address that vary according to the degree of
formality in social situations
English– Creating ACELT1791 Create texts that adapt language features and 1, 5
Literature literature patterns encountered in literary texts, for example
characterisation, rhyme, rhythm, mood, music,
sound effects and dialogue
English– Interacting with ACELY1676 Listen to and contribute to conversations and 1–7
Literacy others discussions to share information and ideas and
negotiate in collaborative situations
Mathematics– Using units of ACMMG061 Measure, order and compare objects using 6
Measurement measurement familiar metric units of length, mass and capacity
and Geometry
Mathematics– Data ACMSP069 Collect data, organise into categories and create 2, 3, 6
Statistics and representation displays using lists, tables, picture graphs and
Probability and simple column graphs, with and without the use
interpretation of digital technologies
All the material in the first four columns of this table is sourced from the Australian Curriculum.
Other links are highlighted at the end of lessons where possible. These links will be revised and updated
on the website (www.primaryconnections.org.au).
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PrimaryConnections
Students’ conceptions
Taking account of students’ existing ideas is important in planning effective teaching approaches
which help students learn science. Students develop their own ideas during their experiences
in everyday life and might hold more than one idea about an event or phenomenon.
Students might think that the terms ‘hot’ and ‘cold’ are absolutes and opposites. However, ‘hot’
can be translated as ‘has a higher temperature than me’ and ‘cold’ as ‘has a lower temperature
than me’. We intuitively understand the world in terms of what is hot or cold to us, but this
would be very different if, for example, we had an internal body temperature of 120°C.
Students might think that ‘cold’ moves from one material to another. Statements such as
‘Don’t let the cold in!’ imply this. Heat energy always transfers from the hotter object to the
colder one.
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Heating up
References
Cool facts about heat. Beyond penguins and polar bears
www.beyondpenguins.ehe.osu.edu/issue/keeping -warm/cool-facts-about-heat
Cool cosmos ‘What is heat?’
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/light_lessons/thermal/heat.html
Burgoon, J., Heddle, M. & Duran, E. (2010). ‘Re-Examining the Similarities Between Teacher and Students
Conceptions About Physical Science’, Journal Science Teacher Education (2911), 22:101–114.
Hapkiewicz, A. (1992). ‘Finding a List of Science Misconceptions’, MSTA Newsletter, 38 (Winter ’92), pp. 11–14.
Skamp, K. (Ed.) (2012). Teaching primary science constructively (4th Edn). South Melbourne:
Cengage Learning Australia.
To access more in-depth science information in the form of text, diagrams and
animations, refer to the PrimaryConnections Science Background Resource which
has now been loaded on the PrimaryConnections website:
www.primaryconnections.org.au/science-background-resource/.
Note: This background information is intended for the teacher only.
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PrimaryConnections
Lesson 1 Warming up
AT A GLANCE
To capture students' interest and find out what they think they know about how heat
can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another.
ENGAGE
Lesson focus
The focus of the Engage phase is to spark students’ interest, stimulate their curiosity, raise
questions for inquiry and elicit their existing beliefs about the topic. These existing ideas
can then be taken account of in future lessons.
Assessment focus
Diagnostic assessment is an important aspect of the Engage phase. In this lesson you
will elicit what students already know and understand about:
• how heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another.
You will also monitor their developing science inquiry skills (see page 3).
10 Lesson 1 Warming up
Heating up
This lesson also provides opportunities to monitor the development of students’ general
capabilities (highlighted through icons, see page 5).
Equipment
FOR THE CLASS FOR EACH STUDENT
ENGAGE
• multimedia resources showing animals
or humans trying to keep warm
(see ‘Preparation’)
Preparation
• Read ‘How to use a science journal’ (Appendix 2).
• Read ‘How to use a word wall’ (Appendix 3).
• Create a template for an ideas map (see Lesson step 6) in the class science journal
and record the topic 'keeping warm' in the centre.
• Prepare an area for students to stand and role-play the way they feel in different
situations (see Lesson step 1). If the classroom is small consider using an outside area.
Identify multimedia resources, such as pictures or videos, which show animals or
humans trying to keep warm, for example:
• BBC Learning zone clip 12886, ‘Penguin Huddle’:
www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/penguin-huddle/12886.html
• Discovery atlas: Snow monkeys:
dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/other-shows/videos/discovery-atlas-snow-monkeys.htm
• The book Antarctica by Helen Cowcher, ISBN: 0-374-40371-6.
• Create a page in the class science journal titled ‘Our questions about heat’.
• Optional: Display the science journal, multimedia resources and ideas map on an interactive
whiteboard. Check the PrimaryConnections website to see if an accompanying
interactive resource has been developed: www.primaryconnections.org.au
Lesson steps
1 Introduce the multimedia depicting animals trying to keep warm (see ‘Preparation’).
Ask questions, such as:
• What do you think they are doing?
• Why do you think they are doing that?
• How might this help them keep warm?
Lesson 1 Warming up 11
PrimaryConnections
Note: In the Engage phase, do not provide any formal definitions or correct students’
answers as the purpose is to elicit students’ prior knowledge.
2 Introduce the class science journal and discuss its purpose and features.
Literacy focus
Why do we use a science journal?
We use a science journal to record what we see, hear, feel and think so that we can
look at it later.
A science journal includes dates and times. It might include written text, drawings,
measurements, labelled diagrams, photographs, tables and graphs.
Literacy focus
Why do we use an ideas map?
We use an ideas map to show our thoughts about a topic.
7 Ask students to think about ways to keep warm. Organise the ideas map using
categories, such as:
• Go somewhere warm.
• Stand near something warm.
• Hold something warm.
• Put warm clothes on.
• Move your body.
12 Lesson 1 Warming up
Heating up
Ask students to add ideas to each of these categories, for example, by coming
forward and drawing pictures or by describing things that they or you can record.
Optional: Ask students to create their own ideas map in their science journals.
ENGAGE
Work sample of a class ideas map on ways to keep warm
8 Use guided questioning to find out what students think they know about heat and the
movement of heat, for example:
• Why do you think a heater is hot?
• How do you think a blanket keeps you warm?
• Why do people need heat?
• In what everyday activities do we use heat?
• What are some sources of heat that we rely on?
• How do we measure heat?
Write students’ explanations on the ideas map and join them with arrows or lines to
the ideas they explain.
