curriculum resource module pre-primary animal rescue€¦ · animal rescue . p age | 1 the stem...

Curriculum resource module

Pre-primary

Animal rescue

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The STEM Learning Project is funded by the Department of Education and implemented by a

consortium in STEM education comprising the Educational Computing Association of WA, the

Mathematical Association of WA, the Science Teachers Association of WA and Scitech.

Material in this module may not to be copied or distributed outside of the trial schools. It is

intended for classroom use by the teachers and school management teams of the trial

schools only. We acknowledge and thank the teachers and schools who are the co-creators

of these resources. The copyright and intellectual property of this module remains the

property of the Department of Education.

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Attributions:

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Version 2.1 – May 2017

Table of contents

The STEM learning project ...................................................................................................... 2

Overview ................................................................................................................................... 3

Activity sequence and purpose ............................................................................................ 5

Background .............................................................................................................................. 6

Activity 1: Creating a safe passage...................................................................................... 8

Activity 2: Investigating bridges ........................................................................................... 11

Activity 3: Improving initial designs ...................................................................................... 13

Activity 4: Sharing our journey ............................................................................................. 17

Appendix 1: Assessment rubric ............................................................................................ 19

Appendix 2: General capabilities ....................................................................................... 23

Appendix 3: Materials list ...................................................................................................... 25

Appendix 4: Design process................................................................................................. 26

Appendix 5: Reflective journal ............................................................................................ 27

Appendix 6: Teacher resource sheet 1.1: Cooperative learning – Roles ...................... 28

Appendix 7: Teacher resource sheet 1.2: Cooperative learning – Think, Pair, Share .. 29

Appendix 8: Teacher assessment sheet 2.1: Prototype troubleshooting ....................... 30

Appendix 9: Teacher assessment sheet 2.2: Recording grid for language used during

discussion. ............................................................................................................................... 31

Appendix 10: Teacher assessment sheet 3.1: Recording grid for materials and shapes

and processes ........................................................................................................................ 32

Appendix 11: Student activity sheet 4.1: Student model development and reflection

.................................................................................................................................................. 33

Appendix 12: Bibliography ................................................................................................... 34

Notes ....................................................................................................................................... 35

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The STEM learning project

The STEM learning project’s aim is to generate students’ interest, enjoyment and

engagement with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and

to encourage their ongoing participation in STEM learning and the world of work.

The curriculum resources will support teachers to implement and extend the Western

Australian Curriculum and develop the General Capabilities across Kindergarten to

Year 12.

Why STEM?

STEM education will develop the knowledge and intellectual skills to drive the

innovation required to address global economic, social and environmental

challenges.

STEM capability is the key to navigating the employment landscape changed by

globalisation and digital disruption. Routine manual and cognitive jobs are in

decline whilst non-routine cognitive jobs are growing strongly in Australia. Seventy-

five per cent of the jobs in the emerging economy will require creative and critical

thinking and problem solving supported with skills of collaboration and teamwork

and literacy in mathematics, science and technology. This is what we call STEM

capability. The vision is to respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow by

preparing students for a world that requires multi-disciplinary STEM thinking and

capability.

The approach

STEM capabilities are developed when students are challenged by a tutor to solve

open ended, real-world problems using problem-based learning pedagogy which

engages students in the processes of the STEM disciplines working collaboratively in

teams.

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Kindergarten – Animal rescue

Overview

Many animals in urban and rural settings need to cross roads to access resources

such as food, water, breeding sites or mates. Unfortunately many of these animals

are injured or killed in animal with car collisions.

Animal movements occur frequently in some seasons when new food sources

become available or for breeding. Where road crossing occurs regularly, the local

council may build a structure to enable animals to cross roads safely. The design

of these wildlife crossings varies depending on what type of animal is using them.

This link shows pictures of purpose built structures to help many types of animals

cross busy roads, including a bridge on Christmas Island which helps crabs reach

their laying grounds.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4248826/Purpose-built-

crossings-help-animals-pass-roads-safely.html

What is the context?

Roads often separate natural landscapes. A variety of animals, from big

kangaroos to small insects, frogs, and families of ducks travel in search of new

places for food, shelter and to breed. This often involves the hazardous crossing of

a road. What help can we provide these animals to enable them to cross safely?

What is the problem?

How can we design and make a model of a structure that animals can use to

cross a road safely?

