Researching Physical Science

Overview

In this first lesson of Exploring Physical Science, students build foundational knowledge by researching forces, energy and matter using teacher-selected websites. They practise asking questions, recording relevant information in their own words and identifying patterns across physical science ideas.

Learning intentions

Students will:

• identify physical science topics and describe what they investigate
• use reliable, teacher-selected websites to find relevant information
• record key facts about forces, energy and matter
• develop investigable questions and reasoned predictions for future learning
• organise information in a clear table or graphic representation

Success criteria

• I can explain what forces, energy and matter are in simple scientific language.
• I can locate information that answers a research question.
• I can record facts in my own words rather than copying whole sentences.
• I can use my research to make a sensible prediction or ask a further question.

Curriculum links

• Science Understanding — explaining observable properties of matter through particle arrangement and motion.
• Science Inquiry — posing investigable questions and making reasoned predictions.
• Science Inquiry — planning investigations by identifying variables that may be changed, measured and controlled.
• Science Inquiry — organising information to show patterns, trends and relationships using tables and models.

Lesson structure (60 minutes)

1. 0–7 min · Hook and prior knowledge. Open with the physical science hook and topic overview and show images of a stretched elastic band, a moving bicycle, a torch and a glass of water. Ask, “What do these examples have in common?” Students think-pair-share, then contribute ideas while the teacher records initial definitions of force, energy and matter without correcting every misconception.

2. 7–15 min · Direct teaching and research expectations. Use the key concepts and website research instructions to explain that forces are pushes or pulls, energy enables change or movement, and matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. Model one search using a teacher-selected website: identify the page title, locate a relevant fact, paraphrase it and note the website name. Emphasise safe searching, staying on assigned pages and asking for help before opening unfamiliar links. Students practise turning a fact into a short note in their own words.

3. 15–20 min · Introduce the research task. Distribute the physical science research organiser and read the research questions together. Students form five groups of four, with roles of reader, navigator, recorder and evidence checker. Explain that each group will research one topic first, then compare findings with another group. Students highlight unfamiliar words and predict one answer before beginning.

4. 20–38 min · Guided website research. Direct groups to the teacher-curated website station or class device links shown on the research questions and station instructions. Students answer the assigned questions on the worksheet, recording short notes and one example for their topic. Circulate to check that notes answer the question, facts are paraphrased and students distinguish evidence from guesses. Prompt with questions such as, “What makes this information useful?” and “What evidence supports that idea?”

5. 38–50 min · Compare and organise findings. Pair groups researching different topics. Students take turns giving a one-minute explanation, then complete the comparison section of the physical science research organiser. Each pair identifies one connection, such as a force changing an object’s movement or energy causing a change in matter. Use the comparison prompts and discussion questions to support whole-class sharing. Record accurate examples and revise any misconceptions together.

6. 50–60 min · Plenary and exit reflection. Revisit the opening images using the plenary questions and next-lesson preview. Students independently complete the worksheet exit questions: define one topic, provide one researched example, write a prediction about a physical science relationship and pose one question they would like to investigate. Invite several students to share. Collect worksheets to identify topics requiring clarification before Lesson 2.

Resources

• Teacher-curated, age-appropriate physical science websites opened on student devices
• the physical science research and discussion deck
• the physical science research organiser
• One device per group, where possible
• Projector or interactive display
• Headphones for students who need reduced background noise
• Word wall or board space for force, energy, matter, mass, movement and change

Assessment

• Listen to opening explanations and note misconceptions about force, energy and matter.
• During research, check whether students locate relevant information, paraphrase accurately and identify examples.
• Use the worksheet exit reflection to assess foundational understanding, ability to make a prediction and readiness for planning an investigation.

Differentiation

• Provide a reduced set of clearly labelled websites, read key sections aloud and supply sentence starters such as “A force is…” and “This example shows…”.
• Pair students strategically and assign roles so every student contributes; allow speech-to-text, text-to-speech or an adult scribe where required.
• Provide a small glossary with visual explanations for EAL students and explicitly model paraphrasing one sentence.
• Extend confident students by asking them to compare two explanations, identify a possible source of error or propose a fair-test question with a changed, measured and controlled variable.