Science
Introduction
In science, children learn about the animate and inanimate world around them.
They should be taught about:
• Developing a sense of wonder about the world around them
• Ways of finding out about living things, materials and phenomena
• Interpreting scientific evidence
• Communicating scientific ideas
• Making links between scientific activities and ideas
• Ways in which scientific ideas affect people’s lives
• Ways in which scientific issues affect the environment
• The cultural implications of scientific activities and ideas
• The moral issues associated with scientific activities and ideas
• Cause and effect
The knowledge, skills and understanding which children gain through their study of science can be regarded in terms of:
• Enquiry
• Interpretation
• Living things
• Materials
• Physical processes
• Communicating
THE LEARNING GOALS
Milepost 1
Enquiry
By the end of the school year in which they are 7, the vast majority of children will:
1.1 Know that scientific enquiry involves asking questions, collecting evidence through observation and measurement
1.2 Be able to pose simple scientific questions
1.3 Be able to identify ways of finding out about scientific issues
1.4 Be able, with help, to conduct simple investigations
• thinking about what will happen
• using, with help, simple scientific equipment
• recognising when a test or comparison with one variable is fair
· observing what happens
• comparing what happened with what they thought would happen
• offering explanations for what happened, and why it happened
• making simple comparisons, identifying similarities, differences and simple patterns
• recording and communicating their observations – orally, in writing and through ICT
1.5 Be able, with help, to gather information from simple texts
Living things
By the end of the school year in which they are 7, the vast majority of children will:
1.6 Know about the basic conditions needed for living things to survive
1.7 Know about the differences between living things and things that have never been alive
1.8 Know that living things grow and reproduce
1.9 Know that the features of the school environment affect the types of living things found there
1.10 Be able to sort living things into simple groups
1.11 Be able to recognise living things in the school environment
1.12 Understand that different locations support different living things
1.13 Know the names of the main external body parts of humans and animals
1.14 Know the names and characteristics of a range of animals
1.15 Know about the importance of exercise and healthy eating
1.16 Know about the role of drugs as medicines
1.17 Know about the senses
1.18 Be able to recognise similarities and differences between themselves and other people
1.19 Understand how to treat animals with care and sensitivity
1.20 Know the names of the parts of plants
1.21 Know that seeds grow into plants
1.22 Know that plants need light to grow
1.23 Know that plants need water to grow
Materials
By the end of the school year in which they are 7, the vast majority of children will:
1.24 Know the names and properties of a range of materials
1.25 Know about the uses of different materials
1.26 Know what happens when various materials are squashed, bent, twisted, stretched, heated or cooled
1.27 Be able to describe similarities and differences between materials
1.28 Be able to sort materials into groups according to their properties
1.29 Understand that the uses to which materials are put depend on their properties
Physical processes
By the end of the school year in which they are 7, the vast majority of children will:
1.30 Know about everyday appliances that use electricity
1.31 Know how simple electrical circuits operate and the effects they have on different devices
1.32 Know the function of a switch in an electrical circuit
1.33 Know how a range of forces, including pushes and pulls, can move objects
1.34 Know that darkness is the absence of light
1.35 Know that sounds travel from sources
1.36 Know that sounds are heard when they enter the ear
1.37 Understand that sound and light come from a variety of sources
1.38 Be able to describe the actions that result in changes in light, sound or movement
Milepost 2
Enquiry
By the end of the school year in which they are 9, the vast majority of children will:
2.1 Be able to carry out simple investigations
· suggesting ways of collecting evidence
· preparing a simple investigation which is fair with one changing factor
· predicting the outcomes of investigations
· using simple scientific equipment
· testing ideas using evidence from observation and measurement
· linking the evidence to broader scientific knowledge and understanding
· using evidence to draw conclusions
· recording and communicating their observations and findings in a variety of ways
· explaining their observations and findings
2.2 Be able to gather information from simple texts
2.3 Understand the importance of collecting scientific evidence
2.4 Understand some of the effects of what they learn on people’s lives
Living things
By the end of the school year in which they are 9, the vast majority of children will:
2.5 Know the differences between living and non-living things
2.6 Know about processes and conditions that have an effect on living things
2.7 Know about the principles of nutrition, growth, movement and reproduction
2.8 Know about the living things that are supported by different environments
2.9 Know about ways in which animals and plants are suited to different environments
2.10 Know about the frequently occurring animals and plants that are supported by the environment around the school
2.11 Know about food chains in the local environment
2.12 Understand the principles of protecting living things
2.13 Know about the function and care of teeth in humans and other animals
2.14 Know about the function and actions of the heart in humans and other animals
2.15 Know about the functions of skeletons and muscles in humans and some other animals
2.16 Know about the main stages of the human life cycle
2.17 Know about the effect of exercise on the human body
2.18 Know about the effects that tobacco and alcohol have on the human body
2.19 Know about the effect of diet on the human body
2.20 Be able to classify animals according to their features
2.21 Know about the effects that light, air, water and temperature have on plants
2.22 Know about the functions of leaves
2.23 Know about the life cycle of plants
2.24 Be able to classify plants according to their features
Materials
By the end of the school year in which they are 9, the vast majority of children will:
2.25 Know that some materials conduct electricity
2.26 Know that some materials conduct heat more effectively than others
2.27 Know that temperature is a measure of heat
2.28 Know that some changes in materials are reversible and others are irreversible
2.29 Know about the changes that occur when materials are mixed
2.30 Know that some substances dissolve in water and others do not
2.31 Be able to compare common materials and objects according to their properties
2.32 Be able to distinguish between solids, liquids and gases
2.33 Be able to separate insoluble solids from liquids by filtering