How does this module support an integrated STEM learning approach?

Science is addressed in Activity 1 as children think about why animals move to

new places to find food, water and mates (ACSSU002) and in Activities 2 and 3 as

children experiment (ACSIS011; ACSIS012)with different materials (ACSSU003)to

build and test the stability of a prototype structure.

Mathematics is addressed in Activities 2 and 3 as children experiment with shapes

and their position to create sound structures, and measure and compare their

strength (ACMMG010) (ACMMG006).

Technology is addressed in Activities 1, 2, 3 and 4 as children analyse digital

images (ACDIK002); analyse needs of animals; share ideas for a solution to the

problem of crossing roads safely; and, design, construct, test and evaluate their

solutions (ACTDEK001).

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4248826/Purpose-built-crossings-help-animals-pass-roads-safely.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-4248826/Purpose-built-crossings-help-animals-pass-roads-safely.html

http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/codes/science/pre-primary/acsis011

http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/codes/science/pre-primary/acssu003

http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/codes/mathematics/pre-primary/acmmg010


http://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/search?accContentId=ACTDEK001

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ICT General Capabilities are addressed in Activities 1 and 3 as children watch

short video clips to increase knowledge about crossings and bridges.

There is an opportunity for literacy extension through verbal cooperative activities

such as Think – Pair – Share (see Teacher resource sheets). This module encourages

children to develop STEM capabilities, solving an open ended, real world problem

in a collaborative learning environment.

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Activity sequence and purpose

Creating a safe passage

Children’s interest is captured when they view

video clips of animals needing help to cross

busy roads safely.

Children consider situations where animals

need to cross roads and brainstorm solutions,

sharing their ideas through drawings. As a

class, they critique their solutions to select the

best approach.

Investigating bridges

Children experiment with a variety of materials

to create models of sound structures. Through

the design cycle they construct and refine

their solutions, building on understandings.

They compare the strength of structures and

infer why different designs may be stronger

than others.

Improving initial designs

Children are introduced to different types of

bridges through videos and photographs.

Children apply this new knowledge in a

second attempt at building a structure.

Children are introduced to fair testing to

measure bridge strength and evaluate their

designs.

Sharing our journey

Children present their designs from Activities 2

and 3 to an audience beyond the classroom.

They explain design features and justifying why

their ideas changed as they learnt and

overcame problems.

RESEARCH

Activity 1

INVESTIGATE

Activity 2

IMAGINE & CREATE

Activity 3

COMMUNICATE

Activity 4

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Background

Assessment The STEM modules have been developed with the intention

of providing learning experiences for students to solve

authentic real world problems using science, technology,

engineering and mathematics capabilities. Assessment

opportunities will arise for teachers, and these are outlined

here, but assessment is not the primary aim of these

modules.

Opportunities for assessment will arise as children discuss

possible solutions, what changes they would make and

their reasons for creating their structures. Their reasoning

should make some reference to science, mathematics and

engineering principles.

Shared learning journeys can be recorded by the teacher

in a class reflective journal to make thinking visible, showing

the progression of learning.

Appendix 1 shows an assessment rubric referencing content

descriptors and standards from the WA curriculum.

Children will also have the opportunity to further develop

the General Capabilities within ICT capability, Critical and

Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability.

Learning

outcomes

Students will be able to:

1. Explain why animals need to cross roads and say

why this is dangerous.

2. Design and construct a model of a bridge that

can carry animals safely over a road.

3. Identify materials, and describe the properties of

materials used to build a bridge.

4. Investigate the strength of bridges and observe

how much weight they can carry.

5. Share observations from testing the strength of

bridges and ideas about what made them strong

or weak.

6. Test and compare the strength of bridges and

use mathematical language to describe

differences.

7. Use mathematical language to describe positions

and movements in relation to a bridge.

8. Analyse digital images to identify features and,

with assistance, annotate images to

communicate information.

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Timing There is no prescribed duration for this module. The module

is designed to be flexible enough for teachers to adapt.

Activities do not equate to lessons; one activity may require

more than one lesson to implement.

Vocabulary There are opportunities in this module to develop subject

specific terminology relating to the design of bridges, such

as:

pier, arch, deck, beam, truss, cantilever, suspension,

cable, cable-stayed, strength, heavy, light, weight, length

and width.

