Tiered unit (Differentiated by Readiness)

Name and student number: Anthea Skoumbros 2108418

Unit Overview no more than a page long
Curriculum Area
Science
Year level: 6
Content
Changes to materials can be reversible, such as melting, freezing,
Descriptor

evaporating; or irreversible, such as burning and

rusting (ACSSU095). With guidance, pose questions to clarify
practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict
what the findings of an investigation might be (ACSIS232).
Construct and use a range of representations, including tables and
graphs, to represent and describe observations, patterns or
relationships in data using digital technologies as

Learner

appropriate(ACSIS107)
A student with Cerebral Palsy

differences/

A student with Dyslexia

disabilities in your
class
Achievement

As a result of engaging with the unit, the students will. Be able

standard ACARA

to compare and classify different types of observable changes to

or SACE objective

materials. Students follow procedures to develop investigable

(only put in the

questions and design investigations. They identify variables to be

relevant part of the

changed and measured. They collect, organise and interpret

standard for your

their data, identifying where improvements to their methods

Learning objective)

or research could improve the data. They describe

Learning

and analyse relationships in data using graphic representations

Students will understand that Objects have characteristics such

objectives

as size, weight and appearance, which are determined by the

know, understand

materials that are used to make them. Materials can be made of

and do

several different substances.

Students will know Changes to objects can include changes to
the size, shape, smell and appearance and these changes are
known as changes of state and can be physical or chemical
changes. Some of these changes are reversible.

Students will be able to To compare and classify different types

Essential

of observable changes to materials.

What students should understand

Questions

How can materials be made of several different substances?

open ended - the

Why is it that during o ordinary physical or chemical processes

Big Idea

matter can neither be created nor destroyed but it can only

Pre-Assessment

change forms?
No more than page long

Readiness Task

How will this help you to differentiate by readiness? The pre

attached as

assessment quiz will help me to differentiate by readiness because

Appendices

I will be able to assess what students already know about the

How will you use

topic, where they are at and what they are able to do.

this to assess

I will use this pre assessment to assess students readiness of the

students levels of

topic based on right or wrong answers. I have also ordered the

readiness/knowled

questions in order of low to high level thinking so that I will be able

ge/

to determine where gaps are in student knowledge and also

understanding?
Overview of unit

understanding.
To capture students interest and find out what they think they
know about changes that occur to materials in their everyday
lives. To elicit students questions

lesson 1
investigation
lesson 2
Physical, melting,

To provide students with hands-on, shared experiences of melting

and evaporation, and a model used to represent them. To provide
students with hands-on, shared experiences of burning candles.

particles,
evaporation
lesson 3

To provide students with hands-on, shared experiences of

dissolving and a chemical reaction in water.

Solutions, dissolving,
gas
lesson 4
Classifying changes
lesson 5
Fizz whiz
lesson 6

To support students to represent and explain their understanding

and observations of physical and chemical changes. To introduce
current scientific views about physical and chemical changes
To support students to plan and conduct an investigation of the
factors that affect the rate of reactions.
To provide opportunities for students to represent what they know
about physical and chemical changes and to reflect on their

Intrepid reporters

learning during the unit.

Curriculum Area:

Lesson Plan- no more than a page long

Year Level: 6

Science
Learning objective

know understand do

(from Unit

Students will know Changes to objects can include changes to

Overview) for this

the size, shape, smell and appearance and these changes are

particular lesson

known as changes of state. Some of these changes are reversible

Students will understand that Objects have characteristics
such as size, weight and appearance, which are determined by
the materials that are used to make them.
Students will be able to Be able to compare

Essential questions

and classify different types of observable changes to materials.

Why are some materials able to have reversible changes?

for this lesson

Lesson number

How can the same substance be a solid, liquid and a gas?

2 of 6
Length of lesson: Double

Suggested content

lesson- 90mins
1 whole class:

or outline of lesson

Explore students growing knowledge of changes in state and that

Using the information

substances may be found in different states through class

from your pre-

discussion recapping the lesson before. Questions: What was the

assessment task

most interesting thing you learnt from last lesson? What is

design a lesson based

something new you learnt? Explain that this lesson will be group

on different levels of

work investigating melting and evaporation substances and

readiness.

whether they can be returned to their original state.

