Science At Roscoe

At Roscoe Primary School, we recognise the importance of Science in every aspect of daily life. As one of the core subjects taught in Primary Schools, we give the teaching and learning of Science the prominence it requires. The Scientific area of learning is concerned with increasing pupils’ knowledge and understanding of our world, and with developing skills associated with Science as a process of enquiry. In our school, Science develops the natural curiosity of our children, it encourages them to respect living organisms and the physical environment and provides opportunities for critical evaluation of evidence.

The intent of our Science curriculum is to deliver a curriculum which is accessible to all and that will maximise the outcomes for every child so that they know more, remember more and understand more. As a result of this they will:

• Think independently and raise questions about working scientifically and the knowledge and skills that it brings.
• Develop 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.
• Be equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of Science, today and for the future.
• Develop confidence and competence in the full range of practical skills, taking the initiative in, for example, planning and carrying out scientific investigations.
• Use a range of methods to communicate their scientific information and present it in a systematic, scientific manner, including I.C.T., diagrams, graphs and charts.
• Develop an enthusiasm and enjoyment of scientific learning and discovery.

Aims

The national curriculum for science aims to ensure that all pupils:

• develop scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding through the disciplines of biology, chemistry and physics;
• develop 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;
• are equipped with the scientific knowledge required to understand the uses and implications of science, today and for the future.

Scientific knowledge and conceptual understanding

The curriculum at Roscoe aims to found progress throughout a child’s school career by developing a secure understanding of each key block of knowledge and concepts at the relevant stage. Insecure, superficial understanding prevents genuine progression: pupils may struggle at key stage transitions, amass damaging misconceptions, or have significant difficulties in understanding higher-order content.

The nature, processes and methods of science

‘Working scientifically’ is not taught as a separate strand but is interwoven with learning objectives and across year groups: KS1, LKS2 and UKS2. The notes and guidance give examples of how ‘working scientifically’ might be embedded within the content of biology, chemistry and physics, focusing on the key headings of scientific enquiry. These include: observing over time; pattern seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using secondary sources. Pupils seek answers to questions by collecting, analysing and presenting data applying their mathematical knowledge.

Spoken language

The national curriculum for science reflects the importance of spoken language in pupils’ development across the whole curriculum – cognitively, socially and linguistically. The quality and variety of language that pupils hear and speak are key factors in developing their scientific vocabulary and articulating scientific concepts clearly and precisely. They must be assisted in making their thinking clear, both to themselves and others, and teachers should ensure that pupils build secure foundations by using discussion to probe and remedy their misconceptions.

Content

By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to retain, apply and understand the knowledge, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.

Key Stage 1

The principal focus of science teaching in Key Stage 1 is to enable pupils to experience and observe phenomena, looking more closely at the natural and humanly-constructed world around them. They are encouraged to be curious and ask questions about what they notice. They are helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests, and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They begin to use simple scientific language to talk about what they have found out and communicate their ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways.

Children will learn about: animals, including humans; living things and their habitats; everyday materials and their uses; plants; and seasonal changes. Most of the learning about science should be done through the use of first-hand practical experiences, but there should also be some use of relevant secondary sources, such as books, photographs and videos.

Lower Key Stage 2 - Year 3 and Year 4

The principal focus of science teaching in Lower Key Stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. Children ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information.

Children will learn about: animals, including humans; plants; rocks; light; forces and magnets; living things and their habitats; states of matter; sound; and electricity. They draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out.

Upper KS2 - Year 5 and Year 6

The principal focus of science teaching in Upper Key Stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. Children select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information.

Children will learn about: animals, including humans; living things and their habitats; properties and changes of materials; Earth and space; forces; evolution and inheritance; electricity; and light. They will draw conclusions based on their observations and data, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.

Science in action at Roscoe

Useful Web Links

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z6svr82

Guides and clips on a range of science topics.

https://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/

This website is packed with articles, worksheets and even a quiz on each section. You will find cool games, videos, worksheets and lots more to help you understand many different science topics.

http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/science/index.html

Teaching and learning resources to help primary aged children

https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/science/

From biology, chemistry, physics and natural history, you’ll discover some incredible secrets, awesome theories and explore some bonkers experiments in our super science for kids.

https://wowscience.co.uk/

Lots of primary science activities on this website.

https://explorify.wellcome.ac.uk/

Get thinking like a scientist!

http://www.switchedonkids.org.uk/

Learn about electricity and electrical safety with this website.