Mathematical language is also developed to describe

position (eg, above, below, at the side) and movement

(eg, crossing over, towards and away from).

Consumable

materials

A materials list is provided for this module. The list outlines

materials outside of normal classroom equipment that will

be needed to complete the activities.

Safety risks Children may need guidance handling scissors and using

tape dispensers.

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Activity 1: Creating a safe passage

Activity focus To capture children’s interest in the problem using video

clips of animals needing help to cross busy roads safely.

Children brainstorm solutions, sharing their ideas through

drawings. As a class, they critique their solutions to select

the best approach.

Teacher

background

information about

content and

disciplinary

processes

With urban development, roads often cut through wildlife

habitat. All over the world animals need to cross roads to

access resources such as food, water, mates or breeding

sites. This is often hazardous.

Many animal movements occur regularly with seasonal

changes. During the breeding season, many animals need

to cross roads to find their mate. Amphibians may move

from dry areas to wet areas when it is time to lay their eggs.

Some waterfowl and tortoises may breed in one part of a

lake and move their young to another part with abundant

food to support the growing young.

To keep animals off roads people construct animal friendly

access ways, often known as wildlife crossings or ecoducts.

Designs vary depending on what type of animal is using

them but the animal bridge is the most common type of

wildlife crossing. Animal bridges are found all over the

world, with the majority in North America and Europe.

These highway overpasses and underpasses operate much

like the ones that humans walk through. Many wildlife

crossings have a fence to guide animals to them, and

natural vegetation to make them safe and appealing to

animals.

Teacher

background

information about

Instructional

procedures

In this activity, children will come up with diverse ideas to

solve the problem. Open problem solving is encouraged

and children may decide to build a bridge, a tunnel, or

another contraption.

After exploring options, teachers should guide children

towards creating a bridge; this module is designed to

develop bridge building concepts.

Children could be prompted to further solve the challenge

of channelling animals towards the bridge.

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Learning outcomes Students will be able to:

1. Explain why animals need to cross roads and say

why this is dangerous (Science).

Equipment required For the class:

Smartboard or data projector with internet access.

Whiteboard and textas.

For the students:

Paper and pencils.

Preparation Preview videos from the digital resources section to decide

which animals are the most relevant to your local

surroundings.

Activity parts Part 1:

Set the context by observing a few short video clips of

animals crossing roads. There is a variety to choose from in

the digital resource section including kangaroos, emus,

swans and ducklings. All of these animals were fortunate

enough to have people to guide them across the road.

After viewing, ask children:

Why do you think all of these animals want to cross

different roads?

Is crossing a road safe? Why?

Part 2:

Engage in a short brainstorm based around what could be

made to help these animals cross the road. Encourage

diverse ideas to promote creative thinking.

Individually, children record their ideas or solutions through

drawing. Adults help to annotate and label designs as

needed. As children finish, arrange them into small groups

to share their designs with peers.

Part 3:

When the class has finished their designs, guide a whole

class discussion to share ideas and determine what might

be an effective solution. Encourage children to make

positive comments about each other’s ideas.

After exploring options, guide children towards creating a

model of a bridge. Explain to children that a bridge will

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most likely be the most suitable solution as a variety of

animals can walk, jump or slither across them.

Part 4:

On arriving at the solution, ponder aloud what could be

made to guide the animals on to the bridge or ask what

would make the animals want to use it.

Watch the clip Wildlife Crossings to inspire, arouse curiosity

and build enthusiasm for future learning.

Digital resources – interactives, videos, online worksheets, tools etc.

Name and URL

Teacher background

Eco Bridge:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dPbaF_T9zc

Minute Earth:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjCJvn__N5c&t=1s

Student Viewing:

Animals Crossing Roads

Black swans and cygnets:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlM0a_EiE7k

Family of ducks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGMzGxeO1wQ

Koala:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG2G0HhNp0E

Echidna:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcTOJsEvV0U

Goslings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czdlv-2LUl4

Wildlife crossings:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q_XzNz9v44

Emus:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEsc409mD9o

Kangaroos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OJCkmFpqhk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dPbaF_T9zc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjCJvn__N5c&t=1s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlM0a_EiE7k

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGMzGxeO1wQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG2G0HhNp0E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcTOJsEvV0U

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czdlv-2LUl4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2q_XzNz9v44

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEsc409mD9o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OJCkmFpqhk

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Activity 2: Investigating bridges

Activity focus Children experiment with a variety of materials to create

sound structures. Through the design cycle they construct

and refine their solutions, building on understanding.