9 Ask students to hold an ice block in their hands and observe and feel what happens.
After the ice has melted and students have dried their hands ask them to touch their
faces and describe how their hands feel. Ask students to draw a picture and write to
explain what they think happened to cause the ice block to melt and why their hands
were cold using the following sentence starters:
The ice block melted because …
My hand was cold afterwards because …
Lesson 1 Warming up 13
PrimaryConnections
ENGAGE
Record students’ questions about heat and warming up on the ‘Our questions about
heat’ page of the class science journal.
10 Draw students’ attention to the word wall and discuss its purpose and features.
Literacy focus
Why do we use a word wall?
We use a word wall to record words we know or learn about a topic. We display the
word wall in the classroom so that we can look up words we are learning about and see
how they are spelled.
Ask students what words or images from today’s lesson would be useful to place on the
word wall.
Invite students to contribute words from different languages to the word wall, including
local Indigenous words for hot, cold, heat or warmth, if possible.
Curriculum links
English
• Use comparative language, such as cold, colder, coldest; warm, warmer, warmest.
The Arts
• Discuss requirements of clothing that is used for warmth.
Indigenous perspectives
• Discuss traditional ways to keep warm, for example, wearing a kangaroo skin.
14 Lesson 1 Warming up
Lesson 2 Hot spots
AT A GLANCE
To provide students with hands-on, shared experiences of identifying heat sources in the
classroom and at home.
Session 1 Hot or not?
Students:
• identify heat sources in the classroom
• identify primary and secondary heat sources
• record observations in a table.
EXPLORE
Session 2 Heat at home
Students:
• identify primary and secondary heat sources at home
• take a photo or draw a heat source and bring to school.
Lesson focus
The Explore phase is designed to provide students with hands-on experiences of the
science phenomenon. Students explore ideas, collect evidence, discuss their observations
and keep records, such as science journal entries. The Explore phase ensures all students
have a shared experience that can be discussed and explained in the Explain phase.
Assessment focus
Formative assessment is an ongoing aspect of the Explore phase. It involves monitoring
students’ developing understanding and giving feedback that extends their learning. In this
lesson you will monitor students’ developing understanding of:
• how heat can be produced in many ways.
This lesson also provides opportunities to monitor the development of students’ general
capabilities (highlighted through icons, see page 5).
EXPLORE
Students’ conceptions
When looking for heat sources, students might be confused by their body heat and identify
things such as books as being warm. This might also arise from a confusion of what ‘warm’
means. Encourage students to identify whether things are actually warming their hand and
ask the whole team to check whether they agree.
Students might think the wick of a candle is burning, however it is the wax vapour which burns
to form the majority of the flame we see. The wick does burn, but its main purpose is to
provide a way for the wax to get hot enough to vaporise and burn.
Students might think that the Earth gets heat by thermal radiation from the Sun. The Sun is
actually too far from the Earth to heat it directly. Instead, the light from the Sun is reflected or
absorbed by objects on Earth. Absorbed light usually increases the energy in an object,
causing the object to heat up.
Some students might think that materials are intrinsically warm (blankets) or cold (metals).
They might think that objects that keep things warm—such as a sweater or gloves—may be
thought to be sources of heat instead of the objects keeping things warm by trapping heat.
EXPLORE
• class science journal • role wristbands or badges for Director,
• word wall Manager and Speaker
• team roles chart • each team member’s science journal
• team skills chart • 1 copy of ‘What’s hot?’
(Resource sheet 1) per team member
• 1 enlarged copy of ‘What’s hot?’
(Resource sheet 1)
• candle
• hot water bottle
• kettle containing warm water
• collection of heat sources or pictures of
them (see ‘Preparation’)
Preparation
• Read ‘How to organise collaborative learning teams (Year 3–Year 6)’ (Appendix 1).
Display an enlarged copy of the team skills chart and the team roles chart in the
classroom. Prepare role wristbands or badges.
• Prepare an enlarged copy of ‘What’s hot?’ (Resource sheet 1).
• Collect other heat sources, or pictures of them, for students to explore in the
classroom, such as a hairdryer, curling wand, computer, clock/radio, warm cup of tea.
• Optional: Display the pictures of heat sources and ‘What’s hot?’ (Resource sheet 1)
on an interactive whiteboard. Check the PrimaryConnections website to see if an
accompanying interactive resource has been developed
(www.primaryconnections.org.au).
• Prepare a class T-chart with the column headings ‘Heat producers’, and ‘Heated by
something else’. Leave space for a title at the top of the sheet (see Lesson steps 9
and 11).
Lesson steps
1 Review the previous lesson using the class science journal. Using the ideas map,
review things that students identified as those to stand next to when trying to warm up.
2 Explain that students will be working in collaborative learning teams to see how many
different things they can find in the classroom that feel warm or hot. Discuss how to
identify if things are warm or hot, for example, by feeling if they are warm to touch.
Optional: Allow teams to investigate more areas than just the classroom.
3 Discuss safe ways of searching for heat sources, including slowly moving a hand
towards something, and withdrawing before it gets too hot.
4 Introduce the enlarged copy of ‘What’s hot?’ (Resource sheet 1). Read through and
discuss. Discuss the purpose and features of a table.
Literacy focus
Why do we use a table?
EXPLORE
5 Model how to complete the table using a candle. Write ‘candle’ in the first column.
Ask students to touch the candle. Ask questions, such as:
• Did you expect it to be hot? Why/Why not?
• What does it need in order to be hot? Why?
Light the candle and complete the rest of the columns.
Safety note: Remind students to slowly move their hands towards the candle and
move their hands away when it becomes too hot.
6 Discuss the last column ‘Produces its own heat? Or heated by something else?’
Ask students:
• Is the candle producing its own heat or is it heated by something else?
(Producing its own heat.)
• How do you know? (I can see it burning.)
Model how to complete the last column for a candle.
7 Show students the cold hot water bottle. Discuss what it is and what it is used for.
Pour warm water from a kettle into the hot water bottle. Ask students to feel the heat
of it. Ask students:
• Is the hot water bottle producing its own heat or is it heated by something else?
(Heated by something else.)
• How do you know? (The hot water in it was heated by a kettle.)
Discuss how students will form teams to complete an entry on their resource sheet for
the hot water bottle and other items in the classroom.
8 Form teams and allocate roles. Ask Managers to collect team equipment.
If students are using collaborative learning teams for the first time, introduce and
explain the team skills chart and the team roles chart. Explain that students will use
role wristbands or badges to help them (and you) know which role each member has.
Allow time for teams to complete the activity.
