Exploring the Reef teaching unit

2Year 3 Science — Exploring the Reef - Version 0.2 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Year 3 - Science

Year 3 Australian Science Curriculum Focus Recognising questions that can be investigated scientifically and investigating them.

Students investigate and make links between different features of the Great Barrier Reef and the specific needs of living things.

Students develop an understanding of:• The Great Barrier Reef – its features and its importance• Living and non-living things on the Great Barrier Reef• Survival needs of marine life • Features of marine animals • Relationships between animals, plants and living and non-living things• Threats to the Great Barrier Reef

Inquiry questions for the unit:• What is the Great Barrier Reef?• What are living and non-living things?• What are the survival needs and features of marine life on the Great Barrier Reef?• What are some of the relationships between animals, plants and living and non-living things on the Great Barrier Reef?• Why is the health of marine life on the Great Barrier Reef so important?• What are threats to the Great Barrier Reef?• Are there ways the Great Barrier Reef can be protected?

Exploring the Reef

Year 3 Science – Exploring the Reef - Version 0.2 1 Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority

Year 3 Unit Overview — Exploring the Reef

School name Unit title Duration of unit

Exploring the Reef Approximately five weeks (could be extended out to a term- long unit, approximately eight weeks, by extending out some activities to explore the concepts more in depth. See notes in unit.)

Year 3 Level Description – Between Years 3 to 6, students develop their understanding of a range of systems operating at different time and geographic scales. In Year 3, students observe heat and its effects on solids and liquids and begin to develop an understanding of energy flows through simple systems. In observing day and night, they develop an appreciation of regular and predictable cycles. Students order their observations by grouping and classifying. In classifying things as living or non-living they begin to recognise that classifications are not always easy to define or apply. They begin to quantify their observations to enable comparison, and learn more sophisticated ways of identifying and representing relationships, including the use of tables and graphs to identify trends. They use their understanding of relationships between components of simple systems to make predictions. Year 3 Achievement Standard – By the end of Year 3 students describe how they can use science investigations to respond to questions and identify where people use science knowledge in their lives. They collect and present data in a way that helps to answer their questions and use their experiences to make predictions. Students describe features common to living things. They use their knowledge of the movement of the Earth, materials and the behaviour of heat to suggest explanations for everyday observations.

Unit outline

Year 3 Australian Science Curriculum Focus – Recognising questions that can be investigated scientifically and investigating them.

Students investigate and make links between different features of the Great Barrier Reef and the specific needs of living things.

Students develop an understanding of:

The Great Barrier Reef – its features and its importance

Living and non-living things on the Great Barrier Reef

Survival needs of marine life

Features of marine animals

Relationships between animals, plants and living and non-living things

Threats to the Great Barrier Reef

Inquiry questions for the unit:

What is the Great Barrier Reef?

What are living and non-living things?

What are the survival needs and features of marine life on the Great Barrier Reef?

What are some of the relationships between animals, plants and living and non-living things on the Great Barrier Reef?

Why is the health of marine life on the Great Barrier Reef so important?

What are the current threats to the Great Barrier Reef?

Are there ways the Great Barrier Reef can be protected?


Teacher Notes Unit overview

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) Exploring the Reef Teaching Unit is a science based Year 3 unit of work. The content descriptors for this unit are from the 2011 Australian Science Curriculum (www.australiancurriculum.edu.au). Following the inquiry based 5Es approach to teaching science, the unit is based on the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA) expectations of a minimum of one hour per week of science lessons for Year 3 students. Each lesson is of approximately 45 minutes duration, with some lessons requiring more time to allow further depth of study or time for excursions. The nature of science investigations is to follow the line of student inquiry to promote and encourage students to think like scientists. Teachers may find that students will need, or want, to complete investigations other than those suggested in the teaching strategies outlined in this unit. Students are to be encouraged to follow their own line of inquiry, and in the case where students do this, the teaching strategies and resources outlined in this unit may be used as a guide to supplement the student directed investigations. The overall unit or the individual lessons could be extended or shortened to cater for individual classes as deemed necessary by the class teacher. Teachers will need to allow time to prepare for the lessons prior to teaching each lesson.

Aim of the unit The lessons are structured to build students' knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef to reach the final goal of being able to make links between different features of the Great Barrier Reef and the specific needs of living things. Students will be able to identify a range of features of living and non-living things found on the Great Barrier Reef and explain the relationships between those things. Students will also research threats to the Great Barrier Reef and identify ways to care for the Reef. The health of individual marine life on the Great Barrier Reef is vital to the health of the overall Reef (for more information on the Great Barrier Reef see below in ‘Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Information’ and also www.gbrmpa.gov.au). Teaching students about living and non-living things on the Great Barrier Reef will build their environmental knowledge and encourage their understanding of sustainability and stewardship. The main premise of this unit is coastal development and climate change, which are two of the Key Focus Areas of the Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2009 (see www.gbrmpa.gov.au for more information on the Outlook Report 2009). GBRMPA encourages teachers to follow the main aim of Reef Guardianship – to be stewards of the environment.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Information o The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park:

is the largest coral reef system in the world has 2900 reefs has 600 continental islands has 300 coral cays covers 344 000km

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is approximately 2300km in length extends from the northern tip of Queensland south to just north of Bundaberg is between 60km and 250km in width has an average depth of water of 35m in the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon is one of the largest marine protected areas in the world (about 344 000km

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includes the air above and the earth beneath the sea. was created in 1975 under legislation called the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975.

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/



o Types of habitats in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: Only six percent of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park consists of coral reefs. The rest is made up of seagrass, mangroves, sand, algal and sponge

gardens, inter-reefal communities and other habitats. It is home to: o 1500 species of fish o 360 species of hard coral o one third of the world’s soft corals o 5000-8000 species of molluscs (e.g. shells) o 400-500 species of marine algae o 600 species of echinoderms (e.g. starfish, sea urchins) o 17 species of sea snakes o 22 species of seabirds and 32 species of shorebirds that live and breed on the islands o 13 000 dugong (Australia’s entire dugong population is about 90 000) o six species of marine turtles, all listed as threatened (including the endemic flatback marine turtle) o 30 species of cetaceans (whales and dolphins).

o Importance of a healthy Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2009, www.gbrmpa.gov.au)

The Great Barrier Reef is a national and international icon, famous for its beauty and vast scale. It is the largest and best known coral reef ecosystem in the

world. The reefs of the Great Barrier Reef (almost 3000 in total) represent about ten percent of all the coral reef areas in the world. Virtually all groups of marine plants and animals are abundantly represented in the Great Barrier Reef, with thousands of different species living there.

