20368_Science_a_STEM_approach_Foundation_Biological_Sciences_Living_things_have_needs

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Science: A STEM approach (Foundation) 

Published by R.I.C. Publications ® 2017 

Copyright © R.I.C. Publications ® 2017 

RIC–20368 

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This material is reproduced with the permission of ACARA. 

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ii 

Science: YEAR 

R.I.C. Publications® – www.ricpublications.com.au 

A STEM APPROACH 

F

Introduction ............................................................ iv 

Unit description ................................................ iv – vi 

Biological sciences: 

Living things have needs............................... 1–36 

Overview ......................................................... 2–3 

Lesson 1 .......................................................... 4–7 

Lesson 2 ........................................................ 8–11 

Lesson 3 ..................................................... 12–15 

Lesson 4 ..................................................... 16–19 

Lesson 5 ..................................................... 20–21 

Lesson 6 ..................................................... 22–25 

Assessment ................................................ 26–28 

STEM project ............................................. 29–36 

Chemical sciences: 

Materials have properties .......................... 37–72 

Overview .................................................... 38–39 

Lesson 1 ..................................................... 40–43 

Lesson 2 ..................................................... 44–47 

Lesson 3 ..................................................... 48–49 

Lesson 4 ..................................................... 50–53 

Lesson 5 ..................................................... 54–57 

Lesson 6 ..................................................... 58–60 

Assessment ................................................ 61–62 

STEM project ............................................. 63–72 

Foreword 

Science: A STEM approach (Foundation to Year 6) is a series of books written with the intent to support 

Australian Curriculum Science while offering a way to introduce a STEM project based on the science 

concepts taught. 

All Science Understanding and Science Inquiry Skills for each unit are included, and any connecting 

Technologies or Mathematics curriculum concepts are also incorporated. 

The STEM project allows students to apply the science knowledge and understanding, and includes 

any curriculum links to Technologies and Mathematics curriculum. 

If you would like us to feature your completed STEM projects on our website, please 

email a photograph, video or audio of the project to 

. 

If you would like to view completed STEM projects and get some inspiration, please 

go to . 

Contents 

Earth and space sciences: 

Daily and seasonal changes .................... 73–112 

Overview .................................................... 74–75 

Lesson 1 ..................................................... 76–79 

Lesson 2 ..................................................... 80–83 

Lesson 3 ..................................................... 84–87 

Lesson 4 ..................................................... 88–91 

Lesson 5 ..................................................... 92–95 

Lesson 6 ................................................... 96–100 

Assessment ............................................ 101–102 

STEM project ......................................... 103–112 



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Physical sciences: 

How things move ................................... 113–145 

Overview ................................................ 114–115 

Lesson 1 ................................................. 116–119 

Lesson 2 ................................................. 120–123 

Lesson 3 ................................................. 124–127 

Lesson 4 ................................................. 128–131 

Lesson 5 ................................................. 132–133 

Lesson 6 ................................................. 134–136 

Assessment ............................................ 137–138 

STEM project ......................................... 139–145 


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Science: 


iii

Introduction 

What is STEM? 

In a nutshell, STEM is the integration of science, 

technologies, engineering and mathematics 

concepts using project-based and cooperative 

learning. Educators have been integrating learning 

areas since the beginning of time, so although the 

idea behind STEM is not new, this series hopes 

to make it easier for you to execute learning 

integration in the classroom. 

The Australian Government, and governments around the world, have placed a high priority on 

STEM skills. The future workforce will require current students to be creative and critical thinkers who 

can collaborate and design solutions to problems. The skills utilised in STEM have never been more 

valued. 

STEM education aims to prepare students for the roles of the future with skills such as innovation, 

creativity, reasoning, problem-solving, and technical science skills such as questioning, observing, 

systematic experimentation, and analysis and interpretation of data. 

Format of this book 

This series focuses on delivering a comprehensive and contemporary science program, culminating in 

a STEM project which applies the scientific knowledge acquired during the science lessons. The series 

incorporates the use of online resources, digital devices and iPad® applications where appropriate, in 

order to enhance the use of technology in the classroom. 

The units 

The science units are organised by sub-strand—Biological sciences, Chemical sciences, Earth and 

space sciences and Physical sciences. At the start of each sub-strand unit, keywords, a unit overview 

and curriculum scope and sequence are provided, as shown below. 

Each unit contains a term’s worth of work with 5–7 lessons, a summative assessment of the science 

knowledge with teacher notes, and a STEM project. 

Unit overview 



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Title page Unit overview Curriculum scope and 

sequence 

iv 




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Unit description 

Lessons 

The lessons are based on science knowledge and skills. The lessons contain a page of teacher notes, 

outlining the inquiry questions, science strands and any links to technologies and mathematics 

concepts, followed by a suggested lesson plan. Any resource sheets required for the lesson follow on. 

Teacher notes Lesson plan Resource sheets 

Assessment 

A teacher page is provided, outlining the assessment indicators and answers for the following 

assessment page(s). The assessment page(s) covers the science knowledge explored in the previous 

lessons. 



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Teacher notes 

Assessment page(s) 


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v

Unit description 

STEM project 

The STEM project provides students with the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the 

previous science lessons while incorporating technologies, engineering and mathematics concepts 

where possible. The project entails group collaboration and an extended learning period of 

3–4 weeks. This gives students a real-life experience of working with ‘colleagues’ to share ideas 

and test designed solutions. Each STEM project contains an overview listing STEM concepts and 

alternative project ideas, curriculum links, teacher notes and a group assessment rubric, and a project 

brief and checklist for students. Any resource sheets required are also provided, as well as a selfassessment 

sheet. 

