Planet Earth
Biodiversity
SCN 0-01a
I have observed living things in the environment over time
and am becoming aware of how they depend on each
other.
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I enjoy exploring the natural environment and discovering new things
I am beginning to understand what plants and animals need to live
I can describe the basic needs of living things
I can help to look after the environment by caring for living things
I can give examples of how living things grow move and feed
I can identify things as being living or non-living
I am beginning to understand how living things depend on each other
for survival e.g. simple food chains
Possible activities:
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Discovery walks with story sticks to record findings
Treasure hunts to find insects and minibeasts
Looking under stones to find bugs in outdoor areas
Feeding birds and making bird cakes- looking at what birds eat, worms,
insects seeds etc
Making habitats for insects
Grow plants which will attract insects
Provide a small pond, even a water filled plant container sunk into the
ground with a plant in it can provide a habitat for many creatures
Magnifying glasses and containers to scoop water from the pond
Caring for plants
Observation of living things through time e.g. seasonal change to
plants and trees
Life cycles of frogs, butterflies, chicks and ducklings. It is possible to
buy caterpillars online(www.insectlore.co.uk) and watch them develop
from caterpillars to cocoons to beautiful butterflies!
New life and dependence e.g. baby animals and how they are
nourished.
Key vocabulary
Living things; water, food, insects, birds, mammals, dark places, light,
sun, rain
Stories:
The Tiny, Tiny, Tadpole by Judith Nicholls
The Picnic Farm by Christine Morgan and Sarah Barringer
The very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
Hello Beaky by Jez Alborough
Emma’s Lamb by Kim Lewis
The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle
Songs and Rhymes:
Little Arabella Millar
‘Little Arabella Millar found a hairy caterpillar.
First it crawled upon her mother,
Then upon her baby brother.
‘Shoo’ said Arabella Millar,
‘Take away that caterpillar’
Four Scarlet Berries
Four scarlet berries left upon the tree,
‘Thanks’ said the blackbird,
‘These will do for me!’
The Tiny Caterpillar
A tiny caterpillar curled up on a leaf,
Spun a little chrysalis,
Then he fell asleep.
While he was sleeping,
He dreamed that he could fly.
Later when he woke up,
He was a butterfly!
Ladybird, Ladybird
Ladybird, Ladybird, fly away home!
Your house is on fire and your children all gone!
All except one, and that’s little Ann,
She’s hiding under the frying pan!
Planet Earth
Biodiversity
SCN 0-03a
I have helped to grow plants and can name their basic
parts. I can talk about how they grow and what to do to
look after them.
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I know that plants are living things
I know that plants need water, heat, sunlight and soil
I can care for plants by watering them
I understand that plants are grown from seeds
I know that plants change in appearance as they grow
I can name the basic parts of a plant – roots, stem, leaves and flower
I can identify a range of living things as plants e.g. trees, grass,
vegetables
I understand that seeds can be found in grown plants
I can respond to ‘How?’ ‘Why?’ and ‘What will happen if?’ questions
Possible Activities:
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Categorising games- sorting living and non living things
Plant seeds e.g. cress seeds. Try placing some in a light area and
some in a darker place. Observe the growth in the two types
Grow plants in a variety of ways to show the parts of them e.g.
hyacinths in a glass container with only water, beans in a glass or
plastic jar using kitchen roll against the side
Plant fruit and vegetables – potatoes, beans, courgettes and
strawberries are easy to grow and eat!
Cook with the homegrown vegetables and link to what we need to be
healthy (Health and Wellbeing)
Trim celery and use food colouring to demonstrate how water is taken
up through the fine tubes in the plant
Dye white flowers by placing them in food colouring and water
(carnations work well)
Provide fruit at snack e.g. oranges, apples and plums. Cut it up with the
children, allowing them to discover the seeds
Link planting and growing to Literacy and Numeracy e.g. by growing
beanstalks along with the story ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ or ‘Jasper’s
Beanstalk’ and measure their growth(planting them in compost indoors
gives fast and spectacular results
Observation games in the garden e.g. finding seeds on plants
Key Vocabulary;
Plant, living things, sunlight, water, rain, soil, roots, shoots, seeds, stem, leaf
flower, petal
Stories:
Jasper’s Beanstalk
Mick Inkpen
Jack and the Beanstalk Traditional
Oliver’s vegetables
Vivian French
Handa’s Surprise
Eileen Browne
The Tiny, Tiny Seed
Eric Carle
Titch
Pat Hutchins
One Small Seed
Abiali Afidi
Songs and Rhymes
The Cherry Stone
I had a little cherry stone.
