Science Clips for Teachers in Scotland

Curriculum Links, Teaching Points and Follow-up Activities

INTRODUCTION 2

AGES 5-7 2

1. OURSELVES (5-6) 2
2. HEALTH AND GROWTH (6-7) 3
3. GROWING PLANTS (5-6) 3
4. PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENT (6-7) 4
5. VARIATION (6-7) 5
6. SORTING AND USING MATERIALS (5-6) 5
7. GROUPING AND CHANGING MATERIALS (6-7) 6
8. PUSHES AND PULLS (5-6) 6
9. FORCES AND MOVEMENT (6-7) 7
10. LIGHT AND DARK (5-6) 7
11. SOUND AND HEARING (5-6) 8
12. USING ELECTRICITY (6-7) 8

AGES 7-9 9

1. TEETH AND EATING (7-8) 9

2. MOVING AND GROWING (8-9) 10
3. HELPING PLANTS GROW WELL (7-8) 11
4. HABITATS (8-9) 11
5. CHARACTERISTICS OF MATERIALS (7-8) 12
6. KEEPING WARM (8-9) 13
7. ROCKS AND SOILS (7-8) 14
8. SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS (8-9) 14
9. CIRCUITS AND CONDUCTORS (8-9) 15
10. MAGNETS AND SPRINGS (7-8) 16
11. FRICTION (8-9) 17
12. LIGHT AND SHADOW (7-8) 18

AGES 9-11 18

1. LIFE CYCLES (9-10) 18

2. KEEPING HEALTHY (9-10) 19
3. INTERDEPENDENCE AND ADAPTATION (10-11) 20
4. MICRO ORGANISMS (10-11) 20
5. GASES AROUND US (9-10) 21
6. CHANGING STATE (9-10) 21
7. REVERSIBLE AND IRREVERSIBLE CHANGES (10-11) 22
8. CHANGING CIRCUITS (10-11) 23
9. FORCES IN ACTION (10-11) 23
10. CHANGING SOUNDS (9-10) 24
11. HOW WE SEE THINGS (10-11) 24
12. EARTH, SUN AND MOON (9-10) 25
Introduction

This document outlines the way in which each of the BBC Schools Science Clips units relates to the Scottish
5-14 Science Curriculum. It also details teaching points which can be drawn out when working with each
unit as well as suggesting follow up activities.

The Science Clips units are listed here firstly according to the age groups used on the site. They are
grouped according to the age ranges for whom they were originally written: 5-7, 7-9 and 9-11. Within these
age groups they are subdivided into the three areas of the curriculum: ‘Living things and the processes of
life’, ‘Earth and space’ and ‘Energy and forces’.

The differences between the Scottish and English curricula mean that the age group for which each unit is
intended does not always correspond exactly with the Scottish attainment levels to which it relates. For an
overview of how the units relate to the attainment targets, please refer to the Curriculum Links document.

Ages 5-7

1. Ourselves (5-6)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands Variety and characteristic features The processes of life
Attainment targets Level A: Recognise similarities and Level A: Name and identify the main external
differences between themselves and others. parts of the bodies of humans and other
Level A: Sort living things into broad groups animals.
according to easily observable Level A: Describe some ways in which
characteristics. humans keep themselves safe.
Level B: Give examples of how the senses
are used to detect information.
Level B: Recognise the stages of the human
life cycle.

Teaching points

Living things
• Living things are distinguished by their ability to carry out certain processes of life (movement, respiration,
feeding, excretion, sensitivity, growth, reproduction).
Similarities and differences
• Humans have similar features: hair, eyes, ears, two legs, two arms etc.
• There are also differences between humans: height, hand span, eye colour, hair colour etc. Stress the range of
variation and the uniqueness of the individual).
• Develop awareness that children inherit characteristics from their parents.
• As children grow they increase in weight, height etc.
• As children grow they can do more things, eg walk, talk, read, play games, and make increasingly important
choices.
• Identify the changes that take place as a result of maturation and aging.
• Recognise the stages between birth and old age.
• Identify the main external features of both humans and animals, noting similarities and differences and relating
structure to function.

Senses and keeping safe

• Know that there are a range of senses including sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch.
• Senses allow us to detect what is happening around us so that we can react to keep ourselves safe.
• Sight allows us to see objects and avoid bumping into things.
• Hearing allows us to detect sounds and avoid traffic etc.
• Taste allows us to tell if something tastes sweet, bitter, salt or sour, and to detect when foods are ‘off’.
• Smell allows us to detect pleasant and dangerous substances.
• One sense can affect another eg taste and smell.
 • Establish that animals also have senses and discuss similarities and differences in their use.

Follow-up activities

Similarities and differences

• Draw pictures of themselves and discuss how they are recognised by their friends.
• Survey hair colour, hair colour, left or right-handedness, foot size, hand span or head circumference.
• Play ‘Simon says’ with emphasis on naming parts.
• Sequence pictures to show the stages in the human life-cycle from birth to old age.
• Examine pictures of members of a family over at least two generations.
Senses and keeping safe
• Simple activities to help develop awareness of senses, eg mirrors, feely bags, identification of common sounds,
tasting safe solutions, identification of common smells (crisps are good for both taste and smell).
• Use pictures to spot unsafe situations in school and at home and consider which senses are used when
crossing roads.

2. Health and growth (6-7)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands The processes of life
Attainment targets Level A: Give the conditions needed by animals and plants in order to remain healthy.
Level B: Recognise stages in the life cycles of familiar plants and animals.

Teaching points

• Explore the importance to humans of healthy eating, rest and exercise, personal hygiene, relationships with
others, safety with medicines etc (link with Health Education Curriculum).
• Develop awareness of the conditions needed by plants and animals to remain healthy (look for similarities to
and differences from humans).
• Organisms pass through certain stages as they develop.

Follow-up activities

• Recognise and sequence stages in the life cycles of the following:

o Butterfly: egg-caterpillar-pupa-adult
o Frog: egg-tadpole-frog
o Bird: egg-chick-adult
o Dog: puppy-adult dog
o Flowering plant: seed-seedling-mature plant

3. Growing plants (5-6)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands Variety and characteristic features The processes of life
Attainment targets Level A: Sort living things into broad groups Level B: Recognise stages in the life cycles
according to easily observable of familiar plants and animals.
characteristics. Level B: Identify the main parts of flowering
plants.
Teaching points

• Living things are distinguished by their ability to carry out certain processes of life (movement, respiration,
feeding, excretion, sensitivity, growth, reproduction).
• Establish that both humans and plants have these characteristics.
• Identify the main parts of flowering plants (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds).
• Organisms pass through certain stages as they develop.
• Flowering plants reproduce by producing flowers and then seeds that will germinate under suitable conditions to
produce new plants.
• Establish the stages in the germination of a bean seed.
• Seeds require air, moisture and a suitable temperature for germination.

Follow-up activities

• Examine a range of plants and identify roots, stem, leaves, flowers and seeds.
• Sow seeds and observe their growth from seed through to flowering plant and collection of seeds.
• Plant bulbs and observe and draw the stages in development.

4. Plants and animals in the local environment (6-7)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands Variety and characteristic features Interaction of living things with their
environment
Attainment targets Level B: Name some common members of Level A: Recognise and name some
the invertebrate groups. common plants and animals found in the local
environment.
Level B: Give examples of feeding
relationships found in the local environment.

Teaching points

• Invertebrates are animals that lack a backbone.

• Identify the invertebrates in the clip.
• There are many invertebrate groups: focus on annelids, molluscs and arthropods and concentrate on those
found in the local environment.
• Discuss the need to take care not to harm animals in the local environment and to return any animals brought
into school for observation purposes.
• Establish that the other animals in the clip are vertebrates – they have a vertebral column (backbone).
• Identify the habitats of the different plants and animals.
• Discuss what the different animals feed on.

Follow-up activities

• Make labelled drawings of selected invertebrates.

• Look for invertebrates in the local environment and use very simple pictorial keys to name some of them.
• Devise and play card games (eg happy families) and other games to reinforce the distinguishing features of
each invertebrate group and the names of common members.
• Choose an invertebrate and make a poster to tell others about what it looks like, food, habitat etc.
5. Variation (6-7)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands Variety and characteristic features Interaction of living things with their
environment
Attainment targets Level A: Sort living things into broad groups Level A: Recognise and name some
according to easily observable common plants and animals found in the local
characteristics. environment.

Teaching points

• Living things are all distinguished by their ability to carry out certain processes of life (movement, respiration,
feeding, excretion, sensitivity, growth, reproduction).
• Although these processes are common to all animals and plants, there are also many differences between
plants and between animals.
• Use the clip to identify different ways that animals move.
• Establish that animals and plants can be put into groups based on common characteristics.
• Things are placed into groups because they have particular features, eg birds have feathers, beaks and wings,
and insects have 6 legs and a three-part body.

Follow-up activities

• Visit the local environment to find and identify animals and plants.
• Make drawings of the animals and plants and note where they were found.
• Use pictures and photographs to support identification.
• Set up a bird feeder and use pictures to identify visitors.
• Make a poster of members of, for example, the cat family. Note common characteristics.

6. Sorting and using materials (5-6)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcomes
Strands Materials from Earth
Attainment targets Level A: Recognise and name some common materials from living and non-living sources.
Level A: Give examples of uses of some materials based on simple properties.
Level B: Make observations on differences in the properties of common materials.
Level B: Relate uses of everyday properties to materials.

Teaching points

• Wood, paper, wool, leather, coal, oil and most of our food come from living things.
• Materials from non-living sources include those that are naturally occurring such as rock, sand and water, and
those manufactured, such as brick, concrete, glass, plastic and steel, nylon, elastane and polypropylene.
• Consider properties such as strength, flexibility and insulation.
• Use the senses to elicit appropriate vocabulary: hard, soft, rough, smooth, warm, cold, light, heavy, stretchy,
bendy etc.
• Consider properties such as strength, flexibility, permeability and insulation.

Follow-up activities

• Make a display of materials from both living and non-living sources.

• Find a use for a common material and talk about why we use it in this way.
• Investigate the water resistance of a range of materials used for clothing.
 • Sort a range of clothing into those suitable for hot/cold and wet/dry conditions. Discuss the choices made based
on the properties of the clothes.

7. Grouping and changing materials (6-7)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcomes
Strands Materials from Earth Changing materials
Attainment targets Level A: Recognise and name some Level A: Make observations of the ways in which
common materials from living and non- some materials can be changed by processes such
living sources. as squashing, bending, twisting and stretching.
Level A: Give examples of uses of Level B: Describe how everyday materials can be
some materials based on simple changed by heating or cooling.
properties.
Level B: Make observations of
differences in the properties of common
materials.
Level B: Relate uses of everyday
materials to properties.

Teaching points

• Wood, paper wool, leather, coal, oil and most of our food come from living things.
• Materials from non-living sources include those that are naturally occurring such as rock, sand and water, and
those manufactured, such as brick, concrete, glass, plastic and steel.
• Elastic bands, sticks of chalk and pieces of sandpaper yield ready links between properties and use.
• Some materials can be easily changed by squashing, bending, twisting or stretching.
• Some materials stay bent while others spring back to their original shape.
• Some materials can easily be changed back to their original shape.
• Know the difference between bending and denting.
• Some materials are not easily changed by squashing, bending, twisting or stretching.
• Some solids will melt if heated sufficiently, and then solidify if cooled sufficiently. The form changes from solid to
liquid to solid but no new materials are formed (a physical change).

Follow-up activities

• Find out which materials can be made to change, some that easily change back and some that cannot easily be
changed (use wood, plastic strips, wire of different thickness, paper, card, plasticine, clay, sticky-tac, elastic
bands, foam sponges, soft rubber balls, stones).
• Find out which material is easiest to bend (note differences between materials of different thickness).
• Find a way of measuring which material is easiest to stretch (use string, elastic, rolled plasticine, thin strips of
polythene, wool etc).
• Collect some household containers and talk about the properties of the materials from which they are made. Are
they easily squashed, dented or twisted? Do they return to their original state afterwards?

8. Pushes and pulls (5-6)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Forces and their effects
Attainment targets Level A: Give examples of pushing and pulling, sinking and floating.
Teaching points

• Things can be moved by pushing or pulling.

• Pushing or pulling can speed up or stop a moving object.
• Pushing or pulling can change the shape of an object.
• Pushing or pulling can change the direction of a moving object.
• When you push harder you make more effort.

Follow-up activities

• Identify types of force (push or pull) used when putting on different items of clothing.
• Survey the classroom to find things that need either a push or a pull to make them move.
• Examine a range of toys and suggest how to start them moving and then test ideas.
• Discuss where pushes and pulls occur in everyday life.

9. Forces and movement (6-7)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Forces and their effects
Attainment targets Level B: Describe the effect that a push and pull can have on the direction, speed or shape of
an object.

Teaching points

• A push or pull (ie a force) in the same direction as the motion increases speed whereas a push or pull against
the direction of motion decreases the speed.
• The shape of an object can be changed by pushing or pulling.
• In some cases the change in shape can be permanent, eg plasticine, or it can be temporary, eg a squash ball
hitting a wall.

Follow-up activities

• Investigate how to make the biggest dent in a ball of plasticine.

• Find out how to increase or decrease the speed of a toy car or rolling ball (use a ramp and consider factors that
will influence the outcome, including height of ramp and ramp surface).

10. Light and dark (5-6)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Properties and uses of energy
Attainment targets Level A: Give examples of sources of heat, light and sound.
Level A: Give examples of everyday uses of heat, light and sound.
Level B: Identify the Sun as the main source of heat and light.
Level B: Link light and sound to seeing and hearing.

