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Teaching Resource
great way for students to learn about space and planets.

Victorian Curriculum
Levels 3&4

1. Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day (VCSSU061)

Engagement factor
The planetarium as it is in a large theatre room with the screen above us makes it really attractive for children. I have also went to the science works whilst on placement and children will talk about how amazing the theatre room was and how much they enjoy the movie 'Tycho to the moon'.

Potential uses
Students can go on this excursion during science week and at the start, middle or end of an inquiry unit.

S3668303, S3668430, S3666539.

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The Planetarium is a visual display that explores the night sky. It’s a show that explores an astronomical topic with it ending with the current night sky and major astronomical objects that can be seen. The school programs include: Moonbase ONE, Black Holes, Our Living Climate, Starlight, Stories in the Stars, Tilt, Ticket to the universe, Tycho to the Moon and Solar System Odyssey.

Victorian Curriculum:
Grade 4 - Earth and space sciences -
Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day (VCSSU061)

Engagement Factor:
The Planetarium is a fun and interactive way for students to enjoy learning. It shows rotation from a different perspective that you wouldn't usually get in a classroom or online.

Potential uses:
This excursion could go at the start of the topic to begin an inquiry based unit on day and night and rotation. It would get the students excited to learn

Victoria Adams - S3662491

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Teaching resource

I chose to focus on the interactive projected sustainable games. Students stand on a red strip of carpet and move around in different ways depending on the aim of the game. Either make wind power, move rubbish to the appropriate bins, funnel water into water tanks etc… students will have a lot of fun being active and learning about different ways to help the planet.

Victorian Curriculum Link

VCSSU081

Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy

Elaborations

· investigating how moving air and water can turn turbines to generate electricity

· investigating how solar panels can generate electricity

Engagement Factor

The students will love this activity as they get to see themselves on the screen completing the required tasks, however when taking a whole class or large group, students may get bored waiting for a turn and decide to skip the exhibit.

Potential uses of this resource within a unit
This resource would work wonderfully in a unit based on sustainability or energy.
Teagan Juniper
S3719764

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Teaching Resource/ School Program

Ticket to the Universe

A 45-minute session that makes full use of the Planetarium’s distinctive technology to present scientific data from astronomical organisations around the world. The result is a journey through the most complete and accurate 3D atlas of the universe ever made.

These datasets, which have been compiled by the American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium with support from NASA, clearly show the different scales and structures of the Universe, such as:

·         the satellites surrounding our Earth, including the GPS system

·         the Solar System and a better understanding of Pluto and the other dwarf planets

·         the distances between our Sun and neighbouring stars

·         the structure of the Milky Way galaxy

·         the types and distribution of galaxies throughout the universe

·         and the far-away echo of the Big Bang.

Victorian Curriculum Links

Year 5 & 6: Earth and Space Science & Science as a Human Endeavour

·         Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the Sun) (VCSSU078)

·         Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to inform personal and community decisions and to solve problems that directly affect people’s lives (VCSSU073)

Year 3 & 4: Earth and Space Science

·         Earth’s rotation on its axis causes regular changes, including night and day (VCSSU061)

·         Earth’s surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity (VCSSU062)

Engaging Factors

Students can relate themselves to the world, who they are and where they are in the universe and discover which planets, stars and constellations are easily seen from a Melbourne backyard and how our view of the sky changes, night by night.

Potential Use of Resource

During the ‘ticket to the universe’ experience students are able to ask questions in-which the exhibitionist can answer and provide a detailed view of using the technology. This experience directly links to earth/space sciences allowing students to express discovered thoughts which evidently benefit their knowledge acquisition. A classroom activity involving the distance between planets using the planetarium would be insightful to students.

Group Reflection

In reflecting upon the Science Works experience, I believe that the ‘Ticket to the Universe’ experience would provide students with an abundance of new knowledge and skills which links directly to the ‘5E model’ of Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate. Evidently, this would benefit student learning.

Coen Fitzgerald (s3663835)

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A 40 mins tour that takes the audience beyond the stars and to the far reach of space.