EXPLORE
Work sample of ‘What’s hot?’ (Resource sheet 1)
9 Explain that teams will share their findings as a class using a T-chart. Introduce the
T-chart (see ‘Preparation’) and discuss its purpose and features.
Literacy focus
Why do we use a T-chart?
We use a T-chart to organise information so that we can understand it more easily.
10 Ask Speakers to share their team’s findings. List warm or hot objects found by teams
on self-adhesive notes and ask the Speakers to place it in the column on the T-chart
that matches their findings. Encourage dialogue by asking questions, such as:
• Who agrees with what this team found? Why?
• Who disagrees with what this team found? Why?
11 Write the title ‘Heat sources in our classroom’ above the T-chart and ask students
what they think a ‘heat source’ is. Discuss how it is something that gives heat to other
things and that all of these things are heat sources.
12 Read through the heat producers’ side of the T-chart and ask questions, such as:
EXPLORE
What’s hot?
Name: Date:
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science, 2014. ISBN 978 0 85847 329 4 Resource sheet 1
PrimaryConnections
Preparation
EXPLORE
• Set up a ‘Heat collection’ board for the students to place their photos or pictures of heat
sources brought from home. Use a T-chart format as in Session 1 with the title ‘Heat sources
at home’, and the columns ‘Heat producers’ and ‘Heated by something else’.
• Prepare an enlarged copy of ‘Information note for families’ (Resource sheet 2).
Lesson steps
1 Review the previous lesson using the class science journal and T-chart. Discuss objects
and activities that were warm, hot or very hot to touch.
2 Explain to students that they will be looking for heat sources at home. Ask students to
find an object at home that is a heat source and either take a photo or draw a picture
of it. Discuss examples of what they might find. Examples include a hairdryer, curling
wand, matches, stove element, gas burners, hot water system, television, electric
blanket, oven, clock/radio or printer.
3 Introduce the enlarged copy of ‘Information note for families’ (Resource sheet 2) and
discuss the ‘Tasks to do’ section.
Remind students of safe ways of searching for heat sources, including slowly moving
a hand towards something, and withdrawing before it gets too hot.
4 Show students the ‘Heat collection’ board where their photos and drawings will be placed
for discussion in the next lesson.
5 Distribute ‘Information note for families’ (Resource sheet 2) to students.
6 Update the word wall with words and images.
Curriculum links
Science
• Further investigate and compare different ways heat can be produced.
Mathematics
• Create a graph of how many heat sources were found in different locations.
Tasks to do
1. Students brainstorm with family and friends different objects at home that are heat sources and
discuss if each one is warm, hot or very hot.
2. Discuss whether the object is producing heat or was heated by something else.
For example:
• A hairdryer. The vent area can get hot. It produces its own heat.
• A globe in a bedside lamp. It can get hot. It produces its own heat.
• A saucepan on stove. It gets very hot. It is heated by something else (a gas burner).
3. Students to choose one object that is a heat source and bring a photo or drawing of it to class.
Class teacher
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science, 2014. ISBN 978 0 85847 329 4 Resource sheet 2
PrimaryConnections
AT A GLANCE
To provide students with hands-on, shared experiences of ways in which heat is produced.
Students:
• sort pictures into three groups according to how they produce heat
• find objects and items to include in the groups.
Lesson focus
EXPLORE
The Explore phase is designed to provide students with hands-on experiences of the
science phenomenon. Students explore ideas, collect evidence, discuss their observations
and keep records, such as science journal entries. The Explore phase ensures all students
have a shared experience that can be discussed and explained in the Explain phase.
Assessment focus
Formative assessment is an ongoing aspect of the Explore phase. It involves monitoring
students’ developing understanding and giving feedback that extends their learning. In this
lesson you will monitor students’ developing understanding of:
• how heat can be produced in many ways.
This lesson also provides opportunities to monitor the development of students’ general
capabilities (highlighted through icons, see page 5).
EXPLORE
Chemical energy
Chemical energy is energy stored in atoms and molecules. Chemical energy is released in a
chemical reaction, often in the form of heat. Examples of stored chemical energy include matches,
batteries, petroleum, natural gas and dry wood. As each of these burns, they release chemical
energy which is converted to thermal energy (heat) and light energy. For example, a match
has chemical energy stored in it. When the match is struck, it burns and the chemical in it
produces heat energy and light energy.
Reference
CoolCosmos: What is heat?
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/light_lessons/thermal/heat.html
Equipment
FOR THE CLASS FOR EACH TEAM
Preparation
• Collect objects, photos or pictures of heat sources that use:
• electricity, such as a hairdryer, heater, toaster, sandwich maker
• chemicals (burning), such as a tea candle, fire, gas heater, cigarette lighter
• friction, such as a pencil sharpener, hands rubbing together, sandpaper, skid mark
from a bike, using the brakes on a car.
• Prepare an enlarged copy of ‘Warming ways’ (Resource sheet 3).
• Optional: Display ‘Warming ways’ (Resource sheet 3) on an interactive whiteboard.
Check the PrimaryConnections website to see if an accompanying interactive
resource has been developed: www.primaryconnections.org.au
Lesson steps
1 Review the previous lesson using the class science journal. Discuss objects that are
EXPLORE
heat producers. Compare them with things that are heated by something else.
2 Ask students to place the photo or drawing that they have brought from home on
the ‘Heat collection’ board in the appropriate column. Discuss items with the class.
Discuss the amount of heat it produces and whether it is a heat producer or heated
by something else. Compare this with the T-chart from Lesson 2, Session 1, and note
similarities and differences. Discuss how there are many different types of heat sources.
3 Introduce the enlarged copy of ‘Warming ways’ (Resource sheet 3). Explain that
students will be working in collaborative learning teams to individually cut out and then
sort the pictures into three groups according to what they think each uses to produce
heat. Ask students to paste the pictures into their science journals, putting each group
on a separate page, and pasting the title for the group at the top of the page.
4 Explain that each team will then find other things from the collection of objects and
pictures, including those brought from home, of other items that might go in each
group (see ‘Preparation’). Ask students to write or draw each item that they find onto
the page of the group that they think it belongs to.
5 Form teams and ask Managers to collect team equipment. Allow time for teams to
complete the activity.
6 Ask Speakers to present their team’s findings, providing reasons for their choices.
Encourage students to agree or disagree with each team using the ‘Science question
starters’ (see Appendix 5).
Ask teams questions, such as:
• What did you use to help you decide how to make your groups?