I put it in the ground.
When next time I went to look,
A tiny shoot I found!
The shoot grew upward day by day,
And soon became a tree.
I picked the rosy cherries then,
And ate them for my tea.
Mary, Mary Quite Contrary
Mary, Mary quite contrary,
How does your garden grow?
With silver bells and cockle shells
and pretty maids all in a row.
What do You Suppose?
What do you suppose?
A bee sat on my nose!
Then what do you think?
He gave me a wink!
And said,’I beg your pardon,
I thought you were the garden!’
Planet Earth
Energy Sources and Sustainability
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I have experienced, used and described a wide range of
toys and common appliances. I can say ‘what makes it go’
and say what they do when they work.
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I understand that everyday appliances and some toys need energy
I can name some sources of energy e.g. human beings, batteries, heat,
petrol and electricity
I understand that appliances need external forms of energy to make
them work
I understand that some toys or appliances produce energy e.g. light,
heat, sound and movement.
I can ask questions about what ‘makes things go’
I can respond to questions like ‘How?’, ‘Why?’ and ‘What will happen
if?’
I understand that natural forces can also ‘make things go’ e.g. wind and
water
Possible activities
 Realistic toys in context e.g. kettles or washing machines which make
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sounds when they are ’switched on’
Placing batteries in torches for example, and asking questions about
the torch lighting up or not when the batteries are absent or present.
Provide opportunities for imaginative play outdoors e.g. a ‘petrol pump’
to fill up toy vehicles
Provide ‘push along’ and friction vehicles on the floor area and talk
about their movement
Use wind- up toys e.g. wind-up torches or radios
Ask ‘why?, ‘what ?’ and ‘what do you think will happen?’ questions
Provide activities to demonstrate human beings as sources of energy
e.g. see-saw, pushing and pulling games
Provide windmills on windy and non-windy days to demonstrate that
the wind is making the sails move
Provide water play and/or water channels to show water as a source of
energy in moving boats or balls.
The National Museum of Scotland has some interactive exhibits
relevant to this area of learning.
Key Vocabulary
Energy, electricity, switch, socket, power, battery, move, heat, light, work
Planet Earth
Processes of the Planet
SCN 0-05a
By investigating how water can change from one form to
another, I can relate my findings to everyday experiences.
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I know that water is necessary for life(for humans, animals and plants)
I can identify a number of ways in which water is used
I am beginning to understand that water can be liquid or solid or
vapour(steam)
I can identify different states of water
I can talk about the different states of water – freezing, melting, boiling
and evaporating
I can relate my observations of water to my own experiences e.g. an
ice lolly will melt in the summer sun and that a puddle may freeze in
winter
I can link what I know about water to what I know about the seasons.
I can respond to ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘what will happen if?’ questions
Possible Activities
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Provide a range of activities to look at the ways of using water e.g.
watering plants, using water for cooking or washing dolls or dolls’
clothes
Provide ‘gluck’ (cornflour and water) of different consistencies
Put ‘Jellybaff’ in the water tray
Add washing up liquid to a large puddle on a rainy day , wellies on and
jump, stamp and dance!
Add washing up liquid or soap flakes to the water tray with whisks
Encourage the use of water outside e.g. mud pies or grass soup with
appropriate containers and utensils in an area where the children are
free to explore and investigate the materials provided
Adult support in all activities to ask open questions and encourage play
In summer, provide small blocks of ice outdoors so that children can
observe them melting
On hot days provide pots of water and paintbrushes for children to
make marks on concrete and watch the water evaporate.
On cold days, observe puddles (or small pond if you have one) to
observe different thicknesses of ice
Collect water (rain or snow) and leave it out overnight to look at
freezing and temperature of the water
Place objects (shiny stones, toy animals or sticks) in a bucket with a
little water and leave out overnight if you are expecting sub zero
temperatures. Bring it indoors to melt the next day.
