Rod Cheal

Hi everyone. My name's Rod Cheal from the Department of Education, and I'm here with Shirley Casper from NESA. We're going to be talking about the new Science and Technology K–6 Syllabus. Shirley, the new syllabus has some amazing and very distinct content. It's got skills embedded through that content. There are practical examples for teachers to be inspired by, and it's still a syllabus of creating a sense of wonder and sense of awe in the world around us for students.

Shirley Casper

I certainly hope so.

Rod Cheal

Mm mm. What would you say are the strengths of this syllabus for students?

Shirley Casper

I think one of the things, Rod, is that we've tried to make this syllabus very user-friendly, so that teachers have the time to plan and the content is clear and rigorous for our students. We'd like teachers to be able to allow students to explain their thinking verbally and in written form, and we've tried to develop both those oral and written communication skills throughout the syllabuses. We've tried to make the content quite explicit because every child is entitled to learn certain things. It's a matter of equity really. We have Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities content, which provides students with opportunities to explore and understand the connections between traditional and contemporary knowledges in science and technology.

By engaging with science and technology content, students can gain insights into the rich cultural knowledges of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and develop cultural understanding and appreciation. This content is embedded and authentic. It is written by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for all people to build Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges and scientific knowledge and skills simultaneously. By engaging with these ideas, students develop cultural understanding and appreciation, which is enriched across stages and content areas. Research shows that it's a lot more successful and powerful if there is content with authentic connections. So, for example, when students are carrying out investigations, they're measuring, they're gathering data, they're representing that data, and this is a clear reflection and application of what students are doing in mathematics.

Rod Cheal

Shirley, that's really exciting for students coherence and that clarity. What would be your key messages for teachers?

Shirley Casper

So, in the structure of the syllabus, we have very clearly defined content groups, and those content group headings show the enduring understanding that we would like students to gain from the content. There's teaching advice, and this has suggestions for teachers, but some of it also builds background knowledge, which I think is very important.

Rod Cheal

I think teachers will appreciate that.

Shirley Casper

But the content is structured in such a way that it's very clear and very explicit what teachers should be teaching, and this has been designed with students' concept development in mind, and they are able to prepare their students with information and skills that will enable those students to continue.

Rod Cheal

It's very systematically thought out in that progression. Well, let's talk a little bit more deeply about the content. There's some new content, specifically the human body, for example, across all stages. Would you like to explore that a little bit and you know, talk about the reasons why that's in there?

Shirley Casper

We've developed a lot of content around the human body, where in Early Stage 1, when we're teaching students how to observe using all of their senses, we also do a bit about movement. So, a little bit about the way in which we move. In Stage 1, we go more deeply into using the senses and how our senses give us information about the environment around us. Stage 2, we start looking a bit more at movement and muscles and joints, ball and socket joint, hinge joints, those sorts of things. And in Stage 3 we get into the respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems and how they work together.

Rod Cheal

Shirley, we've talked a little bit about the content. Let's talk about the skills and what we have in the current syllabus, but what has changed is that very clear table of skills and we don't see that in the new syllabus. Could you please explore that a little bit for us?

Shirley Casper

We certainly want scientific inquiry and investigative methods to be front and centre in this syllabus. And to that end, we've written not only outcomes to help achieve that, but we've written it directly into the content. So, one of the things that we've tried to do is really make the teaching and the learning very explicit. We have some strong outcomes, the outcomes around questioning, developing student questions so that students can take charge of the investigations themselves. They can pose investigative questions to test what they're interested in based on the content. We also have explicit outcomes around the gathering and representation and interpretation of data, and we have content about how to express all of that knowledge and all of that information. So, we are trying to build those investigative skills very clearly into the content so that teachers know when there are really good examples, good ways to develop those skills.

Rod Cheal

Finding the hotspot of a skill married up to the content without the burden of the whole process every term. That's, I think that will a relief for some teachers. Shirley, this syllabus appears to have a very strong focus on science knowledge and digital literacy, and of course that's critical. That's critical. What advice would you have for teachers as they approach programming for the rich digital technologies?

Shirley Casper

We've written the digital literacy skills into the syllabus because they are incredibly important for students to understand and to be competent with their digital literacy skills. So, we want students to be able to create, edit, save, refine documents that they may have done. That sort of digital literacy is essential. They also need to have some shared knowledge about the way in which science works and the way in which the design and digital technologies work, and they are complimentary to each other. Of course, a big thing in the digital technologies side of the syllabus is the work on developing algorithms, algorithmic thinking, and that indeed is all about sequencing and recognising patterns and being able to manipulate those. And we've also made sure that the content is structured in such a way that students can do this in both a plugged and an unplugged way.

Rod Cheal

Shirley, I think this syllabus will be extremely helpful for our teachers with its clarity and very, very distinct content. It's been lovely talking to you today.

