Topic outline
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PRE-PRIMARY - CHANGES IN OUR ENVIRONMENT
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An introduction to the Pre-Primary package and its links to the Australian Curriculum.
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A list of equipment needed for each activity within the PALMS Pre-Primary package. To assist you with planning and preparations.
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This set of activities introduces students to using their senses to observe changes, an important skill in Science. A discussion on senses and how they are used in Science, an activity to use their hearing as someone stomps through the classroom, working out what is in a mystery package (using their senses), figuring out what is making a sound and finally using all of their senses to identify more mystery objects (reviewing the series of activities). Student worksheets are available below.
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Students explore movement and how it can be relative through a series of scenarios, for example; when you sky dive is the ground flying up toward you?
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Students begin their exploration of short term (or daily) changes through an investigation into day and night.
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A follow up activity, this allows students to verbalise how they can tell whether it is day or night, using their senses.
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Another activity to explore the difference between day and night. This one asks students to consider the living things they may observe moving around at these times.
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Students explore short term changes (morning, afternoon, evening) by identifying when they use common objects across the course of a typical school day.
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Students choose the most appropriate things to wear based on changes in the weather in this picture interpretation and cut and paste activity.
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Students explore changes in their behaviour across the day with this popular old song.
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Students begin their exploration of long term (seasonal) change by describing how they sense the different seasons.
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In this activity students represent changes to trees across the seasons. The student worksheet includes an option for students living in temperate and tropical zones of Australia (this could certainly be adapted to fit your area more closely).
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A comparison between European and traditional Nyungar use of seasons in Western Australia.
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Students explore the longer term (one school term) changes to a group of classroom pencils.
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Students prepare for their exploration of very long term changes by decorating their very own little rocks.
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Students make the connection that sand is broken down rock material. They also discover that rocks become rounder and smaller over long time periods (through weathering) by breaking down their very own rock materials (limestone, sandstone or even brick will do).
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Students further explore the concept that rocks are rounded over very long periods of weathering by shaking biscuits in jars (fun and delicious!).
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Students use their little rocks to complete a Mathematics activity involving counting (Number) and shape (Geometry).