KEY SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE & CURRICULUM

Outcomes & Indicators

Lessons addressing the Outcomes & Indicators
ST1-10LW: Describes external features, changes in
Lesson 1, 2, 3,5, 6
and growth of living things (BOS, 2012)
describe some external features of a variety of living Lesson 1: Students explore this outcome by engaging
in an interactive white board lesson and class
things, including plants and animals
discussions around what is living and nonliving.
Lesson 3: This lesson addresses this indicator by the
students going on a school plant walk and discussing
the plants they saw.

devise simple classification systems based on the

observable external features of plants or animals
identified in the local area

Lesson 1: Students draw on the knowledge theyve

learnt around the features that make something a
living and nonliving thing. They then engage in a
sorting activity where they classify the objects as living
or nonliving.

record the changes in growth of a microorganism,

using informal units, provided tables and digital
technologies as appropriate

Lesson 1: Students use cubes to measure the results

from their experiments and then record their findings.

use a range of methods, including fieldwork, to

identify plants or animals in their local area

Lesson 3: Students partake in a plant walk around the

school grounds, where they identify various plants
within the environment.

Identifies and recongises different groups of

animals - involving mammals, reptiles, amphibians,
birds, fish and insects.
Classifies, categorises and organises the different
animals into their animal groups.

Lesson 5 & 6: To address these indicators students

engage in an activity where they sort and classify the
various animals into groups these include mammals,
reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish and insects.

Describes some external features of living things recording simple characteristics of each animal and
their group.

Lesson 5: Through the class discussions and the

sorting activity the children discuss the characteristics
of each animal and why they belong in certain groups.

compares the appearance of adult living things with

their offspring, e.g. mammals, reptiles, birds and
insects

Lesson 6: Through the animal pack activity, the

students will be able to compare the adult living things
with their offsprings. This involves the students
organising their particular animals into their correct
stages of the life cycle and then discussing with the
class the changes that occur.

records the changes in growth of a common

animals, by identify the life cycle
ST1-4WS: Investigates questions and predictions by
collecting and recording data, sharing and reflecting on
their experiences and comparing what they and others
know (BOS, 2012).

Working cooperatively and individually when

participating in different types of guided

Lessons 1,2,3,4 & 5

Lesson 1: Students work in groups to discover

whether certain objects are living or nonliving.
Joanna Maropoulos

investigations to explore and answer questions

Students obtain images from magazines of living and

nonliving things and stick them onto their board.
Lesson 5: Students achieve this indicator by engaging
in group work that requires them to work
collaboratively with their group members to determine
what group the animals belong in.

responding to and posing questions

making predictions about familiar objects and
events and the outcomes of investigations

Lesson 2: Students address these indicators through

their yeast experiment, as they engage in a discussion
posing their own questions, predicting their results and
then conducting the experiment to gain their answers.

displaying data and information in various ways,

including drawings, simple texts, tables and graphs,
using digital technologies

Lesson 3: After the students have gone on their plant

walk and identified various plants and their features,
they will then record, using a picture graph, the most
popular plant they saw.

comparing observations with those of others to

identify similarities and differences in the findings of
their investigations (NSW Board of Studies, 2012).

Lesson 3: This indicator is addressed through the

class discussion that occurs after the group work and
during the graphing activity on the IWB as they
discuss the plants they saw.

Describing changes in objects and events observed

in investigations (NSW Board of Studies, 2012).

Use a range of methods to sort information,

including drawings and provided tables, to compare
based on observable characteristics

Lesson 4: Students achieve these indicators through

planting their own seeds and keeping a journal of their
plant, where they record the changes that have
occurred over a period of time. Students record the
changes through drawing a picture and writing a brief
description.

Working cooperatively and individually when

participating in different types of guided
investigations to explore and answer questions,
such as identifying life cycles and investigating in
the chicken hatching program.
ST1-11LW: describes ways that different places in the
environment provide for the needs of living things
(BOS, 2012).
observe and record some of the changes a
common plant or animal shows during its life, using
an appropriate digital technology
record the changes in growth of a common plant or
animal, using informal writing, tables and digital
technologies as appropriate

Lesson 6: Students in groups are assigned a

particular animal pack, where they must work
cooperatively with their peers to identify and explore
the life cycle of their animal and determine the correct
order.

MA1-9MG :measures, records, compares and

estimates lengths and distances using uniform informal
units, metres and centimetres

Lesson 2: The following mathematical outcome and

indicator are addressed through the students
conducting an experiment and measuring their bottles

Lesson 4: The following indicator is explored through

the students engaging in a discussion about plant life
cycles then putting it to practice, by planting their own
seed. The students then observe the changes that
occur over time by recording their findings through
informal drawings and description writing.

