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Unit Plan Primary Connections Friends or Foes Year 4

Lessons

Sessions

Content

Materials

Teaching and
Learning
Activities

To capture students
interest and find out
what they think they
know about how living
things, including plants
and animals, have life
cycles and depend on
each other and the
environment to survive.

Tomato Trouble and How Does it

Grow Sheets.

Class/ Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet 1
and 2

SSO, to support
students learning.

To provide students
with hands-on, shared
experiences of the
beneficial relationship
between flowers and
bees.

Session 1: Class/Student Science

Journal, Science Chat-board,
Word Wall, team roles and skills
charts

Session 1:

SSO, to support
students learning.

6
ENGAGE
Lesson 1
Tomato
Troubles

EXPLORE
Lesson 2
Flower and
Bees
The Bees
Knees
Flower Power
DOUBLE
LESSON

Tomatoes of different varieties.

Science Chat-board, Word Wall
Class/Students Science Journal

Flower Samples, Tweezers,

magnifying glasses, small trays,
wrist bands
Cross Section of a Flower Sheet
Session 2: Class/Student Science
Journal, Science Chat-board,
Word Wall, team roles and skills
charts
Session 3: Class/Student Science
Journal, Digital Camera
(optional) Science Chat-board,
Word Wall, team roles and skills
charts, Wrist Bands. Blooming
Flowers Sheet
1

Class/Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet 3
Session 2:
Class/Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet 4
and 5
Session 3:
Class/Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet 6

Modification

Room for expansion

for gifted students
by way of assisting
SSO if work is
completed or going
on with work from
other subjects.

Room for expansion

for gifted students
by way of assisting
SSO if work is
completed or going
on with work from
other subjects.

Assessment

Diagnostic
Assessment KWL
Chart What
students already
know and understand

Formative
Assessment
Observation
monitor students
developing
understanding and
giving feedback that
extends their learning
and monitoring
students developing
science inquiry skills
(Relevant to this
lesson)

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EXPLORE

Lesson 3
Ants and
Seeds

To provide students
with hands-on, shared
experiences of the seeds
of different types of
fruit and how seeds are
dispersed by ants.

DOUBLE
LESSON

Session 1: Class/Student Science

Journal, Science Chat-board,
Word Wall, team roles and skills
charts, Wrist bands
From Flower to Fruit and
Information note for families
Sheets
Session 2: Class/Student Science
Journal, Science Chat-board,
Word Wall, team roles and skills
charts, Wrist bands.

Session 1:
Class/Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet 7
and 8
Session 2:
Class/Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet 9

SSO, to support
students learning.
Room for expansion
for gifted students
by way of assisting
SSO if work is
completed or going
on with work from
other subjects.

Ant dispersal investigation

planner Sheet

Formative
Assessment
Observation monitor students
developing
understanding and
giving feedback that
extends their learning
and monitoring
students developing
science inquiry skills
(Relevant to this
lesson)

A4 Card, birdseed, brown sugar,

crushed dog biscuits, timing
devices, digital camera (optional)
EXPLAIN

Lesson 4
Coming
together

ELABORATE
Lesson 5
Leaving home

To support students to
represent and explain
their understanding of
the life cycles of bees,
ants and plants and the
interactions between
them, and to introduce
current scientific views.

Class/Student Science Journal,

Science Chat-board, Word Wall,
team roles and skills charts, Wrist
bands.

To support students to
plan and conduct an
investigation of various
seed dispersal methods.

Class/Student Science Journal,

Science Chat-board, Word Wall,
team roles and skills charts, Wrist
bands.

Life Cycles Jumble 1 and 2 Sheets

6 numbered containers, seed

samples, electric fan, magnifying
2

Class/Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet
10

SSO, to support
students learning.

Class/Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet
11

SSO, to support
students learning.

Room for expansion

for gifted students
by way of assisting
SSO if work is
completed or going
on with work from
other subjects.