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is a multiple use marine park, supporting a wide range of uses including commercial tourism, defence activities, fishing, ports and shipping, recreation, scientific research and Indigenous traditional use. It brings billions of dollars into Australia’s economy each year and supports more than 50 000 jobs.

Within the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, a number of activities such as mining and oil drilling are strictly prohibited. There is careful management of all other activities such as fishing, commercial marine tourism and shipping operations. A range of measures are employed to manage the various uses of the Marine Park and to protect its values. For example, a Zoning Plan defines what activities can occur in which locations, both to protect the marine environment and to separate potentially conflicting activities.

About 70 Great Barrier Reef Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traditional Owner clan groups hold a range of past and present heritage values for their land and sea country and for surrounding sea countries. These values may be cultural, spiritual, economic, social or physical, and demonstrate continuing connections with the Great Barrier Reef region and its natural resources.

The Great Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981, the first coral reef ecosystem in the world to have this distinction and the only such coral reef region that has ever qualified on all four natural criteria. This recognition continues to highlight the international significance of the Great Barrier Reef. It also carries an obligation and responsibility to protect and conserve its values for all future generations and to present its values to the world.



Unit Lessons Overview

Engage Lesson 1: The Great Barrier Reef

Explore Lesson 2: Traditional Owners

Extension for eight week unit – Traditional Owner Visit

Lesson 3: Aquarium

Extension for eight week unit – 3D Display

Explain Lesson 4: What is living and non-living?

Lesson 5: Marine Life Investigations

Extension for eight week unit Lesson A – Coral

Extension for eight week unit Lesson B – Fish

Extension for eight week unit Lesson C – Special Relationships

Elaborate Extension for eight week unit - Excursion

Lesson 6: Pollution Experiment

Lesson 7: Cause-and-Effect

Evaluate Lesson 8: Project Preparation

Lesson 9: Project Preparation

Lesson 10: Project Preparation


Identify curriculum

Content descriptions to be taught General capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities Science Understandings Science as a Human Endeavour Science Inquiry Skills

Biological Sciences

Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things

Nature and Development of Science

Science involves making predictions and describing patterns and relationships

Use and Influence of Science

Science knowledge helps people to understand the effect of their actions

Questioning and Predicting

With guidance, identify questions in familiar contexts that can be investigated scientifically and predict what might happen based on prior knowledge

Planning and Conducting

Suggest ways to plan and conduct investigations to find answers to questions

Safely use appropriate materials, tools or equipment to make and record observations, using formal measurements and digital technologies as appropriate

Processing and Analysing Data and Information

Use a range of methods including tables and simple column graphs to represent data and to identify patterns and trends

Compare results with predictions, suggesting possible reasons for findings

Evaluating

Reflect on the investigation, including whether a test was fair or not

Communicating

Represent and communicate ideas and findings in a variety of ways such as diagrams, physical representations and simple reports

Literacy

Communicate confidently in listening, reading and viewing, writing, speaking and creating print and visual materials

Critical and Creative Thinking

Observe, question, make predictions and think creatively to solve problems during investigations

Ethical Behaviour

Consider human impacts on the environment and other living organisms and evaluate their own and other people’s actions

Personal and Social Competence

Follow procedures and work both within a group and independently to research, share and discuss ideas

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures

Consider the importance of Traditional Owners principles in caring for Country

Sustainability

Investigate human impacts on the Great Barrier Reef and the role we all play in maintaining its health.


Relevant prior curriculum Curriculum working towards

Year 2 of the Australian Science Curriculum outlines that by the end of Year 2 students pose questions about their experiences, record and represent their observations and communicate their ideas to others. Students describe changes to objects, materials and living things. They identify that certain materials have different uses, that resources from the Earth are required by living things and describe examples of where science is used in people’s daily lives.

In Year 4, students broaden their understanding of classification and form and function through an exploration of the properties of natural and processed materials. They learn that forces include non-contact forces and begin to appreciate that some interactions result from phenomena that can’t be seen with the naked eye. They begin to appreciate that current systems, such as Earth’s surface, have characteristics that have resulted from past changes and that living things form part of the systems. They understand that some systems change in predictable ways, such as through cycles. They apply their knowledge to make predictions based on interactions within systems, including those involving the actions of humans.

Links to other learning areas

QSA Year 3 Literacy Indicators (2009)

Reading and Viewing

RV3 ii. Read and view a range of print and electronic text types including narratives, cultural stories, poems, procedures, reports, descriptions, explanations, reviews, personal emails and electronic news stories.

RV3 vi. Independently read and understand to maintain and monitor fluency and meaning:

an increasing range of high-frequency and function words with automaticity

some technical words and context-specific words associated with familiar subject matter or content Writing and Designing

WD3 ii. Write text types to describe, recount, instruct, respond, reflect, plan, report, narrate, explain, pose questions and draw conclusions.

WD3 iii. Plan by posing questions, gathering information, brainstorming and recording ideas.

Assessment Make judgments

Describe the assessment Assessment date Student task sheet, links to QSA Literacy Indicators (2009) and guide to making judgements can be found in the resource section of the unit.

Summative Assessment

Students will provide:

A detailed annotated drawing or diorama of the Great Barrier Reef. On the drawing/diorama they will label both the living and the non-living things and describe some of their characteristics. The drawing/diorama will also include an example of a symbiotic relationship found on the Great Barrier Reef.

A report on the significant symbiotic relationship identified in the drawing/diorama. The symbiotic relationship can be between two animals, a plant and an animal, or a living and non-living thing.

The report will include:

o A detailed explanation of the symbiotic relationship including the importance of the relationship to the Great Barrier Reef

o An explanation of a direct threat to the marine life identified in the report and how the threat impacts the marine life

o The cause/s of the threat and how the threat could be fixed.

The summative assessment piece is designed to be produced and presented during the Evaluate stage of the unit when students will have gathered all the knowledge required to successfully address the criteria. This date is to be determined by the class teacher.


