All lessons › Changing Earth and sky › Lesson 1
Australian primary science · Years 5–6 · Lesson 1 of 3
Fast or slow?
Inquiry question: Which changes to Earth’s surface happen fast, and which happen slowly?
Marked no materials needed
Classifying
What students learn
Earth’s surface is always changing. Some changes take seconds or days (landslides, floods); others take thousands of years (weathering, river valleys).
Success criteria
- I can name a fast change and a slow change.
- I can explain what causes a change.
- I can use the words weathering and erosion.
Preparation and materials
Before this lesson: Students know Earth’s surface has rocks, soil and water.
- iPads with Bottlebrush Education open (nothing else needed) — 13 (one per pair)
- Projector or big screen — 1
Teacher setup
- Open Earth & space › Play › Fast or slow? on your screen to demonstrate.
- Check the iPads are charged.
Safety and adaptations
Follow school science and equipment risk assessment procedures for the materials used.
Review your school policies and curriculum requirements before teaching.
How to investigate
The lesson sequence should leave pupils with evidence to interpret, not only an activity to finish.
- Pairs play Fast or slow? and sort each change.
- For four changes, record whether it is fast or slow and the clue.
- Name the cause: water, wind, fire, living things, or movement inside Earth.
Teacher modelling prompt
Do two cards on the big screen: “A landslide: rocks move in seconds, so fast. A river canyon: water wears rock a tiny bit each year, so slow.”
Record and explain evidence
Recording question: Which changes to Earth’s surface are fast, and which are slow?
| Change | Fast or slow? | Clue | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| ________________ | ________________ | ________________ | ________________ |
Example recording headings; record actual observations, including inconclusive results.
Discussion prompt
Use a card from the game as evidence.
Check understanding
What should pupils know? What is the difference between weathering and erosion?
Explain with evidence: Why can we see erosion from a storm, but not from a river carving a valley?
Apply the idea: A footpath through a park has worn into a ditch. Is this fast or slow change, and what caused it?
Teacher answer guidance and saved classroom work are available through the main lesson experience where supported.