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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.

 

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

 

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

 

 

Forces

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

 

 

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

 

Light

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

 

 

light

see

dark

reflect

surface

natural

star

Sun

Moon

artificial

torch

candle

lamp

shadow

blocked

solid

sunlight

dangerous

protect eyes

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Sound

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

 

 

 

vibrate

vibration

vibrating

air

medium

ear

hear

sound

volume

pitch

faint

fainter

loud

louder

string

percussion

woodwind

brass

insulate

 

 

Evolution and inheritance

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Year 6

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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

 

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

 

 

States of matter

 

Living things and their habitats

 

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.

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

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

 

 

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