Managing Information Research and Manage Information effectively to investigate science in issues within The World Around Us Questioning and Planning Ask questions identifying what they know and what they need to know. Plan what to do or make. Ask deeper and more probing questions, plan and set goals, design solutions and challenge assumptions. Produce a series of design plans for more complex models showing how they are made, including use of materials, dimensions etc. Make suggestions about what, when and how to measure. Finding and Selecting Use their own and other s ideas to access a wide variety of sources of relevant information, such as, pictures, photographs, films, artefacts, Internet, books and audio. Choose appropriate materials and components from a range that has been provided, including, wood, paper, metal foil, plastic, card, textiles and reclaimed materials. Develop manipulative skills: holding, piercing, cutting, joining, wasting and assembling using a range of materials and tools. Select a wide variety of sources of information, such as, pictures, photographs, films, artefacts, Internet, books and audio. Develop increasing competence and accuracy in the choice and safe use of a greater range of appropriate tools and techniques when constructing. Recognise the constraints of design, such as, the demands of the user and the properties of the materials. Using Information Use a range of methods for collating, recording and representing information. Record and present observations, findings, ideas and solutions in a simple form and use appropriate methods, for example, using lists, simple tables, drawings, diagrams, ICT, photographs or video recordings. Suggest and design ways of recording and presenting observations, for example, block graphs, labelled pictures, drawings, bar charts, pictograms, diagrams, databases, spreadsheets etc. 1
Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making Show deeper scientific understanding of issues within The World Around Us by thinking critically and flexibly, solving problems and making informed decisions. Memory and Understanding Developing a line of reasoning Make observations using the senses to describe a range of characteristics about objects or events, such as, soft, hard, rough, smooth or in models, fast, slow, loud or quiet. Identify sequences, for example, how we grow and change, seasonal changes, order of construction. Examine wholes and parts, for example, the main parts of the human body or component parts of a model. Note similarities and differences and sort into groups, for example, different types of animals, properties of everyday materials or existing solutions to technological designs. Make simple predictions by suggesting ideas that can be investigated, for example, what will happen if you hold chocolate in your hands? or predict how far a toy car will travel and relate what happened to what they predicted. Make observations, use the senses and appropriate instruments to describe objects and events using relevant scientific terminology, for example, flexible, opaque or decay. Identify and describe sequences and cycles, for example, life cycles, living things, water cycles, electrical circuits, recycling etc. Investigate similarities and differences, for example, comparing how things work, differences among animals and plants or properties of materials. Make predictions and give reasons based on scientific knowledge and understanding. Interpret results by identifying patterns and relate their conclusions to their scientific knowledge and understanding. Making Decisions and Solving Problems Recognise when carrying out a test, whether or not it is fair. Explain their methods and give simple reasons for their choices, designs and solutions. Suggest how to make a test fair, identifying what should be changed, measured and kept the same. Design and carry out fair tests, examine the quality of the evidence and make links between possible causes and effects, for example, the results could have been improved by taking more measurements. Explain and justify their methods, choices and actions, for example, By getting 3 results my results are more accurate and reliable, I used a spreadsheet because there was lots of information to record together or You can see the pattern more easily in the bar chart than the table. Analyse and evaluate what has been made with reference to the original design and justify the decisions that have been made, test and improve outcomes. 2
Being Creative Demonstrate creativity and initiative when developing ideas and following them through Curiosity Ask questions about the world around them including how things work, for example, Why do aeroplanes fly? Generate questions that we can answer, and those that may not need to be answered, for example, Why was that invented?, Is there life on other planets? Exploration Generate possibilities related to an open-ended question, for example, How can we stop ice-cream melting on a sunny day? or How can we design and make a toy that moves? Experiment with ideas and use different ways of joining materials, for example, explore moving parts and incorporate them appropriately in what they make. Use games, stories, action rhymes and songs to reinforce knowledge and understanding and as starting points for model making. Discuss what ideas might be worth investigating and why. Take time to consider ways in which they can explore their own and others questions and invent different methods for investigation. Design using a combination of ideas and make a varied selection of objects and models to a high quality, for example, constructing working models that incorporate an energy source and can be controlled. Explore how Science and Technology contribute to how we live in our society, for example, make connections between Science & Technology concepts and the popular media, such as, newspapers/magazines and television programmes. Flexibility Use role-play, for example, act out the characteristics of the different stages of how we grow, such as, baby, toddler, school age. Use dramatic play to reinforce learning and to incorporate working models in a real and relevant context. Use metaphors, analogies, visualisations, models or simulations to stimulate thinking and to help explain concepts and processes. Resilience Generate different ways to show what we know, for example, key words, pictures, diagrams or modelling. Create games, artwork or songs that revise and reinforce scientific and technological knowledge and understanding. 3
Working with Others Working effectively with others Learning with and from others Use a variety of strategies to allow children to work together to develop and use scientific and technological language, and to increase understanding, for example, through structured play, class visits, role-play, games, quizzes etc. Use a variety of strategies to allow children to work together to develop and use scientific and technological language, for example, through shared investigations, exploratory visits, fieldwork, games, quizzes etc. Generate ideas together to increase the range of possibilities for investigation. Roles and reponsibilities Share out activities and roles in order to make and record observations and simple measurements and to design and make models. Report results of work or findings to the rest of the class. Develop safe and healthy classroom routines. Demonstrate skills of working in groups, (adopting roles, taking responsibility, managing disagreements), for example, carrying out experiments and investigations or designing models. Begin to manage collaborative projects involving the sharing of information, resources, roles and co-operate with outside groups, for example, taking part in challenges, taking part in events for science week, visiting science museums and sites of working models or locating and recording information from the Internet on a famous scientist or designer. Influencing and negotiation Use discussion groups to communicate scientific and technological ideas through correct and precise vocabulary related to the child s stage of development. Explain and justify their actions, choices, methods and conclusions thus extending their use of ever more precise scientific and technological language and thinking. Make a presentation to suit the audience and the purpose of the task, for example, to the class, school, parents or visitor. 4
Self-Management Demonstrate self-management by working systematically, persisting with tasks, evaluating and improving own performance. Review and Improve Talk about what they have learned, how the work was carried out, what the purpose was, have they achieved it and what aspects could be improved. Evaluate their work, bearing the original intentions in mind. Compare their approaches with others and identify their own strengths and weaknesses. Organisation Talk about the way they have worked individually, in pairs or in groups, for example, how well they worked as a group, did they stay on task or get distracted? Recognise potential risks and hazards to themselves and others when investigating and making. Compare their approach to learning in Science and Technology and how it might be the same or different in different contexts, for example, explore skills developed in other Areas of Learning which complement Science and Technology, for example, Mathematics - graphs and tables, ICT - data handling, Art and Design - customisation of Technology projects. Plan for safe practice and control risks when investigating and making. Goals and Targets Talk about what they enjoyed and what they found difficult. Become more self-directed by working on their own, managing their time and working towards personal targets. 5