Teaching points

• Light is a form of energy.

• The Sun is the main source of light during the day. Sunlight is used by plants to make food. The Sun also
provides heat.
 • Without light we wouldn’t be able to see.
• Light can be used as a warning of danger, eg lighthouses, and to ask for help, eg flares.
• At night we use a variety of light sources to allow us to see, eg lamps, car headlights, candles, torches.
• At night it is important to wear reflective clothing so that we can be seen.

Follow-up activities

• Make a pictorial display of different light sources, including the Sun.

• Examine pictures in a darkened area of the classroom then provide light from a torch to make simple
comparisons between the detail that can be seen with and without light.
• Observe changes in the size of pupils to demonstrate that eyes control the amount of light entering them.

11. Sound and hearing (5-6)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Properties and uses of energy
Attainment targets Level B: Link light and sound to seeing and hearing.
Level C: Link sound to sources of vibration.

Teaching points

• Sound is a form of energy.

• A sound is made when something moves backwards and forwards very quickly. This is called vibration.
• When something vibrates, it makes the air around it vibrate too. The sound you hear is carried by the vibrating
air.
• If there is no air surrounding a vibrating object, then the sound cannot be heard, eg in outer space or in a
vacuum on Earth.
• We detect sound using our ears.
• You can feel sound vibration.
• Animals have ears of different sizes and positions on their heads. Some animals can also move the external
part of the ear (the pinna) to help them to locate the position of a sound.

Follow-up activities

• Make sounds in a variety of ways, including the use of simple musical instruments.
• Observe and feel a range of vibrations, eg a drum, a twanging ruler, a plucked elastic band, dried rice bouncing
on a drum skin when struck with a stick, a humming tuning fork touched to water, a stereo speaker, their larynx
(to feel vocal cords vibrating as air passes over them).
• Discuss ways of reducing the level of sound reaching the ear and link this to the idea of noise pollution.
• Investigate materials that can be used to muffle sound and link this to soundproofing buildings.

12. Using electricity (6-7)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Properties and uses of energy Conversion and transfer of electricity
Attainment targets Level A: Give examples of everyday Level D: Describe how electrical energy is
appliances that use electricity. distributed to our homes.
Level A: Identify some of the common
dangers associated with the use of
electricity.
Teaching points

Level A
• Distinguish between appliances that use mains and battery power, and those that can use both.
• Discuss why electricity is important in our lives.
• Dangers of using electricity include wet hands exposed to faulty wiring, overloaded sockets, using faulty
equipment, tripping over leads, burns from cookers and kettles, and food mixers.
Level D
• The end of this clip could be used to support teaching about the role of electrical sub-stations in the distribution
of electricity in towns and cities.

Follow-up activities

• Explore the classroom and identify appliances that use mains electricity.
• Make picture sets of electrical appliances that have to be plugged in.
• Make a display of items that are battery operated.
• Identify electrical dangers in a picture of a kitchen.

Ages 7-9

1. Teeth and eating (7-8)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces Living things and the processes of life
outcomes
Strands Conversion and transfer of The processes of life Interaction of living things
energy with their environment
Attainment targets Level B: Give examples of Level C: Name the life Level B: Give examples of
being ‘energetic’. processes common to feeding relationships found in
Level B: Link the intake of humans and other animals. the local environment.
food to the movement of their Level D: Outline the process
body. of digestion.

Teaching points

This clip contains material which can be used to deliver several linked areas of both the science and health curricula, and
is also appropriate for use at different levels.

Conversion and transfer of energy

• Establish the link between energy and activity. Note examples of humans and other animals being energetic in
the clip.
• Establish that food is the ‘fuel’ for movement.
Physical health (Health Education Curriculum link)
• Humans and other animals need to feed to grow, be active and to repair their bodies.
• Regular exercise, a balanced diet and looking after your teeth are important factors in a healthy lifestyle.
• The importance of tooth care in avoiding tooth decay and gum disease should be highlighted.
Teeth and digestion
• In humans, most food first undergoes mechanical breakdown in the mouth using teeth.
• Humans have two different sets of teeth (temporary or milk teeth and permanent teeth).
• There are 4 different types of teeth: incisors for biting, canines for cutting and tearing and premolars and molars
for crushing and grinding. Children should relate structure to the function of teeth in humans as well as in the
different animals shown in the clip.
Feeding relationships
• The clip offers opportunities to look at variation in the diets of different animals. There are examples of
vegetarians, carnivores and omnivores as well as highlighting some differences in the diets of juvenile and adult
animals.
Follow-up activities

• Investigate energy levels in food. Check the packaging; energy is usually measured in kJ (kilojoules) or kcal
(kilocalories).
• Examine the different types of teeth using a dental mirror and/or a model of a set of human teeth.
• Find out about the feeding habits of a range of animals and where possible link to teeth type, eg horses, rabbits,
cats.

2. Moving and growing (8-9)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces Living things and the processes of life
outcomes
Strands Conversion and transfer of Variety and characteristic The processes of life
energy features
Attainment targets Level B: Give examples of Level C: Give some of the Level C: Name the life
being ‘energetic’. more obvious distinguishing processes common to
Level B: Link the intake of features of the five vertebrate humans and other animals
food to the movement of their groups.
body. Level C: Name some
common members of the
vertebrate groups.

Teaching points

Being energetic
• Establish the link between energy and activity.
• Link ‘being energetic’ to high activity levels.
Support and movement
• The body is supported internally by a skeleton made up of many bones.
• The skeleton also has a protective function: the rib cage the heart and lungs, the skull protects the brain, and
the spinal column protects the spinal chord.
• Certain bones are jointed to allow movement.
• Movement is achieved by muscles pulling on the bones to which they are attached by tendons.
• Muscles act across joints to move limbs.
• Muscles can only shorten, ie contract: they do not stretch.
Vertebrates
• Although the clip contains material on both vertebrates and invertebrates, it is probably better to focus on the
characteristics of vertebrates.
• Vertebrates all have a vertebral column.
• The five groups of vertebrates are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
• The skeleton of a young animal grows as the animal grows. Contrast this with the exoskeleton of many
invertebrates which has to be shed as the animal grows.
Staying healthy (Health Education Curriculum link)
• Establish the links between food intake, exercise and staying healthy.

Follow-up activities

Being energetic
• Identify people that are particularly energetic.
• Give examples of the things that energetic people do.
• Investigate the energy levels on packaging (usually measured in kJ (kilojoules) or kcal (kilocalories).
• Collect adverts for ‘foods that give you energy’.
• Discuss the importance of eating some ‘energy food’ before coming to school.
Support and movement
• Encourage children to talk about and feel the bones in their own bodies.
• Look at skeletons of humans and other vertebrates (real/models and pictures in books and on the computer).
• Investigate the movement of different joints.
Vertebrates
 • Use reference material to identify and name common members of each of the five vertebrate groups.
• Begin to use simple keys to identify vertebrates.
Staying healthy
• Encourage pupils to think through the consequences of their decisions on eating.
• Discuss the importance of exercise in a healthy lifestyle.