2

activity, introduce the tiers:

Readiness tasks to be

All students test whether melted or frozen objects can be

attached as

returned to their original state. Observe and record the factors

appendices.

that make an ice cube melt the fastest. Represent what happens
when a solid melts. Discuss why they can smell evaporated
liquids. Observe and record the factors that make a liquid
evaporate the fastest. Describe what happens when a liquid
evaporates.

GROUP 1: correctly identified all aspects of pre assessment

GROUP 2: understood changes in state but not evaporation
GROUP 3: demonstrated knowledge of the three states of matter
but were not able to recognise them in pictures and had lack of
knowledge of evaporation.
Each group member to have a role (ie. Manager, reporter,
questioner).
Tier 1: Group 3: For both investigations (melting the ice cube
and evaporating water) students complete a PROE (Prediction,
Reason, Observation, Explanation) via structured inquiry
Tier 2: Group 2: Both investigations PROE via guided inquiry
Tier 3: Group 1: Both investigations PROE via open inquiry
3

whole class debrief:

Groups are to report their findings to the class. Discussion about

whether groups had the same or different results. Children to add
Check for

any new words to the word wall and their personal glossary.
Exit Card (See appendices)

understanding
Visual, verbal,

Task is explained verbally and is written step by step on the white

tactile and

board. Class is monitored. Child with Cerebral Palsy is given

technological

technology support to write (iPad or computer). Child with

supports
Instructional

dyslexia may present PROE orally.

Class discussion and representation of tasks: teacher directed,

approaches

explicit

i.e teacher directed,

Group work: student centred, inquiry

strategy instruction
Resources or

attach as appendices Exit cards

supplementary

Computers, iPads, ice cubes, water, cups, towel, hair dryer,

materials

mirrors

Classroom

Classroom is wheel chair accessible. Bright visual prompts are on

environment

walls. Step by step instructions are written on the board.

changes to meet

Technological devices are kept in the classroom.

student needs
Lesson reflections

What worked? What didnt? Why/Why not? What could I change

(to be done on

next time?

completion of lesson

This lesson will be completed during term two. Reflection will be

in professional exp.)

completed upon the implementation of this unit.

Explanatory notes not to exceed 1 page (size 12 font, Calibri)

How have you linked the theory of differentiation to your lesson unit and plan?
Use the readings to support your answer.
I have linked the theory of differentiation to my lesson and unit plan by
beginning with a pre assessment of the topic. I have specifically chosen and
formed this pre assessment based on what I want the students to know,
understand and do by the end of the unit. I have aimed to push students
beyond their comfort level and provide support between bridging the gap
between the known and unknown (Tomlinson, 2004, p.45). The chosen pre
assessment aligns with specific learning goals that have been developed from
the Australian Curriculum. I will also conduct the assessment before the unit
which will provide me with sufficient time to analyse student data and make
the required modifications. The assessment will also be conducted over a short
period of time as it is required to start the instructional sequence by
highlighting students general needs (Moon, 2005, p.228). Throughout the unit
and during the planned lesson I will be providing students with constructive
and positive feedback. Feedback is known as one of the most common features
of successful teaching and learning (Hattie, 2012, p. 116). It should aim to
reduce the gap between where the student is and where they are meant to be
(Hattie, 2012, p. 120).
The unit and lesson plan both provide students with equity and excellence in
the curriculum that I provide the students with. The unit and lesson plan aim to
foster equity and excellence in academically diverse learners by following the
principles of a good curriculum. These aspects include that tasks should
respect each learner, follow flexible grouping, use assessment as a means to
constantly check student development and students final grade should reflect
growth within parameters (Tomlinson, 2003, p.11). In my classroom there are
two students who require differentiated learning. One student has cerebral
palsy that lacks fine motor skills. Through the Universal Design of Learning his
engagement in tasks is different as technology will be used to support his
learning styles as well as the opportunity to verbally present his assessment
pieces. The child with dyslexia also is able to present assessment verbally. This
child also is provided with a learning environment that is supportive and an

