Westgate Academy
Learning and Growing Together
Science Curriculum at Westgate
Science Curriculum Intent
Through Westgate Academy’s Science curriculum, we strive to ensure that all children leave our school having developed their scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics. We aim to develop children’s understanding of the nature, processes and methods of science through different types of science enquiries that help them to answer scientific questions about the world around them. They will be equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future. We will follow the National Curriculum in a way that meets the needs of our changing cohorts and our individual children.
Our curriculum is underpinned by our five core values, with our curriculum drivers running through everything we do.
Curriculum Drivers: C.L.E.A.R.
Through our drivers, we ensure that learning is planned around the distinct needs of our children at Westgate Academy.
COMMUNICATION:
We aspire for our children to be able to articulate their Scientific thinking. In Science,lessons are driven through the development of oracy skills and their expansion and use of Scientific vocabulary. Through this they show scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding
This is demonstrated through:
- Questioning by teachers and pupils
- Partner and group discussions
- Explaining and evaluating through verbal and written work
- Vocabulary used by teachers and pupils
In Science, we ensure that pupils reflect back on and have a good understanding of scientific vocabulary, taught in previous year groups within every unit. This ensures that pupils have a solid vocabulary and knowledge base on which to build. Pupils can then progress by learning and applying the new vocabulary from within the unit, whilst using the previously gained knowledge also.
Over the next academic year, we hope to further develop ‘Let’s talk Science’ and the use of knowledge and vocabulary organisers within the teaching of the subject.
LOCAL:
At Westgate we draw upon the richness of our local area. Where possible, we use the local areas for Science trips.
- In Year 3 children visit Whisby Nature Park to learn all about Rocks and Soils.
- In Year 4 children visit Whisby Nature Park and Yorkshire Wildlife Park to learn about Habitats. They also receive a visit from Tony Butler and his exotic animals to learn about Habitats.
- In Year 5 children visit Magma Science Adventure Centre and receive Science Masterclasses and Science Workshops at Lincoln Castle Academy and The Priory Academy LSST.
- In Year 6 children visit The Deep to develop their knowledge of Evolution and Inheritance.
ENRICHED:
Our Science curriculum provides children with new and exciting opportunities and experiences that they would not necessarily have access to away from school. These opportunities allow the children to deepen and apply their scientific knowledge in real life contexts. The following visits take place throughout the year:
- In Year 3 children visit Whisby Nature Park to learn all about Rocks and Soils.
- In Year 4 children visit Whisby Nature Park and Yorkshire Wildlife Park to learn about Habitats. They also receive a visit from Tony Butler and his exotic animals to learn about Habitats also.
- In Year 5 children visit Magma Science Adventure Centre and receive Science Masterclasses and Science Workshops at Lincoln Castle Academy and The Priory Academy LSST.
- In Year 6 children visit The Deep to develop their knowledge of Evolution and Inheritance.
We also participate in British Science Week each year during March. This allows for children to find out about new and exciting areas of Science, take part in new experiments, speak to real life Scientists and also breaks down any stereotypical ideas about Science and the people that work in this field.
In the next academic year, we hope to offer further enrichment opportunities by developing a weekly Science club for pupils.
AMBITIOUS:
At Westgate all areas of our Science Curriculum are ambitious for all children. TheScience curriculum is adapted, designed and developed to meet the needs of pupils with SEND, developing their knowledge, skills and abilities to apply what they know and can do with increasing fluency and independence. Work is differentiated at least three ways, and is designed to be challenging for all children, but support is there for them to experience success. British Science Week offers inspiration to pupils, by showing what job roles and opportunities there are within the real world of Science.
Through this we demonstrate the inventions, cures and scientific breakthroughs that ordinary people have managed to complete in the world of Science. Consequently, showing that ordinary people can achieve incredible things if they work hard, explore and expand their scientific knowledge and understanding. Where possible, Science units are linked with the wider world for this purpose of inspiration also. We want our pupils to aim high and be aware of the exciting jobs and opportunities that the world of Science can offer. E.g. Becoming a doctor, nurse, engineer or astronaut. And that there are many opportunities available to them. Our AMA pupils are provided with the opportunity toattend Science Workshops and Masterclasses at Lincoln Castle Academy and The Priory Academy LSST. They are given access to science experts and resources that are not available within the regular primary classroom. This furthering scientific knowledge, deepening understanding and also building a passion for the subject.
