CURRICULUM RESOURCES
Year 4 | Biological sciences | Plants in action | NEW – fully aligned to the Australian Curriculum
We depend on plants for the oxygen we breathe, many foods, fibres, building materials, medicines and fuels, and for the pleasures of beautiful flowers. Agriculture, horticulture, forestry, conservation of natural habitats and gardening all require an understanding of plants.
The Plants in action unit is an ideal way to link science with literacy in the classroom. Students' beliefs about flowering plants will be challenged as they work through hands-on activities. Students will develop a sense of wonder and appreciation of plants as they investigate the process of germination, the stages in a plant's life cycle and what plants need for growth.
Indigenous perspectives 'pilot' in Western Australia
Unit at a glance (PDF)
Alignment with the Australian Curriculum: Science (PDF)
Alignment with the Australian Curriculum: English and Maths (PDF)
Equipment lists (PDF)
Indigenous curriculum links (PDF)
Indigenous Perspectives framework (PDF)
Indigenous Perspectives Teaching and learning guide
Factual and narrative texts
Useful websites
Other
Factual texts:
Plants
McEvoy, Paul (Go facts level 2: Plants set, Blake Publishing, 2002, 24pp)
ISBN: 1 86509 458 7
Flowers
McEvoy, Paul (Go facts level 2: Plants set, Blake Publishing, 2002, 24pp)
ISBN: 1 86509 459 5
Trees
McEvoy, Paul (Go facts level 2: Plants set, Blake Publishing, 2002, 24pp)
ISBN: 1 86509 460 9
Plants as food
McEvoy, Paul (Go facts level 2: Plants set, Blake Publishing, 2002, 24pp)
ISBN: 1 86509 461 7
Teaching guide
Munn, Kara (Go facts level 2: Plants set, Blake Publishing, 2002, 32pp)
ISBN: 1 86509 462 5
Flowers, fruits and seeds
Morgan, Sally (Looking at plants series, Belitha Press, 2002, 32pp)
ISBN: 1 84138 432 1
Plants and life
Morgan, Sally (Looking at plants series, Belitha Press, 2002, 32pp)
ISBN: 1 84138 434 8
Plants and people
Morgan, Sally (Looking at plants series, Belitha Press, 2002, 32pp)
ISBN: 1 84138 435 6
The life of a broad bean
Hibbert, Clare (Life cycles series, Harcourt Education Ltd, 2004, 32pp)
ISBN: 1 844 43314 5
The life of a sunflower
Hibbert, Clare (Life cycles series, Harcourt Education Ltd, 2004, 32pp)
ISBN: 1 844 43305 6
The private life of plants
Attenborough, David (BBC Worldwide Ltd, 2003, DVD or Video Cassette)
Narrative texts:
The story of rosy dock
Baker, Jeannie (A Mark McLeod Book, Random House Australia, 1995)
ISBN: 0 09 182811 2
The story of rosy dock is set in the central Australian desert, and describes the spread of an introduced plant from its place in one garden to becoming the dominant feature of the whole landscape.
Weslandia
Fleischman, Paul (Walker Books, 1999, 40pp)
ISBN: 0744 540 992
One summer vacation, Wesley decides to create his own civilization and there begins the world of Weslandia. Wesley grows a garden and makes his own food, clothes, games and language.
Islands in my garden
Howes, Jim; illustrated by Harvey, Roland (Roland Harvey Books, 1998)
ISBN: 0 949714 52 6
Islands in my garden explores life on a microcosmic level in a suburban back yard.
Mrs Millie’s painting
Ottley, Matt (Hodder Children’s Books, 1997)
ISBN: 0 7336 0188 X
Mrs Millie loves flowers, but has no garden of her own. She grows geraniums in pots on the window sill, and paints pictures of exotic plants. One night, Mrs Millie and her pet Socrates embark on a magical journey.
Amelia Ellicott’s garden
Stafford, Liliana (Scholastic, 2000)
ISBN: 1 87628 933 3
Amelia Ellicott has a large garden, which she shares only with her cat. One day a storm blows the garden away and Amelia’s neighbours help her to build a new garden, and a new community.
The paradise garden
Thompson, Colin (Random House Australia, 1998)
ISBN: 0 22404 632 2
Peter escapes from his troubled life by going to live in his idealised, paradise garden.
Australian National Botanic Gardens
Information about Australian plants, botany, horticulture, and the lives of famous botanists.
The life cycle of flowering plants (Interactive crossword puzzle)
© 2005 Department of Education, Science and Training and EduPuzzle.
Botanical drawing images
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| Acacia melanoxylon | Acacia podalyriifolia |
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Eucalyptus globulus |
Eucryphia lucida |
(Click on image for a larger version. To save the image, right-click on the larger version, choose 'Save picture as', and save the image in a location of your choice.)