SCIENCE AT 1: Scientific enquiry
Require the systematic collection of evidence to answer questions andcreativethinking to establish links between causes and effect
L1 / With help, able to:
Follow a simple line of enquiry
Describe observations to provide evidence for their enquiry
Communicate their findings in simple ways through: talking about their work, drawings, simple charts
L2 / With support, able to:
Respond to suggestions about how to find things out
Make their own suggestions about how to collect data to answer questions
Use simple texts to find evidence that provides evidence
Use simple equipment provided (e.g. hand lenses, sand timers, simple capacity measures)
Make observations related to their task
Observe and compare objects, living things and events
Use scientific vocabulary to describe their observations
Record observations using simple tables where appropriate
Say whether what happened was what they expected
L3 / With limited support, able to:
Put forward their own ideas about how to find the answer to a question
Recognise why it is important to collect data to answer questions
Use simple texts to find information
Make relevant observations and measure quantities, such as length or mass, using a range of simple equipment
Carry out a fair test, recognising and explaining why it is fair
Record their observations in a variety of ways, e.g. table, tally chary, diagrams, graph
Provide explanations for observations and for simple patterns in recorded measurements
Communicate in a scientific way what they have found out- conclusion and simple explanation
Suggest improvements in their work
L4 / With very little support, able to:
Recognise that evidence is needed to generate scientific ideas
Generate ideas of appropriate complexity, e.g. using a fair test, carry out survey, research to answer a question
Show understanding, where appropriate, of fair testing by varying one factor while keeping others the same
Make predictions where appropriate using everyday experience
Select information from sources provided
Select suitable equipment
Make a series of observations and measurements that are adequate for the task
Record their observations, comparisons and measurements using tables and bar charts, labelling axes
Begin to plot points to form simple graphs, and use these graphs to point out and interpret patterns in their data
Begin to relate their conclusions to these patterns and to scientific knowledge and understanding
Communicate conclusions with appropriate scientific language
Suggest improvements in their work, giving reasons
L5 / Independently pupils are able to:
Describe how experimental evidence and creative thinking have been combined to provide a scientific explanation
Identify an appropriate approach when they try to answer a scientific question
Select from a range of sources of information
Identify key factors to be considered when the investigation involves a fair test
Make predictions based on their scientific knowledge and understanding
Select equipment for a range of tasks and plan to use it effectively
Make a series of observations, comparisons or measurements with precision appropriate to the task
Begin to repeat observations and measurements
Offer simple explanations for any differences they encounter
Record observations and measurements systematically and where appropriate, present data as line graphs
Draw conclusions that are consistent with the evidence and begin to relate these to scientific knowledge and understanding
Make practical suggestions about how their working methods could be improved
Use appropriate scientific language and conventions to communicate quantitative and qualitative data
L6 / Describe evidence for some accepted scientific ideas
Explain how the interpretation of evidence by scientists leads to the development and acceptance of new ideas
Use scientific knowledge and understanding to identify an appropriate approach
Select and use sources of information effectively
Make sufficient measurements, comparisons and observations for the task
Measure with precision, using instruments with fine-scale divisions
Choose scales for graphs and diagrams that enable them to show data and features effectively
Identify anomalous data
Draw conclusions that are consistent with the evidence
Use scientific knowledge and understanding to explain them
Suggest how their working method could be improved
Select and use appropriate methods for communicating qualitative and quantitative data using scientific language and conventions