They compare the strength of structures and infer why

different designs may be stronger than others.

Teacher

background

information about

content and

disciplinary

processes

The strength of a structure will be determined by the choice

of materials, the ways that joins are made, and the shapes

included in the design. Real bridges are made from

materials like concrete and steel beams which can

withstand compression (squashing) forces and steel cables

which can withstand tension (stretching) forces.

Longer horizontal beams will withstand lighter loads than

shorter beams, so it is more demanding to engineer long

bridges. Because arches are strong shapes they are often

included as supports under bridge decks. Truss bridges

include many strong triangle shapes in the truss part of the

bridge which sits above and supports the bridge deck.

When testing the strength of a bridge, engineers increase

the load on a bridge until it collapses. They use standard

units of measurement such as grams, kilograms and

Newtons.

At kindergarten level, non-standard units of measurement

are used, which are informal units such as cubes or glass

pebbles that are uniform in weight.

Teacher

background

information about

Instructional

procedures

This activity will work best if carried out in small groups,

guided by an adult. This will ensure each child has an adult

to provide feedback, record thinking and keep them

motivated to persist through any complications they

encounter.

Student thinking should be recorded by the teacher or

teacher assistant as annotations in the class STEM learning

journal throughout the lesson.


1. Design and construct a model of a bridge that can

carry animals safely over a road (Technologies).

2. Identify materials, and describe the properties of

materials used to build a bridge (Science).

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3. Investigate the strength of bridges and observe how

much weight they can carry (Science).

Equipment required For the students: variety of construction materials and tools,

eg, card, cardboard tubes, pipe cleaners, masking tape,

scissors, collection of ‘weights’ that can be used to test the

strength of the bridges.

Optional: A4 card for each child to use as a base. This could

be coloured blue to represent water or green to represent

grass.

Preparation Materials need to be organised prior to the lesson and

either separated into buckets for small groups to access, or

allocated to a dedicated work area.

Consider if children will work best individually or

collaboratively, and plan what adult help will be needed.


As a whole class during mat time, discuss learning from the

previous lesson and the best agreed upon solution. Explain

that in this lesson each child is going to build a bridge either

by themselves or in small groups.

Part 2:

In small groups throughout the day, present all of the

materials and tools that will be available for the children to

construct with. Before beginning construction, discuss what

children could do if their bridge falls over.

Explain that encountering problems, testing and trying

again is normal. Explain that engineers make models and

test them to get their designs right before a bridge is built.

Part 3:

As children construct, ask them how they plan to make their

bridge and why they are building in certain ways. Provide

feedback and highlight that there are many different ways

to build a bridge.

If children are having difficulty with their bridge collapsing,

try to locate where the bridge is breaking in order to create

a plan to fix it. Scaffolding questions could include:

What’s not working?

Why is that?

How can you fix it?

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Part 4:

Once built, ask children how they might test how strong

their bridge is. Follow their ideas even if they are not a fair

test; fair testing will be introduced in the next activity.

Test the strength of the bridges using some ideas suggested

by the children. Examples might include, placing blocks,

books or toys on top of the bridges.

Testing can be recorded in the class learning journal using

photos of the structures accompanied by a table showing

the load carried by different bridges.

As the bridges may get damaged in the testing process,

keep photos for comparison purposes in Activity 4.

Resource sheets Teacher resource sheet 2.1: Prototype troubleshooting

Teacher resource sheet 2.2: Recording grid for language

used during discussion

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Activity 3: Improving initial designs

Activity focus Children are introduced to different types of bridge design, observing

a video clip and viewing photographs. Children apply this new

knowledge and have a second attempt at construction. Children

are introduced to fair testing to measure bridge strength. They

evaluate their designs.

Teacher

background

information about

content and

disciplinary

processes

There are four common designs for bridges: beam, arch, truss and

suspension.

Beam bridges comprise a bridge deck that is supported at each

end. Beam bridges work well over short distances; however, they

are not as strong over long distances.

Arch bridges add one or more arches underneath the bridge deck

which makes them stronger over long distances. More arches can

be added to ensure the deck is supported along its full length.

Truss bridges use a complex steel frame which sits above and

supports the bridge deck. The truss is made from many strong

triangle shapes.

