Knowledge and skills:

During Year 5 & Year 6 the children learn about the following scientific areas:

Working scientifically

The children learn to:

• plan different types of scientific enquiry;
• control variables in an enquiry;
• measure accurately and precisely using a range of equipment;
• record data and results using scientific diagrams and labels, classification keys, tables, scatter graphs, bar and line graphs;
• use the outcome of test results to make predictions and set up a further comparative test;
• report findings from enquiries in a range of ways;
• explain a conclusion from an enquiry;
• explain causal relationships in an enquiry;
• relate the outcome from an enquiry to scientific knowledge in order to state whether the evidence supports or refutes an argument or theory;
• read, spell and pronounce scientific vocabulary accurately.

Biology

Animals, including humans:

The children learn to:

• create a timeline to indicate stages of growth in humans;
• identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system;
• describe the function of the heart, blood vessels and blood;
• discuss the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle on health;
• describe the ways in which nutrients and water are transported in animals, including humans.

Evolution and inheritance:

The children learn to:

• describe how the Earth and living things have changed over time;
• explain how fossils can be used to find out about the past;
• explain about reproduction and offspring (recognising that offspring normally vary and are not identical to their parents);
• explain how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment;
• link adaptation over time to evolution;
• explain evolution.

Living things and their habitats:

The children learn to:

• describe the life cycle of different living things, e.g. mammal, amphibian, insect, bird;
• describe the differences between different life cycles;
• describe the process of reproduction in plants;
• describe the process of reproduction in animals;
• classify living things into broad groups according to observable characteristics and based on similarities and differences;
• describe how living things have been classified;
• animals in a specific way.

Chemistry

Materials, properties and changes:

The children learn to:

• compare and group materials based on their properties (e.g. hardness, solubility, transparency, conductivity [electrical and thermal], and response to magnets);
• describe how a material dissolves to form a solution, explaining the process of dissolving;
• describe and show how to recover a substance from a solution;
• describe how some materials can be separated;
• demonstrate how materials can be separated (filtering, sieving and evaporating);
• know and can demonstrate that some changes are reversible and some are not;
• explain how some changes result in the formation of a new material and that this is usually irreversible;
• discuss reversible and irreversible changes;
• give evidenced reasons why materials should be used for specific purposes.

Physics

Earth and space:

The children learn to:

• describe and explain the movement of the Earth and other planets relative to the Sun;
• describe and explain the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth;
• explain and demonstrate how night and day are created;
• describe the Sun, Earth and Moon (using the term spherical).

Electricity:

The children learn to:

• explain how the number and voltage of cells in a circuit links to the brightness of a bulb or the volume of a buzzer;
• compare and give reasons for why components work and do not work in a circuit;
• draw circuit diagrams using correct symbols.

Forces:

The children learn to:

• explain what gravity is and its impact on our lives;
• identify and explain the effect of air resistance;
• identify and explain the effect of water resistance;
• identify and explain the effect of friction;
• explain how levers, pulleys and gears allow a smaller force to have a greater effect.

Light:

The children learn to:

• explain how light travels;
• explain and demonstrate how we see objects;
• explain why shadows have the same shape as the object that casts them;
• explain how simple optical instruments work (e.g. periscope, telescope, binoculars, magnifying glass, mirror, etc.).