Snappy
Science
A selection of Sc 1 activities to
help your pupils develop their
scientific enquiry skills in
relation to APP
Green Plants and the
Environment
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Growing plants in the dark. (AF4: predicting)
Photosynthesis (AF4: predicting/ plan how to collect data)
Photosynthesis (AF5: thinking about spooky results)
Habitats (AF4: asking a planning question)
Tadpoles (AF5: Looking for spooky results and suggesting
improvements)
6.
Function of the Leaf
(AF5: Describe what has been found
out with reasons)
7.
8.
Microbes (AF4: Asking a question and plan how to collect data)
Investigating microbes (AF4: Plan how to collect data –
identifying variables)
9.
Mouldy Sandwiches!
answer a question)
10.
(AF3: Using books and ICT etc to
How many worms are there in the field?
(AF3: Suggest imrpovements)
1. Green Plants – Growing in the dark
AF4: Planning Investigation
WALT:
 Predict what might happen
A green plant was put in a dark cupboard for three weeks. It was
given water to help keep it alive. Ashgar thought that the plant might
die as the plant did not have any light to help it make food even
though it did have water.
What do you think might happen to the plant and why? How could
you test your prediction?
2. Green plants (photosynthesis)
AF4: Planning Investigation
WALT:
 Predict what might happen (share with our friends what we think
might happen and why)
Activity:
 Pupils work in small groups to come up with ideas about what
might happen to the green plant and why.
 Help the pupils compose their sentence by saying: ‘ I think the
green plant in the dark cupboard might….. because …..’ it is the
quality of the because that counts!
Teaching point:
 Pupils should have some idea about the fact green plants make
their own food.
They do not get food from the soil (only water and minerals).
Without light green plants will not be able to make food and so
their health might be compromised if they did not have light.
Challenge: Collect data
Ask pupils to explain how they could carry out their test (what to
measure, how to keep it fair, what are the variables, what will be kept
the same
Looking for surprises
 Ask the pupils to talk about what happened to Ashgar’s plant and
what was surprising about it.
 Encourage the pupils to use descriptive language in their
explanation
 Once the pupils have articulated what the surprises were ask them
to share reason why the green plant turns yellow (no sun = no
green pigment; tall = plant trying to reach sun, unhealthy = no sun:
no food: no energy: unhealthy)
3. Green plants (photosynthesis)
AF5: Working critically with evidence
WALT:
 Think about spooky results
A green plant was put in a dark cupboard for three week. It was
given water to help keep it alive. Ashgar thought that the plant might
die as the plant did not have any light to help it make food even
though it did have water.
After three weeks the plant was taken out of the cupboard and
Ashgar noticed that the plant was still alive but very week. The plant
had turned yellow and had grown very tall and thin.
Ashgar was very surprised about the results. What do you think he
told his friends about what happened and how did he explain it?
4. Investigating habitats:
AF4: Planning Investigation
WALT:
 Ask a planning question
Activity:
Holly collected some woodlice and put them into two connected
dishes. The light was blocked out of one of them.
When Holly went back to look at her woodlice she noticed that they
were all in the darkened dish.
Concept:
Woodlice prefer to live in dark moist environments (hence found
under rocks/rotting wood).
Children could suggest:
 How do you think the amount of light affects where the woodlice
go?
 Why do you think the woodlice go to the darkened dish?
Moist Paper
Tunnel
Black paper
5. Tadpoles
AF5: Working critically with evidence
WALT:
 Look for trends in results
 Look for spooky results (errors and anomalies)
 Suggest improvements
Activity:
In the spring Tom and Annie decided to go pond dipping for tadpoles.
Grandad knew exactly where to go, Turtle pond at the edge of the
wood.
After ½ hour, they had caught only 15 tadpoles. Grandad said, ‘It’s
not like it used to be, when I was a boy’.
1
2
3
1.
2.
3.
1960
86
80
81
1970
74
70
79
1980
49
7
45
1990
32
24
49
2003
15
19
17
what do the results tell you about the number of tadpoles?
Why do you think the scientists tested 3 times?
Why do you think the 1980 results are surprising?
6. Function of the leaf
AF5: Working criticially with evidence
WALT:
 Describe what has been found out with reasons
Activity:
Read the scenario to the whole class or group.
Look at the results and ask pupils to find a pattern. Discuss questions
in small groups. Share ideas.
Summer took the class sunflower plant home for half-term. Her little
brother, Liam, cut off almost all the leaves one day. When she took
the plant back to school the class thought it had grown very little
during the holiday.
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
1 cm
5cm
9cm
13cm
Half term
Week 1
Week 6
15cm
 Were the children correct? How do you know?
 Can you predict how tall the plant will grown during the next few
weeks?
 What do you think is affecting the plants growth?

