Unit Overview

Year Level and Unit Title Reception Science Local Insect Exploration
Duration 3 weeks and ongoing
Key Question

Rationale
Students will gain a greater understanding of the basic needs and habitats of small animals. I will activate
their engagement in this science unit through the use of storytelling in retelling the story of the apple star.
They will engage in different ways of describing their current ideas through brainstorming, roll-play,
reporting, drawing, collaborative learning and recording. They will explore their local environment using their
senses to observe, draw, share and discuss their observations and ideas.


Host Key Learning Areas
Science

Minor Learning Areas
English
Curriculum Outcomes
Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002)
Science involves exploring and observing the world using
the senses (ACSHE013)
Explore and make observations by using the senses (ACSIS011)
Engage in discussions about observations and use methods such as
drawing to represent ideas(ACSIS233)
Share observations and ideas (ACSIS012)


Outcomes
explain their current ideas about the features and behavior of small animals/creatures that enables
them to move, eat and protect themselves
use their senses to make observations and identify the small animals and their habitats and how
these provide for their needs of food, water and shelter
draw their observations including features of the small animal (parts that enable them to move, eat
and protect themselves) and their habitat (providing them with food, water and shelter)
share and describe their observations
introduction of a class science journal to document ongoing learning.
Create a class picture graph of all the small animals found on the safari




PRIOR LEARNING OUTCOMES FUTURE LEARNING
Observation skills- lifecycle of a
frog
Using accessible resources to
make links and self-motivated
learning
Basic skills in observation,
drawing and sharing/discussion of
these observations
Extend using more senses in their
observation, local
environment/habitats,
collaborative learning, role-play,
introduction of picture graph and
science journal to record
observations/finding/ideas

PRODUCT & ASSESSMENT
Diagnostic assessment Science Journal, role-play, brainstorming
Formative assessments
Collaborative learning teams, drawing/writing observations to express
ideas, sharing and discussion
Other

Knowledge Focus
Declarative Knowledge
(What do I want my learners to know?)
Procedural Knowledge
(What do I want my learners to be able to do?)
Living things have needs- food, water and shelter-
and how their habitats provide these
Draw a cricket and the parts of the cricket that
allows them to move, eat and protect themselves
How to record their observations first with drawings
and expand using written words
Work in a collaborative team to explore the
schoolyard and draw their observations
How to take care of the habitats of other living
things
Role-play the movements of different small animals
Identify, share and discuss their observations in
their collaborative teams and with the class
Document observations in a variety of ways with
support


Specific Student Needs and Adjustments
Consider ways to profile learner needs, list specific considerations and requirements
Specific student needs Adjustments and considerations




Key Resources for Unit
Science Journal
Map of schoolyard
Recording sheet and pencils
Pictures of ants, worms, caterpillars, snails, butterflies etc for picture graph (or just draw them)- marker
crickets





REFLECTIVE TOOL
Aspects of relevance to this unit
1.
Attitudes &
Perceptions
2.
Acquire & Integrate
Knowledge
3.
Extend & Refine
Knowledge
4.
Use knowledge
Meaningfully
5.
Habits of Mind
Classroom Climate Declarative Comparing Decision Making
Persisting
Clarity & precision
Managing impulsivity
Data through senses
Understanding/empathy
Creating, imagining, innovating
Thinking flexibly
Wonderment & awe
Meta cognition
Responsible risk taking
Striving for accuracy
Past knowledge, new situations
Finding humour
Interdependent thinking
Question/pose problems
Continuous learning
Acceptance by teacher/s
& peers
Construct meaning Classifying Problem Solving
Comfort & Order Organise Abstracting Invention
Classroom Tasks Store Inductive Reasoning Experimental Inquiry
Value & Interest Procedural Deductive Reasoning Investigation
Ability & Resources Construct Models Constructing Support System Analysis
Clarity Shape Analysing Errors
Internalise Analysing Perspectives







VOCABULARY CONCEPTS
Habitat Describe
safari Map
Science journal
Learning Journey sequence of lessons/strategies

Lesson
sequence
Focus
Learning Experiences
Main DoL
focus
Main
Resources

Check for
learning/
Assessment

1
Apple star story, curious creatures brainstorm
and role-play
1 Science
journal,
apple,
themselves
diagnostic
2 Schoolyard safari 2 Map,
recording
sheets and
pencils,
collaborative
teams,
science
journal
formative
3 Crickets and worms/snails/caterpillar/ladybug 2/3 Crickets,
another
insect to
compare,
venn diagram
formative


UNIT TIMETABLE
(Weekly overview brief detail only use to determine time-frame etc)
WEEK BEG. MON TUES WED THURS FRI

1
Apple star story
What type of animal might use an apple as their
home?
Whats another word for home? Predict what
types of curious creatures/small animals might
live in the schoolyard?
Role-play how these curious creatures might
move, eat and protect themselves.
K-W-L strategy write what we know, what we
want to know and let them know that in 2 weeks
we will brainstorm what weve learnt.


2
Explore the schoolyard
What types of curious creatures did you find in
your teams? How did they move? Who else found
a ____? (draw numbers on a picture graph) What
is this? (a map) what is it a map of? Can
someone please tell me where in the JP yard they
found ants? Worms? Caterpillar? Etc

3

Close observations
Cricket and eg. worms
As a class write observations (2 Small animal
description sheet enlarged) divide the class into
two groups to observe. One crickets and the other
small animal/curious creature. Set timer for 5
minutes.
Cricket team: how many legs? How does it move?
What does it eat? How does it eat? Where does it
live? How does it protect itself?

Worm team? Other sheet.
Compare: Whats different? Whats the same?


Teacher Evaluation and Reflection
How effective was this unit?
Students

low
Level of Engagement


high

low
Challenge for students


high

low
Achievement/progress towards goals
high

no
All learners catered for


yes
Future teaching suggestions:
What information did this unit provide about the future teaching/learning needs of these students?



Teacher Professional Goals

low
Achievement/progress towards goals


high
What have you done so far that has been effective?
What kind of help would be useful to you?
What might your next steps be?


Unit

difficult
Ease of use (plan)


easy
Duration/Session times
too long/short

appropriate length
too many

appropriate amount
Activities
unrelated to outcomes

addressed the outcomes
Resources
difficult to find

easily found
difficult to use

easy to use
difficult for students to use

appropriate for students
Assessment
difficult to carry out easy to carry out
unrelated to outcomes
allowed for range of
student responses

Suggested changes adaptations/modifications:
If you were to use this unit again, what changes would you make?