STEM Challenge ‘Trees and Me’ – Years 3/4
Lesson Overview:
As part of PIEFA’s National Ag Day STEM Challenge, in collaboration with ForestLearning they have produced a package of teaching resources to engage and excite your year 3/4 students in STEM! Access the activities for easy, engaging ways to incorporate food and fibre education into the classroom during your teaching programs.
Click here to go to Primezone website and download the resources:
More information on the resource:
Curriculum Outcomes:
Year Three
Science:
- Living things can be grouped on the basis of observable features and can be distinguished from non-living things (ACSSU044)
Technology:
- Investigate food and fibre production and food technologies used in modern and traditional societies (ACTDEK012)
- Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (ACTDEP015)
Mathematics:
- Collect data, organise into categories and create displays using lists, tables, picture graphs and simple column graphs, with and without the use of digital technologies (ACMNA069)
Year Four
Science:
- Natural and processed materials have a range of physical properties that can influence their use (ACSSU074)
Technology:
- Investigate food and fibre production and food technologies used in modern and traditional societies (ACTDEK012)
- Generate, develop, and communicate design ideas and decisions using appropriate technical terms and graphical representation techniques (ACTDEP015)
Mathematics:
- Construct suitable data displays, with and without the use of digital technologies, from given or collected data. Include tables, column graphs and picture graphs where one picture can represent many data values (ACMSP096)
Introduction
The forests of Australia serve many important purposes. They provide habitats for plants and animals and places for recreation, enjoyment, and culture. Trees
in forests help clean our water, protect our soils, and help fight climate change by capturing and storing carbon from the atmosphere in their wood. Productive, sustainably managed forests provide us with renewable wood products (timber), paper (wood fibre), and other forest products like honey. It is important that forests are managed sustainably – for today and forever – to balance these competing demands (ForestLearning, 2021).
Activity One: Multimedia Task | Trees Save the World
Students view footage about the importance of trees and respond to questions on a sticky note template.
Activity Two: Research Task | Pinus radiata
Students complete a 3, 2, 1 group research task focused on the features and properties of the Pinus radiata tree.
Activity Three: Directed Drawing | How to Draw a Feature of a Softwood Tree
Students get creative and follow an engaging tutorial on how to draw a pinecone – a feature of softwood trees.
Activity Four: Multimedia Task | Making Paper from Trees
Students view footage about how trees are transformed into products they use every day and be able to experience a 360-degree virtual tour.
Activity Five: Group Paper Tower Challenging
Students will engage, design and create a paper tower with limited supplies!
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Activity Pack