PR-6171R Science A STEM Approach - Primary 2

6171IR 174/9 

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Science: A STEM Approach (1st Class) 

Published by Prim-Ed Publishing 2018 

Copyright © R.I.C. Publications ® 2017 

ISBN 978-1-912760-15-2 

PR–6171IR 

Titles in this series: 

Science: A STEM Approach (Infants) 

Science: A STEM Approach (1st Class) 

Science: A STEM Approach (2nd Class) 

Science: A STEM Approach (3rd Class) 

Science: A STEM Approach (4th Class) 



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Foreword 

Science: A STEM Approach (Infants to 6th Class) is a series of copymasters written to support the science 

curriculum, while offering a way to introduce a STEM Project based on the concepts taught. 

Each book is divided into sections on Living Things, Energy and Forces, Materials, and Earth and the 

Environment. Linkage between the sections is present, where relevant. The last section, Earth and the 

Environment, recognises the close integration between the science curriculum and the geography 

curriculum. Content for this section in particular adheres to the SESE principle that “much learning in 

science, geography and history will take place through the integrated themes or topics that teachers 

use to organise their work” (Primary Science Curriculum, Introduction, page 9). 

The STEM Project at the end of each section also develops this integrated, cross-curricular approach, 

drawing on skills and understanding from other curricular areas (such as geography, mathematics, 

SPHE and visual arts). 

Introduction.............................................................. iv 

Unit Description ..................................................iv–vi 

Living Things: 

Creature Features in Different Places........... 1–54 

Overview...........................................................2–3 

Lesson 1............................................................4–6 

Lesson 2..........................................................7–12 

Lesson 3....................................................... 13–18 

Lesson 4....................................................... 19–30 

Lesson 5....................................................... 31–34 

Lesson 6....................................................... 35–38 

Lesson 7....................................................... 39–43 

Assessment................................................. 44–46 

STEM Project............................................... 47–54 

Energy and Forces: 

Now You See It! Now You Hear It!..............55–92 

Overview...................................................... 56–57 

Lesson 1....................................................... 58–60 

Lesson 2....................................................... 61–63 

Lesson 3....................................................... 64–68 

Lesson 4....................................................... 69–72 

Lesson 5....................................................... 73–76 

Lesson 6....................................................... 77–79 

Assessment................................................. 80–82 

STEM Project............................................... 83–92 

Contents 

Series Overview ...............................................vii–viii 

Materials: 

It’s a Stretch..................................................93–130 

Overview...................................................... 94–95 

Lesson 1..................................................... 96–100 

Lesson 2...................................................101–105 

Lesson 3...................................................106–109 

Lesson 4...................................................110–113 

Lesson 5...................................................114–116 

Lesson 6...................................................117–120 

Assessment.............................................121–122 

STEM Project...........................................123–130 

Earth and the Environment: 

In the Sky and on the Land..................... 131–166 


Overview..................................................132–133 

Lesson 1...................................................134–136 

Lesson 2...................................................137–140 

Lesson 3...................................................141–143 

Lesson 4...................................................144–148 

Lesson 5...................................................149–151 

Lesson 6...................................................152–154 

Assessment.............................................155–156 

STEM Project...........................................157–166 

Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com 978-1-912760-15-2 1st Science: iii 

CLASS 

A STEM APPROACH

Introduction 

What is STEM? 

STEM is the integration of science, technology, 

engineering and mathematics concepts using 

project-based and cooperative learning. Teachers 

have been integrating learning areas since the 

beginning of time, so although the idea behind 

STEM is not new, this series aims to make it easier 

for you to execute learning integration in the 

classroom. 

There has been much discussion about the importance of STEM skills, both in Ireland and around 

the world. The future workforce will require current pupils to be creative and critical thinkers who 

can collaborate and design solutions to problems. The skills utilised in STEM have never been more 

valued. 

STEM education aims to prepare pupils for the roles of the future with skills such as innovation, 

creativity, reasoning, problem-solving and technical science skills such as questioning, observing, 

systematic experimentation, and analysis and interpretation of data. 

Format of this Book 

This series focuses on delivering a comprehensive and contemporary science programme, 

culminating in a STEM project which applies the scientific knowledge acquired during the science 

lessons. The series incorporates the use of online resources, digital devices and tablet computer 

applications where appropriate, in order to enhance the use of information technology in the 

classroom. 

The Units 

This book is divided into four units: Living Things, Energy and Forces, Materials, and Earth and 

the Environment. At the start of each unit, keywords, a unit overview and a curriculum scope and 

sequence chart are provided, as shown below. 

Each unit contains six or seven lessons, a summative assessment of the science knowledge with 

teacher notes, and a STEM Project. 

Unit Overview 

Living Things 

CREATURE FEATURES IN 

living thing 

feature 

habitat 

plant 

animal 

DIFFERENT PLACES 

Keywords 

leaf 

stem 

flower 

seed 

root 

seeds 

fruit 

roots 

survive 

eat 

breathe 

move 

protection 

flower 

petal 

Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com 978-1-912760-15-2 1st Science: 

CLASS A STEM APPROACH 1 

stem 

leaf 

Unit Overview 

Living Things 

CREATURE FEATURES IN DIFFERENT PLACES 

Science Learning Concepts: 

• Observe, identify and explore a variety of living things from local and wider environments. 

• Recognise and describe the parts of some living things. 

• Appreciate that living things have essential needs for growth. 

Pages 

Lesson 1 

Pupils recall prior knowledge to establish what they 4–6 

Where are living things found 

know about what living things need, the features of living 

and what external features 

things and where they live. 

do they have to help them 

survive? 

Lesson 2 

Pupils explore four different habitats (pond, desert, 7–12 

Where do animals live and 

woodland and coast) and the animals that live there 

what external features do they 

through an interactive website. They learn about the 

have that help them survive? 

body parts of the animals that live there and how they 

help them survive. 

Lesson 3 

Pupils investigate animals that live at the beach and 13–18 

What animals live in the ocean 

underwater. The external features of fish, sharks and sea 

and what body parts do they 

turtles are explored and labelled, with the aid of research 


via QR codes that link to videos. 

Lesson 4 

Pupils observe and investigate common footprints made 19–30 

What animals live in Irish 

by Irish woodland animals, including the rabbit, squirrel, 

woodlands and what body 

badger and fox. Pupils then focus on the rabbit and 

parts do they have that help 

create a fact minibook, labelling the rabbit’s external 

them survive? 

features and investigating how it uses its body parts to 

live in the woodland. 

Lesson 5 

Pupils explore creatures found in the garden by playing 31–34 

What insects live in the garden 

an interactive game. Pupils then explore by themselves 


by photographing an insect from their own locality and 

have to help them survive? 

finding information about it. Pupils create a ‘creature fact 

file’ to present their information and include a labelled 

photograph. 