Suspension bridges use steel cables strung from pylons that support

the bridge deck.

Teacher

background

information about

Instructional

procedures

This activity engages children in an engineering design process to

design, construct, test and evaluate a model of a structure that

could be used to transport animals over a road.

Engineers must first analyse and understand the problem, imagine

possible approaches, plan what will be done, design the structure,

test and improve the structure and then document and

communicate their solution to the client.

The key principle that should inform design is that a bridge needs to

be structurally sound in order for it to support weight.

View the 10 minute video in the digital resource section to learn more

about different types of bridges.


1. Test and compare the strength of bridges and use

mathematical language to describe differences (Science and

Mathematics).

2. Investigate the strength of bridges and observe how much

weight they can carry (Science).

3. Use mathematical language to describe positions and

movements in relation to a bridge (Mathematics).

4. Design and construct a model of a bridge that can carry

animals safely over a road (Technologies).

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Equipment required For the class:

Smartboard with internet access.

Photographs (printed or digital) of different types of bridges.

For the students:

Their bridge made in the previous lesson. Variety of construction

materials and tools, eg, card, cardboard tubes, pipe cleaners,

masking tape, scissors, collection of ‘weights’.

Optional: A4 card for each child to use as a base.

Preparation Gather materials and print out photos of bridges.


As a whole group view the short clip What makes bridges so strong?

The video clip shows beam, truss and suspension bridges. Hand out

pictures of different types of bridges for children to analyse and

identify features. Talk about the features you can see, introducing

vocabulary such as piers, arches and decks.

Part 2:

As a small group, present materials and photos of bridges. Explain to

children that they are going to have a second attempt at building a

bridge now that they know more information about bridge designs.

Part 3: As children are completing the challenge, ask them to explain

their ideas to you. Encourage them to expand on their comments

using ‘why’ and ‘because’ to justify their thinking.

Why are you using these materials? Because…

Why are you joining it this way?

What shapes are you including in your bridge? Why?

If a group is having trouble with a bridge collapsing help them to

locate where the bridge is breaking in order to create a plan to fix it.

What’s not working?

Why is that?

How can you fix it?

Encourage teamwork and persistence.

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Optional: Children may wish to decorate their bridge to make it look

inviting for animals, eg, covering the bridge in grass or sprinkling it

with sand. Note: if this will alter the structural integrity of the bridge

take a photo prior to decorating.

Part 4:

As children finish, discuss how they measured the strength of their

bridge in the previous activity. Introduce the term ‘fair testing’,

explaining that engineers test in a fair way to make comparisons

between the strength of bridges valid.

In this test, children will use the same weights arranged in the same

places, eg, across the bridge or piled in the middle. Guide children

to test their second bridge in a fair manner using weights of the same

mass.

After testing, encourage reflection by asking children:

Which bridge is the strongest?

Why is it so strong?

What shapes were used in the design?

Resource sheets Teacher assessment sheet 3.1: Recording sheet for materials, shapes

and processes.

Digital resources – interactives, videos, online worksheets, tools etc.

Name and URL

Teacher background:

Bridge Design

Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBP7739C83s

Part 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBOGRxV49MQ

Student viewing:

What makes bridges so strong?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVOnRPefcno&t=22s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBP7739C83s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBOGRxV49MQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVOnRPefcno&t=22s

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Activity 4: Sharing our journey

Activity focus Children present their two bridge designs from Activities 2

and 3 to an audience beyond the classroom. They explain

their design features and choices, justifying why their ideas

changed as they learnt and overcame problems.

Teacher

background

information

Record children’s thinking using annotations on photos of

bridge designs.

To strengthen the link to real world concepts, photos of

bridge designs could be compared to real bridges on a

display board or interactive whiteboard.


1. Share observations from testing the strength of bridges

and ideas about what made them strong or weak

(Science, Technologies).

2. Analyse digital images to identify features and, with

assistance, annotate images to communicate

information (Technologies).

Equipment required For the students:

Each student will need the two bridges (or photos) they

created. This will assist them to reflect on and communicate

how their ideas changed and why.

Preparation An audience needs to be sourced.

Organise bridge designs and photos around the room with

space for people to walk around.


Conduct a whole class discussion for the reflective journal

to highlight what the children have learnt and enjoyed.

Model how thinking has changed using the phrase:

I used to think….. Now I think….

