Appendix
This section contains blank, photocopiable forms for you to use
Science medium term plan discussion sheet
Title
Date
Focus
Is it clear which strands of the PoS 2, 3 or 4 will be
covered?
Is it clear which science concepts are involved?
Has the focus of science skills from Sc1 been
considered?
Does the work have links with the children’s overall
topic?
Is there an activity to establish children’s current
scientific thinking at the start of the scheme?
Does each activity show exactly the children are to
learn. Are there clear science learning outcomes?
Do activities match the children’s abilities and
interests?
Does each activity state exactly what the children
are to do?
Have cross-curricular links been established where
appropriate?
Has ICT been integrated into the activities?
Is there a range of organisations and teaching
styles? Do they best fit the activity?
Has a whole investigation been included (if
appropriate)?
Do the activities show progression in both skills
and knowledge and understanding?
Are a range of assessment strategies built into the
scheme?
What evidence will be collected to ensure that
children can be assessed against learning
objectives?
Has safe practice and ethics been considered?
Have resources and their reliability been checked?
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Yes/No/
Partly
Notes and suggestions
Science Lesson Plan Discussion Sheet
Focus
Is there reference to the science National Curriculum?
Is it clear what scientific knowledge and understanding
the children will gain from this lesson?
Is it clear what science skills are being developed?
Has ICT been integrated?
Has safety been considered?
Can the learning outcomes realistically be achieved in
one lesson?
Does the plan show that the student’s science knowledge
and understanding are correct?
Will this be an interesting lesson , relevant to the pupils
and set in an appropriate context?
Is there an opportunity to discover what the children
already know at the start of the lesson?
Is it clear how the class will be organised for practical
work, e.g. whole class, groupings etc.?
Is it clear what the teacher will be doing at various
stages of the lesson?
Is it clear what the children will be doing at various
stages of the lesson?
Does the lesson have a clear beginning, middle and end?
Are these realistically timed?
Are appropriate questions and scientific vocabulary
planned for?
Is it clear how children will communicate their findings?
Does the lesson cater for a full range of abilities where
necessary?
Is it clear what resources, including ICT, are to be used
and how they are to be organised?
Is it clear what will be assessed and how this links with
the stated learning outcomes?
Is this activity to be used as a summative assessment
with a match made to Level Descriptors?
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Yes/No/Pa
rtly
Notes and suggestions
Science Lesson Observation Discussion Sheet used with Lesson Title
Focus
Are there links with previous work and assessment
in science?
Is the science interesting, relevant and related to
everyday life?
Are children encouraged to bring their own
scientific experiences to the lesson in a non
threatening way?
Are suitable resources and equipment,
Including ICT, prepared, well organised and
efficiently presented?
Does the student show a clear understanding of the
science covered and the ICT used?
Is the students language, particularly science
language, at an appropriate level for the pupils?
Student interaction with children
Does the student involve children in planning their
science activities where this is appropriate?
Are opportunities made to allow children to use
particular science specific skills?
Are they
involved in any of the following:
close observation, comparing, classifying,
prediction, carrying out a fair test, collecting and
recording data, looking for patterns in data, and/or
interpreting and explaining findings.
If an investigation is taking place, does the student
help pupils to understand the process of fair testing,
recording data and drawing conclusions?
48
Yes/No/
Partly
Notes and suggestions
Focus
Are the students’
appropriate?
expectations
Yes/No/
Partly
clear
and
Are productive questions used to move children on
in their scientific thinking throughout the lesson?
Do questions encourage pupils to give a variety of
responses? Are both open and closed questions
used?
Are children’s scientific responses to questions
valued, explored and developed?
Are children encouraged to ask questions?
Are children’s alternative scientific views or
misconceptions noticed? Is there a response to
them that encourages progression?
Children’s responses and learning
Do the children use the scientific equipment
appropriately and safely?
Do children use science specific
appropriately and with understanding?
language
Is the method of recording science appropriate and
matched to the children’s abilities (English, maths
and ICT)?
Concluding the lesson
Do children evaluate, interpret and share their
science findings?
Is there evidence that children have made progress
in their scientific knowledge and skills?
Have they achieved the expected science learning
outcomes planned for that lesson?
Has the student aroused the children’s interest in
science?
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Notes and suggestions
The debriefing meeting
Use the science lesson observation check list as a basis for discussion followed by these questions.
Debriefing
What science do you think the children learnt
during this lesson? What evidence for their
learning do you have? Did all the children learn the
same?
What suggestions can you make for future lessons
to develop children’s science learning?
Do you feel that you achieved your personal action
targets during the lesson?
What will you try to improve for the next science
lesson? (Your personal action plan)
Further comments:
Agreed personal action:
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Notes and Suggestions