UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE Australian Curriculum and Understanding by Design (Updated Template)

Surviving the Extreme

Year Level: 6

Teacher: Miss F

Subject(s): Science, English and Humanities and Social Sciences Skills

Duration: 3 Weeks

PRELIMINARY STAGE: Finding what the desired result should be (What do we want students to learn? From the Australian/SCASA
Curriculum)
General
Capabilities
(GP)

Ethical Behaviour

Personal and Social

ICT
Intercultural

Crosscurriculum
Priorities
(CCP)

Aboriginal and TSI

Asia and Australias

Sustainability

Literacy

Histories and
Culture

Numeracy

SUBJECTS

Engagement with Asia

Understanding

Content Descriptors from AC/SCASA

Humanities and Social Sciences Skills

Identify current understandings, consider possible misconceptions and
identify personal views on a topic.
- Develop and refine a range of questions required to plan an inquiry.
- Locate and collect information and/or data from a range of appropriate
primary sources and secondary sources.
- Use ethical protocols when gathering information and/or data.
-

Humanities

Critical and Creative Thinking

English

Interacting with Others

Participate in and contribute to discussions, clarifying and interrogating ideas,
developing and supporting arguments, sharing and evaluating information,
experiences and opinions (ACELY1709)

Science

Researching organisms that live in extreme environments such as Antarctica or a

desert (ACSSU094)

Humanities and Social Sciences Skills

- Use criteria to determine the relevancy of information.
- Draw and justify conclusions, and give explanations, based on the
information and/or data in texts, tables, graphs and maps.
- Present findings, conclusions and/or arguments, appropriate to audience
and purpose, in a range of communication forms.
- Reflect on learning, identify new understandings and act on findings in
different ways.
Creating Texts
x Plan, draft and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, choosing

and experimenting with text structures, language features, images and digital
resources appropriate to purpose and audience (ACELY1714)

x Biological Sciences

Students create detailed texts elaborating on key ideas for a range of purposes and audiences. They make presentations
and contribute actively to class and group discussions, using a variety of strategies for effect. They describe and predict
the effect of environmental changes on individual living things. Students develop their understanding and application of
skills, including questioning and researching, analysing, evaluating, communicating and reflecting. They apply these skills
to their daily learning experiences and to investigate events, developments, issues and phenomena, both historical and
contemporary.
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UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 1: DESIRED RESULTS

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS (from Australian Curriculum)

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Knowledge and Understanding: (What are students
Students will be able to independently......
expected to learn?)
Research organisms that live in extreme conditions.
Organisms that live in extreme conditions have their
Participate in discussions while interrogating ideas, creating informed
growth and survival effected by the environment.
arguments, as well as sharing and evaluating information including
Inquiry skills help to organise a process that allows us
experiences and opinions.
to explore concepts, analyse information, inform our
Use inquiry skills to identify current understandings,develop in quiry
decisions and promotes effective communication with
questions, locate and collect information, use ethical protocols,
others.
determine relevancy of information, justify conclusions and present
findings.
Multi-modal informative texts have structures that
Plan, draft and publish an informative text including experimenting
indicate our purpose, and this is also specific to our
with text structure, language features, images and digital resources
audience.
appropriate to purpose and audience.
Reflect on learning and consider future action based on findings.
Skills: (What are students expected to be able to do?)
DEEP UNDERSTANDINGS:
Sustainability and environment.

Participate in collaborative discussions.

Create inquiry questions using Blooms Taxonomy.

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS:

Locate information using ICT and other sources, and

analyse information for validity, reliability and bias.

How does the environment manipulate the organisms living within it?
How does the understanding of adaptation effect the quality of

human life?

Organise information into a sequenced format.

Plan, draft and publish an informative multimodal
presentation.
Self and Peer reflection to inform future decisions and
understandings.

