Science | St Mark's Church of England Junior School

What Science looks like at St. Mark's...

We teach an enriched science curriculum that provides opportunities for practical lessons as much as possible with the topic content and believe that this is key. The children are exposed to a wide variety of topics that support the children’s curiosity for learning. Our curriculum aims to broaden the children’s scientific view of the world around them, whilst promoting a love for inquiry and wanting to explore new things.

Lower Key Stage 2 – Years 3-4

The principal focus of science teaching in lower key stage 2 is to enable pupils to broaden their scientific view of the world around them. They should do this through exploring, talking about, testing and developing ideas about everyday phenomena and the relationships between living things and familiar environments, and by beginning to develop their ideas about functions, relationships and interactions. They should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information. They should draw simple conclusions and use some scientific language, first, to talk about and, later, to write about what they have found out.

Upper Key Stage 2 – Years 5-6

The principal focus of science teaching in upper key stage 2 is to enable pupils to develop a deeper understanding of a wide range of scientific ideas. They should do this through exploring and talking about their ideas; asking their own questions about scientific phenomena; and analysing functions, relationships and interactions more systematically. At upper key stage 2, they should encounter more abstract ideas and begin to recognise how these ideas help them to understand and predict how the world operates. They should also begin to recognise that scientific ideas change and develop over time. They should select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information. Pupils should draw conclusions based on their data and observations, use evidence to justify their ideas, and use their scientific knowledge and understanding to explain their findings.

How our results compare Locally and Nationally

The percentage of children meeting the expected standard in Science:

2016		2017		2018
Glos	82%	Glos	80%	Glos	82%
National	82%	National	82%	National	82%
St. Mark’s Whole Sch Year 6	77% 90%	St. Mark’s Whole Sch Year 6	90% 96%	St. Mark’s Whole Sch Year 6	89% 95%

As a school, we were working below the national and local percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in Science but have improved to working significantly above the national and local percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in Science, which is fantastic!

SEND Provision in Science at St. Mark’s

It is important at St. Mark’s that all children are able to access the Science curriculum in order for their learning and progression in Science to not be capped or limited by their other academic abilities, as well as allowing all children to enjoy and be enthused by Science.

SEND provision at St. Mark’s includes:

Providing children with key vocabulary cards and picture cards
Allowing children to vary the way they record their ideas and results in order to overcome literacy barriers, e.g. drawing and taking photographs
Given proformas to aid presentation
Allow time for play/self-discovery
Allow more time for written work
Use of mixed ability groups for peer learning
Use of TA support and extra discussion
Use of lots of practical activities for children to use a variety of learning styles, e.g. kinaesthetic, auditory and visual

Gifted and Talented Provision in Science at St. Mark’s

It is important at St. Mark’s that children are all extended to think ‘outside the box’ and question the world around them. All the children’s curiosity is encouraged and our practical approach to Science allows them to explore that. We aim for the children to be able to independently make links between scientific phenomenon and be able to apply their understanding, knowledge and discoveries to different contexts, situations and make further predictions about other scenarios.

The G&T provision at St. Mark’s includes:

The use of Mastery questioning and activities to extend in every lesson
Use of Deeper Learning booklet
Use of more complex scientific explanation using accurate scientific language
Open ended questioning, e.g. ‘What would happen if…’
Peer teaching to allow children to explain their understanding to others
Allowing children to do their own further research and investigations

Please see below for the Science Curriculum Plan

Science Curriculum Plan

Science Curriculum Plan.pdf

Working Scientifically Objectives by Year

Working Scientifically Objectives.pdf

What does "Mastery" in Science actually look like?

When assessing mastery in Science children must be able to apply the 'Working Scientifically' objectives across a range of topics and scenarios within the classroom and be able to draw real life explanation of phenomenon outside the classroom. Mastery goes beyond just 'ticking boxes' and showing a child can answer many questions on a topic correctly. Mastery requires a child to use that knowledge to draw conclusions within other contexts, have an excited and enthusiastic approach to science and be able to design and plan experiments where they can correct errors and make improvements to their design to affect accuracy and reliability.

Top Tips for Parents...