Curriculum Link
Year 5 & 6 – Earth and space Sciences - Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the Sun)

Engaging Factors
Students can relate themselves to the world, who they are and where they are in the universe.

Potential Use
An excursion to Scienceworks for students to experience a trip to the universe.

Hai Dang - s3708132

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This activity is a large touchscreen with a birds eye view of Melbourne. Through selecting up to around 7 options, the landscape can be changed. Some of these options were: the sea rises 10 meters, the amount of trees doubled, solar panels on every rooftop, and the roads turn into grassy pathways.

Victorian Curriculum Link
Science / Levels 5 and 6 / Science Understanding / Earth and space sciences
Sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can affect Earth’s surface (VCSSU079)

This is relevant because of the activites ability to visually represent the sudden changes on the Earth's surface, made relevant to their life world by Melbourne made the focus.

Engagement Factor

I found the activity engaging enough to choose to write about it, but issues such as it lagging terribly and being, overall, difficult to use it for what it was designed for effectively made it somewhat tiresome. I overheard a child around 6 years old complain of how boring it was and I believe that this may be a similar reaction from year 5-6 students, especially when the resource is quite buggy.
The resource would be able to be engaged with by students, due to it being set in their own world and seeing how it would affect their own suburb.

Potential Use

This resource could be used to make links to climate change and what could be done to combat it. By showing the students how their own city would look under these changes, it may become easier to extrapolate this to other cities around the world.

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Teaching resource: This resource allows students to attempt snowboarding on a simulated snowboard. There is also a screen displayed in front of the students which simulates the image of a snowboarder. This relates with the ideas of forces, motion and speed.

Victorian Curriculum Link:
Level 3 and 4
Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance (VCSSU064)

Engagement Factor:
Students will find this engaging as many may not have snowboarded before. If possible the class may go on an excursion to ride the simulator.

Potential use within a unit:
Students will simply be investigating snowboarding, but rather the forces that are acting upon the snowboarder and the snow and environment that it effects. This self-led activity is quite hands on and thus students will be engaged.

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Teaching resource / School program

The 'Electrical energy, safety and lightning' school program is a 40 minute presentation that is held in ScienceWorks purpose-built high voltage laboratory/theatre. It demonstrates energy transfers and transformations involving electricity. Students find out about static electricity, conductors and insulators, electric circuits, fuses and safety switches.

Victorian Curriculum Link

Science / Levels 5 and 6 / Science Understanding / Science as a human endeavour: Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to inform personal and community decisions and to solve problems that directly affect people’s lives

Science / Levels 5 and 6 / Science Understanding / Physical sciences: Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy

Identify level & related curriculum outcome(s)

Engagement Factor

Students are engaged whilst they are learning through the highlights of the presentation of  a hair-raising encounter with a Van de Graaff generator, making light with a pickled onion and the biggest Jacob's Ladder display in the country. The show then finishes with a spectacular demonstration of lightning strikes engaging the students whilst providing them with information and tips for safety strategies in lightning storms.

Potential uses of this resource within a unit

This resource can be used at the start of a unit, serving as a 'hook' to introduce a unit revolving around lightning and electricity

Group Reflection

The presentation can pique students' interest in the topic and allow them to view an up close occurrence of lightning, as opposed to simply watching a video on the topic. This would increase student interest in the topic that would be delved into further, therefore enhancing student learning.

Hannah Konstantinidis and Jade Guy

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This show at Science Works explores lightning and how it is created. They also discuss safety precautions in a lightning storm and explore different objects that are effective shelters against lightning and why (Cars, Faraday Cages, metal shelters)
Victorian Curriculum links:

Science/Levels 5 and 6/ Science Understanding/ Science as a human endeavour (VCSSU073)

Scientific understandings, discoveries and inventions are used to inform personal and community decisions and to solve problems that directly affect people’s lives

Science Inquiry Skills

Engagement Factor:

The show itself is very engaging and hands on for a select few chosen audience members.  The presenter throughout the show called on the audience to answer questions as a whole, engaging every member of the audience as part of the show.