3. Helping plants grow well (7-8)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcome
Strand The processes of life
Attainment targets Level A: Give the conditions needed by animals and plants in order to remain healthy.
Level B: Recognise stages in the life cycles of familiar plants and animals.
Level B: Identify the main parts of flowering plants.
Level C: Describe the broad functions of the main parts of flowering plants.

Teaching points

• Identify the main parts of flowering plants (roots, stems, leaves, flowers, seeds).
• Seeds require air, moisture and a suitable temperature for germination.
• Plant roots absorb water and minerals and give anchorage to the plant.
• Stems transport water upwards to the leaves and sugar downwards from the leaves. They also have a support
function.
• Plants produce most of their food in the leaves.
• Recognise that trees and grasses are also flowering plants.
• Establish the stages in the life-cycle of a flowering plant (seed-seedling-mature plant).

Follow-up activities

• Discuss what the plants shown in the clip needed to remain healthy.
• Observe a variety of different flowering plants looking closely at the external features.
• Identify roots, stem, leaves, buds and flowers.
• Note variation in root types, leaf shapes and number of flowers.
• Observe the movement of coloured water through a cut celery stem.
• Investigate plant growth under different conditions, eg dark/light, changing watering regimes, temperature
effects.
• Sow seeds and observe their growth from seed through to flowering and collection of seeds.

4. Habitats (8-9)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcome
Strand Interaction of living things with their environment
Attainment targets Level B: Give examples of feeding relationships found in the local environment.
Level B: Construct simple food chains.
Level C: Explain how living things and the environment can be protected and give examples.
Level D: Give examples of how plants and animals are suited to their environment

Teaching points

Habitats
• A habitat is the place an organism lives.
 • A habitat can range from a wide expanse of desert to a small crack in some paving or a small area on the
surface of our skin.
Feeding relationships
• Develop awareness of what common familiar animals eat and where they find their food.
• Establish that the source of all energy for food chains is sunlight.
• Green plants produce food using energy from the Sun.
• Food contains stored energy. Animals have to eat to obtain energy.
• Herbivores are animals that eat plants. Carnivores are animals that eat other animals. Omnivores are animals
that eat both plants and animals.
• The arrows used in conventional food chain diagrams indicate direction of flow of energy (where the energy
comes from) and may replace the phrase ‘is eaten by’ eg grass -> rabbit -> fox.
• Know the terms predator and prey.
• Introduce the terms ‘producer’ and ‘consumer’ (plants ‘produce’ food and animals ‘consume’ it).

Protecting living things and the environment

• Conservation seeks to ensure that the environment is protected and/or managed so that it continues to provide
suitable conditions for plants and animals.
• The purpose of conservation is to manage the interaction between humans and their environment, not to
prohibit the interaction.

Follow-up activities

Habitats
• Explore the local environment and identify a variety of animals and plants together with a description of their
habitats.
• Use secondary sources to explore contrasting habitats that may not occur in the locality eg seashore, river,
woodland, to illustrate the range of animals and plants living there.
• Identify a range of habitats in the local environment. Note the features of these habitats and relate them to ways
in which the organisms seem to be suited to living there.
Feeding relationships
• Visit shrubs and trees in the local area to observe animals such as insects feeding on plants.
• Observe birds at a feeder eating seeds.
• Construct simple food chains for local organisms and for animals and plants from other habitats that have been
studied.
Protecting living things and the environment
• Explore the reasons behind not removing animals or plants from their habitats, or of returning them to collection
sites.
• Explore personal responsibility for environmental protection and suggest ways in which families and the school
can lessen potentially harmful impacts on the environment.
• Ask pupils to prepare a presentation or write a letter opposing a change that would alter a habitat, eg draining a
pond, felling some woodland.

5. Characteristics of materials (7-8)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcome
Strands Materials from Earth
Attainment targets Level A: Recognise and name some common materials from living and non-living sources.
Level A: Give examples of uses of some materials based on simple properties.
Level B: Make observations of differences in the properties of common materials.
Level B: Relate uses of everyday materials to properties.

Teaching points

• Wood, paper, wool, leather, coal, oil and most of our food come from living things.
• Materials from non-living sources include those that are naturally occurring such as rock, sand, water and tar,
and those that are manufactured, such as brick, concrete, glass, plastic and steel.
• Use the senses to elicit appropriate vocabulary: hard, soft, rough, smooth, warm, cold, light, heavy, stretchy,
bendy etc.
• Elastic bands, sticks of chalk and pieces of sandpaper yield ready links between properties and use.
 • Consider properties such as strength, flexibility, insulation and conduction, magnetism and resistance.

Follow-up activities

• Collect common materials that are obtained from living things.

• Make links between examples of common materials and pictures of their living sources, eg cotton socks linked
to cotton plants.
• Set up an interest table with materials grouped according to source (living or non-living).
• Explore a variety of materials by twisting, stretching, bending or squashing.
• Find a use for a common material and talk about why we use it in this way.
• Make simple observations of differences in properties of common materials using a ‘feely box’.
• Do a survey of materials around the school that have been used for a particular purpose.
• Investigate the hardness of different woods or the strength of different threads.
• Compare the water resistance of different materials.

6. Keeping warm (8-9)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space Energy and forces

outcome
Strands Materials from Changing materials Properties and uses of energy
Earth
Attainment targets Level B: Relate uses Level B: Describe Level D: Distinguish between heat and
of everyday materials how everyday temperature.
to properties. materials can be
changed by heating
or cooling.

Teaching points

Heating and cooling materials

• Heat is a form of energy. It is used for lots of everyday things like keeping warm, heating water and cooking
food.
• Heat energy does not stay still. It spreads out from hotter things to cooler things until both are the same
temperature.
• A metal spoon feels cool to touch, but if it is placed in a mug of warm water it warms up. This is because heat
from the water travels through the spoon and is called conduction. Metals are good conductors of heat. Other
solids such as plastic are poor conductors of heat and are called insulators.
Heat and temperature
• Temperature tells us how hot an object is. However, this does not tell us how much heat energy is present. A
o o
mug of water at 45 C has a temperature of 45 C and a certain amount of heat energy. If a second mug of water
o
at 45 C is added to the first the temperature remains the same but the amount of heat energy has been
doubled.