Encourage your child to question why things occur when, where and how they do, e.g. Why does it get cold in winter? Why does an egg become hard when you heat it?
Encourage your child to make predictions about what would happen next or in different circumstances using their prior knowledge, e.g. If the plug didn't have a resistor, what would happen? If we made a surface more slippy, what would happen to vehicles travelling along it?
Try to use the correct scientific words/names for things instead of nicknames or colloquial terms, e.g. Stomach rather than tummy.
Take note of the science topics your child will be learning about this year and encourage conversation about those things at home and when you're out and about.
Use the given websites to help your child with their homework if they're finding it tricky as not all websites have correct information or information appropriate for primary children

Wibbly Wobbly Web Links

http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/science/index.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/science/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/terrificscientific

Hygiene

As a school, we have had a big push on hygiene and, in particular, hand-washing.

The children have used Glow Gel and UV torches to show how germs can spread even when your hands and possessions look clean!

They have also estimated how far a sneeze can travel. It's a surprising 2 meters - as demonstrated by our pressure water sprayer! We therefore, encourage the children to catch a sneeze in a tissue if possible and wash their hands straight away.

Class 5 took their investigations into hygiene and germs further. They had 3 pieces of bread from the same loaf. The first slice was put into the sealed bag with gloves on. The second slice was placed into the sealed bag with freshly washed hands. The third slice was passed around the room for all the children to touch before anyone had washed their hands.

The children wrote predictions on what they think will happen to the bread over time (see photos).

Class 1 have been doing a very exciting investigation into forces, exploring the pushes and pulls they encounter day-to-day.

March 2019

A very exciting arrival has occurred in Class 5! Our caterpillars have arrived! We have voted and named them, Sponge, Bob, Henry, Billy and Jeffery.

We are looking forward to watching them grow and change!

Over the weekend, the caterpillars have grown really fat thanks to the fatty substance in the bottom of their pot. They have also started to spin the thread that will help them form their chrysalis.

The caterpillars are starting to form chrysalis, which is very exciting! They've been turning themselves around and around and spinning their chrysalis all day. Once they have all formed, we will transfer them into the butterfly net ready to wait fro them to emerge as butterflies!

The chrysalis are all hanging and ready in the net in prepartion for them to emerge into Painted Lady Butterflies!

One of our butterflies has emerged! We have fed him some sugar water on the feeding station and he's now opening his wings! Very beautiful

Class 2 have been conducting a very exciting experiment testing out what plants need to be healthy. They have tested different conditions including hot, cold, water, no water and too much water. The results are really interesting!

February 2019

We did a really fun experiment in Class 5 today - making full scientific use of the snow! We tested how long snowballs take to melt in cold, warm and hot water.

Elena and Erika in Year 5 both conducted excellent experiments at home this weekend testing the absorbency of different materials - brilliant write up girls!

January 2019

Class 4 did some really exciting experiments showing that sound travels in vibrations. They saw the water jump when the tuning fork touch it, looked at different instruments and they made excellent cup telephones!

October 2018

Class 5 and 6 did a very exciting friction investigation today with Newton Meters!

Class 5 had a very exciting challenge today! They had to help Mr Egg escape the classroom and reach the car park below without cracking using their knowledge of forces.

June 2018

Today, the entire school took part in a practical Science afternoon where we all made rocket mice! The children were encouraged to come up with a way of recording their data, make improvements to their experiments and test out different variables. We had such fun!

Alfie and Tyler

Jack, Caitlin and Jim

Millie

Amy

Tyler

Ollie

Today has been extremely exciting for Class 4! They have had some really enthusiastic visitors, Mr Paul Treble and his friends, who came to make Fan Boats with them! First, they studied floating and sinking, they then designed their boats, made them and tested them!

Test Number 1

Test Number 2

The next day, Class 3 had the same amazing opportunity to make Fan Boat with Paul Treble and his colleagues. They look really fun!

Breeze has done some more excellent Science homework. She has tested out some liquids and the effects they have on our teeth by putting boiled eggs in them. The egg shells have eroded away and are now going clear!

Rose has also written up an amazing Science experiment for homework - what a fun weekend!