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UNDERSTANDING BY DESIGN STAGE 2: ASSESSMENT EVIDENCE (How will we know what students have learned?
Performance Task(s):
In groups of 3-4 students are required to collaboratively create a multi-modal presentation based on guidelines [See Appendix A] and
marked on a rubric [See Appendix B]. The creation of this presentation will be facilitated by the use of Kath Murdochs Inquiry Process
(Kath Murdoch, 2010) and the use of Miss Fs Extreme Conditions Weebly site for guidance and inspiration. Students are also being
marked on their ability to reflect on peers, and their own performance.
Other Evidence of Learning: (may include major formative learning tasks, rubrics, formal and informal feedback, student selfassessment)
[Diagnostic] Discussion post excursion and video viewing.
[Diagnostic] Creation of the K and W section of a KWL chart.
[Formative] Creation of individual Voki describing initial understandings of extreme environments.
[Formative] Creation of inquiry questions with the use of Blooms Taxonomy.
[Formative] Level of inquiry skills through questioning students about their process, questions and current findings and resources.
[Formative] Creation of the L section of the KWL chart.
[Formative] Creation of their persuasive action literature.
Feedback: (What sort of feedback will students receive?)
During the initial stages the use of prompting and questioning will work as feedback to guide students in the direction they need to take.
Verbal formative comments will be used during the inquiry process to prompt students to consider they questioning, resources,
information retrieval and presentation format.
A rubric will be used as feedback for the students to see how they have achieved with their summative assessment. A comment will also
be given about the strengths of the presentation and what could be improved next time.
Self-assessment: (How will students reect upon and self-assess their learning?)
Students will be involved in many discussions over the course of the unit of inquiry so they are able to reflect on their current
understandings, issues with the process of ICT, direction of work or choices for presentation. Students will have a copy of the
guidelines and marking rubric to self-assess their progress and make sure they are meeting the requirements.
After their summative presentation students will be given the opportunity to assess themselves through reflection to decide on their
own strengths and weaknesses of the presentation.

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STAGE 3: LEARNING PLAN

What teaching and learning experiences will you use to:
Achieve the desired results identified in Stage 1?
Equip students to complete the assessment tasks identified in Stage 2?
Where are your students headed? * Where have they been? * How will you make sure the students know where they are
going?
What experiences do the learners bring to the unit? How have the interests of the learners been ascertained? Have the
learners been part of the pre-planning in any way? What individual needs do you anticipate will need to be addressed?
Learning environment: Where can this learning best occur? How can the physical environment be arranged to enhance
learning?
[N.B. Questions with an asterix (*) need not be addressed unless you have had a chance to find out about your prac class]
Past Experiences
Many students have visited other parts of the country including the desert regions, and other countries that also have different
conditions. They can talk about how it was extremely hot or extremely cold and how they adapted their natural behaviours to
acclimatise to new conditions. This is extended to an understanding of extreme conditions where survival becomes very difficult, and the
organisms that manage to thrive here.
Past Learning (Year 5)
Students develop their understanding and application of skills, including questioning and researching, analysing, evaluating,
communicating and reflecting. They apply these skills to their daily learning experiences and to investigate events, developments, issues
and phenomena, both historical and contemporary.
Living things have structural features and adaptations that help them to survive in their environment (ACSSU043).
Plan, rehearse and deliver presentations for defined audiences and purposes incorporating accurate and sequenced content and
multimodal elements (ACELY1700).
Future Learning (Year 7)
There are differences within and between groups of organisms; classification helps organise this diversity (ACSSU111) and the content
descriptor: using provided keys to identify organisms surveyed in a local habitat.
Interactions between organisms can be described in terms of food chains and food webs; human activity can affect these interactions
(ACSSU112) and the content descriptor: exploring how living things can cause changes to their environment and impact other living
things, such as the effect of cane toads.
Formative Assessment to Guide Learning
Student progressed will be determined by the use of formative assessment. This will judge how the students and managing the task, but
also be a reflection of the success of my scaffolding and facilitation methods.
Collaborative Student Planning
Students will have agency in their choices of condition, organism and presentation format.
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Differentiations
Verbal communication is a requirement for the summative assessment, however students are given the option of recording themselves
over the presentation for students who get nervous when presenting orally in front of the class. As this is not being specifically marked
there is no need to force students to present this way if they are not comfortable.
Weebly.com is set up to assist students who are struggling with some of the inquiry skills. If students are having a hard time finding
reliable information they are able to gather some information from the links provided within the Weebly.
Groupmap.com allows students to participate anonymously so that they do not feel pressured to give a correct or acceptable answer.
Brain Breaks are used to maintain student engagement and interest. These get students moving and thinking about simple things so that
they do not get bored and disengage.
Learning Environment
The classroom has been set up in a collaborative seating arrangement since the start of the year. Students have moved desks, but
generally work in groups unless there is individual testing. This project will be completed between the members of their current group for
ease.
A Blooms Taxonomy poster is displayed in the room for student reference, as well as a safe use of ICT guide.
How will you engage students at the beginning of the unit? (motivational set)
Students will engage with a short video on plant adaptations to get an idea of the future learning. They will then be
engaged by walking around a local bushland that is adjoined to the school. They will see and feel plant adaptations to the
natural harsh Australian environment.
Students will then watch a short clip on extreme planetary conditions. This engages students with the concept of these
areas, and the interesting creatures that manage to survive in these regions. Students will be given the option of
learning through other videos on the Weebly site.
What events will help students experience and explore the
N.B. You can list the questions in order or create a Daily
enduring understandings and essential questions in the
Work Pad style of presentation in a table format with the
unit? How will you equip them with needed skills and
days across the top and lessons spread across the three
knowledge?
weeks.
#
Lesson
Lesson Activities
Time
Resources
Title
Kath Murdochs Inquiry Cycle (Kath Murdoch, 2010)
Learning
Area
1
Tuning In
Students watch a YouTube video about plant adaptations.
30 Minutes https://www.youtube
The Hook
Students walk to the local bushland to investigate properties of native plants
.com/watch?
that have adapted to survive in Australias dry climate. Students draw
v=XZCbLgf6gCc
labelled images and/or take pictures with the camera. Students return to
Hats
class and discuss their findings.
Clipboards, Paper,
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Pens
Cameras
2

