UNIT PLANNER

Science overarching idea: Stability and change Year Level: 4/5 eion: ! "ate:
#verall ai$ o% the &nit
At the end o% thi &nit t&dent 'ill be able/ca(able o%:

Students build an awareness of climate change as an issue on a local and global scale.
Students discuss ways to reduce climate change through their own actions.
Students are able to communicate what they have learned and their opinions on the issue of
climate change.
Students will take informed decisions and form opinions to participate in a democratic society
and in diverse socio-scientific discussion.
Teaching a((roach aigned and hort decri(tion:
Socio-scientific issues approach:
This method involves delivering science concepts and content through
examination of a current issue that is related to the science ideas and also
has links to student lives.
Constructivist perspective: Learning is an active process that occurs through
social interactions and is most effective when embedded in the context of
student lives.
)ey vocab&lary:
Climate, weather, global warming, greenhouse gas,
greenhouse effect, atmosphere, average, climate change,
opinion, justification, evidence, informed decisions,
justifying, issue, persuasive.
)ey e*&i($ent / reo&rce:
CSIRO State of the
Climate graph handouts:
http:www.csiro.au!utcome
sClimate"nderstandingSta
te-of-the-Climate-#$%$.aspx
ersuasive letter template
&utcher's papermarkers
Laptopscomputer pod
&T( news story on climate
change:
http:www.abc.net.aubtnst
orys)*)+,$*.htm
)ey A&tralian Science c&rric&l&$ Standard +ta,en directly %ro$ the
'ebite-:
!hey discuss how natural and human processes cause changes to "arth#s
surface.
!hey describe situations where science understanding can influence their
own and others# actions.
!hey use provided tables and simple column graphs to organise and identify
patterns in data.
Students suggest e$planations for observations and compare their findings
with their predictions
ossible websites that
students can use to
research climate change:
http:%%www.epa.gov%climatech
ange%&ids%
http:%%climate&ids.nasa.gov%bi
g'(uestions%
www.wwf.org.au
http:%%www.science&ids.co.n)%
videos%earth%globalwarming.h
tml
www.dosomething.org%actno
w%tipsandtools%**'facts'about'
global'warming
!hey predict and describe the effect of environmental changes on individual
living things.
SESSI#N .
Learning o&tco$e:
-.hat will students accomplish/0
Students will be able to demonstrate prior
&nowledge on climate change
Students will be able to identify the difference
between climate change, global warming and the
greenhouse effect
Students will be able to provide at least two
e$amples of the effects of climate change being
seen today.
S(eci%ic activitie eion .
-1n terms of what the students will do0
Students will -respond2 create2 plan2 design...0
Students will...
...
Students will +rainstorm everything they &now about climate change: what, how, why, etc...
,ocus -: .hat do you thin& the earth will loo& li&e in *// years0 .hy0 Students draw a picture, labelling features and justifying their choices through a whole
class discussion.
.atch +!1 video: http:www.abc.net.aubtnstorys)*)+,$*.htm
2iscuss their opinions and newly formed &nowledge, reflecting on the video 3use butchers paper to let them record their answers4.
,ocus -uestions:
.hat are some of the ways that a temperature increase could affect the world0
.hat could global warming mean for you personally0
5ctivity: 5nalysis of temperature%rainfall graphs for 5ustralia.
2ivide the group into two halves and assign them to one country each. rompt them to interpret the graphs and charts. Students come together to discuss their
groups findings.
Students reform their groups and analyse the global mean sea level% atmospheric carbon dio$ide graphs. rompt them to interpret the graphs and charts. Students
come together to discuss their group findings.
6esson conclusion:
2iscuss what students have learnt throughout the lesson.
Reflecting on and altering brainstorm map to show this ac(uired &nowledge.
SESSI#N /
Learning o&tco$e:
-.hat will students accomplish/0
Identify at least two actions that can be ta&en personally to slow climate change.
Identify local, national and global actions that are being proposed or ta&en.
2evelop a greenhouse gas reduction action plan for their school.
S(eci%ic activitie eion /
Students will...
+rief revision of session * concepts 3what is climate change04
,ocus (uestion: Why do you think the world temperature might be increasing? list some potential reasons.
Students research using laptops potential reasons and write them down for group discussion.
Images of carbon pollutants to be provided for discussion. 3what is happening in these images4.
,ocus (uestion: .hat can communities do to reduce the effects of climate change0
,ocus (uestion: .hat can 7O8 do to reduce the effects of climate change0
Students research using laptops what communities and themselves can do to reduce the effects of climate change. Students should record their findings to input
into group discussion.
.hat is your school doing towards reducing climate change0
Students develop a greenhouse gas reduction action plan in pairs%small groups for their school using information%ideas found in research and discussion.
3use%build a bird#s'eye map of the school and consider potential alterations ' google maps search: 9St. joseph#s primary collingwood:4
Session conclusion: Student groups will compare school plans and discuss any differenceschanges between their ideas.
SESSI#N !
Learning o&tco$e:
-.hat will students accomplish/0
Create a persuasive letter to the principal of their school to address why they should implement a climate change action plan. Students should draw on their knowledge of the
factors2 effects and potential solutions they have learned about to 3ustify and explain their plan.
S(eci%ic activitie eion .
-1n terms of what the students will do0
Students will -respond2 create2 plan2 design...0
Students will...
...
4evise the basic structure of a persuasive letter and be provided with a structural example and guidelines of what needs to be included.
5roposed template: -see appendix0.
Students create a draft of their letter to submit to teacher for correction.
!nce corrected2 students will write a final copy of their persuasive letter to be used as assessment for the unit outcomes.
Session conclusion: Students read one other classmate's letter each and ask 6uestions.
Attach$ent: +(leae (rovide all the hando&t and other learning/teaching reo&rce to be &ed and (eci%y i% they are to be &ed in
eion .0 / and !-