STEM project overview and 

STEM curriculum links 

Teacher notes 

Student brief 



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Project steps 

Resource sheets 

Self-assessment and 

Group assessment rubric 

vi 




F

Biological sciences 

LIVING THINGS HAVE NEEDS 

living things 

non-living things 

Keywords 

survive 

food 

warmth 



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shelter 

humans 

nutrients 

space 

plants 

animals 

needs 

wants 

water 

air 

sleep 

protection 

soil 

sunlight 


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1

Unit overview 



Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002) 

Pages 

Lesson 1 

What basic needs do 

all living things have in 

common? 

Lesson 2 

What do humans need? 

Lesson 3 

What do other animals need? 

Lesson 4 

What do plants need? 

Lesson 5 

What happens if a plant’s 

needs are not met? 

Lesson 6 

What happens if humans’ 

and animals’ needs are 

not met? 

Summative assessment 


Make a home for a parrot 

Students engage in a school walk to identify living and 

non-living things. They explore the difference between 

living and non-living things in order to identify what all 

living things, including plants, humans and other animals, 

need to survive—food/nutrients, air and water. 

Students explore the specific needs of humans and 

identify the difference between our needs and our wants. 

They explore what is meant by the term ‘protection’ in 

relation to our needs (clothing, shelter, warmth, safety) 

and create a booklet to explain how they meet their five 

basic needs. 

Students explore the needs of animals, including air, 

food, water, sleep and protection and compare these 

needs to the needs of humans to find similarities and 

differences. They briefly discover who is responsible for 

taking care of the needs of animals at home, on a farm, 

in a zoo or in the wild and explain how wild animals meet 

their needs. 

Students explore the needs of plants, including air, 

sunlight, water, soil and space. They conduct an 

experiment to grow a radish from a seed and then use a 

presentation application on an iPad ® to draw the needs of 

their plant and explain how they will cater for its needs. 

Students will need to provide ongoing care to their 

radish to ensure its needs are met. 

Students reflect on how well they catered for their plant’s 

needs and record their observations on a sheet of paper. 

Students participate in an interactive online activity to 

explore what happens if plants’ needs are not met and 

discuss who is responsible for taking care of plants at 

home, at school and in the wild. 

Students draw on prior experiences to predict what 

happens when humans’ and other animals’ needs are 

not met. They reflect on their individual needs to decide 

what need is not being met in each of the given images 

and draw images to meet this need. Students then play 

an interactive game created by RSPCA to help different 

pets get their needs. 



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Students explain their knowledge of the needs of living 

things. They explain how knowing the needs of living 

things helps us to care for plants in the garden and 

animals at home. 

Students create a home for a parrot out of recycled 

materials. They must ensure they provide for the parrot's 

needs when designing and creating their bird home. 

4–7 

8–11 

12–15 

16–19 

20–21 

22–25 

26–28 

29–36 

2 



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Unit overview 

Curriculum scope and sequence 

SCIENCE UNDERSTANDING 

Lesson 

1 2 3 4 5 6 Assessment 

Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 

SCIENCE AS A HUMAN ENDEAVOUR 

Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, 

objects and events (ACSHE013) 

SCIENCE INQUIRY SKILLS 

Questioning and predicting 

STEM 

project 

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 

Pose and respond to questions about familiar objects and events (ACSIS014) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 

Planning and conducting 

Participate in guided investigations and make observations using the senses 

(ACSIS011) 

Processing and analysing data and information 

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 

Engage in discussions about observations and represent ideas (ACSIS233) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 

Communicating 

Share observations and ideas (ACSIS012) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 



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3

Lesson 1 



Teacher notes 

Science inquiry focus: 

What basic needs do all living things have in common? 

Science Inquiry Skills: 

• Questioning and predicting QP 

• Planning and conducting PC 

• Processing and analysing data and information PA 

• Communicating 

C 

Science as a Human Endeavour: 

• Students learn how to identify living from non-living things 

in the environments they encounter in their everyday lives. 

Technology/Engineering/Mathematics links: 

• viewing digital texts including images and videos 

• playing an interactive game online 

• recording information in a table 

Background information 

• Living things have characteristics that distinguish 

them from non-living things. Living things grow, move, 

respond to stimuli, reproduce and are dependent on 

their environment. These characteristics are explored by 

students in detail in Year 3. 

• In Foundation level, most students would suggest that 

living things grow and move. Some may suggest that they 

reproduce/have babies. This is sufficient at this level. 

• All living things, including humans, plants and other 

animals, have basic needs. While these needs vary slightly 

among each, the common needs are air, food and water. 

Meeting these physical needs allows the living thing to 

move and grow. 

• Other needs that vary among living things include: shelter, 

protection, love, clothing/coverings, correct environmental 

conditions, soil and sunlight. These will be explored in 

later lessons. 

• For more information about teaching the concept of living 

things, go to . 

Assessment focus: 

• Use page 7 as a diagnostic 

assessment of the student’s 

knowledge of living and nonliving 

things and the three basic 

needs of all living things. 

• Make observational notes of the 

student’s ability to answer the 

two communicating questions 

in the Reflection section. 

