Outline

Overview

Through an examination of the learning processes Working Scientifically, this unit focuses on developing children's interest and skills in appreciating the contribution science makes to their understanding of their world. In particular, it considers how the skills in working scientifically can be used to explore and address questions children have about the natural world, and through these inquiry processes support the development of their understanding of science concepts. Teaching of these learning processes is supported through exploration of the content strands Living Word, the Physical World, Earth and Space and the Chemical World. This unit considers aspects of curriculum planning, classroom management, development/selection of activities and resources relevant to the teaching of science and technology in the primary school classroom.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Education
Credit points	4
Prerequisites ?	138 credit points including EDUP3004 and EDUP3006 and EDUP3007 and EDUP3009 and EDUP3034
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	None
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Louise Sutherland, louise.sutherland@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Nathan Crevensten, nathan.crevensten@sydney.edu.au

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length
Creative assessment / demonstration	Unit plan Jigsaw unit presentation and written submission	35%	Multiple weeks Closing date: 22 May 2020	equivalent to 1,000 words/ group member
Outcomes assessed:
Creative assessment / demonstration	Science fair n/a	25%	Week 05 Due date: 27 Mar 2020 at 23:59	500-750 words
Outcomes assessed:
Assignment	Selection of resources n/a	40%	Week 12	Equivalent to 1500 words
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ?

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100
Distinction	75 - 84
Credit	65 - 74
Pass	50 - 64
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	1. Unit overview; 2. Introduction to inquiry based teaching	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	1. Science and technology - forces investigation; 2. Designing a fair test investigation 3. Incorporating other KLA's (STEAM)	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 02	Supporting students' learning of science through inquiry across the stages	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 02	Investigation across the stages 1, 2, 3	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 03	Working with students’ ideas: working scientifically and Predict, Observe, Explain	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	1. Sound; 2. Using stations in the science classroom; 3. Mind mapping topics.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 04	Planning your science classroom	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 04	Properties of materials	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 05	Presentation of science fair	Presentation (2 hr)
Week 06	1. Light; 2. Design and make.	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 07	Space - using technology to support science	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 08	Heat - chocolate based learning	Workshop (2 hr)
Week 09	Presentation of a unit of work	Presentation (2 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: The Sydney School of Education and Social Work requires attendance of at least 90 percent of all seminars, workshops or lectures. Where a student is unable to attend at the required rate evidence of illness or misadventure may be required and the student may be required to undertake extra work. Students should discuss the circumstances of their absence(s) with the co-ordinator of the unit of study. Further details are provided in the School canvas site: https://canvas.sydney.edu.au/courses/13426

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 4 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 80-100 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings for this unit can be accessed on the Library eReserve link available on Canvas.

Required textbook: Skamp, K. Preston C., (2015). Teaching primary science constructively (5th ed.). South Melbourne: Cengage.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. promote primary students' awareness of the contribution of scientific and technological developments to people’s daily lives and to their overall personal and social development
LO2. devise appropriate learning experiences to support primary school children’s development of knowledge and understandings of scientific concepts and the development of their skills in working scientifically
LO3. discuss how learning experiences can be used to support primary students' development of literacy and numeracy
LO4. consider the policy and practices of student assessment of learning outcomes from the science and technology Key Learning Area (KLA) with those from other KLAs in devising appropriate assessment tasks for primary students
LO5. evaluate the organisation of the classroom and the selection of resources in managing the safety and well being of primary school students
LO6. critically evaluate a range of information and communication technology resources in the development of learning experiences to support the development of primary students’ knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts and their skills in working scientifically
LO7. demonstrate professional competence in your written communication skills including academic writing and the development of materials for K-6 school students.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Alignment with Competency standards

Outcomes	Competency standards
	Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - 2.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
	Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - 1.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. 1.2.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. 2.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. 2.3.1. (Graduate) Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
	Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - 1.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. 1.2.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. 2.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. 2.5.1. (Graduate) Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
	Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - 1.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. 1.2.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. 2.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. 2.3.1. (Graduate) Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans. 3.2.1. (Graduate) Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. 5.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
	Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - 1.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. 1.2.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. 2.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. 2.2.1. (Graduate) Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence. 2.6.1. (Graduate) Implement teaching strategies for using ICT to expand curriculum learning opportunities for students. 4.5.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant issues and the strategies available to support the safe, responsible and ethical use of ICT in learning and teaching. 5.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.
	Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) - 1.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning. 1.2.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching. 2.1.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area. 3.2.1. (Graduate) Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies. 3.4.1. (Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Graduate Level – UG and MTeach) -

Competency code	Taught, Practiced or Assessed	Competency standard
1.1.1		(Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics of students and how these may affect learning.
1.2.1		(Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of research into how students learn and the implications for teaching.
2.1.1		(Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the concepts, substance and structure of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.
2.2.1		(Graduate) Organise content into an effective learning and teaching sequence.
2.3.1		(Graduate) Use curriculum, assessment and reporting knowledge to design learning sequences and lesson plans.
2.5.1		(Graduate) Know and understand literacy and numeracy teaching strategies and their application in teaching areas.
3.1.1		(Graduate) Set learning goals that provide achievable challenges for students of varying abilities and characteristics.
3.2.1		(Graduate) Plan lesson sequences using knowledge of student learning, content and effective teaching strategies.
3.3.1		(Graduate) Include a range of teaching strategies.
3.4.1		(Graduate) Demonstrate knowledge of a range of resources, including ICT, that engage students in their learning.
5.1.1		(Graduate) Demonstrate understanding of assessment strategies, including informal and formal, diagnostic, formative and summative approaches to assess student learning.

Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Professional Level – PG and Professional Learning) -

Competency code	Taught, Practiced or Assessed	Competency standard
1.1.2		(Proficient) Use teaching strategies based on knowledge of students’ physical, social and intellectual development and characteristics to improve student learning.

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

The assessment tasks have been modified based on the feedback from the students last year.

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

If you are undertaking professional experience/field education placement as part of your enrolment in this unit of study, please assess your specific needs and requirements for the safe and successful completion of an external placement within a host organisation. You will be given the opportunity to disclose any health issues that have a work health and safety significance before arranging a placement so that your safety, and the safety of others, can be properly assessed. The Professional Experience Coordinator/Field Education Manager will work to ensure that the workplace assignment to you is appropriate for your needs and requirements. If you are experiencing disability, and require reasonable adjustments to be arranged, please contact Disability Services as early as possible prior to commencing the internship. Please note, in all cases, and for the purpose of organising reasonable adjustments, only the impact and not the nature, of your disability will be disclosed to the host organisation.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

EDUP4018: Science and Technology (K-6) 2

Semester 1, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Alignment with Competency standards

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Site visit guidelines

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links