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Complete retained Year 4 Science meaningsYear 4 Science · T1 W7–8 · Authority / Whole national

Historical metadata and the separate actual 9October acquisition remain in the raw record. These complete words give context; selected source tasks are not complete-year evidence.

level_description · SCISCIY4

level_description: In Year 4 students extend their understanding of systems as interactions between related components and analyse patterns to identify that these interactions can occur in predictable ways. They classify system components and create simple models of system interactions, such as food chains and representations of the water cycle. They learn that these models can be used to predict the effect of missing or malfunctioning components. They explore the relationship between form and function by investigating different materials and their properties and learn that classification can enable prediction. They investigate forces that operate from a distance and learn that some interactions result from phenomena that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Students use fair testing to explore relationships between system components. They appreciate the value of using standard units of measurement to measure and compare attributes of systems and the importance of fair methods for drawing conclusions. Inquiry questions can help excite students’ curiosity and challenge their thinking. Following are examples of inquiry questions that could be used to prompt discussion and exploration: How can we keep food fresh and safe to eat without using plastic? Why do we measure things? What would happen if there were no ants in a local habitat? How does friction help or hinder motion? What’s the big deal about the water cycle?

code: SCISCIY4

strand · SCISCIY4_1SU

code: SCISCIY4_1SU

strand: Science understanding

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SU_1

code: SCISCIY4SU_1

sub_strand: Biological sciences

content_description · AC9S4U01

code: AC9S4U01

content_description: explain the roles and interactions of consumers, producers and decomposers within a habitat and how food chains represent feeding relationships

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U01_E1

code: AC9S4U01_E1

elaboration: describing how animals, including humans, obtain their food from plants and other animals

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U01_E2

code: AC9S4U01_E2

elaboration: observing living things in a local habitat and categorising them as producers, consumers or decomposers

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U01_E3

code: AC9S4U01_E3

elaboration: researching the different types of decomposers and their importance within a habitat

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U01_E4

code: AC9S4U01_E4

elaboration: representing feeding relationships of producers and consumers as a food chain and comparing food chains across different habitats

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U01_E5

code: AC9S4U01_E5

elaboration: recognising how First Nations Australians perceive themselves as being an integral part of the environment

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U01_E6

code: AC9S4U01_E6

elaboration: investigating the impact of introduced predators such as foxes on small mammal species in Australia

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U01_E7

code: AC9S4U01_E7

elaboration: researching how the removal of a food source from within a habitat, such as through an insect or rodent infestation, affected other living things within that habitat

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SU_2

code: SCISCIY4SU_2

sub_strand: Earth and space sciences

content_description · AC9S4U02

code: AC9S4U02

content_description: identify sources of water and describe key processes in the water cycle, including movement of water through the sky, landscape and ocean; precipitation; evaporation; and condensation

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U02_E1

code: AC9S4U02_E1

elaboration: identifying everyday examples of precipitation (rain or snow), evaporation (wet washing or paint drying) and condensation of water (water droplets on a cold water bottle)

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U02_E2

code: AC9S4U02_E2

elaboration: identifying local water sources and exploring how they change over time, such as rain puddles that evaporate or a local creek that flows faster after rain

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U02_E3

code: AC9S4U02_E3

elaboration: exploring where tap water comes from and predicting what happens to water that goes down the drain

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U02_E4

code: AC9S4U02_E4

elaboration: exploring a game or simulation of the water cycle, identifying key processes and creating their own representation of the water cycle

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U02_E5

code: AC9S4U02_E5

elaboration: recognising that clouds are tiny water droplets suspended in air, observing a ‘cloud in a bottle’ demonstrated by a teacher and discussing what conditions are needed for clouds to form and for rain or snow to fall

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U02_E6

code: AC9S4U02_E6

elaboration: exploring First Nations Australians’ connections with and valuing of water and water resource management

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U02_E7

code: AC9S4U02_E7

elaboration: recognising First Nations Australians’ knowledges and understandings of evaporation and how the effect of evaporation can be reduced to conserve water, such as by covering surfaces

