S3

Class: Year 5

Date:

Lesson: Indigenous Australians use of plants.

Sequence number: 5

Duration: 1 hour and 30

minutes.

Lesson Outline

Outcomes
& Indicators

Rationale:
Objectives:
For students to deepen their knowledge of Australias flora and fauna by engaging
* Identify and observe Australian native plants and animals structural features,
with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. This lesson will
characteristics and properties.
explore the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures towards
* Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent data.
historical studies of science and technology (BOS, 2013).
Key Learning
English

Maths
Sci &

HSIE

PDHPE
Art
Area:
Tech
ST3-10LW Describes how structural features and other adaptations of living things help them to survive in their environment.
ACSSU043 Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment
observe and describe the structural features of some native Australian animals and plants
ST3-4WS Investigates by posing questions, including testable questions, making predictions and gathering data to draw evidence-based conclusions and develop
explanations
HT3-4 Describes and explains the struggles for rights and freedoms in Australia, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
ACHHK116 The contribution of individuals and groups, including Aboriginal people and/or Torres Strait Islanders and migrants, to the development of Australian society,
for example in areas such as the economy, education, sciences, the arts, sport
using a range of sources, research and describe the contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other groups to Australian society
EN3-3A Uses an integrated range of skills, strategies and knowledge to read, view and comprehend a wide range of texts in different media and technologies
Key Scientific Knowledge (KSK):
Resources
Adaptation: a physical or behavioural characteristic that is inherited and which result
* IWB with access to internet
in an individual being more likely to survive and reproduce in its environment.
* Collection of Australian native plants bark and leaves
Environments: are the space, conditions and factors that affect an individuals ability
to survive (Charlesworth & Lind, 2013). Plants and animals survive in varying
Organisation:
environments including nearby salt water or fresh water (Wright, 2014).
The teacher has created SMART notebook pages with link to YouTube clip and provided
Technologies: the knowledge and creative processes that assist people to use tools, pages for class discussion. Students will also need to be provided with the handout
resources and systems to solve problems and meet human needs and wants.
booklet Aboriginal plant use and technology (1 per group).
Traditional learning: based upon observation and repetition of Indigenous
Australians, where knowledge is passed down from the elders and is shared when the
youth reach the age of understanding (Skamp, 2012).
Introduction: (10 minute) Ask students to brainstorm Australian native plants and animals. Write the answers on the IWB.
Experience: (30 minutes) Watch Oatley Park from an Aboriginal Perspective (22mins) and pause for jotting down names of plants and their use by Aboriginals.
Group Work: (40 minutes) Small group discussions to share learning from YouTube clip (5mins). Then observe provided bark and leaves from native Australian plants.
Within small groups, determine the structural features and properties of the plants for Aboriginals to proficiently use them for food, technological and/or medicinal purposes.
Students may draw information from provided handout Aboriginal plant use and technology. Information is to be recorded in table form designed by students (35mins).
Conclusion: (10 minutes) Whole class to take turns on sharing the information gathered based upon viewing the YouTube clip, handout on Aboriginal use of Australian
native plants and observations of the bark and leaves.
Extension & Simplification:
-To simplify: Provide assistance to students where support is needed with reading to gain information or ways of recording information in table form.
Teacher will walk around the classroom to offer assistance when needed.
-To extend: Students can seek information from other sources including the internet to deepen their knowledge of Australian native plants and animals.

Lesson: Threatened Australian flora and fauna the need for

Sequence number: 6
Duration: 1 hour
sustainability.
and 30 minutes.
Rationale:
Objectives:
This lesson will enhance students understanding of adaptive function of structures
* Engage in a research activity to support and develop concepts about threatened
and behaviours of living things that they have explored. The students will conduct
Australian flora and fauna.
research through relevant sources to identify and learn about threatened Australia
* For students to present findings through making and performing drama.
flora and fauna, thus the need for sustainability.
Key Learning
English

Maths
Sci & Tech

HSIE
PDHPE
Art

Area:
ACSSU094 The growth and survival of living things are affected by the physical conditions of their environment.
make predictions about how changing the physical conditions of the environment impacts on the growth and survival of living things
use gathered data to develop explanations about how changing the physical conditions of the environment affects the growth and survival of living things
ST3-11LW describes some physical conditions of the environment and how these affect the growth and survival of living things.
ST3-4WS investigates by posing questions, including testable questions, making predictions and gathering data to draw evidence-based conclusions and develop
explanations.
EN3-3A uses an integrated range of skills, strategies and knowledge to read, view and comprehend a wide range of texts in different media and technologies.
DRAS3.1 Develops a range of in-depth and sustained roles
collaborates to convey dramatic meaning by responding abstractly to represent ideas, feelings, objects and situations.
DRAS3.2 Interprets and conveys dramatic meaning by using the elements of drama and a range of movement and voice skills in a variety of drama forms.
combines and manages the elements of drama (eg tension, contrast, symbol, time, space, focus and mood) to communicate the depth of meaning of their
drama work.
DRAS3.3 Devises, acts and rehearses drama for performance to an audience
devises drama in collaboration with others using scripted and unscripted material as resources for drama performances
Key Scientific Knowledge (KSK):
Organisation:
Environments: are the space, conditions and factors that affect an individuals ability * Lesson to be conducted in library, where students have access to internet and
to survive (Charlesworth & Lind, 2013).
various information texts.
Resources: include anything that can be used to fill a need. Natural resources
* Space needs to be available for groups to work collaboratively.
include coal and water (Charlesworth & Lind, 2013).
Sustainable: supports the needs of the present without compromising the ability of
future generations to support their needs (Charlesworth & Lind, 2013).
Introduction: (10 minutes) Discuss threatened species. Identify lesson outline and assign an Australian threated flora or fauna to groups of students for further research.
Experience: (60 minutes) Groups collaborate and conduct research through print and electronic resources. They then work together to develop a presentation of their
information, in a news bulletin style, where they present their findings as news presenters. Drama performances need to be 2-3 minutes in length.
Conclusion: (20 minutes) Class gathers together to view the drama performances of each group.
Extension & Simplification:
To simplify: Teacher can work closely with students to guide their research, and identify relevant information.
To extend: For fast finishers, they can create a poster or visual representation to go alongside their news bulletin presentation.

Lesson
Outline

Outcomes
& Indicators

S3

Class: Year 5

Date: