Timber, a sustainable and
Renewable Resource
Teacher Overview
Timber, a Sustainable and Renewable Resource.
The aim of this unit is for students to investigate how and why wood is considered to be a sustainable and renewable resource.
Students will be able to identify the properties of wood that make it a versatile material and determine products that are made from
wood. The investigations will be centred around the concept of sustainability.
There are multiple activities to use in this lesson for cross-curricular outcomes. You may choose to undertake all of them, or
alternatively, choose those relevant to the objective you wish to achieve.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to identify:
Renewable and non-renewable resources.
The difference between human made and natural products.
How adaptable is wood and why.
How people can promote sustainability by using wood products.
Context and Rationale
This unit progresses over four stages:
The first stage is based in research and gathering background knowledge. This also is used to establish pre-existing background
knowledge and to ensure that there is a level understanding among the students, before the investigations begin.
The second stage consists of first hand investigations into the properties and adaptability of wood.
The third stage encourages students to elaborate on their knowledge of renewable resources by making connections about why
wood is a sustainable resource.
The culmination stage provides students with the opportunity to reflect on their learning. Designing an artwork to visually
represent their results and attitudes about using wood as a sustainable and renewable resource, in contrast to human made
materials.
Inquiry Framework Overview
The 5E Inquiry Approach
Forest Learning has selected the 5E Inquiry approach to inform the teaching methodology
behind this unit. The 5E instructional model has been used since the late 1980s to inform
quality investigative Science based units. It is a constructivist teaching model which enables
students to create and build their own learning pathways by encouraging the exploration of
new experiences and ideas. A pedagogical shift from traditional Science teaching methods is
observed in this framework as the emphasis is on teacher facilitation of a unit where students
have opportunities to construct their own key conceptual understandings. Forest Learning is
committed to the creation of units which can be used to engage students in open-ended,
student-centered and hands-on activities.
This unit also provides opportunities for students to participate in ‘science as practice’.
According to Harris & Rooks (2010) this involves being able to:
1. Know, use and interpret scientific explanations
2. Generate and evaluate scientific evidence and explanations
3. Understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge
4. Participate productively in scientific practices and discourse
The purpose of the five different phases are as follows (AAS, 2008a):
Engage
• Create interest and stimulate curiosity
• Set learning within a meaningful context
• Raise questions for inquiry
• Reveal students’ ideas and beliefs, compare students’ ideas
Explore
• Provide experience of the phenomenon or concept
• Explore and inquire into students’ questions and test their ideas
• Investigate and solve problems
Explain
• Introduce conceptual tools that can be used to interpret the evidence and construct
explanations of the phenomenon
• Construct multi-modal explanations and justify claims in terms of the evidence gathered
• Compare explanations generated by different students/groups
• Consider current scientific explanations
Elaborate
• Use and apply concepts and explanations in new contexts to test their general
applicability
• Reconstruct and extend explanations and understanding using and integrating different
modes, such as written language, diagrammatic and graphic modes, and mathematics
Evaluate
• Provide an opportunity for students to review and reflect on their own learning and new
understanding and skills
• Provide evidence for changes to students’ understanding, beliefs and skills
Timber, a Sustainable and Renewable Resource
5E
Lesson
Content
Engage
1
What are the differences between
renewable and non-renewable
resources?
Explore
2
What are the differences between
human made and natural products?
3
What are the properties of wood?
Explain
4
How do wood products transition
from seed to final product?
5
Which material is the most useful
without excessive manufacturing?
Elaborate
6
Why is wood a sustainable
resource?
7
How is wood used in art?
Evaluate
8
Art lesson, reflecting on learning
Sequence of Learning
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Lesson Title, purpose and overview
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1
Engage – Stage 1
What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable
resources?
Research and gathering background information
Renewable Resources
Renewable resources are replenished by the environment over relatively
short periods of time. Examples of renewable resources include:
• Solar and wind energy
• Plants: Trees used for timber, cotton used for clothes and food
crops (such as corn and wheat) can all be replanted and
regrown after they have been harvested
• Animals: Other than endangered and threatened species, are
also considered a renewable resource as they can be bred to
create supply
• Water: Although there is a limited supply of fresh water, it can
be replenished
All of these renewable resources still need to be managed to maintain the
balance of how much we use against how much is made. This is our
responsibility as human consumers on Earth.
Non-Renewable Resources
Non-renewable resources are resources that cannot be replenished at a
rate equal to the rate at which we use it. Examples of non-renewable
resources include:
• Fossil fuels: crude oil, natural gas, coal, oil shales and tar sands.
We use these to make energy such as heat and electricity and to
drive our cars. They are considered non-renewable resources
because the Earth cannot regenerate them within a useable
timeframe; there are finite resources of fossil fuels on the
planet.
1. Create interest and stimulate curiosity by displaying raising
the inquiry question on the interactive whiteboard ‘What
are renewable and non-renewable resources?’ As a class,
watch the video “Wood as a renewable and energy efficient
resource” on the interactive whiteboard to introduce the
definition of renewable and non-renewable resources.
2. Explain to the class that they are going to investigate the
meaning behind each and record a definition in their own
words. They must also find examples of renewable and non-
renewable resources, encourage them to think about the
items they have at home or in their daily lives to set the
learning in a meaningful context. Allow students to do this
in either a paper science journal or an online tool such as
Penzu. Explain that this journal will be used over the course
of the unit to record all of the students’ research,
investigations and findings.
3. Divide the class into small groups and use the tablets or
computers to research their answers, recording their
answers in their science journal.
4. Regroup and discuss the findings, revealing students’ ideas
and beliefs. Compare any similarities and differences the
students have and refine any definitions as required.
5. As a class, view the Forest Learning video ‘Wood as a
Renewable and Energy Efficient Resource’ explaining the
differences between renewable and non-renewable
resources and how wood is an energy efficient renewable
resource.
6. To conclude the lesson, students again regroup to test their
knowledge of renewable and non-renewable resources by
playing the Children’s University interactive game
‘Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy’.
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Explore – Stage 2
What is the difference between human made and natural products?
1. Pose the question ‘Why are some products considered to be
human made if they originally come from natural
resources?’ Discuss as a class and develop a class definition
of ‘natural resource’ and ‘human made resource’.
2. Display a range of items made from different materials. For
example:
• Wool = socks
• Plastic = toy
• Rubber = wheel
• Wood = bowl
• Glass = drinking glass
• Leather = jacket
• Cotton = pillowcase
• Clay = ornament etc.
Using the interactive whiteboard, as a class brainstorm a list of
possible materials that the products could be made from then
allow the students to examine the items. Ask them to determine
which materials they think each item is made from, listing
answers in their journals.
3. Divide the class into small groups to participate in a product
scavenger hunt to provide experience of the human made
versus natural materials concept. The aim of the hunt is for
the students to locate a diverse array of items made from
different products in order to create a comparison table.
4. Remaining in their groups, ask students to identify which
products are considered “natural” and which products have
undergone excessive manufacturing and chemical
processes and are considered to be “human made”
resources. Explain that natural materials are those that
come from plants, animals, and minerals. Human made
materials are produced from naturals products but have
gone through complex manufacturing processes. Allow the
students time to use the internet to research their
materials, determining if they are natural or human made.
They should record their findings in a format of their choice
such as:
Natural Products
Source
Natural Material
Product
Plants
Wood
Box, table
Cotton
Cotton ball, t-shirt
Rubber
Balloon, elastic band
Animals
Leather
Shoe, handbag
Wool
Jumper, gloves
Silk
Scarf
Fur
Hat
A combination of clay
minerals and metal
oxides found naturally
on earth
clay
Vase, brick
Human Made Products
Source
Type
Product
Oil (+additives)
PVC
Plastic pipe
Styrofoam
Coffee cup
Polyester
Car seatbelt
Nylon
Toothbrush bristles
Sand, soda ash,
limestone
Glass
Window
Minerals
Metal
Spoon, coins
5. Ask students how they could sort the natural and human
made products into different categories to those listed in
their table. Are there any similarities or differences? They
must record this information in their science journals.
Explore and inquire into students’ questions and test their
ideas by challenging the categories they produce. Ask students
to explain why they have grouped items into their chosen
categories.
6. As a class, walk around the school grounds and investigate
natural and human made products. Using their science
journals, students create tally scorecard of the products that
they identify.
7. Return to the classroom and ask students to share their
tally results to discover which products are used most
often.
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Explore – Stage 2 continued
First Hand Investigation
How adaptable is wood?
1. Recording in their journals, allow the students time to
brainstorm items that are made from wood. Ask students to
read out some of their answers, drawing attention to how
exhaustive the list is. Explore and inquire into any questions
the students may have, then provide opportunities in the
following investigation for students to test their ideas.
2. Display the ‘Wood Magic’ website on the interactive
whiteboard. As a class, navigate through the site to discover
how many products in our homes are made form wood.
3. Display the
page:http://www.forestlearning.edu.au/australian-
forests/wood-production-process on the interactive
whiteboard. As a class read through the parts of a tree that
we use to produce different products.
4. Explain to the class that just as there are many types of
wood available and used for many different purposes.
Display a list of different uses for wood on the interactive
whiteboard. Example: Building housing frames, carving, bed
frame, outdoor furniture, boat, lightweight model plane,
paper. Ask students to study the list an think of properties
that may be important for each use. Example: Boat – need to
float , outdoor furniture – heat resistant, not hold too much
water. Carving wood: soft and workable.
5. Properties of Wood Experiment
Students will conduct a first hand investigation to test the
properties of wood. Discuss with the class how to conduct
an experiment, noting the key features to include:
• Aim
• Equipment
• Prediction (hypothesis)
• Variables
• Method
• Results
As a class write a plan for the experiment using the headings Aim,
Prediction, Method and Results.
Aim
To test the properties of wood to determine their suitability
for their use.
As a class, ask students to suggest how the aim could be
phrased as a question. Display the question on the
interactive whiteboard and ask students to write the aim in
their science journals.
Equipment
20cm x 10cm off-cuts of wood (pine, redgum, black butt,
MDF and balsa wood)
Plastic tub with water
Hammer
Sandpaper (fine and course)
Heater or hairdryer
Timer
Scales
Prediction/Hypothesis
Students need to record the predictions they have about the
results of this experiment. For example, they might write about
which type of wood is the most sturdy and which type is most
frail.
Discuss predictions and reasoning amongst the class then allow
time for the students to write the prediction/s into their science
journals.
Variables
Explain that in any valid investigation, certain factors need to
control the experiment and remain the same whereas some need
to alter in order to determine the findings. Allow the students to
determine the factors/variables in their investigation they wish
to remain the same (the control) versus those they wish to
change.
Method
As a class, create an equipment list and write a procedure
providing detailed instructions about how the students are
going to conduct the experiment. This can be jointly
constructed using the interactive whiteboard.
1. Touch each type of wood and describe how it feels.
2. Agree upon the variables in the experiment and identify
the controls.
3. Using a hammer, pound each piece of wood and examine
the indent left by the hammer to determine how hard or
soft the wood is.
4. Weigh each piece of dry wood then submerge the wood
into the water filled tub for 3 minutes. Weigh it again to
determine how much water has been absorbed.
5. Sand each piece of wood and observe how easy or
difficult it is to smooth/roughen the surface.
6. Place each piece of wood in front of a heater or under a
hair dryer for 3 minutes. Feel the wood after one minute
intervals to see how long it retains the heat.
7. Place the wood in a bucket of water. Does it sink or
float?
Results:
Students need to clearly articulate the findings of this
investigation. Specifically, they need to ask themselves:
1. What did I find out?
2. How does this relate to my prediction?
3. Why did this happen?
Students create a table in their science journals to collate their
results. For example:
Pine
Blackbutt
Red Gum
Balsa
MDF
How it Feels:
e.g. rough, smooth
hard, flexible, dry,
moist, light, heavy
Hammer indent:
deep or shallow
measured in
mm
_______ mm
_______ mm
_______ mm
_______ mm
_______ mm
Water test
Weight before:
Weight after:
Weight before:
Weight after:
Weight before:
Weight after:
Weight before:
Weight after
Weight before:
Weight after:
Sands easily with
smooth an/or
coarse paper:
YES/NO
Smooth:
Course:
Smooth:
Course:
Smooth:
Course:
Smooth:
Course
Smooth:
Course:
Retains heat
YES/NO
After 1 min:
After 2 min:
After 3 min:
After 1 min:
After 2 min:
After 3 min:
After 1 min:
After 2 min:
After 3 min:
After 1 min:
After 2 min:
After 3 min:
After 1 min:
After 2 min:
After 3 min:
Sink or float
5. To conclude, regroup as a class and use the investigation
results to determine which wood type is best used for building,
carving, vessel (boat), outdoor furniture, lightweight model
plane, paper, indoor furniture, chopping boards and other uses
suggested by the students.
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Explain - Stage 3
How do wood products transition from seed to final product?
1. Explain to the students that this task will involve
researching and explaining a system or process that wood
transitions through in each stage of production to create a
commodity. Discuss terminology and definitions. Students
select one wood product that interests them and researches
in detail the stages of production from seed to final product,
considering current scientific explanations.
Examples of products may include: Paper, electricity poles,
fencing, house frames, MDF, furniture etc. The Forest
Learning website has many fantastic resources that can aid
in the students’ research.
2. Students use the Forest Learning website and other
internet resources to research their product and record the
production process into their science journal. If possible,
encourage students to contact their local state forest
authority, processing plants etc. to gather primary
resources supporting their research.
3. Ask students to prepare a slide show presentation with
images found in their research to detail the process of their
product from seed to commodity. Students should prepare
an oral presentation to accompany their slide show.
Encourage students to think about how whether their
chosen commodity reflects a beneficial need in the
everyday lives of humans or if it is rather a consumer want
(nice to have) by constructing multi-modal explanations
and justifying their claims in terms of the evidence
gathered.
4. As a class, view the presentations and ask students to share
their thoughts on these processes and develop a list of
possible questions for future investigation. Compare
explanations generated by the students to determine
whether there is a class divide in opinion as to whether that
particular product is of benefit to the wider population or a
‘nice to have’.
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Explain - Stage 3 continued
Which material is the most useful without excessive manufacturing?
1. Using the interactive whiteboard display a definition of
manufacturing.
Manufacturing is the production of goods for use or sale,
using labor and machines, tools, chemical and biological
processing.
In groups, ask students to create a flow chart or flow
diagram to illustrate the steps in processing timer product
(from tree harvesting to final product) and another to
illustrate the steps involved in making a plastic product
(from oil extraction to final product)
2. Introduce brainstorming and questioning as conceptual
tools that can be used to interpret the evidence and
construct explanations of a phenomenon. To illustrate the
effectiveness of this tool, ask students to imagine that they
have been given permission to design and build their dream
classroom. The catch is that they can only choose one
natural material to create the products, including the
classroom itself. Ask students to brainstorm possible
materials and make predictions about which product would
have the most uses.
3. Set up 5 stations for student to work at in groups. Each
station should include only 1 material for students to design
a classroom. Divide the students into 5 groups, assigning each
of the group one material only that they can use to design
their classroom.
Group 1: Clay
Group 2: Wood (blocks, pop sticks, paper)
Group 3: Cotton (Cotton wool, cotton fabric)
Group 4: Steel (Aluminum foil, meccano)
Group 5: Plastic (Lego, plastic bottles, straws)
Once students have completed their designs, bring the class
together to evaluate the usefulness of each material.
4. Download the Forest Learning App ‘Timber Sleuth’ into students’
tablets. Timber Sleuth aims to raise awareness to children about
timber products in and around the home, that may not always be
obvious, and to educate on the strength, durability and beauty of
timber. Designed for pre and primary school children, it allows
the player to be a timber sleuth – identifying wood products in
the most unexpected places. Forest Learning.
5. Ask students to design a bedroom using only wood
products. Students should draw and label each item in the
room and create a list of the rooms’ contents in their
science journal.
6. Students must then develop a list of criteria/questions to
self evaluate their designs. The purpose of the questions is
for students to construct multi-modal explanations and
justify their claims in terms of the evidence gathered. For
example:
• How do I know if it is practical/livable?
• What evidence is there that this would be a comfortable
space?
• Is anything missing that would be required for my
needs?
7. Students demonstrate their knowledge by creating a 3D
model or diorama of their bedroom. They must represent
the contents and design of the bedroom using natural wood
materials or items made from wood such as pop sticks,
cardboard, paper, matchsticks, MDF etc. Once completed,
share as a class and evaluate their designs.
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Elaboration – Stage 4
Why is wood a sustainable resource?
1. Display three definitions of ‘sustainability’ on the interactive
whiteboard and ask students to offer suggestions to refine
and develop definition of their own. Example definitions:
• ‘Development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of the future
generations to meet their own needs.’ Brundtland
Report ‘Our Common Future’ (1987)
• ‘…leaving the world a better place than you found it,
taking no more than you need, trying not to harm life or
the environment and making amends if you do.’ Paul
Hawkens (2004)
• ‘…an ability or capacity of something to be maintained
or to sustain itself. It’s about taking what we need to live
now, without jeopardising the potential for people in the
future to meet their needs. (landlearnnsw.org)
The key idea for students to comprehend is that we must all act
responsibly to ensure the resources on earth will be able to
support future generations. Sustainable practices will enable
humans to maintain the Earth’s natural resources as they are
continuously replenished. The degree of usage has a deep impact
on natural resources, and ultimately the sustainability of our
Earth.
2. As a class, discuss how wood fits into the category of being a
sustainable resource. Students should implement the
knowledge they have gained so far during the unit to apply
concepts and explanations for how wood is sustainable
product.
3. This lesson will engage the students in research to
reconstruct and extend their explanations and
understanding of wood as a sustainable resource. They will
incorporate different modes such as written language,
diagrammatic/graphics and mathematics to represent their
findings.
Begin the research process by conducting a class critical
literacy activity. Display the webpage ‘Products from
Timber’ on the interactive whiteboard and read the
information together. Ask students to summarise the
information into their science journal then answer the
following questions:
• What is the topic?
• What is its purpose? (What is its genre?)
• To whom is it written?
• Who may have authored it and what would their
position be?
• How does the language of the text help to achieve its
purpose?
• What other ways of writing about the topic are there?
(Adapted from Rice 1998:56)
4. Watch the video ‘Make it wood’ and ask the class to again
summarise the key points in their science journals. Using
the critical literacy questions from the previous activity,
students’ must convert the video’s key messages into a
written explanation text as to why wood is a sustainable
resource. Their challenge is to consider the following points
and build a text incorporating different modes such as
written language, diagrammatic/graphics and mathematics
whilst considering the intended audience and purpose.
• Topic – Wood is a sustainable resource
• Purpose – Inform readers about the benefits of wood
in the context of sustainability
• Audience – Their student peers
• Language - How does their choice of language in
their text help to deliver the key messages of the
video?
• Modes - What other ways of writing about the topic
are there and how can they incorporate diagrams to
illustrate their key messages?
5. Once completed, students must swap their writing with a
partner and read carefully through the text, taking note of if
the points listed above were adequately covered. After
reviewing the information, students develop a series of
questions that they would like answered whilst researching
sustainable forestry.
6. Regroup as a class to discuss the students’ questions and
evaluate which would be best suited to ask a forester to
better understand how timber is sustainably managed.
7. Organise for a visit, Skype chat or video conference with a
forestry worker to discuss the importance of forest
management. Select students to interview the forester by
asking their pre-developed questions. Alternatively,
students could write an email with their questions to their
local state forest authority. To determine your nearest, use
the ‘Forest Learning Links’ webpage for further information.
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Elaboration – Stage 4 continued
How is wood used in art?
1. Explain to the students that not only is wood used for
building and producing practical products, it can also be
used for creating art and items of cultural significance, in
both traditional and modern art styles. As a class,
brainstorm different art forms the students have seen using
wood.
