Lessons for years 5 and 6

Lessons overview

This page contains engaging lesson plans that can be used to create a gender neutral learning environment.

The Bee Habitat lesson is one that was specifically written for The GiST and includes Girls in Focus recommendations.

A selection of lessons have had Girls in Focus recommendations added.

The other lessons on this page are considered to be relevant STEM approaches which you may use to apply the Seven Principles for Gender Inclusive Lessons. 

Girls in Focus lessons

  • Close up of a crocodile eye

    Crocs: resourceful or a resource

    This lesson focuses on the analysis of a dataset that records scientific data collected about the crocodile population in the Kimberley region during 2015. The lesson follows an inquiry process where students use the dataset to answer relevant questions about the crocodile population.

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  • Turtle swimming along the ocean floor

    Exploring data in turtle population dynamics

    The number of eggs a female turtle lays in her lifetime influences the health of that species population. In this lesson we look at modelling data related to the number of eggs a female turtle lays in her lifetime, using real scientific data. Explore ways to model, interpret, represent and present data, creating an infographic to raise awareness about turtle conservation.

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Other suggested lessons

  • Automated Soil Moisture Sensor placed in front of a bush

    Automated soil moisture sensor

    The soil moisture sensor project integrates science understandings and computational thinking to solve a problem about sustainable watering practices. This lesson was devised by Trudy Ward, Clarendon Vale Primary School, Tasmania.

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  • Four Beekeepers looking at bees from a hive

    Beeswax wrap project

    This project is an example of a challenge-based learning task that has the aim of reducing schoolyard and community waste. It is based on the results of inquiry questions about students' own lives in relation to community and schoolyard plastic wrapping waste. The project creates opportunities for students to design, create, market and sell a plastic wrap alternative, and to work with a local business or community group that supplies some materials. This lesson was devised by Trudy Ward, Clarendon Vale Primary School, Tasmania.

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  • A red and white pinwheel against a blue sky

    Earth energy solutions

    Design, make and market a working prototype of an installation to be used in our school garden which uses renewable energy.

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  • Greenhouse filled with rows of plants

    Smart greenhouse

    In different engineering teams, each team is addressing the problem from a particular perspective. Then, as a whole group they come up with the ‘perfect greenhouse’ by putting all the ideas together.

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  • Chameleon disguising itself among the leaves

    Animal adaptations

    In this lesson sequence students explore aspects of animal adaptation prior to applying their knowledge to constructing their own digital creature using littleBits electronic sets.

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  • Child holding circuitry as part of learning experiment

    Learning environments

    This sequence of lessons explores how conditions in the environment can impact on learning. Through investigating the environmental influences on our classroom, and learning environments such as light, noise and temperature, students collect data and identify the optimal learning environment.

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  • Electrical meter box found in most homes

    Home energy use

    Reducing carbon dioxide emissions and sustainable energy use and are two of the major issues facing the world today. This project explores energy use in homes, and compares individual energy use with the class average and calculate and graph CO2 emissions.

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  • Using an iPhone to create user interface design controller for all

    User Interface Design: controllers for all

    In this lesson, students design and implement a new user-interface that allows a user to interact with a digital program. This lesson idea was created by Rebecca Vivian.

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  • Turtle in the water with a tracker on its back

    Exploring data tracking turtle movements

    By gathering data on marine turtles, scientists have evidence that helps them work out where turtles migrate and the journeys they take. Scientists can then help to reduce the threats to the turtles’ survival. In this lesson we look at satellite tracking using real scientific data. Explore ways to model, interpret, represent and present data.

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  • Science experiment to conduct electricity

    Game design

    This sequence of lessons integrates game design using scratch and a Makey Makey programming board.

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  • Four green footprints

    Eco-calculator

    Students make a prototype of an eco-calculator to demonstrate human impact on the environment and suggest changes in behaviour.

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  • Minecraft house

    Minecraft Sustainable House

    Students plan and build a sustainable house in Minecraft.

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  • Rain coming off the gutter of a brick house

    Water Tank Calculator

    This activity engages students in the calculation of roof runoff on a school building to determine a suitably sized water tank.

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  • Bionic hand made with cardboard and string

    Bionic Hand

    Students build a bionic hand from everyday materials. In creating the model they deepen their understanding of biomechanics and consider the application of bionic prosthetics.

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  • Green tree frog on a branch

    Frog Habitats and Adaptation

    Students explore habitats and investigate the adaptations different frog species need to survive in that habitat. They use the FrogID app to identify local frogs and design their own frog pond to meet the needs of local species. This project led by a female scientist: Dr Jodi Rowley.

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  • Solar powered single-person vehicle

    Engineering Materials for a Greener Planet

    This set of STEM activities for primary and secondary students explores how engineers can solve significant environmental problems

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  • Four gliders above a wheat field

    Biomimicry - Lessons from Nature

    This unit of work introduces students to biomimicry. They learn how to look at nature for inspiration to solve engineering and design problems. Students learn about linear and closed loop systems and design a lamp using principles of biomimicry.

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  • Two humpback whales in the ocean

    Deep blue: innovation for the future of our oceans

    Select student activities related to the future of oceans that link to the Australian Curriculum for science, technologies, mathematics, and the arts.

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