Fall

08
16
1

EDU5LDP

Unit of Inquiry
Grade 3 The Great Barrier Reef
KARLEE ROHDE
17181595

L a Tr o b e M a s t e r s o f Te a c h i n g P - 1 2

Table of Contents
CLASS PROFILE................................................................................. 1
CLASSROOM ORGANISATION OVERVIEW.............................................1
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PROFILES.......................................................4
Unit: Exploring the Great Barrier Reef..............................................15
Assessment for Unit........................................................................19
Lesson Plans................................................................................... 21
Reflection....................................................................................... 30
References.....................................................................................31

CLASS PROFILE
School Setting & Demographic:
- Public School
- Grade 3
- Mixed gender
- Multicultural classroom of large farming town.
- 200 students from p-6

Overview of class

23 Students
6 with learning difficulties.
1 educational support staf

CLASSROOM ORGANISATION
OVERVIEW
Classroom climate and teacher expectations
This grade 3 classroom has a student centred approach to learning. This
involves lots of exploring of new ideas and questioning current understandings.
The students are to be open and honest and there is a no put downs policy to
any questions asked. The classroom is a quiet working space for most of the
time due to a student having a hearing impairment. The classroom will have lots
of visual displays arranged neatly on the walls to prevent over stimulation. This
student centred learning environment will be clear on rules by ensuring that the
students have input into the creation of these. This will be revised at the
beginning of each term fostering reflection and alteration where necessary
allowing students to participate to the classroom in a meaningful way (Adelman
& Taylor, No Year). Teachers expectations can greatly impact student
performances; therefore it is important to create positive and open relationships
with each of the students, allowing them to feel comfortable as well as enforcing
respect towards the teacher (Teacher expectations). These positive
relationships will be created with the teacher being aware of the needs of the
students and providing them with the appropriate learning activities (Adelman &
Taylor, No Year).
Developing clear and concise learning activities and checking for understanding
always will help improve student outcomes, and students diference will be
taken on board and catered for in meaningful ways (Adelman & Taylor, No Year).

Management and organisation protocols .

Tables will be set up in a horse shoe style in order for everyone to have visual
sight of the teacher and the board comfortably at all times; this also allows the
teacher to monitor focus of the classroom. The seating arrangement will stay
the same for each term as it allows for time saving at the beginning of class,
ensures students are comfortable, and gives the students routine and structure
of the classroom. Students will line up outside the classroom and be greeted by
the teacher each morning, allowing for the teacher to mark of the role, assess
students moods and gives the students time to settle down and finish of their
conversations before moving into the learning environment. It is important to
be aware of bad behaviour patterns in individual students as well as reinforcing
the positive behaviour (Victorian State Government, 2013). Avoiding sarcasm
will allow students to avoid being spoken down to, and always be using
language that the students understand (Victorian State Government, 2013).
Routines and rituals for small group learning and whole group
instruction
The students will be grouped regularly throughout this inquiry unit in order to
promote discussion. These groups will consist of two tables (4 students) that are
next to each other. Taking into consideration the layout of the classroom will
allow group work to be implemented efectively (Gunn, 2007). This allows easy
and quick group commencement, it also means that the student in the
wheelchair does not constantly have to manoeuvre her way around the
classroom. Being aware of group dynamics is important when considering group
work (Gunn, 2007). Front-loading students and ensuring they are aware and
understand how to work in groups is important in efectively incorporating group
work that is meaningful, lacks judgement, and open for all members to take part
(Gunn, 2007). In this classroom there will be diferent roles that group members
will be able to take part in to avoid any unequal participation, rotation of these
roles will ensure that all students are experiencing diferent ways of contributing
to group work (Teaching, Learning & Technology Centre, No Year). The group
sizes will be created to suit the task at hand to ensure that groupings are used
efectively (Teaching, Learning & Technology Centre, No Year).

ITC use
Students will have access to school Ipads that are stored in an Ipad trolley that
charges them when they are not in use. This trolley must be booked for use and
there are 30 Ipads available. One of the students will complete all her work on a
laptop due to low motor skill functioning. The efective implementation of ICT in
primary schools can help improve student outcomes and teachers have the
responsibility to ensure students are educated for the changing world (Victoria
State Government, 2015). Ensuring that ICT is used efectively, it must be
relevant to the learning task as well as used in a safe and ethical manner. These
students have completed an ICT safety module and have been working with the
Ipads for 2 years now (NCAC, No Year).

INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PROFILES

Student name: Ben

Angus
Carr

Date of birth: 10/10/2007 Date of birth:

McKenzie
6/8/2007

Date: 20/1/2015 (Term 1)

Year
level:
Grade
5
Date:
Student
name:
Rebecca
Date of birth: 5/2/2006
Learning Difficulty
Functioning Autism Spectrum
20/1/2015
(Term 1) Overview: High
Smith
Date: 20/1/2015 (Term 1)
Disorder difficulty overview: Profoundly Deaf with cochlear
Learning
Year
level:name:
Grade Ella
5 Matthews
Student
Date of birth: 15/5/2007
Personal
implants
Learning
difficulty
car accident
at age
Year level:
Grade 3 overview: ParaplegicDate: 20/1/2015
(Term
1) 7
Angus
is
one
of
two
children.
Lives
with
his
mother,
his
parents
are
Personal
Personal
Learning difficulty overview: Global Developmental delay
separated.
Born
deaf and
had Cochlearperson
implant
at the
ageto
ofbe
2. able
Ben lives
with
both
Rebecca
an independent
who
wants
to doskill
everything
(Noahsisark)higher level language
disorder
and
low motor
ability
Mother
isand
very
and no other history of learning
parents,
is supportive
anwith
onlyboth
child.
herself. She
lives
parents. Rebecca has 2 younger siblings. She
Personal
difficulties
in
family.
Emotional
lives in what appears to be a healthy home environment. She was very
Ella lives with her mother, Her father passed away when she was
Emotional
Ben
is emotionally
stable. He is a quiet student and will often get upset
sporty
prior to accident.
young. She has 4 siblings. Her mother doesnt work and is not hugely
Anxious
about
loud noises.
Rarely
becomes
aggressive
has in
if
he doesnt
understand
the
task but
will refuse
to say but
anything.
Emotional
supportive. Low socio-economic family. Ella has an aide with her 5 days
the
past. Angus can get very anxious when the classroom is too over
Physical
Can often have breakdowns and get temperamental if unable to complete
a week at school.
stimulated
andlacking
can appear
panicked.
Ben
has some
in language
development and sees a speech
a task.
Emotional
Physical
therapist
weekly.
Ben alsowant
lacksadditional
in other senses;
he tasks.
cant smell
Independent
and doesnt
help with
Easilyor taste.
Ella gets very angry and refuses to complete tasks that she might find
Angus
has very
low sport
motor skill
ability andintherefore
doesactivity.
not enjoy
Ben
enjoys
playing
participating
any
physical
frustrated
when
she cantorachieve
something
herself
due to being
challenging such as writing or participating in physical activities. She
participating
in physical education or any other sorts of physical
Social
wheelchair-bound.
refuses to speak in front of the class and gets quite angry when she is
activities.
He becomes
with
and often
He
has 1 close
friend inoverloaded
the class who
isstimuli
very helpful
with needs
Bens
Physical
to do this for the task.
breaks
to sensory
room
(Betts,
Betts
& Gerber-Eckard,
2007).
understanding.
Ben
tends
avoid
interaction
students
due
She uses a wheelchair
but to
lives
a rather
normalwith
life.other
She has
zero function
Physical
Social
to
lackwaist
of hearing
and
understanding
noises,
but he is able to lip
below
but full
functioning
in herthe
upper
body.
Ella has a delay in fine motor skills and is unable to complete simple
Angus
lacks confidence to speak in front of classmates and avoids
read
Socialeffectively.
tasks such as hand writing and picking up things (noahs ark). Ella has
speaking
in front of class where possible. His communication skills
Intellectual
Rebecca has a close friendship group with 2 other students in this class
been sponsored an individual laptop where she completes most of her
are
severely lip
lacking andtohe
requires athe
lot of
support
and guidance
Still
accompany
noise
transmissions,
aswith
who utilises
she spendsreading
a lot of time
with. She is quite
social,
gets along
work.
with his is
social
skills
(Delmolino
&vision
Harris,
2012).
Angus
can
speak
hearing
stillShe
low.
Ben
relies
for
learning
anddown
likes
visual
most people.
tends
to geton
angry
when
people
talk
to
her or
Social
fine
but
visits
a
speech
therapist
to
work
on
his
social
skills.
displays.
can hear most noises but still needs a lot of support to
treat her Ben
differently.
Ella has difficulty with language comprehension and has trouble
Intellectual
define
language.
Intellectual
understanding sarcasm or jokes.
Angus
hasimprovement
shown that he
can work at academically
high levels when
Learning
goals
No
impairment
to cognitive
functioning-Learning
Missed 6outcomes
months of school around
Intellectual
motivated
toeffectively
complete the
task. He enjoys
visual
learning
To

