Pupils explore different types of mixtures and the different methods that can be used to separate them. They dissolve a range of substances, identify different solutions and investigate how temperature affects the time taken to dissolve. They design and create a water filter, sieve soil and evaporate solutions. 

Broadening their experience of the properties of materials, children investigate hardness, transparency and conductivity and consider how these properties influence the uses of materials. They explore reversible changes, including dissolving and changes of state. Children compare these to irreversible changes, including rusting, burning and mixing vinegar and bicarbonate of soda. 

Children explore the movement of the celestial bodies in our Solar System, including the Earth and other planets and the Moon. They discover how the rotation of the Earth causes night and day and how sundials work. Pupils find out about the uses of satellites and the problem with space junk.

Comparing the life cycles of plants, mammals, birds, amphibians and insects. Investigating asexual reproduction in plants and comparing sexual and asexual reproduction.

Building on their knowledge of contact and non-contact forces, children explore gravity, friction, air resistance and water resistance in more depth and consider the effect of these forces being unbalanced. They plan investigations to further their understanding of the effects of these forces. Pupils test their ideas using models and compete to build the most effective pulley system.

Studying human development and changes, children identify key stages and consider what data may help determine if a child is growing normally. They describe how puberty affects girls and boys and produce graphs to compare how gestation periods vary across different mammals, including humans.

Children explore the relationship between the size of model asteroids and the diameter of the impact crater they create through experiments, data analysis, and drawing conclusions. They apply their understanding of gravity, air resistance and the Earth and space to make predictions and plan and carry out an enquiry.

Children broaden their knowledge of how vertebrates, invertebrates, plants and micro-organisms are grouped using shared characteristics. They discover how Carl Linnaeus developed the Linnaean and binomial systems for classifying and naming living things. Pupils use and produce branching and number classification keys to sort and identify organisms.

Proving that light travels in a straight line, children use this information to explain observations of reflection and shadows. Pupils investigate the effect of moving an object away from the surface it casts a shadow on and the relationship between the incoming and reflected rays on a mirrored surface. Exploring real uses of mirrors allow children to apply what they have learned about light throughout the unit.

Studying patterns in humans and other species, children learn about characteristics that are inherited and those that are environmental. Through the eyes of Darwin and Wallace, pupils understand how observations lead to theories. By modelling finches’ variation and natural selection, they begin to explain how species evolve and the role of fossil evidence that supports this theory.

Revisiting electrical circuits, children learn to draw conventional circuit diagrams and use models to explain current, resistance and voltage. They compare different batteries and relate this to the effects on bulb brightness. Pupils apply their knowledge of switches and electrical circuits to design and produce their own practical devices.

Studying the human circulatory system, children learn about the role of the heart, blood and blood vessels and use models to demonstrate their function. They explore how lifestyle choices affect our health and use secondary sources to advise patients. Pupils devise their own investigation to look at the relationship between exercise and heart rate, applying their knowledge of variables and then analysing secondary data to understand fitness better.

Exploring sun safety, children investigate the efficacy of different sunglasses. They devise enquiries to test light and UV transmission of the lenses to form a conclusion about which sunglasses are best. The children summarise their findings through presentations and advertisements.