Light Shows - PrimaryConnections

PrimaryConnectionsLinking science with literacyPrimaryConnections has an explicit focus on developing students’ knowledge, skills,understanding and capacities in science and literacy. Units employ a range of strategies toencourage students to think about and to represent science.PrimaryConnections develops the literacies of science that students need to learn and torepresent their understanding of science concepts, processes and skills. Representationsin PrimaryConnections are multi-modal and include text, tables, graphs, models, drawingsand embodied forms, such as gesture and role-play. Students use their everyday literaciesto learn the new literacies of science. Science provides authentic contexts and meaningfulpurposes for literacy learning, and also provides opportunities to develop a wider range ofliteracies. Teaching science with literacy improves learning outcomes in both areas.AssessmentScience is ongoing and embedded in PrimaryConnections units. Assessment is linked tothe development of literacy practices and products. Relevant understandings and skills arehighlighted at the beginning of each lesson. Different types of assessment are emphasised indifferent phases:Diagnostic assessment occurs in the Engage phase. This assessment is to elicit students’prior knowledge so that the teacher can take account of this when planning how the Exploreand Explain lessons will be implemented.Formative assessment occurs in the Explore and Explain phases. This enables the teacherto monitor students’ developing understanding and provide feedback that can extend anddeepen students’ learning.Summative assessment of the students’ achievement developed throughout the unitoccurs in the Elaborate phase for the Science Inquiry Skills, and in the Evaluate phase for theScience Understanding.Rubrics to help you make judgments against the relevant achievement standards of theAustralian Curriculum are available on our g to use materials and equipment safely is central to working scientifically. It isimportant, however, for teachers to review each lesson before teaching, to identify andmanage safety issues specific to a group of students. A safety iconis included in lessonswhere there is a need to pay particular attention to potential safety hazards.The following guidelines will help minimise risks:vi Be aware of the school’s policy on safety in the classroom and for excursions. Check students’ health records for allergies or other health issues. Be aware of potential dangers by trying out activities before students do them. Caution students about potential dangers before they begin an activity. Clean up spills immediately as slippery floors are dangerous. Instruct students never to smell, taste or eat anything unless they are given permission. Discuss and display a list of safe practices for science activities.

Light showsTeaching to the Australian Curriculum: ScienceThe Australian Curriculum: Science has three interrelated strands—Science Understanding,Science as a Human Endeavour and Science Inquiry Skills—that together ‘provide studentswith understanding, knowledge and skills through which they can develop a scientific viewof the world’ (ACARA 2020).The content of these strands is described by the Australian Curriculum as:Science UnderstandingBiological sciencesUnderstanding living thingsChemical sciencesUnderstanding the composition and behaviour of substancesEarth and space sciencesUnderstanding Earth’s dynamic structure and its place in the cosmosPhysical sciencesUnderstanding the nature of forces and motion, and matter and energyScience as a Human EndeavourNature and development ofscienceAn appreciation of the unique nature of science and scientific knowledgeincluding how current knowledge has developed over time through the actionsof many peopleUse and influence of scienceHow science knowledge, and applications affect people’s lives, including theirwork, and how science is influenced by society and can be used to informdecisions and actionsScience Inquiry SkillsQuestioning and predictingIdentifying and constructing questions, proposing hypotheses and suggestingpossible outcomesPlanning and conductingMaking decisions about how to investigate or solve a problem and carryingout an investigation, including the collection of dataProcessing and analysingdata and informationRepresenting data in meaningful and useful ways, identifying trends, patternsand relationships in data, and using this evidence to justify conclusionsEvaluatingConsidering the quality of available evidence and the merit or significance of aclaim, proposition or conclusion with reference to that evidenceCommunicatingConveying information or ideas to others through appropriaterepresentations, text types and modesAbove material is sourced from the Australian Curriculum: Australian Curriculum Assessment and ReportingAuthority (ACARA). (2020). Australian Curriculum: Science. www.australiancurriculum.edu.auPrimaryConnections units support teachers to teach each Science Understanding detailedin the Australian Curriculum: Science from Foundation to Year 6. Units also develop students’skills and knowledge of the Science as a Human Endeavour and Science Inquiry Skillssub-strands, as well as specific sub-strands within the Australian Curriculum: English,Mathematics and Design and Technologies. Detailed information about its alignment with theAustralian Curriculum is provided in each unit.vii