Ben
will lessen
hisand
need for
timelip
of read
accident
but is ato
very bright learner.
Ella is very behind on her verbal and writing skills due to her higheranything
to do
with animals. Angus has repeat
a rather
IQ and is
understand
instruction
ofhigh
instruction
byvery
25% by
Learning
improvement
goals
Learning
outcomes
level language
disorder.
She has trouble
understanding
longer
intelligent when working with numbers the
and end
science.
ofhave
the term
To
develop
a
great
emotional

Rebecca
will
50%
less to
emotional
sentences or advanced language. She has an
aide
who
is able
work
School
and
classroom
strategies
Parents/carers
/support
threshold,
devise
strategy
to herbreakdowns
per term
through the
worka with
her but
ability to create
work with a lot of
Learning
improvement
goals
Learning
outcomes
help
Seated
to
face
teacher
and
visual
Home:
Very
supportive
home
this communication is very low.
written
Communication
and

For Angus
to speak Parents
to the both work
of peers
environment.
School
and improvement
classroom strategies
Parents/carers/support
Learning
goals
Learning outcomes
interpersonal
learning
members
on
hisbut
table
group
and with

Use
subtitles
on level
videos
fullSupportive
time
have
worked
Converse
at eye
Home:
parents
who work

To begin to develop responses to

Ella will work on her story
participate
in
the
group
management Anger
Seated
next to a friend
who is full time.
Ben to
improve
hearing
Check
assistance
is stress
wanted
Mother
is ahis
teacher
at the
work with larger sentences.
telling
and
be
able
to type a
assignment.
relief
able
with
instructions
skills.

Seat to
at help
a table
that
is easy to
school
sentence with 50% less errors.
Angus
willSees
be able
to manage
his and

Provide
written
materials
to
Support:
auditory
therapist
access with
plenty
of roomSupport:
school
social
worker
own
anger
andtherapist
take himself
accompany
the
lesson
speech
onceto
a the
week.
same seat for
term/year
once
a fortnight.

Ensure
that when speaking to sensory room. Reduce outburst by
(Sds,
No Year)
25%
class you face the class in order

Use visual cues and speak slowly

and clearly
School and classroom strategies
Ben uses an Ipad that has a
- Allow Ella to
complete
tasks
speech-to-text
program.
This
also
with
visual
representations
allows
him
to copy
down notes
rather
than
wordy
responses.
more efficiently.

- Encourage
story
telling,
ask
Recorded
lessons
to allow
ben
to
such
as who, what,
lookquestions
over if lack
of understanding.

Use where,
a secretwhen
sign and
for why to help
Ella distinguishallowing
the differences.
misunderstanding
the
teacher
towith
go over
content
again. to
- Work
speech
pathologist

Avoid
additional
background
devise
strategies.
noise
where
possible
by closing
- Allow
fine
motor skill
practice
doors
keeping
byand
drawing
andclassroom
colouring as

chatter
to a minimum. Offer a
homework.
quiet/ empty room for group task
- Hands on activities will help
work.
with Ellas motor skill
(Deaf Children Australia, 2012)
development.
(ADCET, No year)
(The Royal Childrens Hospital, 2009)

Parents/carers/support
Home: Little support from home
Support: Occupational therapist
and Speech therapist- both once
a week.
Aide works closely with Ella full
time at school and has years of
experience with developmental
delays.

Student name: Lahela Maalouf

Date of birth: 24/12/2005

Year level: Grade 5

Date: 20/1/2015 (Term 1)

Overview of learning difficulty: EAL student, high achiever

Personal
Lahela moved to Australia at the beginning of the year with her mother,
father, and 5 siblings. She speaks Swahili at home and has very little
understanding of the English language. For homework she watches
Disney movies to improve her English skills. High pressure from family
to achieve well at school. Father is a doctor, Mother stays at home.
Emotional
Lehela is quite an independent child who takes initiative in her work.
She is an eager learner with exceptional maths skills. She is working on
improving her English and fast learning due to her work ethic.
Physical
Lehela enjoys sport in particular netball. She can read English well and
uses this along with a translation book during classes. She prefers
written instructions, allowing her to decipher the information.
Social
Lahela has had trouble making friends due to the language barrier,
though there is one other family at the school from Africa who can
understand some Swahili. Lahela is very quiet in class and keeps to
herself most of the time.
Intellectual
Lahela and her siblings attend English tutoring twice a week after
schools. Lehela understands some basic English but is unable to write
much in English. She uses a dictionary and translation book that helps
her with understanding. She can read basic English and requires a lot
of information to be written down as its much easier for her to
understand.
Learning improvement goals

To work on her English writing

skills

Develop English vocabulary in

Learning outcomes

Lehela will be able to write

word successions by the end of
term, working towards full

order to become confident in her

sentences.

speech.
School and classroom strategies

Parents/carers/support

Can complete the work set but

Home- Parents very supportive

needs translation

but busy and work full time.

