Teacher Preparation

Scaffolding: High
 Teacher to oversee activities, lead discussions and use of sensory table.

Learning intentions 
Students will learn about rubbish as a material and how it can be harmful in our oceans. 

Success criteria 
 Know what rubbish is.
 Know the materials rubbish can be made of.
 Ability to follow a sequence to find out how rubbish reaches the ocean. 
  
Content overview

This event incorporates clips from Blue the film for inspiration. Students will visit a series of
touch tables to investigate waste materials and the properties of them. Students will be
encouraged to use their scientific inquiry skills and record their findings in a data table.
Students will be encouraged to consider the definition of rubbish and how recycling helps
reduce the amount of waste in our environment. At the end of the event, students will learn
about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and discuss ways on how to reduce plastic pollution
in our oceans.

Resources: 

 Student worksheet and pencils

 Various rubbish items such as shopping bags, plastic containers, hard plastic lids,
paper, cardboard, paper boxes, tinfoil, cans, plastic cling wrap etc. 
 Projector and laptop to present a video to the group. 
Differentiation/ Extended learning 

 The worksheet will allow students to either tick a box or give detailed comments.
 Teacher to scaffold ideas. 
 Allow peer tutor. (Mixed ability grouping, putting stronger academic students with
lower academic students.) 
 Provide more complex additional questions to the worksheet for extension students
to challenge their critical thinking. 
 Teacher to demonstrate how to complete the worksheet. 

Justification

The differentiation strategies chosen allows for more inclusive learning, especially with a
diverse group it allows mainstream, gifted and talented and students with difficulties with
learning to be challenged but at their level. It allows the teacher to maintain high
expectations for students (Westwood, 2016). Presenting students with the same work
material, it becomes natural that some will finish quicker than others, some finish in average
time and some take an extensive amount of time to finish. Incorporating ability grouping,
students will all abilities are kept busy doing their presented work. It allows those who are
having trouble with the work the ability to focus free of distractions as well as not feeling
inferior. It also presents higher academic students with a new challenge, allowing them to
assist other students in their learning while extending theirs (5 Benefits of Ability Grouping
in the Classroom, 2020).Cooperative learning allows students develop higher-level thing but
also assist those students that struggle, it allows those students for a better
understanding. It is shown to improve student’s retention and understanding of topics
(collaborative learning, 2020). Critical thinking is the foundation of creative, strategic
thinking and excellent decision making. Extension questions will help learners improve their
critical thinking ability, improve their problem-solving skills and their creativity (Zulfiqar,
2018).
Assessment Criteria
This will be attached at the back of the worksheet.
Student name: Date:
Participated in developing
communication skills by taking part in
discussions.

Completed worksheet with a table to

record their findings.
Were able to make observations at
sensory tables using sight and touch.
Watched video for understanding
Curriculum Links (SCSA)
Science Understanding/Science Inquiry Skills Year 1
Everyday materials can be physically changed in a variety of ways (ACSSU18)
Participate in guided investigations to explore and answer questions
(ACSIS025)
Compare observations with those of others (ACSIS213)
Science Understanding/Science Inquiry Skills Year 2
Different materials can be combined for a particular purpose (ACSSU031)
Pose and respond to questions, and make predictions about familiar objects
and events (ACSIS037)
Compare observations with those of others (ACSIS041)
Represent and communicate observations and ideas in a variety of ways
(ACSIS042)
Statistics and Probability Year 1 mathematics
Identify outcomes of familiar events involving chance and describe them using
everyday language such as ‘will happen’, ‘won’t happen’ or ‘might happen’
(ACMSP024)
Choose simple questions and gather responses and make simple inferences
(ACMSP262)
Year 1 Science achievement standards: Students describe objects and events
that they encounter in their everyday lives, and the effects of interacting with
materials and objects.
Year 2 Science achievement standards: Students describe changes to objects,
materials and living things. They identify that certain materials and resources
have different uses and describe examples of where science is used in people’s
daily lives.