Lesson 6 

Pupils examine the common parts of a plant and use 35-38 

What are the parts of a plant 

an interactive game to label a plant and understand 

and what does each part do? 

the function of its features. Pupils then observe and 

investigate an actual plant and prepare an alien report 

explaining the parts of a plant and their functions. 

Lesson 7 

Pupils think about what plants belong in the desert and 39–43 

Why do plants from different 

the rainforest. They focus on leaves and the function of 

habitats look different? 

leaves to observe and investigate a cactus and a leaf from 

a rainforest plant and explain why the leaves are different. 

Summative Assessment Pupils draw an animal in its habitat and label the body 44–46 

parts, as well as draw a regular garden plant and its 

features and compare it to a desert or rainforest plant. 

STEM Project 

Pupils apply their knowledge of animal features and 47–54 

Alien Animals 

functions to create an alien animal using a website 

game. Pupils then design and make a 3-D display model 

suitable for the animal. 

2 Science: 1st 

978-1-912760-15-2 Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com 

A STEM APPROACH CLASS 

Living Things 


Curriculum Scope and Sequence Chart 

Unit Overview 

Lesson 1 Strand: Living Things – Strand unit: Plants and animals 

• Observe, identify and explore a variety of living things in local habitats and environments. 


• Group and sort living things into sets according to certain characteristics. 




• Develop some awareness of plants and animals from wider environments. 



Linkage: Strand: Environmental awareness and care – Strand unit: Caring for my locality 

• Observe and develop an awareness of living things in a range of habitats in local and wider environments. 

• Observe similarities and differences among plants and animals in different local habitats. 




















• Recognise that trees are plants. 







• Investigate how plants respond to light. 




iv 

Title Page Unit Overview Curriculum Scope and 

Sequence Chart 


Science: 

A STEM APPROACH 

1st 

CLASS

Unit Description 

Lessons 

The lessons are based on scientific knowledge and skills and provide a wide range of opportunities 

for pupils to work scientifically. The lessons contain a page of teacher notes, outlining the inquiry 

questions, science strands and any links to technology and mathematics concepts followed by a 

suggested lesson plan. Any resource sheets required for the lesson follow on. 

Lesson 1 

Teacher Notes 

Science Inquiry Focus: 

Where are living things found and what external features do 

they have to help them survive? 

Skills Development/Working Scientifically: 

• Questioning and predicting 

• Analysing 

Science Learning Outcome: 

• Ask questions about the needs of living things, the 

features of living things and where they live. 

Technology/Engineering/Mathematics Links: 

• Using an interactive game to sort living and non-living 

things. 

• Using a digital mind map tool to present class questions. 

• Using a digital timer to create awareness of minutes and 

seconds. 

Background Information 

• A living thing is either a plant or an animal. Living 

things are sometimes easily visible (dog) and at other 

times it is hard to tell (seed). 

• All living things are made up of one or more cells 

and exhibit the seven main life functions of: growth, 

movement, reproduction, sensitivity, respiration, 

elimination and nutrition. Pupils at this age generally 

need to know the more simple characteristics of growth 

and change, reproduction, breathing and eating. 

• Living things make a home in various environments, 

called their habitat. Plants and animals are specific to 

their environments because they are best suited for 

survival in those conditions. 

• The basic needs of living things include air, water and 

food. Animals’ needs also include shelter. Different 

animals have different needs. 



Assessment 

Living Things 


Assessment Focus: 

• Use the six posters as a diagnostic 

assessment to gauge the pupils 

level of understanding regarding 

the six questions posed about 

living things, their external features 

and how they meet their needs 

where they live. 

Resources 

• Living or Not game 

• Discussion cards from page 6 

• A3 paper 

• Online timer 

• Online mind map 

Note: Teachers may wish to 

familiarise themselves with how 

to use the online mind map 

prior to the lesson. Simply type 

text into the blue box, then click 

‘insert child node’ from the menu 

bar at the top and add text. For 

additional text you need to add, 

click back on the centre text box 

and ‘insert child node’ again. 


Living Things 


Lesson Plan 

Teacher Notes Lesson Plan Resource Sheets 

A teacher page is provided outlining the assessment indicators and answers for the following 

assessment pages. The assessment pages cover the science knowledge explored in the previous 

pages. 

Assessment 

Teacher Notes 

Living Things 


Science Learning Concepts 




Indicators 

• Draws an animal and depicts the features of its home. 

• Identifies and labels the external features of an animal and describes what the body parts do. 

• Draws a plant and labels the common features. 

• Draws a plant that lives in the desert or rainforest. 

• Describes the difference between a common garden plant and one that lives in the desert or 

rainforest by referring to the leaf size. 

Answers 

Pages 45–46 

1.–3. Teacher check—Pupils should choose an animal explored in previous lessons, including a fish, 

shark, sea turtle, rabbit or insect. 

4.–5. 

seeds 

flower 

petal 

fruit 

roots 

stem 

leaf 

6. Teacher check—Pupils should draw either a cactus or large-leafed plant. 

7. Teacher check—The difference between a common garden plant and either a desert or 

rainforest plant is the leaf size. This is because of the different amount of sunlight in each 

environment. 

Lesson 1 

Introduction: 

1. Recall what living things are by conducting an interactive sorting activity of Living or Not . Discuss any things pupils are unsure about. How do you know something is 

living? Ensure pupils have a correct understanding that a living thing is a plant or an animal. (The 

sorting activity can be printed and used as the basis for the creation of a working wall.) 

Development: 

2. Pupils form six groups and discuss the discussion card at each station. Encourage pupils to draw or 

write their responses on A3 paper that has a discussion card stuck in the centre. Allow pupils five 

minutes at each station. Display an online countdown timer to ensure pupils stay on task . Pupils then rotate to the next discussion card station and 

must read/look at the previous group’s responses before adding their own. They cannot write or 

draw the same response. Allow one minute on the timer for reading time, then start the five-minute 

timer. Continue until groups return to their original station. 

Note: This lesson is to establish pupils’ prior knowledge, so it is important to not correct their 

responses at this stage. 

Differentiation 

• Some pupils could be grouped with an adult who could write or help with reading or 

prompting discussion at each station. 

• Challenge pupils to write detailed explanations. 

• Mixed ability groupings would stimulate discussion and help with reading and in the scribing of 

answers from the group. More able pupils can write more detailed responses or take the role of 

scribe. 

• Alternatively, the activity may be done as a whole class discussion with the teacher scribing 

responses or entering them into an online mind map . 

Reflection: 

3. Choose a pupil at random to play a guessing game. The pupil thinks of a plant or animal, and the 

class asks questions about what parts it has, where it lives or what it needs to survives. The class can 

guess what the living thing is based on the answers. The pupil who guesses correctly becomes the 

next interviewee. 

