YEAR: 1
Living And Growing
SUBJECT: Science
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
ACTIVITIES
Key Questions
Lesson A
To name the parts of our bodies.
To recognise and compare the main
external parts of the bodies of
humans and other animals.
Use simple scientific language to
communicate ideas and to name and
describe living things, materials,
phenomena and processes.
Scientific Enquiry:
Communicate what happened in a
variety of ways, including using ICT.
Review their work and explain what
they did to others.
OUTCOMES
RESOURCES
Including other adults
http://www.coxhoe.durham.sch.uk/curriculum/Science.htm#Living%20Things
The website above has lots of links to activities about living things and life processes.
Whole class teaching:
Teach children song naming body parts such as ‘Heads, shoulders, knees and toes.’
There is a nice alternative version (with words) sung to the tune of ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’
on this website
http://www.esl4kids.net/songs/head.html
Repeat verses leaving off one word each time and clapping or being silent instead.
Look at and read vocabulary of body parts.
Ask a volunteer to lie on the floor while other children ‘label’ him/her with names of body parts
(lesson resources, 2 ability levels). Could make this part of a display by drawing round child on large
piece of paper.
Ask What other body parts can you name? List on flip chart/whiteboard. Give each child a mirror
to study their face. How many words can you think of to name parts of your
face/legs/arms/hands?
Safety: Remind children about safety issues in relation to eyes, ears.
Class activity:
Adult-led activity:
Look at images of children in books/whiteboard (lesson resources). Explain they are going to do a
careful picture of themselves (could be doing an action jumping, hopping, running). On a piece of A3
paper, model how to make their drawing fill the sheet of paper. Take some time looking at and
talking about body proportions in simple terms. Challenge them to put lots of detail in their picture.
Use this as a chance to rehearse body parts again. What about fingers, fingernails, lips, etc?
Provide oil pastels, large felt tip pens, etc, for bold bright pictures. Allow access to mirrors if they
need them, to check the colour of their eyes and hair.
When they have finished their picture give children glue sticks and labels to copy or cut out and
stick on (lesson resources, 2 ability levels).
Independent activity:
Look at topic books.
Independent activity:
Extension: Ask children if they can name any internal body parts (heart, lungs etc).
Plenary: In pairs and as a class look at and discuss each other’s pictures and recap on vocabulary.
Look at picture of animal e.g. horse (lesson resources) and ask Are the names of the parts of a
horse the same or different to humans?
I can:
Name the
main parts of
my body.
Song/rhyme
naming body parts
such as ‘Heads,
shoulders, knees
and toes.’
A3 paper, mirrors,
glue sticks, oil
pastels, large felt
tip pens, etc, topic
books
Evaluation
Lesson B
Understand that animals including
humans are living.
Learn the differences between
things that are living and things that
have never been alive.
How to treat things with care and
sensitivity.
Recognise that there are hazards in
living things, materials and physical
processes, and assess risks and take
action to reduce risks to themselves
and others.
Scientific Enquiry
Explore, using the senses of sight,
hearing, smell, touch and taste as
appropriate, and make and record
observations and measurements.
Lesson C
Understand that we can group living
things in different ways.
Learn to recognise similarities and
differences between themselves and
others, and to treat others with
sensitivity.
Group living things according to
observable similarities and
differences.
Whole class teaching:
Recap on and extend last lesson by doing the labelling activity on Science Clips together.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/5_6/ourselves.shtml
If no access to web. Remind children of drawing and labelling activity from last time and look at
pictures of mammals/fish/birds and name body parts.
Talk about the fact that all these things are living creatures. Ask What else can you think of that
is living? (Plants and other animals). Make list under 2 headings on flip chart/whiteboard (lesson
resources). Talk about any misconceptions they may have.
Do second activity on Science Clips about living and non-living and/or read book such as ‘Living and
Non-Living’ by Angela Royston ISBN: 0431137308. Show children a collection, or go on a walk to
make a collection from around the school of living/non-living objects to sort (include a plant and if
possible something like a snail/woodlouse in a pot). Talk about treating living things with care and
kindness. Start to sort a few of the objects as a class (lesson resources for labels).
Could sort non-living set into subset of ‘were once alive’ and put wood/cork/paper/cotton in this set.
I can:
1. Distinguish
living things
from nonliving things.
2. Understand
that animals
including
humans are
living.
A book such as
‘Living and NonLiving’ by Angela
Royston ISBN:
0431137308.
Hoops for sorting.
Set of living/nonliving objects to
sort (include a
plant and if
possible something
like a snail,
woodlouse in a pot).
Safety: Wash hands after handling animals and plants.
Group activities:
Adult-led activity:
Muddle up objects and help children in small groups to sort them into living and non-living and
possibly ‘were once alive’ according to ability.