Developing her English quickly

Speaks Swahilli at home.

Lahela uses a dictionary a lot.

School- English tutor twice a

Has access to an Ipad.

week after school with siblings.

Needs written tasks simplified

for understanding.

Unit: Exploring the Great Barrier

Reef.
Term 4
Grade 3 Science
Overview
This unit of inquiry has been created for term 4 sciences for grade 3. This
inquiry unit is put in place to allow student centred learning approach. It allows
students to begin to think critically and develop questioning and reasoning skills
(Annenberg Learner, 2015). Inquiry learning allows students to develop an
understanding of how to learn and research (Annenberg Learner, 2015).
Throughout this unit students develop an understanding for the Great Barrier
Reef, its features and its importance. They investigate the marine life of the reef and
the features of these animals. The development and understanding of the biodiversity
of the reef and learn about plants, animals, living and non- living things. The discovery
and experiment with the threats to the Great Barrier Reef (GBRMPA, No year).

Inquiry Questions for 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?

(GBRMPA, No year)

Curriculum links
Year 3 Australian Science Curriculum Focus
Year 3 Level Description
Between Years 3 to 6, students develop their understanding of a range of systems
operating at diferent time and geographic scales. In Year 3, students observe heat

and its efects 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.
(GBRMPA, No Year & ACARA, 2014).

Topic: The Great Barrier Reef

Term

Year 3-

Weekly Overview

Sessi
on

Objectives

Content/learning activities

Assessment

1-

Developing an
understanding of the
reefs biodiversity and
begin to investigate

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.
Formative assessment
- Learning journal.

Students understand
indigenous connections
to environment.

Define the diferent

creatures of the reef and
be able to explain the
diferent classifications.

Introduction
- Read a book to the students about the Great
Barrier Reef- Big Picture Book of the Great Barrier
Reef by Steve Parish.
- Discover what students know
- Start a word wall to continuously add words to
throughout the unit that they might not understand.
This should be displayed in a place where students
can add to it each lesson.
- Is the Great Barrier Reef an environment?
Start learning Journal
Traditional Owners Story
- Read a Traditional Indigenous story about the
Great Barrier Reef.
- Discuss with students the significance of the
story for Traditional Owners.
- What does it mean by traditional owner
What is living and non-living?
Introduction Enviro cafe
- Animal classification activity

To use resources to
investigate information
on specific species.

Marine life investigations

Research various marine life, in groups.

Formative assessment opportunities: use research activities to assess

students knowledge development

Diagnostic assessment opportunities: record of student participation in

discussions

Formative assessment opportunities: students' oral reports on how they

classified their animals

Gain an understanding
into scientific phrases
and carry out an
experiment.
Students are able to list
the dangers to the Great
Barrier Reef and are
able to define what is a
natural danger, and
what is a human impact.
Evaluating knowledge.
Students apply learnt
knowledge

Investigation Pollution Experiment

Scientific investigation and worksheet

Summative assessment opportunities: use students investigation planners to

assess their science inquiry skills

Cause-and-Effect
- Games
- Reflection on dangers of the Great barrier reef
- Cause-and-Efect chart.

Summative assessment opportunities: use students cause-and efect charts to

assess students understanding of the
impact of nature and humans on living
things

Project preparation
- Reflection on learnt information
- Explanation of task
- Continue project prep for 2 more lessons.

Summative assessment opportunities: student projects can be used to assess

students knowledge and understanding
of science understandings, science as a
human endeavour and science inquiry
skills

Unit adapted from: http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/28156/Year-3-Science-Exploring-the-Reef-Version0.2.pdf

Assessment for Unit

Assessment piece 1
Learning journal
Students will keep a learning journal where they will complete reflections at the end of
each science class. This journal will also be the place where students complete some
activities (see unit overview).
Students will be assessed on their ability to think critically, pose questions and develop
reflections on the topic.
Criteria;
-

The learning journal is dated and chronological.