Resources 

• Digital cameras 

• One copy of page 6 to 

display on the interactive 

whiteboard 

• One copy of page 7 for 

each student or each group 

• Online image—Basic 

needs of all living things 

at 

• Online song—'Living and 

non-living things' at 



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4 Science: 


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Lesson 1 

Lesson plan 

Introduction: 

1. As a class, conduct a school walk to find living and non-living things. Students, or an adult, can take 

digital photographs of the living and non-living things found in the school grounds. These may be 

displayed on a poster for future reference. Students think about and explain why they think each 

thing identified is living or non-living. QP 

Development: 

2. Using page 6, display the T-chart to show examples of living and non-living things. Using a think-pairshare, 

students answer the questions What makes something a living thing? What needs do all living 

things have in common to help them live? On a large piece of paper, write students' ideas. QP 

3. Individually or in small groups, students look at the images of living and non-living things on 

page 7 and draw a tick or cross in each box to identify the needs of each thing. Students review 

their checklist to identify the common needs of humans, plants and animals and complete the 

sentence, ‘All living things need ...’ Note: The specific needs of each type of living thing will be 

explored in later lessons. PC 

Differentiation 

• Less capable students may work together with an adult’s assistance to complete the checklist. 

• More capable students should be encouraged to write or draw as many living things as they can 

think of on the back of page 7. 

4. As a class, choose some students to share the sentence they wrote on page 7. Write the common 

needs on the whiteboard—food, water and air. 

5. Display the image of the three basic needs of all living things at . 

Students compare their sentence with the three needs shown in the image to determine if they 

were correct. PA 

6. Explain that all living things must have access to food, water and air to survive. If they don’t meet 

these needs, they may get sick. 

Reflection: 

7. Listen to a song about living and non-living things at . This song 

outlines the basic needs of a living thing. 

8. Using a think-pair-share or class discussion, students answer the questions How can we tell if 

something is living or non-living? and What are the basic needs of all living things? C 



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5

Lesson 1 

Living thing 



Non-living thing 

09:00 AM 



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Lesson 1 

Is it a 

living 

thing? 

Does it 

need air? 

Is it living? 

Does it 

need food 

or nutrients? 

Does it 

need water? 

Does it 

need 

sunlight? 

Does it 

need 

shelter? 

Does it 

need soil? 



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Human 

Car 

Plant 

Dog 

Book 

Fish 

Tree 

Teddy bear 

All living things need ________________________________________________________________. 


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7

Lesson 2 



Teacher notes 


What do humans need? 






C 


• Students reflect on their own lives to identify their needs 

from their wants and examine how they meet their basic 

needs at home. 


• playing an interactive game online 

• following a series of steps to create a simple circle booklet 


• All living things have basic needs, which vary slightly 

among humans, plants and animals. The common needs 

are air, food and water. Meeting these physical needs 

allows a living thing to move, grow and reproduce. 

• As well as air, food and water, humans and other animals 

also need sleep and protection from environmental 

conditions. For most humans, protection comes in the 

form of clothing and shelter that allows them to stay safe 

and maintain a healthy body temperature. For this reason, 

warmth and temperature are often included as basic 

needs. 

• Humans and some animals have physical, social and 

emotional needs. Their physical needs are basic needs 

that help them to survive. Social and emotional needs 

are those that give humans a sense of belonging and 

connection to the people and places they encounter, such 

as love and relationships. 

• A famous theorist, Abraham Maslow, developed a hierachy 

of human needs. This demonstrates that physical needs 

must be met before any other need. For more information 

on Maslow’s hierachy of needs, go to . 


• Make observations about 

the student’s ability to make 

predictions that are related to 

the question and their ability 

to compare the definitions 

of needs and wants to their 

predictions. 

• Use the circle booklets as a 

formative assessment of the 

student’s knowledge of how 

they meet their five basic needs 

at home. 

Resources 

• Online interactive 

game—Plants and 

animals at 

• One A3 piece of paper 

• Watch the online video, 

—Needs vs wants at 

• One A3 copy of page 10. 

Each poster may be 

coloured in, cut out and 

laminated to display in the 

classroom (optional) 


each student. The booklet 

may be cut out prior to 

the lesson to save time, if 

required 



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Lesson 2 

Lesson plan 

Introduction 

1. As a class, display the interactive activity at and choose students to 

click on a living thing in the scene to take a photograph. Students explain their reasoning behind 

each choice in terms of its basic needs. Alternatively, students can brainstorm living things and 

explain their needs orally. 

Development: 

2. As a class, ask students What do humans need to survive? Do they need more than just food, air 

and water? Brainstorm things that humans need to survive and write students’ ideas on an A3 piece 

of paper to create a poster. Note: Add all ideas regardless of whether if they are a need or a want. 

Leave space at the bottom of the page to write a few sentences about humans wants and needs at 

the end of the lesson. QP 

3. Watch the online video Needs vs wants at . Alternatively, display the 

posters on page 10 to show examples of wants and needs. Using a think-pair-share, students 

answer the questions What is a need? and What is a want? PA 

4. Review the list of needs written on the ‘What do humans need to survive?' poster and put a cross 

through any that students think are wants, not needs. Discuss that as humans we have five basic 

needs—air, food, water, sleep and protection. Write these key words on the whiteboard. PA 

5. Individually, students reflect on how they meet their five basic needs and present them using the 

circle booklet template on page 11. Students cut around the outside of the whole booklet. 

Note: Booklets may be cut by adult helpers prior to the lesson, if required. Students turn their 

booklet over and copy the five basic needs from the whiteboard–air, food, water, sleep and 

protection. Students fold each circle inwards to create a booklet. When this is complete, students 

open one circle at a time and draw images on the inside of each circle to show how they meet each 

particular need in their lives. PC PA 


• Less capable students can have the booklet prepared for them with the five needs written on the 

outside. Adult helpers can assist students to think of how they meet their needs at home. 

