Year 4
The science inquiry skills and science as a human endeavour strands are described across a two-year band. In their planning, schools and teachers refer to the expectations outlined in the achievement standard and also to the content of the science understanding strand for the relevant year level to ensure that these two strands are addressed over the two-year period. The three strands of the curriculum are interrelated and their content is taught in an integrated way. The order and detail in which the content descriptions are organised into teaching and learning programs are decisions to be made by the teacher.
Incorporating the key ideas of science
Over Years 3 to 6, students develop their understanding of a range of systems operating at different time and geographic scales.
In Year 4, students broaden their understanding of classification and form and function through an exploration of the properties of natural and processed materials. They learn that forces include non-contact forces and begin to appreciate that some interactions result from phenomena that can't be seen with the naked eye. They begin to appreciate that current systems, such as Earth's surface, have characteristics that have resulted from past changes and that living things form part of systems. They understand that some systems change in predictable ways, such as through cycles. They apply their knowledge to make predictions based on interactions within systems, including those involving the actions of humans.
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
Achievement Standard
By the end of Year 4, students apply the observable properties of materials to explain how objects and materials can be used. They describe how contact and non-contact forces affect interactions between objects. They discuss how natural processes and human activity cause changes to Earth’s surface. They describe relationships that assist the survival of living things and sequence key stages in the life cycle of a plant or animal. They identify when science is used to understand the effect of their actions.
Students follow instructions to identify investigable questions about familiar contexts and make predictions based on prior knowledge. They describe ways to conduct investigations and safely use equipment to make and record observations with accuracy. They use provided tables and column graphs to organise data and identify patterns. Students suggest explanations for observations and compare their findings with their predictions. They suggest reasons why a test was fair or not. They use formal and informal ways to communicate their observations and findings.
(source: www.australiancurriculum.edu.au)
- Plus Plan
Life Cycles – Teaching Presentation
Teach your students about life cycles of plants and animals with this 19-slide teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Material World PowerPoint - Processed and Natural Materials
Discover the difference between processed and natural materials with an instructional slide show.
- Plus Plan
Weathering, Erosion and Deposition – Teaching Slides
Learn about the different types of weathering, effects of erosion, results of deposition and more with this set of teaching slides.
- Plus Plan
Living and Non-Living Things - Word Wall Vocabulary
Discover the world of living and nonliving things, starting with a printable vocabulary word wall.
- Free Plan
Weathering and Erosion Poster
Learn how weathering and erosion can cause slow changes to Earth’s surface with this printable poster.
- Free Plan
Types of Forces Worksheet
Teach your Year 4 students about the types of contact forces with this simple one-page worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Plant Life Cycle Worksheet - Cut and Paste
Help your students cement their understanding of the plant life cycle with a cut and paste worksheet.
- Free Plan
Fantastic Forces Comprehension Worksheet
Download this forces reading comprehension worksheet to teach your Year 4 students about push and pull forces.
- Plus Plan
Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Vocabulary Posters
Display this set of science vocabulary posters in your classroom when teaching about weathering, erosion and deposition.
- Plus Plan
Material World Resource Pack
Learn about natural and manmade materials with a printable resource pack.
- Free Plan
Save Planet Earth - Science Word Wall Vocabulary
Print and display Earth Day-related terms in your classroom to improve vocabulary and discussion about Earth Day.
- Free Plan
My Ecological Footprint - Reference Sheet
Teach your students about the things we do that affect the Earth with an ecological footprint reference sheet.
- Plus Plan
Natural Disaster Posters - Information
Posters with pictures and information for eight different types of natural disasters.
- Plus Plan
Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Doodle Notes
Engage your students with a set of science doodle notes when learning about erosion, weathering and deposition.
- Free Plan
Producer, Consumer, Decomposer - Poster
A poster explaining the roles of the Sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers in the food chain.
- Plus Plan
Forces Assessment
Assess students' understanding of contact and non-contact forces with this forces assessment for Year 4 students.
- Plus Plan
Processed Materials Poster
A poster displaying different processed materials and explaining what processed materials are.
- Plus Plan
The Force of Gravity Comprehension Worksheets
Download this gravity worksheet to teach your Year 4 students about the force of gravity and its impact on our daily lives.
- Plus Plan
Plant Vocabulary Words - Sorting Activity
Help students become familiar with vocabulary related to plants with a hands-on matching activity.
- Plus Plan
Types of Materials - Printable Anchor Charts
Introduce your students to the different types of materials with a pack of printable anchor charts.
- Plus Plan
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Knowledge of Physical Sciences – Teaching Slides
Teach your students about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' knowledge of forces with this comprehensive and age-appropriate teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Introduction to Food Chains – Teaching Presentation
Learn about the flow of energy in a food chain with this 12-slide teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Food Webs vs. Food Chains – Teaching Presentation
Learn about the difference between a food chain and a food web with this 18-slide teaching presentation.
- Plus Plan
Natural Materials Poster
A poster displaying different natural materials and explaining what natural materials are.
- Free Plan
Natural Disaster Word Wall Vocabulary
Use this teacher-created resource to explore natural disaster vocabulary with your primary school students.
- Plus Plan
Types of Weathering – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Use this cut-and-paste worksheet when classifying examples that show mechanical, chemical or biological weathering.
- Plus Plan
Life Cycle of a Frog – Activity Templates
Organise, record and display information about the life cycle of a frog with these activity templates.
- Plus Plan
Force and Motion Experiment – Throwing, Dropping, Bouncing, Rolling
Use this hands-on force and motion experiment when teaching your students about how forces influence the movement of objects.
- Plus Plan
Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Colour By Code Worksheet
Guide your students to differentiate between examples of weathering, erosion and deposition with this colour-by-code science worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Types of Rocks Posters
A set of educational posters with information about types of rock.
- Plus Plan
Weathering, Erosion & Deposition Interactive Activity
Use this set of interactive activities to strengthen student understanding of weathering, erosion and deposition concepts.
- Free Plan
Plant Growth Chart Worksheet
Record the growth and changes in a plant over time with one of our differentiated plant growth charts.