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Energy

Assassins
Level 6 Outcomes
Science
Science understanding
Physical Science - Energy from a
variety of sources can be used
to generate electricity
Investigating how
moving air and water
can turn turbines
Investigating the uses
of solar panels
Considering whether
an energy source is
sustainable

Earth and Space Science -
Sudden changes in geographical
or extreme weather conditions
can affect Earths surface.

Science Inquiry Skills
Questioning and predicting -
With guidance, pose questions
to clarify practical problems or
inform a scientific investigation,
and predict what the findings of
an investigation might be.


Science as a Human endeavor
The use and influence of
science - Scientific
understanding, discoveries and
inventions are used to solve
problems that directly affect
peoples lives.
Investigating how
electrical energy is
generated in Australia
and around the world
Considering how
electricity and
electrical appliances
have changed the way
some people live

Stage 1 - Desired Results


Level 5/6 Outcomes
Information and Communications Technology
ICT for creating
Students safely and independently use a range of skills, procedures, equipment, such as 3D
printing, and functions to produce accurate and suitably formatted products to suit different
purposes and audiences. They use design tools, such as sketchup, to represent how solutions
will be produced and the layout of information products.

ICT for communicating and visualising thinking
Student use ICT to share their work with, peers and known and unknown experts through
vlogging.
Students successfully identify reliable online research sources.
Students use ICT tools and techniques that support the organisation and analysis of concepts,
issues and ideas.

Interpersonal Development
Working in teams
Students work effectively in different teams and take on a variety of roles to complete tasks of
varying length and complexity. They work cooperatively to allocate tasks and develop timelines.
Students accept responsibility for their role and tasks. They explain the benefits of working in a
team. They provide feedback to others and evaluate their own and the teams performance.

Civic and citizenship
Community engagement
Students present a point of view on a significant current issue or issues and include
recommendations about the actions that individuals and governments can take to resolve issues.

Design, creativity and technology
Investigating and designing
Students respond to a design brief by creating a product. Students research and collect data
about their product ideas, considering design barriers and solutions. Students develop a design
plan and justify their choices.

Producing
Students work safely with a variety of materials and equipment to produce functional products,
while recording their process uses multimodal techniques.

Analysing and Evaluation
Students reflect on and evaluate their final design/product and the process of its development.
Students analyse their design process, synthesising barriers, feedback and changing ideas in order
to evaluate their product reflectively.
Thinking Processes
Reasoning, Processing and Inquiry
Students develop their own questions for investigation at the beginning of the unit, collect
relevant information from a range of sources and make judgements about its worth. They
develop reasoned arguments using supporting evidence.
Creativity
Students use creative thinking strategies to generate imaginative solutions to solve the problem
of saving energy at home. They demonstrate creativity in their thinking by creating 3D models of
their designs.
Reflection, Evaluation and Metacognition
Students use Habits of Mind thinking processes and strategies to reflect on, and evaluate their
effectiveness. They articulate and document changes in their thinking processes and ideas over

time in their weekly Vlog entries.


Communication
Listening, viewing and responding
Students ask clarifying questions about ideas and information they listen to and view. They
develop interpretations of the content and provide reasons for them. They explain why peers
may develop alternative interpretations
Presenting
Students summarise and organise ideas and information, logically and clearly in a range of
presentations. They identify the features of an effective presentation and adapt elements of their
own presentations to reflect them. Using provided criteria, they evaluate the effectiveness of
their own and others presentations.
Understandings
Students will understand
Our energy choices have an economic and
environmental impact now and in the future.
The positive impact individuals can have on global
energy production.
The need to create products that incorporate
sustainable energy solutions.
Knowledge
Students will know

Energy can be sourced from the wind, sun, water,
air and combustible materials.
What energy sources are sustainable and which are
unsustainable.
Using non-renewable energy sources can have
disastrous effects on the environment.
That different inventions have changed the way we
live.

Essential Questions
What is energy and how do we use it?
What are the different sources of energy?
How do the choices we make about energy affect the environment?
Why is there a reliance on non-renewable energy sources?
What does it mean to be sustainable with energy?