PrimaryConnectionsUnit at a glanceLight showsPhaseLessonAt a glanceENGAGELesson 1Light ideasSession 1IlluminationSession 2In the darkTo capture students’ interest and find outwhat they think they know about how lightfrom a source forms shadows and can beabsorbed, reflected and refracted.To elicit students’ questions about light.EXPLORELesson 2Straight not crookedSession 1Shining lightSession 2The travelling light showTo provide students with hands-on, sharedexperiences of how light enables us to seeobjects.Lesson 3Mirror, mirrorTo provide students with hands-on, sharedexperiences of how light travels.Lesson 4Make way for the lightTo provide students with hands-on, sharedexperiences of how different materials(transparent, translucent or opaque) affect thetransmission of light.Lesson 5Light illusionsTo provide students with hands-on, sharedexperiences of how water refracts light.EXPLAINLesson 6Sneaky spyTo support students to represent andexplain their understanding of how lightfrom a source forms shadows and can beabsorbed, reflected and refracted, and tointroduce current scientific views.ELABORATELesson 7Big shadow, littleshadowTo support students to plan and conduct aninvestigation of the height of shadows.EVALUATELesson 8Light thoughtsSession 1Light loopSession 2Shadow puppetsTo provide opportunities for students torepresent what they know about how light froma source forms shadows and can beabsorbed, reflected and refracted, and toreflect on their learning during the unit.A unit overview can be found in Appendix 10, page 88.viii

Light showsLight shows—Alignment with the Australian CurriculumLight shows is written to align to the Year 5 level of the Australian Curriculum: Science.The Science Understanding, Science Inquiry Skills, and Science as a Human Endeavour strandsare interrelated and embedded throughout the unit (see page xii for further details). This unit focuses onthe Physical sciences sub-strand.Year 5 Science Understanding for thePhysical Sciences:Light from a source forms shadows and canbe absorbed, reflected and refracted(AUSSSU080)Incorporation in Light shows:Students generate questions to explore theproperties of light and investigate themthrough hands-on activities. Using a fair test,they develop claims based on evidence aboutthe variation in height of a shadow.All the material in the first row of this table is sourced from the Australian Curriculum.Year 5 Achievement StandardThe Australian Curriculum: Science Year 5 achievement standard indicates the quality oflearning that students should demonstrate by the end of Year 5.By the end of Year 5, students classify substances according to their observableproperties and behaviours. They explain everyday phenomena associated withthe transfer of light. They describe the key features of our solar system. Theyanalyse how the form of living things enables them to function in their environments.Students discuss how scientific developments have affected people’s livesand how science knowledge develops from many people’s contributions.Students follow instructions to pose questions for investigation, predictwhat might happen when variables are changed, and plan investigationmethods. They use equipment in ways that are safe and improve theaccuracy of their observations. Students construct tables and graphsto organise data and identify patterns. They use patterns in their data tosuggest explanations and refer to data when they report findings. Theydescribe ways to improve the fairness of their methods and communicatetheir ideas, methods and findings using a range of text types.The sections relevant to Light shows are bolded above. By the end of the unit, teachers willbe able to make evidence-based judgements on whether the students are achieving below,at or above the achievement standard for the sections bolded above.ix

PrimaryConnectionsLight shows—Australian Curriculum Key ideasIn the Australian Curriculum: Science, there are six key ideas that represent key aspects of ascientific view of the world and bridge knowledge and understanding across the disciplinesof science. The below table explains how these are represented in Light shows.xOverarching ideaIncorporation in Light showsPatterns, order andorganisationStudents identify and describe relationships that underpin the cause andeffect of light forming shadows and enabling us to see. Students order andcategorise materials according to their light-transmitting properties.Form and functionStudents describe physical properties of light and the materials light encounters,and relate them to their function and use. Students manipulate light by choosingappropriate materials to create a periscope.Stability and changeStudents recognise the stable properties and predictable nature of light,such as travelling in straight lines from a source and how it interacts withdifferent materials.Scale andmeasurementStudents measure the effects of light and describe light travelling continuouslyin a straight line until it encounters objects. Students quantify the height ofshadows using formal units of measurement.Matter and energyStudents use direct experience and observation of rays of light to explain howlight can form shadows and be reflected, refracted or absorbed.SystemsStudents learn about the role light plays in our ability to see and relate theproperties of materials to the effect they have on light.

