UNIT PLAN

Title: Informing through investigation

Year level: Year 3
Duration: 3 weeks
Subjects: English, Mathematics and Science
PRELIMINARY STAGE: Desired results
Subject
Science

ACARA and NSW SYLLABUS OUTCOMES

Living things can be
Science involves
With guidance,
grouped on the basis
making
identify questions in
of observable features predictions and
familiar contexts that
and can be
describing
can be investigated
distinguished from
patterns and
scientifically and
non-living things
relationships
make predictions
(ACSSU044)
(ACSHE050)
based on prior
knowledge
(ACSIS053)

English

Interacting with
others: Listen to and
contribute to
conversations and
discussions to share
information and ideas
and negotiate in
collaborative
situations
(ACELY1676)

Plan and deliver

short
presentations,
providing some
key details in
logical sequence
(ACELY1677)

Understand how
different types of texts
vary in use of
language choices,
depending on their
purpose and context
(for example, tense
and types of
sentences)
(ACELA1478)

With guidance, plan and

conduct scientific
investigations to find
answers to questions,
considering the safe use
of appropriate materials
and equipment
(ACSIS054)

Plan, draft and publish

imaginative, informative
and persuasive texts
demonstrating increasing
control over text
structures and language
features and selecting
print,and multimodal
elements appropriate to
the audience and
purpose (ACELY1682)

investigates their
questions and
predictions by
analysing collected
data, suggesting
explanations for their
findings, and
communicating and
reflecting on the
processes undertaken
ST2-4WS
EN2-12E
Recognises and uses
an increasing range of
strategies to reflect on
their own and others
learning.

Re-read and
edit texts for
meaning,
appropriate
structure,
grammatical
choices and
punctuation
(ACELY1683)

Mathematics

Measure, order and

compare objects
using familiar metric
units of length, mass
and capacity
(ACMMG061)

MA2-17MG
Uses simple
maps and grids to
represent position
and follow routes,
including using
compass
directions.

Collect data, organise

into categories and
create displays using
lists, tables, picture
graphs and simple
column graphs, with
and without the use of
digital technologies
(ACMSP069)

Interpret and compare

data displays
(ACMSP070)

MA2-18SP
Selects appropriate
methods to collect
data, and constructs,
compares, interprets
and evaluates data
displays, including
tables, picture graphs
and column graphs.

Achievement Standards
By the end of Year 3, students understand how content can be organised using different text structures depending on the purpose of the text. They
understand how language features, images and vocabulary choices are used for different effects. Their texts include writing and images to express and
develop, in some detail, experiences, events, information, ideas and characters. Students create a range of texts for familiar and unfamiliar audiences.
They contribute actively to class and group discussions, asking questions, providing useful feedback and making presentations. They re-read and edit
their writing, checking their work for appropriate vocabulary, structure and meaning.
They match positions on maps with given information. They interpret and compare data displays. They conduct simple data investigations for categorical
variables.
By the end of Year 3, students group living things based on observable features and distinguish them from non-living things. They describe how they can
use science investigations to respond to questions. Students use their experiences to identify questions and make predictions about scientific
investigations. They follow procedures to collect and record observations and suggest possible reasons for their findings, based on patterns in their data.

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 1: DESIRED RESULTS

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS (from Australian Curriculum)

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students will be able to:

Work independently and collaboratively to conduct scientific investigations.

Make observations of living and non-living things and group them according to

Knowledge and Understanding:

Understand the different text types,

imaginative, informative and persuasive and
identify the purpose of these texts and how

observable features.
Make predictions based on prior knowledge and identify questions to be answered
during scientific investigations.
Explore the structure and organisation of texts to determine its purpose: imaginative,
informative or persuasive.
Students create informative and persuasive texts
Interpret maps, communicate position and follow directions
Plan methods of data collection and representation.
DEEP UNDERSTANDINGS:

Science: observation and classification of things as living or non-living is complex.

English: Texts can be used for a variety of purposes and these can be identified by analysing
the structure and organisation of a text.

they are structured.