Follow-up activities

Materials
• Try to keep a drink hot in cups made of paper, metal, plastic, glass and polystyrene.
• Feel the difference in spoons made from metal, plastic and wood when they are placed in a mug of warm water.
• Leave a hot and a cold drink in the same place for a few hours. Monitor the temperatures of both drinks and the
room. The drinks will eventually reach the same temperature, ie room temperature.
Heat and temperature
• Measure temperature using a variety of different thermometers, including digital sensors interfaced with a
computer.
• Measure the temperature of warm water in a mug and at intervals as it cools, keeping clear record of the
results. Give an explanation of the drop in temperature, referring to the heat energy that is being lost.
• Repeat the experiment using a variety of materials which show differing insulation properties.
7. Rocks and soils (7-8)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcome
Strand Materials from Earth
Attainment targets Level B: Make observations of differences in the properties of common materials.
Level B: Relate uses of everyday materials to properties.
Level D: Give examples of useful materials that we obtain from the Earth’s crust.
Level D: Describe how soils are formed.

Teaching points

Level B
• Use this clip in conjunction with the clip on Changing materials to gain further knowledge of the properties,
origins and uses of different types of stone.
Level D
• Develop awareness that the same material can be ‘sand’, ‘pebbles’, ‘stone’ and ‘rock’.
• Rocks can be worn away by a process called weathering. There are two types of weathering:
o Mechanical: breaking rocks into fragments without changing the chemical make-up of the rock.
o Chemical: this involves a chemical change in at least some of the minerals in a rock.
No movement away from the rock site is involved in weathering.
• Erosion is the movement of rock particles loosened by the weathering process. This can be by gravity, or some
flowing agent such as air, water or ice.
• Calcium carbonate will dissolve in water and can be deposited in caves as either stalactites (hanging from the
roof of a cave), or stalagmites (standing as pillars on the floor of caves).
• Weathered rocks combine with leaf litter, etc, to form different types of soils.

Follow-up activities

Level B
• Use a collection of different types of stone to describe features such as texture, hardness and colour, and make
links to uses.
• Look at buildings and other structures in the local environment to identify different stones.
Level D
• Observe, examine and compare rocks and building materials in the local environment.
• Observe and group a collection of rocks in terms of texture and appearance.
• Use secondary sources to explore the uses of different rocks and link these to their characteristics.
• Investigate ease of wearing away by rubbing two stones together (take care that rocks are rubbed gently and
use goggles so that particles don’t get into pupils’ eyes).
• Test permeability by dropping small quantities of water onto the surface.
• Examine samples of different kinds of soils and observe and record differences in colour, texture etc.

8. Solids and liquids (8-9)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcome
Strands Materials from Earth Changing materials
Attainment targets Level C: Describe the differences between Level B: Describe how everyday materials
solids, liquids and gases. can be changed by heating or cooling.
Level C: Give some everyday uses of solids, Level C: Describe in simple terms the
liquids and gases. changes that occur when water is heated or
cooled.
Level C: Describe how solids of different
sizes can be separated.
Teaching points

Solids and liquids and gases

• A solid has a definite shape – even if it can be easily changed.
• A liquid takes up the shape of its container.
• Solids are widely used for building, furnishing, clothing, car manufacture etc
• Liquids are used in drinks, paints and many foods where the liquid might flow only very slowly, such as ketchup
and honey.
Heating and cooling materials
• Use the clip to establish that many solids will melt to form a liquid but will solidify again if cooled sufficiently. No
new materials are formed.
• Different materials melt at different temperatures.
• Observe and discuss the different properties of solids and liquids.
• When water freezes to form a solid (ice), it increases in volume and floats in liquid water.
Separating materials
• Particles of different sizes can be separated by sieving.
• Suspended solids can be removed from water by filtering.
• Dissolved materials can be separated by evaporation of the water.

Follow-up activities

Solids and liquids

• Examine a set of solid objects and decide what features they have in common.
• Pour a given volume of water into a series of containers of different shape and describe what happens.
Heating and cooling materials
• Examine a set of solid objects and decide what features they have in common.
• Suggest what will happen when some materials (eg butter, chocolate, wax) are gently warmed and cooled. Test
these predictions in a simple way.
• Make ice cubes: note the increase in volume and how much the cubes float above the surface of water (relate
to problems with frozen pipes and to ice bergs).
• Design an investigation, using ice cubes, to find the warmest place in the school/classroom.
Separating materials
• Use a kitchen sieve to separate peas and sand.
• Investigate ways of separating an undissolved solid (eg sand) from water.
• Examine filter paper under a microscope to show the holes between the fibres.
• Reclaim salt or sugar from water by evaporating the water.
• Challenge pupils to obtain some clean water from muddy water.
• Investigate methods used in water purification.

9. Circuits and conductors (8-9)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcome
Strands Properties and uses of energy Conversion and transfer of energy
Attainment targets Level A: Give examples of everyday Level C: Describe the energy conversions in
appliances that use electricity. the components of an electrical circuit.
Level A: Identify some of the common .
dangers associated with the use of electricity.
Level C: Construct simple battery-operated
circuits, identifying the main components.
Level C: Classify materials as electrical
conductors or insulators and describe how
these are related to the safe use of electricity.

Teaching points

Properties and uses of energy

Level A
• Identify a range of appliances in the home and at school that operate using electricity.
• Distinguish between appliances which operate using mains and battery power, and those that can use both.
 • Use the clip to identify possible dangers associated with the use of electricity.
Level C
• To work, a circuit must be complete and connected to both terminals of a live battery.
• The direction of flow of an electrical current is in one direction from the positive (+) terminal to the negative (-)
terminal. The flow occurs throughout the circuit, including the battery itself.
• Copper wires can become dull in colour due to a reaction with air. They will work better if the ends are cleaned
with fine sandpaper.
• Metals and graphite (the ‘lead’ in pencils) conduct electricity. Glass, rubber, plastic and wood are insulators;
they do not allow electricity through.
• Insulators are found in switches, plugs and light bulbs.
• Water is a good conductor, so wet hands pose a danger when operating a switch.
Conversion and transfer of energy
• Electrical energy can be converted to sound, light, movement and heat.

Follow-up activities

Properties and uses of energy

Level A
• Make a display of items that are battery operated.
• Draw pictures to show some of the dangers of electricity (tripping over leads, faulty wiring, wet hands,
overloaded sockets, fingers near sockets, poking objects into sockets, burns etc).
• Identify electrical dangers in a picture of a kitchen.
Level C
• Construct circuits to operate a lamp, a buzzer and an electric motor.
• Make simple switches and use them in circuits with bulbs and buzzers.
• Investigate how the brightness of a bulb might be changed in a circuit.
• Make drawings of the circuit.
• Find out what materials allow electricity to pass through them, using a lamp in the circuit as the indicator of
current flow.
• Explore ways in which insulating materials are used to allow safe use of electricity.
Conversion and transfer of energy
• Investigate energy changes in simple electrical circuits. Include bells, lamps, motors and buzzers to
demonstrate the conversion of electricity into sound, light and movement.

10. Magnets and springs (7-8)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcome
Strand Forces and their effects
Attainment targets Level B: Describe the effect that a push and pull can have on the direction, speed or shape of
an object.
Level B: Give examples of magnets in everyday use.
Level B: Describe the interaction of magnets in terms of the forces of attraction and repulsion.