4. As a class, think of questions pupils would like to explore about the parts of plants and animals, 

where they live or what they need to survive. Compile the questions in an online mind map such as 

, which can be printed and displayed on the working wall. 



Living Things 


1. Draw an animal in its home. 

2. Label its body parts. 

3. Describe how it uses one of its body parts. 

Assessment 

Lesson 1 

What do plants 

need? 

What are the 

parts of a plant? 

Where do plants 

live? 



Discussion Cards 

Living Things 


What do animals 

need? 

What are the 

parts of an 

animal? 

Where do 

animals live? 








Teacher Notes 

Assessment Page(s) 

Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com 978-1-912760-15-2 1st Science: v 

CLASS 


Unit Description 


The STEM Project provides pupils with the opportunity to apply what they have learned in the 

previous science lessons while incorporating cross-curricular concepts where possible. The project 

entails group collaboration and an extended learning period of between three and four weeks. 

This gives pupils a real-life experience of working with ‘colleagues’ to share ideas and test various 

solutions. Each STEM Project contains a complete overview of what the project entails, teacher notes, 

a group assessment rubric, and a project brief and checklist for pupils. Any resource sheets required 

are also provided, as well as a self-assessment sheet. 

Living Things STEM Project 



STEM Project Overview 

Alien Animals: 

Pupils imagine they are an astronaut being sent to a planet to explore living things. They must 

recreate an alien animal using an interactive website and build a 3-D display model of its habitat. 

Pupils then create a report to send back to Earth describing the animal, its features and how it 

uses them, and its preferred habitat. 

Concepts Overview: 

Science 

• Apply knowledge of living things and where they live. 

• Apply knowledge of external features of animals and their functions. 

• Conduct an investigation of different animals’ external features and what they do. 

• Sort and present information using a table. 

• Communicate findings in the form of a video. 

Technology/Engineering 

• Plan steps collaboratively. 

• Design an animal from composite animal parts using a digital program. 

• Print from a website. 

• Generate a design plan of the habitat. 

• Evaluate diorama and refine. 

• Select appropriate materials to represent the components of the habitat. 

• Use a digital recording device. 

Mathematics 

• Measure materials required to create a habitat. 

Alternative Project Ideas: 

• Explore how parts of plants or animals are used to create medicines, clothing, jewellery, houses 

and so on. Choose one area to focus on. 

• Pupils create a plant or animal out of modelling clay and verbally explain its features, what the 

features do and where you would likely find the plant, using an application like ShowMe. 

• Pupils photograph their pet and create a digital book about it using . They must include a diagram of its body parts, what each part helps them do and where it 

lives. 

• Pupils conduct an interview with the school caretaker or gardener to find out about the different 

types of plants and their different features, and where the plants prefer to live. Pupils write some 

questions, design a set and record the interview. 




Living Things 


Project Steps 


Investigate 

Research animal parts and suitable habitats. 

Learn how to use the website . 

Learn about the animal parts you have chosen. 

Learn about what the animal parts do. 

Learn what home is suitable for the animal based on its body parts. 

Complete the My Animal Description table. 

Design, plan and manage 

Plan your habitat and collect materials. 

Sketch what your habitat will include and plan where you will place 

the animal. 

Make a list of the materials you want to use to make your habitat. 

Make 

Create your animal and its habitat. 

Print your animal creation, cut it out and glue it onto card, ready to 

be placed in the habitat scene. 

Use a cardboard box or shoebox as the shell and create a home for 

the animal to live. 

Check and make changes 

Think about the body parts of your animal creation and check if their 

home suits its needs. Use your My Animal Description table to check 

your animal has what it needs and will be cared for properly. 

Make changes to your habitat if something isn’t right. 


Body part 

Living Things 


Teacher Notes 

Teacher Notes 


STEM Project: 

Create an alien animal and design and build a 3-D display model showing its habitat. 

Report back by recording a video explaining the animal, its body parts and functions, and its 

requirements for a home. 

Estimated duration: 2–4 weeks 

1. Introduce the project 

• Go to and 

click on the images to read the poems from 

the book Cock-A-Doodle Moooo! by Keith 

DuQuette. Ideally read the whole book if 

you have access to it. 

• Display page 50 to read to the class and 

introduce the problem and task. 

• Clarify any details pupils do not 

understand. 

• Demonstrate to the class how to go to the 

website and then demonstrate how to create 

an animal of yourself. 

• Explore some of the different body parts 

and discuss what purpose they might have. 

2. Investigate 

• Pupils will explore the website individually 

to create their animal and then print it. 

• Pupils can explore the website to research 

the functions of each body part they 

selected. 

• They must address how they will move, eat 

and breathe, and what features assist with 

these things. 

• Pupils should complete the table on page 

52 describing their chosen body parts, 

using the information from the website as 

well as their own research. 

3. Design, plan and manage 

• Pupils form groups of three and design a 

habitat for all team members, by sketching 

a plan first. 

• Pupils ensure the sketch includes a suitable 

place for each animal creation to live, 

considering their body parts and how they 

move, eat and breathe. 

4. Make 

• Pupils cut out and glue their animal 

creations onto card in order to place them 

into the 3-D habitat scene to be created. 

• Pupils build the 3-D display model. 

5. Evaluate and refine 

• Pupils will check that their habitat diorama 

suits their alien animals. 

• Adjustments can be made to the parts of 

the habitat; for example, does it need a 

lake for an animal with fins to live in? Does 

it need to be cold for a furry animal to live 

in? 

6. Communicate 

• Pupils record a video explaining their alien 

animal and the habitat they designed for 

it to live comfortably so it can use its body 

parts to move, eat and breathe. 

• The video can be shared via email or 

uploaded to the school website for friends 

and family to watch. 



Living Things 


My Animal Description 

What animal does 

it belong to? 

The body part 

is used to 

breathe move 

eat protect 

breathe move 

eat protect 

breathe move 

eat protect 

breathe move 

eat protect 

breathe move 

eat protect 

breathe move 

eat protect 

A fact about the 

body part 

CRITERIA 


Living Things 


Project Brief 

ALIEN ANIMALS 

The problem 

You are an astronaut being sent to a new planet to explore the strange 

animal life and present your findings to the people of Earth. 

The task 

1. Your report will include a picture of an animal that you spot on 

the new planet. 

You will need to go to to 

create your animal. Think about how the animal moves, eats and 

breathes. 

2. You will also need to design a habitat for the animal. 

You will create a 3-D display model that shows a suitable habitat 

for the animal, depending on the body parts and what it needs to 

live. 

3. You will then make a video describing the animal and where it 

needs to live so it is cared for properly. 

Important things you need to do! 

• You must work in groups of 2–3 pupils. 

• You must design your animal body first and then complete the 

table listing your body parts and their functions. 

• You will need to draw a design of your habitat on paper before 

building it. 