Identify the seven characteristics of living

things; movement, respiration, sensitivity,
growth, reproduction, excretion and nutrition.

Understanding the difference between the

terms living, non-living and dead.

Skills:

Mathematics: collecting, representing and interpreting data can be used in many real life
situations.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:
-

What are the seven characteristics of all living things?

What defines a living and non-living thing?
How can we classify things based on their observable features?
What is the difference between fiction and non-fiction texts?
What key features do you need to include in informative texts?
What is the best way to display large amounts of data?
What is the purpose of maps? Why is it important to use accurate scales? Who uses
these scales?

How to make and record observations using

labelled scientific diagrams
Identify questions based on what they know
and what they are trying to understand, in
order to plan and conduct scientific
investigations
Make predictions based on prior knowledge
Collect and analyse data to answer questions
Communicate effectively as a group to share
knowledge and ideas
Present findings to the class, discuss their
reasoning and provide their point of view.

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Performance Task(s):
Through what authentic performance tasks will students demonstrate the desired understandings?
Rubric to assess the oral presentation of a recount. Students had the choice of presenting this task in a variety of formats to meet their learning
needs. For example the layout was simplified for those that struggled to grasp the structure of texts, and the presentation could have been
presented orally, using by using a PowerPoint presentation to extend the high-achievers and make the task more challenging and complex by
adding extra components such as images and voice overs.
Rubric, which was created in collaboration as a whole class, to mark written reports.

Other Evidence of Learning:

Oral questioning and discussions to determine prior knowledge and conceptions.
Quiz to determine understanding after a new concept has been introduced.
Checklist to identify features of writing and work samples.
Anecdotal notes to keep a record of as many learning tasks as possible.
Peer-evaluations, to provide constructive feedback about their peers learning and positive comments in regards to an area they succeeded in.

Feedback:
Feedback will be provided through all stages of the learning process. In the task that requires students to create a rubric, draft a report and then use
a self-evaluation, the teacher will provide feedback to the student about how to improve their report writing based on their self-evaluations and
areas they feel need improvement.
After the oral presentations are assessed, the teacher will provide feedback to the student to plan future learning goals and discuss how to meet
these goals.
Self-assessment:
Science journals to record their investigations and keep a record of their learning progression throughout the unit and how their understanding
develop over time.

Self-evaluative checklist after drafting written report. This checklist is used to ensure that the report has met the requirements of the task as
explained in the rubric that was created. This provides students with important tools and strategies to reflect on their writing and find ways of
improving it based on the expected outcomes. If the students were unaware of the outcomes being assessed, then they would struggle to improve
their writing.
Create individual personalised goals to track their learning and reflect on personal growth. These goals are formed during a teacher-student
conference in relation to the rubric that was used to assess their oral-recount presentation.

STAGE 3: LEARNING PLAN

Class profile
Individual needs that may need to be addressed include:
Low or high achievers. Small groups can be used to re-teach an idea or skill for struggling learners, or to extend the thinking skills of advanced
learners. Students are also provided opportunities to extend their knowledge and skills by choosing to create more complex summative products.
Different learning styles. There are a variety of activities that allow students to move and participate with hand-on learning opportunities which would
cater for Kinaesthetic learners, for example the use of manipulatives during mathematics lessons, measuring lengths and weights of objects,
collecting samples for investigation, the excursion to the zoo and a treasure hunt around the school playground. Visual learners are also provided
with opportunities to view various examples of texts and how these can be deconstructed, modelling, maps and videos to explain new concepts.
Dyslexia. It is known that there is a child with dyslexia. To ensure he is provided with equal access and opportunity to the curriculum, tools such as
voice to text applications, can assist in communicating his ideas and thoughts that he otherwise has trouble writing due to poor spelling and
decoding issues. Individualised or small group teaching can also assist with his ability to understand text and communicate his knowledge.
Students also have the opportunity to influence the content they want to explore or report on, and have a choice in how to present their
presentations.
Learning environment
This unit provides opportunities for the learning to occur as a whole class, in small groups and individually. To ensure that all students reach their
full potential it is important to consider quiet spaces for students to work in without distractions, as well as areas where the students can join together

for collaboration.
There are also numerous opportunities for students to engage in the outside environments, both within the school playground and during an
excursion to the zoo. This ensures students are provided with hands-on, practical and authentic learning experiences.
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit?

