At North Mead Primary Academy, we believe in the importance of science: nurturing curiosity and creativity. Through a combination of investigative skills and practical activities, children will develop an understanding of the world in which we live, the journey of science and its importance for the future. We believe that building children’s science capital is vital to help broaden both experiences and opportunities for our pupils.

Science is taught discretely following the national curriculum.

Key Principles of Science:

Teaching and learning in science is successful at North Mead Primary Academy when…

  • Children experience inspiring science which engages and motivates them
  • Children are catalysts in their own learning
  • Lessons link to the children’s lives and experiences to build science capital
  • All children can make new discoveries through practical investigations
  • Children are able to use and apply scientific vocabulary and skills effectively
  • There is a progression of skills across the school
  • Cross-curricular links are made to deepen understanding
  • Learning prompts as many questions as answers
  • Blooms Taxonomy is used to stretch and challenge and to develop scientific reasoning
  • Children have opportunities to work independently and collaboratively
  • Our outdoor environment is used as an effective tool for learning
  • A range of resources, such as IT, are used to enhance and support learning

Skills Progression Map

Understanding the world

Subject Policies/Plans

Science Policy

Long Term Plan 2023-24

Autumn Overview

Year One

Year 1

Autumn Term

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
The Human Body

Enquiry Question:

Do the oldest children have the biggest feet?
– Name and identify parts of the human body

–  Draw and label parts of the human body

– Sight

– Sound

– Taste

– Touch

– Smell

Seasonal Change

-Changes in autumn

– Collect and record data

Materials
– explore materials: wood, plastic, glass and metal- Explore materials: rock- objects and materials- melt and freeze- float or sink

– does it absorb water?

– investigate materials

Consolidation
The Human Body

Enquiry Question:

Do the oldest children have the biggest feet?

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 1 – Name and identify parts of the human body Classifying and grouping
–  Draw and label parts of the human body Classifying and grouping

Observing over time

Week 2 – Sight Classifying and grouping

Pattern seeking

Week 3 – Sound Classifying and grouping

Observing over time

Week 4 – Taste Classifying and grouping
– Touch Classifying and grouping
Week 5 – Smell Classifying and grouping
Seasonal Change

Enquiry Question:

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 6 – Changes in autumn

–  Collect and record data

Comparative/Fair testing

Observing over time

Materials

Enquiry Question:

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 7 Explore materials: wood, plastic, glass and metal Classifying and grouping
Week 8 Explore materials: rock Classifying and grouping
Objects and materials
Week 9 Melt and freeze Classifying and grouping

Observing over time

Pattern seeking

Week 10 Float or sink? Classifying and grouping
Pattern seeking
Does it absorb water? Classifying and grouping
Pattern seeking
Week 11 Investigate materials Problem solving

Year Two

Year 2

Autumn Term

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Animals’ needs for survival
– Mammals- Birds- Fish- Amphibians- Reptiles

– Humans

Humans

– Exercise

– Food

– Hygiene

– Teeth

Chemistry
 – Explore materials- Wood, paper and cardboard- Brick and rock- Glass and plastic- Metal

– Fabrics

– Same object different material

– Test materials: bend, squash, twist and stretch

– plan: waterproof experiment

– Investigate: waterproof experiment

Animals’ needs for survival

Enquiry Question:

What do animals need for survival?

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 1 – Mammals Classifying and grouping
Week 2 – Birds

– Fish

Classifying and grouping
Week 3 – Amphibians

– Reptiles

Classifying and grouping
Week 4 – Humans Classifying and grouping
Humans

Enquiry Question:

 

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 5 – Exercise

– Food

Classifying and grouping

Research

Week 6 – Hygiene

– Teeth

Classifying and grouping

Research

Chemistry

Enquiry Question:

 

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 7 – Explore materials Classifying and grouping
Week 8 – Wood, paper and cardboard

– Brick and rock

Classifying and grouping
Week 9 – Glass and plastic

– Metal

Classifying and grouping
Week 10 – Fabrics

– Same object different material

Classifying and grouping
Week 11 – Test materials: bend, squash, twist and stretch

– plan: waterproof experiment

– Investigate: waterproof experiment

Comparative and fair testing
Week 12

Year Three

Year 3 Autumn Term
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Skeletons:

– Name and identify bones in the human body

– functions of the skeleton

– name and identify bones in a range of animals

– animals with and without a spine

– are all skeletons the same?

Movement:
– Joints- How we move
Nutrition and diet:

– Food groups

– understand the food groups

– balanced diets

– compare diets

– animal diets

Rocks:

– Identify rocks

– group rocks

– test rocks

– local rock survey

Consolidate
Skeletons + Movement

Enquiry Question:

How can we sort and group animals based on their skeletons?