REMEMBERED:
Science lessons include frequent forwards and backwards referencing to link learning within units and across year groups. For example, we link lesson starters to the previous lessons learning. This allowing for a recap of the knowledge and vocabulary taught previously and also allowing children to connect the learning of each block together. We also use ‘Show What You Know’ activities at the beginning of a Science unit. They allow the teacher to see what has been remembered from the teaching of this unit in a previous year group and therefore inform the planning. At the end of each unit, pupils are given an assessment based on the specific Science unit. This allows the teacher to see what has been remembered by pupils. It is useful to reflect back on in the planning of other units. It is also passed on to the next teacher, so that this can be used to inform their Science planning where necessary.
Key questions on planning are also used throughout lessons, to check what pupils have remembered. Teachers can adapt their teaching input and explanations to ensure that misconceptions are corrected throughout lessons. During the next academic year, we would like to develop the use of a Science flashback slide. This will be completed at the start of each Science lesson and would refer back to the knowledge and vocabulary taught during previous lessons. We would also like each year group to develop a quiz to be given at the start of a unit. This would link back to the knowledge and vocabulary gained in a specific unit, in a previous year group. This would allow the teacher to check knowledge and understanding before teaching to
ensure that any misconceptions or gaps may be corrected before moving on to the new coverage. E.g. Light in Year 6 – look back to Year 3 coverage (E.g. How are shadows made?). We also want to develop the use of key questions on Science displays.
By the end of Key Stage 2, a Westgate Scientist will have learnt about, taught and be able to…
Curriculum Content Coverage
Year 3 | |
Plants | Pupils should be taught to: -identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants: roots, stem/trunk, leaves and flowers -explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and room to grow) and how they vary from plant to plant -investigate the way in which water is transported within plants -explore the part that flowers play in the life cycle of flowering plants, including pollination, seed formation and seed dispersal. |
Animals, including humans | Pupils should be taught to: -identify that animals, including humans, need the right types and amount of nutrition, and that they cannot make their own food; they get nutrition from what they eat -identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement.
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Rocks | Pupils should be taught to: -compare and group together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties -describe in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within rock -recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter. |
Light | Pupils should be taught to: -recognise that they need light in order to see things and that dark is the absence of light -notice that light is reflected from surfaces -recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect their eyes -recognise that shadows are formed when the light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object -find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change. |
Forces and magnets | Pupils should be taught to: -compare how things move on different surfaces notice that some forces need contact between two objects, but magnetic forces can act at a distance -observe how magnets attract or repel each other and attract some materials and not others -compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of whether they are attracted to a magnet, and identify some magnetic materials -describe magnets as having two poles -predict whether two magnets will attract or repel each other, depending on which poles are facing. |
Year 4 | |
Living things and their habitats | Pupils should be taught to: -recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways -explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment -recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things. |
Animals, including humans | Pupils should be taught to: -describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the digestive system in humans -identify the different types of teeth in humans and their simple functions -construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey. |
States of Matter | Pupils should be taught to: -compare and group materials together, according to whether they are solids, liquids or gases -observe that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and measure or research the temperature at which this happens in degrees Celsius (°C) -identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle and associate the rate of evaporation with temperature. |
Sound | Pupils should be taught to: -identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating -recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear -find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it -find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it -recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases. |
Electricity | Pupils should be taught to: -identify common appliances that run on electricity -construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers -identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery -recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit -recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors. |
Year 5 | |
Living things and their habitats | Pupils should be taught to: -describe the differences in the life cycles of a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird -describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals. |
Animals, including humans | Pupils should be taught to: describe the changes as humans develop to old age. |