2.34 Understand that different materials are suited for different purposes
Physical processes
By the end of the school year in which they are 9, the vast majority of children will:
2.35 Know about the principles of magnets and magnetic and nonmagnetic materials
2.36 Be able to construct electrical circuits to make devices work
2.37 Be able to change the type or number of components in a circuit to have a different effect
2.38 Know that forces can have direction
2.39 Know that forces differ in size
2.40 Know about the effects of friction
2.41 Know that light travels from a source
2.42 Know that objects form shadows when they block the passage of light from a source
2.43 Know that sounds are made when objects vibrate
2.44 Be able to create sounds with a variety of objects
2.45 Be able to change sounds by altering variables
2.46 Know that the sun, earth and moon are approximately spherical
2.47 Know that the position of the sun appears to change during the course of a day and that shadows change as a result
2.48 Know that the sun provides the light and heat necessary for the earth
2.49 Know that the moon appears to change shape over the course of a month
Milepost 3
Enquiry
By the end of the school year in which they are 12, the vast majority of children will:
3.1 Know that the study of science is concerned with investigating and understanding the animate and inanimate world around them
3.2 Be able to conduct scientific investigations
• posing scientific questions
• choosing an appropriate way to investigate a scientific issue
• using their scientific knowledge and understanding to predict the outcome
• relating the outcome to their original prediction
• making systematic and accurate measurements from their observations
• drawing conclusions based on the evidence
• explaining and justifying their predictions, investigations, findings and conclusions
• recording and communicating their findings accurately using the most appropriate medium and the appropriate scientific vocabulary and conventions
• repeating investigations, observations and measurements to check their accuracy and validity
• identifying patterns in the results
• using scientific language to explain any differences found in the results of investigations
• suggesting ways in which their investigations and working methods could be improved
• relating their own investigations to wider scientific ideas
3.3 Be able to gather evidence from a variety of sources
3.4 Be able to discriminate between evidence and opinion
3.5 Understand the importance of using evidence to test scientific ideas
3.6 Understand some of the effects of what they learn on people’s lives
Living things
By the end of the school year in which they are 12, the vast majority of children will:
3.7 Know about the major classifications of living things
3.8 Know about the effects of food chains in a variety of environments
3.9 Know that changes in the environment have effects on living things
3.10 Know about the nature, functions and effects of microorganisms
3.11 Be able to recognise and name the major plants and animals in the host country
3.12 Be able to classify locally occurring plants and animals according to their features
3.13 Be able to recognise and name the major plants and animals in their home country
3.14 Understand the relationship between living things and the environment in which they live
3.15 Know about the structure of the human body
3.16 Know the functions of the major internal and external parts of the human body
3.17 Know about similarities and differences between humans and other creatures
3.18 Know about the effect of exercise on the human pulse rate
3.19 Know about the effect of drug misuse on the human body
3.20 Know about the ways in which humans and other animals reproduce
3.21 Know that some characteristics of humans and other animals are inherited from their parents
3.22 Know that some characteristics of humans are influenced by their environment
3.23 Understand the importance of an appropriate diet for the health of humans and other animals
3.24 Know that some characteristics of plants are inherited from their parents
3.25 Know about the functions of the major parts of a plant
3.26 Know about factors that affect the growth of plants
3.27 Know about the function of roots in anchoring and feeding plants
3.28 Know about ways in which plants reproduce
3.29 Know about the effects of seed dispersal
3.30 Know about the conditions needed for germination
Materials
By the end of the school year in which they are 12, the vast majority of children will:
3.31 Know the distinctive properties of different materials
3.32 Know about the principles of materials acting as thermal insulators
3.33 Know what happens when materials are heated and cooled
3.34 Know about the principles of condensation and evaporation
3.35 Know about differences between metals and other materials
3.36 Know that matter is made up of particles
3.37 Know about the different arrangements of particles in solids, liquids and gases
3.38 Be able to compare and group rocks and soils according to their properties
3.39 Be able to group and classify materials according to their properties
3.40 Be able to identify changes that are reversible or irreversible
3.41 Be able to separate simple mixtures
3.42 Be able to recover dissolved solids through evaporation
Physical processes
By the end of the school year in which they are 12, the vast majority of children will:
3.43 Know that heat is often produced as a by-product when one form of energy is converted to another
3.44 Know that heat can move from one object to another by conduction
3.45 Be able to represent electrical circuits in drawings using conventional symbols
3.46 Be able to construct circuits on the basis of drawings using conventional symbols
3.47 Be able to vary an electrical circuit to change its effect
3.48 Know about the nature and effect of gravitational force
3.49 Be able to identify the effects of physical forces
3.50 Be able to measure forces
3.51 Be able to identify the direction of forces
3.52 Know that light travels in a straight line until it strikes an object
3.53 Know that light can be reflected, refracted or absorbed
3.54 Know that light travels through some materials and not through others
3.55 Know that we see things when light from them enters our eyes
3.56 Know how sounds are changed by altering the nature and frequency of the vibrations
3.57 Know that vibrations from sound sources travel through a medium to reach the ear
3.58 Be able to identify the effects and uses of light and sound
3.59 Know about the relationship between the Earth and the rest of the solar system
3.60 Know that day and night are related to the Earth spinning on its axis
3.61 Know about the time taken for the Earth to orbit the sun and for the moon to orbit the earth
3.62 Know about the effects caused by the Earth moving
3.63 Know that patterns of stars in the sky stay the same
3.64 Be able to identify the major constellations
3.65 Know about the major sources of energy
3.66 Know how energy sources occur
3.67 Know how energy sources are obtained
3.68 Know how energy sources are used
3.69 Know the basic principles of renewable and sustainable energy
© COPYRIGHT IPC 2002
Not to be reproduced without permission