Independent activity:
Children do 2 activities and quiz.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/5_6/ourselves.shtml
Independent activity:
Using lesson resource idea children draw ideas about what the living creature in the set will need to
stay alive (lesson resources).
Independent activity:
Play with and sort small world equipment into living/non-living/was once alive.
Plenary:
Discuss some of the ‘were once alive’ objects. Ask What were they when they were alive? (A
tree)
Extension: Ask What can living things do that non-living things cannot do? Save ideas for next
session.
Whole class teaching:
Look again at the careful detailed pictures they did of themselves in lesson A. Revise names of body
parts. Talk about how we often like different things from each other. Give them a few minutes to
discuss with a partner, a) their favourite animal, b) their favourite toy, c) their favourite food, etc.
Talk about importance of listening to and respecting other people’s opinions and likes. Lead on to
how we are able to recognise the people we know because we all look different. Talk about how when
they did their picture they had to think carefully about what colour their hair, eyes, etc were. Ask
children to look at the colour of each other’s eyes. Go round the circle saying ‘My eyes are …’ Show
them the eye colour labels (session resources) - put them on the floor in a row. Invite the children
to come one at a time and stand one behind each other in a line by each label to make a live
pictogram (could photograph result). Repeat for hair colour. Explain that scientists use graphs to
I can:
1. Talk about
the numbers
of people with
different
coloured hair
on a
pictogram.
2. Understand
that living
Topic books, sticky
labels, large piece
of paper/card for
pictogram.
Learn through a range of domestic
and environmental contexts that are
familiar and of interest to them.
Scientific Enquiry
Communicate what happened in a
variety of ways, including using ICT
[for example, in speech and writing,
by drawings, tables, block graphs and
pictograms].
Make simple comparisons and
identify simple patterns or
associations.
Lesson D
Understand that animals and humans
grow and have babies.
Learn that animals, including humans,
move, feed, grow, use their senses
and reproduce.
Learn that humans and other animals
can produce offspring and that these
offspring grow into adults.
Learn through a range of domestic
and environmental contexts that are
familiar and of interest to them.
Scientific Enquiry
Make simple comparisons and
identify simple patterns or
associations.
Review their work and explain what
they did to others.
collect and show information. Tally and record the numbers each time.
Group activities:
Adult-led activity:
Give each child a sticky label to draw face and hair. Help them to stick label in appropriate place to
make a large pictogram about hair colour. Relates to pictogram of eye colour in Y1 Science – Senses,
Session B.
things can be
grouped in
different
ways.
Independent activity:
Draw pictures of favourite animal (living), favourite toy (non-living), my friend/s (living) and one
other object (non-living) - (lesson resources).
Extension: Draw a ‘were once alive’ object too.
Independent activity:
Look at topic books.
Plenary:
Look at the finished pictogram and ask How many people have brown hair? Etc.
Ext: How many more people have black hair than blond hair? Etc.
Use ICT to convert to block graph. Ensure that children understand what the blocks represent.
Whole class teaching:
Remind children about work from lesson B (sorting living and non-living). Ask What was in the
‘living’ set? (Plants and animals).
Talk about the fact that one of the ways that living things are different to non-living things is that
they grow. Ask them to think back to when they were babies. Do some drama crouching down and
gradually getting bigger until they are as tall as they are now! Ask What can they do now that
they couldn’t do when they were babies?
A visit from a real baby would encourage some good questions and comments.
Look at pictures of babies and children (or could bring in their own) and discuss (lesson resources).
Show pictures of baby animals, read labels and ask what they grow into, then show pictures of adult
animals (lesson resources). Ask Can baby animals do the same things as adult animals? (Many
animals can walk and run almost as soon as they are born, unlike human babies).
Group activities:
Adult-led activity: Play game matching pictures of babies and adults and labels (lesson resources).
Independent activity:
Draw pictures of ‘Me as a baby’, ‘Me now’ and ‘Me when I am older’ in simple zigzag book (lesson
resources - photocopy double sided).
Independent activity:
Look at topic books.
Plenary:
Share own zigzag book with a partner and discuss. Read book such as ‘Where’s my Mummy?’ by Jo
Brown ISBN 9781854307842 or similar.
I can:
1. Understand
that baby
animals grow
into adults
and have
babies of
their own.
A real baby,
pictures of
themselves as
babies (there are
session resource
alternatives to
these 2 items!),
topic books. Book
‘Where’s my
Mummy?’ by Jo
Brown ISBN
9781854307842
or similar.
Lesson E
Understand how we can look after
animals and treat them with care.
Learn that humans and other animals
need food and water to stay alive.
Know how to treat animals with care
and sensitivity.
Learn through a range of domestic
and environmental contexts that are
familiar and of interest to them.
Recognise that there are hazards in
living things, materials and physical
processes, and assess risks and take
action to reduce risks to themselves
and others.
