Working Scientifically (Key Concepts)

• Ask simple questions and recognise that they can be answered in different ways, e.g. observing, testing.
• Observe closely using simple equipment, e.g. stopwatches and ipad timer.
• Follow instructions to complete a simple test individually or in a group.
• Introduce the idea of simple fair testing.
• Compare and contrast familiar plants and animals with those that are less familiar, e.g. comparing habitats, diets and animal groups.
• Sort and group objects, materials and living things according to their physical properties.
• Decide how to sort and group objects, materials and living things.
• Use scientific language to communicate their findings and ideas to a range of audiences in a variety of ways in order to answer questions, e.g. orally, simple diagrams, basic models.
• Begin to notice patterns and relationships within their findings.

Animals including Humans

• Notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults.
• Find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air).
• Describe the importance for humans of exercise, eating the right amounts of different types of food, and hygiene.

Plants

• Observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants.
• Find out and describe how plants need water, light and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy.

Living Things and their Habitats

• Explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive.
• Identify that most living things live in habitats which they are suited to and describe how different habitats provide the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, how they depend on each other.
• Identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including microhabitats.
• Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food.

Everyday Materials

• Identify and compare the suitability of a variety of everyday materials, including wood, metal, plastic, glass,  brick, rock, paper and  cardboard for particular uses.
• Find out how the shapes of solid objects made from some materials can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.