Teaching points

Push and pull

• Use the opening sequence to identify a variety of uses for springs.
• Within limits, when springs are pushed or pulled they return to their original shapes.
Magnets
• Magnetism is an invisible force that pulls some metals towards the source of the magnetism.
• Introduce the terms north and south pole and mark the north poles of magnets.
• The power of a magnet is strongest at the poles.
• Reinforce the idea of a force as a pull or push and use these descriptions along with the terms ‘attraction’ and
‘repulsion’.
• Through investigation, make the generalisation that ‘like poles repel’ and ‘unlike poles attract’.
Follow-up activities

Push and pull

• Investigate how far different springs can be pulled before they do not return to their original shapes.
Magnets
• Play with magnets and talk about what makes them special.
• Make a collection of magnets in everyday use.
• Investigate what materials can be picked up by a magnet.
• Find out what happens when two bar magnets are put together.
• Test the strength of different magnets.
• Examine a range of devices that use permanent magnets, eg magnetic kitchen door catches, magnetic
screwdrivers and compasses. Less familiar uses of magnetism include loudspeakers, tape recorders and TVs.
• Find out which materials are magnetic and which are not.

11. Friction (8-9)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcome
Strand Forces and their effects
Attainment targets Level C: Give some examples of friction.
Level C: Explain friction in simple terms.
Level C: Describe air resistance in terms of friction.
Level D: Give some examples of streamlining and explain how this lowers resistance.

Teaching points

Friction
• When one surface rubs on another, a force opposes movement. This is called friction.
• Friction slows things down or stops movement.
• Where two smooth surfaces are in contact the amount of friction is low. The uneven surface of a trainer causes
more resistance and high friction. This could be linked to bald tyres and road safety.
• The advantages and disadvantages of friction should be considered.
• When a parachute and air rub together, friction is produced to slow the fall.
Streamlining
• Introduce the term ‘streamlining’ (the shape calculated to cause least resistance). The trend is towards
smoother, rounded shapes so that air can slip by to create minimal friction.

Follow-up activities

Friction
• Compare running in the gym with trainers and in stockinged feet, look at brakes on a bicycle, a slide in the park,
sandpaper on wood, ice cubes on a smooth floor etc.
• Classify examples into ‘high friction’ and ‘low friction’ and identify situations where they may be useful.
• Find out why door hinges, wheels, bicycle chains etc are oiled.
• Investigate movement on a smooth and a rough surface using a force meter.
• Make simple parachutes and discuss what happens to slow their fall.
• Investigate the factors that influence the rate of fall of model parachutes.
Streamlining
• Collect pictures/models of cars from the 1920s to the present day and explain the major changes in terms of
streamlining.
• Illustrate streamlining in aircraft.
• Investigate how the shape of an object affects its rate of fall through a liquid.
12. Light and shadow (7-8)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space Energy and forces

outcome
Strands Earth in space Properties and uses of energy
Attainment targets Level A: Link the pattern of day and night to Level C: Link light to shadow formation.
the position of the Sun.
Level B: Describe how day and night are
related to the spin of the Earth.

Teaching points

Day and night

• Link darkness to the absence of light from the Sun.
• Introduce the concept of the Earth spinning so that a specified place, eg Britain, alternately faces towards and
away from the Sun (source of light and heat).
• Link the spinning of Earth to the passage of time.
• One complete rotation of Earth is completed in 24 hours.
Light and shadows
• Objects which let light pass through them are transparent. Those which don’t are opaque.
• If light can’t pass through an object, then on the unlit side there is an area where light is missing. This shows up
as a darkened area, a shadow.
• The length of a shadow depends on the position of the light source.

Follow-up activities

Day and night

• At a window, view the motion of the Sun across the sky, using sticky paper discs to record the observations
made at intervals throughout the school day (stress the importance of not looking directly at the Sun).
• Use a globe to introduce the idea of the spinning motion of the Earth (anticlockwise).
• Use a torch as a source of light (the Sun) to illustrate day and night on a globe.
Light and shadows
• On a sunny day, use shadow sticks to investigate shadow direction and length over a period of time.
• Investigate the relationship between height of an object and shadow length.
• Test predictions about shadow formation on a range of materials that are opaque (plastic bottles, acetate
sheets), or translucent (fine net, thin nylon, greaseproof paper).

Ages 9-11

1. Life Cycles (9-10)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands The processes of life
Attainment targets Level D: Describe the main stages in human reproduction.
Level D: Describe the main stages in flowering-plant reproduction.

Teaching points

In addition to helping to deliver attainment targets from the science curriculum, this clip can also be used to support the
delivery of sex education outcomes specified in the Health Education curriculum.

Flowering-plant reproduction
• Establish that the flower is the reproductive organ of the plant.
 • Petals of insect-pollinated plants are usually brightly coloured and often scented. Those of wind-pollinated
plants are usually reduced or absent.
• The stamen is the male part of the flower and produces pollen (containing male gametes)
• The stigma, style and ovary form the female part of the plant. The ovary contains eggs (ovules), which are
female gametes.
• After fertilisation, the ovary forms the fruit, which contains seeds.
• Dispersal methods of seeds are by wind, water, explosions or by animals.
• The structure of fruits and seeds reflect adaptations to their mode of dispersal.
• Emphasise the stages in the life cycle of a flowering-plant (seed dispersal, germination, growth, flower
production, pollination, fruit/seed production, seed dispersal).
Human reproduction
This clip gives general information on mammalian reproduction, including the gestation (pregnancy) times of a variety of
mammals and the assisted birth of a foal.
• When an egg (female gamete) is fertilised by a sperm (male gamete), the resulting fertilised cell starts to divide.
• After about 10 weeks a human embryo is recognisable as a fully formed baby.
• Over the next 30 weeks the baby continues to grow and mature.
• Birth in humans occurs after about 40 weeks.

Follow-up activities

Flowering-plant reproduction
• Examine a variety of flowers to find the female parts.
• Examine the flowers to find the anthers containing pollen grains.
• Make drawings or models to show the process of pollination (insect and wind).
• Examine a variety of fruits to find the seeds.
• Examine a variety of seeds and discuss seed-dispersal mechanisms.
• Examine plants in situ in the local environment.
Human reproduction
• Make a flowchart showing the stages in the sequence from fertilisation to birth.

2. Keeping healthy (9-10)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands The processes of life
Attainment targets Level C: Identify the main organs of the human body.
Level D: Describe the role of lungs in breathing.

Teaching points

• This clip contains material which is predominantly linked to the Health Education Curriculum (the role of different
categories of food in a balanced diet, the importance of exercise and the adverse effects of smoking on lung
function).
• There is a short sequence that gives limited information on the position and role of the lungs in breathing.
Emphasis is on transporting oxygen via the blood to different parts of the body so that energy can be released
from food, and on the adverse effects of smoking on lung function.

