ACARA v9 CONTENT DESCRIPTION “write and create texts to communicate observations, findings and ideas, using everyday and scientific vocabulary”
Builds on looking closely and writing down what we see. Once we have found something out, the last step is to tell other people. We can share what we found with a drawing, a sentence, or a chart, using everyday words and the right science words so others understand.
Share what you found
Finding something out is only half the job. The other half is telling people, so they can learn it too. We can show what we found in different ways. We can draw a picture, write a sentence, or make a chart. Each way is good for something different. The trick is to pick the way that shows our finding most clearly.
Pick a way to tell others
You watched the snails in the garden and want to tell the class what you found. Each way of telling has something it does well and something it does not.
You found out that snails come out most when it rains. Now you want to share this with the whole class. Pick a way to tell them and see what it is good at and what it misses.
Choose a response to see what is gained and what is given up.
A chart tells the counts
When our finding is about how many, a chart is a great way to tell it. We counted the bugs we found under the log and wrote each number down. In a chart, the taller the bar, the more we found. Anyone can look at the chart and see the answer straight away, without us saying a word. The chart does the telling for us.
Show the bug counts in a chart
We counted the minibeasts we found under the log and recorded each number. Switch between the table and the bar chart to see how a chart tells the counts to the class.
The chart tells the class our counts without a single word. The tallest bar shows we found the most ants, and the short bar shows we found the fewest snails. A chart can share a finding all by itself.
Say it clearly
When we write a report, we want our sentence to say exactly what we saw. A clear report tells what really happened, like "the boat floated" or "the rock sank." A fuzzy sentence, like "it did a thing," does not help anyone know what we found. Using the right science word, like float or sink, makes our meaning clear. Sort the notes into clear reports and fuzzy ones.
Which sentences clearly report what we found?
We tested which things float and which sink, and wrote some notes. Decide which notes clearly tell what we observed, and which are too fuzzy to be a good report.
Claim: These notes clearly tell the class what we observed in our float and sink test.
The cork floated on top of the water and the metal spoon sank.
We counted that 4 of the 6 objects floated.
It was sort of an interesting kind of a day, I guess.
The plastic lid floated, but the small stone sank to the bottom.
Something maybe did something with the water at some point.
Decide whether each statement is evidence for the claim, or not.
Why this matters
A finding only helps others once we share it. When we draw a picture, write a clear sentence, or make a chart, we let the whole class learn what we found out. Using everyday words and the right science words makes our meaning clear. Telling others what we found is how science grows, and it is the very last step every scientist takes.
Quick self-check
1. After you find something out, why do you tell other people?
2. You counted the bugs you found. Which is the best way to show the counts to the class?
3. Which sentence clearly tells what you observed?
4. A science word like "float" helps your report because it...
5. Which is the most helpful way to tell others what your plant looked like?