effort will be constantly made to ensure that the child is given the opportunity
to read task questions aloud to ensure that the task is understood and that all
new words are also understood.
Ultimately through this unit I aim to ensure that all students are constantly
moving towards the same instructional objectives (Moon, 2005, p.231). I will
constantly use formative assessment pieces in the form of tasks set such as
exit cards in order to better understand how students make sense of new data
(Moon, 2005, p.232).
How are you catering for the varying levels of readiness? Attach your activities
one page per tier maximum, as appendices.
The varying levels of readiness are classified into three levels of understanding.
Tier one focuses on students completing tasks that are based on structured
inquiry involving specific questioning. Tier two focuses on guided inquiry and
tier 3 focuses on open inquiry. All tasks have the same specific outcomes and
students will ultimately achieve these as they will progress through task at
their readiness level, therefore, engagement and motivation will have been
increased.

Reference List
Hattie, J. (2012). Flow of the lesson: the place of feedback, in J. Hattie, Visible
learning for teachers: maximizing impact on learning (pp. 115-137).
London; Routledge.
Marzano, R. J., Boogren, T., Heflebower, T., Kanold-McIntyre, J., & Pickering, D.
(2012). Becoming a reflective teacher. Bloomington, IN: Marzano
Research Laboratory.
Moon, T. R. (2005). The role of assessment in differentiation. Theory into
practice, 44(3), 226-233.
Primary Connections: Linking Science with Literacy, & Australian Academy of
Science. (2006). Change detectives. Canberra: Australian Academy of
Science.
Tomlinson, C. A. (2003). Deciding to teach them all. Teaching all
Students, 61(2), 6-11.

Tomlinson, C. A. (2001). 'The how to's of planning lessons differentiated by

readiness. In How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability
classrooms (2nd ed., pp. 45-51). Alexandria, VA: Association for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Pre Assessment

Answer the following questions truthfully. If you do not know an answer please put HLY
(havent learnt yet)
What are the three states of change?
1.
2.
3.
Label the state of change that the object is in:

_________________

________________

__________________

Explain what you think evaporation is:

________________________________________________________________________

PROE: Purely Physical (Tier 1)

Name:

Date:

Other members of your team:

Your teams task is to explore how you can make an ice cube melt as fast as possible.
Your team will be given a hair dryer and a towel to wrap the ice cube in. You then need
to draw or write your predictions and then record your reasons, observations and
explanations in the table below using writing and drawings.
Predict
Draw or write a
description of
how you will
make your ice
cube melt the
fastest.
Reason
Why do you think
this method will
be the fastest?

Observe
Carry out your
test, taking
special care to
time accurately.
What happened?
What was your
time?

Explain
Did your
prediction come
true?
Why do you think
that is?

PROE: Purely Physical (Tier 2)

Name:

Date:

Other members of your team:

Your teams task is to explore how you can make an ice cube melt as fast as possible.
Your team will need to choose three ways that you could melt the ice cube and then
decide which one will work best by designing an investigation (show the teacher your
planned investigation). You then need to draw or write your predictions and then
record your reasons, observations and explanations in the table below using writing
and drawings.
Predict
Draw or write a
description of
how you will
make your ice
cube melt the
fastest.
Reason
Why do you think
this method will
be the fastest?

Observe
Carry out your
test, taking
special care to
time accurately.
What happened?
What was your
time?
Explain
Did the results fit
your prediction?
Why do you think
that is?

PROE: Purely Physical (Tier 3)

Name:

Date:

Other members of your team:

Your teams task is to explore how you can make an ice cube melt as fast as possible.
Your team will need to design a hypothesis (an explanation that you can make based
on the little amount of information that you know which will be your starting point for
your investigation) on the way that your group believes will melt the ice cube the
fastest. You then need to write your predictions and then record your reasons,
observations and explanations in the table below using writing and drawings.
Hypothesis: ________________________________________________________________________

Predict
Write a
description of
how you will
make your ice
cube melt the
fastest.
Reason
Why do you think
this method will
be the fastest?
Observe
Carry out your
test, taking
special care to
time accurately.
What happened?
What was your
time?
Explain
Did the results fit
your prediction?
Why do you think

Science: Whats the Matter?

that is?I have learned about changes in

Things

Things I would still like to learn about

How has your

state so far:

changes in state:

thinking
changed?

Questions I still have about changes:

I hope I get the chance to explore...

Exit Card