Weighting: 50%

Time limit: Between 6.5 - 8.5 minutes.

Due: Friday 21st April 2023 at 11:45 PM (AEST)

Task description: Create a Pecha Kucha like presentation (20 – 25 slides with each slide lasting around 20 seconds) on one of the research topics below, applying it to your teaching of Biological or Earth and Space Sciences. You will expand on your teaching of the other Science subject in AT2. You are to include in your presentation a discussion how you will teach this subject (Either Biological or Earth and Space Sciences) authentically, justifying this teaching with a discussion on the pedagogical approach you have used. Your discussion on your teaching will include a brief outline of a mini unit you will be teaching and a devoted discussion on two lessons from the mini unit. You are encouraged to work collaboratively and get inspiration for your teaching by adapting lessons from high quality online sources. You are to include in your presentation a discussion on how you plan to incorporate the intercultural understandings’ general capability and digital tools in your lessons.

Research Topics (Choose one):

• Play-based science learning. A range of pedagogical approaches discussed in the Early Years Learning Framework (V.2.0) use an emergent curriculum and the environment as another teacher. Drawing from your mini unit, present a researched argument to support the claim that play based learning is beneficial to developing deeper, authentic science understandings in today’s early childhood science classrooms. You are encouraged to use drawings, sketches or photos of centers as part of your presentation to help elaborate on the kinds of learning experiences that the students will encounter.

• The world is complex and ever changing – each day what counts as knowledge is challenged by new knowledge and process considerations. Using your selected mini unit outline, present a researched argument to support the claim that authentic guided inquiry-based learning is the keystone to developing deeper science understandings in today’s science classrooms.
• Drawing from your two mini units, discuss and justify how you can teach science authentically applying STEM or STEAM integrated lessons. In your discussion you should show why STEM or STEAM education is becoming increasingly important in Schools.
• Communicating science using narrative techniques can be valuable and enhance children’s engagement. Drawing from your teaching mini units explain and justify how narrative and storytelling can be used to add richness to children’s learning in the mini units you have selected. Be sure that you make links to research to justify your position.

A Possible Structure for your Pecha Kucha Could be as follows:

Slide 1 – Introduction to your chosen topic and a discussion on the research.

Slides 2, 3 and 4 – Discussion on the Australian Curriculum Science three inter-related strands.

Slides 5 -8 – Discussion on mini unit (Biological Sciences or Earth and Space Sciences)

Slide 9-11 – Discussion on lessons and digital tools used

Slide 12-15 – Discussion on the integration of intercultural understanding in your lessons.

Slide 16 – 18 Discussion and justification for teaching science authentically.

Slides 19-21 – Discussion and justification for the use the pedagogical approach chosen in your lessons.

Slide 22 – Conclusion

You are required to submit your script for your presentation as a word or PDF document (which will have a cover page with your name, student number, YouTube link and also reference list at the bottom) along with an accessible link to your video and the PowerPoint presentation. Be sure to make your YouTube as "Unlisted" and not has private. 

Quality and depth of content for a chosen science education issue (from the research topics list) using authoritative sources such as journal articles.

Ability to practically incorporate findings from research topic and make clear connections with your future teaching as discussed in your mini unit. 

Demonstrated practical knowledge and understanding of the Australian Curriculum (Science).

Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the inter-cultural understanding general capability as given in the Australian Curriculum and its relevance to the research topic and mini unit.

Weighting: 50%

Word limit: 3000 words

Due: Friday 2nd June 2023 at 11:45 PM (AEST)

Task Description:

You will a set of at least four task cards that will engage students a range of authentic guided scientific inquiries. At least two task cards need to involve the students learning outside the classroom. You are to use the unit’s readings, the Australian Curriculum, Science, and your own research to provide a justification for this kind of learning in science. You will provide a discussion on at least two pedagogical approaches in Part C of this submission which will be directly and clearly linked to your lesson sequence in Part B. If you chose to complete AT1 discussing your teaching of Biological Science, then this response needs to be on the teaching of Earth and Space Sciences. Your task cards, which act as a scaffold for student work and thinking, should show your engagement with, and practical understanding of the subject you will be teaching.

There are three components to this task is given below by way of a scaffold.

Part A: Introduction, overview, and task cards

In your introduction, you will provide a context for your use of the task cards and lessons. Your task cards should be clear and easy to follow and use language that is appropriate to the grade level you will be teaching. These task cards act as a scaffold to help to guide student thinking and work. If you are teaching in an Early Childhood setting, you are encouraged to draw from the Early Years Learning Framework V.2.0 as well.

An example of the task cards activities could be as follows:

· Create a small drama showing the interactions between animals and plants in a natural environment.

· Create an animation of the life of a plant or animal.

· Using a magnifying glass, your iPad or the digital microscope, complete a labelled digital poster outlining the parts of a leaf, plant or insect.

· Create your own eco-system in a jar or box which will allow an insect to survive.

· Record the changes to an eco-system over time and make predictions on how these changes will impact on the life of the plant or animal living in that eco-system.

· Design and build a herb garden that you can use at home, using recycled materials and potting mix which your teacher will provide.

· Create an illustrated storyboard on the life of a plant or animal.

Part B: The lesson sequence 

Now that you have completed your task cards, you need to describe how you will move around the groups as the teacher in helping the students understand the scientific phenomena they are engaging with. Your lesson overview should be in point form and be clearly linked to the pedagogical approaches you discussed below.

Given that you have four task cards, you will usually need at least two lessons to rotate all students through these stations. Therefore, your lesson sequence should contain a minimum of two lessons. 

Part C: Justification for teaching outdoors and for your pedagogical approaches used

Draw from the literature in providing a justification for your lessons’ pedagogical approaches and teaching this subject outdoors. You are strongly encouraged to draw from the course readings.

You are encouraged to work collaboratively in developing your lesson ideas and task cards, however your submission should be in your own words.

• Selection and appropriate use of teaching strategies and resources that support the processes of working scientifically.

• Design and technical functionality of the task cards.

• Ability to access, understand and apply high quality research and the Australian Curriculum to future teaching.