Welcome to Science

Pupils explore the different materials in
their local environment, school and home. They identify and sort materials by their properties, benefits and limitations. Pupils discover the uses of a range of materials before investigating the best material for building a house for the Three Little Pigs to protect them from the Big Bad Wolf!

Seasons: Autumn & Winter
Pupils observe changes between the seasons in their local area, using a weather station to track patterns and changes in the weather. They discover how plants and animals react to the changes and how this, in turn, impacts on their habits and lifecycles.

Amazing Animals: Pupils explore and identify animals in different world habitats, as well as those in the local area. They categorise animals as mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians and make comparisons between these. Pupils learn to label prominent body parts and relate these to the senses that they serve.

Amazing Animals: Pupils explore and identify animals in different world habitats, as well as those in the local area. They categorise animals as mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians and make comparisons between these. Pupils learn to label prominent body parts and relate these to their own bodies and senses they serve.

Spring and Summer: Pupils observe changes between the seasons in their local area, using a weather station to track patterns and changes in the weather. They discover how plants and animals react to the changes and how this, in turn, impacts on their habits and lifecycles. Pupils explore how these changes also affect the actions, celebrations and hobbies of humans.

Common Plants:
Why does the world need plants? Pupils learn to identify and name some key parts of a plant and tree and begin to understand how each part functions. They discover why plants are important to the environment and human health; creating the air we breathe; grown for food; used to make medicines. Pupils begin to name common plants.

Uses of Materials
Pupils identify materials used to make a range of different objects within their local area. They compare the suitability of different materials for different purposes and discover how some materials can be moulded to make new shapes. Pupils learn how we can help to stop plastic pollution.

Habitats: Pupils learn how animals and plants survive in different habitats, and how they depend upon each other within a food chain. They explore the contrasting habitats of the Arctic and Sahara, as well as studying microhabitats within the local community. Pupils discover some of the life processes that all living things share and the things they need in order to survive.

Protecting Our Environment: Pupils explore dangers to the local environment and the animals that live within it. They discover the importance of trees and the natural habitats around them – as well as finding out what happens when these are put under threat. Pupils investigate the importance of recycling and ways in which we can be energy efficient when using water and electricity.

Plants and Growth:
Seed to plant. The journey. Pupils learn to define a seed and recognise different types. They dissect to find what is inside a seed before discovering how they are germinated when in the right conditions. Pupils study the lifecycle of a plant and discover what a plant needs for successful growth and to maintain a healthy life span.

Skeletons and Muscles
What is the skeleton and is it important? Pupils develop their knowledge about the importance of good nutrition and a healthy diet. They learn and use the scientific names for the main bones in the human body and explain how the skeleton protects, supports and helps the body to move. Pupils set up simple practical enquiries to investigate the functions of the human body, recording data and explanations for their findings.

Rocks and Fossils
Pupils learn to identify different rock types based on properties, before categorising and sorting them. They discover and compare different uses of rocks for specific purposes. Pupils research the work of Mary Anning, learning what fossils are and how they are formed. They learn about different soil types.

Light and Shadows: Pupils explore both natural and manmade sources of light before learning how day and night are made through the rotation of the Earth. They investigate how light travels and reflects back, allowing us to see objects. Pupils also investigate objects that are transparent, translucent and opaque, and use mirrors to change the course of light rays.

Light and Shadows: Pupils explore both natural and manmade sources of light before learning how day and night are made through the rotation of the Earth. They investigate how light travels and reflects back, allowing us to see objects. Pupils also investigate objects that are transparent, translucent and opaque, and use mirrors to change the course of light rays.

Plants – Needs for Survival: Pupils learn how plants need certain conditions to grow, investigating how a change in these conditions can affect growth. They explore the purpose of the roots, stem and leaves in maintaining a healthy plant. Pupils dissect flowers to identify the different parts, before studying the lifecycle of a flowering plant and the processes that rely on the wider habitat.

Forces and Magnets:
What are forces and where are they? Pupils explore different forces, identifying these as pushes or pulls. They investigate how objects mov on different surfaces and the forces that effect movement. Pupils define what a magnet is and how these work before investigating magnetic materials and how magnets are used in real-life contexts.

Teeth and Digestion:
Pupils learn about the different types of human teeth and their features. They investigate the effects of mistreatment of teeth and compare different animals’ teeth. Pupils discover more about how to keep our teeth healthy. Pupils investigate the different parts of the digestive system, discovering the function of each organ and how they work together to break down food. They describe the journey food takes in our bodies.

States of Matter:
Pupils explore and compare the three different states, conducting investigations to discover how and why states may change, and whether the changes are reversible or irreversible. They investigate the processes of evaporation and condensation, how these occur and how these fit into the water cycle.

