Studying the human skeleton, children identify key bones and explore how muscle changes result in movement. They learn about how the body uses energy, what constitutes a balanced diet in humans and how research contributes to nutritionist expertise.

By investigating motion on different surfaces, children learn about friction and compare its uses and disadvantages. They broaden their experience in working scientifically as they investigate contact and non-contact forces. Pupils explore the properties of different magnets and apply this to understand their uses.

Observing the appearance and physical properties of rocks, children compare and group different rock samples. They learn about how fossils and soils are formed and record soil drainage rates in a bar chart.

Identifying examples of light sources, children learn that light is needed to see and how its absence causes darkness. Children investigate reflection and shadow formation and explore how shadows can be used to entertain in the arts, creating shadow puppets to recount how different people work or experiment with light.

Explaining how plants reproduce in the context of the life cycle of a flowering plant, gathering data on plant growth and investigating the structure and function of the parts of a flowering plant.

Exploring the relationship between hand span and grip strength through scientific enquiry. They apply their understanding of friction to make predictions and plan and carry out an enquiry.

Using models, children describe the function of key organs in the digestive system. Pupils identify the types of human teeth and investigate factors that impact our dental health. They compare human teeth to other animals’ and take on the role of a naturalist investigating animal faeces for clues about diet, digestion and dentition.

Exploring appliances in their setting that use electricity, children learn how to work with electricity safely and build circuits. Pupils investigate electrical conductors and insulators and explore the relationship between the number of cells and bulb brightness. Real scenarios and historical discoveries inform children about scientific progression and home safety.

By investigating the properties of solids, liquids and gases, children learn about the different states of matter. They explore changes of state using relatable examples and use this to explain changes to water through the water cycle. Pupils investigate the relationship between temperature and rate of evaporation while broadening their experience of working scientifically.

Exploring different ways of producing sounds, children learn about the relationship between vibrations and what they hear. Pupils explore how pitch and volume can be altered and how sound can be insulated using different materials.

Children explore different ways living things can be grouped and make classification keys. They study ways that habitats may change over time and understand that humans can have both positive and negative effects on their surroundings. 

The children explore the relationship between viscosity and the flow of liquids through experiments, data analysis and drawing conclusions. They apply their understanding of states of matter to make predictions and plan and carry out an enquiry.