EDST201/261

Assessment Task 2
Unit Summary

Unit Topic:

Power of the Earth Natural Phenomena

Level: 4

Standards addressed and a brief sentence describing how they are targeted.
By the end of Level 4, students will be able to describe the layers of the Earth.
Students will be able to discuss how natural disasters affect the Earths surface.
Students will design an investigation to test what the best way is to reduce the impact of tsunamis.

Science Understanding:
Earth and Space sciences
Earths surface changes over time as a result of natural processes (VCSSU062)

Science Inquiry:
Questioning and predicting: Students are questioned at the beginning of each lesson based on their prior knowledge.
Planning and conducting: Students will safely use equipment and answer questions throughout investigations.
Recording and processing: Students will be recording their investigations in their activity books and worksheets created by teacher.
Analysing and evaluating: Students will compare their knowledge from their first and last lesson on natural disasters.
Communication: Students will use explanations and graphical representations to communicate ideas.

Integrated Areas of the Curriculum:
English: Students will learn and use new scientific vocabulary throughout the mini unit.
Art: Students will construct a student design investigation using a range of resources.
Maths: Students will understand the distance of layers of the Earth by the teacher converting miles into kilometers and using landmarks from the school.

Student-centred uses of ICT:
Students will compile their own research using IPads and/or class computers.

Unit Description:
During this unit students explored different types of natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis. The students explored and replicated
these natural disasters through hands on activities, such as making models. They developed an understanding of natural disasters, including why they occur
and the impacts they can have. Students explored the layers of the earth and how tectonic plates can influence natural disasters. They were provided with
opportunities to work independently and collaboratively throughout the unit. Finally, they completed a student designed investigation to answer the question
What materials might be used in a sandbag to reduce the impact of a tsunami?
Unit Scope and Sequence
Key Questions

Lesson Number Timing

and 5E Focus

Content & Strategies

Lesson 1:
Tectonic Plates




Engage:



Explore:




Explain:

Introduce pre-service teachers to
class.

Students complete mind map
individually on natural disasters.


Layers of the Earth activity:
Students work in small groups
investigating the layers of the
Earth.

Class Discussion:
Whole-class discussion answering
key questions and the layers of the
earth.
You Tube Clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=eXiVGEEPQ6c

Layers of the Earth Worksheet:
Students can amend worksheet,

10 mins


5 mins



20 mins




10 mins







5 mins

What do you know about natural
disasters?


What do you think the play dough
represents?

Why are there different colours?

What are the names of the
layers?

Resources

Assessment

Diagnostic
Assessment
mind map






Formative
assessment
roving classroom,
small-group
discussions,
providing
feedback to
students in class
and on
worksheets

Paper
Pencils

Pre-made play dough

balls
Plastic knives
Paper plates
Glad Wrap
Layers of the Earth
Worksheet

Smart Board
Structure of The Earth
The Dr. Binocs Show
Learn Series for Kids

Layers of the Earth



Explore:






Explain:

15 mins






10 mins

labelling each layer correctly.

Tectonic Plate activity:
Students work in pairs exploring
the different tectonic plate
boundaries. Students complete
worksheet based on their
observations.

Class Discussion:
Whole-class discussion on tectonic
plate boundaries.

What did you observe?

What is the shaving cream
representing?

What is the cardboard
representing?

Worksheet

Paper plates
Cardboard
Shaving Cream
Worksheet

Lesson 2:
Earthquakes

Explore:





Explore:




Explain:










Explore:

10 mins





15 mins




15 mins










35 mins

Think, Pair, Share:
Students discuss what they know
about earthquakes pairs.
Share ideas with the class.
Teacher writes ideas on board.

Tectonic Plate activity:
Individually students complete a
puzzle of the worlds tectonic
plates.

Class Discussion:
Display map of the world showing
earthquakes over the world and
relative magnitudes. Discuss what
this represents and why this may
be.
YouTube clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=dJpIU1rSOFY


Make an Earthquake Activity
students use blocks, exercise
books and cardboard to simulate
and earthquake. Exercise books =
tectonic plates within mantle,
cardboard sheet = crust, blocks =
structures/buildings. Through trial
and error, students make buildings
and simulate tectonic plate
boundaries, observing what

What do you know about
earthquakes?




How many tectonic plates are
there?

How do earthquakes occur?

What do you notice with the
markers of earthquake?

What do you notice about where
the earthquakes are marked?

Do you think Australia has
earthquakes? Why/why not?