Potential uses of this resource within a unit:

It may lead to student inquiry into various aspects of weather events and inventions to harness lightning, predict weather outcomes, different aspects of the weather (cloud types, weather systems) or allow students to create their own device to protect against lightning using the concepts they have learnt (Faraday Cage).

-Tamara

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'Solar System Odyssey' explores the Solar System, planets, moons and stars that can be easily seen by the naked eye in a night sky. There was two parts to this program: Part 1 involves an animated film that involves taking a trip to up above. Part 2 explores the stars, constellations and galaxies that are found at and beyond the Milky Way.

Victorian Curriculum Link: (VCSSU078)
For Grade 5+6 students: 'Earth is a part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the sun)'.

Elaborations:
- 'Identifying the planets of the solar system and comparing how they long they take to orbit the sun'.
- 'Modelling the relative size of and distance between earth and other planets in the solar system and the sun'.

Engaging Factor:
In this program, Part 1 is engaging and brings children's sense of adventure into view. It seems very realistic. Children can use their imaginations as well as explore effectively the environments of various planets and their stars. Part 2 involves and exploration of an almost real-life sky that shows a galaxy of planets and stars that children can both be amazed to see and will also enjoy the beauty in it.

Potential Uses of this Resource within a Unit:
This resource would fit in a unit based on The Solar System.

Ilayda Erduzelten s3603116

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This resource at Science Works is a part of the earth science area in the exhibit. This resource is a physical representation of how much carbon dioxide is in the environment, explaining the effects of it on the environment as we produce more gases. The different ice core replicas demonstrate the different levels of carbon dioxide has accumulated in the air over the years and the effect it can have on the environment, including the air. The whole resource also has this turning table showing different years, showing the effects on the environment and a future glimpse of the devastating outcomes.

Victorian curriculum:

Level 3 & 4

Science Understanding

Earth and Space Sciences

Earth's surface changes over time as a result of natural processes and human activity

Engagement factor:
The children can observe the ice-core replicas and observe the significant changes and the factors - including fossil fuels, natural disasters which increased the CO2 levels in the air. The students can compare the changes over the years over time with a table and note down the various effects.
Potential uses of this resource within a unit:
Get children to experiment hands on by seeing the effects of the different levels of carbon dioxide can have on plants. This will be a way for students to have a hands on and personal model of what excessive levels of carbon dioxide is doing to the earth
Group reflection:

The part of this resource where you can see the ice core light up will be an engaging way for student to see the effects of volcanic activity and hence, carbon dioxide has on the environment. Parts of this resource could be slightly hard to engage with - particularly if students are poor readers.
- Olivia Di Giorgio

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Scienceworks Visit - Evaluation of a Teaching Resource An activity that was located at the ‘Beyond Perception’ at the ScienceWorks was a big square glass that was filled with tiny foam balls and in each corner there was an electrical fan that can be controlled from the outside by the public. By moving the fan it allowed the foam balls to move and looked like snow from the outside of the glass.The year level appropriate for this activity is from Grade 4 to Grade 6. This particular activity requires advanced motor skills and knowledge to understand that you have to move the fan in a certain direction in order to keep the foam balls up and give the perception of snow falling from the sky. Students will also need to have the skills to be able to predict what will happen before the activity is carried out, as well as, reflect on and suggest improvements in the scientific experiment (ACAR). What is really interesting about this activity is that it requires up to 4 people (in each corner) to move the fans at the same time to give the illusion of falling snow. Students would find this very engaging at their age and could have a game/ competition to see how long they can keep the foam balls off the ground floor.  This activity would really enhance students learning about the power of wind, natural disaster, weather and electricity. It ties into their learning on these topics in the classroom as they gain an understanding of how it works by seeing the impact for themselves as this activity is hands on.Aleksandra Spaseska & Natasha Gicevski

