Planning to teach science in Year 7 for students who need additional support in literacy SESSION 8

Planning to teach science in Year 7 for students who need additional support in literacy SESSION 8

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 2 science supplement

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 3 Introduction This supplement is part of Session 8 from the document A guide for school literacy support teams. The document provides activities for school literacy support teams to facilitate the training and development of teachers in all KLAs as they assist students who need additional support in literacy. The supplements provide teaching plans for Year 7 within specific KLAs. The plans are designed for teachers to use as they work to assist students who need additional support in literacy, as identified in Session 1 of the document. They reflect the teaching and learning model and principles of assessment outlined in Session 2. The teaching activities in the plan follow the model of explicit teaching provided in Session 3, use the reading strategies outlined in Session 4 and the writing strategies outlined in Session 5. Students work in groups for many of the activities in these supplements, using the strategies described in Session 6. The plan builds on the opportunity to apply specific literacy strategies within KLAs provided in Session 7 and uses the programming pro forma outlined in Session 8. This science supplement provides resources and a plan for a unit of work on classification and ecosystems. The plan builds on the understandings and strategies introduced in Teaching literacy in science in Year 7 and will assist teachers to apply these understandings and strategies in other topic areas. The sample units in Teaching literacy in science in Year 7 are designed to support students learning in Year 7 by developing their knowledge of science and skills in literacy. The materials demonstrate how teachers can integrate the systematic and explicit teaching of literacy into their content. By using the approach to the teaching of content outlined in Teaching literacy in science in Year 7 and exemplified in this supplement, teachers will be better able to address the literacy learning needs of all students in their classes. Head teachers could involve the school or district literacy support team or the support staff of the school in presenting these materials to faculty staff. Teachers should be familiar with the 1999 Stage 4 and 5 Science Syllabus before implementing the suggested plan for the series of lessons on classification and ecosystems in this supplement.

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 4 science supplement Topic Living things in the Australian scene Prior learning Acknowledged by producing a class mind map. Syllabus outcomes The outcomes for the unit are from Stage 4 of the Science Syllabus. Prescribed focus area 4.3 identifies areas of everyday life that have been affected by scientific developments Related content 4.3b discuss, using examples, the positive and negative impacts of applications of recent developments in science Domain 4.8 describes features of living things Related content 4.8.2 classification to: (a)classify living things according to structural features and identify that they have patterns of similarities and differences (b)identify a range of plants and animals using simple keys (c)identify that some organisms produce their own food while others consume their food 4.10 identifies the factors affecting survival of organisms in an ecosystem Related content 4.10 ecosystems to: (a)describe some adaptations of living things to factors in their environment (b)describe how producers, consumers and decomposers in Australian ecosystems are related, using food chains and food webs (c)describe the roles of photosynthesis and respiration in ecosystems (d)discuss some effects of bushfires, drought and flood on Australian ecosystems Skills 4.16 accesses information from identified secondary sources Related content (a)use a range of sources, including CD-ROM and the Internet, to access information (b)use key words, skimming and scanning techniques to identify appropriate information (c)extract information from column graphs, histograms, divided bar and sector graphs, line graphs, composite graphs, flow diagrams, other texts and audio/visual resources (d)summarise information from identified oral and written secondary sources

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 5 4.17 evaluates the relevance of data and information Related content (a)collate information from a number of sources (b)distinguish between relevant and irrelevant information (d)organise data using a variety of methods including diagrams, tables, spreadsheets and databases 4.18 with guidance, presents information to an audience to achieve a particular outcome Related content (c)select and use an appropriate method to acknowledge sources of information (e)use drawings, diagrams, graphs, tables and flow charts to show relationships and present information clearly and/or succinctly 4.22 completes a variety of individual and team tasks with guidance Related content 4.22.1b set and work to realistic timelines and goals 4.22.1d evaluate the effectiveness of their performance in completing tasks Values and attitudes 4.25 recognises the relevance and importance of lifelong learning (c)retain a healthy curiosity about the world around them Assessment The assessment strategy for this unit of work includes a test and a project. This accounts for 30% of the yearly assessment. At the completion of this task, can students: identify positive and negative impacts of scientific developments? describe features of living things? identify the factors affecting the survival of organisms in an ecosystem? access and evaluate information to complete a project? complete individual and group tasks? Indicators Marking grid Copies of the following grids need to be given to all students. The explanation in the grids establishes the expectation of student performance in achieving the outcomes. Teachers can photocopy the grids and highlight the relevant sections to provide feedback to students about their performance in these activities.

