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)
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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.
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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.
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The Force of Friction Comprehension Worksheets
Download this friction worksheet to teach your Year 4 students about the force of friction and its impact on our daily lives.
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What is a Fair Test? - Middle Years PowerPoint
A 17 slide PowerPoint to use when teaching your students about how to make a fair test in Science.
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Uses of Magnets Comprehension Worksheet
Download this magnets worksheet to teach your Year 4 students about the uses of magnets in our everyday lives.
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Producer, Consumer, Decomposer - Comprehension Worksheets
Explore the role of producers, consumers and decomposers within ecosystems with this comprehension task.
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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.
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Plant Life Cycle Worksheet - Cut and Paste
Help your students cement their understanding of the plant life cycle with a cut and paste worksheet.
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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.
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Life Cycles – Teaching Presentation
Teach your students about life cycles of plants and animals with this 19-slide teaching presentation.
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Weathering, Erosion & Deposition Interactive Activity
Use this set of interactive activities to strengthen student understanding of weathering, erosion and deposition concepts.
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Material World PowerPoint - Processed and Natural Materials
Discover the difference between processed and natural materials with an instructional slide show.
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Friction Experiment – Sticky Friction
Use this engaging friction experiment when teaching your students about sliding friction and the effect it has on the movement of objects.
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Critically Endangered Species Map – Poster
A poster of the world map featuring 64 species and subspecies that are on the critically endangered list.
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Biome Food Web - Posters
Learn how energy flows through food webs in different biomes with this set of classroom posters.
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Material World Resource Pack
Learn about natural and manmade materials with a printable resource pack.
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Force and Motion Vocabulary Posters
Display this set of 22 mini-posters in your classroom when learning about force and motion vocabulary.
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Producers, Consumers and Decomposers – Interactive and Printable Activity
Sort producers, consumers and decomposers, with this cut and paste science worksheet.
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Types of Rocks Posters
Teach your students information about the three basic types of rock with a set of printable Types of Rocks Anchor Charts.
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Weathering vs. Erosion Worksheet Pack
Support student understanding of weathering and erosion with this reading comprehension passage, worksheet and accompanying vocabulary activities.
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Producer, Consumer and Decomposer - Sorting Activity
Explore the roles and relationships of producers, consumers and decomposers in food chains with this hands-on sorting activity.
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Types of Weathering – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Use this cut-and-paste worksheet when classifying examples that show mechanical, chemical or biological weathering.
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What is Pollution? Instructional Slide Deck
Show your students the types of pollution and their effects with an instructional slide deck.
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Life Cycle of a Frog – Activity Templates
Organise, record and display information about the life cycle of a frog with these activity templates.
- Free Plan
Producer, Consumer, Decomposer - Poster
A poster explaining the roles of the Sun, producers, consumers, and decomposers in the food chain.
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Forces Assessment
Assess students' understanding of contact and non-contact forces with this forces assessment for Year 4 students.
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Life Cycle of a Numbat Poster
A poster showing the life cycle of a numbat.
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Natural Materials Poster
A poster displaying different natural materials and explaining what natural materials are.
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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Doodle Notes
Engage your students with a set of science doodle notes when learning about erosion, weathering and deposition.
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The Force of Friction Teaching Slides
Teach your students facts about friction with this comprehensive and age-appropriate teaching presentation for primary school science lessons.
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Science Experiment - Suck It Up!
A science experiment which investigates the absorptive properties of various materials.
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Which Force Is That? Worksheet
Use this forces worksheet to teach your Year 4 students about the common forces of friction, buoyancy and gravity.