• Was there any object that you weren’t sure of which group to put it in? Why?
7 Revise the ‘Our questions about heat’ page in the class science journal. Add any new
questions that students might have.
8 Update the word wall with words and images.
EXPLORE
Work sample of heat sources that use electricity
Warming ways
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science, 2014. ISBN 978 0 85847 329 4 Resource sheet 3
Lesson 4 Sharing the warmth
AT A GLANCE
To provide students with hands-on, shared experiences of heat moving from one object
to another.
Students:
• observe that many objects do not produce heat
• explore how objects obtain heat by being in contact with a heat source.
EXPLORE
Lesson focus
The Explore phase is designed to provide students with hands-on experiences of the
science phenomenon. Students explore ideas, collect evidence, discuss their observations
and keep records, such as science journal entries. The Explore phase ensures all students
have a shared experience that can be discussed and explained in the Explain phase.
Assessment focus
Formative assessment is an ongoing aspect of the Explore phase. It involves monitoring
students’ developing understanding and giving feedback that extends their learning. In this
lesson you will monitor students’ developing understanding of:
• how heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another.
This lesson also provides opportunities to monitor the development of students’ general
capabilities (highlighted through icons, see page 5).
depends strongly on the geometry and type of materials. For example, the recently
discovered thinnest material graphene, which is composed of just a single layer of carbon
atoms, is known for its fast heat transfer properties.
Students’ conceptions
Students might think that heat is an intrinsic property of materials, that a metal is always hot
or always cold depending on which memory students are drawing on. However, intrinsic
properties of materials are their capacity to conduct heat and to store thermal energy when
warmed by heat sources. Since metals conduct heat quickly they are useful cooking
implements, spreading the heat from the heat source quickly and evenly through the material
but they are not creating the heat themselves.
Equipment
FOR THE CLASS FOR EACH TEAM
Preparation
• Prepare an enlarged copy of ‘Warm me up!’ (Resource sheet 4).
• Pre-heat the heat pack for Lesson step 4.
• Optional: Display ‘Warm me up!’ (Resource sheet 4) on an interactive whiteboard.
Check the PrimaryConnections website to see if an accompanying interactive
resource has been developed: www.primaryconnections.org.au
Lesson steps
1 Review previous lessons using the science chat-board. Review the ‘Heat sources’
table and discuss how if something feels warm or hot it might be producing its own
heat or it might be absorbing heat from something else.
2 Discuss how most things around us do not produce heat. Ask students to find objects in
the classroom that do not produce heat. List students’ ideas in the class science journal.
EXPLORE
3 Show students a metal spoon. Ask students to feel the spoon and describe its
temperature.
4 Introduce the heated heat pack and ask students to feel that it is very warm. Ask students
what they think will happen when you wrap the hot heat pack around the cold spoon.
5 Wrap a hot heat pack around the spoon, wait for one minute and then unwrap and
ask some students to feel if the spoon is still cold or if it is warm, hot or very hot.
Ask students what they think happened to make the spoon warmer.
6 Draw a picture of the spoon on the heat pack in the class science journal. Discuss the
purpose and features of a labelled diagram.
Literacy focus
Why do we use a labelled diagram?
We use a labelled diagram to show the shape, size and features of an object.
Ask students to draw arrows to show the heat going from the heat pack to the spoon.
7 Introduce the enlarged copy of ‘Warm me up!’ (Resource sheet 4) and discuss with
students. Explain that students will be working in collaborative learning teams to find
ways of heating up the metal spoon. Discuss examples with students, such as putting it
out on the court, placing it on the path, holding it next to a heater, putting it on a
heated hot water bottle, putting it in warm water, putting it on hot sand, holding it over
a candle, blowing it with a hairdryer, or putting it close to your skin for body heat.
8 Discuss that teams will look for places that are heat sources, place the metal spoon
there for two minutes and then feel the spoon for whether it is warm, hot or
very hot. Model how to measure for 2 minutes and how to complete the table.
9 Re-form teams and allocate roles. Ask Managers to collect team equipment.
10 Ask Speakers to present their team’s findings and which heat source they think would
be the best to use to get warm and why they think that. Encourage students to provide
reasons and evidence for their conclusions. Invite students to agree or disagree with
each team using the ‘Science question starters’ (see Appendix 5).
Ask questions, such as:
• What was the best heat source that you could find for the spoon?
• Did it need to touch the heat source? Why do you think that?
• How does the heat move to heat the spoon up?
• Which heat source do we think is the best to warm up the spoon? Why?
11 Revise the ‘Our questions about heat’ page in the class science journal. Add any new
questions that students might have.
12 Update the word wall with words and images.
Warm me up!
Name: Date:
Draw each heat source touching the spoon. Draw arrows to show the heat source heating up the spoon.
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science, 2014. ISBN 978 0 85847 329 4 Resource sheet 4
PrimaryConnections
AT A GLANCE
To support students to represent and explain their understanding of how heat can be
produced and can move from object to object, and to introduce current scientific views.
Students:
• represent their understanding of heat sources and the movement of heat using
everyday scenarios
• create a poster warning others about the dangers of heat.
Lesson focus
In the Explain phase students develop a literacy product to represent their developing
understanding. They discuss and identify patterns and relationships within their observations.
Students consider the current views of scientists and deepen their own understanding.
EXPLAIN
Assessment focus
Formative assessment is an ongoing aspect of the Explain phase. It involves monitoring
students’ developing understanding and giving feedback that extends their learning. In this
lesson you will monitor students’ developing understanding of:
• how heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another.
You are also able to look for evidence of students’ use of appropriate ways to represent
what they know and understand about heat sources and transfer, and give them feedback
on how they can improve their representations. You will also monitor their developing
science inquiry skills (see page 2).
This lesson also provides opportunities to monitor the development of students’ general
capabilities (highlighted through icons, see page 5).
Equipment
EXPLAIN
FOR THE CLASS FOR EACH TEAM
Preparation
• Prepare an enlarged copy of ‘Moving heat’ (Resource sheet 5).
• Optional: Display ‘Moving heat’ (Resource sheet 5) on an interactive whiteboard.
Check the PrimaryConnections website to see if an accompanying interactive
resource has been developed: www.primaryconnections.org.au
Lesson steps
1 Review previous lessons using the class science journal. Ask questions, such as:
• What have we learned about heat?
• How is heat produced? What ways do you know of?
• What is a heat source?
• What happens when two things are touching and one is hotter than the other?