Properties and changes of materials | Pupils should be taught to: compare and group together everyday materials on the basis of their properties, including their hardness, solubility, transparency, conductivity (electrical and thermal), and response to magnets know that some materials will dissolve in liquid to form a solution, and describe how to recover a substance from a solution use knowledge of solids, liquids and gases to decide how mixtures might be separated, including through filtering, sieving and evaporating give reasons, based on evidence from comparative and fair tests, for the particular uses of everyday materials, including metals, wood and plastic demonstrate that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible changes explain that some changes result in the formation of new materials, and that this kind of change is not usually reversible, including changes associated with burning and the action of acid on bicarbonate of soda. |
Earth and Space | Pupils should be taught to: describe the movement of the Earth, and other planets, relative to the Sun in the solar system describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the sun across the sky. |
Forces | Pupils should be taught to: explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces recognise that some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys and gears, allow a smaller force to have a greater effect. |
Year 6 | |
Living things and their habitats | Pupils should be taught to: -describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences, including micro-organisms, plants and animals -give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics. |
Animals, including humans | Pupils should be taught to: -identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system, and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood -recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function -describe the ways in which nutrients and water are transported within animals, including humans. |
Evolution and inheritance | Pupils should be taught to: -recognise that living things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago -recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring vary and are not identical to their parents -identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways and that adaptation may lead to evolution. |
Light | Pupils should be taught to: -recognise that light appears to travel in straight lines -use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain that objects are seen because they give out or reflect light into the eye -explain that we see things because light travels from light sources to our eyes or from light sources to objects and then to our eyes -use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain why shadows have the same shape as the objects that cast them. |
Electricity | Pupils should be taught to: -associate the brightness of a lamp or the volume of a buzzer with the number and voltage of cells used in the circuit -compare and give reasons for variations in how components function, including the brightness of bulbs, the loudness of buzzers and the on/off position of switches -use recognised symbols when representing a simple circuit in a diagram. |
Working Scientifically Skills
These skills underpin every unit of work taught in Science:
Year 3 and 4 Working Scientifically |
During years 3 and 4, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content: -asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them -setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests -making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers -gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions -recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables -reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions -using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions -identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes -using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings. |
Year 5 and 6 Working Scientifically |
During years 5 and 6, pupils should be taught to use the following practical scientific methods, processes and skills through the teaching of the programme of study content: -planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary -taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate -recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs -using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests -reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations -identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments. |
Vocabulary
Year 1 and 2 Working Scientifically | Year 3 and 4 Working Scientifically | Year 5 and 6 Working Scientifically |
question answer observe observing equipment identify classify sort group record diagram chart map data compare contrast describe biology chemistry physics | research – relevant questions scientific enquiry comparative test fair test systematic, careful observation accurate measurements thermometer data logger data gather record classify present record drawings labelled diagrams keys bar charts tables explanations conclusion predictions differences similarities changes evidence improve secondary sources guides keys construct interpret | plan variables measurements accuracy precision repeat readings record data scientific diagrams labels classification keys tables scatter graphs bar graph line graph predictions further comparative test fair test report present conclusions causal relationships explanations degree of trust display presentations evidence support, refute ideas or arguments identify classify describe patterns systematic quantitative measurements |
Living Things and their Habitats | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
| living dead never alive habitats micro-habitats food food chain sun-grass-cow-human alive healthy logs, leaf, litter stony, path under bushes shelter seashore woodland ocean rainforest conditions hot/warm/cold dry/damp/wet bright/shade/dark |
| environment flowering – grasses non-flowering plants – mosses ferns animals vertebrate - fish amphibians reptiles birds mammals invertebrates – snails slugs worms spiders insects human impact- positive: nature reserves ecologically planned parks garden ponds negative: population development litter deforestation Dangers!
