The Australian Science Curriculum, pedagogic content

and the value of science

“Life in a sense is a series of problems”“The attitudes and skills that have progressed

science are the same that enable problem solving.”

The Australian CurriculumRationale- Science as a dynamic, collaborative and creative human endeavor that assists in making sense of our world.

Overarching ideas- Ideas that apply to science understanding.

Content Structure- Three strands to provide students knowledge, understanding, skills to develop a scientific view of the world.

Year level descriptors- Interrelate content across the strands and emphasize overarching ideas for that year level.

Content Elaborations- Exemplify content.

Achievement Standards- Description of the quality of learning expected.

Content structure1. Science Understandings- Explaining and applying science knowledge.

2. Science as a human endeavor- Humans seeking to improve their understandings and explanations of the natural world.

3. Science Inquiry skills- Evaluating claims, investigating ideas, solving problems, drawing valid conclusions and developing evidence based arguments

Context specific filtered curriculum

• ACARA- Curriculum- Science - Year 3 • All three content strands• General capability- Critical, Creative thinking, Literacy and

Numeracy

Leads to:-Science Understanding- Physical sciences & Earth and space science.

HEAT- Heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to another.EARTH’S ROTATION- Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including day and night.

CONTEXT SPECIFIC PEDAGOGY.

Teaching of science in the special needs area allows for students to

control their environment, make sense of new experiences and caters to

curiosity.

PEDAGOGIC CONTENT KNOWLEDGE FOR PHYSICAL SCIENCE

HEAT-Heat can be produced in many ways and can move from one object to anotherELABORATION- Identify changes that occur in everyday situations due to heating.

PLAN- 1. Strategize conceptual progression2. Identify students ideas and related misconceptions3. Scientific Inquiry Activity ‘Mostly Melting’ modified to be

hands on and with physical analogies.4. Use language to explain, explore and assess concepts.

MOSTLY MELTING

Activity- • Recap experiences with ice creams and melting chocolate.• Talk about how the warm sun and warm hands and heat

from microwave melted the ice cream and chocolate.• Demonstrate-One ice cube and one ice cube size chocolate.• Use two oil burners with a tea candle each.• Before placing over heat, ask for predictions- What will

happen?• Place over heat.• Talk about what is happening, use introduced vocabulary.• Write our science journal (Assessment)as a group activity-

focus on and reiterate concept- heat caused the melting.

PEADAGOGIC CONTENT KNOWLEDGE FOR EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE

• EARTH’S ROTATION- Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including day and night.

• ELABORATION- Recognizing the sun as a source of light.

PLAN-1. Draw a concept map.2. Identify students ideas and misconceptions3. Research using variety of texts and formats as a group activity.4. Scientific Inquiry Activity- ‘Spinning Earth’ from ‘My Zone Science- Earth,

Sun, Moon’.5. Use language to explain, explore and assess concepts

SPINNING EARTH

WHY USE THESE PEDAGOGIC APPROACHES

• Rationale of curriculum- Science as a dynamic, collaborative and creative human endeavor that assists in making sense of our world.

• Constructivist approach- builds knowledge and skills.• Language model- from real world to abstract• Relate to Quality Teaching perspectives.• Blooms taxonomy of the cognitive domain- working

towards HOTS.

SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY IN THE SPECIAL NEEDS CONTEXT

The activities relate to SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY.• What happens when we heat substances?• What causes day and night?

National curriculum-Science inquiry involves:-• Identifying and posing questions• Conducting and reflecting on investigations• Interpreting evidence and communicating findings.

CROSS CURRICULAR CONNECTIONSScience can connect to-

• Drama- ‘Mostly Melting role’ play .• Art- Symbolic representations and drawings of what

happened during activities.• Woodwork- Diorama boxes.• Technology- DMA• Literacy and Numeracy.• ICT- Digital photos, power point, photo story, Clicker

5. • Connection to General Capabilities of Curriculum

CONNECTING TO THE WIDER WORLD-MEANING MAKING

Science Education is about assisting students to construct meaningful

ideas and understandings.

Constructing Meaning

IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE

Science as contribution

Science as a problem solver

Contribution and problem solver to Autism

SCIENCE IMPORTANT AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOUR

Science,a humanizing influence that

explains and defines our existence and place in the universe

HEADS, HEARTS AND HANDS

Personal pedagogic principles.

1. Progressive learning that betters self and society.

2. Critical thinking.3. Social justice.

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ACARA (2010). The Australian curriculum. Retrieved on 18/11/11 from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au

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