Room for expansion

for gifted students
by way of assisting
SSO if work is

Formative
Assessment
Observation monitor
students developing
understanding and
giving feedback that
extends their learning

Summative
Assessment
Summarise their
development
focusing on the
Science Inquiry

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Sarah Anderson 2082577
glasses, woollen socks, selfadhesive tape
Travelling Seeds Sheet
EVALUATE
Lesson 6
Giving advice

To provide
opportunities for
students to represent
what they know about
how living things,
including plants and
animals, have life
cycles and depend on
each other and the
environment to survive,
and to reflect on their
learning during the unit.

Class/Student Science Journal,

Science Chat-board, Word Wall
Tomato Troubles and How does it
grow - Sheets

Class/Student
Science Journal,
Word Wall,
Resource Sheet 1
and 2 - Revisited

completed or going
on with work from
other subjects.

Skills

SSO, to support
students learning.

Summative
Assessment
Science
Understanding
descriptions, looking
for evidence of the
extent to which
students understand

Room for expansion

for gifted students
by way of assisting
SSO if work is
completed or going
on with work from
other subjects.

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Australian Curriculum: Science Strands: Lesson alignment:
Strand:
Science Understanding

Biological Sciences ACSSU072/073 Living things have life cycles/Living things including plants and animals, depend on each other and the
environment to survive (Lessons 1-6)

Science as a Human Endeavour

Nature and development of Science ASCHE061 - Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships (Lessons 2-6)
Use and influence of science ASCHE062 Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions (Lesson 4)

Science Inquiry Skills

Questioning and Predicting ACSIS064 - With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and predict what
might happen based on prior knowledge (Lessons 3, 6)
Planning and Conducting ACSIS065/066 Suggest way to plan and conduct investigations to find answers to questions (Lessons 3,6) - Safely use
appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record observations, using formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate (Lessons 2,
3, 6)
Processing and analysing data and information ACSIS068/216 - Use a range of methods including tables and graphs to represent data and to identify
patterns and trends (Lessons 3, 6) - Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings (Lessons 2, 3, 6)
Evaluating ACSIS069 - Reflect on the investigation, including whether a test was fair or not (Lessons 3, 6)
Communicating ACSIS071 Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways such as diagrams, physical representations and simple
reports (Lessons 1-6)

Capabilities (For more detail refer to page 7 of Primary Connections):

Literacy
Numeracy
ICT
Critical and Creative Thinking
Ethical Behaviour
Personal and Social Competence
Intercultural understanding

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Year level:

4 Lesson number: 1___Lesson Topic: Tomato Troubles

Time: 50 minutes

Essential Learning: How living things, including plants and animals, have life cycles and depend on each other and the environment to survive.
Learning outcome strand: Science Understanding - Biological sciences ACSSU072/073 Science Inquiry Skills - Communicating ACSIS071
By the end of the lesson, students will (KUDs):

At the beginning of the lesson

Have Knowledge about: The vocabulary related to plants. What the needs
are of flowering plants and the reason for flowers and fruit.

Introduce the lesson and get students to complete the KWL chart. Introduce
the tomatoes. Discuss shapes, sizes, taste, how they are eaten and cooked and
favourite types. Ask if students know anything about tomatoes and if they
have grown them. Introduce the enlarged copy of Tomato Troubles and read
and discuss with students. Asks questions.

Understand: Plants are living things. There are many different kinds of
plants. Plants have different parts. Plants need certain conditions to grow.
Plants go through stages as they grow.
Be able to (Do): They will know how to create the life cycle of a tomato
plant and include ideas about each stage. Contribute to class discussions
about fruit and the life cycle of a tomato plant.

