Activity: The Fire Triangle Model – Upper Primary

Quick summary: Students investigate the conditions that are required to start and sustain fires. They apply the concept of the fire triangle to identify the three requirements for starting and sustaining a fire. They describe different kinds of fires, including hot and cool burning.

Learning intentions:

• Students recognise the differences between hot and cool burning
• Students understand how a fire triangle model can be used to communicate the elements needed to create and sustain fire
• Students understand the main steps and safety considerations in designing a fire demonstration.

21st century skills:

Australian Curriculum Mapping

Content descriptions:

Year 5 Science:  

• Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties and behave in different ways  (ACSSU077)
• Science involves testing predictions by gathering data and using evidence to develop explanations of events and phenomena (ACSHE081)
• With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be (ACSIS231)
• Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks (ACSIS086)
• Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS218)
• Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS093)

Year 6 Science: 

• Changes to materials can be reversible, such as melting, freezing, evaporating; or irreversible, such as burning and rusting (ACSSU095)
• Identify, plan and apply the elements of scientific investigations to answer questions and solve problems using equipment and materials safely and identifying potential risks (ACSIS103)
• With guidance, pose questions to clarify practical problems or inform a scientific investigation, and predict what the findings of an investigation might be (ACSIS232)
• Compare data with predictions and use as evidence in developing explanations (ACSIS221)
• Communicate ideas, explanations and processes in a variety of ways, including multi-modal texts (ACSIS110)

Syllabus outcomes: ST3-4WS, SST2-7PW, ST3-12MW.

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking, Intercultural Understanding.

Relevant parts of Year 5 Science achievement standards: Students classify substances according to their observable properties and behaviours. Students predict the effect of changing variables when planning an investigation. They use equipment in ways that are safe and improve the accuracy of their observations. They compare patterns in their data with predictions when suggesting explanations, and communicate their ideas and findings using multimodal texts.

Relevant parts of Year 6 Science achievement standards: Students compare and classify different types of observable changes to materials. They identify variables to be changed and measured and describe potential safety risks when planning methods. They collect, organise and interpret their data. They describe and analyse relationships in data using appropriate representations and construct multimodal texts to communicate ideas, methods and findings.

Topic: Cool Burning, Indigenous Education.

Unit of work: Cool Burning – Primary. 

Time required: 60+ mins, depending on whether the teacher gives a demonstration or students conduct experiments.

Level of teacher scaffolding:

1. If students are designing their own experiments, they must be designed and then reviewed by the teacher. 
2. Consider doing experiments with individual groups, one at a time.
3. If a safe experimental environment can’t be guaranteed, consider giving a teacher demonstration.

Resources required:

• Demonstration materials, such as candles that won’t fall over or can be fixed in position, matches, taper candles to light larger candles, hand water pump sprayer and Pyrex beakers
  
• Device capable of presenting a website to the class
• Fire Factsheet
• Fire Triangle Image
• Lab Safety Rules
• Student Worksheet – one copy per student.

Related professional development: 

• Teach Indigenous Land Management Using Fire
• Teach Caring for Country Using Fire

Keywords: Fire, oxygen, chemical reaction, heat, flame, smoke.

Special thanks to:

Fish River Station, John Daly, Dr Jeremy Russell-Smith, Peter Jacklyn, Peter McConchie, Dr Tommy George, David Claudie, Dale Musgrave, Carolyn George and Victor Steffensen.

Cool Australia would like to acknowledge the support of the Bennelong Foundation in updating these lessons.

Cool Australia’s curriculum team continually reviews and refines our resources to be in line with changes to the Australian Curriculum. There is great diversity in histories and cultures among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout Australia. This resource includes investigations into and information about some of them. It has an emphasis, but not an exclusive one, on the histories and cultural practices of the Aboriginal peoples of the Northern Territory. It is underpinned by consultation with Aboriginal communities in various parts of Australia.