May 2018

Evie in year 6 uses Synesthesia to help her with her maths and dancing. This is where she associates different number and dance moves with different colours. Therefore, to remember number facts and dance routines, Evie remembers sequences of colours - SUPER CLEVER!

The scientific definition for Synesthesia is: Synesthesia is a condition in which one sense (for example, hearing) is simultaneously perceived as if by one or more additional senses such as sight. Another form of synesthesia joins objects such as letters, shapes, numbers or people's names with a sensory perception such as smell, colour or flavour.

Evie has used this talent to help her succeed in her recent SATs exams as well as her fantastic achievements at the Cheltenham Dance Festival. Well done Evie!

To learn more about Synesthesia, here is a link to a website with lots of information: https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/syne.html

Class 5 have had the best day ever today!

Paul Treble came into school again to do workshops on Gears, Pulleys and Levers.

The rest of the day, we did other Science practicals. First up was Coke and Mentos! The carbon dioxide gas bubbles in the Coke is released by the Mentos causing a geyser or eruption. This is a physical reaction, not a chemical reaction, called nucleation.

We then put raisins in fizzy water and watched the raisins float up, then sink again. But, much to our surprise, they rose to the top again and again! This is because the wrinkles in the surface of the raisins trap the bubbles, which push the raisin to the top and then burst, causing the raisin to fall back again. The process then repeats!

Next, we tried bucket spinning! We filled the bucket with a little water and spun them around and around, right over our heads! The water didn't fall out - unless we went too slow! This is because of the centripetal force, which is the force acting on the bucket as it's moving in a circular path, directed towards the centre around which it is moving. As we spun the bucket around, it felt as though the bucket wanted to fly off in a straight line away from us. This is a good demonstration of Newton's first law of motion, that an object will continue in a straight line unless an outside force acts upon it. For some of us it took a few attempts to perfect and we all got a bit soggy when we tried to stop the buckets!

After lunch, we embarked on making giant bubbles! We strung string between two wooden sticks and dipped them in a fairy liquid and water solution. When we opened them out, we could make huge bubbles!

Lastly, we made cup telephones. We held the string really tight and could hear the other person talking into their cup as the vibrations travelled down the string. We then experimented with a network of telephones and it did work, but the knots made the sound quieter.

Today, Class 5 have been continuing with their exciting Science activities. First,they tested out which surface would be best to race toy cars on. In groups, the children devised method as to how to start the car fairly each time, giving the same amount of force for each test run. Some groups made a ramp and others used elastic bands to catapult the cars forward. We tested all different surfaces, including, table tops, carpet, rugs, soft furnishing, tarmac, astro turf, grass, rubber crumb and linoleum.

Next, we made Xylophones out of glass cups by adding water to them to make different notes. One group even managed to compose 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'!

We also drew the iron filings out of Cornflakes by crushing them then using very strong magnets!

Finally, Class 5 made Kaleidoscopes using card, foil and tracing paper, which we drew coloured patterns on and held up to the light.

Class 7 also had an exciting day today. They completed their workshops with Paul Treble on Gears, Pulleys and Levers.

They made parachutes!

Shalona's Parachute

Jasmine's Parachute

Amelia's Parachute

And made giant bubbles too with their Benhall Buddies!

April 2018

Over the Easter holidays, the butterflies were released! Truely beautiful!

March 2018

Breeze has designed and made a brilliant model of Newton's Cradle for her Science homework. Amazing Breeze, well done!

Class 7 have been looking at the lifecycles of plants. They collected different flowers and looked at the seeds they would make and disperse.

Class 5's caterpillars have arrived! We hope to watch them over the next few weeks to observe their lifecycle as they transform into chrysalis and then butterflies!

At the moment they are tiny and have all the food and moisture they need for now in their pot.

Look how much they have grown over the weekend! The three biggest ones are doing very well!

The caterpillars are really growing quickly! All but one are now hanging from the top of the pot ready to become chrysalis, using all their spun silk to make a cocoon.

The chrysalis have now been moved to the butterfly net. Two have fallen off the lid but we hope they are just as successful!

One of the caterpillars has broken through their cocoon and emerged as a butterfly! Can you see the broken cocoon shell and the caterpillar extending its tongue?

As the day goes on, the butterfly is developing more and more colour.