2. Use and apply this knowledge in a new context to test the
students’ general understanding of the concept of wood as
an art form. Using a pin board webtool such as the site
‘Pinterest’, teach the students how to search for existing
boards and create their own, exhibiting art works and items
of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, these may
include:
• Musical instruments (Didgeridoo, bimli sticks, rasp)
• Hunting tools (boomerang, woomera, spears)
• Sculptures
• Bark painting
• Carvings
• Masks
• Shields
In addition to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures
students may wish to investigate other cultures and methods of
creating art form wood. The following is a list of additional art
forms that use wood.
• Furniture
• Wood turning
• Totem poles
• Wood burning
• Marquetry
• Wood chip art
• Wood burning
3. Once the students have created a basic pin board, ask them
to choose from one of the above expressions, or a different
one of their choosing. They will need to replicate a basic
version of this artwork with their own creative flair.
Encourage the students to use as many natural wooden
resources as possible such as bark, wood chips, off cuts,
rattan etc. Minimise the need to purchase wood from a local
hardware store or timber yard by going on a gathering
expedition to a local park or around the school grounds, but
allow students to look around their homes for unused
timber to be recycled for this project.
4. Allow students research and construction time both in class
and for homework. The completion of their art form should
be accompanied by a presentation detailing the following
concepts of the wooden art form they chose:
• Origin
• History
• Uses for the art form
• Materials used in creation
• Cultural significance
• Famous examples
• Why the art form has significance to them
• How they constructed their piece
• Where they plan to exhibit their piece e.g. home, garden,
schoolyard etc.
It is suggested that the students use digital photography to
document the process of their creation. Combined with images
on the web, an effective presentation can be given using a
webtool such as ‘Pinterest’ alone, or students could create a more
formalised presentation using a tool such as ‘Prezi’ and
‘PowerPoint’.
5. Allow time for each student to display their artwork and
give their accompanying presentation. As a reflection
exercise, discuss the purpose behind the artwork and why
the students believe many artists use wood as their medium
of choice. Consider the effects of sustainability in responses.
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Evaluate – Stage 5
Reflection and Assessment of learning through Art
1. Take students for a walk around the school grounds or local
park to review the various plants and trees in their local
community. Students record any new species recently
planted into their science journals.
2. Upon return, provide an opportunity for students to
document their thoughts about wood and its use as a material
for humans. Brainstorm and record words and phrases that
come to mind when they think about the terms ‘wood’. Use
the headings ‘before’ (thinking about where wood comes
from), ‘now’ (outlining how timber is harvested and
manufactured into wood products) and ‘after’ (what
happens to wood when it’s no longer needed).
3. Repeat the exercise, this time considering items they can
see in the classroom that are made from materials other
then wood. Ask students to brainstorm and record words
and phrases that come to mind when for those materials
under the same headings. Ask students to share some of the
words and phrases they have and receive feedback from
their peers.
4. Using a webtool such as ‘Wordle’ or ‘Tagxedo’, students
create a reflection piece for assessment in the form of a
word cloud. Two clouds should be created, one
demonstrating the sustainability of wood and a contrasting
cloud for representing the non-renewable nature of other
materials. The form or shape of the word cloud should be at
the student’s discretion but needs to reflect their concept.
For example a tree representing wood as a sustainable
resource, a factory representing other materials that are
non renewable.
5. Once students have generated a digital version of their
word cloud, any art materials required for the students to
visually represent their two contrasting word clouds. This
could be done in the form of a painting, mural, collage etc.
The word cloud diagrams built on the computer should
form the plan of the final representation.
6. To conclude, provide an opportunity for students to review
and reflect on their own learning and new understanding
and skills by writing a self assessment piece of the learning
they have constructed throughout the unit which is
represented in their final artwork. Examples of questions
to consider when evaluating:
How does the artwork represent your attitude towards
using wood as opposed to other resources?
How does your design represent the impact of use of
sustainable and unsustainable resources on the
environment?
What are some of the keywords or phrases used in your
artwork that reflect your learning throughout the unit?
What is the overall message that you are trying to convey
through your visual representation?
National Curriculum Outcomes
Assessment Rubric
Outstanding
Excellent
Satisfactory
Basic
Developing
Science
Understanding
ACSSU074
Comprehensive
knowledge and
understanding of
concepts, facts
and procedures
involved in using
the earth
resources.