Useful Websites

The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority www.gbrmpa.gov.au Canisius College Ambassadors for Conservation – excellent information about animal and plant relationships on the Great Barrier Reef www.conservenature.org National Geographic – quality images of marine life and of images of polluted waters that could be used for discussion www.nationalgeographic.com PBS – a good interactive activity to show symbiotic relationships http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/survival/coral/ YouTube link – filmed on the Great Barrier Reef. Good images of coral spawning http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRZczb96uDo&feature=related YouTube link – filmed on Ningaloo Reef http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYm_WV8-CbU&feature=related YouTube link – good National Geographic clip showing many aspects of the reef http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbNeIn3vVKM&feature=fvwrel

Queensland Wetlands Program

www.wetlandinfo.derm.qld.gov.au

Useful Books

I’m the biggest thing in the Ocean, Kevin Sherry (also see YouTube clip)

One Less Fish, Kim Michelle Toft and Allan Sheather

The Great Barrier Reef Book Solar Powered, Mark Norman

The World That we Want, Kim Michelle Toft

Big Picture Book of the Great Barrier Reef, Steve Parish

Dhyum the Dugong, Mariana Fuentes


http://www.conservenature.org/

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/survival/coral/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRZczb96uDo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYm_WV8-CbU&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbNeIn3vVKM&feature=fvwrel

http://www.wetlandinfo.derm.qld.gov.au/


Teaching and learning Supportive learning environment

Teaching strategies and learning experiences Assessment opportunities

Adjustments for needs of learners

Resources

ENGAGE - To capture interest and discover what we think we know

Lesson 1 – The Great Barrier Reef Suggested Time – 45 min Introduction – Book Reading

Read a book to the students about the Great Barrier Reef such as the Big Picture Book of the Great Barrier Reef by Steve Parish.

Ask students to share what they know of the Great Barrier Reef, record student comments on a wall chart or a TWHL chart. Add to the TWHL chart throughout the unit and use it as a reflection tool during the Elaborate and Evaluate phase of the unit.

T

What we think

we know about

the Great Barrier

Reef

W

What we want to

learn about the

Great Barrier

Reef

L

What we learned

about the Great

Barrier Reef

H

How we know

(scientific

understandings)

Ask students to draw or write (or both) about what they know about the Great Barrier Reef. This may be simply about an animal they know that lives on the Great Barrier Reef or an experience they have had visiting the Great Barrier Reef. Students should label their pictures to show their knowledge of language associated with the Great Barrier Reef.

Use these drawings to start a class Reef display. Encourage students to add to this display throughout the unit, but ensure students understand the Great Barrier Reef is a multiple use area and rules apply to what you can take from it. The display might include photos, pictures, books, or items students may have found washed up on the beach e.g. shells, fish bones, crab cases.

As a part of the display, also start a word wall to continuously add to throughout the unit. This should be displayed in a place where students can add to it each lesson. It may be done in alphabetical order or on moveable cards so that students can interact with the words and sort them into categories as they progress throughout the unit.

Lesson 1

Diagnostic assessment opportunities:

- students' drawing and/or written work of their knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef.

- observations and records of student contributions to discussion about the Great Barrier Reef.

Section 6 of the Disability Standards for Education (The Standards for Curriculum Development, Accreditation and Delivery) state that education providers, including class teachers, must take reasonable steps to ensure a course/program is designed to allow any student to participate and experience success in learning. The Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cwlth) is available from: www.ag.gov.au select Human rights and anti-discrimination > Disability standards for education. ESL Considerations Teachers should refer to the Learning Place www.learningplace.com.au, ‘ESL in the Classroom’ for ‘Break it Down, Build it Up’ resources to help restructure the unit according to the ESL needs of the class. Risk Management Refer to Department of Education and Training www.education.qld.gov.au for advice and forms

Lesson 1

Book about the Great Barrier Reef to read with students (with pictures of the Reef in it).

Sheets of paper for wall chart.

Paper and pencils for students to draw.

Map to show the location of the Great Barrier Reef www.gbrmpa.gov.au

http://www.ag.gov.au/

http://www.learningplace.com.au/

http://www.education.qld.gov.au/






Resources

Investigation – Is the Great Barrier Reef an environment?

Introduce the term ‘environment’. Ask the students what this word means to them and record their answers on a wall chart.

Pose the question – is the Great Barrier Reef an environment?

Discuss: o Where is the Great Barrier Reef? (Have a map ready for students to

point out where it is or show them if they do not know.) o What do animals do on the Great Barrier Reef? o Do they eat there and what do they eat? o Are there predators on the Great Barrier Reef? o Are there different types of animals living on the Great Barrier Reef

and what sort of animals are they? o Are there living and non-living things on the Great Barrier Reef? o Do any sea animals use any living or non-living things to help them

survive on the reef? o How do the animals help each other?

Record student responses on the wall chart.

Start a science journal for students to record their learning and reflection as they progress through the unit. The science journal could be done in a simple ruled exercise book or a scrap book, or done on a computer in a format suitable to the class. How much time students are given to write in their science journal each lesson will need to be determined by the teacher according to the needs of the students. A science journal is a record of observations, experiences and reflections. It contains a series of dated, chronological entries. It may include written text, drawings, labelled diagrams, photographs, tables and graphs.

relating to risk management during curriculum activities and excursions.

EXPLORE – To have shared hands-on experiences

Lesson 2 – Traditional Owners Suggested Time – 45 minutes Introduction – Traditional Story

Read a Traditional Indigenous story about the Great Barrier Reef. Use a local story if possible or find a story in the library or on the Internet to read to the students.

Discuss with students the significance of the story for Traditional Owners. Investigation – Reef Beat Poster Facts – Traditional Owners

Chose 1 - 2 Reef Beat ‘Sea Country Connections’ posters to read together as a class.

Lesson 2

Diagnostic assessment opportunities:

- record of students' ability to find facts

- record of student participation in discussions

Lesson 2

GBRMPA Reef Beat Poster 2010 – Sea Country Connections www.gbrmpa.gov.au Book: Dhyum the Dugong, Mariana Fuentes






Resources

Discuss the main themes of the posters – What does it mean to be a Traditional Owner? What can we learn from Traditional Owners? Why do Traditional Owners tell stories?

Ask students to share an interesting fact that they have learnt from the posters.

Record student responses on a chart for display in the classroom.

Add new words to the word wall.

Students add their learning and reflections to their science journal.