How could you carry out a fair test to check your
ideas/thoughts/bright ideas?
Teaching points:
 draw attention to pattern of growth
 children should know that green plants make their own food, using
their leaves
 plants do not get food from the soil (only water & minerals)
7. Microbes
AF4: Planning Investigation (working back through an
investigation and the results).
WALT:
 Asking a question
 Plan how to collect data
Activity:
Lauren watched her mum unpack the shopping. She wondered why
she kept most things in the fridge or the freezer. She decided to
carry out an investigation. She put a piece of food in each of 12
containers. She put the containers in places with different
temperatures and left them for 2 weeks.
What question do you think Lauren was trying to answer?
How did she keep her test fair?
What variable will she be measuring?
Container
Freezer Temp
–5C
1
2
3
0
0
0
Fridge temp
5C
10
15
10
Room temp
20C
60
70
20
Airing Cupboard
Temp 40C
90
95
95
%
What do you think these results tell us about how to keep food fresh?
Why did Lauren carry out the test using 3 containers in each place?
Lauren noticed 1 of her results was a bit of a surprise. Which one do
you think it was?
Why do you think this might be?
8. Investigating: microbes
AF4: Planning Investigation
WALT:
 Plan how to collect data: identify the variables
Teaching Point:
 Pupils learn what to do with the variables once they have identified
them. Only the experimental variable should be changed. All other
variables should remain the same.
 What causes mould to grow?
Activity:
Give out the worksheet to each pupil. Read through and complete the
worksheet. (‘It’s mouldy again’)
Discuss answers:
Variables to remain the same:
Amount and size of bread
Type of bread
Length of time in conditions
Discuss with the class, what mould is and the conditions it needs to
grow.
9. Mouldy Sandwiches!
AF3: Communicating and Collaborating
WALT:
 Using books, ICT etc to answer questions.
Teaching Point:
Ensure that pupils understand the concept/role of microbes in
decomposition/decay of dead organisms.
Activities:
Use the scenario:
“Lunchbox”
Mrs Inwood, tidy teacher, was tidying her classroom at the end of
term. Behind the PE kit tub she found a child’s lunchbox.
Inside she found a green and very smelly sandwich.
She wondered whether it belonged to her present class or to
someone from last year’s class.
Discuss ideas and challenge the children to find out what processes
are used to keep different types of food fresh.
It’s Mouldy Again!
Dough!!
Which conditions affect the speed at which mould will grow on bread?
Window Sill
Cupboard
Freezer
Sealed Container
Which variable has been changed in this investigation?
List all the variables which must be kept the same.
1
2
3
……………………………….
……………………………….
……………………………….
10. How many worms are there in the field?
AF5: Working Critically with evidence
WALT:
 Suggest improvements - Show that repeated measurements
improve reliability

Teaching point:
 If pupils take isolated measurements then they may give the wrong
impression. This activity will show that repeating the number of
measurements will give more reliable results.
Activity:
 Give copymaster
 A field is shown 10m x 10m with the positions and results of 5
random quadrats. Each quadrat shows the number of worms
counted by a group of pupils.
 A results table is shown and a sample calculation shows the
atypical number of worms in the field estimated using quadrat 1.
 Ask the pupils to work out the number of worms in the field if the
average number of worms is 23 (100x23=2300)

Inform the class that the more we repeat our readings the more
reliable and representative the results become.
Challenge:
Ask how the survey could be improved further.
Links to plenary:
Discuss why repeated readings give more reliable results.
How many worms are there in the field?
A group of pupils tried to find out how many worms there were in the
field
 They placed 4 metre rulers into a 1m by 1m square called a
quadrat
 They repeated this 5 times
The diagram shows the field and results of each count :
area of lawn
10mx10m
= 100 square
metres
Quadrat number
1
2
3
4
5
Total 5
Number of worms (1m
square)
5
35
4
30
40
114
Average number per quadrat = 114÷5= 22.8 rounded to 23
If the pupils had used only the results of quadrat 1 then they would
estimate that 5x100 worms (500) were in the field.
There is an average of 23 worms in 1 square metre. Work out how
Many worms are estimated in the whole field.
Light, sound, electricity
and Earth & Beyond
1. Light & transparency (AF4) plan to collect data and ask
planning questions
2. Light & transparency (AF5) thinking about spooky results
3. Light & transparency (AF4) plan to collect data : What are
we measuring or observing? Plan to collect data : What
might affect what we are observing or measuring? Ask a
planning questions
4. Light(AF 4) Gather evidence
5. Light (AF 5) describe what has been found out with a reason
6. Light (AF 5) using evidence to explain
7. Light – shadows (AF 4) asking planning questions
8. Light – shadows (AF 4) asking planning questions
9. Light – shadows (AF 5) Describe what has been found out
with reasons
10.
Light –shadows (AF 4) asking planning questions &
predicting
11.
Light – shadows (AF 3) communicating scientific ideas
12.
Electricity AF 4 planning to collect data: what might
affect what we are measuring
1. Light – Transparency
WALT:
Planning (AF 4)