| life cycles – mammal amphibian insect bird life process of reproduction (plants, animals) vegetable garden flower boarder animal naturalists – David Attenborough animal behaviourist – Jane Goodall reproduction – plants – sexual, asexual animals – sexual lifecycles around the world – rainforest oceans desert prehistoric similarities differences | micro-organisms plants animal classification classify invertebrates- insects spiders snails worms vertebrates –fish amphibians reptiles mammals evolution inheritance scientist – Carl Linnaeus
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Animals including Humans | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
animals fish amphibians reptiles birds mammals pets carnivores – meat cat dog lion tiger fox shark killer whale eagle hawk snake tyrannosaurus rex herbivores – plants cow hamster guinea pig tortoise triceratops omnivores – meat and plants badger human bear chickens head neck arms elbows legs knees face ears eyes hair mouth teeth
| offspring grow adults nutrition reproduce survival – water food air exercise hygiene egg-chick-chicken egg-caterpillar-pupa-butterfly spawn-tadpole-frog lamb-sheep baby-toddler-child-teenage-adult | nutrition vitamins minerals fat protein carbohydrates fibre water skeletons support protection skull brain ribs heart lungs movement joint muscles - movement pull contract relax diet
| human digestive system mouth teeth: incisors – cutting, slicing canines – ripping, tearing molars – chewing, grinding brush floss oesophagus transports stomach acid enzymes small intestine –absorbs water vitamins large intestine – compacts carnivore herbivore omnivore food chain producers prey predators
| human development baby-toddler-child-teenager-adult puberty gestation length mass grow grows growing | internal organs: heart lungs liver kidney brain skeletal skeleton muscle muscular digest digestion digestive circulatory system: heart blood vessels blood Impact: diet exercise drugs lifestyle nutrients water damage: drugs alcohol substances |
Materials | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
material- wood plastic glass metal water rock properties- hard/soft stretchy/stiff shiny/dull rough/smooth bendy/not bendy waterproof/not waterproof absorbent/not absorbent brick paper fabrics elastic foil
| wood metal plastic glass brick rock paper cardboard squashing bending twisting stretching metal- coins cans cars table legs wood- matches floors telegraph poles spoons – plastic, wood, metal but not glass John Dunlop – rubber Charles Macintosh - waterproof | appearance physical properties properties- hard/soft shiny/dull rough/smooth absorbent/not absorbent fossils- sedimentary rock soils– rock organic matter grains crystals | solid – iron ice liquid evaporate condense gas container changing state- chocolate butter cream heated heat cooled cool degrees Celsius (oC) thermometer water cycle- evaporate evaporation condense condensation temperature melting melt freeze warm cool water vapour | properties- hardness solubility transparency conductive (electrical and thermal) magnets response (to magnets) dissolve – liquid, solution separate separating solids liquids gases reversible changes – dissolving mixing evaporation evaporating filtering sieving melting irreversible – new material burning rusting magnetism magnets conductors insulators quantitative measurements – conductivity, insulation chemical Chemists – Spencer Silver, Ruth Benerito
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Forces | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
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| force push pull open surface magnet magnetic attract repel magnetic poles North South |
| gravity air resistance water resistance friction surface force effect move accelerate decelerate stop change direction brake mechanism pulley gear spring theory of gravitation Galileo Galilei Isaac Newton |
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Light | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
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| light see dark reflect surface natural star Sun Moon artificial torch candle lamp shadow blocked solid sunlight dangerous protect eyes |
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| light travels straight reflect reflection light source object shadows mirrors periscope rainbow filters |
Electricity | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
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| appliances electricity electrical circuit cell wire bulb buzzer danger electrical safety sign insulators- wood rubber plastic glass conductors- metal water switch open closed |
| voltage brightness volume switch switches –on/off danger series circuit circuit diagram bulb buzzer motor recognized symbols working safely electrical safety sign |
Plants | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
common wild plants garden plants deciduous evergreen tree – deciduous, evergreen, trunk, branches, leaf, root plant – leaf, root, leaves, bud, flowers, blossom, petals, root, stem, fruit, vegetables, bulb seed | water lights suitable temperature grow healthy germination reproduction | flowering plants rots stem/trunk leaves flowers nutrition support reproduction makes its own food air light water nutrients soil room to grow needs vary fertilizer life cycle – flowers pollination, seed formation, seed dispersal |
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Sound | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
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| vibrate vibration vibrating air medium ear hear sound volume pitch faint fainter loud louder string percussion woodwind brass insulate |
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Evolution and inheritance | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
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| evolution adaption inherited traits adaptive traits natural selection inheritance Charles Darwin Alfred Wallace DNA genes variation parent offspring fossil environment habitat fossilization plants animals living things |
Seasonal Changes/Earth and Space | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
season summer winter autumn spring day daytime weather wind rain snow hail sleet fog sun hot warm cold |
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| Earth Sun Moon moons planets stars solar system Mercury Venus Mars Jupiter Saturn Uranus Neptune Pluto rotate day night Aristotle Ptolemy Galileo Copernicus Brahe Alhazen orbit axis spherical heliocentric geocentric hemisphere season tilt |
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Implementation
At Westgate, each year group has at least one Science lesson per week, mostly delivered by the class teacher. Some lessons may be extended sessions, depending on the aim of each lesson, but lessons tend to be at least one-hour long. As there are five units to be taught per year group, Science is taught over five of the small terms each academic year and year groups decide when is best to teach each unit (see table below for the current unit coverage). Where possible, some year groups link their Science units with other areas of the curriculum. During Term 4 each year, British Science Week is celebrated and involves year groups planning activities and investigations linked to the theme of the Science Week, that either take place over a whole day or series of afternoons. A Science after school club provides enrichment for children at Westgate and focuses on different areas within Science and allows children to further develop their working scientifically skills.