EXTENSION FOR EIGHT WEEK UNIT OR AN ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY TO LESSON 2: Invite an Indigenous Community Elder into the classroom to share with the students what it means to be a Traditional Owner and why the land and sea needs to be cared for in a sustainable way. Students can then reflect on what the Traditional Owner tells them. Create this into a display of pictures and narrative reflections from the students. Lesson 3 – Aquarium Suggested time – 45 minutes Introduction – What is a habitat?

Discuss with students ‘what is a habitat?’ Explore through the discussion what the needs of fish are and how those needs are met in an aquarium. Some discussion questions could include:

What is a habitat?

What is an example of a habitat for a fish?

Do all fish need the same habitat?

Do all fish need the same things in their habitat?

What are some of the different requirements for different fish/different reef animals?

Students might also share experiences they have had with keeping fish in aquariums at home or places they have visited that have had fish in aquariums.

Investigation – Fish Aquarium

Set up a fish aquarium for students to observe and care for a fish. Discuss with students the needs of the animals and make them aware of the guidelines they must stick to when caring for the animals. As a class draw an annotated diagram of the aquarium, equipment needed and instructions on how to set it up.

Lesson 3

Formative assessment opportunities:

- record of students’ answers during discussion about habitats

- students’ annotated diagrams of aquarium set up

- if adopting an animal, students’ research and reporting skills could be used for assessment

Post it notes and coloured pens to write facts.

Suggested websites to find Traditional stories:

www.gbrmpa.gov.au (go to Story Place)

Australian Museum

www.australianmuseum.net.au/stories-of-the-dreaming

Lesson 3

Aquarium, pump, PH kit, gravel, fish food (for fish).

Containers and salt (for keeping hermit crabs).

If adopting an animal – www.reefhq.com.au


http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/stories-of-the-dreaming

http://www.australianmuseum.net.au/stories-of-the-dreaming

http://www.reefhq.com.au/





Resources

If possible set up more than one aquarium with more than one different animal – e.g. native fish in one and a hermit crab in the other. Ensure to follow The Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 and The Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes, 2004, 7th Edition in accordance with Education Queensland Guidelines when setting up the aquarium.

Draw up a roster to care for the animals in the aquarium. Make daily observations and record the animals' behaviour and eating habits in a special diary/journal. Throughout the unit, use this information to reflect on and find patterns in the animal/s behaviour.

ALTERNATIVE – if resources are not available to set up an aquarium, students could adopt a Reef Creature at Reef HQ. More information is available at www.reefhq.com.au. There is a $60 cost involved, however students could organise a small fundraising event to raise this money. If adopting an animal, students could research the animal’s habitat to find out its survival needs. This information could be written into a mini report and then printed into a booklet or a newsletter to share with other school students and parents.


Students add their learning and reflections to their science journal. EXTENSION FOR EIGHT WEEK UNIT OR AN ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITY TO LESSON 3: Create a 3D classroom display of the reef. Use YouTube clips, books, posters, GBRMPA images to stimulate student discussion about what should go into the display and how to create the display. Students could be divided up into groups to each be responsible for a certain aspect of the reef or students could each choose an animal or plant to create for the display.

EXPLAIN – To demonstrate what we have learned by exploring

Lesson 4 – What is living and non-living? Suggested Time – 45 minutes Introduction – Hot Potato

Set up a Hot Potato Activity. Place students into groups. Write each question onto a large piece of paper and rotate from group to group. Each group responds to the question with their own ideas and answers. A time limit needs to be set so that all questions are rotated at the same time using

Lesson 4


- students' oral reports on how they classified their animals

Lesson 4

Large sheets of paper and pens for Hot Potato.

Models, toys and images of marine life for classifying activity.






Resources

questions such as: o What animals eat seagrass or seaweed? o Is coral an animal, a plant or a rock? How do you know? o Name some predators that live on the Great Barrier Reef. o What are some non-living things found on the Reef? o What are some examples of how animals make homes on the Great

Barrier Reef? o Name some native animals that live on the Reef.

Display and discuss the answers, work out what are true facts (this may need to be researched) and add them to a fact chart and/or word wall.

Investigation – Classifying marine life

Have a range of pictures, toys and models of marine life available for students to observe. Break students up into pairs or groups. Each pair/group receives a range of pictures, toys and models they need to observe and classify.

Ask students to classify their animals into those that belong to the same group. Explain to students they will need to give reasons why they classified animals in a certain way, just like a scientist. Give examples of how students might do this according to the characteristics of animals. If there are some animals they are not sure of, these could be left aside to classify later during class discussion.

Each group reports to the class how they classified their animals.

Discuss as a class and record for display how each group classified their animals. Find similarities and differences.


Students add their learning and reflections to their science journal. Lesson 5 – Marine life investigations Suggested time – 45 minutes Introduction – Setting the scene

Explain to students that they are going to research and learn about different marine animals from the Great Barrier Reef – coral, fish and animals with special relationships.

Establish with students, using scientific terminology, the information they are going to research about the different animals. This could be set up as a table fact chart (retrieval chart) and filled in for each animal as information is found, creating a retrieval chart. Extra columns could be added as

Lesson 5


- use research activities to assess students’ knowledge development

Lesson 5

Access to websites and information books for research.

Large sheets of paper for retrieval chart.





Resources

necessary. The information could then be used for a variety of activities if time allows – reports, posters, information booklets, parade presentations, newsletters, power points.

Examples of information collected for the animals could include – life cycle, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, predator or prey, what it eats, habitat, external features, survival skills and adaptations, interesting facts, endangered, vulnerable etc. Some of these terms may need clarification but could be taught along the way as the students do research.

Investigation – Research

Divide the class into small groups of 3 or 4. Some students may work better independently or in pairs.

Each group is assigned to investigate one of the marine life concepts – coral, fish or special relationships. Teachers could add other topics or have two or three groups researching the same topic. This will depend on the needs of the class.

Use the fact sheets (Resources 1, 2 and 3), Internet and library books to help students with their research.

At the end of the research activity, each group shares their findings with the class.

Record the information into a retrieval chart.


Students add their learning and reflections to their science journal. EXTENSION FOR EIGHT WEEK UNIT Separate each of the three marine life investigation areas (coral, fish and special relationships) into three separate lessons. Use the fact sheets (Resources 1, 2 and 3) to construct research activities to suit your class. Current websites, YouTube clips, school library and video resources could also be used. Activities could include:

o Cloze activities o Find a fact (as in Lesson 2, but with paragraphs from the fact sheet

used) o Role play o Create a treasure hunt where students have to answer questions

using the fact sheets to get the treasure. The information researched by the students could then be used for a variety of activities if time allows e.g. reports, posters, information booklets, parade presentations, newsletters, power points.

