Lesson 4: Terrific Twisting

 Preparation

Equipment

• A3 paper
• acrylic paints
• coloured string
• stringybark

 Lesson Plan

Tuning In

• Ask students to sit in a circle and distribute the five twisted items that select students have brought in. Ask them what they already know about the object. For example, “How does it act when it twists? What is it used for? Can it return to its original shape?”

Teacher Instruction

• Display the Chemical Sciences: Clever Changes – Teaching Presentation. Read over the learning objective on Slide 30.
• Read through Slides 31 to 36. Encourage student engagement by asking the questions prompted in the presentation.
• Watch the video Chemical Sciences: Clever Changes – Twist. Watch different examples of twisting. Before proceeding to the question-and-answer part of the video, discuss what students observed and answer any questions. You may want to watch this part more than once. Afterwards, play through the questions, pausing after each question to give students a chance to share their answers.

Guided/Independent Learning

• Watch the video String Making. As this is a lengthy video, you may want to focus only on the harvest, shredding and string-making parts.
• Discuss how Simon Penrose has shared this skill from his Aboriginal heritage, and question students to gauge their comprehension. For example, “What natural resource did he use? How did he show respect to the tree? How did he get fibres from the bark? How did he create the rope from the fibres?”
• Ask students to sit in a circle and pass a sample of stringybark around. Give students an opportunity to share their thoughts and ideas about what they notice. Ask them to describe the feel, look and smell of the bark.
• Ask students what they would do with a piece of rope if they made one.
• Distribute the prepared, tied fibres to each student. While remaining in a circle, teach students about plaiting by explaining and modelling the process. You may like to show them the video 3 Strand Flat Braid to help with visuals. Once students have completed braiding their fibres, assist them with tying off the end so that it does not come undone.
• Provide students with a copy of Create and Write – Template. Students need to draw and paint something they would tie a string to. Once completed and dried, ask students to glue their string onto the painting. If required, use the template for a balloon or kite (included in the resource).
• Monitor and support students as they complete the activity. Encourage them to provide as much detail as possible.
• Ask students to write a title and a description of what they have illustrated.

Wrapping Up

• Give students an opportunity to share their artwork with the class.
• Revise the facts about materials that twist, and add any relevant new words to the Chemical Sciences: Physical Changes – Word Wall.

 Differentiation

Extending Students

• Ask more-confident students to knot their own fibres before plaiting.
• Ask students to do a more complicated twist or plait with more fibres.

Supporting Students

• Assist less-confident students with plaiting, perhaps even doing the first part to get them started.
• Provide less-confident students with an image template of a kite or balloon for the art activity. You can also draw a basic shape of their choosing, to get them started.
• Spread out the workload by breaking up the traditional bark rope and art sections into separate lessons.

 Assessment Strategies

Suggested Assessment Strategies

• used strategic whole class or individual questioning
• observed student participation during learning activities
• recorded student progress on a checklist
• annotated student work samples
• collected and reviewed student work samples
• facilitated whole class or peer feedback sessions
• encouraged student self-reflection
• administered formal assessment tasks.

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