Here are some more examples of reflection starters:

The best part of learning about bridges was…

A problem I ran into was…. I fixed it by…..

I have learnt that….

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Part 2:

Pair children up with a buddy or parent for presentations.

Children should present their bridges to their partner and

share what they have learnt.

Part 3:

As children finish presenting, they may wander around the

room with their buddy to view their peers’ designs.

Part 4:

Children co-construct a bridge with their audience (buddy

class or parent) in an unstructured manner. This provides an

opportunity to teach another person about what they have

learnt and might be a great opportunity to involve

grandparents.

Resource sheets Student activity sheet 4.1: Student model development and

reflection

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Appendix 1: Assessment rubric

Science:

A

Excellent

achievement

The student

demonstrates

excellent

achievement of what

is expected for this

year level

B

High

achievement

The student

demonstrates high

achievement of what is

expected for this year

level

C

Satisfactory

achievement

The student demonstrates

satisfactory achievement

of what is expected for this

year level

D

Limited

achievement


limited achievement of what

is expected for this year level

E

Very low

achievement

The student demonstrates very

low achievement of what is

expected for this year level

Science Understanding

Chemical

sciences

Content descriptor:

Objects are made of materials that

have observable properties (ACSSU003)

Learning outcome:

Identify materials, and describe the properties of materials

used to build a bridge.

Activities

Activity 2

Describes the

observable properties

of the materials used

to make the bridge

and says why some

materials were used.

Describes the

observable properties of

the materials used to

build the bridge.

Identifies materials used to

build a bridge and

describes some observable

properties.

Identifies materials used to

build a bridge and names

some observable properties.

Does not identify materials used

to build a bridge.

Science Inquiry Skills

Planning and

conducting

Participate in guided investigations and make

observations using the senses (ACSIS011)

Investigate the strength of bridges and observe how much

weight they can carry.

Activities 2 and 3

Follows directions,

places weights on the

Follows directions, places

weights on the bridge to

Responds to prompts,

places weights on the

Responds to prompts and

places weights on the bridge

Does not participate in testing

the bridges.

http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/codes/science/pre-primary/acssu003

http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/science-v9/overview/glossary/senses


P a g e | 20


bridge to test its

strength, observes,

describes what

happens and makes

comparisons between

bridges.

test its strength, observes

and describes what

happens.

bridge to test its strength,

observes and comments

on what happens.

to test its strength.

Communicating Share observations and ideas (ACSIS012) Share observations from testing the strength of bridges

and ideas about what made them strong or weak.

Activity 4

Shares observations of

what happened with

the tests and says

which features of a

bridge made it strong

or weak.


what happened with the

tests and identifies a

feature that made a

bridge strong or weak.


what happened with the

tests and says why a bridge

was strong or weak.

Shares observations about

what happened when the

strength of the bridges was

tested.

Does not share observations or

ideas

Technologies:

A

Excellent

achievement

The student

demonstrates

excellent

achievement of what


year level

B

High

achievement

The student

demonstrates high



level

C

Satisfactory

achievement




year level

D

Limited

achievement




E

Very low

achievement




Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding

Technologies People produce familiar products to meet

personal and community needs (ACTDEK001)

Design and construct a bridge that can carry animals

safely over a road. Activities 2 and 3


http://www.scootle.edu.au/ec/search?accContentId=ACTDEK001

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and society Designs and builds a

bridge that would

help animals cross a

road safely and says

how the animals

would use it.

Designs and builds a

bridge that would help

animals cross a road

safely.

Designs a bridge that

would help animals cross a

road safely.

Recognises that animals need

to cross roads and that

bridges are built to help them

cross safely.

Does not connect the making of

a bridge to the needs of animals

to cross roads safely.

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Mathematics:

A

Excellent

achievement

The student

demonstrates

excellent

achievement of what


year level

B

High

achievement

The student

demonstrates high



level

C

Satisfactory

achievement




year level

D

Limited

achievement




E

Very low

achievement




Measurement and Geometry

Using units of

measurement

Use direct and indirect comparisons to decide

which is longer, heavier or holds more, and

explain reasoning in everyday language

(ACMMG006)

Test and compare the strength of bridges and use

mathematical language to describe differences.

Activity 3

Compares the

strength of two

bridges, says which

one is stronger

referring to the

number of weights

each could hold.

Compares the number

of weights held by two

bridges.