Key Vocabulary
Water, ice, snow, liquid, solid, steam, freeze, melt, evaporate, boil
Stories
Let’s go Home Little Bear Martin Waddell
The Snowman
Raymond Briggs
Kipper’s Snowy Day
Mick Inkpen
Songs and Rhymes
Three Little Snowmen Fat
Three little snowmen fat,
Each with a woolly hat.
Out came the sun and melted one
And that was the end of that!
Two little snowmen fat,
Each with a woolly hat,
Out came the sun and melted one
And that was the end of that!
One little snowman fat,
He had a woolly hat,
Out came the sun and melted him
And that was the end of that!
A Good Rainy Day
A world without waterWhat do you think?
No water to cook with,
Wash in or drink.
No puddles to splash in,
No rivers or seas;
No pools to go swimming
whenever you please.
No rain for the garden,
For forests or crops.
All creatures need water
Without it, life stops.
So the next time it rains
And it’s too wet to play,
Just say to yourselfI
It’s a good rainy day!
Puddles
Town puddles
Street puddles
Soak through your feet puddles.
Cars whoosh through them
While we’re waiting for the bus.
Farm puddles
Brown puddles
Gooey, squelchy warm puddles
Ducks paddle in them
On flat webbed feet.
Rain puddles
Round puddles
Walking up and down puddles.
I splash through them
In my new rubber boots
Planet Earth
Space
SCN 0-06a
I have experienced the wonder of looking at the vastness
of the sky, and can recognise the sun, moon and stars
and link them to daily patterns of life.
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I know that the sun, moon and stars are seen in the sky
I can identify the sun, moon and stars in the sky
I know that the sun is a huge ball of gas seen in the sky during the day
I know that the sun is the star at the centre of our solar system
I know that the presence or absence of the sun gives us day and night
I know that the sun gives heat and light
I know that the Moon is a large rock which circles the earth
I know that the Moon can be seen most clearly at night
I can see that the moon is a different shape at different times
I know that the stars can be seen in the clear night sky
I know that stars can be seen in groups we call constellations
I understand that stars are very far away and that is why they look so
small
I can respond to ‘How?’, ‘Why?’ and ‘What will happen if?’ questions
Possible activities
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Display sky scapes – night and day
Observation of the sky using blankets (or tarpaulins) to lie on and
looking up at the sky from different positions e.g. through trees and in
different weather conditions
Solar system mobile or model
Small world moonscape- space vehicles, astronauts etc
Display lunar cycle- link to numeracy-shape
Discussion and questioning e.g. in a story-‘What time of day is it?’ ‘How
do you know that?’
Link to numeracy, calendars and clocks.
The National Museum of Scotland and Dynamic Earth have exhibits
which may provide good learning opportunities
Key vocabulary
Sun, moon, stars, day, night, solar system, full moon, half moon, light, heat
Stories
Whatever Next?
Peace at last
Can’t You Sleep Little Bear?
Jill Murphy
Jill Murphy
Martin Waddell
Songs and Rhymes
Hey, Diddle Diddle
Hey, Diddle Diddle,
The cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The4 little dog laughed to see such fun,
And the dish ran away with the spoon!
Mr Moon
Mr Moon you’re up too soon,
The sun’s still in the sky.
Go back to bed and cover your head,
You must wait until day has gone by!
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Twinkle twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
Like a diamond in the sky,
Twinkle twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Big Things
Jumbo jets and
Fairground wheels,
A bright hot air balloon;
Planet Earth,
The pyramids,
A rocket to the moon.
Elephants and
Ocean ships,
Rocky mountains high;
A city full of busy streets,
The dark and starry sky.
Dinosaurs and
Dumper trucks, A giant forest tree;
The world around seems very BIG
To someone small like me
Biological Systems
HWB 0 – 47b
I am aware of my growing body and am learning the
correct names for its different parts and how they work.
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I can name the parts of my body
I can show understanding of some basic systems of the human body
e.g. respiration and digestion
I understand that joints enable me to bend my body and to move
efficiently
I understand that we all have similarities but are all unique
I can identify what is common to everyone and what can be different
I can observe and record differences between myself and others
I can describe the effects of exercise and temperature on my body e.g.
heart beating faster, feeling hot or cold, shivering etc.