Tuning In
The Hook
The
Discussion
(Literacy)

Finding
Out

Finding
Out

Sorting
Out

Going
Further

Students Access Extreme Conditions Weebly site Tuning In.

Students watch a YouTube about extreme planetary conditions.
Students discuss what they have viewed, clarify ideas and express opinions
and experiences.
Students complete the K and W of a KWL chart using Groupmap about
what extreme planetary conditions are.

30 Minutes

Students Access Extreme Conditions Weebly site Tuning In. Students watch
videos and access websites to explore the idea of extreme conditions and
animal that survives within them.
http://mentalfloss.com/article/57204/20-amazing-animal-adaptations-livingdesert
https://www.newscientist.com/round-up/extreme-survival/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oown6k_iSmw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRX2JtKFUzk
Students create a Voki describing what they think Extreme Conditions are.

60 Minutes

In groups of 4 students determine an extreme condition to discover and an

animal, plant or microorganism that has adapted to these conditions.
Students collaboratively create inquiry questions using Blooms Taxonomy to
create levelled responses.
In their groups, students research to find answers to their inquiry questions.
This involves the use of ICT, books or other forms of information retrieval.
Students analyse their sources to check for validity, reliability or bias (if
applicable). Students discuss any issues or questions so far.
In their groups, students organise their information into a structured format.
They analyse it to see what is relevant, what they want to include and what
is unnecessary. Students discuss presentation styles and how they wish to
showcase what they have discovered.
In groups students create their final multimodal presentation. They design
this based on the assessment guidelines and rubric provided to them,
however they have agency within their choices of extra information, design

http://missfextremeconditi
ons.weebly.com/
https://www.youtube
.com/watch?
v=OczG8v-vJXw
Interactive
Whiteboard
Groupmap.com
Student Laptops

http://missfextremeconditi
ons.weebly.com
Student Laptops
Interactive
Whiteboard
Voki.com

60 Minutes
Introductor
y Lesson
(extra time
if required)
30 Minutes

http://missfextremeconditi
ons.weebly.com/
Student Laptops

http://missfextremeconditi
ons.weebly.com/
Student Laptops

60 Minutes
Introductor
y Lesson

http://missfextremeconditi
ons.weebly.com/
Student Laptops
Page 6 of 14

choice and presentation style.

