A broad long term unit plan developed for a junior syndicate of 5-7 year olds.

1. N e w t o n C e n t r a l S c h o o l
INTEGRATED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIT PLAN
Physical World - Levels One and Two
Term: 4
Year: 0-2
Class: Whānau Nohinohi
Duration: 8-9 weeks
Context / Topic: Electricity
NA T URE O F SC IENC E A C H IEV EM ENT O B JEC T IV ES - Levels 1 and 2 S tudents w ill:
Under standing about science
- A ppreciate that scientists ask
questions about our w orld that lead to
inv estigations and that openmindedness is important because there
may be more than one explanation.
Investigating in science
- E xtend their experiences and personal
explanations of the natural w orld through
exploration, play , asking questions, and
discussing simple models.
C ommunicating in science
- Build their language and dev elop their
understandings of the many w ay s the natural
w orld can be represented.
P ar ticipating and C ontributing
- E xplore and act on issues and
questions that link their science
learning to their daily liv ing.
P H Y SICAL WO RLD ACHIEV EM ENT O BJECTIVES – Levels 1 and 2
S tudents w ill:
P hysical Inquiry and P hysics Concepts
- E xplore ev ery day examples of phy sical phenomena, such as electricity , light, and heat.
- S eek and describe simple patterns in phy sical phenomena.
NO T ES A BOUT ENTRY LEV EL O F STUDENTS (P rior Know ledge/S kills
Required):
Some of the activities ar e aimed at older students. Use tools such as
the concept car toons and discussion to assess how you go thr ough
the lear ning activities.
T EC H NOLOGICAL C ONTEXTS:
C ommunity
Envir onment
T EC H NOLOGICAL P RACTICE – Level 1 Students will:
P lanning for pr actice
- O utline a gener al plan to suppor t the development of an outcome,
identifying appr opriate steps and r esources.
Br ief Development
- Descr ibe the outcome they are developing and identify the
attr ibutes it should have, taking account of the need or opportunity
and the r esour ces available.
O utcome development and evaluation
- Investigate a context to communicate potential outcomes.
Evaluate these against attributes; select and develop an outcome
in keeping with the identified attributes.
T EC H NOLOGICAL P RACTICE – Level 2 Students will:
P lanning for pr actice
- Develop a plan that identifies the key stages and the r esources r equired to complete an
outcome.
Br ief Development
- Explain the outcome they ar e developing and describe the attributes it should have,
taking account of the need or oppor tunity and the r esources available.
O utcome development and evaluation
- Investigate a context to develop ideas for potential outcomes. Evaluate these against
the identified attr ibutes; select and develop an outcome. Evaluate the outcome in terms
of the need or oppor tunity.
T EC H NOLOGICAL KNO WLEDGE – Level 2 Students will:
T echnological modelling
- Under stand that functional models are used to explore, test, and evaluate design
concepts for potential outcomes and that pr ototyping is used to test a technological
outcome for fitness of pur pose.
T EC H NOLOGICAL KNO WLEDGE – Level 1 Students will:
T echnological modelling
- Under stand that functional models are used to r epresent r eality
and test design concepts and that pr ototypes ar e used to test
technological outcomes.
NA T URE O F T EC HNOLO GY – Level 1 Students will:
C har acteristics of technology
- Under stand that technology is pur poseful intervention through
design.
C har acteristics of technologica l outcomes
- Under stand that technological outcomes are pr oducts or systems
developed by people and have a physical nature and a functional
natur e.
P er sonal
Ener gy
H ome
School
Recr eational
NA T URE O F T EC HNOLO GY – Level 2 Students will:
C har acteristics of technology
- Under stand that technology both r eflects and changes society and the environment and
incr eases people’s capability.
C har acteristics of technological outcomes
- Under stand that technological outcomes are developed thr ough technological practice
and have r elated physical and functional natures.
GLO BAL LEARNING INT ENTIONS - Level 1 and 2
We ar e lear ning to:
We ar e lear ning what electricity is and that electricity pr oduces light, heat, sound and movement.
We ar e lear ning that everyday appliances use electricity and that they are connected to the mains.
We ar e lear ning how to use mains electr icity safely.
We ar e lear ning about what an open and a closed cir cuit is.
We ar e lear ning that some things conduct electricity and other things do not.
We ar e lear ning how to use what we have lear nt about electricity to solve a pr oblem.
X
X
X
X
M anaging S elf
Relating to O thers
P articipating and C ontributing
E nglish
M athematics and S tatistics
S cience
S ocial S ciences
Technology
The A rts (Music/Dance/Drama/Visual)
H ealth and P hy sical E ducation
Learning Languages (Te Reo etc)
E O TC
S ample
O bserv ation
S elf A ssessment
P eer A ssessment
A RB’s
O ther e.g. E xemplars, asTTle, etc
X
Liter acy Gaps:
X
Numer acy Gaps:
X
X
P ost-test (S ummativ e)
ASSESSMENT
U sing Language, S y mbols and Texts
P re-test (Diagnostic)
X
GAPS TO COVER
C omputer/Word
P rocessing
P ublisher/E xcel/P ow erP oint
e-mail/F ax/P hone/S can
Internet-Research
Digital C amera/V ideo
Internet – Webquests and
Web 2.0
V ideo C onferencing
Inspiration and O ther
P rogrammes
P rogramming
Thinking
X
KEY COMPETENCIES
E xcellence
Innov ation, enquiry and
curiosity
Div ersity
E quity
C ommunity and
P articipation
E cological S ustainability
Integrity
Respect
OTHER CURRICULUM
LINKS
E-LEARNING (ICT)
VALUES
SA FETY C O NSIDERATIO NS:
Do not use r echar geable batteries.
M ake sur e that simulations ar e completed successfully before the equipment is intr oduced.
H ave the childr en working in small gr oups ( and could have a “safety officer” in each gr oup) .
O ther Gaps:
X
X