I understand that food, exercise and sleep help me to grow and be
healthy.
Possible Activities
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Games like ‘Simon says point to your ...... e.g. elbow, wrist, ankle etc
Music and movement/dance giving instructions e.g. bend your knees or
stretch your arms
Draw attention to changes in body temperature and heart rate after
energetic activities
Discussion re eye and hair colour and make a pictorial representation –
link to numeracy i.e. ‘How many children have brown eyes?’ more or
less than blue?
Activities to illustrate respiration e.g. blowing up paper bags, bubble
painting. Where does the air come from?
Blowing ping pong balls feathers etc. Which one will reach the finishing
line first?
Lots of action songs and rhymes using mirrors for very young children.
Key vocabulary
All body parts- bones, muscles, joint, bend, stretch, breathing, lungs.
Stories
Me and My Amazing Body Joan Sweeney
Dem Bones
Bob Barner
Hear Your Heart
Paul Showers
The Three Little Pigs
Traditional
Songs, Rhymes and Poems
Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
Head, shoulders, knees and toes
Knees and toes,
Head, Shoulders, knees and toes
Knees and toes,
And eyes and ears
and chin and mouth and nose,
Head , shoulders knees and toes
Knees and toes!
Put your Finger on your Nose!
Put your finger on your nose, on your nose.
Put your finger on your nose, on your nose.
Put your finger on your nose,
That’s where your finger goes!
Put your finger on your nose, on your nose.
Put your finger on your cheek, on your cheek.
Put your finger on your cheek, on your cheek.
Put your finger on your cheek,
Leave it there about a week!
Put your finger on your cheek, on your cheek.
Put your finger on your ear, on your ear.
Put your finger on your ear, on your ear.
Put your finger on your ear,
Leave it there about a year!
Put your finger on your ear, on your ear.
Put you fingers all together, all together,
Put your fingers all together, all together.
Put your fingers all together,
And we’ll clap for better weather!
Put your fingers all together, all together.
All About Me
I’ve got..
.
A head for nodding, shaking and thinking,
Eyes for seeing, closing and blinking.
Ears for hearing nice things and boring,
A nose for smelling, blowing and snoring.
A mouth for speaking, eating and kissing,
Teeth for chewing – my front tooth is missing.
Arms for waving, hugging and squeezing,
Hands for clapping, helping and pleasing.
Elbows and knees for bending and stretching,
Legs for kicking, running and fetching.
And right at the bottom my two little feet
For dancing and tapping a musical beat.
Clap your hands
Clap your hands when I say one,
Clap your hands and wiggle your tongue.
Nod your head when I say two,
Nod your head and touch your shoe.
Stamp your foot when I say three,
Stamp your foot and touch your knee.
Bend right over when I say four,
Bend right over and touch the floor!
Biological Systems
SCN 0-12a
I can identify my senses and use them to explore the
world around me.
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I can identify the five senses.
I know which parts of my body I use for each ;
Eyes allow us to see
Ears allow us to hear
Nose allows us to smell
Tongue allows us to taste
Skin allows us to touch
I know that my senses allow me to explore and interact with the world
around me
I understand that using my senses sends information to my brain e.g.
hot, cold. bitter, sweet.
I can respond to ‘How?’, ‘Why?’ and ‘What will happen if?’ questions.
Possible activities
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Sensory, interactive display table;
Looking – magnifiers, kaleidoscope, coloured cellophane to look
through.
Hearing – tuning fork, bells which make different sounds etc.
Smelling – small pots with different substances e.g. lemon, onion,
lavender, herbs and spices, ‘Scratch and sniff’ fragrance samples
Tasting – small tubs with a range of foods/flavours supervised activity.
Touching – Feely boxes where the contents cannot be seen. Different
textures with supporting vocabulary e.g. rough, sticky, soft etc.
Kim’s Game(a tray of objects for children to observe, then ask them to
close their eyes while you remove one object and invite them to say
which one is missing)
A bag with objects related to familiar songs or rhymes where children
take turns to identify the object by touch then sing the song/rhyme
Blindfold game where children identify smells, tastes or identify who is
saying their name e.g. Guess who is Calling You!
