FORWARD PLANNING DOCUMENT

TERM/WEEKS: 3 YEAR LEVEL: 9 LEARNING AREA/TOPIC: Science/ Biology

AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM
General Capabilities:
Literacy Numeracy ICT Critical and creative Ethical Behaviour Personal and social Intercultural
thinking Competence Understanding
Cross-curriculum priorities:
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and Cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability

Notes about device access in the classroom: All students have access to Apple computers.
WEEK/ West Australian SPECIFIC LESSON ASSESSMENT TEACHING & LEARNING RESOURCES = ICT and
LESSON other
Curriculum OBJECTIVE (what & how) EXPERIENCES
LINKS (Introduction, Body and Conclusion)

Week 5- Ecosystems Formative Introduction: Pearson Science 9

Lesson 1 consist of - Create a concept map of assessment: at - Entry card- Students will use Plickers to check (2nd Ed.)- Module 9.1-
communities of biotic and abiotic factors in beginning using understanding of effects of exposure to radiation online
interdependent ecosystems using Coggle. Plickers check
organisms and understanding of Concept mapping:
- Produce a Padlet,
abiotic effects of Body: https://coggle.it/
components of distinguishing differences exposure to - Students will use summarised notes of Module 9.1 to
the environment between types of radiation Scootle:
create a concept map using Coggle of abiotic and
; matter and relationships. Environmental
biotic factors.
energy flow - Explain importance of Formative evaluation project: frog
through these assessment: To - Students will investigate frog populations in ponds pond habitat
adaptations for survival in
systems (ACSS conclude student using scootle tool. http://www.scootle.edu
different climate.
U176) and teacher - Students will use Padlet to present different types of .au/ec/viewing/L418/in
question and ecosystem relationships. dex.html
answer session to - In groups of 3, students will be assigned a climatic
check Padlet: Bulletin
zone. They will then create another concept map
understanding of Boards:
biotic and abiotic using Coogle to expand on advantageous https://padlet.com/das
factors and adaptations for that climate. hboard
relationships.
Random name
Conclusion: selector:
- The students will participate in class question and https://www.teachstart
answer session on ecosystems relationships and er.com/au/widget/rand
biotic and abiotic factors. Random name selector will om-name-selector/
be used to choose participants.

2 (ACSSU176) - Construct a food web using Formative Introduction: Youtube: Cane toad.
Coggle to demonstrate the Assessment: - Students will watch video ‘Invasion of the deadly Invasionhttps://www.yo
interconnectivity of Create a food cane toads’ to introduce topic. utube.com/watch?v=o
ecosystems, include web using Coggle - As a class, students will create word cloud to Ycl0xxU5_s
producers, consumers and showing each Pearson Science 9
summarise video.
decomposers in the food aspect of food (2nd Ed.)- Module 9.1-
web. web. online
Body:
- Produce a short video clip Wordcloud:
- Students will use summarised notes of Module 9.2 to
showing the benefit of Formative https://www.wordcloud
worm farming to assessment: create a food web using Coggle showing producers, s.com/
demonstrate importance of
 nutrient recycling and Short video on consumers and decomposers using an Australian Concept mapping
sustainability worms and their ecosystem example. https://coggle.it/
- Create an interactive importance in - In groups of three, students will produce a short
poster using Glogster. nutrient recycling https://www.agric.wa.g
video about the importance of worm farms, nutrient
Show the impact of Cane and sustainability. ov.au/climate-
toads on ecosystems and recycling and sustainability. change/composting-
explain their ability to Summative - Students will research cane toads in Australia. avoid-methane-
spread. Assessment: Research will focus on breeding capabilities, ideal production
Interactive poster. biotic and abiotic factors and predation and
Rubric- Use at competition interactions. Students will present IMovie
least two types of findings using Glogster.
media and two Glogster
references. Use Conclusion: https://edu.glogster.co
both biotic and - Students will complete Socrative test on Ecology to m/
abiotic factors.
review understanding of biotic/abiotic factors,
Socrative
adaptions https://www.socrative.c
om/
3 (ACSSU176) - Produce an energy Formative Introduction:
pyramid that depicts loss of assessment: - Class discussion, Are there photosynthesisers in Google Slides
energy in trophic levels. Class discussion, caves?
- Develop a proposal to discerning
conserve biodiversity in understanding of Body: https://www.easypolls.
order to maintain healthy producers and - Students draw an energy pyramid using example net/
ecosystems. extending current and calculate energy loss of 90% in each trophic
- Debate the importance of understanding. Plickers
level.
ecosystem protection and
hold a poll to determine Formative - Using their knowledge and understanding, students
winners of debate. assessment: work in groups of three to produce a proposal to
near the end of conserve biodiversity, presenting using a google
lesson to gage slides presentation.
retention - Student cohort will be divided into two and assigned
as for or against ecosystem protection, the against
side being in favour of unhindered development.
Formative
assessment: They will have 5 minutes to consolidate their
Check feedback arguments before the debate is held. At the end of
on student the debate hold a poll to determine the winners.
comfort with unit
overall. If Conclusion:
feedback is - Students will use a Plickers exit ticket having been
largely negative, asked if they feel comfortable with the unit material.
clarify
misunderstanding
.
ICT Tools
The ICT resources in this curriculum are designed to provide shaped experiences for students, rather than regimented teacher-led lessons. Students are given opportunities