2. ADDITIONAL ONLINE RESOURCES
www.topmarks.co.uk/interactive.aspx?cat=66 – List of links, great blurbs that give you a clear idea of the sites’ content (includes an
exploration of what energy is by exploring the rooms of a house, electrical safety)
www.2learn.ca/kids/listSciG5.aspx?Type=51
21 resources aimed at grade 3-6 focusing on electricity and magnetism. A lot of great interactives exploring building circuits (The BlobZ
Guide to Electrical Circuits will be useful when you are first working with the electrical equipment), also some sites dealing with electrical
safety.
http://resources.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/science/electricity.htm
A list of links put together by a school. Love this site. Check out their reading and maths links even if you don’t use this page this ter m.
http://www.vrml.k12.la.us/curriculum/quicktip/science/electricity/elec.htm
A last page of links to all things electric for children.
SPECIFIC LEARNING
INTENTIONS
We ar e lear ning to:
ACTIVITIES, THINKING TOOLS AND OTHER RESOURCES
(What will I do to help my students achieve this?
Strategies/activities linked to Key Competencies to help students achieve)
SUCCESS CRITERIA
We know we have achieved this
when we can:
SPECIFIC LEARNING
INTENTION/S:
We are learning what electricity
is
SUCCESS CRITERIA:
Children complete the
experiment “What is elect ricity?”
and participate in discussion.
SPECIFIC LEARNING
INTENTION/S:
We are learning that everyday
appliances use electricity
We are learning that electricity
produces light, heat, sound and
movement.
SUCCESS CRITERIA:
Children are able to sort
electrical appliances into groups:
things that light up, heat up,
produce sounds and move.
Children will be able to
participate in IWB activity and in
discussions.
SPECIFIC LEARNING
INTENTION/S:
We are learning that everyday
appliances are connected to the
mains
Pgs 6-7 What is electricity. Materials: metal tray, playdough, large plastic bag.
Follow scientific model – what do you think will happen when we rub this?
- Watch and listen carefully (can be done whole class depending on materials
available)
- What did you see?
- Why do you think this happened?
Place the electrical plug. Wire, socket and battery in
the bag and ask a child to take an object out of the
bag. Ask them to name the object and tell the rest of
the class what is used for.
Repeat for other objects.
www.ngfl-cymru.org.uk VTC- Science, physical
processes, Electricity – using Electricity : A resource
that introduces children to the uses of electricity in the
home. Also eon-uk.com/EnergyExperience/85.ht m. Very clear explanation of what
energy is, linking to the idea that children need cereal to get energy, dogs need…
Complete activities with the children. Introducing new vocab display by writing on
cards or big paper for the topic display.
Watch the video: How electricity is used.mov on Teac hershare in the Whanau
Nohinohi folder and then the electricity folder. Discussion and brainstorming. Add
the title: We know electricity produces- light, heat, sound and movement (with
each keyword on a separate large sheet).
Can either: illustrate, find images from magazines or draw illustrations in Kidpix
that show examples of each and add to the large sheets.
Have a scavenger hunt in the classroom. Can you find everything in the classroom
that uses electricity? Or watch Things that use electricity.mov in electricity
folder. For Y2, can get the children to put their hand up when they see something
to add to your class list, or, for younger students, can watch twice. On second
watch through, do as above.
SUCCESS CRITERIA:
Children can find electrical
objects (whether digitally or in
the classroom)
http://www.hyperstaffs.info/work/physics/child/
Designed for children between 7-11 to help them develop their understanding of
electricity and how electricity is used in everyday appliances through electrical
circuits. Electricity in the home (7 objects to find).
The following activities can be referred to later in the unit: Introduction to circuits
through a focus on a torch and a raygun. Introducing symbols for circuit
components. Changing Circuits. Circuit Diagrams and the wire experiment.
SPECIFIC LEARNING
INTENTION/S:
We are learning how to use
mains electricity safely.
Probably best placed in week 4 after the Vector presentation about electrical safety.
http://vectorschools.co.nz/electricity/how-electricity-can-hurt-you
SUCCESS CRITERIA:
Children are able to identify
electrical dangers.
Or, do the following activities now (fits logically). F ind the hidden dangers in
Electricity. http://www.switchedonkids.org.uk/electrical-safety-in-your-home (a
room by room look at dangers in the home) Discuss the ideas about being safe
around electricity. Help to formulate a list of rules for using mains electricity
safely. Can use the template in the Teachershare electricity folder
(safetypostertemplate.doc) to make a poster sharing 1 of these rules.