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4
British Science Week
| Term 5 | Term 6 |
Year 3 |
| Forces and magnets | Animals, including humans | Light | Rocks | Plants |
Year 4 | Sound | Animals, including humans
| Electricity
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| States of matter
| Living things and their habitats
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Year 5 | Earth and Space | Properties and changes of materials | Forces | Forces (continued) | Living things and their habitats | Animals, including humans |
Year 6 | Electricity | Light | Evolution and inheritance | Living Things and their Habitats |
| Animals, including humans |
Opportunities to revisit learning
| Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6 |
Chemistry | Everyday materials
-distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made.
-identify and name a variety of everyday materials, including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock.
-describe the simple physical properties of a variety of everyday materials.
-compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of their simple physical properties.
| Use of everyday materials
-identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper and cardboard for particular uses.
-find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
| Rocks
-compare and group together different kinds of rocks on the basis of their appearance and simple physical properties.
-describe in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within rock.
-recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter. | States of matter
-compare and group materials together, according to whether they are solids, liquids or gases.
-observe that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and measure or research the temperature at which this happens in degrees Celsius (°C).
-identify the part played by evaporation and condensation in the water cycle and associate the rate of evaporation with temperature. | Properties of materials and change
-compare and group together everyday materials on the basis of their properties, including their hardness, solubility, transparency, conductivity (electrical and thermal), and response to magnets.
-know that some materials will dissolve in liquid to form a solution, and describe how to recover a substance from a solution.
-use knowledge of solids, liquids and gases to decide how mixtures might be separated, including through filtering, sieving and evaporating -give reasons, based on evidence from comparative and fair tests, for the particular uses of everyday materials, including metals, wood and plastic.
-demonstrate that dissolving, mixing and changes of state are reversible changes.
-explain that some changes result in the formation of new materials, and that this kind of change is not usually reversible, including changes associated with burning and the action of acid on bicarbonate of soda. |
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Biology | Plants
-identify and name a variety of common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees.
-identify and describe the basic structure of a variety of common flowering plants, including trees.
-describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals, including pets).
-identify, name, draw and label the basic parts of the human body and say which part of the body is associated with each sense.
| Plants
-observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants.
-find out and describe how plants need water, light and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy.
| Plants
-identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants: roots, stem/trunk, leaves and flowers.
-explore the requirements of plants for life and growth (air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and room to grow) and how they vary from plant to plant.
-investigate the way in which water is transported within plants -explore the part that flowers play in the life cycle of flowering plants, including pollination, seed formation and seed dispersal. |
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Animals, including humans -identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
-identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.
| Animals, including humans
-notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults.
-find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air).
-describe the importance for humans of exercise, eating the right amounts of different types of food, and hygiene.
| Animals, including humans
-identify that animals, including humans, need the right types and amount of nutrition, and that they cannot make their own food; they get nutrition from what they eat.
-identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and movement.
| Animals, including humans
-describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the digestive system in humans.
-identify the different types of teeth in humans and their simple functions.
-construct and interpret a variety of food chains, identifying producers, predators and prey. | Animals, including humans
-describe the changes as humans develop to old age. | Animals, including humans
-identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system, and describe the functions of the heart, blood vessels and blood
-recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on the way their bodies function.
-describe the ways in which nutrients and water are transported within animals, including humans. | |
| Living things and their habitats
-explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive.
-identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other.
-identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including micro-habitats.
-describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food.
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| Living things and their habitats
-recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways.
-explore and use classification keys to help group, identify and name a variety of living things in their local and wider environment.
-recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers to living things. | Living things and their habitats
-describe the differences in the life cycles of a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird.
-describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals. | Living things and their habitats
-describe how living things are classified into broad groups according to common observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences, including micro-organisms, plants and animals.
-give reasons for classifying plants and animals based on specific characteristics. | |
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| Evolution and inheritance
-recognise that living things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago.
-recognise that living things produce offspring of the same kind, but normally offspring vary and are not identical to their parents.
-identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment in different ways and that adaptation may lead to evolution. | |
Physics
| Seasonal changes
-observe changes across the four seasons.
