Australian Curriculum: Science (Year 2)

Sub-strands Content Descriptions Achievement Standard

Biological • Living things grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves (ACSSU030) By the end of Year 2, students
sciences describe changes to objects,
Science understanding

materials and living things. They

Chemical • Different materials can be combined, including by mixing, for a particular purpose identify that certain materials and
sciences (ACSSU031) resources have different uses and
describe examples of where
Earth and space • Earth’s resources, including water, are used in a variety of ways (ACSSU032) science is used in people’s daily
sciences lives.

Physical • A push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape (ACSSU033) Students pose questions about
sciences their experiences and predict
outcomes of investigations. They
• Science involves asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events use informal measurements to
Nature and
development of (ACSHE021) make and compare observations.
endeavour (Year 1-2)
Science as a human

science They follow instructions to record

and represent their observations
and communicate their ideas to
others.
Use and • People use science in their daily lives, including when caring for their environment and living
influence of things (ACSHE022)
science

Questioning and • Respond to and pose questions, and make predictions about familiar objects and events
predicting (ACSIS024)
Science inquiry skills (Year 1-2)

Planning and • Participate in different types of guided investigations to explore and answer questions, such as
conducting manipulating materials, testing ideas, and accessing information sources (ACSIS025)
• Use informal measurements in the collection and recording of observations, with the assistance
of digital technologies as appropriate (ACSIS026)
Processing and • Use a range of methods to sort information, including drawings and provided tables
analysing data (ACSIS027)
and information • Through discussion, compare observations with predictions (ACSIS212)
Evaluating • Compare observations with those of others (ACSIS213)

Communicating • Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways such as oral and
written language, drawing and role play (ACSIS029)
 English CONCEPT MAP Maths
• Read books such as: (option 1) • Measure distances objects are
• And Everyone Shouted, “Pull!” A First pushed/pulled
Look at Forces and Motion ~ Claire • Make a tally of the amount of
Llewellyn push/pull objects found in a classroom
• Newton and Me ~ Lynne Mayer • Graph results of tally
• Oscar and the Cricket ~ Jeff Waring • Measure using balance scales
• Give It a Push! Give it a Pull! ~
Jennifer Boothroyd

• Write up a scientific report on pushes

and pulls, or the force of gravity
Concept: Physical Science Term: 2 Weeks: 1-5
©The University of Notre Dame 2010 developed by C McGunnigle

Science / Technology & Enterprise Health & Physical Education

• Students create vehicles that move through water and air, • Explore sports toys that require pushing and pulling:
such as parachutes, helicopters, boats and submarines. o Ball sports/ball and bat sports
• Students create a Goldberg machine that incorporates push o Tug a war
and pull mechanics o Throwing a boomerang
o Weights/fitness training

Geography History The Arts

• Students name oceans and • Students investigate a variety of push
• Students explore historical
continents where their push/pull toys and devices and and pull instruments and the different
vehicles may be used how they differ from today sounds a push or a pull elicit
• Students explore how push/pull • Students learn a dance/drama involving
technology has evolved, and how it moving through air, land and water
has changed the world
 FORWARD PLANNING DOCUMENT

TERM/WEEKS: 1-5 YEAR LEVEL: 2 LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Science – Physical Sciences

AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
General Capabilities:
Literacy Numeracy ICT Critical and creative Ethical Behaviour Personal and social Intercultural Understanding
thinking Competence
Cross-curriculum priorities:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and Cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability

WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON LINKS OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
Science Science as Science (include learner diversity)
Understa a Human Inquiry
nding Endeavour Skills
1. Science Understanding Identify at least Diagnostic, work Safety: Selected toys and objects must be appropriate for student age. What is the A collection of
Engage A push or a pull affects how three common sample, checklist Students are required to handle objects carefully, not fight over objects, and difference common toys and
an object moves or changes use them only as they are intended to be used. between push objects, e.g. Toy
toys and objects
shape (ACSSU033) that use push and Student’s journals and pull? car, toy piano,
Introduction: Play a slideshow with images of people pushing and pulling
will be collected boomerang etc,
pull forces common items. Ask students what the commonality is, and what they think
Science as a Human and the worksheet the topic of the lesson is. Am I pushing or that use push and
Endeavour for the lesson Introduce the idea of push and pull forces to students, defining both and pulling this pull forces. One
Science involves observing, Make at least assessed for demonstrating them using a suitcase, a broom and a golf club and ball. object? for each child
asking questions about, and three general understanding.
describing changes in, observations Students will be Body: Begin with a safety brief on careful handling of objects. Students What is the A broom, a
objects and events about what they required to have choose a push/pull toy and play with it, determining whether it uses push or force of push suitcase and a
(ACSHE034) see, hear, feel, correctly pull forces. They then find a partner and discuss their toys with each other. doing to the golf-club and ball
identified the Finally, they draw or write about their toy in their journal worksheets, object?
and think making a determination whether it was push or pull. This can be repeated
Science Inquiry Skills regarding the forces for at least as many times as required. Students also make general observations on
PowerPoint with
Pose and respond to push/pull toys 4 objects, and their worksheets What is the images of
questions, and make made at least Stop the activity to play a game where an item is presented to students, and force of pull push/pull objects
predictions about familiar three general they make a decision as to whether it uses push or pull forces, or both. doing to the on it (Appendix
objects and events observations. object? A)
(ACSIS037) Conclusion: Students choose a final toy and sit on the mat, choosing a spot
Mark whether dependent upon whether their toy uses push or pull forces or both. Discuss What would Worksheet to be
students did not the toys with students, their reasons for sitting where they did, and discuss happen if I pasted into
their general observations. Introduce the design brief to students,
get the game push/pull it journal (Appendix
explaining it will be done in a subsequent lesson. Finish with a brainstorm
answers correct of other push and pull forces used in everyday life (opening the door,
really hard? B)
lifting objects etc.).
Recorded in a How could this Design Brief
checklist Enabling: Bring in a range of objects easily identified as push or pull, e.g. object use both (Appendix D)
(Appendix C) toy car, ball, etc. push and pull
Allow students to draw on their worksheets rather than write. forces?
Extending: Bring in more complicated push/pull objects, skipping rope,
barbie doll etc. direct Extension students to these objects during activity,
and promote discussion
WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
LINKS (include learner diversity)
Science Science as Science
Understa a Human Inquiry
nding Endeavour Skills
2. Science Understanding Make predictions and Formative, Safety: Students will be required to use their materials maturely, Can anyone PowerPoint and
Explore A push or a pull affects record observations Work samples, without damaging objects or tipping out the jars, or putting objects describe what projector
how an object moves or regarding a scientific checklist. in their mouths. The jars shall be only slightly filled up, and shall gravity does to
changes shape experiment using a be big enough for students to easily put their hand in and out. objects? Jars filled with
(ACSSU033) provided template in Students water, white sand
pairs. observations will Introduction: Begin by addressing any weaknesses of Does gravity and air. Enough
Science as a Human be glued into understanding identified from the last lesson. work on so that each pair
Endeavour Identify that some science journal Once this is done, watch THIS VIDEO about Isaac Newton. everything? of students get
Science involves objects float in water, and collected. Discuss with students how Gravity is a force that pulls things down one of each.
observing, asking and some objects They will be to earth. What is in each
questions about, and sink. marked against a Present three glass jars to students, one filled with soft white sand, of these jars? Objects for the
describing changes in, checklist one filled with water, and the third with nothing (air). Students have experiment:
objects and events Identify that objects (Appendix E) to to identify what is in each jar. Discuss the properties of earth, water What did we • Table tennis
(ACSHE034) sink at different ensure student and air, and ask students to predict, on their observation templates notice when I balls
speeds through air. understanding. (hand them out), what will happen when the marbles are dropped dropped the • Marbles
Science Inquiry Skills in. Drop them in and ask students to record their observations, marble in each • Coins
Participate in guided drawing or writing. Discuss what happened to the marble and how jar? • Milk lid
investigations to explore it was different for each jar, all in relation to the forces of gravity. • Feather
and answer questions Will every
(ACSIS038) Body: In pairs, students are given three jars, identical to the three at object we drop Observation
the front. They are also given a variety of items (as listed in the in act like the template
Use informal resources section). Students will drop in different objects without marble? (Appendix F)
measurements to collect removing any of the sand, water or air from the jar. Students will
and record observations, record their predictions and results in the worksheets provided.
using digital technologies
as appropriate (ACSIS039) Conclusion: Students are going to gather and share their
observations as a class. Key points for discussion is the difference
between the water, air and sand, the difference between the objects,
and the easy/difficulty in which they were put to the bottom of the
jars. Ensure the feather is discussed.