Skills
Students will be skilled at

Asking questions and making predictions about energy
sustainability.
Thinking creatively and critically about concepts about
energy.
Using research to inform and extend ideas.
Listening and responding to peers and feedback to
collaboratively solve a design problem.
Being reflective of the development of their thinking and
understandings about energy.
Using OneNote to create a design portfolio and house video
blogs
Navigate web pages and read for gist when researching
online

Catering to Diversity
Multiple Intelligence: Student Intelligences are catered to in regards to M.I. This is evident throughout the unit by the
inclusion of a range of teaching and learning strategies that incorporate visual, auditory, kinesthetic, interpersonal,
intrapersonal.
Learning Styles are recognised within ILP's. Learning style considerations are reflected in the rituals and routines, lesson
structures, outcomes, skills and assessment. Learning styles include but are not limited too linear/factual, reflective, visual,
verbal and theoretical/global.

Stage 2 Evidence of Learning
Assessment OF learning
Assessment AS learning
Assessment FOR learning
Design Brief Portfolio
Peer discussions and written
Identifying student interest to
Sustainable energy product
group reflections.
inform inquiry direction; E.g.
Question Box.
Skills checklist
Weekly vlogging reflections on
weekly foci related to HoM and
Use of ongoing reflections to frame
Habits of Mind checklist
learning content.
weekly HoM and content foci
Anecdotal assessment (teacher
Support group meetings;
Using Vlog entries to adapt
observations and questioning)
reflections and goal setting
teaching to student progression.
PLT stages of inquiry

reflections.
Stage 3 Learning Plan

Week 1 Tuning In
Task 1
Explain that the students will be starting a new topic but it is their responsibility to infer what the
topic/focus could be about during the gallery walk.
Gallery Walk Students move around 5 stations in groups of 6. Using the graphic organizer
students write down their initial thoughts/reactions/feelings to the material (photos, videos,
diagrams, models). Students spend 5 minutes at each station.
Brainstorm - collectively, students share their ideas with the class and create a brainstorm.
Prompting Questions:
- What is this inquiry unit about? Why do you think that, what evidence do you have/can you refer
too?
- Does anyone agree/disagree? Why/ why not?
Unit title Students suggest titles for the name of the unit, which will be voted on at the start of the
next lesson.

Task 2
Role Play Introducing Habits of Mind (Impulsivity). What does it mean to be impulsive
(Definition)? When have you been impulsive?
Show video/Role Play a situation in which impulsivity was badly managed. Explore strategies to
manage this situation positively.
Prompt Questions:
-
What could have been the consequences?
-
How does this relate to work/school?
-
Talk about purpose. Eg. Independent learners, form of intelligence.
-
Discuss strategies they could use.
In 5 groups students role-play a situation within the school environment showing both poorly
managed impulsivity and positively managed impulsivity, each group employs a different strategy.
Strategies:
1. Slow down, Stop and take a breathe
2. Consider the consequences
3. Ask a friend, consider alternative perspectives
4. List of options
5. Why? Purpose of the situation.
6. Empathize, how might the other person/people feel?
Week 2 Tuning In
Task 3
Strike Me Lucky! - Imagine that all workers who help to produce energy have gone on strike. To
keep the classroom safe, all electricity and gas has been turned off for 24 hours.
Students are given a scenario and asked to think about how it will be affected without electricity.
They will be required to fill in a Plus/ Minus/ Interesting sheet on an A3 sheet of paper.
Some scenarios include:
o AusPOST mailing room
o A building worksite
o Melbourne CBD
o Getting ready for school
o A school without electricity

Task 4
Vlogs- Using their netbooks student set up Science Journal on Onenote, as a reflection tool using
Video blogging for each week (questions to be devised each week).
-
Students self-assess themselves according to the Managing Impulsivity rubric, rating
themselves 1-4.

Week 3 & 4 Finding Out

Summative
Assessment





Save brainstorm as
pre-assessment
&
Collect gallery walk
sheets













Role-Play Group
Rubric








P.M.I A3 sheets










Vlog Entries

Self-Assessment
Rubric


Non Renewable

Task 5 & 6
Energy Sources/Production In groups of 5, students research the different methods through
which energy is produced/sourced. Students become an expert at one energy source. Through the
jigsaw method all students present their source to their peers. Students must fill in the worksheet
as each person presents. This is completed for renewable and non-renewable
- Non-renewable; Coal, Oil, Gas and Nuclear.
- Renewable sources; Solar, Wind, Hydro, Geothermal and Biomass
During the Renewable Energy Presentations students peer-assess each member of their group
using the Group Marking sheet.