• You will need to use a cardboard 

box or shoebox to hold the habitat 

and animal, and other materials 

available from your classroom. 

• You must think about the needs of the animal and the body parts 

it uses to move, eat and breathe. 




Group members: 

Project task: 


Project Brief 

Living Things 


Self-assessment 

Pupil name: 

STEM Project: Alien Animals 

Create an alien animal and design and build a display model showing its habitat. Record 

a video explaining the animal, its body parts and functions, and its requirements for a 

home. 

Science knowledge 

I listened to the ideas of others. 

I gave ideas. 

Understands that animals have external features that perform various functions. 

Understands that animals live in different places and use their external features to help 

them survive. 

Science skills 

Conducts some research or investigation to understand the functions of their selected 

body parts. 

Organises information effectively using a table. 

Communicates science knowledge successfully using a display model and a digital video 

which explains the animal, its parts, how it uses the parts and where it lives. 

Technology/Engineering skills 

Sketches a design of a habitat display model. 

Builds an appropriate display model based on the sketch. 

Evaluates and revises the display model or video to achieve a better result. 

Successfully uses digital technology to create an animal and print out the image. 

Successfully uses digital technology to film accompanying video. 

Mathematics 

Accurately measures materials required for construction of a 3-D display model. 

Understands the creation of a 3-D representation from a 2-D sketch. 

Group skills 

Group Assessment Rubric 

Each group member contributed equally to the project and had a clear role. 

Each group member collaborated and worked well together to solve problems. 

Each group member communicated positively and listened to others. 

Living Things 



1 = Below expectations 

2 = Meeting expectations 

3 = Above expectations 


I helped to research. 

I helped collect materials. 

I helped with the design plan. 

I helped create the design. 

The project was easy hard . 

The part of the project I liked best was 

because 

I could improve my work next time by 

Date: 

. 

Communicate 

Record your video as a group, explaining the animal’s body parts 

and what kind of home suits it best. 

breathe move 

eat protect 

I think my work on this project was excellent good 

Science: 1st 

54 A STEM APPROACH 

CLASS 

fair poor . 

. 









Project Steps 

Resource Sheets 

Self-assessment and 


vi 



1st 

CLASS 

978-1-912760-15-2 Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com

STEM Teaching 

Science: A STEM Approach: Series Overview 

Teaching for STEM can be achieved through a cross-curricular approach to existing subject areas 

of the Irish curriculum. While science provides the dominant focus here, other curricular areas 

can be used to enhance pupil learning and reinforce concepts. Despite the fact that, at present, 

neither ‘Technology’ nor ‘Engineering’ are discrete subject areas in the Irish curriculum, teachers are 

constantly incorporating these areas in an informal fashion. Tablet computers, digital cameras and the 

Internet are commonly used by teachers in their classrooms to keep teaching and learning up-to-date 

with a constantly changing technological society. 

Mastery of a STEM Approach to Science 

A mastery curriculum is based on the fundamental belief that all pupils are capable of learning 

anything if the learning is presented in the right way. Many pupils will experience barriers to learning 

that might prevent them from achieving the learning goal. A mastery approach allows teachers to 

really challenge pupils to solve problems whilst supporting them to overcome barriers in their way. 

Throughout this book, the term differentiation is used to provide guidance to teachers on different 

approaches to accommodate different abilities and learning preferences. Differentiation is not about 

lowering expectations of what ‘less able’ pupils can achieve, about simplifying activities or removing 

the challenge, it is about ensuring that all pupils have equal and fair access to the curriculum. Pupils 

who readily achieve the learning goal can be encouraged to work at greater depth through further 

research, learning and challenging activities. 

Some strategies for differentiation in this book include: 

• Changing the way pupils need to show their observations or their learning. 

• Using a range of different resources to overcome pupil difficulties. 

• Learning through collaboration, enabling pupils to support each other in the learning process. 

• Recognising that pupils have different ways in which they learn. 

• Coaching children through questioning, providing clues or comments, enabling them to reveal 

their own knowledge, skills and understanding. 

• Ongoing assessment that allows the teacher to adapt and modify activities to ensure maximum 

learning growth for all. 

Children learn most effectively when their experiences are based around their interests and are 

filled with activities that are both relevant, engaging and meaningful. This book aims to ensure 

that by providing such activities, teachers are able to support pupils to achieve mastery of science, 

technology, engineering and mathematics. 


Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com 978-1-912760-15-2 1st Science: vii 

CLASS 


Science Floor Books 

Science: A STEM Approach: Series Overview 

Each unit of work contains many opportunities for practical learning and for working scientifically. 

They challenge pupils to apply their science skills, knowledge and understanding to a STEM Project. 

We recommend that each class creates a ‘Floor Book’ that acts as a record of the whole class learning 

in science and the STEM subjects. It can record the practical activities and investigations that are a 

key part of the series. In addition, there are many opportunities for activities to be photographed and 

drawings to be labelled. Pupils are involved in producing a range of tables, charts and graphs. All 

these can be included in a floor book. If updated regularly, it provides a running record of evidence of 

learning in these subjects. At the end of each year, pupils will have created their own STEM textbook 

to showcase their learning. 

Working Walls 

There are many references throughout each unit to the creation and development of a working wall 

in science. Each classroom should have a focus science area that contains books about the unit of 

work being studied and a working wall. Working walls are interactive science displays that can be 

used to record, visualise and assist learning. A key component of effective teaching and learning in 

science is to build upon and consolidate previous learning. A working wall can contain keywords and 

vocabulary, mind maps, concept cartoons, photographs and diagrams as well as records of previous 

work and investigations. Part of the working wall can be a WAGOLL (What A Good One Looks Like) 

where exemplar work and learning can be displayed. Pupils should be encouraged to use the working 

wall as a source of information as each unit progresses, particularly during the STEM project at the 

end of each unit. 


viii 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 

CREATURE FEATURES IN 

DIFFERENT PLACES 

Keywords 

seeds 

fruit 

roots 

living thing 

feature 

habitat 

plant 

animal 

leaf 

stem 

flower 

seed 

root 

survive 

eat 

breathe 

move 

protection 

flower 

petal 

leaf 

stem 


Prim-Ed Publishing – www.prim-ed.com 978-1-912760-15-2 1st Science: 1 

CLASS 


Unit Overview 

Living Things 






Lesson 1 

Where are living things found 

and what external features 

do they have to help them 

survive? 

Lesson 2 

Where do animals live and 

what external features do they 


Lesson 3 

What animals live in the ocean 



Lesson 4 

What animals live in Irish 

woodlands and what body 

parts do they have that help 

them survive? 

Lesson 5 

What insects live in the garden 


have to help them survive? 

Lesson 6 

What are the parts of a plant 

and what does each part do? 