Resource 1 – Coral Fact Sheet,

Resource 2 - Fish Fact Sheet

Resource 3 – Special Relationships Fact Sheet.

Resources for teacher determined activities during investigation.





Resources

ELABORATE – To build understanding through an investigation

EXTENSIONFOR EIGHT WEEK UNIT

Excursion: Teachers will need to investigate local opportunities for excursions. It could be a trip to the Reef, or Reef HQ, a walk along the beach, video conferencing with Reef HQ (www.reefhq.com.au), visit a turtle hospital or a local aquarium. There are also excellent DVD resources available that showcase the reef if excursion opportunities are not possible. The aim of the excursion is for students to gain real life experience observing and gaining an appreciation of marine life in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. This will encourage students to make links about the importance of caring for marine life to help protect the Great Barrier Reef.

Activities completed on and after the excursion will depend on the place visited, resources available, student expectations and teacher expectations. Some suggestions of activities for the excursion include:

o Survey of animals and plants seen (identify those we know)

o Photograph living and non-living things to use for a report or book about the excursion

o Interview a local community member that may know about or be involved in working in an industry involved with the Great Barrier Reef

o Write recounts about the experience to publish in a book or a newsletter

o Identify and discuss issues seen - pollution, bleaching, damage to the reef, erosion on the beach.

Lesson 6 – Pollution Experiment Suggested time – 45 minutes Introduction – View Pictures

Use Resource 6 – Pollution Photos to generate a discussion about pollution on the Great Barrier Reef. The photos could be printed out for students to look at or displayed on an interactive whiteboard. The following questions could be used to start a discussion:

o What can you see in the photos? o What sort of pollution can you see? o What do you think will happen to the animals on the Reef because of

the pollution?

Lesson 6

Summative assessment opportunities:

- use students’ investigation planners to assess their science inquiry skills

Lesson 6

Resource 6 – Pollution Photos.

More photos available from Marine Photobank www.marinephotobank.org


http://www.marinephotoban/





Resources

o Who or what do you think caused the pollution? o Have you seen pollution like this before? Where? When?

Investigation – Pollution Experiment

Explain to the students they are going to conduct an experiment about oil pollution. Discuss how oil might get onto the Great Barrier Reef.

As a class, read Resource 6 – Procedural Text Pollution Experiment. Discuss what the experiment is about. Use Resource 5 – Predict Observe Explain, to generate discussion about how the experiment will be conducted.

As a class, fill in the investigation planner (Resource 4).

In groups, conduct the pollution experiment outlined in Resource 6. Record results in the investigation planner.


Students add their learning and reflections to their science journal. Lesson 7 – Cause-and-Effect Suggested time – 45 minutes Introduction – Games

Explain to students they are going to play a number of games. These games will encourage students to think about how animals survive on the Great Barrier Reef. Students will need to recall information they have learnt throughout the unit to participate in the games.

Use Resource 7 – Games to play with the students. Investigation – Cause-and-effect charts

After students have played the games, create a list of dangers to animals on the Great Barrier Reef. This might be done under the headings, ‘natural’ and ‘human’ threats. The list might be for one specific animal or for all animals in general depending on how the class responds.

Discuss with students that these threats cause certain things to happen, and then more things happen because of those effects. It does not just stop at one effect but flows on causing other effects. Using one of the threats the students mentioned, provide an example of a Cause-and-Effect chart. See Resource 8 – Cause-and-Effect chart. Two examples of charts are provided to expose students to a range of texts. Teachers may choose to use just one, or discuss how both examples can be used to represent causes and effects.

Create a Cause-and-Effect chart with the class.

Ask students to do their own Cause-and-Effect chart.

Share and discuss the students’ Cause-and-Effect charts.

Lesson 7


- use students’ cause-and-effect charts to assess students’ understanding of the impact of nature and humans on living things

Resource 5 – Predict Observe Explain Poster.

Resource 6 – Procedural Text – Pollution Experiment.

Resource 4 – Investigation Planner.

Lesson 7

Resource 7 – Games (also resources to play the games, see list in Resource 7).

Resource 8 – Cause-and-effect charts.





Resources


Students add their learning and reflections to their science journal.

EVALUATE – To review and reflect on learning

Lesson 8 – Project preparation

Suggested time – 45 minutes

Introduction – Reflection and begin task

As a class, reflect and record what has been learned in the TWLH chart.

Explain to the students that they are going to begin their final assessment project. Present them with a task sheet (Resource 9).

Read through the task sheet together and identify all the requirements of the task.

Discuss available resources (identify all the work done throughout the unit that will help the students complete the task).

Set out a plan for time management and resource management.

Investigation – Start preparing projects

Allow students time to research and prepare their projects.

Students may need scaffolding for different parts of the project; this will depend on the needs of the class.

Lesson 9 and Lesson 10 – Continue presentation preparation

Suggested time – how much time students are able to spend preparing their

presentations will depend on the needs of the class and the length of time available in the school term.

Lesson 8 – 10


- student projects can be used to assess students’ knowledge and understanding of science understandings, science as a human endeavour and science inquiry skills

Lesson 8

Resource 9 – Task Sheet.


Use feedback (these are some suggestions, teachers will need to vary this according to the needs of their class)

Ways to monitor learning and assessment

Year 3 teacher:

Initially plan the teaching, learning and assessment needs of all learners and make adjustments to the unit plan as necessary

Use diagnostic, formative and summative assessment opportunities throughout the unit to plan for students learning and assess student knowledge development

Mark presentations and moderate with colleagues to achieve consensus and consistency of teacher judgment

Feedback to students Teachers:

Plan opportunities for conversations to provide ongoing feedback (spoken and written) and encouragement to students on their strengths and areas for improvement

Reflect on and review learning opportunities to individualise learning experiences required

Provide multiple opportunities for students to experience, practise and improve knowledge, processes and skills

Students:

Identify what they can do well and what they need to improve

Provide feedback to a peer on interaction skills and suggest some strategies for improvement (written and spoken feedback)

Reflection on the unit plan At the conclusion of the unit, teachers can reflect on the unit for future planning by answering the following questions:

What worked well in this unit?

What was a stumbling block?

How would you refine it?

