Martin_Nathan_17590307_EDP323_Ass2

Stage 1 Desired Results

ESTABLISHED GOALS
For students to independently use their

Transfer
Students will be able to independently use their learning to transfer the

knowledge to understand that plants

knowledge from understanding that humans and plants require similar resources

are living things that require many of

to survive in the world.

the same resources as humans to

survive.
Content Descriptors

Living things have basic needs,

including food and water
(ACSSU002) (Australian
Curriculum, Assessment and

Reporting Authority, 2015a)

Engage in discussions about
observations and represent
ideas (ACSIS233) (ACARA,

2015b)
Identify some features of texts
including events and characters
and retell events from a text

(ACELT1578) (ACARA, 2015c)

Identify some differences

Meaning
UNDERSTANDINGS
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
Students will understand that
What do plants eat?
How do plants retrieve their
Plants require food and water
food?
as well as shelter and sunlight

Why do plants need to be

to survive
Plants provide food and
looked after?
What happens when plants are
medicines for human and
not looked after?
animal life
Can plants live without food?
Plants require care and need to
Do plants eat similar foods to
be looked after in their infant
humans?
life, as do humans.
How do plants grow food that
There are a number of different
we can eat?
plants in the world
Acquisition
Students will know
Students will be skilled at
That plants begin in seed form
Labeling key terms on a
Basic key terms including leaf,
diagram

Identifying keys aspects of a

branch and flower
They can grow to extreme
plant
Plants seeds into a growing pot
heights as well as extremely
Observe change in growth
small
Plants change over time
patterns over time

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between imaginative and

informative texts (ACELY1648)

(ACARA, 2015d)
Use and experiment with

Report through an informative

manner
Describe changes in a growing
plant

different materials, techniques,

technologies and processes to
make artworks (ACAVAM107)
(ACARA, 2015e)

Stage 2 - Evidence
Assessment Evidence

Evaluative Criteria
PERFORMANCE TASKS:
Students will show that they understand and show evidence of this understanding by:
Drawing a diagram using real life materials, including leaves and bark, and labeling key parts of their diagram.
These key aspects include where food and water are consumed by the plant as well as the key features such as
leaf, stem, branches, flowers and roots.
Creating a journal to record observations on the growing plant and using informed terminology as well as
descriptive words to give an informative recording of the status of the plant. A picture will also accompany the
descriptive recording.
OTHER EVIDENCE:
Observation
Anecdotal notes
Peer feedback
Two-way feedback
Self-reflection
The use of appropriate vocabulary in journals

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Showing evidence through oral and written examples of plants as living things
Unit rubric
Teacher checklist
Stage 3 Learning Plan
Summary of Key Learning Events and Instruction
Discussion and a K-W-L chart identifying students prior knowledge on plants
What are plants? The Magic School Bus Plants Seeds By Joanna Cole is read to students
Lets plant a seed. Students work in pairs to plants seeds into two separate pots. One pot will be looked after with
water and sunshine while the other will be left in the cupboard. In writing journals students will make predictions as
to what they believe will happen to each of the plants.
In a group activity students and teacher will construct and work through a venn diagram identifying what humans
need to live and what plants need to live and whether there is any common features.
A diagram of a large plant will be created on the interactive whiteboard with the assistance of the Magic School Bus
book. As the book is read and new discoveries are made of what a plant is, the diagram will begin to take shape.
Labeling the image will be worked through as a class.
Each student will create a real life poster of his or her own type of plant. Materials including leaves, bark and small
twigs will be use to create their images.
Students will record their continual observations of their growing seeds, noting the differences between the well
looked after seedling and the seed in the cupboard. Students will also create an updated diagram with labels of
their seeds and their progression.
Students can discuss with other groups about the differences between their plants and compare each others
drawings and highlight anything interesting they found in their journals.
Plants and their food A video will be watched which provides information on where we get some of our food from
with plants that grow both fruit and vegetables. The video What are fruits and vegetables will highlight the growth
and importance of fruit and vegetables.
Students will observe their growing seedlings and demonstrate their growing knowledge using appropriate
vocabulary in their writing as well as in their labels on their diagrams.
In their pairs students will discuss and decide on one thing that plants need to survive. All the words that students
decide on that plants need to survive will be posted on the interactive whiteboard for a class discussion about living
things and what they need to survive.

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Students will complete their K-W-L charts that they began the unit with and discover what they have learnt
throughout.
Students will self assess their work and discuss with their fellow students on the interesting things they discovered
and through this collaboration students may discover more that they can add to their lists.
As a class students and teacher will reflect on the learning that has been discovered and final assessments will be
constructed.