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 6 science supplement This grid refers to the unit test: Questions 1, 2 and 3 Working towards Working through Working beyond outcomes outcomes outcomes Students have difficulty in describing features of living things classifies a limited number of living things according to structural features (less than 3) identifies a limited range of plants and animals using keys (less than 3) identifies a limited number of producers and consumers (less than 3 of each) Students succeed in describing features of living things classifies a number of living things according to structural features (between 4 and 6) identifies a range of plants and animals using keys (between 4 and 6) identifies a number of producers and consumers (at least 3 examples of each) Students are proficient in describing features of living things classifies an extensive group of living things according to structural features (more than 6) identifies an extensive range of plants and animals using keys (more than 6) identifies an extensive number of producers and consumers (more than 6 of each) This grid refers to the unit test: Questions 4, 5, 6 and 7 Working towards Working through Working beyond outcomes outcomes outcomes Students have difficulty in identifying factors affecting survival of organisms in an ecosystem describes less than 3 adaptations of living things to factors in their environment limited use of food chains and food webs to describe how producers, consumers and decomposers are related labels a limited number of components in the photosynthesis and respiration cycle (less than 2) limited description of effects of bushfires, drought and flood on Australian ecosystems (less than 3) Students succeed in identifying factors affecting survival of organisms in an ecosystem describes between 3 and 5 adaptations of living things to factors in their environment adequate use of food chains and food webs to describe how producers, consumers and decomposers are related labels a number of components in the photosynthesis and respiration cycle (between 2 and 4) describes between 3 and 5 effects of bushfires, drought and flood on Australian ecosystems Students are proficient in identifying factors affecting survival of organisms in an ecosystem describes at least 5 adaptations of living things to factors in their environment proficient use of food chains and food webs to describe how producers, consumers and decomposers are related labels all components in the photosynthesis and respiration cycle (5 labels) describes at least 5 effects of bushfires, drought and flood on Australian ecosystems

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 7 This grid refers to the library assignment: Parts (a), (b), (c) and (d) Working towards Working through Working beyond outcomes outcomes outcomes Students have difficulty in obtaining and evaluating information limited description of adaptations of living things to factors in their environment (1 plant and 1 animal) identifies a limited number of plants and animals within an Australian ecosystem (less than 3 plants and 3 animals) limited identification of food links with identified plants and animals in the Australian ecosystem (less than 3 links) draws chains with producers only Students succeed in obtaining and evaluating information adequate description of adaptations of living things to factors in their environment (at least 2 plants and 2 animals) identifies a number of plants and animals within an Australian ecosystem (more than 3 plants and 3 animals) adequate identification of food links with identified plants and animals in the Australian ecosystem (less than 6 links) draws a food web with at least 3 food chains and 1 producer Students are proficient in obtaining and evaluating information proficient description of adaptations of living things to factors in their environment (more than 4 plants and 4 animals) identifies an extensive list of plants and animals within an Australian ecosystem (more than 6 plants and 6 animals) proficient identification of food links with identified plants and animals in the Australian ecosystem (more than 10 links) draws a comprehensive food web with at least 4 food chains and 2 producers This grid refers to the library assignment: Part (e) Working towards Working through Working beyond outcomes outcomes outcomes Students have difficulty in obtaining and evaluating information limited identification of positive and negative impacts on ecosystems of applications of recent developments in science (provides less than 2 examples) Students succeed in obtaining and evaluating information succeeds in identifying positive and negative impacts on ecosystems of applications of recent developments in science (provides 2 examples and offers single description of development) Students are proficient in obtaining and evaluating information proficient in identifying positive and negative impacts on ecosystems of applications of recent developments in science (provides more than 2 examples, describes scientific development and outlines impacts) By keeping a log of student completion for each task in this unit, teachers are able to assess students ability to work individually and in groups.

