This teaching report follows two learners from Grades 1 and 2 through an Ecology IMS Learning framework (Tytler et al., 2018). Both students, who are creative yet reserved participants in their classrooms, were given differentiated learning experiences tailored to their needs. The report first analyzes the students' science learning journey, beginning with their prior knowledge and misconceptions, followed by an examination of their acquired knowledge and skills throughout the lessons. The second section contains a critical reflection on my development as a primary science teacher, including planning decisions, lesson reflections, and a SWOT analysis of my teaching practice. Evidence from student work samples, observational notes, and verbal responses supports my analysis and reflections.
The report is adapted from "Ecology: What Lives Here?" (Tytler et al., 2018) and "Primary Connections, Schoolyard Safari" (Australian Academy of Science, 2025). The unit explores living things and their habitats, aligned with the Australian Curriculum Science (ACARA, 2025). The content connects student learning to Australian Curriculum Science concepts (ACARA, 2025), the IMS Learning model (Tytler et al., 2018), and a multimodal representation approach (Hubber et al., 2018).
Lesson 1: Living and Non-Living Things
| Key Ideas | Chloe (Figure 1., Verbal Response 1) | Hunter (Figure 2., Verbal Response 2) |
|---|---|---|
| Science Understanding: Pattern, Order, and Organisation | - Could identify that living things need food, water, and air. - Identified movement as a characteristic of living things. - Limited understanding of reproduction. |
- Identified that living things eat, drink, and breathe. - Understood that living things grow. - Confusion between "alive" and "living things." |
| Science as a Human Endeavour: Form and Function | - Could identify external features of common animals like birds and insects. - Limited understanding of plant parts. |
- Named parts of animals (legs, wings, eyes). - Showed interest in how animals move differently. |
| Science Inquiry Skills: Questioning and Predicting | - Used drawing with basic labels to show predictions. - Verbal explanations were more detailed than written work. |
- Used detailed drawings to show predictions. - Included some written labels but preferred to explain verbally. |
| Mathematical and Representational Understanding | - Used simple drawings and labels to represent animals. - Limited spatial awareness in representations. |
- Included size relationships in drawings. - Used arrows to show movement in representations. |
Chloe's Pre-assessment
Figure 1. Chloe’s representation of living things in the schoolyard.
Verbal response 1: When asked what makes something living, she responded, “They can walk around and eat food and drink water. And they can breathe.”
Hunter's Pre-assessment
Figure 2. Hunter’s representation of living things in the schoolyard.
Verbal response 2: When discussing his drawing, Hunter explained, “Living things grow bigger. They start as babies and get bigger.”
| Misconceptions | Chloe | Hunter |
|---|---|---|
| - Initially thought all non-moving things are non-living (e.g., plants were confusing to her). - Thought all small creatures were insects. - Did not understand that plants need food. - Believed animals only live where humans can see them. |
- Confused "alive" with "awake"—thought trees were not alive at night. - Believed that very small living things (like ants) did not need water. - Thought habitats were only for animals, not plants. - Believed living things had to have eyes to be considered living. |
These misconceptions align with Allen (2014), who notes that young children often have difficulty conceptualizing plants as living things and may hold animistic views that attribute life only to things that visibly move or appear to have agency.
Lesson 2: Investigating the Schoolyard Habitat
| Key Ideas | Chloe (Figure 3., Verbal Response 3) | Hunter (Figure 4., Verbal Response 4) |
|---|---|---|
| Science Understanding: Pattern, Order, and Organisation | - Began recognizing that living things are found in specific locations. - Could predict where certain animals might be found: “Ants will be near the garden because there’s food.” |
- Made connections between animals and their habitats: “Birds will be in trees because they make nests.” - Began to understand the concept of microhabitats. |
| Science as a Human Endeavour: Form and Function | - Recognized that animals choose places to live for specific reasons. - Started to understand the concept of shelter for animals. |
- Understood that different features help animals survive in their habitats. - Recognized that animals need protection from weather and predators. |
| Science Inquiry Skills: Predicting and Communicating | - Made reasonable predictions based on previous learning; however, still required assistance in verbal expression and documentation. | - Initiated detailed predictions, showcasing deeper understanding through his explanations and representations. |
In conclusion, both students showcased varying degrees of understanding in science concepts related to living things and their environments. Their misconceptions hindered initial engagement, but through targeted lessons, they began to construct a more informed perspective about ecological relationships. Through reflections on my teaching practice, it is evident that ongoing adjustments and critical evaluations will enhance instructional strategies and support the diverse needs of learners.