to work at their own pace, utilise their creativity, and work with others. Coggle was chosen as it is a useful tool for creating cycles and relationships, which are major themes of

the unit of ecology. Students are able to choose how to present their information. The act of making the Coggle or cycle will help the student understand and remember the

concept. Word cloud was selected to encourage collaboration. When students are able to visualise the different ideas of others in the word cloud, they are better able to

appreciate others, which in turn increases participation. Google slides was selected to encourage collaboration and freedom through ease of use. Presentations can be

shared instantly and the history of changes to the document is stored in the google cloud. Students do not need to be concerned about losing their work or making changes.

Additionally, students are able to access google slides from any device; learning is not hindered. Glogster was chosen as the ICT tool to present Cane Toad research.

Glogster is a multi-media poster maker. Allowing students to express their research using Glogster is encouraging innovation and creativity within the classroom. Students

were also asked to utilise iMovie to create a short video, in groups of three, about worm farms and sustainability. Use of this tool encourages collaboration, feedback and

creativity, which enhances learning outcomes. The ICT used in the curriculum is supported by social constructivist theory. By allowing students to learn in an environment that

is interactive and collaborative, students are able to achieve learning outcomes.

Learning Theories
This curriculum is underpinned by project-based learning and blooms taxonomy. The project-based learning approach is student-centered; the purpose is to engage the

student in an area in which they are already interested as well as align their educative experiences towards a concern for the common good (Sullivan, 2017). The process of

engaging a young person in project-based learning that is student-centered facilitates a respectful attitude towards that young person (Sullivan, 2017). This experience is

encouraging for a young person and increases the likelihood that they will be active citizens of society (Sullivan, 2017). This model of project-based learning is especially

evident in lesson 2, where students are required to research cane toads, how they breed so quickly and their effect on other specie’s population. They are asked to produce a

short video in groups about sustainability also. This opportunity allows them to develop their collaborative skills whilst working on a project aligned with the common good; a

positive experience they are more likely to replicate outside of the classroom. This curriculum design is also supported by Bloom’s framework.

Bloom’s framework or model sets out dimensions of the cognition. This framework can be applied by an educator in order to methodically choose the difficulty of the question

or task being asked of students. Bloom’s framework, as reinterpreted by Krathwohl (2002), can be used to assess unit objectives, tasks and assessments, as well as a tool for
reflection on the course delivery. In this curriculum ‘apply’ cognitive processes have been used when a concept has only recently been introduced. ‘Analyze’ has been

implemented to encourage extension. The ‘creating’ process has been implemented in this curriculum in order to facilitate creativity and higher order cognition. An example of

this in lesson 3, when students are asked to work collaboratively and produce a proposal to conserve biodiversity.

References:
Divaharan, S., Lim, W., & Tan, S. (2011). Walk the talk: Immersing pre-service teachers in the learning of ICT tools for knowledge creation. Australasian Journal of
Educational Technology, 27(8) doi:10.14742/ajet.v27i8.895

Krathwohl, D. (2002). A Revision of Bloom's Taxonomy: An Overview. Theory into practice, 41(4), 212-218. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org.ipacez.nd.edu.au/stable/1477405

Sullivan, F. R. (2017). Creativity, technology, and learning: Theory for classroom practice. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. doi:10.4324/9781315765143