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 8 science supplement Teaching goals In order for students to be able to successfully complete the activities in this unit the following learning needs to take place. Learning about classification (grouping) keys characteristics of living things characteristics of plants and animals classifying vertebrates and invertebrates structural features of vertebrates ecosystems as interactions between living and non-living things food chains as part of food webs relationships between producers, consumers, decomposers relationships between photosynthesis and respiration effects of bushfire, flood and drought. Learning how to classify living things use keys to identify distinguish between living and non-living, plants and animals, vertebrates and invertebrates, types of vertebrates using patterns of similarities and differences draw food chains and food webs describe relationships between producers, consumers and decomposers label the components of the photosynthesis and respiration cycle describe the effects of bushfire, flood and drought. Note These activities are designed for a unit of 21 lessons on classification and ecosystems. Each lesson is 60 minutes. Students often work in groups throughout these lessons. Teachers may consider a variety of approaches to assist students who need additional support in literacy: Place students in a group where other students can support them in their learning. Group students together so that the teacher or specialist staff (ESL teacher, STLD, AEA) can provide direct instruction and support to these students. or Where the majority of students in the class need additional support in literacy, teachers may lead the whole class in the completion of these tasks rather than use groupwork.

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 9 marsupials monotremes placentals fish mammals birds amphibians reptiles invertebrates vertebrates plants animals non-living living keys classification Living things in the Australian scene Australian ecosystem adaptations of living things food chains photosynthesis and respiration consumers food webs producers decomposers herbivore omnivore carnivore

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 10 science supplement Lesson 1 Lead the class in a dicussion to produce a mind map. (See the example of a mind map on the previous page.) Use the mind map as a title page or class mural for this unit. This will provide an overall context for students and show how all of the activities and concepts link together. Ask questions to encourage discussion and allow students to use their own words, providing technical vocabulary as necessary. Talk aloud about the sections of the unit. The topic is Living things in the Australian scene. There are two focus areas: the first is classification, the second is Australian ecosystems. The key words from the focus area classification are keys, living and nonliving, plants and animals, vertebrates and invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, marsupials, monotremes and placentals The key words from Australian ecosystems are adaptations of living things, food chains and food webs, producers, consumers and decomposers, herbivore, omnivore and carnivore, photosynthesis and respiration Give each student copies of the marking grids to establish expectations for this unit. (See Indicators section of this supplement.) Discuss the term classification and lead a discussion to develop a definition. Divide students into groups of four. Give each group a variety of objects, including living and non-living things for students to classify and discuss the reason for groupings. Each group should provide reasons for classification of objects. List the variety of reasons for classification on the board. Discuss the fact that scientists classify things. Talk about the reasons biologists classify things. (60 minutes) Lesson 2 Revise definition of classification. Draw a simple key on the board and explain the links and associations. Provide students with a copy of a simple key. Demonstrate the use of the key using an OHT. Students, in groups of four, use a simple key to identify a range of plants and animals. Teacher moves from group to group as students complete the task to verify the process of identification. Successful groups of students divide into pairs and repeat the process with another key. Successful pairs as experts then assist groups experiencing difficulty. (60 minutes)

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 11 Lesson 3 Discuss how scientists group things as living and non-living. Provide students with a list of characteristics. Ask students to select the appropriate characteristics for living and non-living things. Ask students to illustrate the list of characteristics. Discuss that the study of living things is known as biology. Display on an OHT and read aloud the passage What is biology? Talk aloud about the passage. (See resource section of this supplement.) Divide class into groups of 4 students. Give students the passage What is biology? and a set of three-level guide questions to read and answer in groups of 4. (See resource section of this supplement, p. 1.) Reconvene class group to compare and discuss answers. Give students a passage, to read and edit in groups of 4, which discusses how to distinguish between plants and animals. (See resource section of this supplement, p. 2.) Groups use the information from the passage to extract key words to complete a table. (See example below.) movement food colour reaction plants animals (60 minutes) Lessons 4 and 5 Revise the characteristics of and distinction between living and non-living things, plants and animals. Use the dictagloss strategy, for students to create a passage, which distinguishes vertebrates and invertebrates. All of the world s animals can be classified into two large groups: animals with backbones and animals without backbones. An animal with a backbone is called a vertebrate. An animal with a backbone is an animal that has a skeleton inside its body. There are five groups of animals with backbones. These five groups are mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish. continued overleaf

