UNIT PLANNER INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE MEASUREMENT AND SCALE IN OUR WORLD

Science Overarching Idea:

Indigenous Knowledge Measurement and Scale

Year Level:
3-4

Overall Aims of the Unit:

By the end of this unit, students will:
- have a greater understanding that different cultures are relevant,
whilst maintaining cultural sensitivity and respect
- recognise the importance of maintaining aspects of traditional
culture and study the similarities and differences among those
cultures
- learn that we can use traditional methods in our every day life
- have a greater understanding of how the Earth has been formed
- have a greater understanding of how time is acknowledged in
different cultures
- have a greater understanding of different cultures measure

Teaching Approach Assigned and Short Description:

- Despite the time constraints, we hope that students can construct their
own ideas and views about traditional knowledge and the benefits of it.
- Through an inquiry approach, students will learn the value of different
cultures methods and beliefs in relation to their every day life.
- Through teamwork and jigsaw strategies, students will encompass the
traditional methods of oral language to learn from their peers.
- Via a Learning Journal, students will be assessed on their formative and
summative learning.

3.1 This section displays the challenging learning goals aspired

for students to achieve over the duration of the unit.

Key Vocabulary:

Culture
Different
Time
Measurement/Measure
Growth
Developed
Indigenous
Timeline
Creation
World
Formed
Land/Mountains/Valleys
Waters/Sea/Rivers
Sky/Sun/Moon
Story

Evidence
Seasons/Seasonal
Calendar
Clock
Date
Circular
Saint Days
Star/Zodiac Signs
Czech
Indigenous Australian
Birthdays
Native American
Egyptian
Hands
Method

Sessions:
3

Date:

3.3, 3.5 & 3.6 This section describes the teaching strategies utilised
throughout the unit. It demonstrates my knowledge of a wide range of
strategies that also incorporate the use of various communication
approaches. The learning journal is also an effective strategy to help
evaluate and improve programs based on student level of achievement
and satisfaction shown by students when completed.

Key Equipment/Resources:
Learning Journal
Timeline
Creation Story Pictures
Blank Paper
Pencil Cases
Blu-Tack
Indigenous Australian Pictures
Vietnamese Story Pictures

Calculator
Ruler/Measuring Tape
Lucky Dip Box/Bag
Everyday items to measure with
Popsicle Sticks
Paper Plates
Czech Clock Handouts
Indigenous Australian Handouts

3.4 This section highlights my knowledge of an extensive list of

resources and my ability to choose those that are most appropriate
for addressing this topic.

Science Content Descriptions Relevant to this Unit of Work:

AusVELS Standards Science Curriculum Levels 4 & 5:

Earths surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and

human activity (ACSSU075)

They describe structural features common to living things and describe

relationships that assist the survival of living things.

Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and

relationships (ACSHE061)

They describe situations where science understanding can influence their

own and others actions.

With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be

investigated scientifically and predict what might happen based on prior
knowledge (ACSIS064)

Students suggest explanations for observations and compare their findings

with their predictions.

Important contributions to the advancement of science have been made by

people from a range of cultures (ACSHE082)
Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to solve
problems that directly affect peoples lives (ACSHE100)
Scientific knowledge is used to inform personal and community decisions
(ACSHE220)
Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways such as
diagrams, physical representations and simple reports (ACSIS071)
Safely use appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record
observations, using formal measurements (ACSIS066)

They explain how natural events cause rapid change to Earths surface.
Students explain how scientific knowledge develops from many peoples
contributions and how scientific understandings, discoveries and
inventions affect peoples lives.
They organise data into tables and graphs to identify and analyse patterns
and relationships.
They suggest where improvements to their experimental methods or
research could improve the quality of their data.
They have an understanding of historical and cultural contributions to
science.

3.1 & 3.2 This unit planner was created in conjunction

with the content and learning described within the
curriculum.

SESSION 1: MEASURING THE GROWTH OF THE EARTH

(3.1)Learning Outcome: By the end of this lesson, students will have a greater understanding

of cultural perspectives of how the earth has been formed.

Before the session begins have an empty timeline on the wall.

Ask students how do you think the Earth was formed? (Prior Knowledge).
(3.6)ASSESSMENT LEARNING JOURNAL: Page 1. Have students answer: how many stories of creation they

know.

(It is expected that at least one student will suggest the Catholic story of Creation. If not, they will be
prompted. If a child mentions another story, listen and draw the steps as they explain it).
Ask students to explain the catholic creation story to the rest of the group, as they explain it, a pre-service
teacher will place the corresponding picture on the blank timeline. Explain this process (and what a
timeline is) as you go.
(3.5)Ask students: do you think that everyone in the world agrees with this timeline? Why? Why not?

Discuss that this is just one cultures opinion; one cultures version. It doesnt make it right or wrong it is
just what they believe.
(3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5)Separate the group into three smaller groups; one focusing on the formation of

land/mountains/valleys/etc; one focusing on how the waters/rivers/seas were formed; and one focusing
on how the sky/sun/moon came to be. Students are asked to work individually, to create and draw a way
in which each component is formed.
Once their individual drawings are complete, take one student from each group and form a mini-culture.
With a pre-service teacher, have students turn their pictures into a chronological timeline of creation. Ask
students to justify their decisions (e.g. fish cant live without water, so that had to come first).
When the timelines are in order, blu-tack them to the wall with the earlier Catholic timeline and as a class,
let each group explain their timeline and discuss how each culture is different but still valid. Add to the wall
an Indigenous Perspective and the Vietnamese Timeline and continue to discuss similarities and how there
is no right or wrong way.
(3.6)ASSESSMENT LEARNING JOURNAL: How many stories about the creation of the world do we know now?

3.1 For each lesson, the learning goals have

been re stated to re enforce the purpose of
the lesson to the teacher. The deliberate
decision was made not to present the
learning goals to the students prior to the
learning experiences so that they could
come to the conclusions themselves.
3.2, 3.3, 3.4 & 3.5 Each of these lessons
were created with an introduction,
consolidation and conclusion component.
They are efficiently sequenced as a
continuum of learning, so to gradually
develop student understanding and to help
them achieve the described learning goals.
Each lesson used a range of teaching and
communication strategies and implemented
various teaching and learning resources to
meet a diverse range of learning needs.
3.6 This sequence of lessons includes the
use of a specifically designed student
learning journal, where students record
their thoughts and discoveries from each
lesson. The students have opportunity to fill
out the journal at the beginning and end of
each lesson, therefore becoming a valuable
resource for teachers to help them
determine student levels of understanding
and student achievement of the learning
goals. This information would be used to
make adjustments to consecutive lessons as
necessary.

What have we learnt about OUR views of different cultures? (Sneaky prompts: were all these timelines the same? Are any of them right or wrong?)

SESSION TWO: MEASURING TIME IN DIFFERENT CULTURES

(3.1)Learning Outcome: By the end of this lesson, students will have a greater understanding

of how different cultures have observed and interpreted time.

(3.5)Ask students How can you prove to me what time of the year we are currently in without bringing me a calendar.

Ask students to go outside and get any object from the school grounds (e.g. leaves/jackets) to prove to the pre-service teacher what time of the year it is.
(3.3)Students have 5 minutes to find their objects and bring them back. Have a class discussion and come to a conclusion that it is Autumn which means it

must be either March, April or May.

(3.3, 3.4)Ask students to mark on their calendar where today might be. They can label their calendar to assist them. (Ask why there are four sections).

Also ask students to mark their birthday on the calendar; ask them what seasonal changes/natural occurrences happen around their birthday?
Whats the weather like on your birthday?
(3.4, 3.5)Heres another calendar with the seasons and give students print outs of the Czech Astronomical Clock from Prague. Explain that this clock was

made in 1410 and it tells ancient Czech time; therefore it is from the Ancient Czech culture. Observe and discuss the different features of the
clock/calendar. SEE ATTACHMENTS FOR IMAGES
The Astronomical Clock tells us:
Monthly Illustration Descriptions:
- When the sun will rise
January: the celebration of a birth of a child as the New Year
- When the sun will set
February: a farmer warms his legs by the fire and his wife brings firewood (Winter)
- Ancient Czech time
March: the farmer ploughs the field
- Present-day time
April: the farmer fastens up the trees
- The movements of the sun, moon and stars
May: a young man decorates his hat and a maiden collects flowers (Spring)
- The current zodiac sign
June: the farmer cuts the grass
- Sun dial
July: the farmer mows the wheat
- The day
August: the farmer flails the crops
- The months
September: the farmer is sowing the seeds (planting)
- The Saint Day
October: the farmer reaps the grapes
November: cuts down an oak tree
December: farmer kills a pig (big meal? Christmas?)
For the purpose of this activity, just focus on the bottom clock.
Figure out the different elements and where today is; Ask students where they think today would be on their clock. Ask what else is happening today
based on the Astronomical clock and the same for their birthday. Have students write their answers in their learning journal.
(A discussion about European Seasons and Australian seasons may be necessary (as we dont generally need fires to keep us warm in February).