Distribute copies of Tomato Troubles. Ask students to complete the

sentences. Ask students to share response with the class. Record answers in
the class science journal. Discuss the purpose and features of a science
journal.
(See page 12 in Primary connections for further details)
During the lesson

Prior Knowledge: Students can describe the parts of plants; the root, stem,
leaf and flower and can classify living organisms as plants or animals. Name
geometric shapes such as square, circle, rectangle, oval.
Resources: Tomato Trouble and How Does it Grow Sheets.
Tomatoes of different varieties. Science Chat-board, Word Wall
Class/Students Science Journal, IWB

Introduce the enlarged copy of How does it grow. Discuss what the images
are. Explain that students will cut out each of the images and arrange and
paste them into their science journals to show how they think a tomato plant
grows. Ask students to label or add information to explain their ideas.
Introduce the enlarged images of the life cycle of the tomato plant (see
preparation in Primary connections). Place these on the science chat-board
(see preparation). Introduce and discuss its purpose and features.
(See page 12 in Primary connections for further details)

Differentiation: SSO, to support students learning.

At the end of the lesson

Room for expansion for gifted students by way of assisting SSO if work is
completed or going on with work from other subjects.

Ask students to place images in the order they think the tomato plant grows.
Ask what ideas they have about the stages in the life of the flowering plant
and add those to the science chat-board. Introduce the word wall and discuss
its purpose and features. Ask the students what new words they have learned
in the lesson and add the words and images to the word wall.

Safety: Check students health records for allergies or other health issues. Clean up spills
immediately as slippery floors are dangerous. Instruct students never to taste, smell or eat
anything unless they are given permission. Discuss and display a list of safe practices for
science activities.

(See page 13 in Primary connections for further details)

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Sarah Anderson 2082577

Year level:

4 Lesson number: __2_- Sessions 1-3__Lesson Topic: Flowers and Bees Time: 120 minutes Double lesson

Essential Learning: The internal parts of flowers, their role in pollination and how bees assist in pollination while meeting their own needs.
Learning outcome strand: Science Understanding - Biological sciences ACSSU072/073 Science as Human Endeavour Nature and Development of Science
ACSHE061 Science Inquiry Skills Planning and Conducting ACSIS066 Processing and Analysing Data and Information ACSIS068/216 Communicating
ACSIS071
By the end of the lesson, students will (KUDs):

At the beginning of the lesson

Have Knowledge about: The internal parts of a flower used in pollination,

know the life cycle of a bee and the parts of the bees involved in pollination
and why and how bees pollinate and describe features of flowers that attract
pollinators.

Explain to students that this is a large lesson and their attention is fully
required to complete it. Revise previous lesson by looking at the seed image
and the new information that students learned. Ask questions. Refer to
science chat-board. Ask students what they know about the parts of a flower.
Record responses in the class science journal. Explain that students will be
working in collaborative learning teams to explore the parts of a flower.

Understand: The importance of pollination and how it sustains our

environment. Why bees need to pollinate and how flowers provide pollen for
bees to sustain our environment and their own needs.
Be able to (Do): Label diagrams of flowers highlighting their features that
attract pollinators. Discuss their observations and keep records.
Prior Knowledge: The reason for flowers, there are many different types and
the stages they go through as they grow and now how life cycles work (living
organisms).

(Refer to page 18 of Primary connections for further details)

During the lesson
Ask students to observe the flower and draw a cross section of it. Discuss the
purpose and the features of a cross section. Demonstrate how to use a
magnifying glass and tweezers to assist students observations. Form teams
and allocate rolls.

Flower Samples, Tweezers, magnifying glasses, small trays, Cross Section of

a Flower Sheet, Digital Camera (optional), Blooming Flowers Sheet, IWB

Introduce the enlarged copy of Cross section of a flower Read and discuss
the names of the flower parts. Provide each student with a copy and ask
teams to review their cross sections and add the labels to the matching flower
parts.

Differentiation: SSO, to support students learning.

At the end of the lesson

Room for expansion for gifted students by way of assisting SSO if work is
completed or going on with work from other subjects.

Revise the enlarged copy of Cross section of a flower. Ask if they have
heard of the word pollination and what they think it means. Discuss with

Resources: Class and Student Science Journals, Science Chat-board, Word

Wall, team roles and skills charts, Wrist bands

(Refer to page 18-19 for further details)

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Safety: Check students health records for allergies or other health issues. Clean up spills
immediately as slippery floors are dangerous. Instruct students never to taste, smell or eat
anything unless they are given permission. Discuss and display a list of safe practices for
science activities.