What trends and gaps in learning have you identified?

How will you build on these learning experiences next term and beyond?


FeedingCorals eat tiny animals which drift around in the water. These tiny animals are called zooplankton. Corals also eat very small fish. These animals are caught by the coral’s tentacles that are full of specialised stinging cells. The coral lets out its tentacles at night to catch zooplankton and small fish. Corals get most of their food from the tiny plants called zooxanthellae that live inside the coral’s cells. Like plants, zooxanthellae use the sun to make food for themselves and the coral. This is why it is very important for coral to live in clear, clean shallow waters where they can get lots of sunlight.

ColouringCorals can be a variety of beautiful colours. Some corals have orange, yellow, green, blue, red or purple colouring (pigment) in their tissue (their body). They also get their colour from the plants, zooxanthellae, which live inside the coral’s cells. The zooxanthellae give many corals their brownish colour. The zooxanthellae only live inside healthy coral.

Threats to CoralPollution –Oil and chemicals used at home can be washed down drains and out onto the Great Barrier Reef. Litter from people camping on the beach or thrown out of their boat at sea can be swept up by the waves and washed out to the Great Barrier Reef. Pollution, including pesticides and chemicals are washed out onto the Great Barrier Reef after rainfall, where they can cause huge problems to many animals and plants on the Reef.Anchor Damage – When people anchor their boats on the Great Barrier Reef they need to make sure they use the right anchor and do not damage the coral. Careless anchoring can damage the coral. Chains and anchors can drag along the coral and easily break the coral. It may take years for the coral to grow back.Climate Change – Changes in weather patterns around the world mean that the temperature in the ocean is rising. Coral is very sensitive to changes in the water temperature. If the water temperature on the Great Barrier Reef increases too much, the coral will stress and the zooxanthellae will leave the coral. This is called coral bleaching. If the water stays warm for too long, the zooxanthellae will not come back to the bleached coral. Without the zooxanthellae, the coral will starve and die.

Resource 1 – Coral Fact Sheet

CoralCorals are magnificent creatures. They are responsible for the formation of the Great Barrier Reef. About 400 different kinds of coral are found on the Great Barrier Reef. They come in many different colours, shapes and sizes. Corals can be hard or soft. Corals are an animal that remain in one place throughout their lifetime. Like most creatures, corals need food, water, shelter and sunlight to survive.

Life CycleCorals reproduce by spawning eggs.These eggs float through the water until they find a good place to settle on the ocean floor or on top of other corals.Once the egg has settled, it starts to grow into a large colony of coral. Coral grows slowly and can take many years to develop into the large coral colonies you can see on the reef. Some of the really big corals are hundreds of years old.

Information and images sourced from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority – www.gbrmpa.gov.au


Resource 2 – Fish Fact SheetInformation and images sourced from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority – www.gbrmpa.gov.au

FishThe Great Barrier Reef is home to approximately 1500 different types of fish. The fish on the Great Barrier Reef come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and colours. They are a very important source of food for reef predators and for humans as well. Fish also keep reefs healthy by eating algae and other organisms that can overgrow corals.

Types of FishThe coral reef contains more species of fish than any other marine habitat. They can be divided into six broad categories:• Colourful coral associates like clown anemone fish and butterfly

fish• Crypticfishlike blennies, gobies and seahorses that are hard to

see because of their camouflage or where they live• Grazingfish like blue tangs, parrotfish and wrasse • Pelagic reef associates like batfish and fusiliers• Reef predators like snapper, emperors, cod, grouper and sharks• Nocturnal and cave dwellers such as eels, scorpion fish,

squirrelfish and soldier fish.

Fish CharacteristicsThe characteristics of a fish include a skeleton made of bone or cartilage, gill openings on each side of the head and a swim bladder. Fish vary widely in size, shape, colour and behaviour. Most fish are covered in scales. A fish's skin or scales protect it from the salty environment in which it lives, and help it to move more efficiently through the water. Reef fish are able to see colour. Their bright colours are important for fish to recognise each other and be protected from each other. Colour patterns can act as a warning to other animals that some fish are poisonous, for example, fire fish. The use of colour as camouflage helps fish to hunt prey and hide from predators. Flatfish, such as rabbit fish, are able to change their colour patterns to suit the colour of the surface they are resting on. Lizardfish are so well camouflaged that smaller fish don’t see them until it’s too late and they become a meal.

Life CycleThe majority of fish species on the Great Barrier Reef produce a mass of tiny eggs which float away, and never have any further contact with their parents. Most species release large quantities of eggs into the water each year. The eggs float in the water until they are ready to hatch. When the eggs hatch, most baby fish are on their own and they know instinctively how to swim and find food.

FeedingFish feed on almost all available food on the reef ranging from algae to other fish.

ProtectionReef animals use their shapes, body parts and behaviour in many different ways to help them survive. Many fish have protective spines. The surgeon fish have very sharp 'blades' at the base of their tails. Members of the scorpion fish family have poisonous spines on their dorsal fins that give powerful stings. The well camouflaged stonefish have strong dorsal spines and potent venom.


Hermit Crab and ShellsHermit crabs are different from other crabs as they have a soft abdomen. To protect their abdomen, they use the discarded shells they find lying around on the sea floor. These shells are from sea snails and other types of marine molluscs that have died and left their shell behind. The hermit crab’s soft abdomen curls around the inside of the shell, gripping very hard. This allows the hermit crab to walk and run with the shell still attached. As the hermit crab grows bigger it needs to find bigger and bigger shells that it will fit into. Without its shell, the hermit crab does not have protection and there is a big risk that it will be eaten by hungry predators.

Resource 3 – Special Symbiotic Relationships Fact SheetInformation and images sourced from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority – www.gbrmpa.gov.au

Goby Fish and Alpheid ShrimpGoby fish have very good eyesight and are very alert. The alpheid shrimp have very poor eyesight. The alpheid shrimp stay in contact with the goby fish by using their long antennae to touch the goby fish and feel what it is doing. Should danger threaten, the goby fish quickly swims back into the burrow where it lives. This quick movement alerts the alpheid shrimp and they retreat into the burrow together. In return for its protection, the shrimp has the role of making the burrow andkeeping it clean.

Remoras and Large Marine AnimalsRemoras, sometimes called suckerfish, are a type of fish that have a sucking disk on top of their head. They use this disk to suck onto sharks, rays, whales and turtles to get a free ride around the reef. In return for the free ride, the sucker fish keeps its host clean by eating parasites and bacteria off their bodies.