Enabling: Students will be paired so that weaker students have the

support of stronger students. Weaker students will be allowed to
rely upon diagrams and arrows for their worksheets.

Extending: Stronger students will be encouraged to take leading

roles in their groups. Stronger groups will be given more objects to
test
WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
LESSON LINKS
Science Science as Science
Understa a Human Inquiry
nding Endeavour Skills
3. Science Understanding
Explain A push or a pull affects how
an object moves or changes
shape (ACSSU033)
Science as a Human
Endeavour
Science involves observing,
asking questions about, and
describing changes in,
objects and events
(ACSHE034)
Science Inquiry Skills
Use a range of methods to
sort information, including
drawings and provided tables
and through discussion,
compare observations with
predictions (ACSIS040)
Compare observations with
those of others (ACSIS041)
SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
(include learner diversity)
Represent the forces Formative, work Introduction: Begin the lesson with a game “float or sink,” where a Why do some Balloon
of gravity and water sample, checklist variety of objects are pictured on a PowerPoint and students vote on objects float
whether they believe they will sink or float in water.
on two objects using Recall students to the activity they did in the previous lesson, and and some Whiteboard and
arrows in a diagram. Students work sink? markers
remind them of their results. Draw a picture of a submarine, an boat
will be glued into and hot air balloon on the whiteboard. Discuss with students the
force of gravity, and how it is always pulling things towards the
Explain why an science journal, Why does this Projector,
earth. Then, discuss how the water can push some objects so they
object floats or sinks collected and don’t sink, and how even the air can push objects up so they float on
balloon fall so computer,
using the words marked against a air. Demonstrate this by blowing up a balloon, and dropping it slowly through PowerPoint
“force, push, pull, checklist alongside another object. Discuss why the balloon falls so slowly the air when
gravity.” (Appendix G) compared with the other object. other objects Worksheets for
Body: Add arrows (previously printed) to the diagram to represent don’t? each student
Identify objects that the forces that were discussed, gravity pulling down the ship, (Appendix H)
float and sink. submarine and hot air balloon and the air and water pushing them up. Can air push
Introduce the idea that some of the arrows are bigger than others to
represent forces that are bigger than others, and if an upwards push is
against
bigger than the downwards pull of gravity, the object will float. objects?
Students then will be given a worksheet with a diagram of two jars
with water in them, just like from the previous experiment. In one jar
the students will draw a marble and in the other a table tennis ball.
The students will add arrows to the diagram to represent the forces
of gravity and water. The arrows must have different sizes for the
different sized forces. Students must then write why something floats
and why something sinks using the words, “force, gravity, push,
pull.” They must then predict whether given objects will float or sink
on their worksheets. Students can use their results from last lesson’s
activity to assist them.
Conclusion: Draw up some more diagrams on the board, such as a
rock on the earth, a bird in the air etc. and ask students to come up
and place arrows on the diagram. Ask them to elaborate on why they
put the arrows in those places, and why they drew them that size.
Enabling: Students who may have writing difficulties can submit
their descriptive sentence orally. Weaker students can have the
guidance of their partners from the last activity
Extending: Extension students are to consider some objects that
float in air, and why gravity doesn’t pull them to the earth.
WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON CURRICULUM OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
LINKS (include learner diversity)
Science Science as a Science
Unders Human Inquiry
tanding Endeavour Skills