Follow-up activities

• Investigate breathing rates at rest and after exercise. Link with changes in pulse rate.
3. Interdependence and adaptation (10-11)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands Interaction of living things with their environment
Attainment targets Level D: Give examples of how plants and animals are suited to their environment.
Level D: Explain how responses to changes in the environment might increase the chance of
survival.

Teaching points

• The reactions that plants and animals make to stimuli are known as responses.
• Animals often react quickly and through movements that are easily observed, while plant responses are usually
much slower and often involve growth responses that are not immediately apparent.
• Much of the behaviour that animals exhibit enables them to increase their chances of survival and thus to breed
successfully. For example, woodlice, slugs and millipedes are mainly found in moist and shady places and have
behavioural responses to stimuli such as strong light and low humidity that enable them to improve their chance
of survival.
• Living things are normally found in particular habitats. The success of these organisms is due to a number of
adaptations that help them to cope with the demands of the environment and to compete successfully for
resources.
• The success of organisms in particular habitats is due to chance changes that have conferred benefits on
individual organisms and hence helped them to survive.

Follow-up activities

• Explore the local environment and range of habitats to identify plants and animals.
• Note features of the habitats and relate these to ways in which the organisms seem to be suited to living there.
• Use secondary sources to investigate special adaptations that animals and plants exhibit that help them to
survive.

4. Micro organisms (10-11)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Living things and the processes of life

outcomes
Strands Variety and characteristic features
Attainment targets Level E: Give the main distinguishing features of micro organisms.

Teaching points

• This clip contains material which can be used to deliver linked areas in both the science and health curricula.
• Care must be taken to adhere to the safety guidelines outlined in the Be Safe booklet.
• Consider both the beneficial and harmful effects of micro organisms.

Follow-up activities

• Use secondary sources to research micro organisms and their role in disease, decay and food production.
• Make simple yeast dough and observe and measure the increase in volume in a variety of conditions.
• Grow fungi on bread sealed in Petri dishes. Measure growth over a period of time.
5. Gases around us (9-10)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcomes
Strands Materials from Earth
Attainment targets Level C: Describe the differences between solids, liquids and gases.
Level C: Give some everyday uses of solids, liquids and gases.
Level D: Name the gases of the atmosphere and describe some of their uses.

Teaching points

• Gas takes up space but has no definite shape: it fills any container.
• Some gases are lighter than air (eg helium), others are heavier (eg carbon dioxide).
• Many gases are colourless, but some such as chlorine and bromine have distinct colours.
• Gases are used in fizzy drinks, perfumes, spray cans, tyres and balloons.
• Consider safety issues: some gases make explosive mixtures, eg petrol vapour at filling stations (discuss why
smoking and mobile phones are banned on the forecourt).
• Air is a mixture of gases.
• Nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%) are the major constituents of the atmosphere. Argon is the third major at 1%,
whilst carbon dioxide makes up a surprisingly small 0.03%.
• Uses for these gases include nitrogen for freezing food, oxygen for breathing and combustion, argon for filling
light bulbs (it does not burn) and carbon dioxide for fizzy drinks and fire extinguishers.

Follow-up activities

• Discuss the nature of air.

• Push an upturned jam jar into water to show that air takes up space.
• Balance two uninflated balloons on a coat hanger, then blow one up and demonstrate that a highly inflated
balloon weighs more.
• Use secondary sources to find out about a range of gases and their uses. Present findings in a poster or
information leaflet.

6. Changing state (9-10)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcomes
Strands Materials from Earth Changing materials
Attainment targets Level C: Describe the differences between Level C: Describe in simple terms the
solids, liquids and gases. changes that occur when water is heated and
cooled.
Level D: Explain how evaporation and
filtration can be used in the separation of
solids from liquids.

Teaching points

• Establish the three states of water: solid (ice), liquid, and gas (water vapour).
• Liquid water ‘freezes’ to form ice, and ice ‘melts’ to form liquid water.
• When water freezes, it increases in volume and floats in water.
• Temperature affects the state of water: at normal atmospheric pressure, it forms a solid at 0oC and a gas at
o
100 C, although water slowly gives off water vapour at room temperatures. The warmer it is the faster the
change to water vapour.
• Condensation is the change of a vapour into a liquid.
• Evaporation is the change of state of a liquid into a vapour at a temperature below the boiling point of the liquid.
• Temperature and air movement affect the rates of evaporation and condensation.
 • As water vapour rises, it cools and turns back into droplets of water and forms clouds. As clouds rise, they get
cooler and the size of the droplets increases until they fall as rain. In very cold conditions the droplets freeze to
form snowflakes or hailstones.
• The evaporation of water from the Earth’s surface and its return to the ground as precipitation is known as the
water cycle.
• When a substance dissolves in a liquid a solution is formed. The substance that dissolves is the ‘solute’ and the
liquid it dissolves in the ‘solvent’.
• A solute can be separated from water by evaporating off the water. If the water vapour is condensed and
collected (distillation), then it too can be recovered from the solution.

Follow-up activities

• Make ice cubes: note the increase in volume and how much of the cube floats above the surface of water
(relate to problems with frozen pipes and to icebergs).
• Record and explain what is seen when steam from a kettle meets a cool surface and when a drinks can is taken
out of the refrigerator.
• Use a model to demonstrate the water cycle.

7. Reversible and irreversible changes (10-11)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcomes
Strands Changing materials
Attainment targets Level B: Give examples of everyday materials that dissolve in water.
Level C: Describe changes when materials are mixed.
Level C: Describe how solids of different sizes can be separated.
Level C: Distinguish between soluble and insoluble materials.
Level D: Explain how evaporation and filtration can be used In the separation of solids from
liquids.

Teaching points

• Some substances dissolve in liquid and some do not.

• The substance that dissolves is a ‘solute’, the liquid it dissolves in a ‘solvent’ and a ‘solution’ is made.
• Anything that dissolves is ‘soluble’. Different substances have different solubilities in water.
• If a material remains in water as solid particles then it is ‘insoluble’. Materials in dried tea dissolve to make a
clear but coloured solution (but solid tea-leaf pieces remain in the bag). Coffee does not really dissolve because
the liquid is not clear: small solid pieces spread through the water making it murky (though some part of the
coffee does dissolve).
• Materials that dissolve in water can be transported by water movement.
• Insoluble solids can be separated from liquids by filtration.
• Soluble materials can be separated from solutes by evaporation.
• When some materials are mixed together, a chemical reaction takes place and new material is produced. In
most cases the process is considered to be irreversible.
• Changes in temperature, colour, production of a gas or a precipitate all indicate that a chemical reaction has
taken place.

Follow-up activities

• Soluble materials can be separated from solutes by evaporation.

