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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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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Herbivores, Carnivores, and Omnivores – Sorting Activity
Determine if animals are omnivores, carnivores, or herbivores based on their diet with this sorting activity.
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Rainforest Food Chain - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Create a rainforest food chain to show how energy flows between organisms with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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Living and Non-Living Things - Word Wall Vocabulary
Discover the world of living and nonliving things, starting with a printable vocabulary word wall.
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Life Cycle of a Bean Activity Pack
Organise, record, and display information about the life cycle of a bean with these activity templates.
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Forms of Energy – Year 4 Science Experiments for Kids
Investigate mechanical, electrical, light, thermal and sound energy with this set of science activities for kids.
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Life Cycle of a Tree – Worksheet
Piece together the life cycle of a tree with this 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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Buoyancy Experiment – Sink or Swim
Use this practical float or sink science experiment when teaching your students about why some objects float in water while others sink.
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Balloon Car Experiment – Speed Racer
Use this hands-on balloon car experiment when teaching your Year 4 students about thrust force and its effect on the speed of objects.
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Silkworm Life Cycle - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Help your students concrete their understanding of silkworm life cycles with this interactive game.
- Free Plan
Flood Vocabulary Task
A vocabulary task for students to use when demonstrating their understanding of the impact of floods in Australia.
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Slow Changes to Earth's Surface Task Cards
Guide your students to answer vocabulary and situational questions about weathering, erosion and deposition with this set of 24 task cards.
- Free Plan
Weathering vs. Erosion vs. Deposition Vocabulary Game
Guide your students to review weathering, erosion and deposition vocabulary words with this free dice game.
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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Colour By Code Worksheet
Guide your students to differentiate between examples of weathering, erosion and deposition with this colour-by-code science worksheet.
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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition Mini-Book
Introduce your students to the different slow changes to Earth’s surface with a printable mini-book designed for year 4 and 5 students.
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Food Chains – Worksheet
Use this worksheet to identify and describe the flow of energy in a food chain.
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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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Weathering, Erosion and Deposition – Word Search
Strengthen your students' understanding of weathering, erosion and deposition terms with a vocabulary word search.
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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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Layers of the Earth
An educational poster showing the structure of the Earth.
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What is a Rainforest? Poster
A poster with information about the plant life, climate and annual rainfall that characterise a rainforest environment.
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What is a Desert? Poster
A poster with information about the plant life, climate and annual rainfall that characterise a desert environment.
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All About Friction Mini-Book
Teach your students about the force of friction with this printable mini-book perfect for Year 4 science lessons.
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Force and Motion Sorting Activity
Show students force and motion examples with this force and motion sorting activity for elementary school science lessons.
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Build a Food Chain - Sorting Activity
Create food chains for a variety of ecosystems with this hands-on, student-centred activity.
- Free Plan
Forest Food Chain – Cut and Paste Worksheet
Create a forest food chain to show how energy flows between organisms with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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Arctic Food Chain - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Create an Arctic food chain to show how energy flows between organisms with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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Food Chains - Interactive Activity
Review producers, consumers and decomposers in food chains with this interactive digital quiz.
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Desert Biome Food Web - Cut and Paste Worksheet
Challenge students to create a food web and explain how energy flows between organisms with this cut-and-paste worksheet.
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Biome Food Web - Posters
Learn how energy flows through food webs in different biomes with this set of classroom posters.
- Plus Plan
Weathering, Erosion and Deposition – Sorting Activity
Categorise examples of deposition, weathering and erosion with this 24-card sorting activity.