Lesson 7 

Why do plants from different 

habitats look different? 

Summative Assessment 


Alien Animals 

Pupils recall prior knowledge to establish what they 

know about what living things need, the features of living 

things and where they live. 

Pupils explore four different habitats (pond, desert, 

woodland and coast) and the animals that live there 

through an interactive website. They learn about the 

body parts of the animals that live there and how they 

help them survive. 

Pupils investigate animals that live at the beach and 

underwater. The external features of fish, sharks and sea 

turtles are explored and labelled, with the aid of research 

via QR codes that link to videos. 

Pupils observe and investigate common footprints made 

by Irish woodland animals, including the rabbit, squirrel, 

badger and fox. Pupils then focus on the rabbit and 

create a fact minibook, labelling the rabbit’s external 

features and investigating how it uses its body parts to 

live in the woodland. 

Pupils explore creatures found in the garden by playing 

an interactive game. Pupils then explore by themselves 

by photographing an insect from their own locality and 

finding information about it. Pupils create a ‘creature fact 

file’ to present their information and include a labelled 

photograph. 

Pupils examine the common parts of a plant and use 

an interactive game to label a plant and understand 

the function of its features. Pupils then observe and 

investigate an actual plant and prepare an alien report 

explaining the parts of a plant and their functions. 


Pupils think about what plants belong in the desert and 

the rainforest. They focus on leaves and the function of 

leaves to observe and investigate a cactus and a leaf from 

a rainforest plant and explain why the leaves are different. 

Pupils draw an animal in its habitat and label the body 

parts, as well as draw a regular garden plant and its 

features and compare it to a desert or rainforest plant. 

Pupils apply their knowledge of animal features and 

functions to create an alien animal using a website 

game. Pupils then design and make a 3-D display model 

suitable for the animal. 

Pages 

4–6 

7–12 

13–18 

19–30 

31–34 

35-38 

39–43 

44–46 

47–54 

2 Science: 


1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Unit Overview 


Lesson 1 

Lesson 2 

Lesson 3 

Lesson 4 

Lesson 5 

Lesson 6 

Lesson 7 

Strand: Living Things – Strand Unit: Plants and Animals 










Strand: Environmental Awareness and Care – Strand Unit: Caring for my Locality 

• Observe and develop an awareness of living things in a range of habitats in local and wider environments. 

• Observe similarities and differences among plants and animals in different local habitats. 




























• Investigate how plants respond to light. 


CLASS 


Lesson 1 

Living Things 


Teacher Notes 


Where are living things found and what external features do 

they have to help them survive? 



• Analysing 


• Ask questions about the needs of living things, the 

features of living things and where they live. 


• Using an interactive game to sort living and non-living 

things. 

• Using a digital mind map tool to present class questions. 

• Using a digital timer to create awareness of minutes and 

seconds. 


• A living thing is either a plant or an animal. Living 

things are sometimes easily visible (dog) and at other 

times it is hard to tell (seed). 

• All living things are made up of one or more cells 

and exhibit the seven main life functions of: growth, 

movement, reproduction, sensitivity, respiration, 

elimination and nutrition. Pupils at this age generally 

need to know the more simple characteristics of growth 

and change, reproduction, breathing and eating. 


called their habitat. Plants and animals are specific to 

their environments because they are best suited for 

survival in those conditions. 



animals have different needs. 


• Use the six posters as a diagnostic 

assessment to gauge the pupils 

level of understanding regarding 

the six questions posed about 

living things, their external features 

and how they meet their needs 

where they live. 

Resources 

• Living or Not game 

• Discussion cards from page 6 

• A3 paper 

• Online timer 

• Online mind map 

Note: Teachers may wish to 

familiarise themselves with how 

to use the online mind map 

prior to the lesson. Simply type 

text into the blue box, then click 

‘insert child node’ from the menu 

bar at the top and add text. For 

additional text you need to add, 

click back on the centre text box 

and ‘insert child node’ again. 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 1 

Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Recall what living things are by conducting an interactive sorting activity of Living or Not . Discuss any things pupils are unsure about. How do you know something is 

living? Ensure pupils have a correct understanding that a living thing is a plant or an animal. (The 

sorting activity can be printed and used as the basis for the creation of a working wall.) 

Development: 

2. Pupils form six groups and discuss the discussion card at each station. Encourage pupils to draw or 

write their responses on A3 paper that has a discussion card stuck in the centre. Allow pupils five 

minutes at each station. Display an online countdown timer to ensure pupils stay on task . Pupils then rotate to the next discussion card station and 

must read/look at the previous group’s responses before adding their own. They cannot write or 

draw the same response. Allow one minute on the timer for reading time, then start the five-minute 

timer. Continue until groups return to their original station. 

Note: This lesson is to establish pupils’ prior knowledge, so it is important to not correct their 

responses at this stage. 


• Some pupils could be grouped with an adult who could write or help with reading or 

prompting discussion at each station. 

• Challenge pupils to write detailed explanations. 

• Mixed ability groupings would stimulate discussion and help with reading and in the scribing of 

answers from the group. More able pupils can write more detailed responses or take the role of 

scribe. 

• Alternatively, the activity may be done as a whole class discussion with the teacher scribing 

responses or entering them into an online mind map . 

Reflection: 

3. Choose a pupil at random to play a guessing game. The pupil thinks of a plant or animal, and the 

class asks questions about what parts it has, where it lives or what it needs to survives. The class can 

guess what the living thing is based on the answers. The pupil who guesses correctly becomes the 

next interviewee. 

4. As a class, think of questions pupils would like to explore about the parts of plants and animals, 

where they live or what they need to survive. Compile the questions in an online mind map such as 

, which can be printed and displayed on the working wall. 



CLASS 


Lesson 1 

Living Things 


Discussion Cards 

What do plants 

need? 

What are the 

parts of a plant? 

Where do plants 

live? 

What do animals 

need? 

What are the 

parts of an 

animal? 


Where do 

animals live? 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 2 

Teacher Notes 


Where do animals live and what external features do they have 

that help them survive? 



• Observing 

• Investigating and experimenting 

• Analysing 

• Recording and communicating 


• Make observations about the habitats animals live in and how 

their body parts help them survive in that environment. 


• Participating in and using online interactive tools. 

• Using technology to conduct research. 



called their habitat. Plants and animals are specific to their 

environments because they are best suited for survival in 

those conditions. 



animals have different needs; for example, a badger 

needs leaves and grass to create a sett. 

• The external features (body parts) of animals help them 

survive in their environment. Different animals have 

different body parts, but some may be the same. Their 

body parts serve a purpose; for example, a giraffe’s long 

neck allows it to graze on leaves at the tops of trees which 

other animals cannot reach. 


• Use the resource sheets on 

pages 9 to 12 as a formative 

assessment of the pupil’s 

understanding of the concept 

that animals live in places and 

have certain body parts to help 

them survive. 