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 12 science supplement An animal without a backbone is called an invertebrate. Some of these animals have a hard body covering, for example insects and spiders. Some invertebrates have a solf body and a shell, for example snails. Other invertebrates have a soft body and no shell, for example worms. Allow students to work in groups of 4 to re-construct the passage. Reconvene class to discuss the passage and, in particular, the characteristics of invertebrates. Divide student groups of 4 into pairs. Provide each student with copies of the descriptive reports on an ant and a female redback spider. (See resource section of this supplement, p. 3.) In pairs, students read the descriptive reports and extract information to draw and label diagrams of these invertebrates. Reconvene students as groups of 4 for comparison and discussion of diagrams. Examine a set of invertebrate specimens. Discuss and determine or provide students with essential vocabulary to identify insect body parts: head, abdomen, thorax, antennae, legs, compound eyes and wings. Provide students with a key and a set of insect illustrations or specimens. In groups of 4, students assist each other to classify insects according to patterns of similarities and differences. (120 minutes) Lesson 6 Revise the difference between vertebrates and invertebrates, backbone or no internal backbone. Provide students with key words and discuss information about vertebrates that outlines the 5 groups; fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. (See resource section of this supplement, p. 4.) In groups, students read the information and answer a series of questions, e.g. What is the name given to animals with backbones? Name the five groups of animals with backbones. Use key words from the information on vertebrates to complete a table. (See example on next page.) Provide student groups with a set of pictures of vertebrates. Students, in groups, classify pictures into vertebrate groups. Students, in groups, use the information from the table to complete cloze and sequence activities and write a report about vertebrates. (See resource section of this supplement, p. 5.)

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 13 Group Where do Skin Breathes Reproduce: Endo- Example they live: covering: using lungs eggs, thermic land or feathers, or gills born live or water? fur or hair exothermic Mammals Fish Birds Reptiles Amphibians Lesson 7 (60 minutes) Revise the names of the 5 vertebrate groups and their distinguishing features. Give students a completed table which outlines the characteristics of mammals. (See example below.) Mammal Endo- Land- Water- Fur or Give Suckle Egg- External Breathe thermic living living hair birth young bearing ears air to live through young lungs Whale ü ü ü ü ü ü ü Kangaroo ü ü ü ü ü ü ü Possum ü ü ü ü ü ü ü Bat ü ü ü ü ü ü ü Dingo ü ü ü ü ü ü ü Echidna ü ü ü ü ü ü ü Platypus ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü Dolphin ü ü ü ü ü ü ü ü= present in mammals Discuss the column headings and their meanings.

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 14 science supplement Prepare students for viewing the first segment of the video, Nature of Australia: A separate creation. Discuss with students the information that fossils can provide. Give students a diagram of joined continents and briefly discuss the migration of mammals. Note that the platypus and echidna are classified as monotremes and that humans and dingos are examples of placentals. Give students a worksheet to complete while watching the first segment of the video. (See example below.) Marsupials Question 1. What are marsupials? Give two examples. Question 3.What are the young of marsupials like? Monotremes Question 2. (a) Describe the features of a platypus; (b) To what vertebrate group does the platypus belong? (c) Why are the platypus and echnida such unusual animals? (d) Does the baby echnida look like its parent when it is first born?. Explain your answer. Show the first segment of the video, Nature of Australia: A separate creation (approximately 20 minutes). Students answer the questions as the video progresses. Compare and discuss reponses. (60 minutes) Lesson 8: Progress check This progress check provides students with an opportunity to clarify their skills and understanding. Provide students with 2 questions. Question 1: students group pictures of animals according to similarities and differences for stuctural features. Question 2: students use keys to classify. Students, as individuals, attempt to complete the questions given a time limit of 5 minutes. (Note: It is not the intention that students will complete the task in this time.) Students, working in pairs, are given a further 7 minutes to compare answers and continue working on the questions. Student pairs are grouped (4 students) and are given a further 10 minutes to compare all answers and complete the questions. Each group contributes answers to a class discussion about the questions to ensure accuracy. Explain that these questions will be included in the unit test. Students design a title page: Ecosystems. Discuss and determine the definition of ecosystems as an interaction between living and non-living things. (60 minutes)

