scientific enquiry in primary science
TRANSCRIPT
Scientific Enquiry in Primary Science
NASBTT session 1
Facilitator: Rebecca Lamb
@STEMLearningUK @RebeccaLambSTEM
STEM Learning www.stem.org.uk
Session Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
• Develop your scientific enquiry skills
• Know a number of investigations which can be used with children
• Explore a range of resources to support Working Scientifically
What do children need to be great scientists?
Critical thinking
skills
Scientific language &
communication skills
Scientific knowledge
Practical skills
The Scientific Method
Shake your container.
What do you think is inside?
What properties can you identify?
The nature, processes and methods of
science
‘Working scientifically’ specifies the understanding of the nature,
processes and methods of science for each year group. It should not
be taught as a separate strand. The notes and guidance give
examples of how ‘working scientifically’ might be embedded within
the content of biology, chemistry and physics, focusing on the key
features of scientific enquiry, so that pupils learn to use a variety of
approaches to answer relevant scientific questions. These types of
scientific enquiry should include: observing over time; pattern
seeking; identifying, classifying and grouping; comparative and
fair testing (controlled investigations); and researching using
secondary sources. Pupils should seek answers to questions
through collecting, analysing and presenting data.
Working
Scientifically
Progression in ‘working scientifically’
‘KS1 – Pupils should be helped to develop their understanding of scientific ideas by using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over a period of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information.’New Science Programmes of Study
Progression in ‘working scientifically’
‘LKS2 – Pupils should ask their own questions about what they observe and make some decisions about which types of scientific enquiry are likely to be the best ways of answering them, including observing changes over time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out simple comparative and fair tests and finding things out using secondary sources of information.’ New Science Programmes of Study
Progression in ‘working scientifically’
‘UKS2 – Pupils should select the most appropriate ways to answer science questions using different types of scientific enquiry to answer their own questions, including observing changes over different periods of time, noticing patterns, grouping and classifying things, carrying out comparative and fair tests and finding things out using a wide range of secondary sources of information.’New Science Programmes of Study
What is working scientifically?
Working Scientifically is what children do in order to answer scientific questions about the world around them.
• by asking questions
• collecting and analysing data
• developing explanations
• solving problems
• seeking and using evidence to test their ideas and answer questions.
Different Types of Enquiry
Downloadable symbols and documents giving examples of different types of enquiry available from:https://seerih-innovations.org/enquiringscience4all/downloads/Also see Ogden Trust:https://www.ogdentrust.com/resources/working-scientifically-comparative-testingPSTT Working Scientifically trackerhttps://data.bathspa.ac.uk/articles/poster/Working_scientifically_butterfly/4232222/1
NC: Different Types of Enquiry
Observing over
time
Pattern Seeking
Comparative &
Fair Testing
Identify,
Classifying &
Grouping
Research Using
Secondary
Sources
Fair Testing
Fair testing finds relationships between factors. One factor is changed while keeping other factors the same. Any differences are said to be the result of the changed factor (or variable).
• What happens when I drop the cupcake case?
• What other questions can I investigate?
Year 2: Everyday materials – compare everyday material (comparative testing)Year 4: Sound – recognise that sounds get fainter as distance from sound source increases. (Datalogger)Year 5: Forces - identify the effects of water resistance, air resistance and friction, that act between moving surfaces.
When is it a fair test?
• In order to demonstrate a causal relationship between two variables children carry out a fair test . For a fair test they identify a variable that can be changed and measured , and test the effect changing it has on another, while keeping the other variables the same. For example, how does changing the height of a ramp affect how quickly a toy car rolls down it, where the type of car, the surface of the ramp, and other relevant variables are kept the same.
• Children can answer questions by collecting data to identify, and then explain, the causal relationship between the variables.
• Fair tests are only suitable when variables are continuous and can be changed e.g. surface area of parachute; comparative tests are used when categoric variable are compared e.g. material parachute is made from. Neither is suitable when we can’t change something in a systematic way (e.g. experiments on humans or the weather). In these situations other types of enquiries need to be used.
COMPARATIVE TESTS
• In simple comparative tests children compare one event with another and identify different outcomes. For example, does the red car go faster than the green car?
• In more sophisticated comparative tests children will compare several different materials, events or artefacts, controlling conditions and variables to ensure validity. For example, finding out which is best material for mopping up spilt water, when children will control the size of each material and the time given to soak up the water, so that they can rank the materials according to absorbency.
Comparative & Fair Test
• Change something• Measure, observe, compare the effect• Keep all other variables the same
Involve children in making decisions
PLAN DO REVIEW
•Raise questions
•Fair-test•Predict
• Measure/observe• Record (usually as
tables and graphs )
• Use tables and graphs
• Describe results
• Explain results
Explore
https://primarilyscience.co.uk/resources/free/
Explore
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
Observation over time
This involves the careful observation of something over time, recording changes and taking measurements over time.