Circle Time skills i.e. ‘eyes for looking’ and ‘ears for listening.
Popping bubble wrap
Key Vocabulary
Senses, sight, hearing, touching, smelling, tasting, hard, soft, jaggy, sticky,
fluffy etc
Books and Stories
Billy’s Beetle
My Five Senses
Look, Listen, Taste ,
Touch Smell
The Listening Walk
Fergus the Farmyard Dog
Mick Inkpen
Aliki
Pamela Hill Nettleton
Paul Showers
Tony Maddox
Songs and Rhymes
Eyes
I need my eyes,
So I can see,
I don’t have five or one or three.
Just two eyes,
On my face,
It seems to be the perfect place!
I can see
I can see
Trees and grass
The sun and sky;
I can taste
Chocolate ice cream,
Apple Pie;
I can hear
Music, laughter,
Words you said.
I can smell
Perfume, flowers
Baking bread;
I can touch
Skin and velvet,
A baby’s skin
What a wonderful world I’m in.
Senses to the tune ‘This Old Man’
With my eyes, I can see
Robins nesting in the trees.
Chorus
I see and hear and smell and taste and touch,
With my senses I learn so much.
With my ears, I can hear
Distant noises and sounds quite near.
Chorus
With my nose, I can smell
Fragrant flowers in the dell.
Chorus
With my mouth, I can taste
Doughnuts which are chocolate glazed
Chorus
With my hands, I can feel,
Bananas with a slippery peel
Chorus
Biological Systems
HWB 0-47a
I recognise that we all have similarities and differences but
are all unique.
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I understand that we all have common features
I can look in the mirror and describe myself in terms of ‘what makes me
me’
I can look at my friends and identify things that are the same and
different from me e.g. eye or hair colour
Through observation, I can identify and comment on differences e.g.
height
I can express my preferences
I understand that others may not share my preferences
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Possible activities
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Mirror games and songs
Looking at facial expressions e.g. in Circle Time
Observation of hair colour and eye colour – straight or curly hair,
wearing glasses etc.
Making pictorial representation of results of the observations e.g. bar
charts, photographs etc.
Recording height and displaying on a height chart
Give children frequent opportunities to make choices e.g. at snack,
choosing a favourite character from a story or a favourite object from a
selection and discuss why they like it.
Key vocabulary
Same, different, unique, tall, taller, tallest etc
Stories
Everywhere Babies by Susan Myers
What I like about Me by Allia Zobel Nolan
I’m the Best By Lucy Cousins
All About Me by Debbie MacKinnon and Anthea Sieveking
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Songs and rhymes would be similar to those relating to body
awareness and senses
Forces, Electricity and Waves
Forces
SCN 0-07a
Through everyday experiences and play with a variety of
toys and other objects, I can recognise simple types of
forces and describe their effects.
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I can describe a force as a push or a pull.
I know that a push is a force applied to move an object away from me.
I know that a pull is a force applied to move an object towards me.
I understand that a big push will cause and object to move further than
a smaller push.
I know that a heavy object requires a bigger force.
I understand that a force can make an object move faster or slower.
I understand that a force can make an object change direction
I know that a force can change the shape of some materials.
I understand that twisting, rolling, bending, squeezing, stretching and
blowing are forms of push and pull forces which can change the shape
of materials.
I understand that water produces an upward pushing force causing
objects to float.
I can demonstrate that objects lighter than the upward thrust will float
and heavier objects will sink
I can use everyday toys and objects to demonstrate how magnets
attract and repel.
I can ask and respond to ‘How?’, ‘Why?’ and ‘What will happen if?’
questions.
Possible Activities
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Ball runs
Activities with ramps and different gradients for toy vehicles in and
outdoors
Playdough/silly putty to twist, roll, bend and stretch
Games involving fabric e.g. lycra to pull
Circle Time- rolling a ball towards a named person using key words.
Games involving light and heavy objects to push and pull
Floating and sinking games- guessing/predicting, experimenting and
recording
Brio trains
Experiment with which materials will be attracted to a magnet
Key Vocabulary
Push, pull, force, attract, repel, sink float, motion, forward, back, away from,
towards
Stories
Move It!