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 15 Lesson 9 Revise definition of ecosystem. Discuss and determine the definition of food chains as an interaction between plants and animals within an ecosystem. Discuss and determine the definition of the terms producer, consumer and decomposer. State that food chains must start with plants (as producers). Provide students with an example of a simple food chain. Give students a work sheet so that they can create a series of food chains. Allow students to complete this task in pairs or groups. e.g. illustration of blades of grass, illustration of gum tree, illustration of seaweed, illustration of lettuce plant, illustrations of a grasshopper captioned I eat grass, illustration of a caterpiller, captioned I eat gum leaves, illustration of a snail, captioned I eat lettuce, illustration of a fish, captioned I eat seaweed, illustration of a lizard, captioned I eat grasshoppers, illustration of a dolphin, captioned I eat fish, illustration of an ant, captioned I eat caterpillers, illustration of a duck, captioned I eat snails, illustration of a kookaburra, captioned I eat lizards, illustration of people, captioned I eat duck, illustration of an echidna, captioned I eat ants, illustration of a killer whale, captioned I eat dolphins, Briefly talk about the carbon-oxygen cycle. Describe the role of photosynthesis and respiration in ecosystems. Provide students with this extract of the carbon-oxygen cycle to assist in this description. carbon dioxide in the air solar energy enables green plants to carry out photosynthesis plant respiration oxygen animal respiration plant and animal respiration eaten by animal waste and animal death decay by bacteria and fungi (60 minutes)

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 16 science supplement Lesson 10 Discuss types of Australian ecosystems, such as arid, reef, rainforest and antarctic. Revise the definition of ecosystem as the interaction between living and non-living. Revise definition of producer, consumer and decomposer. Introduce terms: herbivore, carnivore and omnivore. Provide students with illustrations of different ecosystems. Provide the names of plants and animals in each ecosystem. Students, in groups of 4, complete the following steps: Step 1. Identify the illustrated environments such as forest, arid, coral or antarctic. Step 2. Use the names of plants and animals provided to label the illustrations. Step 3. Develop possible food chains for each ecosystem. Step 4. Label the producers, consumers, decomposers, herbivores, carnivores and omnivores in each ecosystem. (60 minutes) Lesson 11 Provide students with a copy of a food web from the ocean. Teacher demonstrates extracting one food chain from the ocean food web. Students, in groups of four, extract another food chain from the food web. Teacher moves from group to group to check for accuracy. Students, in pairs, extract another food chain from the ocean food web. Peers check for accuracy. Use software packages to create, simulate and explore food webs for Australian ecosystems. Programs such as Food Webs: Australian Woodlands by Newbyte Educational Software are ideal. (60 minutes) Lesson 12: library setting Revise extracting a food chain from a food web using an OHT of a forest ecosystem. Discuss how various ecosystems have different plants and animals. Talk about how plants and animals adapt to their surroundings. Ask such questions as; Could a fish survive in the desert? Would a koala from Port Macquarie be able to survive in Sydney? Explain that students will be working in the library to explore the adaptation of living things to factors in their environment. Give students printed information from a variety of sources (at least 6) which describe the adaptation of living things to factors in their environment. Students, in groups of 4, skim and scan the information to answer the question: What does adaptation mean?