2 Introduce the enlarged copy of ‘Moving heat’ (Resource sheet 5). Read through and
discuss. Explain that each student will complete the resource sheet by drawing the
missing heat source and showing how the heat from the heat source moves to the
colder object. Allow time for students to complete the activity.
3 Discuss the completed resource sheets with students, explaining what heat source is
missing, and using arrows to show the movement of heat. Discuss the producers of
heat in each picture.
4 Discuss how heat moves from a hotter to a colder object; and that materials which
allow heat to flow easily are called ‘conductors’.
5 Explain that students will be working in collaborative learning teams to choose one of
the pictures excluding the lizard and create a poster to warn other students about the
dangers of touching hot objects. For example, the poster might:
• warn students not to touch the metal handle of a hot frying pan, or to be careful
when using a metal teaspoon in a hot cup of tea (because metal is a good conductor).
EXPLAIN
• warn students to be careful when walking barefooted on hot sand at the beach.
6 Discuss the purpose and features of a poster.
Literacy focus
Why do we use a poster?
We use a poster to display ideas and information. We can view a poster to collect
information about a topic.
7 Ask students to include in their poster scientific words and information that they have
learned during the unit about heat sources, how heat is produced and how heat moves.
8 Form teams. Ask Managers to collect team equipment. Allow time for teams to
complete the activity.
9 Ask Speakers to present their team’s poster to the class.
10 Review the ‘Our questions about heat’ section of the class science journal and answer
any questions that can be answered.
11 Optional: For each unanswered question, discuss with students whether the question
is relevant to the topic and feasible to investigate. If it is, discuss a plan of action for a
way to find that information, for example, through secondary sources, such as credible
textbooks or websites, or carry out an investigation.
12 Update the word wall with words and images.
Curriculum links
Science
• Read ‘The Magic Schoolbus in the Arctic’ (ISBN-10: 0590187244/ ISBN-13:
978-0590187244) or watch the animated YouTube video based on it. Discuss the
characters’ experiences with heat, heat sources and keeping warm, and relate them
to what they have learned during the unit.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT)
• Find a digital camera for the class that can take infrared photographs. Some
computers, tablets and phones have programs or applications that allow you to take
infrared photographs.
• Source multimedia resources to help students understand the concept of heat,
for example, books or websites such as the BBC’s Ks3 Bitesize: Science website.
EXPLAIN
Moving heat
Name: Date:
Draw in the missing heat source. Use arrows to show the movement of heat.
to the____________________________________ . to the____________________________________ .
to the____________________________________ . to the____________________________________ .
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science, 2014. ISBN 978 0 85847 329 4 Resource sheet 5
Lesson 6 Getting warmer
AT A GLANCE
Lesson focus
In the Elaborate phase students plan and conduct an open investigation to apply and
extend their new conceptual understanding in a new context. It is designed to challenge
and extend students’ science understanding and science inquiry skills.
Assessment focus
Summative assessment of the Science Inquiry Skills is an important focus of the
ELABORATE
Elaborate phase (see page 3).
This lesson also provides opportunities to monitor the development of students’ general
capabilities (highlighted through icons, see page 5).
Students’ conceptions
Sometimes students believe that insulators are heat sources, because they seem to make
things warm when they are actually slowing or blocking heat loss. Insulators will stop the
heat from flowing, so things that are warm tend to say warm, but they are not a heat source.
Equipment
FOR THE CLASS FOR EACH TEAM
Preparation
• Read ‘How to conduct a fair test’ (Appendix 5).
• Read ‘How to write questions for investigation’ (Appendix 6).
• Collect a container of at least 250 mL for each team, stable enough to not tip over
when things are put inside, such as a glass jar or a ceramic mug.
• Optional: Have up to three teams sharing the same jar or mug.
• Collect sticks or spoons, such as a wooden spoon, a plastic spoon and a metal
spoon, for each team.
• Optional: Have one of each type for each student, as they cool down quickly.
• Set up a safety zone where you can prepare the hot water and keep the cups or
mugs. Decide on a class safety procedure for team Managers to collect their sticks
or spoons from the water, for example, by staggering when they are put into the hot
water so not every team is collecting at the same time, and drying the sticks or spoons
before handling them.
• Optional: Pour the water into the cups that each team is in charge of keeping safe on
their table.
• Keep water temperature below 50°C, for example, by mixing almost boiled water with
equal parts of cold water.
• Prepare an enlarged copy of ‘Hot water investigation planner’ (Resource sheet 6).
• Optional: Display ‘Hot water investigation planner’ (Resource sheet 6) on an interactive
whiteboard. Check the PrimaryConnections website to see if an accompanying
interactive resource has been developed: www.primaryconnections.org.au
Lesson steps
1 Review previous lessons using the science chat-board. Review the ‘Heat sources’
table and ask questions, such as:
• What is a heat source?
• What happens when you put something next to a heat source? Does that
always happen?
2 Explain that students will be working in collaborative learning teams to investigate
what happens when different materials are put in contact with a heat source.
3 Discuss what heat sources might be used for the investigation, safely and cheaply.
Explain that the class will use water that has been heated on a stove or with an
ELABORATE
electric kettle. Ask questions, such as:
• When does water become hot? Why do you think that?
• Does it always stay hot? Why do you think that happens?
Remind students to take care during this lesson, as hot water can cause burns.
4 Discuss what the students will be investigating and ask:
‘What things might affect how much a spoon heats up in hot water?’ (how long the
spoon is in the water, the hotness of the water, how much of the spoon is in the water,
the volume of water, what the spoon is made from)
5 Explain that students will test how well different materials conduct heat, so firstly
identify that the thing to be changed in the investigation is the type of material.
6 Discuss ways to keep the investigation fair, asking questions, such as:
• What if we put one stick in a cup with a little bit of water and one stick in a cup
with a lot of water?
• What if we put one stick in very hot water and one in warm water?
7 Introduce the enlarged copy of ‘Hot water investigation planner’ (Resource sheet 6)
and read through with students.
Note: The water might cool quickly, if it does reheat it before doing the five-minute test.
15 Invite each team to share what they found out during their investigation. Record a
summary of the class results on the ‘Recording results’ section of the enlarged copy
of ‘Hot water investigation planner (Resource sheet 6).
16 Introduce the ‘Discussing results’ section of the ‘Hot water investigation planner’
(Resource sheet 6). Ask students questions, such as:
• What happened to the temperature of the materials when they were in contact
with the hot water? Why?