What is an earthquake?

What causes earthquakes?

What happens to the earth when
earthquakes happen?

Diagnostic
assessment
Think Pair Share
think, pair, share
Worksheet





Tectonic Plate Puzzle

Glue

Paper
Formative
assessment
http://www.sitesatlas.c roving classroom,
om/custom/Earthquake small-group
discussions,
s.htm
providing
feedback to
students in class
and on
Smart board
What Is An Earthquake? worksheets

The Dr. Binocs Show

Learn Series For Kids


Exercise books

Cardboard sheet

Duplo/Blocks

Straws

Sticky Tape

Storyboard worksheet

happens. Students complete an

earthquake storyboard drawing
and writing a sentence about the
earthquake they created and what
it looked like.

Lesson 3:
Volcanoes

Explore:






















Explain:

5 mins







20 mins














10 mins


10 mins

Sticky Notes:
Write on board and ask students
What do you know about
volcanoes? Students are to write
on post it notes their answers and
teachers stick it on the board.


Create a Volcano:
Divide students into small groups
distributing materials into each
group.
1. Instruct students in each
group to place the water
bottle on the ground.
2. Using the funnel, pour the
tub of bi-carb soda into the
bottle.
3. Using the funnel, pour the
cup of vinegar into the
bottle.
4. Observe what happens.

Students write what they observed
in the volcano experiment.

Class Discussion:
Whole-class discussion on volcano
activity.
YouTube clip:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=lAmqsMQG3RM

What do you know about
volcanoes?






What causes a volcano to occur?

What happened to your volcano?

Why do you think combining bicarb soda and vinegar creates this
reaction?

Post it notes
Pens
White board
White board markers

Writing paper
Bi-Carb Soda
Water Bottle
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Scissors
Pencils
Red food colouring
Funnel

Smart Board
Volcano The Dr. Binocs
Show Learn Series For
Kids

Diagnostic
Assessment -
sticky notes





Formative
assessment
roving classroom,
small-group
discussions,
providing
feedback to
students in class
and on
worksheets



Explore:





Explain:







Lesson 4:
Tsunamis

Explore:






Explore:







Explain:

20 mins





10 mins










10 mins






20 mins







10 mins

Volcano Research & Poster:
In pairs, students complete
independent research on
volcanoes and create a poster.


Each pair presents their poster to
the class.

KWL Chart:
Students complete the columns:
What I Know, What I Want to
know, what I Learnt about
Tsunamis.


Tsunami activity:
In pairs students make a house out
of paper, cardboard and
toothpicks. Each house is put in a
large tub. Water is poured into the
tub to simulate an earthquake.


Whole Class Discussion:

How are volcanoes formed?

Where are volcanoes located?




What do you want to know about
volcanoes?

What do I know about tsunamis?

What I want to know about
tsunamis?


What did you see?

How do tsunamis impact the
earth?

Where can tsunamis occur?

Can they be dangerous?

IPads
Books

KWL Chart Worksheet

Water
Large Tub
Paper
Cardboard
Toothpicks
Sticky Tape
Glue
Blue tack

Diagnostic
assessment- KWL
Chart






Elaborate:

Lesson 5:
Tsunamis

Elaborate:

35 mins

55 mins

Students will articulate what they

saw and discuss what impacts it
may have on the earth.


Student Designed Investigation:
In groups of 3 students plan their
sand bag investigation to answer
the question: What materials
might we use in a sand bag to
reduce the impact of a tsunami?
Students must investigate 2
different materials and compare
which is most effective.

Student Design Investigation

If you are at the beach and you

feel an earthquake, what should
you do?

What materials might we use in a
sand bag other than sand?

What equipment will you need?

How will you conduct your
investigation?

How will you measure the
effectiveness?

What do you think will happen?
Why?












What the best way is to reduce
the impact of tsunamis?

What do I know about natural
disasters?

Formative
assessment
roving classroom,
small-group
Student Designed
Investigation Worksheet discussions,
providing
feedback to
students in class
and on
worksheets

Student chosen
materials
Container
Socks
Water

Formative
assessment
roving classroom,
small-group
discussions,
providing
feedback to



Evaluate:

20 mins

Students individually create a new
mind map, listing new knowledge
on natural disasters. Each student
can share to the class one fact they
now know about natural disasters.

Students complete unit evaluation
sheet.

Investigation worksheet students in class

and on
worksheets
Paper

Pens

Summative
Unit Evaluation
assessment-
worksheet
Mind Map