Week 1

Week

Provide specimens of living or once living (dead) things such as insects and plants and non-living objects such as rocks, plastic or cardboard. Elicit
students prior knowledge of living and non-living things and their abilities to identify questions and conduct scientific investigations. Allow them to
make observations, share ideas and collaborate to group the specimens according to observable features. The integrated planning within this unit,
keeps students motivated and clearly links the learning areas together to reinforce skills and content knowledge.
Day

Learning Area

Lesson Activities

Lesson Title
Mon

English (1hr)
Structure and
context of texts.

Mon

Whole Class:
Brainstorm all of the possible purposes that a text could have (inform, entertain, argue, instruct, etc).
Create a list of all of these purposes and an example of text for each purpose.
Without discussing the text types, look at an imaginative and informative text analyse the structure and
grammatical features of both and how they differ. Discuss their purpose and text type.
Individually: Create a table to record information about these texts. Include a column for; text type, purpose,
structure, grammar and visual features. Ask students to provide as much information as they can recall from
discussion and any other information they can record.
(NSW Education and Training, 2010, http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/learning/712assessments/naplan/teachstrategies/yr2010/index.php?id=literacy/reading/lr_evld/lr_evld_s3a_10)

Science (45mins)

Observing specimens (plants, insects or images). Use of ICT microscopes

Specimens

KWL chart what they know about living things. Ask to fill in the first 2 columns and put it in science journal.
Will reflect on this at the end of the unit.
What makes it living table to be displayed on interactive whiteboard (Primary Connections)
Using the previous specimens, fill in the table and tick the claim the applies to each specimen. For example it:
needs water, has legs, can reproduce, grows, has feathers, is green, moves, is warm, and has eyes. Then

circle the claims that students think ALL living things have.

Mon

Mathematics (1hr)
Exploring
measurement.

Discussion on lengths, how many centimetres in a meter, how many meters in a kilometre?
Measuring Stations. Various stations will be set up for students to measure the length, weight and height of
certain objects. Students have a selection of tools to choose from to measure appropriately. In small groups
students move around each station and record their results.
Class discussion of results.

Tues

English (1.5hr)

Provide small groups with a variety of newspapers. Ask them to locate an article that recounts information
from a certain event. Share this article with other groups and discuss the features that make this a recount.
Eg - written in past tense, explains an event, provides information about who, when and where it occurred.
e.g. I went in chronological order, using connectives that signal time, for example, then, next, after,
meanwhile focused on individual or group participants, for example, in first person: I, we, or third person:
he, she, they
Recount.
Plan to write a recount of a special event or holiday, of a story or film, a historical event or natural disaster.
Allow students to choose a topic they are interested in.
Take notes, organise information in chronological order, and use connectives such as then, next, after.
Personal recount, using first person narrative, or recounting an event that involved someone else; use of third
person.

Tues

Mathematics (1.5hr)
Order and compare

Ask students to complete a worksheet predicting the length of each object.

Then measure and recording the actual length.
Do the same with objects in the classroom. Display them at the front of the class and students predict their
weight as a whole class items are weighed and students record this next to the predictions.
Student can then draw the object from either task into their workbooks, in order from longest-shortest or

lightest heaviest.
Online game: Compare and convert metric units of length
(https://au.ixl.com/math/year-3/compare-and-convert-metric-units-of-length)
Wed

Science (45mins)
Investigation

Wed

Examine a worn/disturbed area of the school and a garden with plants growing.
Ask them to list all of the items they find, classify them as living or non-living and justify why they think this.
This can be completed in class journal. Do this for both areas of the playground.
Whole class discussion as so the differences in areas, and amount of living things in each and why they
think this is the case.
In small groups, students group the living things into categories.
Discuss ethical considerations of keeping a pet in class and have students vote on a goldfish, butterfly,
silkworm or sea monkey.