• Were there any differences between the materials? For example, was there a
difference in how hot they became? Why?
• After class discussion, allow students time to complete this section of the planner.
• Discuss how the spoon which became hottest is made of the material that is the
best conductor i.e. it allows the heat to flow most easily.
ELABORATE
Student work sample of the ‘Hot water investigation planner’ (Resource sheet 6)
17 Discuss practical applications of this finding, for example, which spoons to use to stir
soup or hot drinks.
18 Update the word wall section with words and images.
Hot water
investigation planner
Name: Date:
What is your question for investigation? What do you predict will happen? Explain why.
What happens to
___________________________________________
when we change
___________________________________________?
To make this a fair test what things (variables) are you going to:
Change only one thing What would the change affect? Which variables will you control?
Describe how you will set up your investigation. What equipment will you need?
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science, 2014. ISBN 978 0 85847 329 4 Resource sheet 6
Heating up
Recording results
Name: Date:
____________________
____________________
____________________
Discussing results
What did our class find?
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science, 2014. ISBN 978 0 85847 329 4 Resource sheet 6
PrimaryConnections
AT A GLANCE
To provide opportunities for students to represent what they know about how heat can
be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another, and to reflect on
their learning during the unit.
Students:
• review the class ideas map
• find, list and categorise things that produce heat
• create a drawing to show how heat moves from one object to another
• participate in a class discussion to reflect on their learning during the unit.
Lesson focus
In the Evaluate phase students reflect on their learning journey and create a literacy
product to re-represent their conceptual understanding.
Assessment focus
Summative assessment of the Science Understanding descriptions is an important
aspect of the Evaluate phase. In this lesson you will be looking for evidence of the extent
to which students understand:
• how heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another.
Science Literacy
Students will be able to: Students will be able to:
• identify that heat can be produced in • use oral, written and visual forms to
different ways by different heat sources present their understanding of heat
production and transfer
• explain heat can move from one object
to another • reflect on their learning in a science
journal entry.
• discuss and compare their ideas.
This lesson also provides opportunities to monitor the development of students’ general
capabilities (highlighted through icons, see page 5).
Equipment
FOR THE CLASS FOR EACH STUDENT
Preparation
• Prepare an enlarged copy of ‘Where’s the heat?’ (Resource sheet 7).
• Optional: Display ‘Where’s the heat?’ (Resource sheet 7) on an interactive whiteboard.
Check the PrimaryConnections website to see if an accompanying interactive
resource has been developed: www.primaryconnections.org.au
Lesson steps
1 Review the previous lessons using the class science journal. Review the ideas map
created in Lesson 1, and ask questions, such as:
• Have you changed your ideas on anything? Why or why not?
• What can we add to our ideas map now?
2 Ask students to review their drawings and ideas from Lesson 1 of the ice melting in
the hand. Ask students to do the drawing again and use arrows to show how the heat
is moving. Ask students if they have changed their explanations and discuss what
their new ideas are. For example,
The ice block melted because … the heat from my hand moved to the ice block.
My hand was cold afterwards because … the heat that was in it had moved to the ice
block. Cold doesn’t move to hot objects; it is the heat that moves out of the
hot objects. EVALUATE
3 Introduce the enlarged copy of ‘Where’s the heat?’ (Resource sheet 7) and explain
that students will complete the resource sheet to show what they have learned.
Discuss the picture and what they think is happening. Discuss what will happen if the
boy touches the saucepan handle.
4 Explain that students will:
a) find examples of heat sources in the picture (things that are warm or hot) and
circle them
b) write the names of the objects that they circled in the table according to the energy
that it is produced from.
5 Allow time for students to complete their copy of ‘Where’s the heat?’ (Resource sheet 7).
might give and to provide evidence and reasoning for their claims.
7 Ask students to reflect on their learning during the unit using the class science journal.
Ask questions, such as:
• What ideas did you have about heat at the start of the unit?
• What did we want to find out about?
• What have you learned about heat? Why do you think that now?
• What activity did you enjoy most of all? Why?
• What activity did you find the most challenging? Why?
• What are you still wondering about?
Name: Date:
Copyright © Australian Academy of Science, 2014. ISBN 978 0 85847 329 4 Resource sheet 7
PrimaryConnections
Appendix 1
How to organise collaborative learning teams
(Year 3–Year 6)
Introduction
Students working in collaborative teams is a key feature of the PrimaryConnections
inquiry-based program. By working in collaborative teams students are able to:
• communicate and compare their ideas with one another
• build on one another’s ideas
• discuss and debate these ideas
• revise and rethink their reasoning
• present their final team understanding through multi-modal representations.
Opportunities for working in collaborative learning teams are highlighted throughout
the unit.
Students need to be taught how to work collaboratively. They need to work together
regularly to develop effective group learning skills.
The development of these collaborative skills aligns to descriptions in the Australian
Curriculum: English. See page 7.
Team structure
The first step towards teaching students to work collaboratively is to organise the team
composition, roles and skills. Use the following ideas when planning collaborative learning
with your class:
• Assign students to teams rather than allowing them to choose partners.
• Vary the composition of each team. Give students opportunities to work with others
who might be of a different ability level, gender or cultural background.
• Keep teams together for two or more lessons so that students have enough time to
learn to work together successfully.
• If you cannot divide the students in your class into teams of three, form two teams of
two students rather than one team of four. It is difficult for students to work together
effectively in larger groups.
• Keep a record of the students who have worked together as a team so that by the end
of the year each student has worked with as many others as possible.
Team roles
Students are assigned roles within their team (see below). Each team member has
a specific role but all members share leadership responsibilities. Each member is
accountable for the performance of the team and should be able to explain how the team
obtained its results. Students must therefore be concerned with the performance of all
team members. It is important to rotate team jobs each time a team works together so
that all students have an opportunity to perform different roles.
For Year 3–Year 6, the teams consist of three students—Director, Manager and Speaker.
(For Foundation–Year 2, teams consist of two students—Manager and Speaker.)
50 Appendix 1
Heating up
Each member of the team should wear something that identifies them as belonging to that
role, such as a wristband, badge, or colour-coded peg. This makes it easier for you to
identify which role each student is doing and it is easier for the students to remember what
they and their team mates should be doing.
Manager
The Manager is responsible for collecting and returning the team’s equipment. The Manager
also tells the teacher if any equipment is damaged or broken. All team members are
responsible for clearing up after an activity and getting the equipment ready to return to
the equipment table.
Speaker
The Speaker is responsible for asking the teacher or another team’s Speaker for help.