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Scienceworks Visit - Evaluation of a Teaching Resource An activity that was located at the ‘Beyond Perception’ at the ScienceWorks was a big square glass that was filled with tiny foam balls and in each corner there was an electrical fan that can be controlled from the outside by the public. By moving the fan it allowed the foam balls to move and looked like snow from the outside of the glass.The year level appropriate for this activity is from Grade 4 to Grade 6. This particular activity requires advanced motor skills and knowledge to understand that you have to move the fan in a certain direction in order to keep the foam balls up and give the perception of snow falling from the sky. Students will also need to have the skills to be able to predict what will happen before the activity is carried out, as well as, reflect on and suggest improvements in the scientific experiment (ACAR). What is really interesting about this activity is that it requires up to 4 people (in each corner) to move the fans at the same time to give the illusion of falling snow. Students would find this very engaging at their age and could have a game/ competition to see how long they can keep the foam balls off the ground floor.  This activity would really enhance students learning about the power of wind, natural disaster, weather and electricity. It ties into their learning on these topics in the classroom as they gain an understanding of how it works by seeing the impact for themselves as this activity is hands on.Aleksandra Spaseska & Natasha Gicevski

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The PDA board at the entrance of the Think Ahead hall allows kids to play some energy-related games. In each of these, kids have to help the environment somehow: moving their arms to generate some power for the windmills, taking away the clouds for the solar pannels to get all the sun…

Victorian Curriculum Link

VCSSU081

Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy

Elaborations

·       investigating how moving air and water can turn turbines to generate electricity

·       investigating how solar panels can generate electricity

VCSSU081 | Science | Levels 5 and 6 | Science Understanding | Physical sciences

Engagement Factor

The engagement factor of this activity is the PDA board itself. Kids can play different games related to energy consumption, different ways to create renewable energy, etc.

Potential uses of this resource within a unit

This resource would fit in a unit about energy/renewable sources of energy.

Maria Elena Gómez Sousa
S3739872

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Planetarium show – students can learn about the tilt, Earths axis and orbit.  And why different parts of the world have different seasons on Earth. Links to Earth and space sciences/ levels 5&6.Engaging activity as students tend to enjoy watching animations and having adventures. Can be used when learning about the seasons, the tilt of the earth, solar system and the Earth’s orbit. s3033874 Hana Abou-Eid

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Planetarium show – students can learn about the tilt, Earths axis and orbit.  And why different parts of the world have different seasons on Earth. Links to Earth and space sciences/ levels 5&6.Engaging activity as students tend to enjoy watching animations and having adventures. Can be used when learning about the seasons, the tilt of the earth, solar system and the Earth’s orbit. s3033874 Hana Abou-Eid

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This section of ScienceWorks can be used for a teaching resource for F-6 students. The aims of this section is to teach students about how the body operates and also what foods we need to eat to keep our bodies healthy and strong!
Students are able to run, snowboard, push and pull, handball. shoot and throw a ball, grip test, measure their height and weight, and many other fun activities.
Curriculum Links

Science

Physical Science from F – 6

Engaging factors:
There are many activities that students can explore. The activities are hands on, where they are able to participate individually or in pairs. The activities are very straight forward and fun for all students of many abilities.

Potential use as Resource
This learning resources has connection to forces, this could be used under the physical science. Students can explore and reflect on their excursion.

s3645473

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Teacher Resoure

'The Problem with Pluto'
Is a planetarium led experience that informs children about classifying a planet and why the planet Pluto has now been changed to being called a dwarf planet

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Teaching resource / School program – “What’s with this weather” - This 30-minute show is held in our high voltage Lightning Room.
Victorian Curriculum Link - VCSSU046 - Observable changes occur in the sky and landscape; daily and seasonal changes affect everyday life

Engagement Factor – Excitement of the lightning room. Audience participation and involvement.

Potential uses of this resource within a unit – This resource would fit in a unit about weather and seasons. Students learn about how clouds and lightning are formed, linking in with observable changes in the sky/season.