Explains that
some of Earth’s
resources are
renewable, but
others are non-
renewable.
Identifies that
natural and
processed
materials have a
range of physical
properties and
understands how
these properties
can influence
their use.
Thorough
knowledge and
understanding of
concepts, facts
and procedures
involved in using
the earth
resources.
Explains that
some of Earth’s
resources are
renewable, but
others are non-
renewable.
Identifies that
natural and
processed
materials have a
range of physical
properties and
understands how
these properties
can influence
their use.
Satisfactory
knowledge and
understanding of
concepts, facts and
procedures
involved in using
the earth resources.
Explains that some
of Earth’s resources
are renewable, but
others are non-
renewable.
Identifies that the
physical properties
of wood can
influence its use.
Variable
knowledge and
understanding
of concepts,
facts and
procedures
involved in
using the earth
resources.
Understands
that some of
Earth’s
resources are
renewable, but
others are non-
renewable.
Identifies that
the physical
properties of
wood can
influence its
use.
Developing
knowledge
and
understanding
of concepts,
facts and
procedures
involved in
using the earth
resources.
Understands
that some of
Earth’s
resources are
renewable, but
others are
non-
renewable.
Identifies that
the physical
properties of
wood can
influence its
use.
Science as a
Human
Endeavour
ACSHE050
ACSHE051
ACSHE061
ACSHE062
Comprehensive
knowledge and
understanding
that science
understanding
influences the
development of
practices in areas
of natural
resource
management and
explains that
science can
influence the
choices that
people when
Thorough
knowledge and
understanding
that science
understanding
influences the
development of
practices in areas
of human activity
such as industry,
agriculture and
marine and
terrestrial
resource
Satisfactory
knowledge and
understanding that
science
understanding
influences the
development of
practices in areas of
human activity
such as industry,
agriculture and
marine and
terrestrial resource
management.
Variable
knowledge and
understanding
that science
understanding
influences the
development of
practices in
areas of human
activity such as
industry,
agriculture and
marine and
terrestrial
resource
management.
Developing
knowledge
and
understanding
that science
understanding
influences the
development
of practices in
areas of
human activity
such as
industry,
agriculture
and marine
and terrestrial
selecting
materials.
Explains that
scientific
knowledge
changes as new
evidence
becomes
available, and
some scientific
discoveries have
significantly
changed people’s
understanding of
the world.
management.
Understands that
scientific
knowledge
changes as new
evidence
becomes
available.
resource
management.
Science
Inquiry Skills
ACSIS054
ACSIS055
ACSIS053
ACSIS057
ACSIS064
ACSIS065
ACSIS066
ACSIS068
ACSIS216
Comprehensive
knowledge and
understanding of
procedures such
as identifying
questions and
problems that
can be
investigated
scientifically and
make predictions
based on
scientific
knowledge.
Collects data with
accuracy
appropriate to
the task and
summarise data
using scientific
language.
Evaluating the
quality of the
data collected,
and identify
improvements to
the method used
to collect test.
Comprehensively
explains the
Thorough
knowledge and
understanding of
procedures such
as identifying
questions and
problems that
can be
investigated
scientifically and
make predictions
based on
scientific
knowledge.
Collects data
with accuracy
appropriate to
the task and
summarise data
using their own
words.
Thoroughly
explains the
cause and effect
of human impact
on natural
resources.
Satisfactory
knowledge and
understanding of
procedures such as
identifying
questions and
problems that can
be investigated
scientifically and
make predictions
based on scientific
knowledge. Collects
data with accuracy
appropriate to the
task and
summarise data
using their own
words. Adequately
explains the cause
and effect of human
impact on natural
resources.
Variable
knowledge and
understanding
of procedures
such as
identifying
questions and
problems that
can be
investigated
scientifically
and make
predictions
based on
background
knowledge.
Collects data
with variable
accuracy
appropriate to
the task and
summarise
data using
their own
words. Makes
some
suggestions to
explain the
cause and
effect of human
impact on
natural
resources.
