HASS 4.A year bundle – Units 4.1-4.4

Description

Year bundle containing all components of HASS/Science Year 4 units 4.1 to 4.4

Teacher handbook with complete lesson plans, curriculum mapping and assessment guide, student workbook and model answers, plus all the resource PDFs for

• HASS + Science: Understanding Our World
• Year 4
• Minimum time allocation of one hour per week. Extensions are provided for up to 2.5 hours a week.

Unit 4.1: “Ancient Explorers: Ice Age travellers, the settlement of Australia”

This unit introduces students to the Ice Age environment and how it differed from today. Changes in climate as well as animals and sea level are discussed. The movement of modern humans out of Africa early in the Ice Age and their spread around the world is explained. Students are encouraged to envisage the Ice Age environment in Australia and to understand how Ice Age conditions both helped and hindered people in reaching Australia. At the same time movements of people into Asia, the Americas and Europe are introduced, which provides background for understanding later explorations covered in later units.

Students examine the Origins of Agriculture. The Trade and Barter Activity covers curriculum strands from History, Geography, as well as Economics and Business.

Students are introduced to Landmarks in Australia and around the world with the Aunt Madge’s Suitcase Activity and finally they are introduced to basic concepts of democracy by comparing Ancient Greek democracy with modern Australian democracy. This also provides an introduction to a more in-depth examination of these issues a later unit. Basic information from the Civics and Citizenship Curriculum is introduced.

Unit 4.2: “Exploring Africa and South America”

In this unit students examine explorations of Africa and South America. An initial examination of non-European explorers in Africa provides context for the role of the European explorers. The explorers covered in this unit include a range of European explorers, from Portugal, Spain and England. Students examine the geography of Africa and South America, as well as some of their societies and indigenous peoples. Conditions in Europe, including Britain, are discussed. Students can examine the conditions in 18 th century England, which may have led to the establishment of penal colonies in Australia – this looks ahead to material in later units.

The environments of Africa and South America are covered and students consider environmental impact in both historic and modern contexts. Students also examine the extinct animals of North America as part of the consideration of environmental impact. Students are introduced to primary and secondary sources. The core of this unit is a research topic by students which covers a range of aspects related to their chosen explorer. This research topic provides in-depth information, whilst the combination of all the students’ research gives a broad overview to the whole class.

Unit 4.3: “Origins of Australia”

This unit investigates Australia from the Ice Age to the mid-19th century. The Aboriginal settlement of Australia and the impact of European colonialism are key foci of this unit. Students examine the different perspectives on the arrival of Europeans as experienced by Aboriginal people, the European convicts, settlers and colonial authorities. The changes to the Australian environment after European settlement are also covered briefly. Australia’s interactions with other nations in the period up to the 19th century is also covered in this unit. Students will undertake a guided Scientific Investigation to examine an aspect of life in Australia in the 19th century. The Scientific Investigation will introduce students to the Scientific Process and how conclusions are drawn from examinations of data. Students will use this process to undertake a research project on a relevant theme.

A student workbook is also provided for the students to fill in during this unit. This workbook, as well as the research project, students’ discussions in class and participation in the activities, forms the assessment for this unit.

Unit 4.4: “Shaping the Future – Diversity and Technology”

This unit examines diversity in Australian society, whilst linking it to issues around technology and environmental sustainability. There is also a focus on the Australian democratic process, with a mini election, and Australia’s contribution to global democracy. In parallel, the optional Science activity has students grow a plant, recording conditions influencing its development. The growth of the plant is linked to the diversity theme by looking at the cultural meaning of different plants and their connections to Australia’s communities. This Science activity also links to the sustainability theme of this unit. The unit ends with a celebration of diversity, which students plan and develop as part of their class work, which can be run as a class party, if the teacher so decides.

Multi-Year Level Integration