-observe and describe weather associated with the seasons and how day length varies.
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| Earth and Space
-describe the movement of the Earth, and other planets, relative to the Sun in the solar system.
-describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth.
-describe the Sun, Earth and Moon as approximately spherical bodies --use the idea of the Earth’s rotation to explain day and night and the apparent movement of the sun across the sky. |
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| Light
-recognise that they need light in order to see things and that dark is the absence of light.
-notice that light is reflected from surfaces.
-recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect their eyes.
-recognise that shadows are formed when the light from a light source is blocked by an opaque object.
-find patterns in the way that the size of shadows change. |
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| Light
-recognise that light appears to travel in straight lines. -use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain that objects are seen because they give out or reflect light into the eye. -explain that we see things because light travels from light sources to our eyes or from light sources to objects and then to our eyes. -use the idea that light travels in straight lines to explain why shadows have the same shape as the objects that cast them. | |
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| Sound
-identify how sounds are made, associating some of them with something vibrating.
-recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium to the ear.
-find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it.
-find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it.
-recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases. |
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| Forces and magnets
-compare how things move on different surfaces notice that some forces need contact between two objects, but magnetic forces can act at a distance.
-observe how magnets attract or repel each other and attract some materials and not others.
-compare and group together a variety of everyday materials on the basis of whether they are attracted to a magnet, and identify some magnetic materials.
-describe magnets as having two poles.
-predict whether two magnets will attract or repel each other, depending on which poles are facing. |
| Forces
-explain that unsupported objects fall towards the Earth because of the force of gravity acting between the Earth and the falling object.
-identify the effects of air resistance, water resistance and friction that act between moving surfaces.
-recognise that some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys and gears, allow a smaller force to have a greater effect. |
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| Electricity
-identify common appliances that run on electricity.
-construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers.
-identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether or not the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery.
-recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit and associate this with whether or not a lamp lights in a simple series circuit.
-recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors. |
| Electricity
-associate the brightness of a lamp or the volume of a buzzer with the number and voltage of cells used in the circuit. -compare and give reasons for variations in how components function, including the brightness of bulbs, the loudness of buzzers and the on/off position of switches. -use recognised symbols when representing a simple circuit in a diagram. |
| Years 1 and 2 | Years 3 and 4 | Years 5 and 6 |
Working Scientifically | -asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways.
-observing closely, using simple equipment.
-performing simple tests.
-identifying and classifying.
-using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions.
-gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.
| -asking relevant questions and using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them.
-setting up simple practical enquiries, comparative and fair tests.
-making systematic and careful observations and, where appropriate, taking accurate measurements using standard units, using a range of equipment, including thermometers and data loggers.
-gathering, recording, classifying and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in answering questions.
-recording findings using simple scientific language, drawings, labelled diagrams, keys, bar charts, and tables -reporting on findings from enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays or presentations of results and conclusions.
-using results to draw simple conclusions, make predictions for new values, suggest improvements and raise further questions.
-identifying differences, similarities or changes related to simple scientific ideas and processes.
-using straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or to support their findings. | -planning different types of scientific enquiries to answer questions, including recognising and controlling variables where necessary.
-taking measurements, using a range of scientific equipment, with increasing accuracy and precision, taking repeat readings when appropriate.
-recording data and results of increasing complexity using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs.
-using test results to make predictions to set up further comparative and fair tests.
-reporting and presenting findings from enquiries, including conclusions, causal relationships and explanations of and degree of trust in results, in oral and written forms such as displays and other presentations.
-identifying scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments. |
Children have the opportunity to revisit their Science learning through other subjects across the curriculum.
In Year 3, children are able to revisit and link their learning of Animals Including Humans, in PSHE as they explore healthy lifestyles and a balanced diet as one of their units. The children are given further opportunity to learn about rocks in Art and English lessons as they observe closely and draw and describe rocks in Art and then write a non-chronological report about how rocks are made in English.
When learning about Plants, children plant their own seeds and measure their growth, describing what they can see and then through shared writing they write a simple explanation text about how plants grow.
In Year 4, children are able to revisit and link their learning of animals including humans through their explanation unit in English, where they focus on explaining in detail the organs involved in the digestive system and how each organ works. They also use their knowledge and understanding of electrical circuits in their DT unit, where children make their own European monument that either lights up or uses a motor to make part of it move. Year 4 children are first introduced to the concept of the water cycle in their Place Topic about Europe and they then revisit this during their States of Matter Science unit. Whilst in Year 4, children are also able to deepen their knowledge and understanding of animals and their habitats, through the Pick Topic, Creatures Great and Small, being planned to explore in detail, Living things and their habitats.