• Observe the pupil’s ability to 

research information using 

technology. 

Resources 

• Animal Body Parts Quiz 

 

Habitats and the Environment 

(BBC Bitesize) 


• Woodland 

• Desert 

• Pond 

• Coast 

• Computer access 


CLASS 


Lesson 2 

Living Things 


Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. What body parts do animals have? Are they the same as humans? Take this quiz as a class to explore 

various basic body parts of animals. Click on the ‘start’ button at: . 

Development: 

2. Why do you think different animals have different body parts? Does where they live have anything to 

do with it? Why? 

3. As a class, explain that they are going to explore different places where animals live. Ask the pupils 

to think about a pond and what animals live in a pond. (If you have a school pond or one nearby, 

take the opportunity to visit the pond). Allow pupils to think-pair-share about animals in and around 

a pond. Prompt discussion through questions such as Which animals live in the water? Which 

animals might live on the edge of the pond? Do any animals live on the surface of the pond? 

4. Discuss the definition of a habitat and ask children if they know other habitats where animals might 

live. (The definition and other types of habitat can be added to the working wall). 

5. Visit the BBC Bitesize website on Habitats and the Environment (model how to type in the URL for 

the pond section) . As a class, watch the introductory animation on 

What is a pond habitat? Then as a class, complete the follow-up activity, choosing the animals that 

live in a pond habitat. Once completed, pupils complete page 9 by drawing animals that live in 

the pond and labelling their body parts. (Challenge pupils to add further animals that live in and 

around the pond). Pupils can then write how each animal uses their body parts in their science 

book. 


• Challenge pupils to add multiple animals to the habitat and write about how each animal uses 

their body parts. They can complete all four habitats. 

• Guided group work with adult support will allow all pupils to complete each habitat, add 

animals and write short phrases about how each animal uses their body parts. Pupils can be 

given sentence starters to help complete this activity. 

• Alternatively, the class can be divided into groups and each pupil completes one habitat and 

shares their learning with other pupils. 

Reflection: 

6. Individually, pupils complete pages 10-12. Pupils access a computer or tablet computer to visit 

pages for woodland, desert and pond to help them complete the pages. 

Page 10: Coast 

Page 11: Desert 

Page 12: Woodland 

7. Pupils can also discuss if they learnt something that was different to what they thought at the 

beginning of the lesson. An example of each habitat can be added to the working wall. 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 

Lesson 2 


What is a Pond Habitat? 

Use a computer to help you find the answers. Type in . 

In the pond and on the bank of the pond live . 

Draw the animals in their habitat and label as many body parts as you can. 

Write sentences about how they use their body parts. 



CLASS 


Lesson 2 

Living Things 


What is a Coastal Habitat? 


On the sand next to the sea live . 






1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 2 

What is a Desert Habitat? 


In a desert behind a rock lives a . 





CLASS 


Lesson 2 

Living Things 


What is a Woodland Habitat? 


In the woodland live . 






1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 3 

Teacher Notes 


What animals live in the ocean and what body parts do 

they have that help them survive? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Make observations about where ocean animals live and 

how their body parts help them survive underwater. 


• Using QR code readers and technology to conduct 

research. 

• Participating in the use of interactive games. 


• There is a variety of animals that live at the beach, 

including water and land animals. This lesson focuses 

on ocean animals in order to investigate the external 

features particular to these animals. 

• Fish have fins and a tail to help them move, gills to 

help them breathe, and a mouth (some also have 

teeth, like the shark and parrot fish) to help them eat. 

• Other underwater animals like the sea turtle have 

flippers to help them swim and a beak-like mouth to 

help them eat. They are not fish, so they do not have 

gills; instead, they use their lungs to hold their breath 

underwater for up to seven hours. They come to the 

surface to take in air. They are classified as reptiles. 


• Use pages 17 and 18 as a formative 

assessment of the pupil’s ability to 

conduct an investigation, process 

information to label a diagram and 

communicate it effectively in writing. 

• Observe the pupil’s verbal 

responses in the Reflection to make 

anecdotal notes about their level 

of understanding that underwater 

animals have special features to help 

them survive. 

Resources 

• Coral reef habitat interactive 

game at 

• Digital Y-chart or scan page 15 

• Fish video 

• Interactive fish diagram 

• Copy of page 16 

• Sufficient copies of pages 17 and 

18 for pupils 



CLASS 


Lesson 3 

Living Things 


Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. View the coral reef habitat at and, as a class, select the animals pupils 

think are appropriate. Which animals belong in the ocean? How do you know? 

2. What animals have you seen at the beach? (Encourage pupils to use their prior knowledge from 

lesson 2.) What body parts do these animals have? Which body parts help them survive in the 

ocean? Write class suggestions to the questions in a Y-chart. Use an online chart here and type in the questions, or display an enlarged copy of the template on 

page 15. 

Development: 

3. As a class, watch a video of which body parts a fish uses to eat, move and breathe at . 

4. Together, practise labelling an interactive diagram of a fish at . Click 

the red arrow until you see a fish. 

5. Complete page 16 as a class on the whiteboard. 

6. In pairs, conduct an investigation into a shark and sea turtle. Pupils scan the QR code to watch a 

video which discusses the body parts of the animal, then label a diagram and write what the part 

does. It should look something like this: 

mouth, to eat 


• Challenge pupils to write more detailed responses. Guided group work with an adult supporting 

should allow pupils to discuss and complete the worksheet. (Stopping videos at certain points 

for note taking and discussion). Some children can be given word cards with the answers to 

label the diagrams and match the descriptions of what each body part is used for. 

Reflection: 

gills, to breathe 

fin, to steer 

mouth, to eat 

flippers, to swim 

tail, to steer 

shell, to protect 


7. Look back at the responses on the Y-chart and discuss. Did you correctly predict the body parts that 

help your animal breathe, move or eat? What was different to your predictions? What body parts did 

you find out are special to ocean animals? Does where they live have anything to do with their body 

parts? Pupils should be able to identify fins, flippers and gills. 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 3 

Animals in the Ocean 

What animals have you seen in the ocean? 

What body 

parts do ocean 

animals have? 

Which body 

parts help 

them breathe, 

move or eat? 



CLASS 


Lesson 3 

Living Things 


Fish Diagram 

tail 

fin 

head 

eye 

gills 

mouth 

1. A fish moves using its . 

2. A fish eats using its . 

3. A fish breathes using its . 

4. What do its other body parts do? 


5. Where does a fish live? 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 3 

Diagram – 1 

Watch the shark video at or scan the QR code. 

(a) Where does a shark live? 

(b) Label the body parts and write what they are used for. 



CLASS 


Lesson 3 

Living Things 


Diagram – 2 

Watch the sea turtle video at or scan the QR code. 