Shirley Casper

Lovely talking to you too, Rod. And thanks for the opportunity.

Rod Cheal

Thank you for joining us. I encourage you to visit the NESA website where you can view the syllabus and also the introductory video. Bye-bye.

[End of transcript]

[DESCRIPTION: Text over a navy-blue background: Science and Technology K-6 (2024). Small font text in the lower left-hand corner reads: Syllabus familiarisation video. At the top is Nichole Dempsey alongside the red and white waratah of the NSW Government logo.]

Nichole Dempsey

Welcome to the Science and Technology K-6 syllabus familiarisation video. My name is Nichole Dempsey, I am a Science and Technology K-6 Curriculum Advisor, along with my colleagues Rod Cheal and Courtney Frost.

[DESCRIPTION: Acknowledgement of Country with painting on the left side: ‘Reflections’ created by Zara Marulanda.]

We recognise the ongoing custodians of the lands and waterways where we work and live. We pay respect to Elders past and present as ongoing teachers of knowledge, songlines, and stories. We strive to ensure every Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learner in New South Wales achieves their potential through education.

[DESCRIPTION: Main title reads: Syllabus familiarisation video. The slide includes the purpose, outcome and further content of the video.]

The purpose of this video is to give you an overview of the K-6 Science and Technology syllabus. We will go through the organisation of the syllabus and the key inclusions. We will unpack the teaching advice and look at how to implement the syllabus in your school.

[DESCRIPTION: Text over a navy-blue background: Purpose of the Science and Technology K-6 Syllabus. Picture on the right of student looking through microscope.]

[DESCRIPTION: Slide transitions. The Rationale by NESA (2024) is quoted on the screen. Nicole Dempsey and the red and white waratah appear again in the top right corner.]

First, we're going to look at the purpose of the syllabus. NESA establishes the purpose of the syllabus through the rationale it is the intention that students engage with the world through their natural curiosity. And what better way to engage students' natural curiosity by learning about and connecting them to the real world to help them make sense of the world by doing science, by designing, and by using digital technologies?

The syllabus aims for students to develop an interest in science and technology and to become informed and active citizens.

[DESCRIPTION: Main title reads: What is the purpose of the Science and Technology K-6 syllabus? In the centre is an image of two students in a science classroom.]

The core of this syllabus is teaching students to inquire, to investigate their world, and provide experiences to develop skills, knowledge, and dispositions. Students are taught to pose testable questions and conduct investigations. Through this, they develop an understanding of cause and effect and build skills to interpret data to support arguments. The content has been designed so that students consider meaningful and authentic connections to other focus areas in the syllabus and across other learning areas. Students also have opportunities to develop technological skills. Using digital technologies and design principles, students produce innovative and creative solutions to suit a user's needs.

In this syllabus, essential content ensures teachers know exactly what needs to be taught to address the intended outcomes.

[DESCRIPTION: Text over a navy-blue background: Organisation of the syllabus. Picture on the right of student writing on a piece of paper and clipboard.]

Next, we will look at the organisation of the syllabus. The new syllabus is presented through the subject areas of science and technologies. There are 4 science focus areas and 4 technologies focus areas for each stage of learning. As you can see on the image, Early Stage 1 is on the top row through to Stage 3 on the fourth row. Through the science focus areas, students develop skills to question, test, and refine ideas and concepts about the natural world.

The technologies focus areas frame learning about design processes to design and create solutions. The encircling red line represents applying knowledge, understanding, and skills through interrelated practices found across focus areas and content groups. There are opportunities within science to use digital and design technologies content. For example, when collating data, students can use their knowledge and skills from technologies. There are also opportunities within digital and design technologies to use science content. For example, in Stage 3, students research how spaces are co-designed using Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems and cultural practices while using interrelated science content of describing how Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' sustainable practices continue to protect the environment. Connections to other key learning areas can be found throughout science and technology content.

Students develop communication skills, mathematical skills, they understand places and sustainable futures using geographical information and use movement skills through physical activity.

[DESCRIPTION: Title reads: Where are the content strands? On the left is a graphic of the 2017 syllabus. It is a circle with 5 puzzle pieces connecting the full loop, which includes: Digital Technologies, Earth and Space, Physical World, Material World, and Living World.]

The new syllabus does not feature content strands. Previously, there were outcomes and content specific to a content strand shown here on the left of screen.

There are now content groups that cluster the content and associated outcomes. The outcomes coded with SCI shown on the right of screen contain most of the references to the familiar branches of science. This can be seen with the example for Early Stage 1 outcome coded with STE-SCI-01, where it includes reference to living things, properties of materials, and movement. We will go through the outcomes from Early Stage 1 to Stage 3, where you will notice a coherent progression of learning.