In Year 5, children are given the opportunity to link their learning of forces and properties and changes of materials when learning about their Natural Disasters topic.
In Year 6, children revisit their learning about light in English lessons, through the writing of an explanation text on periscopes. In some of their Physical Education lessons, children look at the effect of exercise on their heart by monitoring their 6 heart rates.
All year groups, are able to revisit some areas of Science in PSHE lessons, such as healthy food choices and hygiene.
SMSC and British Values
SCIENCE | |
Spiritual |
Spiritual education in Science involves the search for meaning and purpose in natural and physical phenomena. It is the wonder about what is special about life, an awe at the scale of living things from the smallest micro-organism to the largest tree and the interdependence of all living things and materials of the Earth. It concerns the emotional drive to know more and to wonder about the world and aesthetically appreciate its wonders including for example the enormity of space and the beauty of natural objects or phenomenon, plants, animals, crystals, rainbows, the Earth from space etc.
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Moral |
Moral education in Science encourages pupils to become increasingly curious, to develop open mindedness to the suggestions of others and to make judgements on evidence, not prejudice. Students realise that moral dilemmas are often involved in scientific developments. When considering the environment, the use of further natural resources and its effect on future generations is an important moral consideration.
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Social |
Social education involves group practical work which provides opportunities for pupils to develop team working skills and to take responsibility. Pupils must take responsibility for their own and other people’s safety when undertaking practical work. Science has a major effect on the quality of our lives. Pupils are encouraged to consider the benefits and drawbacks of scientific and technological developments and the social responsibility involved
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Cultural |
Cultural education in Science involves thinking of scientific discoveries as much of a part of our culture as great music and films. Credit is given to scientific discoveries of other cultures. Science is also seen as a contemporary activity and developments are made all over the modern world. It is therefore an activity undertaken by a wide range of men and women in many different cultures both now and in the past. The interdependence of the world in environmental issues is central to science.
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British Values | Democracy · Take the views and opinions of others into account. · Take turns and instructions from others.
The rule of law · Understand the importance of safety rules when working scientifically. · Know that there are consequences if rules are not followed.
Individual liberty · Make choices when planning an investigation. · Others may have different points of view as to where to start.
Tolerance · Scientific discoveries have come from other cultures. · Religious beliefs often compete with scientific understanding.
Mutual respect · Work as a team. · Discuss findings. · Offer support and advice to others. |
Impact
Assessment
Teacher assessment takes place in every whole class lesson, through the use of a range of Assessment for learning (AfL) strategies, such as questioning and the marking of children’s independent learning. Pupils are given a D (Development question or task) twice per Science unit. The purpose of this is to check understanding, to further develop thinking and reasoning skills and apply knowledge.
At the end of each unit of work in Science, children independently complete a Show What You Know (SWYK) assessment that focuses on the content learnt over the unit. Teachers then use this to assess each child against the content objectives taken from the Teacher Assessment Frameworks (2018/2019) for Science using an excel document. If children show a good understanding of the objective, they are highlighted as green to show they are working within the expected level. If they do not yet show a good understanding they are recorded as orange to show they are working below and if they are considered as working above the expected offer they are recorded as yellow. Alongside the SWYK assessments, teachers also use their professional judgement to support their assessment of the children in their class, which is informed by their daily AfL of each lesson and the ‘To Expected and beyond’ resource (devised by North Yorkshire County Council).
For their working scientifically skills, teachers use their professional judgment and observations of the children during investigations and experiments conducted within the classroom.
Example of the Science Assessment Document for Year 6:
Year 6 staff are required to submit a Science level of working below or working at the expected level for each child at the end of Key Stage 2. Year 6 staff use the excel documents from previous years to help aid their judgement.
How will the impact of the Science curriculum be evaluated?
The Science subject leader(s) is/are responsible for the monitoring and evaluation of this subject area. Monitoring is scheduled to occur on a termly basis. Judgements of the impact of the implementation and the curriculum is based upon the triangulation of different monitoring and evaluation activities within school:
- Lesson observations/pop ins
- Learning walks
- Pupil voice discussions
- Outcomes of assessments
- Deep dives