Joanna Maropoulos

record lengths and distances by referring to the

number and type of uniform informal unit used

MA1-17SP: Gathers and organises data, displays data

in lists, tables and picture graphs, and interprets the
results (BOS, 2012).
Represent data in a picture graph using a baseline,
equal spacing, same-sized symbols and a key
indicating

prior to the balloon inflating, informally with cubes.

Students record their findings and then measure the
bottle again after lunch to compare the difference in
length.
Lesson 3, 4 & 5
Lesson 3: Students explore this indicator through
using pictures to graph on the IWB the most popular
plant viewed on the plant walk.

record observations based on tables and picture

graphs developed from collected data

Lesson 4: Through the students drawing pictures over

a period of time into a table, they are able to achieve
this indicator. Students observe and record what they
see through drawing pictures.

Record a data display created from pictures

interpret information presented in data displays

Lesson 5: The students sort the various animal

pictures into their correct group and then paste them
in the tables according to their classification. The
students then justify why each animal belongs in that
group.
Lesson 6: The students achieve this indicator as they
engage in a discussion around the human life cycle
and the different stages of life. The students explore
the life cycle through the interactive white board and
are provided with the opportunity to relate their
personal experience to the activity e.g. when I was a
baby.

CCS1.2: Identifies changes and continuities in their

own life and in the local community (BOS, 2006).

describes people at different stages of their life

describes and sequences stages and events in
their life and in the lives of family members and
reflects on the significance of these stages and
events
EN1-1A: Communicates with a range of people in
informal and guided activities demonstrating interaction
skills and considers how own communication is
adjusted in different situations (BOS, 2012).
speaking and presenting to class, using clear and
confident oral speaking skills
listen for specific purposes and information,
including instructions, and extend students' own and
others' ideas in discussions

Lesson 6: Students are provided with the opportunity

to explore the English outcome of speaking and
listening as they present their particular animal
lifecycle to the class. The students who are not
presenting will facilitate their listening skills as they
learn about a new animal life cycle and ask questions
to further their knowledge.

Joanna Maropoulos

Lesson
Lessons 1,
2, & 5
All Lessons
Lesson 1

Lessons 1 &
2

Lessons 1 &
2

Lesson 2

Lesson 2
Lesson 1, 3
&4
Lesson 3 &
4
Lesson 3 &
4

Key Scientific Knowledge

Prior to teaching this unit it is essential that the educator has knowledge on:
Living things and how they can be grouped into plants, animals and microorganisms
(Thinkquest, 2007). These things are classified as living as they are able to grow, breath,
eat and reproduce (Charlesworth & Lind, 2013).
The survival of living things, understanding that majority of living things need water, food
and air to survive (Skamp, 2012).
Childrens current misconceptions around living things and how they determine if
something is living (Roghaar & Lott, 2014). Research by Roghaar and Lott (2014)
revealed that action is the most common way that children determine if an object is alive.
To children if the object moves and is mobile then it is alive, this causes confusion around
why plants and microorganisms are actually alive.
Microorganisms being classified as small living things and are significant to the life of our
earth (Science Kids, 2014a). They are an essential component to life on earth, as they are
being used to produce medicine, food and environmental protection (Byrne, 2011).
Microorganisms are defined as one of the first forms of life on earth and are small
organisms which cannot be seen by the naked eye (Byrne, 2011).
The four main classifications of microorganisms include fungi, bacteria, virus and cell
(Byrne, 2011).
Fungi: is defined as being one of the largest microorganisms which obtains its food
source from dead plants and animals (Powell, 2012). Fungi are found in damp places and
can be in the soil and even in the human body (Powell, 2012).
Bacteria: is essential to earth, as it would not survive without it (Byrne, 2011). It can only
be seen by a microscope and can be harmful to the human body, however most bacteria
assist in keeping the human body healthy (Powell, 2012).
Virus: are ten times smaller than bacteria making it the smallest microbe on earth (Byrne,
2011). In order to reproduce they need to be living in another cell (Powell, 2012).
Cell: some cells can be seen with the naked eye and all living things are made up of one
cell or multiple cells (Powell, 2012).
Yeast is a fungi microorganism which is used in bread. Through the carbon dioxide gas
bubbles in the dough it causes growth and the bread to rise (National Science Teachers
Association [NSTA], 2011). It is a living microorganism that can be used to make food and
various beverages.
Fermentation is an example of a chemical change that occurs to form a gas and happens
when there is an absence of oxygen (NSTA, 2011). Yeasts perform fermentation to
produce carbon dioxide gas, which causes bubbles and bread to rise (NSTA, 2011).
Plants are living things and grow from seeds, roots and stems (Charlesworth & Lind,
2013). The classification of living things has changed over time (Skamp, 2012). Animals
and plants are considered to be the main kingdom, while microorganisms are classified in
their own separate kingdom (Deakin University, 2005).
Plants are organisms that require air, water, light and nutrients to grow (Skamp, 2012;
Charlesworth & Lind, 2013). Leaves grow toward the suns and the roots grow toward the
ground (Charlesworth & Lind, 2013).
Plants produce and grow through photosynthesis (Deakin University, 2005).
Photosynthesis: is the process where plants absorb the water from the soil into the stem,
the water then goes into the leaves and then the leaves take carbon dioxide into the plant
(Easy Science for Kids, 2014a). The energy from the sun assists the photosynthesis
process and then turns it into glucose. This glucose acts as food for the plant and enables
them to grow. (Deakin University, 2005).
Joanna Maropoulos

