Year 3

Scorching swings and slides

Students learn about the transfer of heat, resultant changes in temperature and the conductivity of materials. They explore real-life applications by designing a playground or piece of playground equipment that limits the impacts of heat.

'Scorching swings and slides' is one of our new teaching sequences for AC 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.
  • Have you taught this sequence? Use the Feedback button to let us know how it went!

Launch

Lesson 1 • What happens to playground equipment when it’s hot?

Students are introduced to the core concept being explored—heat—through the context of playground equipment on a sunny day.

Launch
Scorching swings and slides

Inquire

Lesson 2 • What’s hot?

Students participate in hands-on experiences to identify and categorise sources of heat.

Inquire
Scorching swings and slides

Lesson 3 • How does heat move?

Students participate in hands-on experiences to explore heat moving from one object to another.

Inquire
Scorching swings and slides

Lesson 4 • Which ground is best for a playground?

Students plan and conduct an investigation to compare the conductivity of different materials, and determine which type of ground surface might be most suitable for use in a playground.

Inquire
Scorching swings and slides

Lesson 5 • Which playground building material gets the hottest?

Students plan and conduct a further investigation to compare the conductivity of different materials, and determine the suitability of specific materials to playground design.

Inquire
Scorching swings and slides

Lesson 6 • How effective is shade at reducing heat transfer?

Students plan and conduct an investigation to find out if putting an object in the shade impacts the transfer of heat.

Inquire
Scorching swings and slides

Act

Lesson 7 • Designing a playground for the heat

Students apply their learning by designing a playground or piece of playground equipment with the aim of reducing heat transfer.

Act
Scorching swings and slides

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Curriculum and syllabus alignment

Achievement standards

Students identify sources of heat energy and examples of heat transfer and explain changes in the temperature of objects. 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