Hope

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A 40 minute animation that explores the role of the sun in creating the 4 seasons. The staff also provide a brief 10 minute exploration of the night sky. Locating planets and constellations.
5 & 6 – Earth and space Sciences - Earth is part of a system of planets orbiting around a star (the Sun) (VCSSU078)
As the show is in the form of an animation and follows the adventures of a student and her brother. The children will make instant connections to the characters. The animation isn’t too information (academic) heavy but balances the entertainment with education well.
This can be used within a wider inquiry into our solar system and the relationship (cause & effect) between the sun and moon with earth. Weather events etc.
There are other shows in the planetarium plus other exhibitions which together could be used in a unit about the solar system and its relationship with Earth. They all help to provide and rich and fun filled excursion whilst providing educational content.
Chris

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Teaching Resource

A free self directed interactive room for F - 6 students, operates Monday til Friday with a maximum of 60 students. Aims to teach how the body operates in different circumstances by highlighting the body’s strengths and weakness.

Students can rock climb, run, snowboard, push, pull and kick on different equipment.

Curriculum Links

Science

Physical Science from F – 6

Health and Physical Education

Being healthy safe and active F - 6

Technology

Digital Technologies F – 6

Engaging Factors

The activities are many and varied which provides autonomy for students. It’s a hands on experience that students can participate in pairs, groups or individually. The activities don’t need a lot of explanation and its fun, safe environment. There are many self directed options to explore that will spark interest for all students.

Potential use as Resource

An excursion to Sportsworks at Scienceworkds exhibit would be an ideal way to spark interest in forces. The exhibition could be used in any of the 5E’s model phases Engage, Explore and Explain.
DT/J

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Science Works - Above and Beyond (Special Exhibition)

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Science Works - Above and Beyond (Special Exhibition)

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Teaching Resource

Above and Beyond is a Special Exhibition hosted at Science works related to aerospace. It has information and exhibits created by both NASA and Boeing, most of which are interactive such as Designing and Flying your own plane, riding a space elevator, etc.

Victorian Curriculum

Levels 3 & 4 (Physical Sciences) "Forces can be exerted by one object on another through direct contact or from a distance"

Levels 3 & 4 (Science as a human endeavor) "Science knowledge helps people to understand the effects of their actions"

Engagement Factor

Above and Beyond represents aerospace topics in an interesting and engaging way, most exhibits are interactive and are both informative as well as being fun. exhibits such as Full Throttle have students design and fly their own plane which helps them understand what factors affect flight whilst also being an engaging experience.

Potential Uses

This exhibition would be useful in a unit about physical sciences as it could build on principles learned in the classroom such as what kinds of forces affect flight (both on earth and into space.) or it could even be used near the start of a unit to provide students an engaging experience that introduces them to some physical science concepts

Aaron H

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Teaching resource:

·     ‘Winging It’ mini show – presented in the dome.

·     Forces are demonstrated by conducting experiments. An experiment is also carried out to show a chemical reaction taking place.

Victorian Curriculum:

·     Foundation Level, Level 1, Level 2.

·     The way objects move depends on a variety of factors including their size and shape: a push or a pull affects how an object moves or changes shape (VCSSU048).

Engagement factor:

·     Students would find this super engaging, as they are invited to the front to help conduct the experiments on forces.

This would enhance student learning because…

·     Students can physically see how forces are used (gravity, drag and lift).

·     Students learn how gravity pulls objects down to the ground by dropping various objects, so on.

·     Students learn how the height and weight of an object impacts when it hits the ground.

·     Students also see a chemical reaction experiment – where an aspirin tablet and water are mixed in a film canister.

Elysse Phipps

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Teaching Resource/School program: A 40-minute Planetarium show that allows students to explore how the four seasons are caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis combined with the Earth’s orbit around the Sun and how the seasons and length of day vary across the Earth.
Victorian Curriculum Link: Levels 5&6 Earth and space sciences
Engagement Factor: Students would find this show engaging due to the fact that it’s in a form of an animation. It follows the adventures of Annie, Max and their robot friend as they fly into space. Students will connect with the characters displayed in the animation, making the experience more engaging for them.
Potential uses of this resource within a unit: Can be used to teach students about the solar system and Earth’s orbit around the sun. It can also be used to teach students about how the seasons are opposite in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and are caused by two factors, the tilt of the Earth and the path of the Earth around the Sun.