Lesson 4

Lesson 4

Lesson 4
Lesson 4
Lesson 5 &
6

Lesson 5

Lesson 6

Most flowering plants have the same reproductive cycle the formation and dispersion of
seeds from flowers is the result of fertilised flowers (Skamp, 2012). This is an important
cycle as the flowers produce seeds which form new plants (Deakin University, 2005; Easy
Science for Kids, 2014a).
Be familiar with the main parts of a plant seeds, roots, stem, leaves, bud and flower
(Primary Resources, 2004).
Seeds: are the results of a reproduction of a flowering plant which can then develop
another plant (Primary Resources, 2004). They are living things and are significant to the
world of living plants (Deakin University, 2005).
Roots: control the food and water intake from the soil, they spread out and acts as an
anchor for the plant (Primary Resources, 2004).
Stem: is essential as it enables the height of the plant to rise closer to the sunlight
(Primary Resources, 2004).
Leaves: provide food for the plant but this is only possible when they have sunlight and
carbon dioxide (Primary Resources, 2004).
Flowers: provide seeds which create new plants (Primary Resources, 2004).
Germination is the procedure of plants growing from a seed (Easy Science for Kids,
2014). Some seeds need sunlight; others dont (Easy Science for Kids, 2014). It is the
process of seedlings sprouting from a bigger seed (Easy Science for Kids, 2014).
Knowledge around how to plant the seeds. When planting seeds ensure cotton wool is not
too wet and plants are not drowned in water as the seed will rot, have no oxygen and
wont grow (Easy Science for Kids, 2014).
Classifying animal groups including mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish and insects
and identifying specific characteristics and types of organisms that belong to each group
(Wilcox & Sterling, 2008).
Mammals: are warm blooded animals which give birth to a live young and have hair or fur
(Wilcox & Sterling, 2008).
Reptiles: are cool blooded animals where most of the animals lay shell eggs and are
mostly covered in scales (Science Kids, 2014b).
Amphibians: are cool blooded animals which consist of frogs, salamanders and toads
(Wilcox & Sterling, 2008). Most amphibians transform from a juvenile into an adult (Wilcox
& Sterling, 2008). Amphibians mean two-lives. They live both on land and in water
(Braude, 2007).
Insects: are usually small animals which consist of six legs.
Birds: are warm blooded animals which feature wings and feathers. These animals lay
eggs and majority of them can fly apart from emus and penguins.
Vertebrates and invertebrates are the animal groups which animals can fall under again;
(Braund,1997)
Vertebrates: are a large group of animals which have a backbone. These include
mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish (Braund, 1997)
Invertebrates: are animals which do not have a backbone. These animals were the first
to develop and there are more invertebrates the vertebrates (Braund, 1997).
Life cycles of humans acknowledging that there are six stages (Froschauer, 2013). These
include:
Foetus: this is the first stage of human life and it is the stage when the baby just starts
growing in the mothers womb.
Baby: After developing for 9 months in the mothers womb, the baby is then born.
Childhood: As the years go by the baby gets older and is enabled to do things more
independently. During this stage the childs appearance begins to change significantly.
Adolescence: This is the childs teenage years and they begin to develop into adults
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Lesson 6
Lesson 6

Adult Hood: The child is fully developed and is over the age of 18 years.
Elderly: This is the last stage of the human cycle.
Life cycle of animals that are being explored and used within the animal packs e.g.
Crocodiles: lay eggs, hatches into baby crocs and grows into adult croc. (Froschauer,
2013).
Life cycle of chickens hens lay eggs, hatch into baby chicks and grow into hens or
roosters
Stage 1- Egg inside the hen: The egg develops inside the hen
Stage 2- Hen lays the egg: The hen lays the egg into a nest
Stage 3- Hen roosting: The hen roosts on the egg to keep it warm.
Stage 4- Chick breaking out: After 21 days and the chick is developed, it then hatches
out of the egg.
Stage 5- Baby chick: a baby chick is formed and the life cycle starts again.

Joanna Maropoulos

References
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animal classification. Science and Children, 45(1), 42-47. Retrieved from
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Braund, M. (1997). Primary childrens ideas about animals with and without backbones. International
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NSW Board of Studies. (2006). Human Society and Its Environment K-6 Syllabus. Sydney: NSW Board
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Joanna Maropoulos