Science
Intent
Our curriculum is designed to engage pupils and promote a love of Science. Our Science principles encourage children to investigate the world around them and offers hands on experiences for them to achieve this. Engaging and exciting Science lessons offer children the opportunity to ask questions, make choices, predict, observe and use Scientific words. From Nursery through to Year two we provide the underpinning knowledge that will support the children throughout their later school life.
We understand that children enter our school with limited Science capital so the intent is to provide opportunities and experiences for both the children and their families to raise the capital and promote Science throughout the school community.
A love for Science will develop a child’s ability to ask and answer questions. They will become more inquisitive and want to find things out for themselves. Inspiring Science lessons will open the children’s eyes to STEM careers in the future.
Implementation
Teachers will use all available tools to ensure the teaching is pitched at the correct level and any gaps in children’s knowledge will be identified. Children who need extra support will be identified and additional support will be planned with a well-trained adult.
Expectations are developed from use of the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework and the National Curriculum for KS1.
Powerful Knowledge
Our Science principles are shared with the children during Science lessons. Science lessons use concepts, knowledge and skills and are carefully sequenced so that each time they are revisited the children can deepen this further. Lesson are built on prior learning to enable children to make connections and build schemata.
3Powerful subject knowledge is embedded into the long term memory.
Literacy
Science lessons have a strong link with English and the majority are built around key texts that the children are also studying in English lessons.
Oracy skills and vocabulary are enhanced through discussions in Science lessons and the use of Explorify resources.
Key vocabulary is identified from the progression of skills documents to ensure progress throughout the year groups.
Excellence for all
Explicit links are made to allow children to question the world around them and form moral opinions. They are supported from people outside of school such as STEM ambassadors to learn what a Scientist really is and what jobs involve Science.
The schools Science lead actively seeks experiences beyond the school to engage the children, through her work with, The Primary Science Teaching Trust, ASE and Science Across the City.
Experiences linked to the curriculum allow children and their families to develop Science capital.
Wider world
Explicit links are made to allow children to question the world around them and form moral opinions. They are supported from people outside of school such as STEM ambassadors to learn what a Scientist really is and what jobs involve Science.
The schools Science lead actively seeks experiences beyond the school to engage the children, through her work with, The Primary Science Teaching Trust, ASE and Science Across the City.
Experiences linked to the curriculum allow children and their families to develop Science capital.
Impact:
Our Science curriculum is high quality and carefully constructed to build upon prior knowledge, so children can remember and learn more. Our pupils enjoy learning about the world and develop the skills and knowledge relevant to becoming scientists.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
- Pre and post learning quizzes, based upon our knowledge organisers, are used to support effective learning through recall.
- Pupil discussions about their learning demonstrate what they remember.
- Pupils develop a greater understanding of the world around them.
- TAPs Assessments provide evidence to secure teacher judgements.
Jackfield Infant School | Science Curriculum Map 2024-2025 | |||
Autumn Term | Spring Term | Summer Term | ||
Nursery | Marvellous me!
People who help us
Use senses and hands on exploration of natural materials Talk about what they see Recycling Week Caring for the natural environment |
Once upon a time
Exploring Spring Time Talk about different materials and changes e.g. ice investigations Caring for the natural environment Plant seed and care Understand the life cycle of a plant Making playdough |
What a wonderful world
Caring for the natural environment Understand key features of animal lifecycles
|
|
Reception | Marvellous me!
Visit to Burslem Park – Seasonal changes/exploring the natural world around them/describing what they see, hear and feel whilst outside Autumn non-fiction text/art/drawings of leaves and other autumnal objects PEOPLE WHO HELP US Light investigation link to road safety STEM Who stole the biscuits? Investigation/asking questions Chocolate Finger investigation – changes of state melting Baking saltdough changes of state |
Once upon a time
Growing beanstalks plant life cycle/observational drawings of plants Baking gingerbread men changes of state Materials – 3 little pigs houses materials Supertato changes of state melting and other Space Observational drawings Spring seasonal changes Planting Rainbows Skittles investigation Healthy eating/teeth brushing and teeth – linked to dentists
|
What a wonderful world
Butterflies – animal lifecycle/observational drawings of the lifecycle Farm visit drawings of animals/lifecycles/exploring the natural world around them Africa Comparing environments Bees Tasting honey-making toast-changes of state Making ice cream changes of state Summer seasonal changes Under the Sea Comparing environments Sandcastle experiment |
|
Year One | PIRATES
Humans – Naming parts of the body identifying and classifying Humans – Sequencing the growth timeline pattern seeking and problem solving Senses – Exploring senses linked to pirates Identifying and classifying Seasons – Seasonal Change, Autumn and park visit Observing over time. Plants – Leaf hunt Identifying and classifying, pattern seeking. Materials – Exploring materials Identifying and classifying and pattern seeking |
MAGICAL KINGDOMS
Materials – grouping materials and vocabulary. identifying and classifying Materials – Waterproof investigation linked to D&T Keep the Gingerbread man dry Jack and the beanstalk – Get the egg down the beanstalk safely Warmest glove investigation observing over time Plants – Labelling the parts of a plant, using microscopes. Research Seasons – Seasonal Change, Spring Observing over time. Seasons – Monitor the weather Observing over time, pattern seeking. |
ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL
Animals – Sorting animal pictures into similarities and differences. Identifying and classifying Pets – Pet visits Animals – Introduce animal groups and sort into animal groups. Identifying and classifying Animals – Identify key features of an animal, draw and label. Identifying and classifying, research Animal stories (English link) Research, pattern seeking Animals – What do animals eat? Omnivore, herbivore, carnivore. Identifying and classifying, research Seasons – Seasonal Change, Summer Observing over time. Plants – Wild and garden plants Identifying and classifying |
|
Year Two | THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
Investigate the taller a person is, the older they are. Pattern seeking, Finding out the basics needs of humans for survival Research Explore a healthy diet Identifying and classifying Hygiene and germs Fair test How many exercises can you do in a minute Pattern seeking What do we know, what do we want to find out about materials? Identifying and classifying Identifying the materials within a picture Identifying and classifying Suitability of the materials and their properties / material hunt Identifying and classifying Create a table showing the object, material and suitability. Identifying and classifying Introduce vocabulary malleable Opaque/transparent Charles Mackintosj Research Planting bulbs |
A SEED OF CHANGE
Plants – observations of seeds and bulbs. Compare a bulb and a seed Dissect a bulb/plant Sort seeds/bulbs observing over time, pattern seeking, fair test Plants- comparative test to find out what plants need to survive – grass observing over time, pattern seeking, fair test Plants – research the life cycle of a plant research Plants – Where does our food come from? Link to The World Came To Our Place Today Research Track bulb growth – diary Compare bulb to seed growth grass seed v bulb |
HOMELY HABITATS
Minibeast Hunt at Burslem Park pattern seeking Research, design, make and evaluate room for bug hotel using learning on microhabitats Research Research polar habitats research, pattern seeking Research tropical rainforest habitats research, pattern seeking Research savannah grassland habitats research, pattern seeking Food chains research |