Adrienne Mason & Claudia Davila
The Enormous Turnip
Traditional
Motion- push and pull, fast and slow. Darlene Stille & Shannon Boyd
Songs and Rhymes
The Push and Pull Song
(To the tune of ‘Row, row, row your boat)
Push, push, push the trolley
Gently through the shop.
Fill it up with lots of things,
Then it’s time to stop.
Pul, pull, pull your sledge
Gently through the snow.
Let’s get on and fly on down,
How fast can we go?
Push, push, push the boat
As the wind does blow
Over the ocean and into the sails
To make the sailboat go!
Pull, pull, pull the flag
As the wind goes by,
Pull the flag to make it flap
Look how proud it flies!
Push, pull to make it move
Try it and you’ll see
Things move with a push or pull
Even you and me!
Magnets
I am a mighty magnet,
I can be very strong,
But if you use me properly,
Nothing can go wrong.
I can pick up many objects
But not everything you see
I only pick up objects
That are attracted to me.
So take me now and try me out
And you will quickly see
What different kinds of things
Are pushed and pulled by me!
Forces, Electricity and Waves
Electricity
SCN 0-09a
I know how to stay safe when using electricity. I have
helped to make a display to show the importance of
electricity in our daily lives
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I understand that electricity is a source of energy
I know that electricity is used in many ways in daily life to make things
work.
I understand that electricity can provide heat, light , sound and
movement.
I know that electricity can be dangerous
I can demonstrate how to avoid dangers associated with electricity e.g.
wet hands touching sockets, trailing cables, overcrowded sockets,
overhead lines and sub-stations
I can identify appliances which use electricity
I can work with others to display items which demonstrate the
importance of electricity in our daily lives.
I am aware that electricity is generated in power stations and passed
through wires to our houses.
I understand that electricity can be generated in a variety of ways e.g.
by wind, water, fossil fuels etc.
I can use low voltage batteries correctly to demonstrate their use in
toys and household items.
Possible activities
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Use images of appliances which do or do not require electricity with a
small group and ask the children to identify which ones need electricity.
The children could then make a pictorial record of the result.
Provide a range of battery operated toys and equipment allowing the
children to place the batteries inside, helping them to understand that
they must be placed correctly.(they must match positive and negative)
Provide torches to switch on and off in a dark corner.
Provide battery operated lights with switches e.g. colour changing
lights.
Use objects and images which illustrate the dangers of electricity and
make a display.
Involve children in making warning signs for sockets etc.
Display pictures of different kinds of power stations e.g. wind turbines
or hydro electric schemes
Create static electricity by rubbing balloons on clothing and holding it to
childrens hair
Experiment with other materials to see if the balloon will stick to them.
Key Vocabulary
Electricity, energy, power, switch, battery, positive, negative
Forces, Electricity and Waves
Vibration and Waves
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Through play, I have explored a variety of ways of making
sounds.
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I understand that sounds are made by vibrations
I know that sounds can be made in different ways
I can describe some of the ways to make sounds e.g. hitting, blowing,
plucking and shaking
I can describe differences in sounds e.g. high, low, loud and soft.
I can experiment with ways to change sounds.
I can use words related to sounds.
I can describe how humans hear sounds with their ears
I can identify a variety of sounds from different sources
I can ask and respond to ‘How?’, ‘Why?’ and what will happen if?’
questions.
Possible Activities
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Use percussion instruments e.g. play ‘Choose an instrument you can
play’ game and ask the children to explain how they are making the
sound
Making shakers using different materials and talking about the sounds
they can produce.
Provide recorders to allow children to make sounds by blowing.
Provide a tuning fork.
In Circle Time, pass round a tambourine asking the children to play it
loudly or softly- What do they have to do to change the volume?
Sound Lotto
Play ‘Guess Who Is Calling You?’ game where a child turns his or her
back to the group. Another child is invited to call their name and the
child has to identify who that person is. How do they know?
Key Vocabulary
Sound, vibration, hitting, plucking, blowing, shaking, loud, soft, high, low
Stories and Rhymes
Ruby Sings the Blues
The Listening Walk
Sounds All Around
Nikki Daly
Paul Showers
Wendy Peffer
Choose an Instrument
Choose an Instrument you can play, you can play, you can play,
Choose an instrument you can play,
What’s your favourite?
