We believe that it is important to develop children’s scientific thinking. Children need to explore and investigate their world through scientific enquiry and practical skills. We want children to be able to ask questions, develop a hypothesis and then test it by carrying out a ‘fair test’.
Each year we have a Science Week when parents/carers are invited to come into school and join in with their children’s scientific enquiry.
Here are our ‘I Can’ statements which we use to plan and monitor the development of children’s scientific thinking.
“I can” statements – WORKING SCIENTIFICALLY
| I can … | Year 1/Year 2 | Year 3/ Year4 | Year 5/ Year 6 |
| Planning and carrying out experiments | I can ask you questions I can group things together by their features I can use a magnifying glass I can perform an experiment | I can ask questions and set up a fair practical experiment to answer them I can take accurate measurements using Thermometers I can take accurate measurements using Rulers | I can plan different kinds of fair experiments I can tell you how I control variables in my experiments I can take accurate measurements using lots of different scientific equipment I can tell you why it is important to take repeated measurements I can make predictions about how other tests will work using my results |
| Recording and Presenting Data | I can collect my results and write them down to help me answer questions | I can record data using: charts, graphs, diagrams I can record what I have found out using scientific vocabulary I can write what I have found out in a report I can present what I have found out to the class | I can record data using: labelled scientific diagrams, classification keys, tables, bar charts, line charts I can present my findings in a written report with an introduction, conclusion and results I can present my findings in an oral presentation with an introduction, conclusion and results |
| Drawing Conclusions | I can suggest the answer to a question by making observations I can understand that these questions can be answered in different ways | I can use the results I have found to draw conclusions I can tell you what is different, what has stayed the same and what has changed in an experiment I can use the evidence from my own and other people’s experiments to support what I have found I can evaluate experiments and suggest improvements | I can tell you about other experiments that have been done to support or disprove ideas I can identify scientific evidence that has been used to support or refute ideas or arguments |