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 17 Students, in groups of 4, complete a table such as the one below. Organisms Environment Adaptation Reason camel desert large fat feet walking on hot sand Students may wish to use additional library resources to complete a comprehensive table. A prize could be offered for the group which identifies the most adaptations. (60 minutes) Lesson 13: Progress check This progress check provides students with an opportunity to clarify their skills and understanding. Provide students with 4 questions: Question 1: students provide examples of organisms that are consumers (including herbivore, carnivore and omnivore), producers and decomposers. Question 2: students label the carbon-oxygen cycle. Question 3: students extract food chains from a food web. Question 4: students respond to statements about food chains and food webs. Students, as individuals, attempt to complete the questions, given a time limit of 7 minutes (Note: It is not the intention that students will complete the task in this time). Students, working in pairs, are given a further 7 minutes to compare answers and continue working on the questions. Student pairs are grouped (4 students), and are given a further 10 minutes to compare all answers and complete the questions. Each group contributes answers to a class discussion about the questions to ensure accuracy. Explain that these questions will be included in the unit test. Students create a title page: Forest and river ecosystems. (60 minutes) Lesson 14 Provide the following passage to students: All the living and non-living things that are in a forest affect one another in some way. All the ways in which plants, animals, rocks, soil, water and weather interact are called the forest ecosystem. Forests are places where there are lots of tall trees. In Australia, the trees are mainly eucalyptus. People call them gum trees. Gum trees can grow up to 100 metres tall. Introduce key words and content for river ecosystems. Use books, posters, short films or CD-ROMs to determine the plants and animals of river ecosystems. Students, in pairs, develop a similar paragraph for river ecosystems. Each pair of students contributes words, phrases or sentences to a collaborative paragraph developed by the class.

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 18 science supplement Allow students the opportunity to re-use CD-ROM packages to explore food webs in pond or river ecosystems. (60 minutes) Lesson 15 and 16: library setting Revise the balance between plants and animals within a forest ecosystem. Discuss and simulate the damage caused to this ecosystem by bushfire. Use software packages such as Food Webs: Australian Woodlands by Newbyte Educational Software. Give students printed information from a variety of sources (at least 4) that describe the effects of bushfire on the forest ecosystem. Students, in groups of 4, skim and scan the information to extract facts about the effects of bushfire on the forest ecosystem (5 minutes). Brainstorm facts and record on board under heading bushfire. In collaboration with the teacher-librarian show posters, pictures or video segments to clarify and visually illustrate the effects of fire, flood and drought on Australian ecosystems. Revise the balance between plants and animals within a river ecosystem. Discuss the damage caused to this ecosystem by flood. Give students printed information from a variety of sources (at least 3) that describe the effects of flood within the river ecosystem. Students, in pairs, skim and scan the information to extract facts about the effects of flood on the river ecosystem (5 minutes). Brainstorm facts and record on board under heading flood. In collaboration with the teacher-librarian show further illustrations of the effects of fire, flood and drought on Australian ecosystems. Discuss the damage caused to Australian ecosystems by drought. Give students printed information from a variety of sources (at least 4) that describe the effects of drought within a variety of ecosystems. Students, in pairs, skim and scan the information to extract facts about the effects of drought on ecosystems (5 minutes). Brainstorm facts and record on board under heading drought. In collaboration with the teacher-librarian show further illustrations of the effects of fire, flood and drought on Australian ecosystems. Students complete a table showing the effects of fire, flood and drought on Australian ecosystems. (See example below.) Disaster Ecosystem Organism Effect bushfire forest trees (120 minutes)

hing literacy teaching literacy eaching literacy teaching lite science supplement 19 Lesson 17: Progress check This progress check provides students with an opportunity to clarify their skills and understanding. Provide students with 2 questions: Question 1: students are to complete a table describing the adaptation of living things to factors in their environment. Question 2: students complete a table showing the effects of fire, flood and drought on Australian ecosystems. Students, as individuals, attempt to complete the questions, given a time limit of 5 minutes (Note: It is not the intention that students will complete the task in this time). Students, working in pairs, are given a further 7 minutes to compare answers and continue working on the questions. Student pairs are grouped (4 students), and are given a further 7 minutes to compare all answers and complete the questions. Each group contributes answers to a class discussion about the questions to ensure accuracy. Explain that these questions will be included in the unit test. Provide library assignment and marking grid to students. (See Indicators section of this supplement.) Students, individually, are to obtain and evaluate information to produce a poster with the following content: 1. Provide captioned diagram of adaptations (animals). 2. Provide captioned diagram of adaptations (plants). 3. Identify an Australian ecosystem. 4. Provide labelled illustrations for a variety of plant and animal life within the identified Australian ecosystem. 5. Develop associated food web for the plants and animals within the identified Australian ecosystem. 6. Label the food web using terms producer, consumer and decomposer. 7. Identify and describe a scientific development that affects Australian ecosystems. Begin to talk about the assignment using the marking grid to guide students. (60 minutes) Lessons 18, 19 and 20: library setting In collaboration with the teacher-librarian revise the requirements of the assignment. Students access, evaluate and extract information to complete the poster using library resources. (60 minutes) Lesson 21: assessment Students complete unit test. (See progress checks for content and refer to marking grid.) (60 minutes)

iteracy teaching literacy teac g literacy teaching literacy t 20 science supplement