(3.2)If time permits: Present students with the Indigenous Calendar and ask them how many seasons they think there are. Pre-service teacher leads a

discussion about this calendar and students again figure out where today might be and their birthdays and see what else they can learn. SEE
ATTACHMENT FOR IMAGE
Key Questions:
Apart from the date, what else can we learn from these calendars? How do these calendars compare to our calendars?

(3.6)ASSESSMENT LEARNING JOURNAL: Make sure students names are on all their calendars and then pre-service teachers will attach them to their Learning

Journal for evidence (To be returned to students next week).

SESSION THREE: MEASURING OBJECTS IN DIFFERENT CULTURES

(3.1)Learning Outcome: By the end of this lesson, students will have a greater understanding of the various

measuring methods from different culture.

(3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5)In a lucky dip box have lots of every day objects (rubbers, pens, rulers, drink bottle, books, etc). Each child selects an item from the box

and uses that as a measuring tool to measure a table, chair and door. Students record their answers on a handout.
(3.5)As a group discuss who found this easy/difficult and why? Ask if some tools were better than others, why, why not?

Ask students what else they could use to measure things? (Brainstorm ideas).

(3.2, 3.3, 3.4)Split the group in half, give one group a popsicle stick each and the other group nothing. Say that both groups need to measure the

doorway/tree. Pre-service teachers will be with each groups and observe how they do it. Once they have figured out a method, the pre-service teachers
will introduce a new method (e.g. The Native American method for the group with popsicle sticks and the Egyptian Method for the group without sticks).
Students then re-measure the tree/door way and complete the maths with their pre-service teacher.
Students then come together and compare their answers. (Hopefully they are similar!)
Then, using the cultural tradition of oral language (aka jigsaw teaching strategy), have students share their method with a partner. If time allows, have
students try the new method that they have just learnt from their peer.
(3.6)ASSESSMENT LEARNING JOURNAL: Refer to the Session Three Page in the Learning Journal. Students should briefly reflect on their learning.

Final Conclusion: Discussion (record in learning journals) about what students have learnt over the past three sessions about different cultures.

3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.6 This learning journal was a resource created and used
throughout this entire sequence of lessons. It recognises that teachers need
to plan, sequence and adjust learning experiences according to student
understanding. Using this resource allows for effective evaluation of the
teaching and learning in order to make adjustments for improved student
learning in the future. An a practical example; when I conducted this unit
with a group of students, their journal responses from session one indicated
that they had not made their own discoveries, but rather repeating what I
had vocalised. For the second session I therefore limited my talking and
more so guided them so that they could come to their own conclusions.

Session 1: How was the world made?

1) How many stories of creation do you know?

My Learning Journal
Name: ________________________

None

One

More than one

2) How many stories of creation do you think there are

now?
3) What have you learnt about your views about different
cultures?

How do different cultures help me measure my world?

Session 2: How does the world tell the time?

What have I learnt about today?

My Calendar:

What have I learnt about my birthday?

Session 3: How can we measure?

My object:

What have I learnt?

.

What have I learnt about different cultures?

chair
table
doorway
tree
The new method I learnt was from the
____________________culture.
The method I was taught was from the:
___________________culture.
I think these methods were:

What do I think/feel about other cultures, their beliefs

and methods of measuring?
Interesting

Silly

Different

Comfortable

Valuable

Weird

Uncomfortable

Confused

Good

Useful

Accepting

Positive

Are there any other thoughts youd like to mention?

(3.4) Resources

Illustrations:
Catholic
Creation
Story

Illustrations:
Indigenous
Australian
Creation
Story

Illustrations:
Vietnamese
Creation
Story

SESSION TWO - IMAGES