Achievement of Early Level Science
Significant aspect of learning: Knowledge and understanding of scientific ideas, principles and concepts of Biological systems.
Experiences and outcomes
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I am aware of my growing body and I am learning the correct names for its different
parts and how they work. HWB 0-47b
I can identify my senses and use them to explore the world around me. SCN 0-12a
I recognise that we have similarities and differences but are all unique. HWB 0-47a
Learning statements
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Names of parts of the body and what they do
Senses and their use in exploring surroundings
Humans: similarities, differences and uniqueness of an individual
Present data/information using displays, photographs, simple charts and drawings, etc.
Provide oral descriptions of what was done and what happened
Relate findings to everyday experiences. Identify and discuss new knowledge or
understanding
Respond to questions about the exploration
Prior learning
The learner is able to:
 identify and name basic external body parts
 recall what the five senses were and which parts of the body the senses were linked to
 describe some of her own physical characteristics
Has this learner achieved this level? Inside the teacher’s head...
Over time the learner has experienced a breadth of learning across Biological Systems, including body systems and cells. Through stand-alone class-based science projects,
interdisciplinary studies and whole school events, they have participated in a range of practical investigations and inquiries through which they have developed their knowledge and
understanding of the scientific concepts. The different activities also allowed them to develop their inquiry and investigative skills, scientific and analytical thinking skills and their skills
and attributes in relation to scientifically literate citizens. They are able to respond well to the different levels of challenge, particularly through learning conversations with the teacher,
and they are able to connect their learning to their own experiences. The learner can link and apply what they have learned to different contexts e.g. the senses to the animal world and
keeping safe.
Next steps
Based on the evidence of learning, the learner’s next steps are identified as:
 investigate the position and function of the main bones of the skeleton and major organs
 explore reliability and limitations of the senses
 investigate characteristics found in families of plants and animals
Body Systems and Cells - Names of parts of the body and what they do
The class undertook an interdisciplinary project ‘Looking after Ourselves’. As part of the project, the learner investigated different parts of the body and what they did, using books and
the internet to find out. They made a life-sized drawing, labelled it and presented the information verbally to their teacher and peers. At a later date, the learner had a learning
conversation with the teacher through which the teacher was able to use questioning to challenge the learners thinking and assess understanding.
Explains how different parts of
the body are used in relation to
everyday experiences.
Presents
information
using a life
sized picture
and uses labels
to highlight
different body
parts
Begins to show an awareness of
internal and external body parts
Learning Conversation
Learner - I have been finding out all about my bits of my body and how I use them.
Teacher - Tell me about your picture.
Learner - This is a picture of me. I put labels on it to show some of the bits I found out
about like my legs. I use them for walking and running and hopping and they get me
everywhere I go.
Teacher - What other body parts did you find out about?
Learner - The skin. It’s all the peach bits. The face, the hands. It goes over all your bones
and if you didn’t have it, it would be really messy!
Teacher - Why would it be messy?
Learner - Coz it keeps all the bits inside.
Teacher - What other parts have you labelled?
Learner - The skull. It’s like a hard rock.
Teacher - What do you think your skull does?
Learner - It looks after your brain. It protects it like a shield.
Teacher - Tell me about some of the other body parts you labelled.
Learner - Your teeth munch on your food so you can get it swallowed.
Teacher - What do you munch on?
Learner - I like munching chocolate coz it’s sweet.
Teacher - Can you tell me which body parts are linked to your senses?
Learner - The nose, mouth, hands and skin, the ears, the eyes. They are for looking and
listening and smelling and touching and tasting.
Links body parts to the senses
Applies understanding of different body
parts to herself and her experiences
Body Systems and Cells - Senses and their use to explore the world
Building on previous work undertaken in nursery, the Primary 1 class carried out a science-based project on ‘The Senses’. The learner developed her knowledge of each sense through
a series of practical investigations and inquiries. Following this, the teacher wanted to find out how well the learner was able to apply their understanding of each sense when
exploring the world around them. As part of this, they undertook a nature walk. The teacher used questioning to see if the learner was able to make connections between the senses
and the wider environment. The teacher was interested to establish if the learner could apply their learning in a different context and so the learner took part in a group discussion,
‘How do my Senses Keep me Safe?’, during which the teacher was able to challenge the learner’s thinking in relation to how the senses may be limited.
Midges, spiky
things, bits of
wires…
Grass, wood…
Birds,
aeroplanes …
Watch a video clip of learner Senses
Makes connections between the senses and
the world around them and offers ideas
Learner comments
If you are blind you can use
a stick to help you cross the
road by tapping it.
Grass,
stones…
Air, rain…
Uses senses to acquire
information
Begins to identify limitations
of the senses
Teacher comment
In the video clip, the learner applies her
knowledge of the senses to birds. She makes
reasonable suggestions as to what a bird may
hear and why it would need to be able to hear.
The learner then connects this to her own
experiences of keeping safe and road safety.
Applies knowledge and
understanding of the senses
to a different context
Inheritance - The ways in which people are similar and different and so each is unique
The learner took part in a number of class-based activities as part of Genes for Jeans Day. The class teacher was then able to facilitate class discussions and related activities in
relation to physical and non-physical similarities and differences between themselves and others. In order to challenge the learner, she was shown photographs of herself and others.
She was asked to identify the similarities and differences between each pair and the teacher recorded her answers. The learner and teacher then engaged in a learning conversation.
Recognises that
she is unique
Learning conversation
Teacher: So, does anyone look the same as you?
Learner: No. Only I look like me!
Teacher: Who do you look most similar to?
Learner: Probably my sister. We have blonde hair.
My brother’s is really, really blonde. It was even
lighter when he was peerie.
Teacher: Why do you think that is?
Learner: We are in the same family. My mum has
blonde hair too. Most of my family has it but my dad
doesn’t and neither does my Mam’s brother.
Teacher: What colour of hair does he have?
Learner: Brown. And so does Granny. But my aunty
has thick blonde hair. Like my Mummy’s. She’s my
Mummy’s sister. They both have thick, curly hair. But
mine is straight. Mummy sometimes tries to make
her hair straight when she straightens it.
Makes connections
between similarities
and families
Identifies physical and non-physical
similarities and differences between
themselves and others