Jenny shakes the tambourine, tambourine, tambourine,
Jenny shakes the tambourine,
That’s her favourite!
(to the tune of ‘London Bridge is Falling Down’
Materials
Properties and Uses of Substances
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Through creative play, I explore different materials and
can share my reasoning for selecting materials for
different purposes.
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I understand that the word ‘materials’ includes all the substances
things are made of.
I can identify and name a range of materials e.g. metal, plastic,
wood, fabric
I know that materials have different properties
I can describe the properties of materials e.g. hard soft, sticky,
smooth, flexible rigid etc.
I know that some materials can be used for the same purpose e.g.
building with wood, stone, bricks or concrete
I understand that these materials have similar properties.
I know that some materials are natural e.g. stone and wood and
that some are man made e.g. plastic
I understand that some materials can be used for different
purposes e.g. glass to make windows, bottles and jars.
I can use my knowledge to select materials for different purposes
I can ask and respond to ‘How?’, ‘Why/’ and ‘what will happen if?’
questions.
Possible Activities
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Provide the opportunity for children to sort a variety of objects into
wood, plastic and metal.
Provide activities which allow children to explore properties of materials
in real contexts e.g. provide a sheet of plastic, a cotton wool circle, a
sheet of fabric, a sheet of tinfoil and a sheet of PVC. Experiment with
which materials are waterproof.
Set up modelling activity using a range of materials e.g. miniature
bricks, cardboard, pipe cleaners etc. Discuss the selection of materials
with the children. Why have they chosen these materials for their
chosen model? Does it work?
Play games where objects are explores for their properties e.g. images
of clothing for different weather or season (wellies, raincoat, flip flops,
swimsuit etc) Discuss the reasons for their suitability.
Provide a selection of objects for children to explore different textures
Key Vocabulary
Material, plastic, wood, metal, glass, stone, brick, concrete, bendy, hard, soft,
shiny, smooth, rough transparent.
Stories
The Three Little Pigs
Traditional
Sonny’s Wonderful Wellies Lisa Stubbs
I will build a little house
I will build a little house with two chimneys tall,
A gently sloping roof and a garden wall,
A big front door you can open wide,
And two tiny little windows you can peek inside.
I will build a little table big enough for two,
Two tiny little chairs for me and you,
So open the door and please come in,
For my tiny little house is like a brand new pin.
The Wise Man
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
The foolish man built his house upon the sand,
And the rains came tumbling down!
The rains came down and the floods went Whoosh!
The rains came down and the floods went Whoosh!
The rains came down and the floods went Whoosh!
And the house upon the sand fell down!
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
The wise man built his house upon the rock,
And the rains came tumbling down!
The rains came down and the floods went Whoosh!
The rains came down and the floods went Whoosh!
The rains came down and the floods went Whoosh!
And the house upon the rock stood still!
Topical Science
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I can talk about science stories to develop my
understanding of science and the world around me.
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I understand how science can impact on my daily life e.g. growing
(myself and plants trees and animals)
I can relate science stories to aspects of everyday life cooking,
use of appliances, weather, energy sources
I use my learning about science to explore and investigate and
explore the world around me.
I can apply this knowledge in different situations to understand my
world
I can develop my natural curiosity by asking and responding to
‘How?’, ‘Why?’ and ‘What will happen if?’ questions
Possible Activities
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Baking: Make chocolate crispies, melt the chocolate. Why does
the chocolate melt? What happens when the rice crispies are
added? What changes happen when the crispies have been in the
fridge
Making bread, cakes, scones, playdough etc. What changes
occur? E.g. using yeast and proving dough. Mixing icing sugar
with water.
Mixing paints
Using ‘gluck’
Weather stations
Responding to childrens interests and observations e.g. rainbows,
pets, baby animals etc.
Key Vocabulary
Change, freeze, melt, hot, cold, mix, runny, sticky etc.
Stories and rhymes
There are many stories about science topics on the internet. It is easy to find
suitable stories relating to childrens interests at any given time so it would be
difficult to provide a list relevant for this outcome.