4. Science Understanding Design and create a Summative, Work Safety: Teacher operates the electric fan. Ensure any electronics are Who remember Design briefs
Elaborate A push or a pull affects craft which floats, Sample, Rubric kept well away from the water, potentially taping down the cord of s the design
how an object moves or the fan if required. Nobody uses the water unless they have the brief?
carries an object, teachers permission. Resources for
changes shape moves in one Students work will the design brief,
(ACSSU033) be glued into their Why do things
direction and is Introduction: Instruct students to partner up, and to take out their including:
books and journals with the design brief sheet pasted in. Show students the pool float on water?
Science as a Human pushed effectively by completed sections • Aluminium
of water with the fan, and read through the design brief with them.
Endeavour air marked against a Ensure they understand the instructions. Remind students that the What kind of foil
Science involves rubric (Appendix J) water needs to push their craft up, and the wind needs to push their materials might • Tape
observing, asking questions Test out the designed craft across the water. float? • Balloons
about, and describing craft and make Brainstorm items that float on the water, and discuss with students
• Plasticine
changes in, objects and observations based why they float If ships are
• Paper
events (ACSHE034) upon its performance made out of
Body: Students design and create a craft to carry a toy person across
metal, how do • Pop-sticks
the water by being pushed. Students will come up with the design • Foam balls
Science Inquiry Skills using their worksheets, and justify their decision making regarding they float on
Participate in guided craft design and materials. The water will be a small pool with a fan water? • String
investigations to explore blowing air in the direct the students’ crafts will be going. The air • Glad-wrap
and answer questions will push the crafts across. What kind of • Cardboard
(ACSIS038) shapes best float
Conclusion: Students race their crafts across the water, timing speed on water?
in which it crosses. Students answer the observation questions on Design brief
their recording sheets as they watch their crafts cross the water.
How can we
recording sheet
capture the wind (Appendix I)
Enabling: Pair some students strategically, supporting weaker
students with strong students. If required, allow weaker groups to to help push our
use an iPad to google designs, giving suggestions for google terms. craft across the Splash pool
water? Electric fan
Extending: Ensure extension students are not paired with weakest Toy person
students. Encourage them to consider how to capture the wind in Stopwatches
order to push their craft faster across the water.
WEEK/ AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING KEY RESOURCES
LESSON LINKS OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES QUESTIONS
(include learner diversity)
Science Science as Science
Understa a Human Inquiry
nding Endeavour Skills
5. Science Understanding Evaluate the Summative, Work Introduction: Revise the forces of push and pull and gravity Design brief
Evaluate A push or a pull affects how effectiveness of their Sample, Rubric with students by dropping a balloon and a ball, and asking worksheets
an object moves or changes designed craft students why the fall and why they fall at different speeds.
shape (ACSSU033) Students work will Students could complete a think-pair-share before answering
be glued into their questions.
Explain the forces
Science as a Human books and
Endeavour which acted on their completed sections Body: Students complete their design-brief worksheets,
Science involves observing, craft. marked against a working with their partners if required, although they must
asking questions about, and rubric (Appendix J) use their own words. Use this time to work one-on-one with
describing changes in, Improve on the students who require help.
objects and events design of their craft
(ACSHE034) based upon their Conclusion: Collect up worksheets, draw an image of a boat
observations on the board, and ask students what forces are acting upon the
Science Inquiry Skills boat, drawing in the arrows as they answer. Ask them to share
Compare observations with some of their evaluations, especially insights into what they
those of others (ACSIS041) could improve their crafts with, and what kind of materials
made the best crafts.
Represent and communicate
observations and ideas in a Enabling: Students will be allowed to complete their
variety of ways (ACSIS042) evaluation questions using a digital recording device if
required. The teacher will assist them with comprehension of
the questions.

Extending: Students who finish early will design a further

craft (on paper) based upon what they have learned from this
project.