Year level:

4 Lesson number:

Lesson Topic:

students what pollination is.

Update the word wall with words and images. (Refer to page 19 for further
details) This is a fairly big lesson but if you follow the primary
connections lesson steps for all sessions (1-3), most work should be
completed by the end of the lesson.

Ants and Seeds Time: 90 minutes

Essential Learning: The role of fruit and seeds in the life cycle of a plant and the interaction of ants in this process
Learning outcome strand: Science Understanding - Biological sciences ACSSU072/073 Science as Human Endeavour Nature and Development of Science
ACSHE061 Science Inquiry Skills Questioning and Predicting ACSIS064 Planning and Conducting ACSIS065/066 Processing and Analysing Data and
Information ACSIS068/216 Evaluating ACSIS069 - Communicating ACSIS071
By the end of the lesson, students will (KUDs):

At the beginning of the lesson

Have Knowledge about: The scientific definition of fruit, the behaviour of

ants and how their behaviour is linked to seed dispersal.

Revise the previous lesson by looking at the flower and bee images on the
science chat-board and the new information students learned. Ask questions.
Explain what the students will be doing this lesson.

Understand: That all fruits have seeds and ant behaviour is linked to the
dispersal of seeds.
Be able to (Do): Explore why seeds are dispersed from the parent plant and
investigate food preferences of ants in the school grounds and how ants
disperse the food. Draw a cross section of a tomato and one other fruit. Make
predictions and explain observations.
Prior Knowledge: Students can describe the parts of plants; the root, stem,
leaf and flower and can classify living organisms as plants or animals. The
reason for flowers, there are many different types and the stages they go
through as they grow and now how life cycles work (living organisms).

(Refer to page 34 in Primary connections for further details)

During the lesson
Discuss with students other types of plants that produce seeds. Discuss
shapes and sizes. Introduce the enlarged copy of From fruit to flower.
Discuss the purpose and features of a factual text. Read through and discuss
the text and diagram with students. Revise the science chat-board and the
seed image. Update the word wall with words and images. (See page 35-36
for further details)
Go on with Spreading seeds (Session 2, see page 39 for further details)

Resources: Class/Student Science Journal, Science Chat-board, Word Wall,

team roles and skills charts, Wrist bands

Revise what they just learned. Watch the video Fruit: why plants make
them. After viewing the video, ask questions.

From Flower to Fruit and Information note for families Sheets

Ask students if they know which insect is the most commonly involved and
effective at seed dispersal.

Ant dispersal investigation planner Sheet, A4 Card, birdseed, brown sugar,

crushed dog biscuits, timing devices, digital camera (optional), IWB

(See page 39-41 for further details of this lesson)

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Sarah Anderson 2082577
Differentiation: SSO, to support students learning.

At the end of the lesson

Room for expansion for gifted students by way of assisting SSO if work is
completed or going on with work from other subjects.

Revise science chat-board with students and update the word wall with word
and images. (See page 41 for further details)

Safety: Check students health records for allergies or other health issues. Clean up spills
immediately as slippery floors are dangerous. Instruct students never to taste, smell or eat
anything unless they are given permission. Discuss and display a list of safe practices for
science activities.

Introduce the enlarged copy of Information note for families. Read it

through and explain it.

Year level: 4 Lesson number: _4_Lesson Topic: Coming Together

(See page 36 for details explaining the information sheet)

Time: 50 minutes

Essential Learning: How living things, including plants and animals, have life cycles and depend on each other and the environment to survive.
Learning outcome strand: Science Understanding - Biological sciences ACSSU072/073 Science as Human Endeavour Nature and Development of Science
ACSHE061 Use and Influence of Science ACSHE062 Science Inquiry Skills Communicating ACSIS071
By the end of the lesson, students will (KUDs):

At the beginning of the lesson

Have Knowledge about: Interactions between flowering plants, ants and

bees and how they depend on each other and the environment to survive.