Areen D

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Teaching resource:
Lightning room – demonstration on lightning, safety, cloud formation, thunder, Jacobs ladder, tesla coil, faraday cages

Victorian Curriculum Link
Level 2–6 - Science as a Human Endeavour
Level 5–6 - Physical Science
Level 2–6 - Questioning and Predicting

Engagement Factor – Brief discussion of what is really interesting here and how students would find this engaging. Audience participation, ‘wow factor’ with demonstrations – lightning, tesla coil etc.

Potential uses of this resource within a unit -

Students experience things and can reflect on their learning from their experience.
JM

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Teaching Resource-
Makey Makey is an electronics workshop where students are given the opportunity to explore circuits, computer systems and discover conductive materials through play and discovery.
Victorian Curriculum link-
-Digital Technologies-
Years 3–10 – digital systems with peripheral devices, design a user interface/experience
-Science –
Years 3–6, 9–10 - materials science, electricity and circuits
Engagement factor-
Students will be engaged in this resource as the students are able to learn and discover through physical play, how the circuits and systems operate. No matter what each students current knowledge is, they can all have a go and learn.
Potential uses of this resource within a unit?
This resource could be used as part of the students physical science unit. (In this topic, students will be able to test out and identify what the characteristics are for a circuit to operate). Another potential subject could be in digital technologies, (one session they might focus on circuits, keyboards and electricity)
Shania

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Teaching resource / School program - What is it? High Voltage Lightning Room introduces young minds to the science behind clouds, storms and lightning.

Victorian Curriculum Link – Science understanding, Earth and space sciences, Observable changes occur in the sky and landscape; daily and seasonal changes affect everyday life (VCSSU046).

Engagement Factor – giant lightning bolts and sounds from Tesla Coil.

Potential uses of this resource within a unit – teaching children about the clouds, storms and lightning.

Group Reflection – Students understand how clouds, storms and lightning work.

Iliada F

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"TILT" - yrs 3-7. 40 min movie in the planetarium explaining how the 4 seasons are caused by the tilt of the earths axis combined with the earths orbit around the sun. Day/night cycle, path of the sun and seasons opposite in N & S hemisphere.

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"TILT" - yrs 3-7. 40 min movie in the planetarium explaining how the 4 seasons are caused by the tilt of the earths axis combined with the earths orbit around the sun. Day/night cycle, path of the sun and seasons opposite in N & S hemisphere.

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-Links to Vic.Curriculum grades 3/4 & 5/6 - Earth and space sciences.
-Engaging as movie is animated and includes characters flying through space on a journey of discovery.
Linked interactive and hands on/building classroom activities.

Jane D

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Sportsworks explores the Students will engage with others to explore the information behind our body movement and muscles. for example, we can ask questions such as "are you tall?" and "can you jump high?" It is a fantastic spot for students who love sports.

Beyond Perception: Seeing the unseen
This session is covered light, sound gravitational waves for our primary school children. It includes lots of hand-make materials for students to explore. For example, a blower blowing the tatters to make the scene of snowing.
victorian curriculum link
VCSSU080
Light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted.
(VCSSU081)
Energy from a variety of sources can be used to generate electricity; electric circuits enable this energy to be transferred to another place and then to be transformed into another form of energy

Engagement factor
brief discussion of what is really interesting here and how students would find this engaging.

potential uses of this resource within a unit
constructivist approach, social. Students will construct their own understanding and knowledge of the world through experiencing the exhibition and reflecting on those experiences.

Group Reflection
this science work provides sufficient information and materials for students to explore science and enables them to understand the science in various ways.

Lucy(YunChao Zhang) and Shimon(YiMeng Xie)
s3642265 & s354039