Says that one bridge is

stronger or weaker and

says how many weights

one of them carried.

Says that one bridge is

stronger or weaker.

Does not make any

comparisons.

Location and

transformation

Describe position and movement (ACMMG010) Use mathematical language to describe positions and

movements in relation to a bridge.

Activity 3

Uses most of: above,

below, at the side to

describe positions;

and, crossing over,

towards and away

from to describe

Uses some of: above,

below, at the side to

describe positions;

and, crossing over,

towards and away

from to describe

Uses some mathematical

language to describe

positions and movement in

relation to a bridge.

Uses some mathematical

language to describe

positions or movement in

relation to a bridge.

Does not use mathematical

language to describe positions

or movement.



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movements over a

bridge.

movements over a

bridge.

Appendix 2: General capabilities

Critical and Creative thinking learning continuum

Sub element Level 1A Student By the end of foundation year students

Self-awareness element

Recognise emotions Recognise and identify their own emotions Identify a range of emotions and describe

situations that may evoke these emotions

Recognise personal qualities and achievements Express a personal preference Identify their likes and dislikes, needs and wants,

and explore what influences these

Understand themselves as learners Select tasks they can do in different learning

contexts

Identify their abilities, talents and interests as

learners

Develop reflective practice Recognise and identify participation in or

completion of a task

Reflect on their feelings as learners and how their

efforts affect skills and achievements

Self-management element

Express emotions appropriately Recognise and identify how their emotions

influence the way they feel and act

Express their emotions constructively in interactions

with others

Develop self-discipline and set goals Make a choice to participate in a class activity Follow class routines to assist learning

P a g e | 24


Work independently and show initiative Attempt tasks with support or prompting Attempt tasks independently and identify when

and from whom help can be sought

Become confident, resilient and adaptable Identify people and situations with which they feel

a sense of familiarity or belonging

Identify situations that feel safe or unsafe,

approaching new situations with confidence

Social awareness element

Appreciate diverse perspectives Show an awareness for the feelings, needs and

interests of others

Acknowledge that people hold many points of

view

Contribute to civil society Describe ways they can help at home and school

Understand relationships Explore relationships through play and group

experiences

Communicate effectively Respond to the feelings, needs and interests of

others

Identify positive ways to initiate, join and interrupt

conversations with adults and peers

Work collaboratively Share experiences of cooperation in play and

group activities

Make decisions Identify options when making decisions to meet

their needs and the needs of others

Negotiate and resolve conflict Listen to others’ ideas, and recognise that others

may see things differently from them

Access to this information is via the link here:

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/overview/introduction

P a g e | 25


Appendix 3: Materials list

You will need the following materials to complete this module.

One A3 Class Science Learning Journal.

Interactive whiteboard or data projector with internet access.

A variety of construction materials and tools for bridge construction such as:

card, cardboard tubes, pipe cleaners, masking tape, scissors.

A collection of ‘weights’ such as: books, toys, blocks and some uniform masses

having the same weight eg, marbles.

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Appendix 4: Design process

Development

Ideation

Analysis

Finding useful and helpful information about the design problem.

Gathering information, conducting surveys, finding examples of

existing solutions, testing properties of materials, practical testing.

Understanding the meaning of the research findings.

Analysing what the information means, summarising the surveys,

judging the value of existing solutions, understanding test results.

Idea generation – turning ideas into tangible forms so that they can be

organised, ordered and communicated to others.

Activities such as brainstorming, mind mapping, sketching, drawing

diagrams and plans, collecting colour samples and/or material samples

and talking through these ideas can help to generate more creative

ideas.

Using the SCAMPER model can assist with this.

https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_02.htm

http://www.designorate.com/a-guide-to-the-scamper-technique-for-

creative-thinking/

Development of the design ideas. Improvements, refinements, adding

detail, making it better.

Activities such as detailed drawings, modelling, prototyping, market

research, gaining feedback from intended user, further research – if

needed – to solve an issue with the design, testing out different tools or

equipment, trialling production processes, working out dimensions,

testing of prototypes and further refinement.

Safe production of the final design or multiple copies of the final design.

Fine tuning the production process such as division of labour for

batch or mass production.

Use of intended materials and appropriate tools to safely make the

solution to the design problem.

Reflection on the process taken and the successfulness of the design.

Evaluation can lead into further development or improvement of the

design and can be a final stage of the design process before a

conclusion is reached.