If the team cannot resolve a question or decide how to follow a procedure, the Speaker
is the only person who may leave the team and seek help. The Speaker shares any
information they obtain with team members. The teacher may speak to all team members,
not just to the Speaker. The Speaker is not the only person who reports to the class; each
team member should be able to report on the team’s results.
Director (Year 3–Year 6)
The Director is responsible for making sure that the team understands the team investigation
and helps team members focus on each step. The Director is also responsible for offering
encouragement and support. When the team has finished, the Director helps team members
check that they have accomplished the investigation successfully. The Director provides
guidance but is not the team leader.
Team skills
PrimaryConnections focuses on social skills that will help students work in collaborative
teams and communicate more effectively.
Students will practise the following team skills throughout the year:
• Move into your teams quickly and quietly
• Speak softly
• Stay with your team
• Take turns
• Perform your role.
To help reinforce these skills, display enlarged copies of the team skills chart (see the end
of this Appendix) in a prominent place in the classroom.
Supporting equity
In science lessons, there can be a tendency for boys to manipulate materials and girls
to record results. PrimaryConnections tries to avoid traditional social stereotyping by
encouraging all students, irrespective of their gender, to maximise their learning potential.
Collaborative learning encourages each student to participate in all aspects of team
activities, including handling the equipment and taking intellectual risks.
Observe students when they are working in their collaborative teams and ensure that both
girls and boys are participating in the hands-on activities.
Appendix 1 51
PrimaryConnections
TEAM ROLES
Manager
Collects and returns all
materials the team needs
Speaker
Asks the teacher and other
team speakers for help
Director
Make sure that the
team understands the
team investigation and
completes each step
PrimaryConnections
TEAM SKILLS
1 Move into your teams
quickly and quietly
2 Speak softly
4 Take turns
Appendix 2
How to use a science journal
Introduction
A science journal is a record of observations, experiences and reflections. It contains
a series of dated, chronological entries. It can include written text, drawings, labelled
diagrams, photographs, tables and graphs.
Using a science journal provides an opportunity for students to be engaged in a real
science situation as they keep a record of their observations, ideas and thoughts about
science activities. Students can use their science journals as a useful self-assessment tool
as they reflect on their learning and how their ideas have changed and developed during
a unit.
Monitoring students’ journals allows you to identify students’ alternative conceptions, find
evidence of students’ learning and plan future learning activities in science and literacy.
Keeping a science journal aligns to descriptions in the Australian Curriculum: Science and
English. See pages 2 and 7.
54 Appendix 2
Heating up
6 In science journal work, you can refer students to display charts, pictures, diagrams,
word walls and phrases about the topic displayed around the classroom. Revisit and
revise this material during the unit. Explore the vocabulary, visual texts and ideas that
have developed from the science unit, and encourage students to use them in their
science journals.
7 Combine the use of resource sheets with journal entries. After students have pasted
their completed resource sheets in their journal, they might like to add their own
drawings and reflections.
8 Use the science journal to assess student learning in both science and literacy.
For example, during the Engage phase, use journal entries for diagnostic assessment
as you determine students’ prior knowledge.
9 Discuss the importance of entries in the science journal during the Explain and Evaluate
phases. Demonstrate how the information in the journal will help students develop
literacy products, such as posters, brochures, letters and oral or written presentations.
Appendix 2 55
PrimaryConnections
Appendix 3
How to use a word wall
Introduction
A word wall is an organised collection of words and images displayed in the classroom.
It supports the development of vocabulary related to a particular topic and provides a
reference for students. The content of the word wall can be words that students see,
hear and use in their reading, writing, speaking, listening and viewing.
The use of a word wall, including words from regional dialects and other languages, aligns
to descriptions in the Australian Curriculum: English. See page 7.
Organisation
Position the word wall so that students have easy access to the words. They need to be able to
see, remove and return word cards to the wall. A classroom could have one main word wall
and two or three smaller ones, each with a different focus, for example, high-frequency words.
Choose robust material for the word cards. Write or type words on cardboard and perhaps
laminate them. Consider covering the wall with felt-type material and backing each word
card with a self-fastening dot to make it easy for students to remove and replace word cards.
Word walls do not need to be confined to a wall. Use a portable wall, display screen, shower
curtain or window curtain. Consider a cardboard shape that fits with the unit, for example,
a large thermometer shape for the Heating up unit.
The purpose is for students to be exposed to a print-rich environment that supports their
science and literacy experiences.
Organise the words on the wall in a variety of ways. Place them alphabetically, or put them
in word groups or groups suggested by the unit topic, for example, words for the Heating up
unit might be organised using headings, such as ‘Sources’ and ‘Descriptions of heat’.
Invite students to contribute words from different languages to the word wall. Group words
about the same thing, for example, different names of the materials used in Heating up, on
the word wall so that students can make the connections. Identify the different languages
used, for example, by using different-coloured cards or pens to record the words.
56 Appendix 3
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Appendix 3 57
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Appendix 4
How to facilitate evidence-based discussions
Introduction
Argumentation is at the heart of what scientists do; they pose questions, make claims,
collect evidence, debate with other scientists and compare their ideas with others in the field.
In the primary science classroom, argumentation is about students:
• articulating and communicating their thinking and understanding to others
• sharing information and insights
• presenting their ideas and evidence
• receiving feedback (and giving feedback to others)
• finding flaws in their own and others’ reasoning
• reflecting on how their ideas have changed.
It is through articulating, communicating and debating their ideas and arguments that
students are able to develop a deep understanding of science content.
Establish norms
Introduce norms before starting a science discussion activity. For example,
• Listen when others speak.
• Ask questions of each other.
• Criticise ideas not people.
• Listen to and discuss all ideas before selecting one.
58 Appendix 4
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Appendix 4 59
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DISCUSSION
SKILLS
• Listen when others speak
• Ask questions of
each other
Appendix 5
How to conduct a fair test
Introduction
Scientific investigations involve posing questions, testing predictions, collecting and
interpreting evidence and drawing conclusions and communicating findings.
All scientific investigations involve variables. Variables are things that can be changed (independent),
measured/observed (dependent) or kept the same (controlled) in an investigation. When planning
an investigation, to make it a fair test, we need to identify the variables.
It is only by conducting a fair test that students can be sure that what they have changed in
their investigation has affected what is being measured/observed.