Collect data : What are we measuring or observing?
Collect data : What might affect what we are observing or
measuring?
Ask a planning questions
Predict what might happen
Gather evidence
2. Light - transparency
Working with evidence (AF5)
 : Think about spooky results (errors and anomalies)
Teaching Points:
 In this activity, children are being asked to understand that
different materials will allow different amounts of light to pass
through them. They need to understand the words opaque,
translucent and transparent and be able to apply them as
properties of some everyday materials. They will need to be aware
of the importance of fair testing and be able to draw conclusions
from results. Following this, they need to be able to compare the
results from two separate investigations in order to draw an overall
conclusion.
Activity:
 Provide each pair with a copy of the investigation. Discuss the
experiment – identify which information is relevant. Discuss with
the class what possible questions Chardonnay is trying to answer.
 A good example would be ‘Which material allows most light to
pass through ?’
 Allow children time to discuss what they are going to observe or
measure, the variables they have identified that might change
what they are observing or measuring, which variable needs to be
kept the same. Come up with a class list of possible responses.
 In groups encourage pupils to produce a planning questions:
example: ‘what do you think might happen to the amount of light
the materials lets though if we change the type of material and
keep the same thickness, the same distance from the light source
and the same type of light source?’
 Explain to the children that results are not always what might be
expected. Such results should be identified and if possible,
explained. Reinforce the need to carry out a test more than once.
3. Light Transparency
WALT:



Collect data : What are we measuring or
observing?
Collect data : What might affect what we are
observing or measuring?
Ask a planning questions
Chardonnay was shining a torch through different materials – glass,
tracing paper and newspaper. She used a light sensor to measure
the amount of light which passed through each one. The more light
which passes through the material, the higher the percentage which
was recorded on the sensor.
Encourage the pupils to identify what is being measures or
observed
 Give 3 variables which might change what is being measured

Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
Material A
55%
52%
57%
Material B
30%
60%
28%
Material C
100%
100%
100%
The pupils need to come up with a question that sound like:
‘what do you think might happen to the amount of light the materials
lets though if we change the type of material and keep the same
thickness, the same distance from the light source and the same type
of light source?’
4. Gather evidence
Chardonnay thinks that one of her results is not accurate. What did
she mean?
If Material C was glass, which materials were used in test A and test
B?
Why did she perform the test 3 times?
Chardonnay then performed a separate test using only tissue paper.
Here are her results.
Test 1
Test 2
Test 3
1 Sheet
58%
61%
65%
2 Sheets
42%
39%
41%
5 Sheets
10 Sheets
9%
7%
12%
Complete the table to show the possible results for 5 sheets of tracing
paper.
5. Describe what has been found out with reasons
Chardonnay concluded that after looking at the results in both tables,
tissue paper was more transparent than tracing paper. Do you agree?
YES/NO
Explain your answer.
6. Using evidence to explain
 Using a combination of the results ( for the numerical value) and
their own knowledge of the properties of materials to explain which
materials A and B were.
 Using given data, can they predict other results which fit into the
expected pattern.
 Discuss how the results from both investigations can be used to
compare properties of translucency of materials.
Challenge:
What would happen to the scores if more than one sheet of glass was
used?
7. Investigating Shadows
WALT:
 Ask planning questions
Teaching point:

It is important to build on Key Stage 2 investigational skills and develop
them into those appropriate to Key Stage 2. Activity 1 is to frame the
question which has been scientifically investigated by another pupil
Brooklyn. It is important for the pupils to be aware that questions need
to be in a form suitable for scientific investigation.
Activity:

Children will be given part of an investigation about the apparent
movement of the sun over a period of 6 hours.

Ask the children to look at the table of results and write a question they
think Brooklyn has tried to answer by doing this investigation

A good question would be “How does the length of shadow change due
to the apparent movement of the sun?”

“Do shadows get longer as the sun’s apparent position changes?” this
type of response may be given but falls short of what Brooklyn was
investigating.