Light showsLight shows—Australian Curriculum: ScienceLight shows embeds all three strands of the Australian Curriculum: Science. For ease ofreference, the table below outlines the sub-strands covered in Light shows the contentdescriptions for Year 5 and their aligned lessons.StrandSub-strandCodeYear 5 content encesACSSU080Light from a source forms shadowsand can be absorbed, reflected andrefracted1–8Science asa HumanEndeavourNature anddevelopment ofscienceACSHE081Science involves testing predictions bygathering data and using evidence todevelop explanations of events andphenomena and reflects historical andcultural contributions1, 4, 5Use andinfluence ofscienceACSHE083Scientific knowledge is used to solveproblems and inform personal andcommunity decisions1, 4, 5, 8Questioning andpredictingACSIS231With guidance, pose clarifyingquestions and make predictionsabout scientific investigations1, 2, 5,6, 7Planning andconductingACSIS086Identify, plan and apply the elementsof scientific investigations to answerquestions and solve problems usingequipment and materials safely andidentifying potential risks2, 3, 5,6, 7ACSIS087Decide variables to be changed andmeasured in fair tests, and observemeasure and record data withaccuracy using digitaltechnologies as appropriate5, 6, 7ACSIS090Construct and use a range ofrepresentations, including tables andgraphs, to represent and describeobservations, patterns or relationshipsin data using digital technologies asappropriate3, 4, 6, 7ACSIS218Compare data with predictions and useas evidence in developing explanations5EvaluatingACSIS091Reflect on and suggest improvementsto scientific investigations7CommunicatingACSIS093Communicate ideas, explanationsand processes in a variety of ways,including multi-modal texts2, 3, 4, 5,6, 8ScienceInquiry SkillsProcessing andanalysing dataand informationAll the material in the first four columns of this table is sourced from the Australian Curriculum.General capabilitiesThe skills, behaviours and attributes that students need to succeed in life and work in the 21st centuryhave been identified in the Australian Curriculum as general capabilities. There are seven generalcapabilities and they are embedded throughout the units.caFor further information see::www.australiancurriculum.edu.auFor examples of our unit-specific general capabilities information see the next page.xi

PrimaryConnectionsLight shows—Australian Curriculum general capabilitiesGeneralcapabilitiesAustralian Curriculum descriptionLight shows examplesLiteracyLiteracy knowledge specific to the studyof science develops along with scientificunderstanding and skills.In Light shows the literacy focuses are: science journalsPrimaryConnections learning activitiesexplicitly introduce literacy focuses andprovide students with the opportunity touse them as they think about, reason andrepresent their understanding of science. science chat-boards word walls tables ray diagrams labelled diagrams procedural texts graphs oral presentations.NumeracyElements of numeracy are particularlyevident in Science Inquiry Skills. Theseinclude practical measurement and thecollection, representation and interpretationof data.Students: collect, interpret and represent data in tablesInformation andcommunicationtechnology (ICT)competenceICT competence is particularly evidentin Science Inquiry Skills. Students usedigital technologies to investigate, create,communicate, and share ideas and results.Students are given optional opportunities to: use interactive resource technology to view, recordand discuss informationCritical andcreative thinkingStudents develop critical and creativethinking as they speculate and solveproblems through investigations, makeevidence-based decisions, and analyseand evaluate information sources todraw conclusions. They develop creativequestions and suggest novel solutions.Students: formulate, pose and respond to questionsStudents develop ethical behaviour asthey explore principles and guidelinesin gathering evidence and consider theimplications of their investigations onothers and the environment.Students: ask questions of others respecting each other’s pointof view.Students develop personal and socialcompetence as they learn to work effectivelyin teams, develop collaborative methods ofinquiry, work safely, and use their scientificknowledge to make informed choices.Students: work collaboratively in teamsIntercultural understanding is particularlyevident in Science as a Human Endeavour.Students learn about the influence ofpeople from a variety of cultures on thedevelopment of scientific understanding.Ethical behaviourPersonaland socialcompetenceInterculturalunderstanding use measurement when collecting data represent and interpret data in simple graphs. use digital technologies to assist in their investigations. consider different ways of thinking develop evidence-based claims. listen to and follow instructions to safely completeinvestigations participate in discussions. ‘Cultural perspectives’ opportunities are highlightedwhere relevant Important contributions made to science by peoplefrom a range of cultures are highlighted where relevant.All the material in the first two columns of this table is sourced from the Australian Curriculum.xii

