A teacher of Year 8 science, who is also the sustainability co-ordinator, ensures all students are engaged, supported and challenged during a practical investigation into the transference and transformation of energy. He draws from the cross-curriculum priority of sustainability to provide an authentic context to the science content; in this instance building wind turbines. Through group work and peer support he is able to provide different entry points to the task according to the learning needs of his students. For some groups, the aim of the lesson is to build a wind turbine to demonstrate their understanding of transferring wind energy into electrical energy. For other groups, there is a greater focus relating to issues of sustainability where they have to improve the efficiency of an existing turbine and give consideration to the economic, social and environmental impacts of other sources of renewable energy.
Two Year 5 teachers at this school collaborate and team teach as a strategy to meet the needs...
Learning area
ScienceYear level
Year 8Content description
Cross-curriculum priority
Teacher intention
To develop his students’ understanding of transference of wind energy into electrical energy, and to encourage them to think about real life applications for a more sustainable future.Personalised learning
Plan from age-equivalent learning area content:
The teacher plans from Year 8 science content to develop a teaching and learning program about the transference and transformation of energy.
Use the general capabilities and/or cross-curriculum priorities to adjust the learning focus and to personalise the learning
The teacher draws from the priority of sustainability to not only provide an authentic context (renewable energy and wind farms) to the science content (transference and transformation of energy) but also as a way to challenge students’ thinking about the economic, social and environmental impacts of other sources of renewable energy.
1. How do students benefit from working in mixed ability groups?
2. What are the challenges of mixed ability groups?
3. What alternatives to a written report could you give your students that would still allow them to demonstrate their science knowledge and understanding?
Standard 1
Know students and how they learnFocus area 1.5
Differentiate teaching to meet the specific learning needs of students across the full range of abilitiesStandard 3
Plan for and implement effective teaching and learningStandard 4
Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environmentsFocus area 4.1
Support student participation
St Mary MacKillop College (Wanniassa Campus)
Wanniassa ACT Australia
School type
Non-governmentSchool sector
SecondarySchool location
MetropolitanSchool description
St Mary MacKillop College is a co-educational catholic school for years 7-12 students located in the Tuggeranong Valley.