Science

Science lessons can help to feed children's natural curiosity about the way the world works. At key stage 1, pupils are taught about scientific enquiry through work in three different areas: life processes and living things (animals and plants), materials and their properties and physical processes (such as electricity, light and sound).

The teacher or pupils ask questions, then the pupils work together to collect evidence to help them to find the answer. They evaluate evidence and consider whether tests or comparisons are fair. They find out more about scientific ideas from books and computer sources and then share their ideas using scientific language, tables, charts and drawings.

1. Scientific Enquiry

At the end of Key Stage 1 (age 7), most children are able to:

• suggest how they can find out about a scientific question
• look for information they need
• think about what they have found out and decide whether this is what they thought would happen
• look at and compare objects and living things

2. Life Processes and Living Things

At the end of Key Stage 1 (age 7), most children are able to:

• understand that every living thing eats, grows and reproduces
• compare animals or plants with others by talking about simple features
• describe what an animal or plant needs in order to live
• recognise that different animals and plants are found in different places

3. Materials and their Properties

At the end of Key Stage 1 (age 7), most children are able to:

• sort materials into groups
• use words to describe their properties such as 'smooth' ,'shiny' or 'hard'
• describe how some materials change when they are twisted, stretched, cooled or heated

4. Physical Processes

At the end of Key Stage 1 (age 7), most children are able to:

• make a bulb light up using a simple circuit with a battery and a switch
• compare the colour or brightness of lights
• compare the loudness or pitch of sounds
• describe moving objects by talking about direction and speed