Yeronga State School eNewsletter

Head of Curriculum Report

Inquiry Learning

We are lucky enough to once again partner with Dr Andy Howe (YSS Parent and Research Fellow at The University of The Sunshine Coast).

Andy is running a scientific process with all Year 4 students this term to add depth to their biological science inquiry. Students will compare bird predation on butterfly (plasticine) caterpillars and gain insights on relationships between caterpillars, birds and plants in different habitat types.

Through inquiry we explore ways of building student learning capabilities. We focus on the ‘Learning Assets’ of collaboration, self-management, communication, thinking, research and contribution. Providing students with real world opportunities for research and learning application is of high importance. The following table gives an overview of year level inquiries for this term. If you have expertise in any of these areas, we would love to hear from you.

Year Level	Learning Area	What we will explore
Prep	Earth Science and Visual Arts	Weather affects us and other living things. We can describe different types of weather using scientific language. Artwork can represent and describe different types of weather and environments. We can learn how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ concepts of time and weather patterns explain how things happen in the world around us.
Year 1	Biological Science	Living things have a variety of external features. Living things live in different places where their needs are met. We can use this We can represent habitats and the interactions between animals and their environment in different ways. Exploring how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ observations of external features of living things are mimicked and replicated in traditional dance.
Year 2	Earth Science	Earth has both renewable and non-renewable resources. Earth's resources are essential for life. We are responsible for conserving Earth's resources. Pollution affects all living things.
Year 3	Physical Science	Temperature can be explained in terms of an absence or addition of heat. Heat moves from one system (object or place) to another. There are different ways of producing heat. Insulation effects the transfer of heat. Investigating the production and transfer of heat in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ methods of cooking provides insight.
Year 4	Biological Science	Human actions have impact on animal populations. Changes in weather and the environment impact animal and plant populations. Living things form part of food webs. Interactions between living things can be explored and explained as competitive or mutually beneficial.
Year 5	Chemical Science	Substances exist in different states depending on the temperature. Gases have mass and take up space. Not all substances can be easily classified based on their observable properties. Investigations can be used to identify, plan and apply the science of the elements of states of matter. Investigations are used to answer questions and solve problems. We can recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People’s knowledge and understanding of solids, liquids and gases.
Year 6	Chemical and Physical Science	Changes to materials can be reversible or irreversible. Electrical energy can be transferred and transformed in electrical circuits and can be generated from a range of sources. Some energy sources are environmentally sustainable.