English (1hr)

Review the purpose and structure of recounts.

Recounts

Allow students who have progressed well with their planning and research for the recount, to explore
alternative ways of presenting their information. For example a power point slide.
Students may also choose to record their voices, use images, PowerPoint, record using a video camera and
then editing the video. This lesson could then extend into another learning area such as art (media) or be
used during time in the computer lab or library.

Wed

Mathematics (1hr)
Volume and capacity

Discuss how capacity can be measured in Litres or Millilitres. (L or ml).

Observe a range of containers (milk, juice, water bottle etc). Ask students to idenfity how they know the
capacity of each? Order from smallest to largest.
Worksheet students need to draw the given capacity onto a measuring jug. Provide water jugs and water
for those that need this to work it out.

Thur

English (1.5hr)
Procedural text

Explore various procedural texts and identify the key features and layout.
Provide students with a procedure that is all out of order. Ask students to re-create the procedure properly
observing linking words, verbs, adverbs.
Students create a procedure for how to make their favourite sandwich remembering to add the goal/aim,
materials needed, instruction/method.
Allow children to make chocolate truffles. In small groups students are given a recipe to follow and they all
have a turn participating.

Fri

Mathematics (1.5)
Grid maps

Introduce the concept of grid maps using interactive whiteboard games. (For eg http://splash.abc.net.au/res/i/L350/li_001_gv_006/index.html).
Focusing on the grid coordinates and the use of coordinates to identify locations.

Week 2

Students to create their own grid map of the classroom. And then describe the location of certain items. For
example, I have placed the teachers desk in coordinates A7 and A8.
Mon

English (1hr)
Practice presentation

Present oral recount to the class (as a practice to build confidence and reflect on any improvements that
could be made to the presentation)
As a whole class, after each discussion explain one thing they did really well during their presentation, identify
the characters, main events, and the place it occurred.

Mon

Science (45mins)
Investigation part 2

Investigating the soil.

Using compost or vegetable garden soil conduct an investigation of the living things within that soil.
Use an Animal group investigation planner for each student to fill in (Primary Connections; feathers, fur or
leaves).
Discuss what a procedural text is and its features. Start with the purpose of the investigation. What do we
want to find out?
Predict what animal groups may be found. List and gather the materials needed.
Each child to collect a sample of soil and use a zip-lock bag to fill, and observe through. Draw and tally the
animals found. Consider releasing the animals back into the environment they came from on the same day.

Then fill out the graph on the investigation results worksheet and answer the initial question of the
investigation by listing the animals found.
Mon

Mathematics (1hr)
Maps

Tues

English (1hr)

Introduce the use of a compass to help navigate.

Treasure hunt around the school playground using compass directions and instructions, eg walk east from the
canteen.
As a whole class create a map of the school playground and the key features of their treasure hunt.

Presentation to the year 3 and 4 assembly, parents are invited to view.

Presentation
Tues

Mathematics (1.5hr)
Navigating

Discuss trips they may have been on flying or driving, the places they visited or stopped at and record this
using compass directions and journey path, listing all of the places along the way.
In pairs each student is given a map and cut-out characters, one places a character on the map and guides
the other student to the same location on their map. (Naplan, 2010, teaching strategies, space and geometry
position.)

Wed

English (1.5hr)
Evaluating
presentations

Presentations are assessed using a rubric by teacher.

Verbal communication, structure of presentation, vocabulary, volume, tone, fluency, characters and place
identified, past tense, first or third person consistent throughout the presentation.
Allow time to discuss students individual results and create learning goals to focus on developing verbal
communication, improving writing and the structure of texts.

Wed

Science (45mins)

Watch a video defining the difference of living and non-living and highlights the seven characteristics of all
living things. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ2FI50oecs&feature=related).

Living or non-living

Complete a quiz to determine knowledge of living and non-living things.

Wed

Mathematics (1hr)
Map scales and
directions.