Revise the previous lesson by looking at the seed and ant images on the
science chat-board and the new information that students learned. Ask
questions. Introduce an enlarged copy of Life cycle jumble 1. Read through
and discuss with students that these are all the words taken from the unit so
far about life cycles and how plants, bees and ants might interact. (See page
46 for details)

Understand: That for the sustainability of plants and the environment, its
important to have ants and bees.
Be able to (Do): Sequence the stages of the life cycle of flowering plants and
insects

During the lesson

Prior Knowledge: Students can describe the parts of plants; the root, stem,
leaf and flower and can classify living organisms as plants or animals. The
reason for flowers, there are many different types and the stages they go
through as they grow and now how life cycles work (living organisms).
Scientific definition of fruit and how ants are linked to the dispersal of seeds.

Explain that students will be working in their teams to complete this task and
place into their science journals. Discuss and model some examples (See
page 46 for further details). Form the teams and allocate roles. Once
completed ask teams to present their word chains to the class and explain
why the made those connections.

Resources: Class and Student Science Journals, Science Chat-board, Word

Wall, team roles and skills charts, wrist bands.

Discuss with students what things could affect the connections. Ask
questions.

Life Cycles Jumble 1 and 2 Sheets

Introduce enlarged copies of Life cycles jumble 1 and 2, read through 1 and
discuss that these are descriptions, labels and images used during the unit.
Explain that they will cut the cards to play a matching game. Re-form teams
to play the game.

IWB

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Sarah Anderson 2082577
(See page 47 for further details for this part of the lesson)
Differentiation: SSO, to support students learning.

At the end of the lesson

Room for expansion for gifted students by way of assisting SSO if work is
completed or going on with work from other subjects.

Discuss the game and any word matches that students had difficulty with.
Discuss plant and animal life cycles and how scientist describe these. Discuss
the interdependency of plants and animals and the environment for survival.

Safety: Check students health records for allergies or other health issues. Clean up spills
immediately as slippery floors are dangerous. Instruct students never to taste, smell or eat
anything unless they are given permission. Discuss and display a list of safe practices for
science activities.

Revise the science chat-board. Discuss new ideas that could be added. Make
connections with lines and arrows. Update the word wall with words and
images.
(Refer to page 47 for further details)

Year level: 4 Lesson number: __5__Lesson Topic:

Leaving Home

Time: 50 minutes

Essential Learning: Planning and conducting an investigation of various seed dispersal methods
Learning outcome strand: Science Understanding - Biological sciences ACSSU072/073 Science as Human Endeavour Nature and Development of Science
ACSHE061 Science Inquiry Skills Communicating ACSIS071
By the end of the lesson, students will (KUDs):

At the beginning of the lesson

Have Knowledge about: The dispersal of seeds and understood this through
observations. The relationship between seed dispersal and the environment.

Review the ant dispersal investigation. Discuss importance of plants using

ants to help disperse seeds and the benefit of this to ants. Explain that using
ants and other animals is one way that plants might disperse their seeds. Asks
if they know other ways plants disperse their seeds. Record response in the
class science journal. View videos on seed dispersal methods (Refer to page
52 for further details on these areas)

Understand: The different methods of seed dispersals gives different results.

That predictions are not always correct.
Be able to (Do): Investigate seed dispersal to decide on the dispersal method
of a range of seeds. Observe the methods and discuss and record observations
on a table.
Prior Knowledge: Students can describe the parts of plants; the root, stem,
leaf and flower and can classify living organisms as plants or animals. The
reason for flowers, there are many different types and the stages they go
through as they grow and now how life cycles work (living organisms).
Scientific definition of fruit and how ants are linked to the dispersal of seeds.
Interactions between flowering plants, ants and bees and how they depend on
each other and the environment to survive. Know the purpose of a table and
how to set it out.