The science outcome indicated by SCI is where we find reference to the branches of science. Stage 2 includes energy and its effect on living, physical, and geological systems. These new outcomes are very specific and scaffold the new and essential learning in each stage. The content groups and content points clarify further the new learning. It's important to notice the verbs used to describe what the student is doing. Notice the increasing complexity that relate directly to scientific inquiry skills.

The Early Stage 1 outcome includes, identifies, and describes to guide the learning. In Stage 1, students measure and describe. Stage 2 students use information and investigate. And Stage 3 students use evidence to explain. The PQU outcomes are specific to questioning and present a progression that leads towards testable questions. Early Stage 1 students ask questions about what is familiar to them based on their observations.

Stage 1 students are beginning to consider cause and effect. Stage 2 students develop skills to conduct fair tests. And Stage 3 students identify and control variables in fair tests. Stages 1-3 have a dedicated data outcome indicated by DAT, which develops the skill of using data to support explanations. Through the data outcome, students can connect science to relevant learning in mathematics. There is no outcome in Early Stage 1, but data collection and representation skills are presented through the content points, and Early Stage 1 students begin to develop their data skills.

The design and digital technologies outcome, DDT, focus the learning on using materials, technologies, and processes to design products and solutions to meet identified needs. In stages 2 and 3, the second design and digital technologies outcomes are the digital technologies content. And Stage 3 students have a distinct outcome for the creating written text content. Creating written text in the Science and Technology K-6 syllabus is a content group in Early Stage 1, Stage 1, and Stage 2, and an outcome in Stage 3. Students compose and construct text to support literacy in science and technology. The sophistication of texts progress to support content understanding and are interrelated with the English K-10 syllabus.

There is a focus on vocabulary and sentence construction throughout all stages. The creating written text content is designed to enhance learning in science and technology. In Early Stage 1, students developed their ability to use nouns, adjectives, and verbs to describe observations. Stage 1 students use simple and compound sentences and texts such as flow charts and labelled diagrams to describe scientific processes or functions. In Stage 2, students are beginning to connect sentences to sequence ideas when explaining cause and effect. And by Stage 3, students address the outcome through a range of complex texts. One of the most important things that will improve primary science is to have students explain their thinking through written texts.

[DESCRIPTION: Text over a navy-blue background: Key inclusions. Picture on the right of students looking through microscope and a teacher guiding them.]

We're now going to take a closer look at some of the key inclusions in the Science and Technology syllabus. The skills are embedded within the outcomes and content, which provides a clear framework so that teachers know what to teach. In Early Stage 1 science, students develop their skills to observe the characteristics of animals and other things to be able to group and justify groupings. In Stage 1 design and digital technologies, students pose questions and test materials in the process of designing and making a product. In Stage 2 design and digital technologies, students further develop design skills. They may focus on developing a specific skill such as constructing models so that in future learning, they can explore more complex designs. In Stage 3 science, students learn to use variables to create and conduct fair tests, collecting data that can be used as evidence to support arguments.

The data outcome coded with the letters DAT, complement the questioning outcomes and together form a strong set of scientific skills. The focus on data is an opportunity to connect with parallel content from the mathematics syllabus. In Early Stage 1, students collect and create data representations to describe groups. In Stage 1, students collect data from observations and represent data such as the graph you can see in this example. In Stage 2, students use data to describe patterns and relationships. And in Stage 3, students interpret data and use interpretations to create explanations and support arguments.

[DESCRIPTION: Title reads: Human body. Below states Early Stage 1, accompanied by an image of a student with their tongue out. Next is Stage 1, accompanied by an image of an eye. Next is Stage 2,

accompanied by an image of lizard, bird, and human skin. Finally, is Stage 3, accompanied by an image of a person measuring their pulse by touching their throat.]

The human body is a new content inclusion for learning in science and technology. Students apply their knowledge of the human body to real world situations, beginning with Early Stage 1 students using a range of senses to make observations, identifying senses and their function. Stage 1 students examine parts of the eye and the ear. Stage 2 students broaden their understanding of the human body, where they compare human skin covering to the protective layer for a range of animals. Students will also explore how the function of skeletal and muscular systems enable protection and movement. And in Stage 3, students consider and investigate the function of the circulatory, digestive, and respiratory systems and how they work together.

This image shows taking a pulse after physical exercise. While there is familiar content, now it is essential content for learning. All students will have the opportunity to build a strong foundation in science and technology.

[DESCRIPTION: Title reads: Familiar but essential content. Below states Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Priorities, accompanied by an image of two students holding a piece of bark. Next is Sustainable practices, accompanied by an image of a student watering plants. Finally, is Tier 2 and Tier 3 Vocabulary, accompanied by an image of students working together in the classroom.]

