SciTech Update – Years 3–6

Years 3 & 4 – Weather, Climate and Natural Disasters

Over the past two weeks, our Year 3 and 4 students have been investigating weather, climate and natural disasters that occur in Australia. Students explored common weather events and natural disasters such as droughts and bushfires, while developing their understanding of how these events can impact people, communities and the environment.

As part of the unit, students have also been developing important digital technology skills by learning how to create, save and access documents on the school network. Using Microsoft Word on their netbooks or desktop computers, students recorded their research and practised organising information using headings and simple note-taking strategies.

Students explored teacher-selected websites focusing on droughts and bushfires. Students were encouraged to locate important information under the following headings:

What causes the natural disaster?
How does the natural disaster affect our lives?
Who can we turn to for help during a natural disaster?
How can we prepare or plan in case a natural disaster occurs? (for example: creating a home fire plan)

Students have shown growing confidence using technology to support their learning while also building their understanding of how science and communities work together to prepare for and respond to extreme weather events.

Years 5 & 6 – Earth and Space Sciences

Over the past two weeks, our Year 5 and 6 students have been investigating our Solar System in greater detail, with a particular focus on understanding the differences between the terrestrial and Jovian planets.

Students explored the four terrestrial planets — Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars — as well as the four Jovian planets — Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune.

Using a range of teacher-selected websites and digital resources, students gathered information about a chosen planet and recorded their findings in the OneNote app on their netbooks. Students practised important research and note-taking skills while learning how to organise information using digital technologies.

Throughout the investigation, students focused on the following key areas:

The history behind their planet’s name
How the planet formed
The structure and surface features of the planet
The atmosphere and environmental conditions
Whether life could potentially exist on the planet
Important space missions, discoveries, events and interesting facts

Students have demonstrated excellent curiosity and engagement while exploring the unique characteristics of their selected planet. They have also begun considering the challenges humans would face if we attempted to live beyond Earth, helping prepare them for upcoming design and problem-solving tasks later in the term.

Throughout the unit, students continue to develop their skills in researching, questioning, analysing information and communicating their understanding, while demonstrating our school values of Respect, Collaboration and Perseverance.

Greg Patterson

Heights Hero