Teaching Primary Science PG (11921.1)
| Available teaching periods | Delivery mode | Location |
|---|---|---|
| View teaching periods | Placement |
Bruce, Canberra |
| EFTSL | Credit points | Faculty |
| 0.125 | 3 | Faculty Of Education |
| Discipline | Study level | HECS Bands |
| School Of Teacher Education | Post Graduate Level | Band 1 2021 (Commenced After 1 Jan 2021) Band 1 2021 (Commenced Before 1 Jan 2021) |
Learning outcomes
After successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:1. Understand the rationale, aims, place and significance of science education as part of an inclusive whole school curriculum;
2. Understand the nature of Science, its significance to everyday life and some of the issues, debates, research and theories that impact on Science education in the contemporary classroom;
3. Develop content knowledge relevant to teaching K-6 Science including how the three strands of the science curriculum inter-relate and integrate with other learning areas and components of the Australian Curriculum;
4. Plan and develop sequenced lessons and assessment using pedagogical approaches to suit particular affective needs and conceptual developmental stages, with an awareness of safety and the use of ICT in the classroom; and
5. Demonstrate an understanding of the rationale for continuous professional reflection and its implications for improved student learning.
Graduate attributes
1. UC graduates are professional - communicate effectively1. UC graduates are professional - display initiative and drive, and use their organisation skills to plan and manage their workload
1. UC graduates are professional - employ up-to-date and relevant knowledge and skills
1. UC graduates are professional - use creativity, critical thinking, analysis and research skills to solve theoretical and real-world problems
2. UC graduates are global citizens - behave ethically and sustainably in their professional and personal lives
2. UC graduates are global citizens - communicate effectively in diverse cultural and social settings
2. UC graduates are global citizens - make creative use of technology in their learning and professional lives
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - adapt to complexity, ambiguity and change by being flexible and keen to engage with new ideas
3. UC graduates are lifelong learners - reflect on their own practice, updating and adapting their knowledge and skills for continual professional and academic development
4. UC graduates are able to demonstrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being and doing - communicate and engage with Indigenous Australians in ethical and culturally respectful ways
Skills development
Core Content Alignment:
This unit’s activities and scheduled sessions have been designed so that the following elements of Core Content are taught and practised:
2.4.3 - How to explicitly deliver reading and writing instruction through discipline and discipline specific curriculum and pedagogical studies as outlined in standard 4.2 (practised only).
2.5.2 - The research that shows numeracy is a fundamental component of learning, discourse, and critique across all areas of the curriculum and improves students’ understanding of and engagement with material within and beyond the mathematics curriculum (practised only).
Prerequisites
None.Corequisites
Enrolment in EDM001 Master of Primary Teaching.Incompatible units
None.Equivalent units
11338 Teaching Primary Science and Technology PGAssumed knowledge
Foundational knowledge of the Australian Curriculum: K-6| Year | Location | Teaching period | Teaching start date | Delivery mode | Unit convener |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 16 February 2026 | Placement | Ms Mandy Crossman |
| 2027 | Bruce, Canberra | Semester 1 | 15 February 2027 | Placement | Ms Mandy Crossman |
Required texts
Skamp, K., & Preston C. (2021) Teaching Primary Science Constructively (7th Edition). Cengage Learning.
Submission of assessment items
Extensions & Late submissions
All assessment items required to be submitted online must be submitted via the appropriate Canvas drop box. It is the student's responsibility to upload the correct and corresponding draft or assessment item to the right submission section. Assignments must be submitted in a format accessible to the assessor(s), as stated on the relevant canvas site. If the unit convener and/or tutor are unable to access a submission, or if no submission has been made by the due date and time, a standard late penalty of 10% of the total marks possible for the task may be applied per day, for three days, after which the submission will receive a score of ‘0' in keeping with UC's Assessment Policy.
Approval of extenuating circumstances will be dependent upon the production of supporting documentation and at the discretion of the unit convener.
When developing your lesson plans, it is encouraged that you are using your skills in lesson planning and design to create engaging and rich lesson resources. Using materials from commercial sites such as TPT, Twinkl, Sparkle Box etc. is not desirable in this unit. If you adapt resources from commercial sites and sources, please note this in your lesson planning and resource development.
Artificial Intelligence
Students are not allowed to use generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in assessments for this unit. Students should be aware that the University of Canberra utilises GenAI detection software. Suspected instances of unauthorised GenAI use may lead to a 'Learning Validation Conversation' designed to provide assurance that a student is able to demonstrate relevant knowledge and skills to meet required learning outcomes. Students who are suspected of having misused GenAI in assessment may be required to attend a summary inquiry for suspected misconduct. It is strongly recommended that students keep records of the development process for all works submitted for assessment, or drafts of work submitted for a work-in-progress review, in a learning portfolio or equivalent. Failure to provide evidence of the development process for assessment may influence a suspicion of GenAI misuse or other forms of academic misconduct.
Core Content Alignment:
This unit's activities and scheduled sessions have been designed so that the following elements of Core Content are taught and practised:
2.4.3 - How to explicitly deliver reading and writing instruction through discipline and discipline specific curriculum and pedagogical studies as outlined in standard 4.2 (practised only).
2.5.2 - The research that shows numeracy is a fundamental component of learning, discourse, and critique across all areas of the curriculum and improves students' understanding of and engagement with material within and beyond the mathematics curriculum (practised only).