Clown Fish and Sea AnemoneThe sea anemone is a predator that attaches itself to rocks or coral. It uses its poisonous tentacles to attack fish as they swim by. The only fish that can survive the deadly sting of the sea anemone is the clown fish. The clown fish will gently touch their body against the sea anemone’s poisonous tentacles until the sting no longer affects them. A layer of mucus will then form over the clown fish’s body to prevent it from getting stung again. By living in the sea anemone’s poisonous tentacles, the clown fish is safe from predators. The clown fish helps the sea anemone by eating dead tentacles and keeping the area around the sea anemone clean.

Coral and Zooxanthellae Zooxanthellae are a type of algae (very small plant) that live inside the tissue of the coral. The zooxanthellae need a place to live and they also need carbon dioxide to breath. The coral provides the zooxanthellae with both a place to live and the carbon dioxide the zooxanthellae need when they breathe. In return, the zooxanthellae use the sunlight to create sugar for the coral to eat. The zooxanthellae also give the coral its vibrant colour.


Resource 4 – Investigation Planner

Investigation Planner

Name: ........................................................................................................................ Date: ..........................................................................

Title of our Investigation Hypothesis. What do we think will happen?

To make the test fair what are you going to:

Change? Measure? Keep the Same?

Diagram and Equipment


Resource 4 – Investigation Planner (cont.)

Procedure – What are we going to do?

Results – What happened?

Was your hypothesis correct?

Teacher Comments: .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................


Resource 5 – Predict Observe Explain Poster

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Resource 6 – Procedural Text - Pollution Experiment

Aim

To find out how oil can affect animals on the Great Barrier Reef

Equipment

• One large bowl• One measuring cup• Water• Cooking oil• Old toys – variety of small plastic and small cloth toys• Tray• Dishwashing detergent• Paper towels or a piece of cloth• Sponges• String

Procedure

1. Fill half of the bowl with water.2. Measure 1/4 cup of oil and pour into the bowl of water.3. Gently shake the bowl to create ‘waves’. Did the oil and the water mix?4. Put a plastic toy into the water. Gently shake the bowl to make the toy ‘swim’. What happens to the plastic toy?5. Put a cloth toy into the water. Gently shake the bowl to make the toy ‘swim’. What happens to the cloth toy?6. Take out the toys and put them onto a tray.7. Try to use the paper towels or cloths to clean the toys. Can you get them clean again?8. Now try to clean up the oil in the bowl using the paper towels or cloths. Could you pick up much of the oil?9. Use string to make a border around the oil and try to drag the oil to one side of the bowl.10. Use the sponge to try to soak up the oil. How well does the sponge work?11. Try to clean the toys with detergent. Does the detergent help get the oil off the toys?


Resource 6 – Procedural Text - Pollution Experiment (cont.)Write your observations below as you do the experiment:

1. Does the oil and water mix when you create ‘waves’ in the bowl?

2. What happens to the plastic toy when you put it into the bowl?

3. What happens to the cloth toy when you put it into the bowl?

4. Do the paper towels or cloths work to clean the toys?

5. Do the paper towels or cloths work to clean up the oil out of the bowl?

6. How well does the sponge work to clean up the oil?

7. Does the detergent work to get the oil off the toys?

8. How would animals on the Reef clean the oil off themselves? What would happen to them if they could not clean the oil off?


Resource 7 – GamesTurtle Danger Game – the aim of the game is to assist students in learning that marine turtles face many pressures to survive.

You will need: • A large area to run around• Markers to identify the beach, the sea, a safety strip on the beach side and a safety strip on the sea side (see diagram below)• A whistle

How to play:• Discuss with students what dangers marine turtles face as they hatch from their eggs and try to get to the sea. Identify five different dangers e.g. wild pigs, people, birds, crabs, cars. • Choose five students to be one of the dangers. The rest of the students are hatchlings. • The hatchlings start on the safety strip on the beach side. When the whistle blows they have to get to the safety strip on the other side of the ocean without getting caught by a danger. If tagged, the hatchling has to sit down out of the game. • Have a second discussion with the students to identify dangers the marine turtles face in the ocean as they are growing up. Identify five different dangers e.g. sharks, fishing nets, boat propellers, crocodiles, oil pollution.• Now that the marine turtles are mature they need to get back to the beach safely to lay eggs and start the cycle again. When the whistle blows the mature marine turtles need to get back to the safety strip on the beach without getting tagged by one of the dangers. If tagged, the mature turtle has to sit down out of the game.• Discuss how many marine turtles survived out of how many were originally hatchlings.• The activity could be adapted by allowing more dangers to see if this affects how many hatchlings or mature marine turtles are caught. This could lead into a discussion about turtle populations on the Great Barrier Reef.


Resource 7 – Games (cont.)Safe Habitat Toss – the aim of the game is to assist students in learning about how hard it can be for some marine animals to find a safe place to live.

You will need:• Items to toss e.g. seeds, erasers, stones or model animals to represent the marine animal finding a habitat.• A game board (see examples below) made out of cardboard or paper, or the game could be drawn onto cement (this is also a good option for a big group of kids as multiple groups could play at one time).

How to play:• Discuss with students what marine animal everyone is going to be that is trying to find a safe habitat. • Once decided, identify a number of threats that particular marine animal will face trying to find a safe habitat.• On the game board, write the name of the threats in the boxes. Write ‘safe habitat’ in one or more boxes depending on the game board size.• Each student receives a number of items, according to how many turns each student will get.• Each student then takes a turn tossing their item to try and get it in the habitat. • If the item lands in the habitat box, they get to keep it. If the item lands in a threat box, they lose their item. The person with the most items left at the end of the game wins.• At the end, discuss with students if it is ok for the marine animal to be killed by native marine animals (one of the chosen threats) e.g. if students had decided on their marine animal to be a small reef fish, is it ok for a big fish or shark to eat that animal? Why or why not? Also discuss if it is ok for the marine animal to be killed by a man made threat (one of the students chosen threats) e.g. if the students chose for their marine animal to be a small reef fish, is it ok for the small reef fish to be killed by eating some plastic rubbish it thought was food? Why or why not?• This game could be made easier or harder depending on the needs of the class.

Examples of how game boards could be set up.