• More capable students should be encouraged to write a short sentence about how they meet 

their needs inside each circle. For example, inside the shelter circle students may write, I live in 

a house. 

6. When the circle booklets are completed, select students to share their pages with the class. C 



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Reflection: 

7. As a class, reflect on what humans want and need by referring to the A3 poster created in the 

development. At the bottom of the page, write the sentence starters Humans need ... and Humans 

want ... Ask students to name the things that humans need to survive and name some examples 

of our wants to complete the sentences. Note: Keep this poster accessible or on display for later 

lessons. C 


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9

Lesson 2 



SHELTER 

CLOTHING 

BOOKS 

NEEDS 

SLEEP 

AIR 

Things I MUST 

have to live. 

WANTS 

LOLLIES 

SUNLIGHT 

WATER 

GAMES 

FOOD 



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Things I WANT but 

don’t need to live. 

TOYS 

PETS 

CAR 



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Lesson 2 

'Humans need ...' circle booklet 



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11

Lesson 3 



Teacher notes 


What do other animals need? 






C 


• Students think about animals they have observed in their daily 

lives to investigate how animals meet their needs. 


• viewing digital texts, including videos and online songs 

• sorting information cards into undefined categories 


• All animals, including humans, have five basic needs: air, 

food, water, sleep and protection from environmental 

conditions. Wild animals also require protection from 

predators and human impacts. 

• Domesticated animals such as pets, farm animals and zoo 

animals have some or all of their needs provided for by 

humans. Wild animals meet their needs by themselves. 

• How animals meet their needs: 

Food—Animals use various feeding behaviours such as 

hunting, grazing or scavenging to find sources of food. 

Water—Animals seek water from various water sources 

such as rivers or lakes. Some animals obtain all of their 

water from their food. 

Air—Animals breathe air in different ways. Some have 

lungs and breathe like humans. Others extract air from 

water bodies. 

Sleep—Animals sleep at different times of the day and in 

different ways. Some animals, like sharks, continue to 

move while they are sleeping. Others hibernate for long 

periods of time. 

Protection—Animals build, find or fight for space/shelter. 

They also need features and behaviours that help them 

protect themselves against predators. 


• Monitor students' contributions 

to the animal needs matching 

game to ensure all students are 

contributing to the answers. 

• Use page 15 as a formative 

assessment of the student’s 

knowledge about the needs 

of animals. 

Resources 

• A3 poster of human needs 

created in Lesson 2 

• One copy of the animal 

needs cards on page 14 

for each student or group. 

These must be cut out and 

shuffled prior to the lesson 

• Online video—Animal needs 

at 


each student 

• Online song—'The needs of 

an animal' at 



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Lesson 3 

Lesson plan 

Introduction: 

1. Using a think-pair-share, ask students to discuss the questions What are the five basic human 

needs? and How do you meet each need? Students share their answers with the class and then 

re-read the sentences from the A3 poster of human needs created during Lesson 2, such as 

‘Humans need air, food, water, sleep and protection’. 

Development: 

2. As a class, ask students: What do animals need to survive? Do they have different needs to humans? 

Write students’ suggestions on the whiteboard. QP 

3. Individually or in small groups, give each student a copy of the pre-cut and shuffled cards from 

page 14. Students choose a pet shelter card and guess which pet they think it belongs to. Students 

then see if they can match the food and the water source to the pet they think lives in that shelter. 

For example, if a student chooses the aviary, they may think the animal is a bird. They then choose 

the birdseed and the water bowl that a bird would use. Students repeat the activity until all cards 

have been used. PC 

4. Students share the five animals they think each of these needs belong to. Who is responsible for 

making sure these pets get their needs? Who is responsible for making sure the animals on a farm 

or in a zoo have their needs met? How do wild animals meet their needs? PA 

5. Watch the online video Animal needs at to see how different animals 

meet their needs. PA 

6. Provide each student with a copy of page 15 to write and draw about a familiar wild animal of their 

choice. Students need to draw their wild animal sleeping and its shelter, food and water. Explain 

that air is all around us and is hard to draw. For this reason, identify a symbol such as blue wavy 

lines to represent wind. Note: A selection of nonfiction books about wild animals may be provided 

to ensure information is correct. QP PA 


• Less capable students should be encouraged to view books or online images of their wild 

animal and may have the sentence scribed for them. 

• More capable students should be encouraged to choose a less familiar wild animal and research 

information about how it meets its needs. 

Reflection: 

7. Select some students to share their completed copy of page 15, explaining the needs of their 

animal. C 

8. As a class, listen to the song 'The needs of an animal' at to reinforce 

four of the five basic needs of animals—food, water, air and shelter (protection). 



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13

Lesson 3 



shelter 

shelter 

shelter 

food 

food 

food 

water 

water 

water 



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shelter 

food 

water 

shelter 

food 

water 



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Lesson 3 

Wild animals 

The wild animal I chose is a . 

Draw your wild animal sleeping. Draw its food, water and home. 



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My animal needs 

. 


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15

Lesson 4 



Teacher notes 








C 


• Students learn how to take care of plants and provide 

for their needs by growing a radish from a seed. 


• using the ShowMe app to explain how they provided for 

the needs of their radish plant 

• explaining why particular needs have been grouped 

together to identify which living thing the needs are for 


• Plants include trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, 

fruit-bearing plants, vines and ferns. 

• All plants have five basic needs that differ slightly 

from animals. Plants need air, sunlight, water, soil 

and space to grow and reproduce. 

