Science / Year 4 / Science Inquiry Skills / Planning and conducting

Curriculum content descriptions

With guidance, plan and conduct scientific investigations to find answers to questions, considering the safe use of appropriate materials and equipment (ACSIS065)

Elaborations
  • exploring different ways to conduct investigations and connecting these to the types of questions asked with teacher guidance
  • working in groups, with teacher guidance, to plan ways to investigate questions
  • discussing and recording safety rules for equipment as a whole class
General capabilities
  • Literacy Literacy
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and creative thinking
ScOT terms

Experiments,  Data collection

Interactive

Waste and materials – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on waste and materials using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate ...

Interactive

Thermal comfort – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This thermal comfort learning resource will guide students through an extended school based investigation. Students will develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

Interactive

Kitchen gardens – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This resource guides students through an extended school-based or local investigation focussed on kitchen gardens using the five-step sustainability action process. The resource supports the investigation of a real-world issue or problem. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and ...

Interactive

Biodiversity – sustainability action process (Years 3–6)

This biodiversity learning resource guides students through an extended school based investigation. Students develop and implement a chosen sustainability action and then evaluate and reflect on their success and their learning.

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Water for wildlife

With Australia’s changing climate we need to adapt to our altering conditions. This is challenging but also possible for humans through behaviour change and infrastructure change (too advanced?) but not quite so easy for our precious wildlife. While water is considered renewable as it functions as part of a water cycle, ...

Downloadable

Construct a catapult - teacher resource kit

This activity kit challenges students to design and build catapults out of recycled and household items. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffold students to explore simple machines, tools, properties of materials and changing variables in experiments. The guide includes lesson ideas, project instructions, ...

Downloadable

Construct a pull along toy - teacher resource kit

This activity kit is about engaging students in thinking about wheels and axles. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffolds students to explore different types of pull-along toys, various ways of constructing them from a range of household and readily-available materials and investigate how wheels ...

Downloadable

School water use audit (Year 4)

In this activity, students identify the water use areas in the school and the water use items found in those areas. On the ‘Water walk’, students also identify any leaking water use items. They assess how water savings can be made in each of these areas.

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Dripping tap investigation

In this activity, students measure how much water is wasted from a leaking tap.

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Mini robot garden

In this set of learning activities, students explore the role of robotics and automation in developing a mini vegetable garden. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum links, materials lists, design process guides and printable student resource sheets. The resource also provides an editable module ...

Downloadable

Construct a water wheel - teacher resource kit

This activity kit encourages students to design and construct a simple water wheel model that turns by the flow of water. Activities are guided by the design thinking process, and scaffolds students to research the applications of various simple machines, and the combinations of simple machines they might use to build a ...

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Cussen Park: Hear and there soundwalk

This resource provides information and teaching and learning activities about Victorian wetlands environments. The resource is designed to accompany students on a visit to Cussen Park and to provide a guide to interacting with its interpretative Soundwalk and signage. The activities also provide general information on the ...

Video

Tough zirconium - but what's its secret side?

The element zirconium is often used for its tough, abrasive properties. It also has a secret side. View this clip (developed by students for the 2013 Sleek Geeks Eureka Science Schools Prize competition), which highlights the properties and uses of zirconium in a highly visual and fun way.

Video

Elliot and the Surfing Scientist: Friction between paper experiment

Are you strong enough to pull two sheets of paper apart? What about two books with the pages intertwined? Watch this experiment performed by Ruben Meerman, the Surfing Scientist, and find out how he tests the presence of friction between pieces of paper.

Video

Sam the Lamb: properties of wool

This short video, narrated by ‘Sam the Lamb’ and a group of young wool enthusiasts, explores the properties of one of nature’s most versatile fibres. Viewers will discover how wool can stretch and return to its natural shape when worn; why wool is safe to wear around campfires and in the sun, and how wool can manages moisture ...

Interactive

Environmental and Zoo Education Centres – primary school resources

A collection of digital resources for primary school teachers and students to support teaching and learning from home, with a particular focus on geography, science and history. The resources were developed by Department of Education teachers from 25 Environmental and Zoo Education Centres in NSW and include Google Sites, ...

Interactive

DIY Lava Lamp

This resource contains lessons plans containing instructions and teachers' notes for an activity based on a chemical reaction that occurs when a soluble aspirin tablet dissolves and the fact that oil and water do not mix are used to create a model of a lava lamp. Students have fun while they learn about density of fluids. ...

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Disappearing coin trick

This resource contains a materials, instructions and brief explanation for students about the process of rotating hands to make a coin seem to dislodge.

Interactive

experiMENTALS: Bubble 07 diversion grenades

This resource contains a materials and instruction list and brief explanation for students about the process of carrying out a chemical reaction between bicarbonate of soda and vinegar.

Video

Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub: Australian disasters

This is a curated collection of articles, photographs and internet links related to natural, technological and human-caused events including bushfires, cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, shipwrecks, urban fires, chemical and industrial events in Australia. Events included have posed a serious threat to a community or property ...