Know Your Invertebrates

Australian Curriculum content descriptions: 

Year 3 Science:

• Compare characteristics of living and non-living things and examine the differences between the life cycles of plants and animals (AC9S3U01)
• 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)
• Write and create texts to communicate findings and ideas for identified purposes and audiences, using scientific vocabulary and digital tools as appropriate (ACSIS060)

Year 4 Science:

• Explain the roles and interactions of consumers, producers and decomposers within a habitat and how food chains represent feeding relationships (ACSSU073)
• 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 (ACSIS065)
• Write and create texts to communicate findings and ideas for identified purposes and audiences, using scientific vocabulary and digital tools as appropriate (ACSIS071)

Syllabus outcomes: ST2-10LW, ST2-4WS, ST2-11LW

General capabilities: Critical and Creative Thinking

Cross-curriculum priority: Sustainability

Relevant parts of Year 3 achievement standards: Students group living things based on observable features and distinguish them from non-living things, and they use diagrams and other representations to communicate their ideas.

Relevant parts of Year 4 achievement standards: Students describe relationships that assist the survival of living things. They use formal and informal ways to communicate their observations and findings.

This lesson is part of the wider unit of work: Investigating Invertebrates – Lower Primary

• Animal Images
• Device capable of presenting a video to the class
• Drawing materials, including pencils, paper and rulers
• Materials for invertebrate habitat (see Part C of the lesson)
• Student Worksheet – one copy per student
• Vertebrate Invertebrate Signs (or create your own)

This lesson is designed to build students’ competencies in the following skills:

• Communication
• Critical thinking
• Collaboration
• Problem solving   

Time required: 130 mins

Level of teacher scaffolding: Medium – oversee class discussions, lead students in invertebrate observation activity and in creating invertebrate habitats

This is an original Cool+ lesson.