Worksheet 1 What is biology? Biology is the study of all living things. The word comes from two Greek words, bios, which means life, and logos which means knowledge. Biology can be divided into lots of different branches. Zoology is the study of animals. Botany is the study of plants. Ecology is the study of the relationship between living things and the world around them. Some biologists concentrate on life in a particular environment. The study of living things in the sea is called marine biology. Others specialise in a particular kind of animal or plant. For instance, ornithologists study birds. Over two million types, or species, of plants and animals have already been identified by biologists. They are still discovering new species today. Subjects such as medicine and agriculture are also branches of biology. The research that biologists do can provide information on how to improve farming methods and breed healthier animals and crops. Today many biologists study things that are too small to be seen without a microscope. This includes the study of minute organisms, such as bacteria, and the cells that make up animals and plants. Biologists are also concerned about pollution and how to look after our surroundings.

Highlight the correct statements. Level 1: Reading on the lines. 1. Biology is the study of all living things 2. Biology is divided into lots of different branches 3. Zoology is the study of plants 4. Ornithologists study birds 5. Botany is the study of animals 6. Two types of plants and animals have been identified by biologists Level 2: Reading between the lines. 1. The word biology comes from the Greek language 2. Bios is a Greek word meaning knowledge 3. All the species of plants and animals on the earth have already been discovered 4. Bacteria are living things that are too small to be seen with the naked eye 5. Botany is one of the branches of biology 6. Bacteria are very tiny living things 7. Cells can be seen with the naked eye 8. An ecologist may study the relationship between animals and their environment 9. Marine means of the sea 10. A scientist who studies kookaburras is an ornithologist 11. A microscope makes very tiny things look bigger so they can be seen 12. Better crops can be grown because of the work being done by biologists Level 3: Reading beyond the lines. 1. The study of biology cannot help us to solve any of the problems in our world 2. The study of biology will help us to know more about diseases 3. The study of biology only gives us information related to humans 4. We do not need to continue to study and research all the different branches of biology

Worksheet 2 Construction of a model report Below is a text on living things. There are 11 mistakes in this text: punctuation, incorrect verbs, tense and spelling. The text is also written as one long text with no paragraphs. Write out the text in your notebooks, correcting all the errors and beginning new paragraphs where they are needed. Rose LIVING THINGS Living things are things that grow reproduce fed and move. Living things are deveded into too groups. The two groups is plants and animals. plants have several characteristics. Plants are mostly green because they have chlorophyll. It usually stay in one place. Plants can only react slowly to changes around them. Plants make their own food by a process called photosynthesis. Examples of plants are roses, water lily, grass and gum trees. Animals also have several characteristics. Animals has many different colours. They usually moved around from place to place. Animals can react quickly to changes around them Animals eat other animals and plats for food. Examples of animals are fish, birds, worms and people. People Water lily Birds Fish

Worksheet 3 Read and draw Instructions: Read the following description of an ant. Use the description to help you to draw an ant. Then label your drawing using the following words: head, thorax, abdomen, antennae Ant Ants are small insects with six legs. They are social insects that live in the ground or in the wood, where they make their homes and store food. A large group of ants living and working together is called a colony. An ant body is divided into three parts: the head, the thorax and the abdomen. The head is connected to the thorax (mid body) by a narrow neck. The thorax is joined to the abdomen by a short waist. On the head of an ant are two feelers (antennae). The feelers are thinner at the tips than at their base. Feelers are always moving in order to smell and feel in all directions. The three pairs of legs are found on the thorax. The legs are jointed and the abdomen is rounded. The most important ant in a colony is the queen. She lays all the eggs and the worker ants look after her.