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1. The central focus of this unit of work is for students to develop a greater understanding
of living things in the world. The big idea is for students to make connections between
plants and their requirements to survive and humans. As plants do not just survive on their
own, the aim is for students to make the connecting that plants are living things in the
world, and they require food and water as well as shelter and the sun to survive.
2. The theory that based the construction of this unit was formed around Wiggins and
McTighes (2011) understanding by design (UBD) theory. The idea of UBD is to think
backward and focus on the desired results before planning learning experiences (Ray,
2012). By thinking backwards, UBD helps students come to an understanding of the big
idea of a unit and transfers their knowledge into a new situation (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011.
P. 3). UBD is broken up into three stages of planning. Stage one focuses on identifying
desired results and includes, identifying long-term goals, essential questions that will be
asked, knowledge and skill set students will acquire and what standards are being targeted
situation (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011. P. 8). Stage two concentrates on determining evidence
of meaning making and transfer from stage one. It addresses the assessment and criteria
aspects of the unit by ensuring they all align with the elements in stage one. Finally, stage
three is learning experiences that will be incorporated in the unit plan. It is focused on the
activities and experiences that lead to student achievement of the desired results and
shows how students achieve transfer and meaning from stage one (situation (Wiggins &
McTighe, 2011. P. 8). Understanding by design is the logic of working backwards to
achieve a deeper level of understanding for students so they can independently make
sense of the information required.
3. Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002) was the primary
focus of the unit plan and is what the key outcomes were designed around. Identifying the
learning outcomes from the Australian Curriculum was achieved by using specific content
descriptors in the prep year level biological sciences content area and applying them
appropriately for the students to meet the achievement standards. Through the given
assessment strategies it allows the teacher to adequately evaluate students learning
progress before the unit commences, throughout and at the completion of the unit to

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establish whether students have met learning outcomes. Through the use of the journal
and the creation of the real life, artwork the teacher can begin to identify and evaluate
student learning and assess whether students are developing toward the required learning
outcomes. Through the evaluation, teachers can provide appropriate feedback to ensure
students continue to grow and evolve in the unit and reach the required learning goals.
4. (a) The three assessment items that are used in the unit to assess student work were
anecdotal notes, a teacher checklist, and an overall unit rubric. The three assessment
items allow for a variety of different strategies to assess student learning at a variety of
times throughout the unit. Anecdotal notes are used at the beginning of the unit to assess
student prior knowledge and understandings of the topic to allow for adaptions to be made
for future lessons and diversity in the classroom. Anecdotal notes will give the teacher
evidence of any vocabulary being used between students and whether they are developing
a sense of transfer throughout the unit. A teacher checklist will be used to identify essential
understandings that the teacher will want students to know throughout the unit. Important
questions that were defined in the planning process including, what do plants eat and how
do plants retrieve their food are questions that teachers will want students to know the
answer to and through a teacher checklist this can occur throughout the entirety of the unit.
The unit rubric will be used at the end of the unit to ensure students have understood the
big idea of the unit and can transfer that information to the new situations independently
situation (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011. P. 3). The rubric will consolidate the teacher thoughts
on the development of every child and whether or not they have successfully met the
outcome of understanding that plants are living things that require many of the same
resources humans do to survive.
(b) Supporting students through feedback is crucial in the development of both teacher and
student. When done well feedback can enhance learning and allow students to self-correct
in critical situations (Readman & Alllen, 2013). Through two-way conversations between
student and teacher throughout this unit of work students can begin to find their way to
their goals rather than rely on the teacher to guide them all the way (Readman & Alllen,
2013). When students are creating their real life posters of a plant the teacher can give

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feedback to highlight areas that mat needs addressing in their work, such as asking
fundamental questions like what parts of a plant do you think are missing from this poster?
Feedback on activities such as this is vital rather than leaving feedback to the end of a task
where a student does not have the opportunity to change of adapt their learning (Readman
& Alllen, 2013). When feedback is executed at the appropriate occasions throughout a
lesson, both student and teacher can gain significant benefits.
5. The learning tasks throughout the plan build on each other significantly to reach the
designated outcome developed at the beginning of the planning process. By beginning a
unit with a diagnostic assessment such as a K-W-L chart it allows for the teacher to gain an
understanding of where student knowledge is at and in which ways they can improve
(Readman & Alllen, 2013). As the unit develops it includes large group work, small group
work, and independent work to develop a variety of skills including, social skills, peer
feedback, appropriate vocabulary skills, critical and creative thinking skills and observation
skills. The use of authentic tasks such as writing in journals from their observations and
reflecting with different groups in regards to these plant observations encourages students
to develop their learning from their peers in gain new understandings. Using a variety of
strategies to develop student understanding is important and for the major learning tasks to
build upon each other assures that the unit is planned according to the outcomes that were
constructed in the planning process.
6. Collaborative activities have been implemented into the unit plan in ability grouping
which provides the students opportunities to work in a student-centered environment with
like-minded students in an engaging and interactive environment. Differentiation has been
provided in various learning activities through modified tasks and learning outcomes that
cater to individual students abilities and needs. Prior knowledge and understanding is also
a contributing factor in the unit plan to provide authentic and relevant tasks for the students
to relate to and gain a deeper understanding of learning concepts within the unit.
7. The strategies used throughout this unit plan highlight the importance of diversity in the
classroom. Not every student is going to be at the high end of the scale regarding
understanding the content so assessment and the content itself must be adjusted. Having

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a unit plan that can be adapted is essential, and the unit plan provided provides this.
Concerning assessment, student growth is the most important aspect (Robinson, n.d.).
This unit plan allows for students to be at different levels in their understanding of the topic
and the teacher checklist and end of the unit rubric can cater for this differentiation. The
outcomes for certain students may differ, and they may reach different levels of
understandings at different times (Robinson, n.d.), so it is important that there is flexibility in
the learning content and the assessment strategies in place.

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