Light showsAlignment with the Australian Curriculum:English and anguage forinteractionACELA1502Understand how to move beyond makingbare assertions and take account of differingperspectives and points of view1, 4, 5, 7Text structureand organisationACELA1504Understand how texts vary in purpose, structureand topic as well as the degree of formality1–8Expressing anddeveloping ideasACELA1512Understand the use of vocabulary to expressgreater precision of meaning, and know thatwords can have different meanings in differentcontexts1–8ACELA1513Understand how to use banks of known words,as well as word origins, prefixes, suffixes, tolearn and spell new words1–8ACELY1699Clarify understanding of content as it unfolds informal and informal situations, connecting ideasto students’ own experiences and present andjustify a point of view1–6ACELY1796Use interaction skills, for example paraphrasing,questioning and interpreting non-verbal cues andchoose vocabulary and vocal effects appropriatefor different audiences and purposes1, 3, 4, 5,7, 8ACELY1700Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations fordefined audiences and purposes incorporatingaccurate and sequenced content and ngACELY1703Use comprehension strategies to analyseinformation, integrating and linking ideas from avariety of print and digital sources5, 6, 7Creating textsACELY1704Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informativeand persuasive print and multimodal texts,choosing text structures, language features,images and sound appropriate to purposeand audience8Mathematics–Measurementand GeometryUsing units ofmeasurementACMMG108Choose appropriate units of measurement forlength, area, volume, capacity and mass5, 7Mathematics–Statistics CMSP118Pose questions and collect categorical ornumerical data by observation or survey5, 7ACMSP119Construct displays, including column graphs, dotplots and tables, appropriate for data type, withand without the use of digital technologies5, 7ACMSP120Describe and interpret different data sets incontext5, 7English–LiteracyInteracting withothersYear 5 content descriptionsLessonsAll the material in the first four columns of this table is sourced from the Australian Curriculum.xiii

PrimaryConnectionsCross-curriculum prioritiesThere are three cross-curriculum priorities identified by the Australian Curriculum: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability.One of these is embedded within Light shows, as described below.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and culturesThe PrimaryConnections Indigenous perspectives framework supports teachers’implementation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in science.The framework can be accessed at: www.primaryconnections.org.auLight shows focuses on the Western science way of making evidence-based claims for whywe have night and day.Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples might have other explanations for the observedphenomenon of day and night, often referring to the Dreamtime. For example, some groups tellstories of a female Sun who walks across the sky with a bright torch during the day and atnight travels in an underground tunnel back to the camp in the East. These stories may serveas reminders to the group about their laws and customs.For information and activities about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ use ofastronomy, access Astronomy and Australian Indigenous People written by Adele Pringfrom the Astronomical Association of South pdf).PrimaryConnections recommends working with Aboriginal and

Contents iii Lesson 1 Light ideas 1 Lesson 2 Straight not crooked 10 Lesson 3 Mirror, mirror 19 Lesson 4 Make way for the light 24 Lesson 5 Light illusions 32 Lesson 6 Sneaky spy 40 Lesson 7 Big shadow, little shadow 48 Lesson 8 Light thoughts 59 Appendix 1 How to organise collaborative learning teams (Year 3—Year 6) 66 Appendix 2 How to use a science journal 70 Appendix 3 How to use a word .