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 1 – Name and identify bones in the human body

– Functions of the skeleton

Classifying and grouping
Week 2 – Name and identify bones in a range of animals

– Animals with and without a spine

Classifying and grouping
Week 3 – Are all skeletons the same? Problem solving
Week 4 – Joints

– How we move

Classifying and grouping
Nutrition and Diet

Enquiry Question:

 

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 5 – Food groups

– understand the food groups

Classifying and grouping
Week 6 – Balanced diets Classifying and grouping
Week 7 – Compare diets

– Animal diets

Classifying and grouping
Rocks

Enquiry Question:

 

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 1 – Identify rocks Classifying and grouping
Week 2 – Group rocks Classifying and grouping
Week 3 – Test rocks Comparative/fair testing
Week 4 – local rock survey Research

Pattern seeking

Observation over time

Year Four

Year 4 Autumn Term
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Group and classify living things:

– Group animals

– vertebrate and invertebrates

– classification keys (animals)

– group plants

– classification keys (plants)

Data collection A: States of matter:
– Explore solids, liquids and gases- Think differently: solids, liquids and gases- change states- use equipment- plan: measure temperature changes

– investigate: measure temperature changes

– The water cycle

– plan: Evaporation experiment

– investigate: evaporation experiment

– evaluate: evaporation experiment

Consolidate
Group and classify living things

Enquiry Question:

How can we group and classify living things?

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 1 – Group animals Classifying and grouping
Week 2 – Vertebrate and invertebrates

– Classification keys (animals)

Classifying and grouping

Problem solving

Week 3 – Group plants

– Classification keys (plants)

Classifying and grouping

Problem solving

Data collection A

Enquiry Question:

 

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 4 – Data collection A

– Analyse data

Comparative/fair testing
States of Matter

Enquiry Question:

 

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 5 – Explore solids, liquids and gases Classifying and grouping
Week 6 – Think differently: solids, liquids and gases

– change states

Classifying and grouping

Observation over time

Pattern seeking

Week 7 – use equipment Classifying and grouping
Week 8 – plan: measure temperature changes

– investigate: measure temperature changes

Comparative/Fair testing

Observation over time

Week 9 – The water cycle Observation over time

Classifying and grouping

Week 10 – plan: Evaporation experiment

– investigate: evaporation experiment

– evaluate: evaporation experiment

Comparative/Fair testing

Observation over time

Pattern seeking

Week 11

Year Five

Year 5 Autumn Term
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Forces:

– Friction

– Air resistance

– Plan: parachute experiment

– Investigate: Parachute experiment

– Evaluate: parachute experiment

– plan: water resistance
– investigate: water resistance

– Explore gravity
– Use small forces for greater effects

Space:
– the solar system
– the planets
– modelling- motion of the Earth and planets
– The solar system: ideas over time- planet Earth- Night and day- The Moon
Forces

Enquiry Question:

Does the surface area of a parachute affect how long it takes to fall to the ground?

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 1 – Friction Classifying and grouping
Week 2 – Air resistance Classifying and grouping
Week 3 – Parachute experiment Comparative/fair testing
Week 4 – Water resistance Comparative/fair testing
Week 5 – Explore gravity Classifying and grouping

Comparative/fair testing

Week 6 – Use small forces for greater effects Classifying and grouping
Space

Enquiry Question:

 

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 7 – The Solar System

– The planets

Classifying and grouping
Week 8 – Modelling

– Motion of the Earth and planets

Classifying and grouping
Week 9 – The solar system: ideas over time Research
Week 10 – Planet Earth Observation over time

Research

Week 11 – Night and day Classifying and grouping

Observation over time

Week 12 – The Moon Classifying and grouping
Observation over time

Year Six

Year 6

Autumn Term

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12
Living things and their habitats:
– Conditions for life- Group organisms- Classify animals
– Microorganisms
– Classify Microorganisms- Carl Linnaeus
Electricity:

– Construct and draw series circuits using symbols

– Complete and incomplete circuits

– variations within circuits

– plan: voltage experiment

– Investigate: voltage experiment

– Evaluate: Voltage experiment

Forces

Enquiry Question:

Does the surface area of a parachute affect how long it takes to fall to the ground?

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 1 – Conditions for life Classifying and grouping
Week 2 – Group organisms Classifying and grouping
Week 3 – Classify animals Classifying and grouping
Week 4 – Microorganisms Classifying and grouping
Week 5 – Classify microorganisms Classifying and grouping
Week 6 – Carl Linnaeus Classifying and grouping

Research using secondary sources

Electricity:

Enquiry Question:

 

 

Enquiry type

 

Week 7 – Construct and draw series circuits using symbols Classifying and grouping
Week 8 – Complete and incomplete circuits Classifying and grouping
Week 9 – variations within circuits Problem solving
Week 10 – plan: voltage experiment Problem solving

Pattern seeking
Comparative/Fair testing

Week 11 – Investigate: voltage experiment
Week 12 – Evaluate: Voltage experiment