‘Cows Moo Softly’ is a useful scaffold to remind students how to plan a fair test:
Cows: Change one thing (independent variable)
Moo: Measure/Observe another thing (dependent variable) and
Softly: keep the other things (controlled variables) the Same.
To investigate whether the material of a spoon has an effect on its hotness, students could:
Independent
CHANGE the material of the spoon
variable
Appendix 5 61
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Appendix 6
How to write questions for investigation
Introduction
Scientific inquiry and investigation are focused on and driven by questions. Some
questions are open to scientific investigation, while others are not. Students often
experience difficulty in developing their own questions for investigation.
This appendix explains the structure of questions and how they are related to variables in
a scientific investigation. It describes an approach to developing questions for investigation
and provides a guide for constructing investigable questions with your students. Developing
their own questions for investigation helps students to have ownership of their investigation
and is an important component of scientific literacy.
62 Appendix 6
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Q2: What happens to the hotness of the spoon when we change how long it is in
the water?
In this question, the hotness of the spoon depends on the time it is in the water.
The time it is in the water is the thing that is changed (independent variable) and the
hotness of the spoon is the thing that is measured or observed (dependent variable).
Appendix 6 63
64
Appendix 7
Appendix 7
Heating up equipment list
PrimaryConnections
LESSON 1 2 2 3 4 5 6 7
EQUIPMENT ITEM QUANTITIES
SESSION 1 2
Resource sheets
‘What's hot?’ (RS1), enlarged 1 per class
‘What's hot?’ (RS1) 1 per student
‘Information note for families’ (RS2), enlarged 1 per class
Teaching tools
class science journal 1 per class
word wall 1 per class
‘Heat collection’ board 1 per class
ideas map 1 per class
student science journal 1 per student
team roles chart 1 per class
team skills chart 1 per class
role wristbands or badges for Director, Manager and Speaker 1 set per team
Appendix 7
65
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66
Appendix 8
Heating up unit overview
Appendix 8
SCIENCE OUTCOMES* LITERACY OUTCOMES* LESSON SUMMARY
PrimaryConnections
ENGAGE
• experience and explain their
ideas on how heat moves.
Lesson 2 • identify heat sources in the • understand the purpose and Session 1 Formative assessment
Hot spots classroom features of a table and T-chart Hot or not? • Science journal entries
• sort heat sources into heat • use oral, written and visual • identify heat sources in the
Session 1 • Class discussions
producers and things heated language to record and discuss classroom
Hot or not?
by heat producers their observations of heat • Tables
• identify primary and secondary
Session 2 sources • T-chart
• identify heat sources at home. heat sources
Heat at home • engage in discussion to
• record observations in a table • ‘What’s hot?’
compare ideas about heat (Resource sheet 1)
sources. Session 2
Heat at home • Photos and drawings
EXPLORE
• identify primary and secondary
heat sources at home
• take a photo or draw a heat
source and bring to school.
* These lesson outcomes are aligned to relevant descriptions of the Australian Curriculum. See page 2 for Science and page 7 for English and Mathematics.
SCIENCE OUTCOMES* LITERACY OUTCOMES* LESSON SUMMARY ASSESSMENT
Students will be able to: Students will be able to: Students will be able to:
OPPORTUNITIES
Lesson 3 • identify three ways in which • contribute to discussions about • sort pictures into three groups Formative assessment
Energy explorers heat can be produced ways in which heat is produced according to how they produce
• Science journal entries
heat
• classify heat sources according • create labelled diagrams
• Class discussions
to how they produce heat. • find objects and items to
• use questions to agree and
include in the groups. • ‘Warming ways’
disagree with teams’ claims.
(Resource sheet 3)
• Labelled diagrams
EXPLORE
Lesson 4 • explore objects that do not • use oral, written and visual • observe that many objects do Formative assessment
Sharing the produce heat language to record and discuss not produce heat
• Science journal entries
warmth investigation results
• identify heat sources outside • explore how objects obtain
• Class discussions
the classroom • engage in discussion to heat by being in contact with a
compare results. heat source. • ‘Warm me up!’
• explore that some objects heat
(Resource sheet 4)
up when in contact with a heat
source.
EXPLORE
Lesson 5 • explain that heat transfers from • use written and oral language • represent their understanding Formative assessment
Too hot to handle hot objects to cooler ones to demonstrate their of heat sources and the • Science journal entries
understanding of heat transfer movement of heat using
• review their understanding • Class discussions
everyday scenarios
of heat sources and the • create a poster to explain heat
production of heat. and how heat moves • create a poster warning others • ‘Moving heat’
about the dangers of heat. (Resource sheet 5)
• use scientific language to
describe heat sources • Posters
EXPLAIN
• contribute to discussions
about everyday scenarios
involving heat transfer.
* These lesson outcomes are aligned to relevant descriptions of the Australian Curriculum. See page 2 for Science and page 7 for English and Mathematics.
Appendix 8
67
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68
Appendix 8
PrimaryConnections
Lesson 6 • conduct an investigation of the • use oral, written and visual • work in teams to investigate Summative assessment
Getting warmer conduction of heat through language to record and discuss whether or not different of Science Inquiry Skills
different materials investigation results materials are heated by hot
• Science journal entries
water
• make predictions about • record data in a table
• Class discussions
what will happen to different • record and represent their
• engage in discussion to
materials placed in hot water findings in a table • ‘Hot water investigation
compare results.
planner’ (Resource sheet 6)
• observe, record and interpret • discuss and compare their
the results of their investigation results from the investigation.
• identify that different materials
ELABORATE
conduct heat at different rates.
Lesson 7 • identify that heat can be • use oral, written and visual • review the class ideas map Summative assessment
Finding the heat produced in different ways by forms to present their of Science Understanding
• find, list and categorise things
different heat sources understanding of heat
that produce heat • Science journal entries
production and transfer
• explain heat can move from
• create a drawing to show how • Class discussions
one object to another • reflect on their learning in a
heat moves from one object to • ‘Where’s the heat?’
science journal entry.
• discuss and compare their ideas. another (Resource sheet 7)
• participate in a class
EVALUATE
discussion to reflect on their
learning during the unit.
* These lesson outcomes are aligned to relevant descriptions of the Australian Curriculum. See page 2 for Science and page 7 for English and Mathematics.
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Feathers, fur
3 Melting moments Night and day Heating up
or leaves?
Earth’s place
5 Desert survivors What’s the matter? Light shows
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It’s electrifying
Marvellous Earthquake
6 Change detectives
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Essential energy
PrimaryConnections: Linking science with
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