6

Synthesisi
ng and
Reflecting

Students present their final presentations to the class. In between each

presentation students have brain breaks to maintain engagement, interest
and give the next group a chance to prepare. Students create a peer
refection for the group that presents before them, and each student creates
a self-reflection for their own presentation.

Acting and
Applying

Students finish the L section of their KWL charts on Groupmap.com.

Students discuss thoughts and feelings. Students create a piece of work that
is intended to inform a member of the community about their extreme
condition. This may include a travel brochure, a convincing sale of a special
pet that has adapted to live in these conditions, or a call for volunteers to
discover a location.

(extra time
if required)
60 Minutes
Introductor
y Lesson
(extra time
if required)
45 Minute
Introductor
y Lesson
(extra time
if required)

Student Laptops
Interactive
Whiteboard
Peer-Reflection
Sheets
Self-Reflection
Sheets
Groupmap.com
Student Laptops
Interactive
Whiteboard

Last Updated 16/5/2014 by Janet Farrall (from http://www.ais.sa.edu.au/teaching-learning/australian-curriculum/support-andresources#163928)

Adapted by Sonja Kuzich, Curtin University, 23/9/15

Page 7 of 14

References

Hook Education Ltd. (2011). HookED SOLO functioning knowledge rubric generator.
Retrieved from http://pamhook.com/solo-apps/functioning-knowledgerubric-generator/
Kath Murdoch. (2010). Phases of inquiry. Retrieved from https://www.google.com.au/url
?
sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCIQFjABahUKEwjzlfKw3fHIAhVH_WM
KHfZ
BC4c&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kathmurdoch.com.au%2Fs
%2Fphasesofinquiry.pdf&usg=AFQjCNG
ZKU28nlwJ7mW5qje1HBJZo4vzbw&sig2=OnyQtHJcB3eIlrktrUdNw&bvm=bv.106379543,d.cGU&cad=rja
School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2014). English: Curriculum. Retrieved from
http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculum-browser/english
School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2014). Humanities and social sciences:
Curriculum. Retrieved from
http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/p-10-curriculum/curriculumbrowser/humanities-and-socialsciences
School Curriculum and Standards Authority. (2014). Science: Curriculum. Retrieved from
http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/science/curriculum/f-10?layout=1#level6

Page 8 of 14

Page 9 of 14

Appendix A
Summative Assessment Guidelines
Surviving the Extreme

Due: Monday October 12th- Wednesday October 14th

In groups of 4 you are required to create a multimodal presentation that informs other
members of the classroom about an EXTREME CONDITION of the world, and ONE organism
that survives within it. This presentation should include written and verbal information as
well as imagery.
The information must include:
Key features of your extreme condition.
Location including diagrammatic maps.
Your chosen organism
What it eats and examine if it has adapted to find this food (giraffes neck, trees that
grow tall with canopies).
Where it lives and analyse why (does it have a den, does it grow under rocks).
Evaluate the dangers it faces in its extreme condition (starvation, the cold,
predators).
Other forms of adaptation (dense fur, defence mechanisms, seed pods).
Examine how it reproduce in these extreme environments (seed pods).
Other interesting facts or features.
Extension Activities include information on:
Critically examine how humans have changed their quality of life based on
adaptations (warmer clothes based on the idea of dense polar bear fur).
Can you determine any connections between your natural ways of living and
adaptations that your chosen animal has done to thrive in its environment? Analyse
and explain. (Living in a house for shelter = Finding a cave for shelter)
Evaluate your extreme condition. Could you live there? What would you need to do
to survive?
Within your groups you may choose your style of presentation. This may include but not
limit to:
Piktochart.com [2-3 pages max]
Windows Movie Maker [7 minutes]
Prezi.com [7 minutes]
PowerPoint [the usual rules apply: no unnecessary sound effects or movements]. [12
slides plus introduction and bibliography]
YouTube.com for publishing if desired.
Please note that verbal information must be included in this assignment. Students have
the option of creating a speech while presenting, or recording their speech over their
presentation. A bibliography of sources is required.
Please refer to the rubric for specific marking criteria.