• How plants meet their needs: 

Air—Plants absorb the carbon dioxide from the air 

through their leaves. 

Sunlight—Plants absorb sunlight through their 

leaves. 

Water—Plants absorb water through their roots. 

Soil—Plants anchor themselves to the ground and 

absorb nutrients from the soil using their roots. 

Space—Plants have various seed dispersal 

methods for finding a place of their own. Plants 

with limited space will compete for nutrients and 

the weaker plant will not survive. 

• Unlike animals, plants create their own food through 

photosynthesis. Plants take carbon dioxide from the 

air, the sunlight and the water and convert these 

nutrients into glucose, which the plant uses to grow 

and produce oxygen, which it emits back into the 

environment. 


• Use the ShowMe app presentation to 

assess the student’s understanding of 

the needs of plants. 

• Use observational notes to monitor the 

student’s ability to participate in guided 

investigations, including following 

instructions, using tools and materials 

safely and resourcefully, and engaging 

in discussions about the investigation. 

Resources 

• One copy of page 18 for display 

on the interactive whiteboard 

• Online song–'The needs of a 

plant' at 

• One copy of page 19 for display 

on the interactive whiteboard 

• One large plastic cup for each 

student or each group. These will 

need small drainage holes in the 

bottom 



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• Three-quarters of a cup of soil 

for each student or each group 

• Water spray bottles for the class 

to share 

• One sunny area to place 

the cups 

• Two radish seeds for each 

student or each group 

• One iPad® for each student 

• Online video–How a seed grows 

at 



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Lesson 4 

Lesson plan 

Introduction: 

1. Display the T-chart on page 18. Students look at the needs in the yes column and compare them 

to the needs in the no column, before deciding which living thing has the needs shown in the yes 

column. Students name the five needs of plants, including water, soil, light, space and air. Q P 

2. As a class, listen to the song 'The needs of a plant' at to reinforce 

the five basic needs of plants. 

Development: 

3. Individually or in small groups, students conduct an experiment to grow radishes. Follow the simple 

step-by-step instructions on page 19 to conduct the experiment. Questions have been provided on 

page 19 to guide the investigation. Note: Remind students to write their name on their plastic cup 

so they can remember which plant is theirs. Students will also need to provide ongoing care to their 

radish every day to ensure its needs are met. This should be conducted with little guidance so that 

students have to think of the plant's needs. PC 

4. After the radish seeds have been planted and placed in a sunny position, students use the ShowMe 

app on an iPad® to create a video. Students take a photograph of their planted radish seeds using 

the app and draw the five needs of a plant around the outside of the photograph. Students can 

then create a voiceover to describe how they provided for their plant’s needs. 

Note: If resources are limited, students can draw a picture of their planted radish seeds and write a 

sentence about the needs of a plant. PA C 


• Less capable students may create a short video using the camera on the iPad® if they are 

unfamiliar with the ShowMe app. Students may also be given prompts to encourage them to 

think of the plants' needs. For example, ‘We breathe this into our lungs’ or 'Seeds are buried in 

this’. 

• More capable students should be encouraged to label each need as well as drawing the 

images. Students may also be encouraged to find out what a radish is. 

Reflection: 

5. Using a think-pair-share, students discuss the questions How do you think your seed will grow? 

What will happen first, second, third ...? QP 

6. Watch the online video How a seed grows at . PA 



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Lesson 4 



Concept attainment 

Yes 

No 

The needs in the Yes column help which of these living things 

survive?©R.I.C. Publications 


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Lesson 4 

Materials 

• 1 large plastic cup with drainage holes 

• 3 4 cup of soil 

• 2 radish seeds 

• Access to a water sprayer 

• Access to a sunny position 

Procedure 

1. Get the materials. 

2. Place soil in the cup. 

3. Put the seeds on top 

of the soil. 

4. Push the seeds into the 

soil using your finger. 

Stop when you can't 

see your fingernail. 

5. Cover the seed with soil. 

6. Place the cup in a 

sunny position. 

Grow a radish! 

Why do you think 

plants need soil? 

Where do you think 

we should position 

our plants? 

How often do you 

think we should 

water our plants? 



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7. Spray the soil with water 

until it is damp but not wet. 

8. Check your plant's 

needs daily. 

Which part of the 

plant do you think 

will appear above 

the soil first? 


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Lesson 5 



Teacher notes 


What happens if plant’s needs are not met? 






C 


• Students make observations about the growth of their 

radish and investigate who is responsible for taking care of 

plants. 


• using mathematical language to compare the growth of 

radishes and to instruct adding more or less water to the 

plant in the interactive activity 

• participating in an interactive activity online 


• Plants include trees, flowers, herbs, bushes, grasses, 

fruit-bearing plants, vines and ferns. 

• All plants have five basic needs that differ slightly from 

animals. Plants need air, sunlight, water, soil and space 

to grow and reproduce. 

• Unlike animals, plants create their own food through 

photosynthesis. Plants take carbon dioxide from the air, 

the sunlight and the water and convert these nutrients 

into glucose, which the plant uses to grow and produce 

oxygen, which it emits back into the environment. 

• When a plant’s needs are not met, it becomes sick just 

like an animal. Its physical appearance changes. Its 

leaves may wilt, turn yellow or shed, or it may develop 

spots of rot. 

• Different plants require different amounts of air, water, 

sunlight, soil and space. This is because plants have 

adapted to grow in different conditions. Some plants 

can survive without soil at all, such as air plants, and 

some share the same space, such as vines around a tree 

in a rainforest. It is important when choosing plants to 

check their individual needs. 


