Planning, programming and assessing science and technology K–6
Resources to help you plan, program and assess science K-6.
Science and technology is mandatory for all students from Kindergarten to Year 6.
Syllabus
The Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017) integrates the working scientifically and the design and production skills throughout the strands of:
- living world
- material world
- physical world
- Earth and space
- digital technologies.
It includes a section on supporting students with disability assisting you to adapt your programme to suit the individual needs of learners.
How to develop effective scope and sequences
- Advice on scope and sequences (NESA) contains advice to address curriculum requirements and needs arising from differences in school contexts and student cohorts.
- Sample scope and sequences for Science and technology K-6.
Planning tools
Planning tools help you map the outcomes and plan the focus skills.
Mapping the outcomes in each stage
Mapping the Science and technology outcomes has many benefits and may help teachers and schools to:
- identify opportunities for explicit teaching of the skills processes
- ensure all outcomes are included across each stage
- identify opportunities for students to receive feedback on their learning
- systematically plan for and undertake assessment
- collaborate with other teachers to plan for quality teaching and learning.
Download the science and technology K-6 skills outcome mapping tool (XLSX 22 KB) to map the outcomes across individual stages.
Planning the focus of skills in each stage
Students should be afforded multiple opportunities to engage with the full range of working scientifically and design and production skills across each stage of learning. Teachers select specific skills for focus in each content strand.
The working scientifically and design and production skill processes are described in detail on pages 26-34 of the Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2017).
Planning the skills focus allows you to connect learning activities to the needs, abilities, and prior learning of your students. You will make decisions regarding the opportunities to emphasise elements of the skills through each content strand.
Elements of working scientifically and design and production skills may be repeated within each stage to support learning and to reinforce the scientific investigation or the design solution.
The mapping tools may be used to sequence the working scientifically and design and production skills and ensure students are provided with the opportunity to engage with all skill elements by the end of each stage. Teachers may use the tools to map individual stages or across K-6.
Download the science and technology K-6 skills planning tool (DOCX 79 KB) to map the skills from Kindergarten to Year 6.
Download the science and technology K-6 skills planning tool by stage (DOCX 77 KB) to map the skills across individual stages.
Thinking skills
The thinking skills encompass the productive, purposeful, and intentional thinking that underpin effective learning in science and technology and provide students with a framework for solving problems. Watch short videos about thinking skills.
Learning sequences
Design and production investigations for the physical world strand:
- complement and blend with any existing unit of work in the physical world strand where teachers would like to embed a stronger design and production skill focus
- include formative assessment opportunities
- link to the Quality Teaching Model assessment elements.
Learning from home
Use these learning sequences to support students learning from home.
Earth and space
Students explore daily changes in the weather. They make observations and predictions about the weather and record their observations in a weather chart. Students identify how the weather affects choices they make in their daily life.
Living world
Students learn about the characteristics and needs of living things. They recognise that living things have basic needs including air, food and water. Students apply their learning by investigating the growth of a living thing.
Material world
Students investigate how the properties of materials determine their use in design solutions while introducing students to the material sciences and design thinking. Students investigate, plan and design a chair for their favourite teddy or doll to sit next to them while they are completing their schoolwork at home. There is an optional ‘maker hour’ for students to produce, implement, test and evaluate their favourite toy’s chair.
Earth and space
Students are introduced to regular atmospheric and astronomical events and their effect on the Earth.
Living world
Students focus on the observable features of living things and their environment. Students follow and represent sequences of steps and decisions (algorithms) to solve problems.
Material world
Students investigate how properties of materials determine their use. Students identify a range of natural materials used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for a specific cultural purpose. There is an optional ‘maker hour’ for students to produce, implement, test and evaluate a shelter built, from natural materials, for their favourite toy.
Earth and space
Students investigate some natural processes and human activities that cause erosion.
Living world
Students identify characteristics of living things and distinguish living things from non-living things. They identify and describe patterns and understand how scientists use external features to group living and non-living things. Students describe and follow a sequence of steps involving decisions to group things (solve a problem).
Material world
Students investigate how different properties of materials affect their suitability for products. They will develop their knowledge and understanding of the properties and performance of a variety of materials through observation and manipulation. They have the opportunity to design and make an entertaining game.
Earth and Space
Students explore the solar system through research to complete a product and or presentation as evidence of learning.
Living world
Students identify and describe adaptations in living things and recognise them as existing structures or behaviours. They describe how, over time, these adaptations support living things to survive in their specific environment. Students complete an investigation to understand how birds’ beaks have adapted to their environment. Students research specific adaptations of native Australian animals and plants.
Material world
Students investigate how different properties of materials affect their suitability for products. They will develop their knowledge and understanding of the properties and performance of materials through observation and manipulation. They have the opportunity to design and make an entertaining game.