The Science Framework

There are some students across all educational settings throughout New South Wales who may not meet Early Stage 1 outcomes as mandated in Board of Studies syllabus documents. These students include those enrolled in Schools for Specific Purposes (SSPs), support or specialist classes in mainstream settings or in mainstream classes. The Science Framework aims to provide learning opportunities for students to access curriculum material at levels appropriate to their ability whilst providing a scaffold to working towards meeting Early Stage 1 outcomes in the Science and technology Syllabus. As per Board of Studies requirements students do not need to be working toward all indicators. Teachers need to use professional judgement to assess students’ ability and determine which indicators are appropriate.

The Science Framework is an interactive document that provides teachers with specific activities, resources and assessment tools to assist them to successfully engage all students, irrespective of ability, in quality and equitable learning experiences in Science and Technology.

Working Scientifically

Syllabus Outcome: STe-4WS Explores their immediate surroundings by questioning, observing using their senses and communicating to share their observations and ideas.

Syllabus Indicators

Framework indicators

Students question and predict by:

Responding to questions about familiar objects and events they are curious about in the natural and made environments.

4WS1A: Using their senses to explore familiar objects and events in natural and made environments

Students will be able to achieve this indicator with varying levels of support. Fade this support as the student works toward developing independence.

Making predictions resulting from their questions.

4WS2A: Making predictions using prior knowledge

Share in what they already know and how they could find out more about their questions relating to the natural and made environments.

4WS3A: Participates in lessons relating to the natural and made environments and are provided with opportunities to demonstrate what they know

Exploring and making observations by using their senses to gather information about objects and events in their immediate surroundings. (ACSIS011, ACSHE013)

4WS4A: Exploring by using their senses, objects and events in their immediate surroundings

Manipulating objects and materials through purposeful play.

4WS5A: Manipulating objects and materials through purposeful play

Students process and analyse data and information by:

Organising objects or images of objects to display data and/or information.

4WS6A: Organising objects or images of objects to display data and/or information

Engaging in discussions about observations and using drawings to represent ideas. (ACSIS233)

4WS7A: Recreating observations to represent ideas

Students communicate by:

Using a range of methods to share observations and ideas such as drawing, informal and guided discussion, role play, contributing to joint construction of short texts and/or using digital technologies.

4WS8A: Using a range of methods to share observations and ideas such as eye gaze, vocalisations, gesture, body language and communication systems

Working in groups to reflect on what they found interesting, liked or disliked about what they did, what was or was not expected and what they would do differently.

4WS9A: Demonstrates a like or dislike for an event

4WS9B: Matches to sample expected activities within a familiar event

Working Technologically

Syllabus Outcome: Ste-5WT Uses a simple design process to produce solutions with identified purposes.

Syllabus Indicators

Framework indicators

Students explore and define a task by:

Identify the purpose and use of existing products, places and spaces.

5WT1.1A: Interacts with familiar products

5WT1.1B: Match to sample products

5WT1.1C: Match to sample products and their uses

Identify the purpose and use of existing products, places and spaces.

5WT1.2A: Interacts with familiar places/spaces

5WT1.2B: Match to sample places/spaces

5WT1.2C: Match to sample places/spaces and their uses

Describing their likes and dislikes of existing products, places and spaces.

5WT2.1A: Interacts with a range of familiar products

5WT2.1B: Indicates likes and dislikes for familiar products

5WT2.1C: Indicates a preference for a familiar product

Describing their likes and dislikes of existing products, places and spaces.

5WT2.2A: Interacts with a range of familiar places/spaces

5WT2.2B: Indicates likes and dislikes and shows a preference for familiar places/spaces

Discussing the purpose and main features of what they need to produce and suggesting materials they could use.

5WT3A: Match the main features of a product

5WT3B: Identifying materials to produce a product

Students develop ideas and produce solutions by:

Using play and imagination to explore possibilities of products, places and spaces.

5WT4A: Using play and imagination to explore possibilities of products, places and spaces

Following a series of steps to draw or model ideas or construct solutions.

5WT5A: Draws on a surface

5WT5B: Interacts with a product

5WT5C: Model ideas and constructs solutions around a product through trial and error

Safely using common classroom equipment, resources and techniques to shape and join familiar materials.

5WT6A: Safely using common classroom equipment, resources and techniques to shape and join familiar materials

Students evaluate by:

Recounting the steps taken to reach a final solution.

5WT7A: Recounting the steps taken to reach a final solution

Discussing their likes and dislikes in relation to what they have produced.

