Science / Year 1 / Science understanding / Biological sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

identify the basic needs of plants and animals, including air, water, food or shelter, and describe how the places they live meet those needs (AC9S1U01)

Elaborations
  • identifying the places where plants and animals live, including in our homes, local areas such as ponds, national parks, gardens or zoos
  • identifying what they do to look after pets or plants at home and grouping these activities
  • identifying and comparing the needs of a variety of plants and animals, including humans, based on their own experiences
  • creating dioramas of a place a plant or animal lives, and identifying the features that enable it to meet its needs
  • recognising how First Nations Australians care for living things
  • exploring why caring for plants and animals is important including as sources of food and fibre
General capabilities
  • Critical and creative thinking Critical and Creative Thinking
Cross-curriculum priorities
ScOT terms

Habitats,  Living things,  Sunlight,  Water,  Animal behaviour

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Survive and thrive

In this sequence of 8 lessons, students learn about the basic needs of plants and animals including humans. They apply this knowledge to design and build a physical or digital diorama of a plant or animal habitat. Professional learning for teachers is integrated throughout the sequence.

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Mini Greenhouse| Questacon

In this activity, students make their own mini environment to sprout seeds and explore what plants need to survive. The activity includes a list of what is required, suggestions of what to do and notice, questions to ask, an explanation for the underlying science of what students observe and suggestions for other related ...

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Seed germination | Questacon

In this activity, students try germinating a range of different seeds. They explore ways to collect seeds, describe the features of the seeds they gather, draw and label their seeds, then sow their seeds, water them and make observations over time. The activity includes a list of what is required, suggestions of what to ...

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Water flow

In this module, students discuss the importance of water and discover effective ways of transporting it to meet personal and community needs. 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 ...

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Rice baby

This module connects students to the world around them as they discover that each person is unique whilst also sharing common traits and needs. Students cultivate a sense of empathy and experience different perspectives by being encouraged to care for their rice baby. The module includes a comprehensive teacher guide, curriculum ...

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Growing food

This module focuses on the environmental conditions that affect the growth of plants. 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 template, is supported by online professional ...

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Every bird needs a home

In this set of learning activities, students investigate how habitat loss affects biodiversity. Students undertake field work and investigate the problem within the context of their school. Using a collaborative learning approach and problem-solving skills, students design a bird habitat to increase bird numbers. The module ...

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Who lives on the farm?

In this resource, students learn about the needs of living things on farms and the features of some specific farm animals that make them suited to particular areas. This lesson is part of a sequence of lessons that can be used with this age-group of students. Topics include Seasons and jobs on the farm; Who lives on the ...

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Visiting the farm

This resource is a cross curriculum unit, focused on Design and Technologies, Science, and many other areas of the curriculum. Sustainability as a cross-curriculum priority is also emphasised. Topics include Seasons and jobs on the farm; Who lives on the farm?; People on the farm; Past, present and future on the farm; and ...

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Wonder of water

The unit has been written to develop students' understanding of the importance of water as a resource and to promote its wise usage. If possible, organise to implement this unit in a term in which you are likely to receive rain.

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Winter Wheat & Summer Sunflowers

This series of four lessons is about the role of wheat and sunflowers in agriculture. Students explore the needs, features and life cycles of the plants, grow their own wheat and sunflower sprouts and examine the nutritional contribution of wheat and sunflowers and how they are processed. Each lesson is supported by teacher ...

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Living world – ES1

In this lesson sequence, students learn about the characteristics and needs of living things. They recognise that living things have basic needs including air, food and water. Students apply their learning by investigating the growth of a living thing.

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Living world – Stage 1

In this lesson sequence, students focus on the observable features of living things and their environment. Students follow and represent sequences of steps and decisions (algorithms) to solve problems.

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Work sample Year 1 Science: Minibeast habitat

This work sample demonstrates evidence of student learning in relation to aspects of the achievement standards for Year 1 Science. The primary purpose for the work sample is to demonstrate the standard, so the focus is on what is evident in the sample not how it was created. The sample is an authentic representation of ...

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The Sugarbag: Unit of work

This unit of work has been written to support the book The Sugarbag. The book explores themes of Aboriginal culture and customs, adventure and the activities of native bees and their ‘sugarbag’ honey. Some Wiradjuri language words are included. This unit includes practical ideas for using this book in your classroom.

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Water challenges

In this culminating activity, students use their understanding about how people use and manage water to respond to hypothetical scenarios about water shortages. In this activity, students discuss 'what if' scenarios: possible reasons for the shortages, possible consequences and ways to manage the situation.

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Clean water is best

In this activity, students discuss why access to clean drinking water is important and discover ways to save water at school and at home. These ideas can be supplemented with additional learning experiences negotiated with students and decided according to interest and need.

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No water today – with a puppet

In this lesson, students consider what would happen if there was no water. They explore how our actions can either waste water or save water.

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Using Whizzy's storybooks

These lessons use a story-telling content and are designed to promote student understanding of why water is vital to living things, sources and uses of water, how water changes in the water cycle and why and how to use water wisely.

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Water is precious

In this activity, students are introduced to the concepts of everyday water use and water conservation. They discover the importance of water through story and discussion.