Backward Design - UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE

Title: SMOOTH MOVES

Year Level: 4

Teacher: Ms Tracey Skinner

Focus Curriculum Area (s): Science

Duration: 3 weeks

STAGE 1: Curriculum Links

General
Capabilitie
s (GP)
Crosscurriculum
Priorities
(CCP)

Year
Level
Content
Descripto
rs

Literacy

Numeracy

Ethical Behaviour

Personal and Social

ICT
Intercultural

Aboriginal and TSI

Asia and Australias

Sustainability

Histories and Culture

Engagement with Asia

Critical and Creative Thinking

Understanding

Physical sciences
Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance (ACSSU076)
Science as a Human Endeavour: Nature and development of science
Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE061)

Science Inquiry Skills : Questioning and predicting

With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior knowledge
(ACSIS064)
Communicating
Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and informal representations (ACSIS071)

Year
Level
Achievem
ent
Standard
s

By the end of Year 4, students apply the observable properties of materials to explain how objects and materials can be used. They describe how contact
and non-contact forces affect interactions between objects. They discuss how natural processes and human activity cause changes to Earths surface.
They describe relationships that assist the survival of living things and sequence key stages in life cycle of a plant or animals. They identify when science is
used to understand the effect of their actions.
Students follow instructions to identify investigatable questions about familiar contexts and make predictions based on prior knowledge. They describe
ways to conduct investigations and safely use equipment to make and record observations with accuracy. They use provided tables and column graphs to
organise data and identify patterns. Students suggest explanations for observations and compare their findings with their predictions. They suggest
reasons why a rest was fair or not. They use formal and informal ways to communicate their observations and findings.

Knowledge

Skills

Students will know:

Students will be able to:

Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact

or from a distance (ACSSU076)
Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and
relationships (ACSHE061)
Communicate observations using formal and informal representations
(ACSIS071)

Identify and recognise all forces

Identify and recognise the affects of a direct force
Identify and recognise the affects of force from a distance
Recording all data in a display
Record predictions from class experiments

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students will be able to:

1. Identify the types of forces
2. Describe how contact and non-contact forces affect interactions between objects.
3. Identify the affects of forces from a distance and direct force
4. Able to follow instructions to identify investigable questions about familiar contexts and make predictions based on prioer
knowledge.
5. To create an A3 poster displaying content knowledge.

Teaching Strategies and learning experiences:

A suggested learning sequence is outlined below:
Engage: Lesson 1 : identifying forces
Explore: Lesson 2: Identifying the affects of Forces direct pull
Explain: Lesson 3: Figuring out forces
Elaborate: Lesson 4: Review & Inquiry based learning experiments
Evaluate: : Lesson 5 and 6 : Reviewing & assessment work

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE

Task description:
At the end of the unit Year Four will individually create an A3 poster. Students are required to design a poster demonstrating their
understanding of a range of forces and how they can affect the movement of objects. Students are required to include class
observations and predictions from the classroom experiments.
Students are given the option of how to present their poster including the use of word programs.
Assessment Criteria:
Science Understanding:
Physical sciences
Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance (ACSSU076)
Science as a Human Endeavour: Nature and development of science
Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (ACSHE061)

Science Inquiry Skills : Questioning and predicting

With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and make predictions based on prior knowledge (ACSIS064)
Communicating
Represent and communicate observations, ideas and findings using formal and informal representations (ACSIS071)
Assessment recording template:
Observational notes will be made continuously throughout the unit of work. Students reflections and self/peer assessments will be
assess for their ability to make predictions during the class experiments. Students are encouraged to record and make predictions
during the 3 weeks of lessons. Students are expected to record these findings in their science journals. Each journal is broken down
into key learning outcome in order to maintain a throughout checklist.
Feedback:
Students will be given verbal and written feedback throughout the Unit of Work. The task is one of progression which aims at using a
journal and other worksheets to record formative assessment leading into the Summative Poster assessment at the end of the unit.
Each journal entry is an individual task with students encouraged to record and make their own individual predictions. They can work
with a partner after class collaborations, however students need to make their own predictions.
Self-assessment:

At the end of each journal entry, a self reflection checklist is used to record how the students feel they are going with the Unit and
the work required. Students who are struggling with the content are encouraged to speak to the teacher directly. Daily checking of
reflections will show the Teacher if anyone is having issues with the content. Students will provide reasoning behind why they
believe their predictions will work.

UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 3: PLAN LEARNING EXPERIENCES AND

INSTRUCTION
Learning Experiences

Assessment For/As
Learning (Diagnostic
Assessment)

Resources

1
ENGAGE: LESSON 1 (identifying
forces)
Watch the video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=vAThuCmwp9I
(Learning Junction. (2015). Pushing and
Pulling - Force, Work and Energy.)
Working individually, students
complete a TWLH chart to
identify what they think they
know and they they want to know
about.
Games Galore Brainstorm: what they
know about making things move (testing
prior knowledge)
5 games:
1. Balloon volleyball,
2. Jet balloon
3. Paper plane
4. 10 pin bowling
5. Handball
Push and Pull audit worksheet for
labelled diagram of game played
and reflective questions.

Assessment for learning:

Student journal
reflections and
discussions. (example
reflection below)

Teacher Resources :

Worksheet for labelled diagram

of game played and reflective
questions.

Label with whole class forces

used in each of 5 games.

Students make
predictions based on
what they think will be
the outcome.
Students can walk
around and try these
experiments on their
own at the end of the
class collaborations.

Worksheet for labelled

diagram

Example of Science Journal:

6

Label with whole class forces used

in each of 5 games.

Discussions with the class about

types pushing and pulling used
throughout the games. Create a
word wall using some words used
throughout the lesson.
Language: Push, pull, friction, gravity
forces, momentum, balanced unbalanced,
objects, direct contact indirect contact,
transferring energy, stationary and moving
objects, transforming energy, movement
energy, chemical energy, electrical energy

Smart Board
Laptop
Games
Student Resources:
Pencil cases Clipboard
2

EXPLORE: LESSON 2
Assessment for learning:
Making Moves (Focus on Pull &

Teacher Resources :
Smart Board
7

Friction, affects of forces, direct)).

Watch the video
https://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=bkHd6cSz104
(Rasmussen, M. 2008 Frication &
Gravity: Forces at Work)
Video contains footage of
parachuting, base jumping, BMX,
bikes and swimming

The effect on the

momentum of an object
depends on mass and size of
force.
25 minutes
Feeling Friction : Tug of war
boxes and four floors (concrete,
lino, grass and carpet).
Discussion and comparisons on the
floor types. What techniques were
used to pull the boxes.
Discuss leaving the box on the
ground for maximum surface area
friction.

Student journal
reflections and
discussions: self
assessment
Students are to write
observations into the own
journals.

Laptop
Games
Boxes and rope
Students journals
Student Resources:
Pencil cases
Clip boards
Teacher Resources :

Army men
Blu tac
P21 Primary Connection
Balloon
Globe of the world or a
picture to put on the white
board

25 minutes
8

Assessment for learning:

Far away Forces (Focus on Gravity)
(affects of forces from a distance)
Balloon Volleyball: Using force
arrows to explain effects of gravity,
friction push and pull.
Discuss and record students ideas
on forces in action for display.
Globe of world: blu tac and army
men to show the effect of gravity
on us. Draw own globe and force
arrow to show gravitys pull on the
army men (us)
Use Qs from p. 21 for students to
record their own ideas in science
journal. Using a red biro students
revise their own globe and force
arrows to show gravitys pull on the
army men.

Student Resources:
Students journals

Student journal
reflections and class
collaborations.
Using Qs from pg 21 to
record own ideas and
make assumptions

Language: Push, pull, friction, gravity

forces, momentum, balanced unbalanced,
objects, direct contact indirect contact,
transferring energy, stationary and moving
objects, transforming energy, movement
energy, chemical energy, electrical energy
3

EXPLAIN: LESSON 3

Assessment for learning:

Student Resources:
9

The effect on the

momentum of an object
depends on mass and size of
force.
Figuring out forces.
Powerpoint on different types of
energy and how it all connects
Discussion of different types of
energy list examples of each under
the following headings
Movement energy; Chemical
Energy, Electrical Energy (see p. 23
for ideas)
Revise word wall and add to our
ideas.

Student journal
reflections and
discussions: self
assessment
Worksheet for students
to draw their role play
ideas

Student journals
Role play worksheet

Students are to write

observations into the own
journals.
Teacher Resources:
Literacy group list
Word wall words
Powerpoint
Roleplay worksheet

GROUP WORK as per literacy groups

Each group containing 2 teams 6
members
Role play movement energy
(momentum)
Emphasise using shorter force
arrow for weaker force to show
unbalanced forces and longer
arrows for stronger forces.
10

Students practise role play and explain

what each force arrow does in their role
play.
4

ELABORATE : LESSON 4
Recap on what they have
learnt so far. Use
powerpoint presentation
Forces Finale :
Using the games from lesson 1,
students revisit the 4 forces in a
different game of their choice
(student led learning)
Students record force arrows
showing the momentum, direction
and type of force
Encourage students to try different
experiments with the games to see
if their predictions change.