Could be formal or informal and verbal or written.

Research

Production

Evaluation

http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_02.htm



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Appendix 5: Reflective journal

When students reflect on learning and analyse their

own ideas and feelings, they self-evaluate,

improving metacognitive skills. Reflective journals

allow students to express their learning during any

stage of the learning process in a way that is

individual. Journals or reflective processes can be

used in a variety of ways and are suitable for use

from kindergarten to year 12.

Early childhood classrooms may use a whole class reflective journal with pictures of

the learning experience and scribed conversations.

When students self-monitor or reflect, the most powerful learning happens.

Reflective practice can be supported in classrooms by creating opportunities that

allow students to think about their learning and the world around them. Successful

learners apply prior knowledge when posed with new questions and problems and

use this knowledge to decide how they will increase understanding.

Journals become a useful assessment tool that gives teachers additional insight into

how students value their own learning and progress.

Students reflect on learning in their personal journals at any stage of a learning

activity and for any length of time. Teachers can model the journaling process, by

thinking aloud and showing students how they can express learning and thoughts in

a variety of ways including diagrams, pictures and writing.

Teachers should encourage students to revisit earlier entries to help them observe

the progression of their thoughts and understanding. Students should comment and

reflect on these entries to help them understand their own learning and the process

they have gone through.

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Appendix 6: Teacher resource sheet 1.1: Cooperative learning –

Roles

Cooperative learning frameworks create

the opportunity for groups of students to

work together, generally to a single

purpose.

As well as having the potential to increase

learning for all students involved, using

these frameworks can fulfil part of the

Australian Curriculum General Capability:

Personal and social capability.

When students are working within groups, positive interdependence can be fostered

by assigning roles to various group members.

These roles could include:

Working roles; eg Timekeeper, Resources, Reader, Writer, Artist, Planner

Social roles; eg Motivator, Noise monitor, Observer

Teachers using the Primary Connections roles of Director, Manager and Speaker for

their science teaching may find it effective to also use these roles for STEM learning.

Further to this, specific roles can be delineated for specific activities the group is

completing.

It helps students if some background to the purpose of group roles is made clear to

them before they start, but at no time should the roles get in the way of the learning.

Roles may not always be appropriate in given tasks, the decision rests with the

teacher.

P a g e | 29


Appendix 7: Teacher resource sheet 1.2: Cooperative learning –

Think, Pair, Share

This resource sheet provides a brief outline on a

collaborative learning technique known as

Think – Pair – Share.

Cooperative learning frameworks create the

opportunity for groups of students to work

together, generally to a single purpose.

As well as having the potential to increase

learning for all students involved, using these

frameworks can fulfil part of the Australian

Curriculum General Capability: Personal and

social capability.

In the Think stage, each student thinks silently about a question asked by the

teacher.

In the Pair stage, students are paired up to discuss their thoughts and answers to the

question.

In the Share stage, the students share their answer, or their partners answer, or what

they decided together. This sharing may be with other pairs or with the whole class. It

is important also to let students "pass". This is a key element of making the technique

safe for students.

Think – Pair – Share increases student participation and provides an environment for

higher levels of thinking and questioning.

P a g e | 30

Version 2.2 – April 2017

Appendix 8: Teacher assessment sheet 2.1: Prototype troubleshooting

Student Problem/issue Impact on design Solution/change to design

P a g e | 31


Appendix 9: Teacher assessment sheet 2.2: Recording grid for language used during discussion.

Highlight which material/objects the child chose for building and the reason given

Student:

Shapes/Materials/Language used –

Processes –

Student:


Processes –

Student:


Processes –

Student:


Processes –

Student:


Processes –

Student:


Processes –

Student:


Processes –

Student:


Processes –

Student:


Processes –

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Appendix 10: Teacher assessment sheet 3.1: Recording grid for materials and shapes and processes

Highlight which material/objects the child chose for building and the reason given

Student:

Shape/Material/Strength

Processes Used to test –

Student:



Student:



Student:



Student:



Student:



Student:



Student:



Student:



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Appendix 11: Student activity sheet 4.1: Student model

development and reflection

Name:

My model is made from

I used this because

My model:

Is strong and stable

Looks the right shape

This is a digital picture of my model:

P a g e | 34


Appendix 12: Bibliography

P a g e | 35


Notes

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