Page 10 of 14

Page 11 of 14

Appendix B

Page 12 of 14

Performance
Criteria

Excelling

Advancing

Improving

Emerging

(I seek feedback of
how to improve)

(strategic or
purposeful use of
strategies knows
why and when ).

(needs
prompting and
directing)

Student identifies an
organism that lives in an
extreme environments such
as Antarctica or a desert
(ACSSU094)
Location, food,
dangers,
reproduction,
adaptations.

I use several
strategies to
identify all required
features of an
organism that lives
in extreme
conditions,
including at least
one extension
question.

I use several
strategies to
identify most
features of an
organism that lives
in extreme
conditions.

(trial and error

aware of strategies
but not sure why
or when to use
them so makes
mistakes)
I use several
strategies to
identify many
features of an
organism that lives
in extreme
conditions.

Student locates and

collects information
and data from a set
of primary and
secondary sources.

I use several
strategies to locate
and collect
information and
data from primary
and secondary
resources and I
know when and
why to use them. I
can teach others.
I use several
strategies when
using ethical
protocols to gather
information
including a
bibliography. I know
when and why to
use them. I can
teach others.
I use several
strategies to
consider accuracy
and reliability of
information, and
then ordering this
into logical
sequences, and I
know when and
why to use them. I
can teach others.

I use several
strategies to locate
and collect
information and
data from primary
and secondary
resources and I
know when and
why to use them.

Student uses ethical

protocol when
gathering
information:
acknowledging the
work of others,
referencing.

Student considers
accuracy and
reliability of
information and
orders this into
logical sequences
and makes
connections.

Student presents
arguments, findings
and conclusions in a
way that is
appropriate to
audience and
purpose. Plan, draft
and publish
informative texts,
choosing and
experimenting with
text structures,
language features,
images and digital
resources
appropriate to
purpose and
audience
(ACELY1714)
Student reflects on
learning and creates
action to inform
others.

I need help to
identify features
of an organism
that lives in
extreme
conditions, or I
have only
included some
features.

I use several
strategies to locate
and collect
information and
data from primary
and secondary
resources but I am
not sure when and
or why to use
them.
I use several
strategies to use
ethical protocol
while gathering
information but I
am not sure when
and or why to use
them.

I need help to
locate and
collect
information and
data from
primary and
secondary
resources.

I use several
strategies to
consider accuracy
and reliability of
information, and
then ordering this
into logical
sequences, and I
know when and
why to use them.

I use several
strategies to
consider accuracy
and reliability of
information, and
then ordering this
into logical
sequences, but I
am not sure when
and or why to use
them.

I need help to
consider
accuracy and
reliability of
information and
ordering this
into logical
sequences.

I use several
strategies to
present arguments,
findings and
conclusions that is
appropriate to
audience and
context and I know
when and why to
use them. I can
teach others.

I use several
strategies to
present
arguments,
findings and
conclusions that
are appropriate to
audience and
context, and I
know when and
why to use them.

I use several
strategies to
present
arguments,
findings and
conclusions that
are appropriate to
audience and
context, but I am
not sure when and
or why to use
them.

I need help to
present
arguments,
findings and
conclusions that
are appropriate
to audience and
context.

I use several
strategies to reflect
learning and create
action to inform
others, and I know
when and why to
use them. I can
teach others.

I use several
strategies to reflect
learning and create
action to inform
others, and I know
when and why to
use them.

I use several
strategies to reflect
learning and create
action to inform
others, but I am
not sure when and
or why to use
them.

I need help to
reflect learning
and create
action to inform
others.

I use several
strategies to use
ethical protocol
while gathering
information
including a
bibliography and I
know when and
why to use them.

I need help to
use ethical
protocol while
gathering
information.

Page 13 of 14

Summative Assessment Rubric

(adapted from Hook Education Ltd, 2011)

Page 14 of 14