Option 1

Option 2


Resource 8 – Cause-and-Effect Chart

C A U S E

What was the event? Who or what caused it?

E F F E C T

What might happen because of the event? What could be the immediate effect?

E F F E C T

What might happen next? What could be the gradual effect?


Resource 8 – Cause-and-Effect Chart (cont.)

What was the event? Who or what caused it?

What might happen because of the event? What could be the immediate effect?

What might happen next? What could be the short and/or long-term effects?

CAUSE

IMMEDIATE EFFECTS

GRADUAL EFFECTS


Resource 9 – Exploring the Reef Task Sheet - Year 3 Science Report

Your Task:Create a diorama or a drawing of a Great Barrier Reef habitat. You will also write a report on a symbiotic relationship found on the Great Barrier Reef.

Your diorama or drawing will need to include:1. Living and non-living things found on the Great Barrier Reef2. Living and non-living things in your diorama or drawing will need to be labelled with a name and some characteristics (e.g. colour, where it lives, what it eats, what

are some of its uses)3. An example of a symbiotic relationship.

Your report will need to include: 1. An explanation of the symbiotic relationship2. An explanation of why the symbiotic relationship is important to the Great Barrier Reef3. An explanation of a threat to the animals in your diorama or drawing. Who or what causes the threat? How does the threat impact the animals?4. Give ideas about how the threat could be fixed.

What is a diorama? A diorama is a 3D model that represents the chosen topic. If you do a diorama of the Great Barrier Reef, you will need to make images of living and non-living things found on the Great Barrier Reef to build a 3D model.


Year 3 Exploring the Reef – Science Report Name: ___________________________________

Purpose of assessment: Students will provide a reef diorama or drawing. Students will also provide a report based on the diorama or drawing, including reference to the symbiotic

relationship, explanation of the cause and effects of a chosen threat to the animals represented and solutions to these threats.

Knowledge and Understanding

Science Understanding Science as a Human Endeavour

Skills

Science Inquiry Skills

Biological Sciences - Identify the features, characteristics and behaviours of living and non-living things on the Great Barrier Reef.

Nature and Development of Science - Describes a specific symbiotic relationship found on the Great Barrier Reef and makes predictions on why the relationship is important to the Great Barrier Reef. Use and Influence of Science - Using scientific knowledge the student considers and explains how peoples’ actions affect the animals of the Great Barrier Reef and how threats may be mitigated.

Questioning and Predicting - Identifies and explains a specific threat to marine life on the Great Barrier Reef. Planning and Conducting - Plans and conducts investigations on the Great Barrier Reef and a symbiotic relationship found there. Processing and Analysing Data and Information - Uses information gathered to predict scientifically plausible solutions to threats.

Evaluating - Reflects upon learning to identify the importance of a symbiotic relationship to the Great Barrier Reef. Communicating - Constructs a diorama or drawing of living and non-living things found on the Great Barrier Reef. - Creates a report explaining the symbiotic relationship and the cause, effect and solutions to threats to animals displayed in the diorama or drawing.

The student comprehensively describes and displays detailed features, characteristics and behaviours of a wide range of living and non-living things found on the Great Barrier Reef through a diorama or drawing.

The student provides a detailed and accurate description and display of a symbiotic relationship found on the Great Barrier Reef on the drawing/diorama. They provide a reasoned explanation why this relationship is important to the Reef. They describe the cause of a threat to a Reef animal represented in the diorama or drawing, its effects on them and propose at least three scientifically accepted solutions.

The student provides detailed, concise and appropriate scientific information gathered and recorded during investigations on a symbiotic relationship and a specific threat to the Great Barrier Reef. Questioning is coherent and predictions relating to solutions are reasoned and well explained. Displays a very high ability to draw scientific conclusions and predict solutions to one relevant threat relating to the animal in its habitat.

The student identifies and provides reasoned explanations as to why symbiotic relationships are important to the Great Barrier Reef. The diorama or drawing and report are scientifically communicated in a clear and concise manner with ideas, methods, observations and findings displayed in a variety of ways.

The student describes and displays most external features, characteristics and behaviours of a range of living and non-living things found on the Great Barrier Reef through a diorama or drawing.

The student identifies explanations as to why symbiotic relationships are important on the Great Barrier Reef. The diorama or drawing and report is communicated with ideas, methods, observations and findings displayed in a variety of ways.

The student describes or displays, with teacher prompting, some external features, characteristics and behaviours of some living and non-living things found on the Great Barrier Reef through a diorama or drawing.

The student provides a description and display of a symbiotic relationship found on the Great Barrier Reef on the drawing/diorama. They provide an explanation why this relationship is important to the Reef. They describe the cause of a threat to a Reef animal represented in the diorama or drawing, its effect on them and propose at least two scientifically accepted solutions.

The student states a symbiotic relationship found on the Great Barrier Reef and provides a partial explanation why this relationship is important to the Reef. They state a cause of a threat a Reef animal and its effect on them and propose a scientifically accepted solutions.

The student provides appropriate scientific information gathered and recorded during investigations on a symbiotic relationship and a specific threat to the Great Barrier Reef. Questions are identified effectively and predictions relating to solutions are plausible. Displays an ability to draw scientific conclusions and predict solutions to one relevant threat relating to the animal in its habitat.

The student provides some scientific information partially gathered and recorded during investigations on a symbiotic relationship and a specific threat to the Great Barrier Reef. They display an ability to state a partially scientific conclusion and predict solutions to one relevant threat relating to the animal in its habitat. A solution is stated that has some scientific basis.

The student identifies why symbiotic relationships are important on the Great Barrier Reef. Ideas, methods and findings are communicated narrowly using everyday language. .


Year 3 Exploring the Reef – Science Report Name: ________________________

QSA Literacy indicators (2009)

Reading and Viewing

RV3 ii. Read and view a range of print and electronic text types including narratives, cultural stories, poems, procedures, reports, descriptions , explanations, reviews personal e-mails and electronic news stories

RV3 vi

Independently read and understand to maintain and monitor fluency and meaning:

An increasing range of high frequency and function words with atomicity.

Some technical words and context-specific words associated with familiar subject matter or content

Writing and Designing

WD3 ii. Write text types to describe, recount, instruct, respond, reflect, plan, report, narrate, explain, pose questions and draw conclusions.

WD3 iii. Plan by posing questions, gathering information, brainstorming and recording ideas.

Feedback

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Documents

Exploring the Reef teaching unit