Student has completed reflections at the end of each lesson.
Has showed their ability to develop critical thinking skills.
Student has included annotated images.
Learning journal includes observations.
Student shows ability to use appropriate scientific language.

Learning journal handed back to teacher at the end of each session

Differentiations
Ella to complete journal on laptop.
All other students to complete learning journal. Some prompting reflection questions
provided for all students.

Assessment piece 2
Experiment/investigation
Students will take part in an investigation activity. Using the investigation planner
(GBRMPA, No Year) students will plan and carry out investigation and experiment into
impacts on the Great Barrier Reef.
Criteria;
-

The investigation planner has all sections completed

Student uses appropriate scientific language
Is able to display critical thinking skills in the development of hypothesis
Student is able to create a chronological method for experiment.
Student has the ability to explain their findings

Student carries out experiment appropriately.

Investigation planner handed into teacher for assessment.

Differentiations
Students will be grouped strategically in 4s. 1 of each of the 6 students in these
groups.
Ella to complete the task sheet on her computer.
Lahela to have a simplified task sheet with Swahili descriptions.
Step-by-step instruction sheet to be provided for Ben, Angus and Sam- for the
experiment as well as the activity sheets.

Assessment piece 3
Exploring the Reef task
Students are to complete project as seen on resource page 9 (GBRMPA, No year).
Students will have 3 sessions to work on this project.
Students will be marked using the Rubric (GBRMPA, No year).
Relevant feedback will be given.
Differentiations
Ella to complete on laptop creating a website or presentation of her choice, still
completing the task requirements.
Ensure Rebecca has access to the materials needed for the creation of the project.
Provide Sam, Ben, Lehela and Angus with resources printed for them to source the
information
Ensure students have understood the task.
Allow students to work in pairs or individually.

Lesson Plans
Lesson: 3
Duration: 45 minutes
Objective: To learn about the biodiversity of the Great Barrier Reef
Overview: Students will demonstrate what they have learned by exploring questions.
They will define the diferent creatures of the reef and be able to explain the diferent
classifications.

Time
20 min

10 min

5 min

10 min

Learning Activity
What is living and non-living?
Introduction Enviro cafe
Place students into groups. Write 5
questions onto a large piece of paper and
rotate from group to group; allowing 3
minutes at each station.
- What animals eat seagrass or
seaweed?
- Is coral an animal, a plant or a
rock? How do you know?
- Name some predators that live on
the Great Barrier Reef.
- What are some non-living things
found on the Reef?
- What are some examples of how
animals make homes on the Great
Barrier Reef?
- 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
Have a range of pictures of marine
life available for students to
observe. Break students up into
groups. Each group receives a
range of pictures 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

Differentiation
Angus
Allow to complete the questions on
his own into learning journal as he
will not participate in group work.
Use visual images with the
questions to promote interest.
Rebecca
Rotate the paper rather than the
groups moving, allowing Rebecca to
stay at the same table to avoid time
wasting on moving around.
Samuel
Provide step-by-step overview of
the session and discuss a reward for
completing the session (5 minutes
on computer game) to keep him on
track. Use visual images with the
questions to promote interest.
Stretching time between each
rotation.
Ben
Provide step-by-step overview of
the session so Ben understands the
activity. Move bens group into
corridor for noise reduction. Use of
speech-to-text program on Ipad.
Lahela
Create a worksheet for Lehela which
has simplified questions with
images to allow her to still complete
task but in a basic way. Lahela can
join investigation. Provide a sheet
explaining the task with example
answers
Ella
To complete the task sheet on her
computer. Provide a work sheet that
has been simplified or provides
descriptors for words such as
hypothesise. Provide example

characteristics of animals.
answers.
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
diferences.
*Add new words to the word wall and
Students add their learning and
reflections to their learning journal- copy
out diferent groupings and what animals
were in each.
Students will spend 5 minutes at the end
of each session writing down 2 things
they learnt, 2 things they want to
know/questions.

Lesson Plan Retrieved from

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/28156/Year-3-ScienceExploring-the-Reef-Version-0.2.pdf

Lesson: 5
Duration: 45 minutes
Objective: To complete experiment and gain insight into pollution of the Great Barrier
Reef
Overview: Scientific experiment. Guided experiment, students understand how to plan an
experience and how to hypothesise. They gain an understanding into scientific phrases and
carry out and experiment.