5WT8A: Indicates likes and dislikes in relation to what they have produced

Reflecting on what they did and the usefulness of the final solution.

5WT9A: Observes a video of the process to reach a final solution

5WT9B: Discriminates between parts needed to reach a final solution

Natural Enviroment

Syllabus Outcome: Ste-6NE Identifies that the way objects move depends on a variety of factors.

Syllabus Indicators

Framework indicators

Observes the way a variety of familiar objects move, eg sliding, rolling, spinning and bouncing on the ground.

6NE1A: Observes the way a variety of familiar objects move, eg sliding, rolling, spinning and bouncing on the ground

Identify that the way an object moves depends on its size and shape eg tennis balls and block.

6NE2A: Engages with objects that can be moved by touch

Syllabus Outcome: Ste-7NE Observes, using their senses, how daily and seasonal changes in the environment affect them and other living things.

Describes how people respond to familiar changes in their environment, eg day and night and seasonal changes.

7NE1.1A: Reacts/responds to a hot/cold stimulus

7NE1.1B: Discriminates between objects that are hot and cold

Describes how people respond to familiar changes in their environment, eg day and night and seasonal changes.

7NE1.2A: Responds to darkness

7NE1.2B: Responds to a visual representation of day/night

7NE1.2C: Discriminates between visual representations of day/night

Describes how people respond to familiar changes in their environment, eg day and night and seasonal changes.

7NE1.3A: Responds to a visual representation of summer/autumn/winter/spring

7NE1.3B: Discriminates between a visual representation of summer/autumn/winter/spring

Identify how plants and animals respond to changes in the environment eg trees losing their leaves and the thickness of animals fur.

7NE2.1A: Responds to visual representations of plants or real plants

7NE2.1B: Discriminates between representations of plants, either real or visual and non-plants

Identify how plants and animals respond to changes in the environment eg trees losing their leaves and the thickness of animals fur.

7NE2.2A: Responds to visual representations of animals

7NE2.2B: Discriminates between visual representations of animals and non-animals

Identify how plants and animals respond to changes in the environment eg trees losing their leaves and the thickness of animals fur.

7NE2.3A: Responds to visual/audio representations of changes in the environment

Syllabus Outcome: Ste-8NE Identifies the basic needs of living things.

Describe what plants and animals, including humans, need to stay alive and healthy, eg Food, water and air.

8NE1A: Responds to a real object or visual representation of what plants/animals/humans need

Identify the needs of a variety of living things in a range of situations, eg pets at home, plants in the garden or plants and animals in bush land and/or on farms.

8NE2A: Observe a variety of living things in a range of situations

Made Enviroment

Identifies that objects are made of materials that have observable properties. Ste-9ME

Syllabus Indicators

Framework indicators

Syllabus Outcome: Ste-9ME Identifies that objects are made of materials that have observable properties.

Observe, using their senses, a range of materials used to make specific objects products, places and spaces.

9ME1A: Observe, using their senses, a range of materials used to make specific objects products, places and spaces

Group a range of materials on the basis of observable properties, eg flexibility, texture, strength and colour.

9ME2A: Explores using their senses a range of materials on the basis of observable properties

Syllabus Outcome: Ste-10ME Recognise how familiar products, places and spaces are made to suit their purpose.

Explore a range of existing products, places and spaces, and discuss their likes and dislikes.

10ME1.1A: Explore using their senses a range of existing products

10ME1.1B: Indicates likes and dislikes for familiar products

10ME1.1C: Indicates a preference for familiar products

Explore a range of existing products, places and spaces, and discuss their likes and dislikes.

10ME1.2A: Explores using their senses a range of places and spaces

10ME1.2B: Indicates likes and dislikes for familiar places and spaces

Identify a variety of materials that are used in a range of existing familiar, products, places and spaces.

10ME2A: Responds to a range of materials that are used in existing familiar products

10ME2B: Interacts with a range of materials that are used in existing familiar places and spaces

Communicate their ideas about how familiar products, places and spaces work and have features that help them to be useful, eg shoulder straps, zippers, and compartments in a school bag.

10ME3A: Explores familiar products and the usefulness of the features

10ME3B: Identifies useful features of familiar products

10ME3C: Indicates that products as features make familiar places and spaces useful

Sketch or model ideas for a product, place or space and recount how their ideas suit their purpose.

10ME4A: Produce a familiar product, place or space from a model

10ME4B: Identifies the purpose of a familiar product, place or space