What’s Happening in Science in Term 1 2024
In Foundation students will be:
Exploring how the universe, and everything in it, is continuously moving and changing. They will be exposed to why and how things move depends on a variety of factors, including their size and shape. They will be exposed to the beginning concepts of energy and force, such as push and pull forces they can use to move objects in ways such as sliding, bouncing and spinning. Through investigations, students will observe and gather evidence about rolling objects and explore the idea of fair testing. They will explore how scientists and engineers apply these concepts to design toys and other familiar items.
In Grade One and Two students will be:
Learning to describe simple relationships, such as sound requires matter to vibrate, and eyes require light to see. Students will explore grouping light and sounds depending on their source and, how different objects affect the light and sound they produce. To achieve this, students will observe sounds and light in multiple environments and develop their use of language to record their thinking e.g., louder, softer, brighter and dimmer. The overarching goal of the unit will be for students to be able to discuss the way light and sound are transmitted.
In Grade Three and Four students will be:
Learning how forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance. Students will observe the movement of everyday objects and identify how forces are affecting the movement e.g. push and pull. They will learn to identify sequences of events and underlying cause and effect, and identify patterns, such as ‘stronger’ pushes make objects of the same mass move further. During Science lessons, students will explore how the form of an object affects how it responds to different forces, in particular the affect of greater surface areas. They will also develop an understanding that an object that is not moving has balanced forces acting upon it, for example, the pull of gravity is balanced by the push of the surface the object is resting on.
In Grade 5/6 students will be:
Exploring how electrical energy is part of our everyday lives at home, at work and at school. They will explore the way portable devices, such as mobile phones, watches and many toys, rely on batteries for electrical energy. They will experiment and discover the way electric circuits are needed to allow energy to be transferred from a battery to light bulbs, motors and buzzers, where it is then changed into light, movement or sound. Through investigating, students will be able to identify conductors and insulators, and learn the processes of implementing a reliable and valid scientific test. They will also learn how to show their understanding through the use of cutaway and circuit diagrams.