Special assessment requirements
Completion of all assessments and an aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the unit.
Participation in 'school-based' clinics is a condition of this unit as these classes are added to your mandated professional experience days, and attendance will be recorded. You must participate in 100% of the school-based tutorial classes to pass this unit.
Provision of valid documentation
Please note that the University takes student conduct very seriously. All documentation provided to University staff must be valid and the provision of fraudulent documentation carries with it potentially serious consequences, including suspension and/or exclusion from the University. Note that all allegations of student misconduct will be referred to the Associate Dean for Education (ADE) as a prescribed authority for investigation.
Students must apply academic integrity in their learning and research activities at UC. This includes submitting authentic and original work for assessments and properly acknowledging any sources used.
Academic integrity involves the ethical, honest and responsible use, creation and sharing of information. It is critical to the quality of higher education. Our academic integrity values are honesty, trust, fairness, respect, responsibility and courage.
UC students have to complete the Academic Integrity Module annually to learn about academic integrity and to understand the consequences of academic integrity breaches (or academic misconduct).
UC uses various strategies and systems, including detection software, to identify potential breaches of academic integrity. Suspected breaches may be investigated, and action can be taken when misconduct is found to have occurred.
Information is provided in the Academic Integrity Policy, Academic Integrity Procedure, and University of Canberra (Student Conduct) Rules 2023. For further advice, visit Study Skills.
Learner engagement
Indicative workload:
- Attendance at weekly classes: 35 hours
- Preparation for weekly classes: 40 hours
- Other reading and assessment preparation: 75 hours
Inclusion and engagement
Students who need assistance in undertaking the unit because of disability or other circumstances should inform their Unit Convener or Inclusion and Welfare as soon as possible so the necessary arrangements can be made.
Participation requirements
Participation in ‘school based' tutorial classes is a compulsory condition of this unit, and attendance will be recorded. You must participate in 100% of the ‘school based' tutorial classes to pass this unit. In the event that you cannot attend your assigned session due to illness or extreme circumstances, you must provide appropriate documentation to the Unit Convener as soon as possible. In the case of sessions missed due to illness or extreme circumstances, both the academic content and the professional experience component are required to be made up. More than two documented absences may lead to failure of the unit due to non-completion.
*Note: This unit commences with weeks 1, 2, 3, 4 and 8 on campus (see timetable for room) and weeks 5 - 7 and 10-11 will be school-based to meet accreditation requirements of 2.5 days (Primary) professional experience. There is a further asynchronous online tutorial in week 12.
Required IT skills
UC entry level skills.
Artificial intelligence services must not to be used for assessment or assessment preparation by students unless explicitly allowed in the assessment instructions for an assessment task published with the assessment task and/or in the unit outline. That is, an artificial intelligence services may only be used if:
- its use is authorised by the unit convener as part of a specified assessment task, and
- it is used in the way allowed in the assessment instructions and/or unit outline, and
- its use is appropriately referenced, meaning that students must reference the use of AI in their assessment in the same way as they reference other source material.
In-unit costs
For school-based clinics, students are expected to provide their own teaching materials, and arrange their own travel to and from the school.
Work placement, internships or practicums
Learning in this unit will be integrally linked to experiences in professional contexts.
This unit involves work integrated learning (WIL): Placement or Internship. Students must adhere to University policy during WIL activities, including the Student Conduct Rules 2018, the WIL policy and WIL procedure, and the Assessment policy, and Assessment procedure. For teaching degrees, students need to ensure they have their WWVP or for NSW, their Working with Children, COVID vaccination status and evidence of PSTR uploaded to InPlace.
This unit involves clinical placement and, therefore, additional student responsibilities are required in addition to those described in section 6. Workplace learning requires strict adherence to professional practice principles and ethics. School student and staff confidentiality must always be maintained (refer policies on ATES - Professional Experience Handbook, ACT ED Teachers' Code of Professional Practice and Student Conduct Rules), including for assessment items such as reports or essays. This applies to staff and patrons of any outside agency where an internship or other WIL activity is taking place. The professional nature of this unit also requires 100% participation at all learning activities (lectures, workshops, tutorial, practicals etc. as scheduled – see section 3) for the successful completion of this unit (also see section 6c). If school-based attendance requirements cannot be satisfied (e.g. timetable clash), it is recommended that you contact the Academic Programs Team to discuss re-scheduling this unit.
Learning in this unit will be integrally linked to experiences in professional contexts. This unit encourages students' practical development of key pedagogical and attitudinal skills essential for teaching within the 21st-century classroom. By working with young students and alongside practicing teachers within a school setting, this unit supports students to develop key pedagogical knowledge, content knowledge, and knowledge of students and how they learn. Furthermore, by engaging in collaborative teaching and planning each week, students will practice and develop important relationship skills to prepare them for future work within school-based teaching teams. Additionally, this unit will explore essential learning theories specific to the teaching of the Australian Curriculum: Science. These theories will underpin students' developing pedagogical approaches to instructing Science and Scientific literacy.
Additional information
Use of student email account
The University Email policy states that "students wishing to contact the University via email regarding administrative or academic matters need to send the email from the University account for identity verification purposes". Therefore all unit enquiries should be emailed using a student university email account. Students should contact servicedesk@canberra.edu.au if they have any issues accessing their university email account.