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U02_E8

code: AC9S4U02_E8

elaboration: considering why we are encouraged to save and recycle water, and actions people can take to reduce water consumption and waste

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SU_3

code: SCISCIY4SU_3

sub_strand: Physical sciences

content_description · AC9S4U03

code: AC9S4U03

content_description: identify how forces can be exerted by one object on another and investigate the effect of frictional, gravitational and magnetic forces on the motion of objects

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U03_E1

code: AC9S4U03_E1

elaboration: exploring the effect of magnets on other magnets and how magnetic forces can pull objects from a distance

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U03_E2

code: AC9S4U03_E2

elaboration: exploring the positive and negative effects of friction on their everyday experiences, such as how friction causes objects to slow down and stop

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U03_E3

code: AC9S4U03_E3

elaboration: recognising that gravity is the force that pulls all objects to towards the centre of Earth and that gravitational force acts on an object regardless of whether it is moving or not moving

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U03_E4

code: AC9S4U03_E4

elaboration: observing how the pushing force of a liquid enables an object to float

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U03_E5

code: AC9S4U03_E5

elaboration: investigating the effect of forces on the movement of objects in traditional First Nations Australians’ children’s instructive toys and games

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U03_E6

code: AC9S4U03_E6

elaboration: examining shoe sole design and identifying patterns in sole design and use related to friction

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U03_E7

code: AC9S4U03_E7

elaboration: watching a video of astronauts walking on the moon or dropping objects on its surface, and discussing the force they are observing

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U03_E8

code: AC9S4U03_E8

elaboration: exploring how force arrows can be used to represent the direction and magnitude of forces acting on an object

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SU_4

code: SCISCIY4SU_4

sub_strand: Chemical sciences

content_description · AC9S4U04

code: AC9S4U04

content_description: examine the properties of natural and made materials including fibres, metals, glass and plastics and consider how these properties influence their use

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U04_E1

code: AC9S4U04_E1

elaboration: identifying and naming materials in the classroom, and grouping objects made of similar materials or combinations of materials

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U04_E2

code: AC9S4U04_E2

elaboration: exploring vocabulary for describing properties; observing different fibres, metals, glass and plastics; and using appropriate terms to describe, compare and contrast their properties

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U04_E3

code: AC9S4U04_E3

elaboration: investigating familiar objects, such as shoes, drink containers or backpacks, examining the combination of materials from which they are made and suggesting reasons for those combinations based on properties of materials

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U04_E4

code: AC9S4U04_E4

elaboration: considering how First Nations Australians use materials for different purposes, such as tools, clothing and shelter, based on their properties

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U04_E5

code: AC9S4U04_E5

elaboration: designing, building and testing an object or structure for a specific purpose, such as a tent, lunchbox or bird feeder

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4U04_E6

code: AC9S4U04_E6

elaboration: investigating which materials can be recycled and researching alternatives for materials such as single use plastics

strand · SCISCIY4_2SHE

code: SCISCIY4_2SHE

strand: Science as a human endeavour

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SHE_1

code: SCISCIY4SHE_1

sub_strand: Nature and development of science

content_description · AC9S4H01

code: AC9S4H01

content_description: examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H01_E1

code: AC9S4H01_E1

elaboration: examining age-appropriate scientific journal articles, identifying common text features and exploring why the scientific community might have conventions for sharing information about data and explanations

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H01_E2

code: AC9S4H01_E2

elaboration: viewing or listening to documentaries or news reports that feature researchers and identifying how they talk about their area of research, particularly references to observations, data and evidence

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H01_E3

code: AC9S4H01_E3

elaboration: investigating how ecologists use food chain data to develop explanations for population decline of native species such as the Richmond birdwing butterfly, and to develop strategies to increase their population

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H01_E4

code: AC9S4H01_E4

elaboration: explore how hydrologists use rainfall and water use data to explain the amount of water flowing in rivers and why this changes over time

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H01_E5

code: AC9S4H01_E5

elaboration: investigating how First Nations Australians test predictions and gather data in the development of technologies and processes

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SHE_2

code: SCISCIY4SHE_2

sub_strand: Use and influence of science

content_description · AC9S4H02

code: AC9S4H02

content_description: consider how people use scientific explanations to meet a need or solve a problem

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H02_E1

code: AC9S4H02_E1

elaboration: investigating how knowledge of the role of decomposers has helped people design industrial composting systems to manage plant and animal waste

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H02_E2

code: AC9S4H02_E2

elaboration: investigating how First Nations Australians of arid regions of Australia use scientific knowledge to manage precious water resources

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H02_E3

code: AC9S4H02_E3

elaboration: considering how knowledges of plant biology enable First Nations Australians to sustainably harvest and use plants to make tools and weapons, musical instruments, clothing, cosmetics and artworks

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H02_E4

code: AC9S4H02_E4

elaboration: exploring how knowledge of the properties of plastic has influenced people to change how they purchase, use and dispose of plastic products

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H02_E5

code: AC9S4H02_E5

elaboration: examining how people use knowledge of friction to improve car or bicycle safety on slippery surfaces such as wet or icy roads

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4H02_E6

code: AC9S4H02_E6

elaboration: investigating how knowledge of magnetic force is used to sort metals in recycling, mining and food processing

strand · SCISCIY4_3SI

code: SCISCIY4_3SI

strand: Science inquiry

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SI_1

code: SCISCIY4SI_1

sub_strand: Questioning and predicting

content_description · AC9S4I01

code: AC9S4I01

content_description: pose questions to explore observed patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I01_E1

code: AC9S4I01_E1

elaboration: posing questions about why some materials are used more often than others for particular products

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I01_E2

code: AC9S4I01_E2

elaboration: predicting the effect on food chains when living things are removed from or die out in an area

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I01_E3

code: AC9S4I01_E3

elaboration: consulting with First Nations Australians about how to predict the location of water sources from observation of landscape features

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I01_E4

code: AC9S4I01_E4

elaboration: making predictions about the distances over which magnets will attract or repel each other

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SI_2

code: SCISCIY4SI_2

sub_strand: Planning and conducting

content_description · AC9S4I02

code: AC9S4I02

content_description: use provided scaffolds to plan and conduct investigations to answer questions or test predictions, including identifying the elements of fair tests, and considering the safe use of materials and equipment

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I02_E1

code: AC9S4I02_E1

elaboration: using an investigation scaffold to design a fair test to identify which shoe provides the greatest or least friction or which materials are attracted to a magnet

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I02_E2

code: AC9S4I02_E2

elaboration: predicting the interactions of forces in a game or toy design, and building and testing a prototype

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I02_E3

code: AC9S4I02_E3

elaboration: predicting effects of changing numbers of producers or consumers, and using a virtual or roleplay food chain simulation to explore possible outcomes by running the simulation multiple times

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I02_E4

code: AC9S4I02_E4

elaboration: following safety rules when conducting investigations, such as wearing personal safety gear correctly, using equipment according to guidelines and demonstrating safe behaviours in field sites or when interacting with biological specimens

content_description · AC9S4I03

code: AC9S4I03

content_description: follow procedures to make and record observations, including making formal measurements using familiar scaled instruments and using digital tools as appropriate

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I03_E1

code: AC9S4I03_E1

elaboration: identifying animals in field locations using procedures such as direct or virtual observation, call or scat identification or pitfall traps

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I03_E2

code: AC9S4I03_E2

elaboration: using appropriate equipment to make and record observations, such as digital cameras, video, voice recorders and familiar scaled instruments with appropriate increments

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I03_E3

code: AC9S4I03_E3

elaboration: describing how to use rounding up or down when reading scaled instruments, and the effect of the scale size on the accuracy of the measurement

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I03_E4

code: AC9S4I03_E4

elaboration: constructing tables or graphic organisers to record observations

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SI_3

code: SCISCIY4SI_3

sub_strand: Processing, modelling and analysing

content_description · AC9S4I04

code: AC9S4I04

content_description: construct and use representations, including tables, simple column graphs and visual or physical models, to organise data and information, show simple relationships and identify patterns

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I04_E1

code: AC9S4I04_E1

elaboration: using virtual or role-play food chain simulations to explore effects of changing numbers of producers or consumers in a habitat

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I04_E2

code: AC9S4I04_E2

elaboration: using maps to locate water sources in the local area, or constructing maps to show sites of water wastage in the school grounds

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I04_E3

code: AC9S4I04_E3

elaboration: constructing column graphs to compare numbers of objects made of particular materials or distances moved by objects experiencing frictional forces

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I04_E4

code: AC9S4I04_E4

elaboration: using force arrows to show forces operating on objects

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SI_4

code: SCISCIY4SI_4

sub_strand: Evaluating

content_description · AC9S4I05

code: AC9S4I05

content_description: compare findings with those of others, consider if investigations were fair, identify questions for further investigation and draw conclusions

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I05_E1

code: AC9S4I05_E1

elaboration: identifying instances during investigations where elements may have been changed in error, resulting in an unfair test

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I05_E2

code: AC9S4I05_E2

elaboration: comparing findings of water use surveys and discussing differences between home and school, or between each other’s homes

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I05_E3

code: AC9S4I05_E3

elaboration: comparing designed solutions, such as toys, lunchboxes or structures, to determine fitness for purpose of selected materials

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I05_E4

code: AC9S4I05_E4

elaboration: comparing findings from investigations with peers and asking questions about factors that may have led to any differences in findings

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I05_E5

code: AC9S4I05_E5

elaboration: identifying unexpected findings and posing questions for further investigation

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I05_E6

code: AC9S4I05_E6

elaboration: drawing conclusions that reflect their data and information

sub_strand · SCISCIY4SI_5

code: SCISCIY4SI_5

sub_strand: Communicating

content_description · AC9S4I06

code: AC9S4I06

content_description: write and create texts to communicate findings and ideas for identified purposes and audiences, using scientific vocabulary and digital tools as appropriate

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I06_E1

code: AC9S4I06_E1

elaboration: discussing the purpose of a text and identifying vocabulary appropriate to the topic and audience

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I06_E2

code: AC9S4I06_E2

elaboration: acknowledging and learning about First Nations Australians’ ways of representing and sharing information about water sources

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I06_E3

code: AC9S4I06_E3

elaboration: sharing ideas about ways to represent feeding relationships including using drawings, labels, images or models

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I06_E4

code: AC9S4I06_E4

elaboration: producing an informative text using scientific vocabulary to explain the impact of introduced predators on food chains

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I06_E5

code: AC9S4I06_E5

elaboration: constructing a report using scientific vocabulary to explain which materials are best suited to be used for making particular products, such as nylon for tents, rubber for shoes or wool for warm clothing

illustrative_elaboration · AC9S4I06_E6

code: AC9S4I06_E6

elaboration: creating posters, a song, slideshow or performance to encourage the school community to save water

achievement_standard ·

achievement_standard: By the end of Year 4 students identify the roles of organisms in a habitat and construct food chains. They identify key processes in the water cycle and describe how water cycles through the environment. They identify forces acting on objects and describe their effect. They relate the uses of materials to their properties. They explain the role of data in science inquiry. They identify solutions based on scientific explanations and describe the needs these meet. Students pose questions to identify patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations. They plan investigations using planning scaffolds, identify key elements of fair tests and describe how they conduct investigations safely. They use simple procedures to make accurate formal measurements. They construct representations to organise data and information and identify patterns and relationships. They compare their findings with those of others, assess the fairness of their investigation, identify further questions for investigation and draw conclusions. They communicate ideas and findings for an identified audience and purpose, including using scientific vocabulary when appropriate.

Full ACARA notice