Improving Science Education 5-14

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Approach		 ISE 5-14
Site Guide		 Interactive Guides for
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Interactive Guidelines  Social Subjects
Skills exemplification
Intro Preparing for tasks Carrying out tasks In reviewing &
reporting on tasks
Level A Level B Level C Level D Level E Level F
           
           
          pupils should show an increasing awareness of the factors that could be changed (variables) when carrying out a practical task, e.g. the amount of water, the number of sheets of kitchen roll, the time allowed.      
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preparing for tasks Carrying out tasks In reviewing &
reporting on tasks
Level A Level B Level C Level D Level E Level F
pupils should ...
be encouraged to use all their senses to observe, ... observe ... 
sort and identify, e.g. describe objects in a 'feely box' using terms such as 'soft', 'hard', 'lumpy' and 'jaggy' and notice obvious features of ...        
living things, objects
or phenomena and group by a single feature; e.g. sort the class into groups by hair colour, sort leaves by shape and phenomena, identifying distinguishing characteristics 

they should also be able to observe events and sequence their main aspects, e.g. the process of baking a cake

pupils should ...
follow simple ... be able to use simple apparatus ... be able to select and use ...
instructions, using simple techniques and equipment; e.g. collect a sample of different kinds of leaf, use a magnifying glass to watch insects and techniques to collect information; e.g. use thermo- meters to measure 'hotness', use shadow length to estimate time of day  eg. pooter, lenses, to collect information and use classification techniques to group unfamiliar things appropriate equipment and techniques to collect information; e.g. use a quadrat for sampling, use a sensor   a range of equipment and standard techniques measurements should involve them in estimating and measuring accurately to scale where appropriate
measurements should involve ...
length, weight, area, volume and time in convenient non-standard units; e.g. use string to measure the distance travelled by a toy car when pushed length, weight, time, using easily handled standard units length, weight (g, kg), time, area, volume, in standard units, selecting an appropriate unit and device them in estimating and measuring accurately distance, time, weight, area, volume, temperature, in small and large standard units, selecting appropriate measuring units and device
records can be made ...      
by drawing pictures, making lists, making pictorial charts or writing captions; e.g. draw pictures of leaves, match parts of the body with a picture drawing of the body, draw a group of animals and a group of plants. in a variety of ways that now include ... pupils should now be able to select ...
diagrams, simple charts, drawing picture sequences, completing a given table and adding to a database; e.g. make a labelled diagram of the main parts of a flowering plant, enter data about the properties of materials into a database. making sketches, completing simple tables, databases and bar graphs (given the axes), making annotated diagrams, making a sequence of pictures or photographs, making brief notes (given the headings), e.g. produce an annotated diagram to show how a reflector in a bicycle lamp works; make a flow diagram of the water cycle.  given a range of options, an appropriate way of recording findings ..
with assistance .. without assistance ..
This range now includes ... Ways of recording can now be extended to include a record of investigations in sequential stages or an event in summary form such as notes or diagrams; organising notes, data and materials for future retrieval by others, e.g. database, filing system.
making labelled and annotated sketches; constructing spreadsheet tables, databases, pie charts, line graphs and bar charts (providing own headings and axes); making an annotated sequence of photographs or illustrations. constructing graphs (defining own axes and headings), drawing diagrams using conventional symbols and writing notes and summaries (using own headings): e.g. construct a graph to show the relationship between light and growth; draw a diagram for an electrical circuit for car lights.

Preparing for tasks Carrying out tasks In reviewing &
reporting on tasks
Level A Level B Level C Level D Level E Level F
pupils might answer questions about what happened and why, e.g. What were the guinea pigs' favourite foods? Which materials were the 'stretchiest'? pupils will be able to answer questions on the meaning of the findings; e.g. 'Why did the toy car go further?'
 pupils should be able to answer questions about the content and meaning of their observations or measurements and identify possible explanations, e.g. why the motion of a toy truck was affected by changes in surface pupils should now be able to draw on their increasing scientific knowledge and understanding to provide explanations for outcomes, e.g. 'Why are the bulbs in a series circuit not as bright as those in a parallel circuit?'

pupils should be able to draw conclusions that are consistent with their findings

 pupils should now be able to establish links between the results and the original hypothesis  
pupils might participate in a classroom display of the findings or give an oral account of their part in the work, e.g. describe the animals and plants they saw on a walk round the local park. pupils should now be able to present their work in a short unstructured report (spoken or written). pupils should now be able to give a short report (spoken or written) of their findings communicating the key points clearly in an appropriate sequence, e.g. 'what I did' and 'what happened'. They should be able to make links to their original predictions. pupils should now be able to give an illustrated report organised in an appropriate sequence with appropriate illustrations describing what they did, what happened and their conclusions pupils should be able to write a systematic and structured report outlining the key stages in their investigation using appropriate illustrations and scientific vocabulary

 

 
      pupils should be able to reflect critically on the approach used and identify shortcomings. pupils should be able to reflect critically on the approach used, identify shortcomings/
limitations and suggest improvements that could be made if they were to repeat the investigation. 		pupils should now be able to evaluate a range of aspects of the investigation including relevance and reliability of evidence.