Explain the purpose of a scale and provide examples of these on a variety of maps. (1cm=1km, 1:1000cm,
graphic scale).
Discussion: Who uses scales and why are they so important?
Map of the zoo (for excursion tomorrow) on A4 paper, discuss the scale used, the size of the zoo.
Discuss where they want to go, the quickest way to see all of the animals, different routes to take for lunch,
bathroom etc.
Using the same map on a grip scale, discuss location of animals. Ask students the grid reference of certain
animals and places.

Thur

Fri

Excursion to the zoo.

To reinforce and
develop English,
Science and Maths
concepts and skills.

Take notes of the information on one of the animals seen.

Mathematics (1.5hr)

Discuss what animals were at the zoo yesterday, make a list on the whiteboard.
Then ask students which was their favourite animal and how they could record those results. (eg, a tally)

Data collection

Use personal and school Ipads to ensure everyone has one. Use the App called Taronga Zoo Wild Australia
developed by NSW Department of Eduation and Communities. It allows students to create posters with
photos they take, use binoculars, answer set questions and includes many more educational tools.

Ask if there are any other ways of recording this. If they know elaborate on their ideas and provide other
examples, if they are unsure, introduce graphs and tables.
As a whole class record this information (of their favourite animals) into a table, or bar graph. Ask students
questions, which was the most popular? How can we tell? Etc.
Individually ask students to analyse a few types of graphs, provide more complex graphs for students with
higher understandings on this topic. For those who seem to be struggling provide simple tables, or bar graphs
so they are able to analyse them, using the modelling from the previous whole-class discussion. Answer
some short questions about what the graphs show.

Fri

English (1hr)

Week 3

Persuasive texts

Mon

Analyse persuasive texts. Discuss the authors point of view and purpose of the text.
Identify language features; verbs, adverbs, emotive words, tone, opinions, rhetorical questions.

English (1.5hr)

Create a persuasive text.

Persuasive texts

As a whole class discuss topics that cause debate amongst students or important issues they would like to
address. Examples may include; should animals be kept in zoos, recycling is being green easy? should
children have to play team sports? Etc, (Blake Education, 2010 https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/downloads/p_10/naplan_persuasive_sample.pdf).
Focus on structure, (introduction, body, conclusion), punctuation, expressing a point of view, the use of
present tense and emotive words.

Tues

Wed

English (1.5hr)

Continue developing persuasive text.

Persuasive texts

Peer-evaluations students share their writing with a peer to evaluate, and the peer needs to identify the
purpose of the text, the writers point of view, and interesting facts and provide comments and suggestions.

English (1hr)

Read the facts about penguins using the website: http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/penguins/facts1.htm

Reports

As a class create a rubric to assess a report of their own. Include title, headings, quality of information,
structure.
Using the notes from the excursion, write a report on one of the animals seen at the zoo. Allow time for extra
research.

Wed

Science (45mins)

Complete the KWL chart.

Complete a short self-reflection of the living/non-living things content. Explain what was interesting, what they
struggled with, what they still dont understand, and extra questions they have.

Thur

English (1.5hr)
Report writing
continued

Once drafts have been completed each student is to use a self-evaluative checklist to ensure that all
elements of their report have been included and that they are meeting the outcomes as outlined in the rubric.
Reflect on aspects of their writing that need improving and areas they exceeded in. Create goals to improve
this writing.
Publish the report focus on strategies for improving writing.

Fri

Mathematics (1.5hr)
Interpreting data

Interpret a column graph (NSW Department of Education and Communities, 2012a)

In small groups students discuss the information in the table, answers a series of questions and write number
sentences about each column, for example; In week 1 Chris spent $3 and banked $2.
Each group is given a different graph to conclude the lesson, the groups can share their findings with the
class and discuss any questions other peers may have. /teachstrategies/yr2012/index.php?
id=numeracy/nn_data/nn_data_s3c_12

Lessons adapted from Australian Academy of Science, (2013) and Australian Science Teachers Association, (n.d).