During the lesson

Explain that all plants have a unique method of dispersing seeds. Discuss the
four main methods of seed dispersal. Ask what methods they observed in the
videos. Records responses in the class science journal. Ask if they have
observed any of these methods in life. Discuss the different types of seeds
students have brought to school for the Seed collecting task. Discuss the
fruit each seed type has come from, similarities and differences between
features of the seeds.
Introduce an enlarged copy of Travelling seeds procedure Read through and
discuss. Talk about the numbered containers with a quantity of seeds in each.
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Students will work in their teams to investigate which dispersal method each
seed might use to travel.

Resources: Class/Student Science Journal, Science Chat-board, Word Wall,

team roles and skills charts, Wrist bands.
6 numbered containers, seed samples, electric fan, magnifying glasses,
woollen socks, self-adhesive tape, Travelling Seeds Sheet, IWB

(See page 53 for further details on this area of learning)

Differentiation: SSO, to support students learning.

At the end of the lesson

Room for expansion for gifted students by way of assisting SSO if work is
completed or going on with work from other subjects.

Ask teams to present their findings on each seed (Refer to page 53 and
Appendix 5 of primary connections for more detail).

Safety: Check students health records for allergies or other health issues. Clean up spills
immediately as slippery floors are dangerous. Instruct students never to taste, smell or eat
anything unless they are given permission.

Revise the science chat-board. Discuss new ideas that might be added. Show
connections. Update the word wall with word and images.

Year level:

Lesson number:

Lesson Topic:

(Refer to page 53 for further details)

Giving Advice

Time: 50 minutes

Essential Learning: How living things, including plants and animals, have life cycles and depend on each other and the environment to survive, and to reflect on
learning during the unit.
Learning outcome strand: Science Understanding - Biological sciences ACSSU072/073 Science as Human Endeavour Nature and Development of Science
ACSHE061 Science Inquiry Skills Questioning and Predicting ACSIS064 Planning and Conducting ACSIS065/066 Processing and Analysing Data and
Information ACSIS068/216 Evaluating ACSIS069 - Communicating ACSIS071
By the end of the lesson, students will (KUDs):

At the beginning of the lesson

Have Knowledge about: The interactions between flowering plants, bees

and ants. The process of pollination and seed dispersal.

Review the enlarged copy Tomato Troubles where students read a letter
from Andy whose tomato plant wasnt producing tomatoes. Explain what
students are going to be doing.

Understand: Living things depend on each other and the environment to

survive.
Be able to (Do): Explain the stages in the life cycle of a flowering plant.
Make predictions and observations based on prior knowledge. Plan and
conduct investigations and record using a table or graph to represent data and
use this to compare results.
Prior Knowledge: Students can describe the parts of plants; the root, stem,
leaf and flower and can classify living organisms as plants or animals. The
reason for flowers, there are many different types and the stages they go
through as they grow and now how life cycles work (living organisms).
Scientific definition of fruit and how ants are linked to the dispersal of seeds.
Interactions between flowering plants, ants and bees and how they depend on
each other and the environment to survive. The dispersal of seeds and

(See page 57 for further details)

During the lesson
Provide each student with a new copy of How does it grow. Ask students to
cut out the pictures and glue them into their science journals in the order they
think best represents the flowering plants life. Ask students to include label
and information about each stage, using arrows that link the pictures.
(See page 57 for a better explanation)
This is the final lesson of this unit, feel free to complete a fun and engaging
activity if time permits.
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understood this through observations. The relationship between seed
dispersal and the environment.
Resources: Class/Student Science Journal, Science Chat-board, Word Wall
Tomato Troubles and How does it grow Sheets. Primary Connections. IWB
Differentiation: SSO, to support students learning. Room for expansion for
gifted students by way of assisting SSO if work is completed or going on
with work from other subjects.
Safety: Check students health records for allergies or other health issues. Clean up spills
immediately as slippery floors are dangerous. Discuss and display a list of safe practices for
science activities.

At the end of the lesson

Review the class science chat-board and discuss what the students have
learned and how they learned those things. Ask students to reflect on their
learning during the unit. Ask questions to direct their thinking and
understanding (see page 57 for further details and the posing questions).

11