(a) Label the body parts and write what they are used for. 

(b) Where does a turtle live? 


(c) A sea turtle is not a fish and does not have gills. How could you find out how a 

sea turtle breathes? Write the name of a book or website that could help. 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 4 

Teacher Notes 


What animals live in Irish woodlands and what body 

parts do they have that help them survive? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Make observations about where woodland animals 

live and how they use their body parts to survive. 


• Irish woodlands are home to a wide variety of 

living things. Each of these living things have 

adapted to living in a woodland area. The pupils 

can make a comprehensive list of living things that 

live in a woodland area. 

• In this lesson, pupils will learn to recognise and 

describe the parts of some living things. The 

particular focus of this lesson is on the animal’s 

footprint, though other external features are to be 

discussed. 

• This lesson allows pupils to focus on and research 

external features of a rabbit and how it uses its 

body parts to live in the woodlands. The pupils 

will make a fact minibook showing what they have 

learned about the rabbit. 


• Using a digital camera to photograph 

footprints. 

• Research images and information 

about various animals from the Internet. 

• Designing and constructing a minibook. 


• Observe the pupil’s ability to 

investigate and use technology to 

record observations of the footprints, 

as well the pupil’s ability to research 

information about rabbits. 

• Use pages 27 to 30 as a formative 


understanding of how a rabbit’s 

external features help it survive in 

woodlands. 

Resources 

• Cut out footprints from pages 

21–24 and animal images from 

pages 25–26 

• Woodland animals video 

(start the 

video at 0.43 seconds) 

• Digital camera or tablet computer 

camera 

• Close-up video of a wild rabbit in 

the woods . 

Discuss the rabbit’s ears, eyes and 

colour. Explain what camouflage is. 

• Rabbit video 

• Sufficient A3 copies of pages 27–30 

for pupils to create their minibook 

or use a simple digital book creator 

at 

for pupils to enter the text from 

pages 27–30 (search in storyjumper 

for a rabbit image) 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Living Things 


Lesson Plan 

Prior to the start of the lesson, stick sets of footprints around the classroom before pupils arrive. 

Introduction: 

1. Ask pupils to discuss with partners or in small groups which animals are found in a woodland 

habitat. As a class, make a list of woodland animals for the working wall. 

2. Show the video and add any other animals 

from the video to the list. 

Development: 

3. Display the four animals from pages 25–26 at the front of the class. Draw pupils’ attention to the 

footprints around the room and direct them to investigate them and take photographs of the four 

different animal prints. Once completed, challenge pupils to match the photographs to the animals 

displayed at the front of the class. 

4. Once the class has completed the task, collect the footprints and display them under the animal 

that made them on the working wall. Discuss if pupils made the same observations. Ask pupils to 

name the animals. Explore images online, or refer to the introductory video. if pupils need more 

help visualising the animals. 

5. Discuss the different shapes of the feet and ideas of what they are useful for. Display close-up 

images of each foot by conducting an image search. 

6. Pupils explore the rabbit in greater detail and, as a class, watch the video about the rabbit. Discuss 

how the rabbit moves and what body parts it uses, how it eats, the role its eyes and ears play in 

keeping the rabbit safe and how it protects itself. Demonstrate how pupils can find out further 

information by using non-fiction books and by using a simple search engine. Encourage pupils to 

work in groups to find out more information using these sources. 

7. Pupils create a rabbit fact minibook using pages 27–30. Alternatively, pupils may create a digital 

book using a website like . The last page of the minibook allows 

pupils to write their own question and research the answer. 


• Challenge pupils to research information about the rabbit and write a detailed fact minibook 

with illustrations and information using the storyjumper software. 

• Some pupils can work in groups, guided by adults, to create a group minibook. They can be 

provided with prompts, keywords and a structure for the book. 

• Pupils can work individually to create the minibook using pages 27-30 that is structured and 

requires key information to be inserted. 

Reflection: 


8. At the front of the class (or working wall), display a large printed image of a rabbit and together 

label the body parts. Using the completed rabbit diagram as a guide, allow pupils to share their 

minibooks with each other. Ask pupils to check whether the books they are reading have the 

correct body parts listed. Ask pupils to share their questions from the last page of their minibook 

and allow the class to answer their questions. 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 4 

Rabbit Footprints 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Living Things 


Fox Footprints 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 4 

Badger Footprints 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Living Things 


Squirrel Footprints 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 4 

Woodland Animals – 1 

Cut out these images and stick them at the front of the classroom for pupils to refer to. 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Living Things 


Woodland Animals – 2 

Cut out these images and stick them at the 

front of the classroom for pupils to refer to. 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 4 

Rabbit Fact Minibook – 1 

How a Rabbit 

Uses its Body 

Parts 

Where do rabbits live? 

Rabbits can be found 

in woodlands all 

over Ireland. 

Staple here 

Staple here 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Living Things 



How do rabbits move? 

How do rabbits eat? 

Rabbits can run at great speed. 

They have very strong 

to run very fast. 

which help them 

This allows them to escape from 

any enemies. 

Label the parts of a rabbit’s body. 

Rabbits like to eat , 

and . 

They do not eat any 

because they can 

only eat plants. 

They have big front . 

Staple here 

Staple here 

These help them to break off 

food and to chew the food. 

Draw a picture of 

a rabbit’s teeth and 

draw some things 

that they like to eat. 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 4 


Where do rabbits live? 

Rabbits love to dig. They have 

sharp nails that let them dig big 

holes in the ground. The home of 

a rabbit is called a . 

It keeps them safe from predators, 

such as foxes. Lots of burrows that 

are joined together are called a 

warren. 

This is a picture of what a rabbit’s 

burrow looks like. 

How do rabbits protect 

themselves? 

Rabbits have very good hearing 

because of their big 

, which can turn to 

the front and back of their head. 

They also use their 

to smell any predator. Their 

Staple here 

Staple here 

are able to see 

predators from any direction. 

This picture shows 

a rabbit’s ears, its 

eyes and its nose. 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Living Things 



Interesting rabbit facts 

Here are my top three interesting 

facts about rabbits! 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Write your own question then 

find out the answer! 

Staple here 

Staple here 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 5 

Teacher Notes 


What insects live in the garden and what body parts do 

they have that help them survive? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Pupils observe insects in their daily life in their garden 

and answer questions about how insects move, eat, 

breathe and protect themselves. 


• Participating in an interactive game. 

• Using the Internet to search for information. 

• Designing and creating a tri-fold board. 

• Folding paper into thirds while creating a tri-fold 

board. 


• Various animals can be found in a garden, but this lesson 

focuses on insects, arachnids, annelids and other creepy 

crawlies. 