• Use the student’s drawing and 

their two sentences to assess their 

observation and recording skills. 

Resources 

• Access to the radishes 

planted in Lesson 4 

• Blank piece of paper for 

each student 

• Online interactive activity– 

Growing plants at 



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Lesson 5 

Lesson plan 

Introduction: 

1. As a class, revise the radish growing experiment from Lesson 4. What plant did we grow? What are 

the five basic needs of plants? How did we make sure the plant’s needs were met? C 

Development: 

2. Select the radish that grew the most and the radish that grew the least. As a class, model a sentence 

to compare the two radishes. For example, Student A’s radish is taller than Student B’s radish. Write 

the words 'taller', 'shorter', 'bigger' and 'smaller' on the whiteboard. 

3. On a piece of paper, students record their observations by drawing an image of their radish plant. 

Students then write two sentences to compare the size of their radish growth to other students. 

For example, 'My radish was taller than ...' and 'My radish was shorter than ...' Note: These sentence 

starters may be written on the whiteboard for students to complete if required. PC PA 


• Less capable students may orally compare the size of their radish to that of other students and 

have an adult complete the sentences. 

• More capable students should be encouraged to write a sentence about whether they think 

their radish had its needs met and why. 

4. In pairs, students tell their partner if they think their radish had its needs met or not, giving 

reference to the size of the plant. For example, I think my plant did have its needs met as it 

grew tall and had leaves, or I think my plant did not have its needs met because it only grew 

a little. P A 

5. Using a think-pair-share, students answer the questions What happens to plants that don’t have 

their needs met? Do they get sick? Q P 

6. Display the interactive activity Growing plants at . Read the 

instructions at the top of the interactive activity and choose individual students to have a go at 

completing each step. The remainder of the class should be encouraged to tell the student when 

the water level is getting too high or too low by calling out ‘more water' or 'less water’. Allow the 

plant to grow weak by not providing for its needs. Discuss what the plant looks like when it doesn’t 

have its needs met. What other signs tell us that plants’ needs are not being met? PC PA 

Reflection: 

7. As a class, discuss who is responsible for taking care of plants in different places. Who was 

responsible for taking care of your radish? Who is responsible for taking care of the plants in the 

garden at home, at school or in the bushland? Q P 

8. What needs do all of the plants in the garden at home, at school and in the bushland have and what 

happens if their needs are not met? PA C 



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21

Lesson 6 



Teacher notes 


What happens if humans’ and animals' needs are not met? 


• Questioning and predicting Q P 




C 


• Students discover how they can take care of their needs 

and the needs of pets at home. 


• participating in an interactive online activity 


• All animals, including humans, have five basic 

needs: air, food, water, sleep and protection from 

environmental conditions. Wild animals also require 

protection from predators and human impacts. 

• Domesticated animals such as pets, farm animals and 

zoo animals, have some or all of their needs provided 

for by humans. Wild animals meet their needs by 

themselves. 

• When a human’s or an animal’s needs are not met, 

their physical appearance and behaviours may change. 

Being tired, hungry, thirsty or breathless are the first 

signs that a human’s or an animal’s needs are not being 

met. This is a signal to the human or animal that it 

needs assistance. 

• In the wild, animals that don’t have their needs met 

may not survive, unless assisted by humans. With the 

introduction of community services, humans, pets and 

some wild animals may be rehabilitated by doctors, 

nurses, veterinarians, rangers and other experts. 

• If resources allow, establish a school/class vegetable 

garden or introduce a class pet to encourage students 

to care for their needs on a regular basis and connect 

to real-life situations. 


• Use page 24 and the class Y-chart 

as a formative assessment of the 

student's understanding of the 

different needs of living things, 

including humans, plants and other 

animals. 

Resources 

• Online images of dying plants 


each student 

• Online interactive activity– 

Happy animals! It’s a dog’s 

life at 

• Online video–What do pets 

need? at 

• One copy of page 25 to be 

displayed on the interactive 

whiteboard 



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Lesson 6 

Lesson plan 

Introduction: 

1. Conduct an image search of dying plants and display them using the interactive whiteboard. 

What has happened to these plants? Did they have their needs met? How can you tell? What did 

these plants need to survive? 

Development: 

2. Using a think-pair-share, students answer the questions What do humans and animals need to 

survive? and What happens if humans and animals don't have their needs met? Q P 

3. Using page 24, students reflect on their basic needs to complete the sentences. For example, if I was 

thirsty, I would drink water. Students then draw an image of them meeting each need. PC PA 


• Less capable students can complete the sentences orally and have an adult scribe their 

sentence for them. 

• More capable students should be encouraged to write and complete the sentences If I was 

breathless, I would ... and If I had no protection, I would ... 

4. In pairs, students share their sentences written on page 24. What basic human needs were not 

included on the page? What might happen if humans do not have access to shelter or air? PA Q P 

5. Display the interactive game 'Happy animals! It's a dog's life' at . 

Click on the dog bone on the left-hand panel, then click on the dog on the couch. Students turn 

pets’ sad houses into happy houses. Read the information to the students and select individual 

students to drag the items to the animal. Why do you think toys have been included as needs? Do 

you think this is correct? Who is responsible for providing these needs to pets? P C P A 

6. Watch the online video What do pets need? at . 

Students think about a pet that they would like to have and, using a think-pair-share, discuss 

how they would take care of their pet's needs. P A C 

Reflection: 

7. Display the Y-chart on page 25 and have students brainstorm the needs of each living thing. 

Draw and/or write each need in the relevant place. C 



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Lesson 6 



Your basic needs! 

