Science animated incursion | Stage 3 Science and Technology | Field of Mars EEC

Cost, risk assessment and details

Cost	DoE $27 per student – GST free Non-gov $37 per student – GST free, min charge $750 per class Schools outside Greater Sydney – minimum charge $750 per class Program costs may change. Bookings are charged at the cost confirmed when you book.
Risk assessment	Risk management plan
Classes	Maximum 3 classes per day with up to 32 students per class.
School preparation	This is a full day program. Schools to provide one extra large learning space, with a screen or projector, for all participating classes for the duration of the day. Place students into groups of two. If leaving school grounds, ensure teacher to student ratio of 1:15.
View	Adaptations student learning resource
Welfare	For medical or special needs notify staff prior to program.
Extreme or wet weather	Program may be modified, postponed or cancelled due to predicted extreme temperatures, bush fire danger, heavy rainfall, high winds or dust storms.
Booking policy	Confirm student numbers and classes 7 days in advance.
Cancellation and rescheduling	Cancellation or rescheduling with less than 30 school days’ notice before the booking date – $650 Cancellation with less than 14 school days’ notice before the booking date – full program cost Cancellation due to unsafe weather or fire danger – $0v

Activities

Activities may vary depending on student needs, timing and weather.

Introduction

Students explore what an animation is and how stop motion is created. Through a short example and class discussion, students identify the steps for the day and connect the task to science learning about invertebrate features, habitats and ecosystem interactions.

Invertebrate investigation

In the school gardens, students work in pairs to safely search for and collect invertebrates from leaf litter and vegetation. Students discuss where animals are found and make responsible choices while using simple fieldwork equipment.

Back in the classroom, students use magnifiers and identification charts to observe external features and identify their invertebrates. Stage 3 students extend their observations by linking structural or behavioural features to survival and adaptation.

Animation workshop

Students compose a short factual script that describes their chosen invertebrate’s habitat and adaptations. Students then storyboard scenes to match each sentence so the visuals clearly support the information being communicated.

Students create durable plasticine models that represent the key features of their selected invertebrates and can be moved for animation. Students test models against success criteria, refining details and planning how movement will show behaviours and interactions.

Animating

Students use iPads, stands and iStopMotion to record narrated scenes, taking a sequence of in-focus images to match their storyboard.

Editing

Students export clips and edit their final animation in iMovie, adding titles or music as time allows, before a short movie premiere viewing.

Completed animations will be returned to school via Google Drive.

Explore related fact sheets

Use these student-friendly fact sheets before or after your Science animated incursion to introduce adaptations, animal features, habitats and science concepts before students create animations.

• ⁠Reptiles fact sheet – Learn how reptiles use body features and behaviours to survive in different habitats.
• ⁠Eastern blue-tongued lizard fact sheet – Explore a native lizard with camouflage, scales, a blue tongue and defensive behaviours.
• ⁠Invertebrate fact sheets – Explore insects, spiders, worms, molluscs and other animals with features that can be animated.
• ⁠Insects fact sheet – Learn about insect body parts, movement, life cycles, adaptations and roles in habitats.
• ⁠Habitat fact sheet – Learn how living and non-living features create places where organisms can survive.
• ⁠Eucalypt forest ecosystem fact sheet – Learn how plants, animals, habitats and environmental conditions interact in forest ecosystems.

Suggested timetable

Time	Activities
9.15 - 11.00	Investigating invertebrates Developing a script and storyboard, prop making
	Recess
11.30 - 1.00	Creating an animation Editing an animation
	Lunch
1.45 - 2.30	Editing continued (if required)

Times and session duration varies depending on school timetables, location choice and number of classes.

Please include your school's bell times in the notes section of your booking form.

Tier 2 and 3 vocabulary

explain, sequence, plan, refine, communicate, interpret, collaborate, stop-motion animation, frames, script, scene, setting, camouflage, invertebrate, structural/behavioural adaptations

Syllabus outcomes and content

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus (2024)

Knowledge of our world and beyond inspires sustainable solutions

Outcomes

• Uses evidence to explain how scientific knowledge can be used to develop sustainable practices ST3-SCI-01
• Interprets data to support explanations and arguments ST3-DAT-01

Content

Living things may change over millions of years, in response to their environments

• Observe behavioural and structural adaptations of plants and animals, and suggest how these may help them survive in their environments

Creating written texts in Science and Technology

Outcome

• Creates written texts to communicate understanding of scientific and technological concepts and processes ST3-CWT-01

Content

Creating written explanations of concepts and processes supports understanding of Science and Technology

• Use compound and complex sentences and labelled diagrams to create a text that explains a process, concept or investigation
• Use notetaking, journalling, annotations and labelled images to create a multimodal text that documents the design processes involved in developing a solution

Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2024