Each stage has learning about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities supported by specific guidance and examples to develop genuine connections with everyday lives and develop cultural competence. There are strong connections to HSIE outcomes from Early Stage 1 to Stage 3. The connections are found when learning about the natural features of country, the responsibility to country, the sustainable use of resources of country, and in how Aboriginal peoples manage the environment.

The syllabus is future focused with the inclusion of sustainable practises embedded in the content across all stages. Stage 3 students have the specific focus area of knowledge of our world and beyond inspires sustainable solutions. It is important that students feel empowered and positive about protecting and improving the environments in which they live. Students develop the skills of questioning, investigating, testing, problem solving, analysing, and communicating to understand complex issues.

The inclusion of rich tier 2 and tier 3 science and technology vocabulary across all stages supports the development of content knowledge and the literacy skills of students. Each stage of learning includes a content point where students use tier 2 and tier 3 vocabulary to describe their observations. The teaching advice and examples provide teachers with the vocabulary needed for students to gain a deep understanding of the essential science and technologies content.

[DESCRIPTION: Text over a navy-blue background: Teaching advice and examples. Picture on the right of an over-the-shoulder shot of a student using coloured cards and toy cars.]

We will now take a look at the teaching advice and examples in the syllabus.

NESA has provided teaching advice and examples in the online syllabus. There is teaching advice for each focus area in science and technologies to provide further guidance on content and build background knowledge for teachers. The importance of the focus area is explained, providing teachers with example questions to ask students and information to assist with teaching the essential science and technology content. There is an explanation of how supporting language and

vocabulary development can enhance the science and technology content, including how to support EALD students.

The teaching advice for Early Stage 1 also includes information about access content points for students with significant intellectual disability. Teachers are provided with examples of complex vocabulary used in science and technology and are encouraged to read widely about the content of lessons across the curriculum. There is advice for teachers about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander priorities across all stages, providing teachers with ideas to support student understanding of cultural knowledge.

Within each stage focus area, there are examples for many content points. These are useful in supporting explanations of the content with relevant and authentic examples for students to make connections with. Teachers are also encouraged to use examples from their community where appropriate. In addition to the NESA teaching advice and examples that appear in the online syllabus, there are also a range of documents that can be downloaded. These are titled "Teaching Advice Additional" and can be found in the teaching and learning support tab of the digital syllabus.

There is one document per focus area for science, so one for each stage of learning. The advice in these documents is invaluable and provides clear background knowledge that teachers can use to support their own understanding of the science content and become confident teachers of science.

[DESCRIPTION: Text over a navy-blue background: Where to next? Picture on the right of student reading a book at the library.]

The final part of this video will provide a brief update on Curriculum Reform and the support being provided by the department.

So, where to next? NESA guidelines for the implementation of K-6 mandatory syllabuses highlight that time should be taken over 2025 and 2026 to plan and prepare for the teaching of syllabus content before teaching in 2027. Consideration of teaching four new syllabuses in 2027 needs to take place. The department has developed example models of syllabus implementation for the 4 CHPS syllabuses. When engaging with the Science and Technology K-6 syllabus, you will need to consider your school context and how to best support your students and staff with the implementation of the 2024 syllabus. This will include discussions of what school-wide resources are available, the expertise within your own school, as well as other school networks. Some staff may need to gain a deeper understanding of the science and technology content, and as described, the teaching advice and examples are valuable resources to assist with this.

Schools can look forward to a syllabus support package, which includes microlearning modules, sample scope and sequences for every stage of learning, sample units, and student-facing slide decks. The support is planned for release in 2025 and will continue throughout 2026 and 2027.

The Science and Technology K-6 syllabus implementation support package will be made available to schools via the curriculum webpage, and all communications about the release of the support package will be made via the primary curriculum statewide staffroom and staff notice board.

[DESCRIPTION: Title reads: Further information and support. On the right is a QR code to join the Primary Curriculum Statewide Staffroom Science and Technology Channel to ask questions, receive advice and updates on the release of resources.]

All teachers should engage with the syllabus to explore and understand the content, teaching advice, and examples.

A support resource accompanies this video to guide teachers through some of the key inclusions and their implications for schools. If you're not already a member of this primary curriculum statewide staffroom, scan the QR code to register. This provides teachers with access to the science and technology and announcements channels for updates on the release of resources, advice, and frequently asked questions. More information is available via these links and websites, and these links will be provided in the support resource for this video.

[DESCRIPTION: Title reads: Science and Technology K-6 Advisors. Below is the name and photo of Rod Cheal, Courtney Frost and Nichole Dempsey. The slide also reads: Email: scienceandtechnologyk6@det.nsw.edu.au.]

The Science and Technology Advisors are here to support you in any way we can. Contact us through this email or our science and technology channel in the Primary Curriculum statewide staffroom. Thanks for joining us in this familiarisation video.

[End of transcript]