Science Level 3 (Years 3 and 4)
Learning focus
As students work towards the achievement of Level 3 standards in Science, they begin to design and conduct experiments to explore contexts drawn from traditional and emerging sciences. They investigate questions and ideas about the natural world and learn to use scientific vocabulary in place of everyday language to describe and explain their observations and measurements. They begin to understand that the design of experiments is directly related to their questions about things and events. They learn to describe evidence in support of simple scientific ideas.
Students investigate changes they observe; for example, day becoming night, using brakes to stop a bicycle hitting a gate,seed germination and plant growth, and the regeneration of forests after a bushfire. They examine, by referring to energy transformation, the operation of a range of everyday devices; for example, gates, locks, toasters and hot water systems. They investigate the use of solar Energy in cooking or lighting or transport. Students learn about the actions of forces on objects that affect their motion and shape in everyday situations such as walking, playing ball games, blowing up balloons, playing with moving toys and riding in cars or aeroplanes. They explore the relationship between distance and the apparent size of an observed object. They participate in activities where they learn to classify a variety of materials using states of matter (solids, liquids, gases) and they learn that some materials are difficult to classify; for example, honey, plaster, jelly and carbonated soft drinks. They explore reversible and non-reversible changes to common substances such as water, vinegar and bicarbonate of soda.
They begin to understand how different parts work together in plants and animals to produce change and to aid in survival; for example, growth and movement. They realise that offspring are similar to their parents. They learn to classify things that they find in their environment as living (biotic) or non-living (abiotic). They investigate how humans affect the survival of living things and change the environment, and how interactions between living things in the environment change. They investigate natural processes that change the environment over short periods of time (tsunami, drought, floods) and long periods of time (weathering and erosion). Students are introduced to the concept of a sustainable environment and their role in contributing to it; for example, involvement in local litter programs and recycling at home and at school.
Students relate scientific ideas to their own experiences, interests and concerns, and to a variety of personal and community uses of science and links with technology; for example, the location of mobile phone towers or clearing local bushland to build new roads. They examine how scientists work and how science knowledge has developed by visiting scientists at work, listening to guest speakers or conducting research on the Internet. Students discuss safety considerations and a variety of procedures and processes (including fair tests, variables, ethical considerations relating to observing animals, and selecting and using equipment correctly) that could be used when undertaking experiments.
National Statements of Learning
This learning focus statement, with the following elaborations, incorporates the Year 3 National Statement of Learning for Science. It also incorporates aspects of the Year 5 National Statement of Learning for Science.
Elaborations:
- Students investigate changes they observe; for example, day becoming night, using brakes to stop a bicycle hitting a gate,seed germination and plant growth, and the regeneration of forests after a bushfire.
- Students learn about the actions of forces on objects that affect their motion and shape in everyday situations such as walking, playing ball games, blowing up balloons, playing with moving toys and riding in cars or aeroplanes.
- They explore the relationship between distance and the apparent size of an observed object.
- They realise that offspring are similar to their parents.
Care and Use of Animals in Victorian Schools
If your school uses animals for teaching then the following site will assist your school fulfil the requirements of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes.
www.education.vic.gov.au/management/schooloperations/animalcare/
Standards
Science knowledge and understanding
At Level 3, students classify a range of materials such as solids, liquids and gases according to observable properties, and demonstrate understanding that this system of classification of substances is sometimes problematic. Students describe examples of reversible and non-reversible changes in substances.
Students identify the actions of forces in everyday situations. They use the words push and pull in discussing how things can be moved and stopped. They identify forms of energy and energy transformations in the everyday world. They use appropriate scientific vocabulary to describe and explain their observations and investigations.
Students identify and describe the structural features of living things, including plants and animals. They identify how these features operate together to form systems which support living things to survive in their environments. They distinguish between biotic and abiotic factors in their environment and describe interactions that occur between them. They describe natural physical and biological conditions, and human influences in the environment, which affect the survival of living things. They describe the relationship between day and night and the rotation of the Earth. Students explain how features of the landscape are altered by processes of weathering and erosion.
Science at work
At Level 3, students plan, design, conduct and report collaboratively on experiments related to their questions about living and non-living things and events. They select and use simple measuring equipment, use a range of appropriate methods to record observations, and comment on trends. They describe the concept of a fair test and identify the variables associated with an experiment. They develop fair tests to make comparisons and explain how they have controlled experimental variables.
Students describe safety requirements and procedures associated with experiments. They explain how scientific knowledge is used, or could be used, to solve a social issue or problem. They describe aspects of the work of scientists and how this has contributed to science knowledge.
Downloads
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Science booklet (
PDF - 260KB) - Science standards table (Doc - 49KB)
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Victorian Essential Learning Standards Level 3 ( PDF - 649KB)