If I am hungry, I need ______________________. 

If I am thirsty, I need ______________________. 



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If I am tired, I need ______________________. 



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Lesson 6 

Plants 

What do we need? 

Humans 

Animals 



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25

Assessment 



Teacher notes 

Science knowledge 

Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002) 

Indicators 

• Identifies humans, animals and plants. 

• Identifies the basic needs of a human, including air, food, water, sleep and protection. 

• Identifies the basic needs of a plant, including air, sunlight, water, soil and space. 

• Identifies the basic needs of an animal, including air, food, water, sleep and protection. 


• Easier option—Page 27 requires students to draw a human, an animal and a plant of their 

choosing and draw or write the basic needs for each. 

• Harder option—Page 28 requires students to read and think about real-life contexts. Students 

then identify the needs of the humans, animals or plants and draw or write them in the correct 

place. 

Answers 

Page 27 and Page 28 

1. Teacher check 

Answers should include air, food, water, sleep and protection. 

Answers may also include love, warmth, shelter or clothing. 


Answers should include air, food, water, sleep and protection. 


Answers should include air, sunlight, water, soil and space. 



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Assessment 

The needs of living things 

Draw the living thing and its needs. 

1. Humans My basic needs are ... 

2. Animals My basic needs are ... 



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3. Plants My basic needs are ... 


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Assessment 



Caring for living things 

My family and I are going on a camping trip this weekend. 

What do we need to take to make sure all our needs are met? 

1. My family is getting a new pet. I want to make a list of the 

things it needs so I know how to take care of it every day. 

What will my pet need? 



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2. My family wants to make new garden beds. I get to take care 

of all the plants. I’ve never cared for plants before. 



28 A STEM APPROACH 

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STEM project overview 

Make a home for a parrot: 

Students work in pairs to design and create a home for a parrot out of recycled and natural 

materials. The home must be able to hang in a tree and must meet the parrot’s needs. Students 

then create a video of their bird house, describing the needs of the parrot and how the features 

of the home help to cater for these needs. 

Concepts overview: 

Science 

• Apply knowledge of living things to create a home for a bird that caters for its basic needs. 

Technology/Engineering 

• Apply the design process to plan, create and evaluate a home for a bird that caters for its basic 


• Select appropriate materials and apply safety procedures while creating. 

• Create a digital video of the completed bird house, explaining the inclusion of each feature 

and how those features cater for the bird’s needs. 

Mathematics 

• Use indirect measurement to ensure the home will be big enough for a parrot. 

Alternative project ideas: 

• As a class, grow a class vegetable garden, such as a vertical garden. Small groups can be 

allocated a garden bed each. Students decide how they will look after their garden bed 

to provide for the plants’ needs. They take digital photographs of their garden and print 

them, or upload them to to create a gardening book called 

Caring for plants in the garden. 

• In small groups, students create a worm farm in a jar. Students research worms to find out 

their basic needs. Students ensure they collect the materials required to cater for its needs 

and construct their worm farm in a glass jar. For full instructions, go to . 



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Science Understanding 

STEM curriculum links 

SCIENCE CURRICULUM 

• Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002) 

Science as a Human Endeavour 

• Science involves observing, asking questions about, and describing changes in, objects and events (ACSHE013) 

Science Inquiry Skills 

Questioning and predicting 

• Pose and respond to questions about familiar objects and events (ACSIS014) 

Planning and conducting 

• Participate in guided investigations and make observations using the senses (ACSIS011) 

Processing and analysing data and information 

• Engage in discussions about observations and represent ideas (ACSIS233) 

Communicating 

• Share observations and ideas (ACSIS012) 

TECHNOLOGIES CURRICULUM 

Design and Technologies Knowledge and Understanding 

• Identify how people design and produce familiar products, services and environments and consider sustainability to 

meet personal and local community needs (ACTDEK001) 

Design and Technologies Processes and Production Skills 

• Generate, develop and record design ideas through describing, drawing and modelling (ACTDEP006) 

• Use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions (ACTDEP007) 

• Use personal preferences to evaluate the success of design ideas, processes and solutions including their care for 

environment (ACTDEP008) 

• Sequence steps for making designed solutions and working collaboratively (ACTDEP009) 



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Digital Technologies Knowledge and Understanding 

• Recognise and explore digital systems (hardware and software components) for a purpose (ACTDIK001) 

MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM 

Measurement and Geometry 

• Use direct and indirect comparisons to decide which is longer, heavier or holds more, and explain reasoning in 

everyday language (ACMMG006) 



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Biological Earth and sciences space sciences 

LIVING DAILY THINGS AND SEASONAL HAVE NEEDS CHANGE 


Teacher notes 

STEM project: 

Students work in pairs to design and create a home for a parrot out of recycled and natural 

materials. The home must be able to hang in a tree and must meet the parrot’s needs. Students 

then create a video of their bird house, describing the needs of the parrot and how the features 

of the home help to cater for these needs. 

Estimated duration: 4 weeks 

1. Introduce the project 

• Read the problem on page 32 to students. 

• Watch the first 27 seconds of the online 

video clip from the movie Rio at . This video clip 

shows a macaw and its owner getting 

ready in the morning in a very unusual 

way. 

• As a class, ask students to close their 

eyes and think about these questions: 

Do all birds live the way Blu lives in the 

movie clip? What kinds of homes do birds 

live in? What do they need in their home 

to survive? 