3. SPECIFIC LEARNING
INTENTION/S:
We are learning about what an
open circuit is.
We are learning about what a
closed circuit is.
We are learning that some
things conduct electricity and
other things do not.
SUCCESS CRITERIA:
Children are able to name an
open circuit when you ask two
children to let go of each other’s
hands and to name a closed
circuit when you ask everyone to
hold hands.
Children complete a diagram of
what they think is inside a torch.
This could be accompanied by a
labelled diagram of what they
find after opening the torch.
Completed lolly circuits,
participation in online activities,
discussions.
Completed simple circuit
successfully lights a bulb
(whether online or actual)
What are open and closed circuits? Use an Energy Stick to demonstrate the
concept. The children stand in a circle holding hands. One child in the circle puts a
finger on one side on the energy stick and another child does the same thing on
the other side of the stick. (Just make sure the two students on either side of the
energy stick are not touching each other.) Explain that this is a closed circuit. The
Energy Stick will light up and make an erie sound. Then ask two students in
another part of the circle to stop holding hands. The Energy Stick will not light up
or make an eerie sound. This is an open circuit.
Pgs 65-80 Making Better Sense of the Physical World



P67 What is inside a Torch?
P71 Circuit symbols and Make the Bulb Go (see lolly circuits, concept cartoons and
websites below for accompanying activities)
P76 Will all materials let electricity pass through them? This activity is introducing
the concept of conductors and insulators.
Concept cartoons – can be used at various stages of the unit as a risk-free way
for students to predict. They choose which person they agree with, prior to testing
the hypothesis (whether simulated online or with electric al equipment). Ideas
covered:
 Where does a switch need to be in the circuit to turn a light on and off? 10.1
Switch
 Does a knot in the wire stop or change the flow of electricity? 10.2 Knots
 Do you need a certain amount of wires in a circuit to make a lamp brighter…
or does this make no difference at all? 10.3 More Wires
 What difference does the thickness of wires make to the brightness of a
lamp in a circuit? 10.4 Thicker Wires
 What difference does the length of wires make to the brightness of a bulb in
a circuit? 10.5 Longer Wires
 What difference does the strength of the battery make to the brightness of a
bulb in a circuit? 10.7 Circuits
 What does an electromagnet need? 10.12 Electromagnet
Lolly circuits. Materials: grapes, raisins, baby carrots, marshmallows, a range of
lollies, toothpicks.
A fun way to gather children’s ideas about what could be needed to make an
electrical circuit.
Investigating the question – What are circuits?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/6_7/electricity.shtml
BBC Using Electricity, aimed at 6-7 year olds. Figure out how to complete a circuit,
with equipment before touching the real things. “What next?” button links to harde r
stuff on circuits and conductors.
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/gamesactivities/electricitycircuits.html
Learn about electricity circuits as you experiment with batt eries, voltages and light
bulbs. Try changing the battery in the circuit to make the light bulb glow brighter.
Check your model and see how it looks as a circuit diagram. Variety of challenges:
changing the circuit, moving switches, replacing bulbs, changing the battery volts
and adding longer wires.
SPECIFIC LEARNING
INTENTION/S:
We are learning how to use
what we have learnt about
electricity to solve a problem.
SUCCESS CRITERIA:
Students achieving at level 1
childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/interactives/science/energy/electricity/
How do we make electricity? Harder content, but a way to share a simulated
generator, electric power station, oil, coal or gas fired power station, hydro -electric,
nuclear, biomass and geothermal.
A group of students had been learning about electricity as part of a science unit.
They then decided to use this knowledge to make their own motorised toys to star
in a puppet show for younger students at the school. For details of this unit please
see the Ministry of Education's Connected Series 2005 Volume 1 – Super Toy
Makers.

4. could:
Because we will not have enough time this term to complete this part of the unit, options
• explain how they looked at a
range of toys brought from
could be, to get to the model stage only, or t o continue this unit next year (some children will
home, to give them ideas about
miss out).
the features their toy could have
and the type of material it could
Another option is to streamline this.
be made out of;
• suggest how they could
balance their toy; and

Home play at the beginning of term to bring in toys that need a battery.
•.

When the toys come in, have a bus-stop rotation where small groups look at different
Students achieving at level 2
could:
toys (2-5 mins only each rotation)
• identify the key stages

As a whole group, list down features of the toys – what can they do? Heat, light,
required to complete an Angel
sound and/or movement?
toy with a spinning halo; these

In Kidpix, or on paper, in pairs to think about a toy that they could make that runs on
being the need to complete their
design first, then make a
batteries and to draw a diagram.
working model of t heir toy to

The pairs then have to join up with another pair and they compare ideas and
test that the halo spins properly,
features. Can you design a toy that combines the best of each pair’s ideas?
before making the proper body

Share designs with another class and get feedback (as stakeholders). How could
of the toy and applying the
designs be improved? Are there enough or too many features?
finishing decorations; and
• explain that old pieces of card

Think about feedback and build a playdough/card prototype – labelling what
were used to make a working
materials the toy could be made of, the features of the toy, and drawing a diagram of
model of the Angel's body and
the circuit that would need to be inside the toy for it to work.
the spinning mechanism when
they were test how well their
design might work
GROUPS – CATERING FOR A RANGE OF INDIVIDUAL NEEDS AND ABILITIES
FORMATIVE NOTES
ASSESSMENT APPROACH
(How will I assess the Success Criteria? How can learning achievement be measured? Remember to include Formative Assess ment)
BEFORE THE UNIT
DURING THE UNIT
AFTER THE UNIT
UNIT EVALUATION
(Consider: Planning and preparation; catering to individual students’ needs; challenging all students; use of class time; ov erall delivery;
success of unit based on assessment and anecdotal observations; areas for future improvement – what would have worked better)
CHILDREN’S LEARNING
PERSONAL TEACHINGS
ASSESSMENT FOR FUTURE PLANNING
For these students:
For teaching students in the future: