Making sense of changes

'Making sense of changes' IS ONE OF OUR NEW TEACHING SEQUENCES FOR V9

On the 'Sequence overview' tab you'll find all the lessons in this sequence and curriculum alignment.
The 'Our design decisions' tab shows how key scientific ideas develop over the sequence, and shows how the sequence addresses curriculum achievement standards.
The 'Preparing for this sequence' tab guides you through important information and considerations for this sequence.
Have you taught this sequence? Use the Feedback button to let us know how it went!

Launch

Lesson 1 • Melting monsters

Students make simple monsters from ice cubes, then observe the changes their monsters undergo as the ice changes from solid to liquid. They are introduced to the context of the sequence: creating a sensory experience for other students.

Launch

Making sense of changes

Inquire

Lesson 2 • Solid or liquid?

Students identify and categorise solids and liquids, observe the similarities and differences between their properties, then sort these properties using a class Venn diagram.

Inquire

Making sense of changes

Lesson 3 • Racing liquids

Students make predictions and observe how a liquid’s viscosity affects how fast or slow it runs before and after adding heat.

Inquire

Making sense of changes

Liquids being placed on a sheet with an eyedropper

Lesson 4 • Cool liquids

Students further observe the changes that different liquids undergo when heat is removed, and consider the melting/freezing point of different substances.

Inquire

Making sense of changes

Student holds melting ice in their hands

Lesson 5 • Breaking up with chocolate

Students are supported to plan and conduct an investigation on the way specific variables affect the melting rate of chocolate.

Inquire

Making sense of changes

Lesson 6 • Mystery matter

Students generate questions to investigate whether a mystery substance is a solid or a liquid, and make a claim using evidence from their observations. They observe changing states during the candy making process.

Inquire

Making sense of changes

Act

Lesson 7 • Delighting the senses

Students consolidate their learning by designing and creating a sensory experience for others, using a combination of solids, liquids, melting or freezing.

Act

Making sense of changes

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Credits for work used in this sequence

Credits & acknowledgements

Curriculum and syllabus alignment

Achievement standards

By the end of Year 3 students classify solids and liquids based on observable properties and describe how to cause a change of state. They describe how people use data to develop explanations. They identify solutions that use scientific explanations.

Students pose questions to explore patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations. They use scaffolds to plan safe investigations and fair tests. They use familiar classroom instruments to make measurements. They organise data and information using provided scaffolds and identify patterns and relationships. They compare their findings with those of others, explain how they kept their investigation fair, identify further questions and draw conclusions. They communicate ideas and findings for an identified purpose, including using scientific vocabulary when appropriate.

Australian Curriculum V9 alignment

Science as a human endeavour

Science understanding

Science inquiry

Australian Curriculum content links

Science understanding core concepts: The chemical and physical properties of substances are determined by their structure at a range of scales; Substances change and new substances are produced by rearranging atoms; these changes involve energy transfer and transformation.

Sub-strand	Content descriptor	AC code	Achievement standard	How the sequence addresses this content
SHE: Use and influence of science	Consider how people use scientific explanations to meet a need or solve a problem	AC9S3H02	Identify solutions that use scientific explanations	Consider how size affects melting rate. (Lesson 5) Design and create a sensory experience using solids, liquids, melting or freezing. (Lesson 7)
SHE: Nature and development of science	Examine how people use data to develop scientific explanations	AC9S3H01	Describe how people use data to develop explanations	Use scientific explanations, supported by data, to describe the viscosity of liquids and melting rate of different sized chocolate pieces. (Lessons 3 & 5) Explore how the different melting points of everyday materials affect their use. (Lessons 1-7)
SU: Chemical sciences	Investigate the observable properties of solids and liquids and how adding or removing heat energy leads to a change of state	AC9S3U04	Classify solids and liquids based on observable properties and describe how to cause a change of state	Investigate and describe the observable properties of solids and liquids and how adding or removing heat energy leads to a change of state. (Lessons 1-7)
SI: Questioning and predicting	Pose questions to explore observed patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations	AC9S3I01	Pose questions to explore patterns and relationships and make predictions based on observations	Students generate questions to differentiate between the properties of solids and liquids. (Lesson 6) Students make a claim about solids or liquids and support the claim with evidence. (Lesson 6)
SI: Planning and conducting	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	AC9S3I02	Use scaffolds to plan safe investigations and fair tests	With assistance students plan and conduct a safe and fair test on melting. (Lesson 5) Students consider if materials listed for the sensory experience are safe and comfortable to handle. (Lesson 7)
SI: Planning and conducting	Follow procedures to make and record observations, including making formal measurements using familiar scaled instruments and using digital tools as appropriate	AC9S3I03	Use familiar classroom instruments to make measurements	Explore how to use equipment such as timers and take accurate readings with guidance. (Lessons 3 & 5)
SI: Processing, modelling and analysing	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	AC9S3I04	Organise data and information using provided scaffolds and identify patterns and relationships	Record and represent data showing liquid flow times and solid melting times. (Lessons 3 & 5)
SI: Evaluating	Compare findings with those of others, consider if investigations were fair, identify questions for further investigation and draw conclusions	AC9S3I05	Compare their findings with those of others, explain how they kept their investigation fair, identify further questions and draw conclusions	Compare findings of investigations, and identify further questions based on observations, differences, or new ideas. Discuss factors that make investigations fair and evaluate the fairness of an investigation. Draw conclusions based on their own and others’ findings. (Lessons 1-7)
SI: Communicating	Write and create texts to communicate findings and ideas for identified purposes and audiences, using scientific vocabulary and digital tools as appropriate	AC9S3I06	Communicate ideas and findings for an identified purpose, including using scientific vocabulary when appropriate	Students draw a labelled design of their sensory experience, stating the materials used and if/how they will change, then participate in a gallery walk to share and explore design ideas with peers. Students describe the sensory experience in an audience-appropriate way and invite them to the experience. (Lesson 7)

On this page

Science journals

Create a class science journal, either in hard-copy or digitally. You might:

use/create a large scrap book or flip chart.
use poster/butchers’ paper so learning can be displayed in sequence on the wall.
create a digital journal using your platform/ technology of choice.
any combination of the above.

Plan for students’ creation of an individual science journal, either in hard-copy or digitally. They might:

use an exercise book, scrap book or flip chart to record their thinking and gather resource sheets together.
use a folder to store and collate resource sheets, diagrams, photographs etc.
use a digital folder to store work samples, images and videos.
any combination of the above.

See Using a science journal throughout inquiry for more detailed information on the importance of science journals.

General preparation

Read through the teaching sequence.
Note any adaptations you would like to make to suit your school’s and students’ context.
Prepare demonstration copies of Resource sheets as required.

Many of the lessons in this teaching sequence require ice or other frozen liquids. These should be prepared in advance to ensure they are completely frozen when they are needed. To assist with planning. details are included below about what frozen liquids are needed in each lesson.

You will also need access to enough fridge and freezer space to freeze and cool the liquids for investigation, and keep them in that condition until they are needed for the lesson (or as close to that as possible). You might:

consider if your staffroom fridge/freezer has enough space for this purpose.
consider if you might use the fridges/freezers in the school canteen/tuck shop.
alternatively, a small bar fridge/freezer or powered esky/cooler that can be kept in the classroom temporarily would be ideal.

Lesson 1

At least 2 x ice cubes per team, to make an 'ice monster'. The ice monsters will be placed into and removed from the freezer several times during the course of the sequence.

Optional: The water can be coloured with food colouring before freezing (beware of staining). To help prompt discussion about solids versus liquids, small solids such as beads, glitter etc. can also be added to the water before freezing.

Lesson 3

Ice cubes or ice brick/s to create an ice bath. This will be used to cool down samples of liquids, for an investigation of how temperature affects viscosity.

Lesson 4

This lesson requires frozen samples of a variety of liquids (e.g. water, oil, tomato sauce, honey, shampoo/conditioner, washing up liquid), contained in labelled resealable bags. Room temperature and refrigerated bagged samples of each liquid are also required.

The samples can be prepared and labelled with students during Lesson 3, then placed in the freezer, or may be prepared by the teacher before Lesson 4, ensuring enough time for the samples to be fully frozen.

Lesson 7

In this lesson students plan and design a sensory experience for others which may include frozen components. You may decide to have students also construct their sensory experiences based on their designs. If so you will need to prepare the frozen items they request.

You might also have ice cubes and frozen samples of other liquids explored in the sequence available for students.