Read and draw Instructions: Read the following description of a red-back spider. Use the description to help you draw the spider. Label your drawing using the following words: cephalothorax, abdomen The female red-back spider The body of the female red-back spider has a hard outside covering and is about 14 millimetres long. The body is divided into two round parts. The first part is called the cephalothorax and the second part is called the abdomen. The abdomen is round and black. The upper surface of the abdomen has a short, thick, bright red stripe. Four pairs of jointed legs come from the cephalothorax.

Worksheet 4 Let s learn about animals with backbones All of the world s animals can be classified into two large groups: animals with backbones and animals without backbones. An animal with a backbone is called a vertebrate. An animal without a backbone is called an invertebrate. An animal with a backbone is an animal that has a skeleton inside its body. Is a human being an animal with a backbone? There are five groups of animals with backbones. These five groups are mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish. How are these five kinds of animals similar? How are they different? To which group do human beings belong? Mammals Mammals have backbones, are warm-blooded, have hair or fur, and breathe through lungs. Mammal babies are born live. Mammal mothers can feed milk to their young,. e.g. seal, kangaroo, koala Reptiles Reptiles have backbones, are covered with dry scaly skin, are cold-blooded, breathe through lungs, and hatch from eggs, e.g. crocodile, snake Birds Birds have backbones, are warm-blooded, have feathers, breathe through lungs, hatch from eggs, have beaks, have two legs and two wings. e.g. duck, pelican Amphibians Amphibians have backbones, are cold-blooded, have smooth, moist skin, and hatch from eggs. Young amphibians breathe with gills and live in water. Adult amphibians breathe through lungs and live on land, e.g. frog Fish Fish have backbones, are cold-blooded, have fins, and have a slimy scaly skin. They live in water, and have gills. Most fish hatch from eggs. e.g. shark, fish

Worksheet 5 Complete this passage, fill in the blanks for paragraphs 1 and 2, cut and paste the sentences into the right order for paragraph 3 and then write paragraphs 4, 5 and 6. Vertebrates are animals with a... There are... groups of animals with backbones. These five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Fish live in... They breathe with gills. Fish are...... They have slimy, scaly skin and... Fish reproduce by...... # Amphibians live in water when they are young and on land when they are adults. # They have smooth, moist skin. # Examples of amphibians are frogs, newts, salamanders and toads. # Amphibians reproduce by laying eggs. # Amphibians are cold blooded. # Amphibians breathe with gills when they are young but when they are adults they breathe with lungs. #

Reptiles live............ Birds live............ Mammals live............

Session 7 1 A guide for school literacy support teams FURTHER READING

2 Session 7

Session 7 3 Further reading Curriculum Directorate, 1997, Planning a whole-school approach to literacy, NSW Department of School Education, Sydney. Curriculum Support Directorate, 1997-99, Teaching literacy in... in Year 7 series, NSW Department of School Education, Sydney: Teaching literacy in design and technology in Year 7 (1997) Teaching literacy in languages in Year 7 (1997) Teaching literacy in mathematics in Year 7 (1997) Teaching literacy in PDHPE in Year 7 (1997) Teaching literacy in science in Year 7 (1997) Teaching literacy in creative arts in Year 7 (1998) Teaching literacy in English in Year 7 (1998) Teaching literacy in history in Year 7 (1998) Teaching literacy in geography in Year 7 (1999) Curriculum Support Directorate, 1999, Continuity of literacy development Years 5-8, NSW Department of Education and Training, Sydney. National Professional Development Program (NPDP), 1997, Literacy for learning Years 5-8 (CD-ROM), Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education, Training and Youth Affairs. NSW Department of School Education, 1998, Assisting Year 7 students who need additional support: Follow-up to ELLA, Commonwealth of Australia, Sydney. Services Directorate, 1987, Information skills in the school, NSW Department of School Education, Sydney. Available on the Department of Education and Training s web site, <http://www.det.nsw.edu.aulschool libraries>. A catalogue containing materials produced by the Department of Education and Training is updated on the Internet at <http://www.det.nsw.edu.au/edusales> If additional copies of documents are required, schools can download from the CD-ROM, Literacy 97 to 99 or contact EduSales: Telephone (02) 9822 7270 or facsimile (02) 9822 7511. Mail: PO Box 564, Moorebank NSW 1875.