Scientific Enquiry
Follow simple instructions to control
the risks to themselves and to
others.
Whole class teaching:
Remind children about work from last session about animals and animal babies. Lead into a discussion
about pets (or favourite pets, which can work well as it is less focussed on what pets children have
got and not got!). Talk in pairs about your favourite pet and why you like it best. Ask How do we
keep pets healthy and happy? Draw pet in centre of large piece of paper or on board. List all the
things they need around picture. Use a soft toy to demonstrate how to handle an animal with care.
Ask What might frighten or hurt the animal?
A real pet if appropriate would be an asset, or a woodlouse, snail, etc is a possibility.
Could use this as an opportunity to visit your nature area if available, to lead to a discussion of what
the creatures there might need (this is developed further in Y2 Science ‘Living things in their
Environment’).
Safety: Remind children they should not touch animals they don’t know without an adult. Wash hands
after handling animals. Need to be aware of any allergies the chn may have.
I can:
1. Talk about
treating each
other and
animals with
care and
respect.
2. Recognise
some of the
features of a
non-fiction
book.
Soft toy or real
pet (could be
woodlouse, snail
etc). Collection of
non fiction books
about pets.
Group activities:
Adult-led activity:
Use non-fiction books about pets to point out the features you might find in science books, e.g.
labelled photos, diagrams, glossary, index, etc. Explain we don’t have to read from the beginning to
the end as in story books, but can flick through and dip into them when something catches our
interest. Or we can use them in focussed ways to find out information. Encourage children to
practice this skill.
Independent activity:
Use frame to draw their favourite pet and how to keep them healthy and happy (lesson resources).
Extension: Ask children to think about what other animals need.
Independent activity:
Look at topic books.
Plenary:
Make a tally of favourite pets. Demonstrate a simple block graph (using suitable ICT program).
Lesson F
Understand that plants and humans
& other animals need food to grow.
To recognise and name the leaf,
flower, stem and root of flowering
plants.
That animals, including humans, move,
feed, grow, use their senses and
reproduce.
Use simple scientific language to
communicate ideas and to name and
Whole class teaching:
Remind children about work from lesson D (looking at how humans and animals grow). Ask What do
animals need to be able to grow & survive? (Food, water, rest, shelter). Remind them that plants
are also living things. Ask What do plants need to grow well? (Light, water, warmth – they make
their own food).
Read book about growing and eating plants (fruit or vegetables) such as ‘Oliver’s vegetables’ ISBN
9780340 634790. Ask Which different plants can you think of that can be eaten? Record on
flip chart. Talk about healthy eating.
Ask them to think of a good question they would like to ask about plants. Collect ideas.
http://www.crickweb.co.uk/vegetable-english.html
Follow link for pictures and labels of vegetables.
Safety: Need to be aware of any possible food allergies. Wash hands before tasting food.
I can:
1. Name the
parts of a
plant.
2. Say why
plants are
important to
humans and
animals.
Topic books, book
to read such as
‘Oliver’s
vegetables’ ISBN
9780340 634790.
Prepared
vegetables (bite
size pieces), e.g.
carrot pieces for
‘root’, celery pieces
for ‘stem’, lettuce
describe living things, materials,
phenomena and processes.
Scientific Enquiry
Use first-hand experience and simple
information sources to answer
questions.
Group activity:
Adult-led activity
Draw a simple large chart of plant or enlarge lesson resource (diagram of plant). With the children
in a circle help them to label the plant with flower, stem, leaves, root (lesson resources). Talk about
how flowers turn into seeds and fruits.
Explain how we use different parts of some plants for food. Put prepared vegetables by each label,
e.g. carrot pieces by ‘root’, celery pieces by ‘stem’, lettuce and salad leaves by ‘leaves’ and small bits
of cauliflower by ‘flower’ and tell them we are going to have a plant parts party. Pass round 2 or 3
objects. Shuffle a pile of labels. When the music stops the children holding the objects turn over a
label each (root, stem, flower or leaf) and take a piece of vegetable to eat. If you have had a go
pass the label to someone near you who has not.
Independent activity:
Label and colour plant diagram (lesson resources).
Independent activity:
Draw a picture of a vegetable garden - label the vegetables.
Independent activity:
Label the parts of a plant onhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/ages/5_6/growing_plants.shtml
Independent activity:
Look at topic books
Plenary: Consolidate vocabulary by picking up the tune of ‘London’s Burning’ from lesson A, and
singing:
Flowers and leaves and stems and roots,
Stems and roots,
Stems and roots,
Flowers and leaves and stems and roots,
It’s a pla-ant!!
Repeat leaving off one word each time and clapping instead.
and salad leaves
for ‘leaves’ and
small bits of
cauliflower for
‘flower’. Music for
game.