Discuss with the class the importance of beginning with a suitable
question when planning an investigation

The first part of the investigation shows a diagram of Brooklyn’s
investigation, together with a results table. The pupils analyse
information given to enable them to work out what was the questions
Brooklyn was trying to answer in his investigation.
Challenge:
Ask pupils to give 3 ways that Brooklyn could have made sure that his
investigation was a fair test.
Links to Plenary:
Discuss the importance of beginning an investigation with a suitable
question which can be tested.
8. Investigating shadows:
asking planning questions
Brooklyn measured the length of the shadow at different times during
the day.
For each time he
 used the same shadow stick in the same location
He changed
 The time when he measured the shadow
Encourage the pupils to come up with a questions such as; ‘what do
you think will happen to the length of the shadow(cm) if we change
the time we measure the shadow and keep the same length and
width stick and keep it in the same position ’.
9. Describe what has been found out with reasons
Look at the evidence below: Come up with a sentence that contains
the words;
The evidence below shows us………….
Teach the pupils the er….er rule. E.g. The earlier the time of day the
longer the shadow because …….
LENGTH OF SHADOW (cm)
TIME OF
DAY
1ST DAY
2ND DAY
3RD DAY
9am
80cm
85cm
82cm
10am
50cm
60cm
57cm
11am
30cm
32cm
30cm
12pm
(noon)
20cm
24cm
22cm
1pm
30cm
35cm
32cm
2pm
50cm
45cm
47cm
3pm
80cm
78cm
82cm
WALT:
10. Asking planning questions
Predict what might happen
Shannon made a shape out of card and shone a torch towards the
shape. She measured how long the shadow was in relation to where
she placed the torch.
Shannon recorded it in her results chart. What do you think Shannon
was trying to find out?
What question do you think Shannon was trying to answer:
The pupils might say: what do you think might happen to the
(darkness/size/shape/sharpness) shadow if we change the distance
the torch is from the card and keep the same size of card and the
same torch.
Why do you think the shadow…..
How can we make the shadow …..
11. Communicating scientific ideas
What do you think Shannon’s results table might look like?
12. Investigating circuits
WALT:
Planning to collect data – what might affect what we are
observing
Teaching point:
 The pupils should analyse the given information and identify as
many variables which affect the brightness of the lamp (bulb) in a
circuit as possible.
Activity:
 Encourage pupils to talk about the fact they will be observing the
brightness of a lamp
 Ask the pupils to write down the variables which affect the
brightness of a bulb in a circuit, they may include :






Length of wire
Number of bulbs
Number of cells
Thickness of wire
Power of the bulb
Voltage of cell
Challenge:
Using the variables identified by class and teacher, how could class 6
make every circuit comparable with those of each group.
Links to plenary:
Discuss importance of identifying all variables before planning an
investigation.
Investigating Sound
AF4: Planning Investigation
WALT:
 Suggest appropriate questions that are testable
Teaching point:

It is important to build on Key Stage 2 investigational skills and develop
them into those appropriate to Key Stage 2. Activity 1 is to frame the
question which has been scientifically investigated by another pupil
Gemma. It is important for the pupils to be aware that questions need to
be in a form suitable for scientific investigation.
Activity:

Children will be given part of an investigation about sound travelling
through different materials

Ask the children to look at the table of results and write a question they
think Gemma has tried to answer by doing this investigation

A good question would be “Does the type of material affect the level of
sound heard?”

“Can the sound travel through the material?” this type of response may
be given but falls short of what Gemma was investigating.

Discuss with the class the importance of beginning with a suitable
question when planning an investigation

The first part of the investigation shows a diagram of Gemma’s
investigation, together with a results table. The pupils analyse
information given to enable them to work out what was the questions
Gemma was trying to answer in her investigation.
Volume of sound
Gemma measured the level of sound she could hear when the radio
was wrapped in different materials. Zero being no sound and 5 being
most sound.
For each time she
 Used the same sound source (radio)
 Used the same person who was listening to the sound
 Recorded the volume level each time the sound could be first
heard
She changed
 The materials to wrap around the radio
LEVEL OF SOUND (VOLUME BUTTON 0-5)
M
1ST TIME
A
T
W
E
O
O
R
D
N
I
E
A
W
L
S
2ND TIME
3RD TIME
4
4
5
3
3
3
2
2
B
1
P
U
A
B
P
B
E
From
the information
L
R
E
investigated.
given, write down the question which Gemma
W
RWhat do you think what will happen to the …………………..if we
A
change
the ……………………and keep the same…………………..?
P
Challenge: Fair testing
Ask pupils to give 3 ways that Gemma could have made sure that her
investigation was a fair test.
Earth & Beyond – Sun on the move?
AF4: Planning Investigation
WALT:
 Plan how to collect data
Activity:
During the first lesson at 9:00am Jill had the sun in her eyes in class.
In the afternoon the sun was shining in the window behind her (she
had not moved places).
Scientists believe that it is the earth which is moving and not the sun.
How could you prove this is true