Task 7
'More Than Managing Impulses' (HoM Managing Impulsivity and Persistence)
Students are given metaphorical situations (school, schoolyard, workplace etc.) where individuals
require persistence to be successful. Strategies are discussed, written down and argued to each
other and the teacher.
This activity focuses on 'routines', 'learning skills' and 'motivational tactics'.
Students develop step-by-step plans for their chosen individual and situation that creates a path to
greater achievement and success.
Week 5 Sorting Out & Making Connections
Task 8
Going Global with Renewables - Show students the video 'The Story of Imani' and discuss the issues
it highlights. Introduce the UN's Sustainability for All Initiative.
Students choose an organisation that provides renewable energy solutions for poor/isolated
communities around the world. They can choose from:
o Solar Sisters
o Power the World
o SELF (Solar Electric Light Fund)
o Barefoot Power
o Practical Action
Model how to navigate a webpage, read for gist and access video resources to answer questions.
Students are to create a fact file by answering; What their organisation does, where they operate,
which renewable technology they use and how they are helping people.
Task 9
Climate change Show students the Prezi Fossil Fuels. Look at the 2 reasons why we need
alternatives.
1. Fossil fuels are running out
2. Climate change.
Explore the effects of climate change on the environment in greater detail show the video:
http://tenplay.com.au/channel-eleven/scope/season-3/episode-49
Students pick one and draw a picture of the effects.
Week 6 - Making Connections

Energy Worksheet

Renewable Energy
Worksheet

Group Marking Sheet























Fact Files












Task 10
Discuss knowledge learnt from previous lesson; what is meant be Climate Change? How is it
caused? What are some of the effects of Climate Change?
Explain to the students that they will conducting experiments exploring these concepts.
Students will complete a science report and make hypothesis about the experiments.
Climate Change Experiments - Students will conduct two experiments:
o 1. Looking at the effect of increased CO2 in the atmosphere.
o 2. Looking at the difference in rising sea levels by comparing melting ice shelves and
icecap.

Task 11

Going Green with Renewable Energy - Our school is looking at going green with electricity. The
principal is choosing between Wind and Solar electricity and has asked Year 6 to find out which one
is most cost effective. Prove it!
Students are given a table that compares the cost of using Wind energy and Solar energy to power
various appliances around the school. Using this table, Students investigate and calculate the cost
of running the 5/6 classrooms on Solar energy and Wind Energy by answering a series of questions


Task 12

Saving Energy at home - On the interactive whiteboard, work through simple energy-saving
solutions on the online program, Energy Efficient Home Renovator:
http://www.synergy.net.au/at_home/energy_efficient_renovator.xhtml
Students then use their netbooks to access a different interactive house:
https://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=popuptool.atHome
On a worksheet, students write down what energy-using goods they discovered in the house, as
well as any interesting tips they were given for saving energy.

Week 7 10 - Going Further


Task 13
Design Brief - Design a creative and sustainable product/solution for the home. The
product/solution must use renewable energy. You must design and create the end product
Students create a Design Brief portfolio that details each stage of process they went through to
create their product; Investigating/ Research Producing/Making Evaluation.
Each student will present their model/product to the class in week 10 and will be marked using the
Product Presentation Rubric.

Task 14
Tinkering Incursion Student groups rotate between 3 different activities. They discuss safety
considerations prior to commencing activities.
The 3 stations:
o Solar panels
o Split-pin circuit building
o Battery circuit building
They create a simple circuit.

Week 11 - Reflection
Task 15
Final Vlog Students finish the term by reflecting about their learning over the duration of unit.
They reflect upon their initial Managing Impulsivity self assessment rubric from Task 4 and discuss
ways they have improved in their behaviour by implementing specific strategies.
Students are given time to view their previous vlog entries made throughout the unit as means of
assessing development in conceptual understanding related to the Essential Questions.




Science Report







Student responses in
Maths book







Saving Energy
Worksheet







Product Presentation
Rubric








Completed split-pin
circuit








Vlog Entry

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