Assessment for learning:

Student journal
reflections and
discussions: self
assessment
Students lead inquiry
based learning by
selecting their games in
a class collaboration
Students misconceptions and
poor understandings can be
addressed at this stage.

Teacher Resources :
Smart Board
Laptop
Powerpoint presentation
Students journals
Student Resources:
Pencil cases
Clip boards

Students are to write

observations into the own
journals.

Teacher Resources :
EVALUATE : LESSON 5

Assessment for learning:

11

 Class discussion on the

requirements of the
assessments, headings
and requirements.
Students are given the
opportunity to ask questions
to ensure understanding
and misconceptions
Students to begin working
on their A3 poster by
collecting and researching
their information.

Students must show the

Teacher their drafts prior to
working on the final copy.

Smart Board

Students recap ournal

reflections and
Laptop
discussions: self
assessment
QR codes

Address Students
misconceptions and poor
Students journals
understandings can be
addressed at this stage.
Students are to use observations Student Resources:
to write their poster.
Pencil cases
Clip boards

Students can print out

pictures of force using
technology
Students are given QR
codes to access appropriate
sites for information

12

EVALUATE: LESSON 6
Assessment for learning:
Students continue to work
Student journal
on their A3 posters.
reflections and
Check students
discussions: self
understanding of the
assessment
requirements
Students lead inquiry
Assist students who havent
based learning by
submitted a draft.
selecting their games in
Students can have access to
a class collaboration
ipads or computers to type
word documents or find
Students are to write
pictures.
observations into the own
journals.

Teacher Resources :
Smart Board
Laptop/ipads
QR Codes
Students journals
Student Resources:
Pencil cases
Clip boards

13

Pushes and Pulls Poster Assessment Task Sheet

Student Name:

Year Level: 4

Name of Task: Friction Investigation

Teacher:

Learning Area/s: Science, Technology

& Maths
Date
Commenced:

Date Due:

Type of Task:

Oral

Written

Other

Task
Conditions:

Individual

Pair

Group Work

In Class

Homework

Other

Opportunity to
Access:

Books

Notes

Library

Assessed By:

Self

Peer

Teacher

Technology

Task Description:
Students design a poster demonstrating their understanding of a range of
forces and how they can affect the movement of objects. Include your
observations from the experiments.
Procedure:

Spend two weeks learning about push and pull forces

Read through criteria sheet (teacher led)
Draft a layout for a poster in Science journal
Organise information logically and sequentially
Create poster: can use Word for document

Resources:

Science journal

Poster paper

Criteria

Outstanding
Achievement

High
Achievement

The student work demonstrates evidence of:

Identifies forces
Independently and
(ACSSU076)
accurately identifies all
forces investigated in the
explore phase.
Identifies the affects of Independently and
forces (direct) & from a accurately identifies the
distance
affects of all forces
(ACSSU076)
investigated in the
explore phase.

Satisfactory

Progressing

Independently identifies
all of the forces
investigated in the
explore phase.
Independently identifies
the affects of all of the
forces investigated in the
explore phase.

Identifies forces
investigated in the
explore phase.

Direct
From a Distance

Direct
From a Distance

Direct
From a Distance

Direct
From a Distance

Records information
and communicates
understanding
(ACSIS064)
Poster Display
A3
(ACSIS071)

Demonstrates accurate
understanding of forces
logically and
sequentially.
Poster is organised with
neat, clear, easy-to-read
lettering.

Demonstrates accurate
understanding of forces
logically.

Demonstrates
understanding of forces.

With prompting,
demonstrates
understanding of force

Poster is organised and is

neat and clear.

Poster is somewhat
organised and neat.

Poster lacks neatness a

is mostly disorganised.

Makes Predictions
(ACSHE061)

Communicates and
justifies predictions that
identify the variables
that affect the outcomes.

Communicates
predictions and attempts
to justify predictions that
identify the variables
that affect the outcomes.

Communicates and
attempts to justify
predictions.

With prompting
communicates
predictions.

Identifies the affects of

forces investigated in the
explore phase.

Pushes and Pulls Poster Investigation

Feedback

With prompting,
identifies forces
investigated in the
explore phase.
With prompting,
identifies the affects of
forces investigated in t
explore phase.

Catholic Education Services Diocese of Cairns

16