• Find out which materials dissolve best in water.
• Use technical terms to predict what happens when a teabag or a spoonful of instant coffee is placed in a cup of
hot water.
• Plan investigations to find out what might help a solid dissolve faster, eg stirring, particle size, temperature of
water, volume of water.
• Investigate whether or not there is a limit to the amount of solid that will dissolve in water (saturated solutions
are formed when no further material will dissolve).
 • Observe what happens when baking soda and vinegar are mixed and when a fizzy hangover tablet is placed in
water.

8. Changing circuits (10-11)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Properties and uses of energy
Attainment targets Level D: Construct a series circuit following diagrams using conventional symbols.
Level D: Describe the effects of changing the number of components in a series circuit.
Level E: Construct a parallel circuit following diagrams.

Teaching points

• Use the term ‘series’ to convey the idea that the electricity flows through the components in turn, returning
through the battery to complete the circuit.
• Introduce the idea of circuit diagrams and the use of symbols to represent components (include battery, wire,
bulb, switch, motor, bell and buzzer).
• If more batteries are added to a circuit (remember + to -) then a bulb becomes brighter.
• If too much electricity flows, the bulb will ‘burn out’.
• Bulbs are made to match a certain number of batteries.
• The more bulbs in a series circuit the less bright they become.
• If one bulb ‘blows’ in a series circuit the circuit is broken and no other bulbs will light.
• A parallel circuit is built by producing branches that can be switched independently.
• All household appliances are connected in parallel.
• Emphasise the dangers associated with the misuse of mains electricity.

Follow-up activities

• Introduce symbols with matching exercises.

• Construct different circuits to match diagrams provided.
• Construct a simple set of traffic lights.
• Investigate the match between different batteries and bulbs.

9. Forces in action (10-11)

5-14 Curriculum links: Science

Attainment Earth and space Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Earth in space Forces and their effects
Attainment targets Level D: Give some Level D: Describe the relationship between the Earth’s gravity
examples of the approaches and the weight of an object.
taken to space exploration Level E: Explain how gravity on other planets and the Moon
affects the weight of an object.

Teaching points

• Gravity is the name of the force that causes all objects to attract one another and which pulls objects towards
the centre of the Earth.
• Gravity makes objects accelerate towards the ground at the same rate, regardless of their weight (take care
when carrying out experiments on this as air resistance can slow down objects to varying extents).
• Weight is the force of gravity of an object – it depends on both the strength of gravity and the amount of matter
that makes up the object. Thus the weight of an object will vary with the strength of gravity on different planets.
• Weight is measured in Newtons (N).
 • Mass tells you how much there is of a substance and it is not affected by gravity.
• The larger the mass of a planet, the greater its gravitational force. Thus in our solar system, Jupiter has the
greatest gravity and Mars the least.
• The Moon has a gravity one sixth that on Earth.
• When astronauts go into space they experience ‘weightlessness’ and float about. The spacecraft and
astronauts are in fact in ‘free-fall’. That is, they are ‘falling’ towards the Earth but never reach it because of the
speed of the spacecraft in orbit and the curvature of the Earth. What this means is that the astronauts are
apparently weightless because they are ‘falling’ at the same speed as the spacecraft.

Follow-up activities

• Find out what happens when a golf ball and a ping pong ball are released at the same time from a height of 2m.
• Establish the link between weight and gravity by using a forcemeter to weigh everyday objects.
• Find out which of the planets of the Solar System have the strongest and the weakest ‘gravitational fields’.
• Discuss the gravitational aspects of a manned moon-landing by considering each stage of the flight.
• Research the effects of taking everyday objects to the Moon.

10. Changing sounds (9-10)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Properties and uses of energy
Attainment targets Level C: Link sound to sources of vibration.
Level D: Use the terms ‘pitch’ and ‘volume’ to describe sound.

Teaching points

• A sound is made when something moves backwards and forwards very quickly. This is called vibration.
• When something vibrates, it makes the air around it vibrate too. The sound you hear is carried by the vibrating
air.
• If there is no air surrounding a vibrating object, then the sound cannot be heard, eg in outer space or in a
vacuum on Earth.
• The further you are from a sound, the quieter it seems.
• Sound vibrations can also travel through solids and liquids, eg wood and water.
• How high or low a sound is, is called its ‘pitch’.
• Higher sounds are made by shortening the length of a string or the length of a column of vibrating air.
• Thinner strings of the same length make higher sounds than thicker ones as the frequency of vibrations is
higher in the thinner string.

Follow-up activities

• Make sounds in a variety of ways, including the use of simple musical instruments.
• Observe and feel a range of vibrations, eg a drum, a twanging ruler, a plucked elastic band, dried rice bouncing
on a drum skin when struck with a stick, a humming tuning fork touched to water, a stereo speaker, their larynx
(to feel vocal cords vibrating as air passes over them).
• Investigate the effects of string length, thickness and applied weights to the pitch of a sound.

11. How we see things (10-11)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Energy and forces

outcomes
Strands Properties and uses of energy
Attainment targets Level C: Give examples of light being reflected from surfaces.
Teaching points

• Light only travels in straight lines. When it hits a shiny object it bounces back: ie it is reflected.
• Shiny surfaces reflect a great deal of light. Dull surfaces reflect very little.
• Mirrors are excellent reflectors. Rough surfaces are poorer than smooth (so we polish surfaces to make them
brighter).
• If surfaces are not flat, then light is scattered.
• The colour and type of material will influence the amount of light it reflects.
• We use reflective clothing so that we can be seen at night (road safety).

Follow-up activities

• Shine a torch on a variety of surfaces in a large cardboard box and record the results.
• Discuss/explore the use of reflector strips on clothes and bags.

12. Earth, Sun and Moon (9-10)

5-14 Science Curriculum links

Attainment Earth and space

outcomes
Strands Earth in space
Attainment targets Level E: Explain day, month and year in terms of the relative motion of the Sun, the Earth and
the Moon.

Teaching points

• The Moon orbits the spinning Earth that is itself in orbit around the Sun. Good evidence of these relationships
comes from a solar eclipse when the Earth, Moon and Sun are aligned, with the Moon preventing sunlight from
reaching us.
• The Earth takes 24h to complete one turn on its axis (in an anticlockwise direction).
• On Earth, a lunar month represents the time taken for the Moon to orbit Earth (28 days).
• On Earth one year is the time taken for the Earth to orbit the Sun (365.25 days). 4 x 0.25 = an extra day every
leap year.
• Introduce the inclination of the Earth’s axis to explain the seasons.
• Introduce light years to measure vast distances. A light year is the distance that light, travelling at 300,000 km
per second, covers in one year. Light from the Sun takes only 8.3 minutes to reach us, representing a very short
distance in terms of space.

Follow-up activities

• Use models of the Earth, Moon and Sun to illustrate day, lunar month, year and the seasons.
• Record the changes in the shape of the Moon over a month and use models to illustrate and explain the
phases.