Butterfly has emerged!

Colourful fluttering of wings!

Two more butterflies have emerged! Don't worry, the red liquid isn't blood, it is meconium and means our butterflies are healthy!

Our forth butterfly emerged too! Watch the video to see it happen!

Emerging butterfly!

We have given our butterflies some fruit and sugar water to feed on.

Class 2 had a visit from Paul Treble, who conducted some exciting experiments on sinking and floating. We all had a lot of fun

Class 1 had their workshops this week with Paul Treble. Whilst groups went out to do the floating and sinking activities, the rest of the class investigated the friction of different surfaces using toy cars!

They then went on to investigate the strength of different magnets

February 2018

There is a Science show at the Bacon Theatre this month if anyone is interested

Class 7 have been busy testing absorbency using four different materials based on an enquiry they wrote as a class.

Class 5 were looking at reversible and irreversible changes today. We made lemonade from Bicarbonate of Soda, water and lemon juice and watched the fizzing chemical reaction! We then mixed and separated sand, water and iron filings using magnets, a funnel and filter paper. Lastly, we dissolved sugar into water and talked about the saturation point and how we could evaporate the water to retrieve the sugar. A busy afternoon!

Today in Science, class 5 made cornflour slime and discussed if it was acting as a liquid or a solid!

January 2018

Today, Amelia brought in so Bicarbonate of Soda, White Vinegar and water. She mixed the Bicarbonate of Soda in with the water and then added a dash of Vinegar. We were all astounded by the chemical reaction which took place between the acid and the alkaline. Try it out home and see what happens!

Elisabeth in Class 7 did some excellent homework on materials and their properties by making her own owl model and explaining why she used the materials she did!

November 2017

Mrs Watson's class have been learning about changing state and how solids can turn to liquids then gases and vise versa. Today, they sorted different solids, liquids and gases:

...and then they acted out being solids, liquids and gases!

Class 3 have been learning about the Water Cycle. Here is what they did during their experiment...

In class 4, they have been using their knowledge of how circuits work, to make battery powered k'nex machines with moving parts. Very clever!

October 2017

Class 1 had and exciting lesson organising rocks! They used the look and feel of the rock to sort them into Igneous, Sedimentary and Metamorphic types.

Sorting Rocks

Class 6 built catapults and buoyant rafts when experimenting with forces. They had to investigate and identify which forces were acting on the objects to be it fly through the air and float on water.

Catapults and Buoyancy

Class 3 have been exploring electricity. Today we thought of reasons that switches are useful and then built our own.
We created various pull, slide, twist and push switches and all groups managed to make the circuit light up, and then break the circuit using just a switch!

Switches

Class 5 tested different surfaces regarding how much Friction they provided. They used Newton meters to test ho much force it took to pull the same shoe across each surface. They tested carpet, a table, the wooden hall floor, grass, astro turf, rubber crumb, tarmac and fabric.

Friction Test

September 2017

Class 5 experimented with dropping eggs! in groups, they theorised and made the best protection for a hard boiled egg, which was being dropped out of a first floor window, using tissue, plastic bags, straws, string and celotape.

They had to increase the air resistance acting on the egg by building a parachute, which would decrease the amount the forces (Gravity and air resistance) were unbalanced by, resulting in the egg falling slower.

They also added a lot of padding around the eggs, which acted as a shock absorber.

Egg Drop

Starting Year 4 with a Bang!

During the first week, Miss Warry decided to put the scientists in Class 3 to the test! The children were rather surprised when old film canisters started exploding around the classroom! They had a go at explaining why they thought the explosion was taking place and then were given the challenge of making the biggest explosion.

The children had to come up with a fair experiment to determine what factors affected the explosiveness of the canister. We had all sorts of ideas - once we had come up with a method and predicted our results, each group went outside to carry out the experiment. The faces were a picture when the canisters started exploding and some groups managed to make the canister go high enough to get stuck in a nearby tree!

Once we had finished, we went back inside to talk about the biggest bangs! We decided that there was an optimum amount of water and alka seltzer to be used to create the biggest amount of pressure on the lid of the canister, before popping the canisters to eternity and beyond!

Well…that was year 4 off to a banging start!