Classification and Environments Pupils discover how organisms rely on each other within a single ecosystem. They explore food chains and the concept of a food web, before classifying animals and plants using a range of advanced criteria. Pupils investigate how environments change for the better and worse, both naturally and through human intervention – and the long-lasting effects.

Classification and Environments Pupils discover how organisms rely on each other within a single ecosystem. They explore food chains and the concept of a food web, before classifying animals and plants using a range of advanced criteria. Pupils investigate how environments change for the better and worse, both naturally and through human intervention – and the long-lasting effects.

Sound: Pupils learn to define sound as a type of energy. They investigate how sound is made in different ways and how it travels through differently through solids, liquids and gases. Pupils lean how humans hear and the importance of protecting our hearing. Pupils investigate how the pitch and volume of sounds can be changed, and how distance can affect how we hear sounds.

Electricity: What is electricity and how can it be used? Pupils learn to define electricity and to identify when and how this is used. They learn to construct circuits to make lamps light up, linking this to their understanding of how electricity works in their homes and school. Pupils investigate to find which materials are conductors and insulators, exploring safety measures.

Earth and Space
Is Earth a space oddity? Pupils explore the solar system, examining how it fits within the universe and the Milky Way. They discover the relationship between the Sun and Earth, and phases of the moon; day and night; seasons; time zones across the globe. Pupils learn how theories about space and the shape of Earth have changed over time and how differing theories remain.

Forces: Pupils learn to define forces and their impact. They discover how Isaac Newton’s work helped us to understand forces and how this impacted the modern world and modern technology. They investigate friction, air resistance and water resistance to understand the effect these have on objects.

Materials: Properties and Changes Pupils take a deeper look at the properties of materials and their usefulness for different purposes; reversible/irreversible changes in relation to changes in states of matter; conductivity; magnetism. They investigate corrosion and neutralisation, discovering acids and bases, and how the pH scale can be used to distinguish between these.

Materials: Properties and Changes Pupils take a deeper look at the properties of materials and their usefulness for different purposes; reversible/irreversible changes in relation to changes in states of matter; conductivity; magnetism. They investigate corrosion and neutralisation, discovering acids and bases, and how the pH scale can be used to distinguish between these.

Lifecycles: Pupils explore the differences between lifecycles of different animal classes; vertebrates; invertebrates. They learn about the process of gestation in mammals and the process of reproduction for plants, both sexually and asexually. Pupils learn about the impact of the work of both David Attenborough and Jane Goodall in our understanding of the natural world.

Growing Older: When do we grow up? Pupils order the stages of human life and growth, comparing the lifecycle of a human directly with their knowledge of animal lifecycles and the aging process for other mammals. They discover how babies develop from womb to infancy, and how adults age over time. Pupils investigate the impact of aging on the human body, health and fitness.

Light and Perception
Pupils discover how light travels and how the human eye functions in order for us to see. They investigate laws of reflection, refraction and how the movement of light can be manipulated, including the formation and shaping of shadows. Pupils explore the ‘colour’ of light and how light is either absorbed, transmitted or reflected to create the colours we see when observing objects. They investigate the impact of light pollution on our world and the environment.

Classification: Pupils learn how the work of Carl Linnaeus has influenced classification of living things, exploring how we classify vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. Pupils learn to define microorganisms and investigate the importance of habitats in the conservation of different species. They study the impact of habitat loss.

Evolution and Inheritance: Pupils discover the significance of specific fossils in helping us to understand how life on Earth has evolved over millions of years, and how extinction is possible. They explore how living things have adaptated to suit their habitats and environmental changes, and how this has been essential to their survival. Pupils learn how characteristics and adaptations are passed on to offspring through genes.

Evolution and Inheritance: Pupils discover the significance of specific fossils in helping us to understand how life on Earth has evolved over millions of years, and how extinction is possible. They explore how living things have adaptated to suit their habitats and environmental changes, and how this has been essential to their survival. Pupils learn how characteristics and adaptations are passed on to offspring through genes.

Electricity and Circuits: Pupils learn to define electricity as a type of energy. They discover how electrical energy is caused and how it can be created. They explore circuits, establishing the meaning of the symbols used to represent electrical components. Pupils investigate and create different circuit types (series, parallel) and their purposes. They learn how to measure electrical energy.

Circulation and Lifestyle: What is circulation and how do we choose a healthy lifestyle? Pupils learn about the circulatory system, understanding how the heart and lungs play a vital role. Pupils investigate the heart, learning about the 4 chambers and the arteries and veins that lead to and from it. They discover the 4 key components of blood and their function in maintaining health.