Rudimentary
knowledge of
understanding
of how to
identify
questions and
problems that
can be
investigated
scientifically
and make
predictions
based on
background
knowledge.
Collects data
with some
accuracy
appropriate to
the task and
attempts
summarise
data using
their own
words. Makes
basic
connections to
explain the
cause and
effect of
human impact
cause and effect
of human impact
on natural
resources.
on natural
resources.
Geographic
knowledge
ACHGK021
ACHGK024
Comprehensive
knowledge of the
significance of
vegetation in the
production of
goods for human
use.
Demonstrates
comprehensive
knowledge of the
need for
sustainable
management of
forests with
regard to
maintaining the
environment.
Thorough
knowledge of the
significance of
vegetation in the
production of
goods for human
use.
Demonstrates
thorough
knowledge of the
need for
sustainable
management of
forests with
regard to
maintaining the
environment.
Satisfactory
knowledge of the
significance of
vegetation in the
production of
goods for human
use. Demonstrates
satisfactory
knowledge of the
need for
sustainable
management of
forests with regard
to maintaining the
environment.
Variable
knowledge of
the significance
of vegetation in
the production
of goods for
human use.
Demonstrates
variable
knowledge of
the need for
sustainable
management of
forests with
regard to
maintaining
the
environment.
Developing
knowledge of
the
significance of
vegetation in
the production
of goods for
human use.
Demonstrates
rudimentary
knowledge of
the need for
sustainable
management
of forests with
regard to
maintaining
the
environment.
Design and
Technologies
Knowledge
and
Understanding
ACTDEK012
ACTDEK013
Makes practical
suggestions using
applied
knowledge for
conducting
experiments and
tests to
understand the
properties of
materials
including wood
and suggests uses
(with
explanations) for
wood products.
Makes practical
suggestions,
using prior
knowledge for
conducting
experiments and
tests to
understand the
properties of
materials
including wood
and suggests
uses for wood
products.
Makes sensible
suggestions for
conducting
experiments and
tests to understand
the properties of
materials including
wood. Makes some
suggestion for uses
of wood.
Makes some
sensible
suggestions for
conducting
experiments
and tests to
understand the
properties of
materials
including
wood.
Makes
suggestions
demonstrating
a developing
understanding
for conducting
experiments
and tests to
understand
the properties
of materials
including
wood.
Visual Art
ACAVAM110
ACAVAM111
ACAVAM112
Comprehensively
conveys ideas
and messages
through visual
Thoroughly
conveys ideas
and messages
clearly, through
Satisfactorily
conveys ideas and
messages through
visual medium.
Conveys some
ideas and
messages
Attempts to
convey some
ideas and
messages
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Forest Learning
Is an initiative of Forest and Wood Products Limited and these resources have been developed by qualified educators
and designed to assist teachers deliver the Australian Curriculum.
medium,
demonstrating a
high level of
artistic skills.
Accurately
explains how
artwork related
to the overall
theme of wood as
a sustainable and
renewable
resource.
Chooses colour
and images to
represent the
contrasting
theme.
Sources a
comprehensive
range of images
of artwork using
wood from other
cultures and
explains their
significance.
visual medium.
Thoroughly
explains how
artwork related
to the overall
theme of wood as
a sustainable and
renewable
resource.
Chooses colour
and images to
represent the
contrasting
theme.
Sources a
thorough range
of images of
artwork using
wood from other
cultures.
Satisfactorily
explains how
artwork related to
the overall theme of
wood as a
sustainable and
renewable
resource. Chooses
colour and images
to represent the
contrasting theme.
Sources a
satisfactory range
of images of
artwork using
wood from other
cultures.
through visual
medium.
Offers some
explanation of
how artwork
related to the
overall theme
of wood as a
sustainable
and renewable
resource.
Chooses colour
and images
relate to the
contrasting
theme.
Sources some
images of
artwork using
wood from
other cultures.
through visual
medium.
Offers a
developing
explanation of
how artwork
related to the
overall theme
of wood as a
sustainable
and renewable
resource.
Chooses colour
and images
that somewhat
relate to the
contrasting
theme.
Sources
limited images
of artwork
using wood
from other
cultures.