• Read the task and the important things to 

do on page 32 to students. Show students 

the cardboard cut–out of a parrot using 

page 34. Students will need to make sure 

their bird home will fit a parrot of this size. 

Note: Keep the design brief on display on 

the interactive whiteboard or print an 

A3 copy and put it on display for students 

to refer to. 

2. Find out information 

• Provide time for students to find out 

information about birds. 

—— 

Place images of different bird homes 

on the interactive whiteboard for 

students to look at. 

—— 

Provide a selection of nonfiction and 

fiction texts for students to look at, 

ensuring that only factual information is 

transferred. 

—— 

Talk to people that care for birds 

such as zookeepers, pet owners 

and rangers to see how they care 

for birds. 

3. Design, plan and manage resources 

• Students plan their bird home and create 

a diagram of it, labelling the features that 

cater for the bird’s needs. They should also 

draw the needs of the bird around the bird 

home to ensure they cater for each one. 

• Students collect the materials necessary. 

Remind students about resource 

management, conserving resources and 

ensuring that resources are shared. 

4. Create 

• Students choose which materials they 

will use to make each feature of their bird 

home. 

• Students create their bird home according 

to their diagram. 

5. Evaluate and refine 

• Students evaluate their designed bird 

home to ensure that all the criteria on 

page 32 is included. 

• Students make any adjustments necessary 

to their designed product. 

6. Communicate 

• Students create a video of the bird 

home using an iPad® application or 

a digital camera, explaining to Jacob 

the things birds need to survive and 

how each feature of the home caters 

for the bird’s needs. 

• Display the bird feeders outside and 

have students, in their pairs, take turns to 

share the features of their bird home and 

explain how it will help a parrot meet its 


• Students complete the self-assessment 

on page 35 to show how well they 

participated and cooperated. 



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Project brief 

The problem 

Jacob is five years old and wants to own a 

pet. Every time his parents take him to the 

pet shop, he looks at all the birds in every 

cage. He hopes that one day he is allowed to 

take one home. His parents always say that Jacob 

is too young for a pet and that he doesn't know 

how to look after it. 

How can Jacob show his parents that he knows 

how to care for a bird? 

The task 

• Design and create a home for a wild bird that 

Jacob could use to show his parents that he 

knows how to take care of birds. 

• Create a video of the bird home using 

an iPad ® application or a digital camera, 

explaining to Jacob the things birds need 

to survive and how each feature caters 

for the bird’s needs. 

Important things you need to do! 

• You must work in pairs. 

• You must use recycled 

and natural materials 

found at home 

or at school. 

WATER 

WATER 

• Your bird home 

must be able to 

hang in a tree. 





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• It must be able to 

fit a parrot inside it. 

• You must cater for the 

bird's five basic needs. 

• The video must include 

instructions to Jacob 

about how to care for 

a bird, using the features 

of the bird home. 

32 Science: YEAR 



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Project steps 


Find out information 

Learn about the needs of birds. 

Talk to people that own birds to find out how they care for them. 

Read books about pet birds and birds that live in the wild. 

Look at pictures of birds and their needs on the internet. 

Learn about different homes for birds. 

Look at pictures of bird cages for pets. 

Look at pictures of bird houses made from recycled materials. 

Look at pictures of bird homes in the wild. 

Design, plan and collect resources 

Plan your bird home. 

Draw a picture of your bird home. 

Draw/write the needs of your bird and how it will get these. 

Collect the materials you need. 

Create 

Create your bird home. 

Choose which materials to use for each part of the home. 

Make the bird home. 

Check and make changes 

Check that it is correct and you are happy with it. 



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Check that all the important things on page 32 were done. 

Check that both partners are happy with it. 

Communicate 

Use an iPad ® to record a video. 

Talk about how the parts of the home meet the bird’s needs. 

Tell Jacob how to care for the birds. 


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Parrot cut-out 

Create a parrot template for bird house sizing. Attach an A4 copy of this 

parrot to thick cardboard and cut out. Make a few templates for students to 

share or make one for each pair. 



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Student name: 

Self- assessment 

STEM project: Make a home for a parrot 

I listened to my partner. 

I gave ideas. 

I helped to find out information. 

I helped collect materials. 

I helped make the plan. 

I helped make the design. 

The project was: easy hard 

Date: 



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I liked ... 

. 


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Group assessment rubric 



CRITERIA 

Group members: 

Project task: 

Create a home for a bird that caters for its basic needs. Record a video of the bird home 

explaining how it meets the bird’s needs. 

Science knowledge 

Creates a home for a wild bird that caters for its basic needs—food, water, air, sleep 

and protection. 

Science skills 

Creates a labelled diagram of their bird home, including the features and the basic needs 

of a bird. 

Plans, conducts and evaluates an investigation to find out what things a bird needs 

to survive and how they obtain these. 

Communicates science understanding correctly, clearly and concisely using 

a digital video. 

Technology/Engineering skills 

Plans and designs a bird home that caters for its basic needs. 

Investigates and uses a range of materials to represent features of the bird home. 

Creates a bird home using materials and tools safely. 

Evaluates designed products to ensure they meet the criteria and makes any necessary 

changes. 

Plans and creates a digital video, using an iPad ® or digital camera, to explain 

the needs of a bird and how to care for a bird. 

Mathematics 

Uses informal measurement to ensure the bird home will fit a parrot inside. 

Group skills 

All group members contributed fairly and appropriately. 

All group members collaborated and communicated effectively. 

Group members were able to resolve conflicts independently. 

1 = Below expectation 

2 = Meeting expectation 

3 = Above expectation 



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