Time
10 mins

30 mins

5 mins

Learning Activity
Pollution Experiment
- 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: What can you
see in the photos? What sort of
pollution can you see? What do you
think will happen to the animals on
the Reef because of the pollution?
Who or what do you think caused the
pollution? Have you seen pollution like
this before? Where? When?
- Answers written in journal
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, think pair share.
- In learning journals create an
investigation plan with following
questions; Procedure- what are we
going to do? Results- what happened?
Hypothesis- what do I think will
happen?
In groups, conduct the pollution
experiment outlined in Resource 6.
Record results in the investigation
planner.
*Add new words to the word wall. Students
will spend 5 minutes at the end of each
session writing down 2 things they learnt, 2
things they want to know/questions.

Differentiation
Angus
Provide step-by-step
overview of the session to
ensure angus is aware of
the schedule. Have clear
instructions printed for each
group.
Rebecca
Ensure that her experiment
group is where there is
wheel chair access.
Samuel
Provide step-by-step
overview of the session.
Provide a reward for
completing the session (5
minutes on computer game)
to foster motivation. Have
clear instructions printed for
each group.
Ben
Provide step-by-step
overview of the session so
Ben understands the
activity. Have clear
instructions printed for each
group. Use of speech-to-text
program on Ipad.

Lahela

Provide a work sheet that has

been simplified or provides the
Swahili version for words such
as hypothesise. Provide
example answers- 1 worded
responses.

Ella
To complete the task sheet
on her computer.
Provide a work sheet that
has been simplified or
provides descriptors for
words such as
hypothesise. Provide
example answers.

Lesson Plan Retrieved from

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/28156/Year-3-ScienceExploring-the-Reef-Version-0.2.pdf

Lesson: 8
Duration: 45 minutes
Objective: To learn applied learnt knowledge into a project.
Overview: Evaluating knowledge. Students apply learnt knowledge
Time
5 mins

10 mins

30
minutes

Learning Activity

Differentiation

Project preparation
Introduction
- Reflection and begin task as a
class, reflect and record what has
been learned in the TWL 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).
- Print out resources or websites
that students may find useful.
- Students will have access to
library for session 9 and Ipads for
session 10.
- Allow students time to research
and prepare their projects. Ensure
students are aware of how long
they have to complete the task.

Angus
Provide step-by-step overview of
the session to ensure Angus is
aware of schedule.
Rebecca
Ensure Rebecca has access to the
materials needed for the creation
of the project.
Samuel
Provide step-by-step overview of
the session. Provide a reward for
completing the session (5 minutes
on computer game). Provide
Samuel with instructions for the
activity and resources for him to
find information. Hand on creation
of project.
Ben
Provide step-by-step overview of
the session. Ensure there is a
instruction sheet for the
assignment. Use of speech-to-text
program on Ipad.
Lahela
Use visual cues or a visual
instruction card which may help
with explanation of the task.
Provide information resources and
a list of words to look out for which
will help Lahela with her
researching.
Ella
To complete task on laptop as a
presentation/powerpoint/prezi/web
site. Provide an instruction sheet
for the assignment.
*Check all 6 students for
understanding, and help with their
research where possbible.

Lesson Plan Retrieved from

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/28156/Year-3-ScienceExploring-the-Reef-Version-0.2.pdf

Reflection
Throughout this subject, Learning Diferences and Pedagogy, I have had
the ability to develop greater understanding and knowledge in providing
education that addresses the diverse needs of students in the classroom. With
the learning activities on LMS, as well as additional reading, I have been able to
educate myself on the range of learning difficulties and diferences and how, as
a teacher, I am able to plan an appropriately diferentiated curriculum adapted
for the various needs of the class. The importance of planning ahead and
ensuring that all students are catered for allows the development of a classroom
that is and inclusive learning environment (QCAA, 2014).
Along side with development of my knowledge in the area of learning
diferences, I have also gained an insight into the use of Inquiry based learning

and how this can be used efectively in a primary school setting. Prior to this
subject I had not explored inquiry learning, but after being educates on this type
of classroom instruction, I have found how successful it can be if used
appropriately and well planned for. This type of learning is highly beneficial to
the development of students thinking skills, guiding this process as a teacher
can direct the learning in particular ways to ensure that the correct learning is
achieved (Murdoch, No year).
As a future classroom educator, it has become apparent to me that
planning for a diferentiate classroom is vital in developing and presenting a
curriculum which can provide all young people of Australia with the necessary
knowledge and skills to thrive as a global citizen (QCAA, 2014).

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