• What happens to the tea leaves in spring water?
Year one: Observe changes across the four seasonsYear two: Plants – observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants.Year four: states of matter – rate of evaporationYear five: Earth and space – apparent movement of the sun across the sky
Observation Over Time
Seasons – Year 1
Observation Over Time
Year 5 – Irreversible change
Observation Over Time
Year 5 – Observing the Moon phases
Identifying and classifying
Identifying and classifying involves sorting objects or events into groups. Clear systems (criteria) must be developed and used. Keys are often used as criteria to carry out a classifying process for example, identifying and naming invertebrates.
• How could I group these leaves? Classifying
• What is this leaf? Identifying
Year one: plants – sorting tree seeds, animals – sorting plastic animals by observable featuresYear three: Rocks – compare and group together different kinds of rocksYear five: Properties of materials – hardness, solubility ,transparency conductivity – electrical and thermal, response to magnets.Year six: Living things and their habitats – classify according to common observable characteristics, similarities & differences including microorganisms , plants and animals.
Identifying – Name it!
Lobes Toothed Smooth Leaflets
Compound leaf Simple leaf Needles
Grouping and Classifying
Classifying – Branching Identifying Key
Pattern Seeking
Children observe and
record phenomena, carry
out surveys or collect data
from secondary sources,
and then identify
relationships between the
data in their findings. They
are used when variables
can’t easily be controlled
because of practical or
ethical reasons.
Pattern Seeking
This involves observing and recording natural events, carrying out experiments where the factors can’t easily be controlled or using secondary sources of data.
E.g. Distribution of dandelions on the school field, children who regularly eat breakfast have better concentration, taller children have bigger feet.
How can I make the rocket mouse fly further?
Year Four: Sound – find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibration that produced it.Year Five: Forces – recognise that some mechanism such as levers, pulleys and gears allow a smaller force to have a greater effect.Year Six: Evolution & inheritance – recognise that living things produce things of the same kind but that offspring vary and are not identical to their parents.
Do bigger hand grab more sweets?
Research
This involves finding out information that children may not be able to investigate for themselves.
E.g. The use of books and websites to find out information about space, animals who live in the rainforest etc.
• Who was Mary Anning?
• Why is she famous?
• What was the impact of her discovery?
Year One: Research seasonal changes – what would I expect for each season?Year two : Habitats – research another habitat – arctic or rainforestYear three: Rocks – research how fossils are formedYear four: Animals – research digestive systemRESEARCH FAMOUS SCIENTISTS.
Research Real ScientistsYear 2
Louis Pasteur
Vaccinations and
proving germs cause
diseases
Rachel Carson
Founder of
environmental science;
marine biologist
Charles Macintosh
Inventing a waterproof
material
Research Real Scientists
Year 3
Michael Faraday
Electromagnetism and
electrochemistry
Mary Anning
Fossils
Wilhelm Conrad
Röntgen
X Ray
BIOGRAPHY
Learning from other scientists…
https://www.pstt.org.uk/resources/curriculum-materials/childrens-university-stem-clubs
https://pstt.org.uk/resources/curriculum-materials/sotsog
Scientific Enquiry Questions
Does a large parachute come down more slowly than a small one?
What happens to the big puddle in the playground?
How does changing the air resistance of a toy car on a ramp affect speed?
The dressing-up clothes are all muddled up- can we sort them out?
What do the different types of teeth do?
How do our shadows change over the day?
Do taller trees produce bigger leaves?
Do taller plants grow from bigger seeds?
Which of these things can be recycled?
WHAT ENQUIRY TYPE COULD THESE QUESTIONS BE
USED FOR?
What do you notice about the phrasing of each question? Can you identify an
enquiry question by its wording?
Identifying Enquiry Types
Choose a topic that you will be teaching in the next termThink about an investigation share your investigation and the type of enquiry that it is:
E.g. Earth and Space
Daytime Moon ViewingObservation over time
Share another investigation using a different type of enquiry for your chosen topic.
Resources
https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/cur
ated-collections/primary-0
Primary Science
Try a Zoom In Zoom Out activity to start
40
41
42
43
44
45
Odd One Out
46
Explorify: Odd One Out
Health & safety
http://primary.cleapss.org.uk/ https://www.ase.org.uk/bookshop/be-safe-4th-
edition-health-safety-in-school-science-
technology-teachers-of-3-12-year-olds
Teachers’ Standards
https://www.stem.org.uk/primary/teachers-standards
Session Outcomes
Participants will be able to:
• Develop your scientific enquiry skills
• Know a number of investigations which can be used with children
• Explore a range of resources to support
Working Scientifically