• Insects have six legs, a three-part body (head, thorax, 

abdomen), compound eyes, a set of antennae and an 

exoskeleton. Some also have wings which are part of 

the thorax. Some insects therefore are able to fly, while 

others may hop or walk. They use their antennae to feel 

and taste things, and eat with their mouth. They protect 

themselves with their hard exoskeleton. Insects breathe 

through small holes in their abdomen called spiracles. 

See more information here . 

• Insects live in a variety of habitats within the garden. 

Spiders sit on their spiderwebs, worms live underground 

in the soil, ants make anthills in the sand, beetles like to 

live under rocks or dead logs and so on. 


• Use the tri-fold board as a 

formative assessment of the 

pupil’s ability to conduct an 

investigation, sort information 

and communicate their findings. 

Resources 

• Interactive Garden Detective 

game 

• Pupil access to a digital 

camera and ability to SMS or 

email the photograph with 

parent help 

• Sufficient copies of page 33 

(optional) 

• Large pieces of card 


(optional) 



CLASS 


Lesson 5 

Living Things 


Lesson Plan 

This lesson involves pupils investigating a garden or park. This could be green space in the school 

grounds or in the local area. Alternatively, you could ask the pupils to investigate their own garden at 

home or a green space near to where they live. 

Introduction: 

1. Recap with pupils what kinds of animals they have looked at so far; 

i.e. ocean animals like fish, sharks and sea turtles; and woodland animals 

like the rabbit and fox. What kind of body parts did they have? How 

are they the same or different? Draw a simple Venn diagram on the 

whiteboard to write the class responses in. 

Development: 

Ocean 

Both 

Woodland 

2. What kind of animals might you find in a garden? Discuss class responses. 

3. Show pupils the interactive Garden Detective game , and use it as a 

whole class. Pupils take turns to find one of the 24 creatures. Draw attention to the fact card for each 

animal that is found in the garden. 

4. Pupils become their own garden detective and explore their own garden or the school garden to 

find one creature to learn more about. Pupils will need to photograph their chosen creature and 

have their parents email or SMS it to the teacher. A parent letter template has been provided on 

page 33. 

5. Once all photographs have been collected/received, the teacher can print them and save the 

digital files. Pupils need to fold a piece of card into thirds and create a tri-fold board. They will glue 

their photograph to the centre panel, label all the body parts of their creature and find out how it 

uses them to move, eat, drink, breathe and protect itself. A selection of non-fiction books about the 

various creatures should be collected from the library, during their library session. 


• Challenge pupils to find more information about their creature by searching the Internet for 

information. 

• Guided group work will enable small groups or pairs to assist each other in creating the creature 

fact file. In addition, pupils can use the headings on page 34 to guide their research. 

Reflection: 


6. Display the finished fact files around the classroom or on the working wall for pupils to conduct a 

gallery walk. Remind pupils they must simply observe and not make any comments. 

7. Once pupils have viewed everyone’s work, discuss any observations. 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 5 

Garden Detective Letter 

Dear parents 

In science this term, we have been learning about animals and their body parts. 

This week, we are learning about the creatures we can find in our own gardens. 

Your child will need to search for and take a photograph of a creature. This 

can include insects , arachnids or annelids; for example, a fly, beetle, worm, 

ladybird, woodlouse, spider, ant, grasshopper, moth, butterfly, dragonfly, 

earwig or caterpillar. 

You can then either SMS or email the photograph to me at: 

Be sure to include your child’s name so I can identify who the photograph 

belongs to. 

I will require the photograph no later than . 

Regards 

or 



CLASS 


Lesson 5 

Living Things 


Research Question Guide 

Where do I live? 

How do I move? 

How do I eat and drink? 

How do I protect myself? 

How do I breathe? 














1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 6 

Teacher Notes 


What are the parts of a plant and what does each part do? 




• Analysing 


Science Learning Outcomes: 

• Pupils observe the parts of a plant. 

• Pupils care for a seedling plant and ensure its needs are met. 


• Participating in an interactive plant game to explore information 

about features of a plant. 

• Using a QR code scanner to access websites and information. 


• The main parts of a plant include the roots, stem, leaves, 

seeds, flowers and fruit. 

• The roots anchor the plant in the ground so it does not fall 

over. Roots have tiny hairs that help plants absorb moisture. 

They take in water and food (minerals) from the soil and can 

also store extra food for later use. 

• The stems act like straws. They carry water and food from the 

roots to the other parts of the plant. Stems hold up the leaves 

and flowers. There is usually one main stem and smaller side 

stems. Trees have a large stem called a trunk, with side stems 

called branches. 

• The leaves make food for the plant by capturing sunlight and 

using it to make food through a process called photosynthesis. 

Different plants have different leaf shapes, but most leaves are 

green. 

• Different plants have different flowers. The flowers are the 

reproductive part of plants where the seeds are made. The 

petals and flower scent attract bees and other insects that 

pollinate the flower. Flowers contain ovules. After the ovule is 

fertilised, it develops into fruit. 

• The fruit provides a covering for the seeds. They can be fleshy 

like an orange or hard like a nut. 

• The seeds contain the new plants. They form inside the fruit. 

Seeds contain food which new plants use until the leaves grow 

and they can make their own food. Seeds can be spread by 

wind, animals and water. 


• Use page 37 or the diagram 

created in the ShowMe app 

as a formative assessment 

of the pupil’s ability to label 

a diagram, and observe and 

describe the parts of a plant 

and their functions. 

• Use page 38 as an 

ongoing assessment of 

the pupil’s ability to record 

observations. 

Resources 

• Punnet of six seedlings, 

already flowering 

• Six plastic trays or large, 

plastic plates 

• Six large jars, two-litre 

plastic bottles with the 

tops cut off, to use as 

plant pots 

• Soil 

• Parts of a Plant video 

linked to QR code 

 



CLASS 


Lesson 6 

Living Things 


Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Display the simple interactive plant labelling game from and 

monitor pupils’ level of prior knowledge by conducting the activity as a whole class. 

Development: 

2. Play the opening part of the Plant Scan game from to reveal the 

pupils’ next mission. They are an alien in charge of testing living things and need to examine the 

parts of a plant to report back to their planet. Click through to read the information as a class. The 

plant diagram presented is more detailed than the one in the introduction but can be done with 

some guidance as a class. At this level, pupils do not need to know about food tubes and water 

tubes, only that the stem assists to transport water and food. Leave the labelled plant on screen for 

pupils to refer to. 

3. In small groups, pupils then examine their own seedling (one seedling per group, maximum of six 

groups). They will need to carefully take it out of the punnet and place it on the plate or tray so they 

can reveal the roots and other parts. They should be careful, as they will later plant the seedling and 

look after it for the rest of the term/year. 

4. Pupils use the resource sheet on page 37 to record their observations. Alternatively, pupils may use 

an application like ShowMe to take a photograph of their plant, label it and explain the function of 

each part. 

5. Pupils plant their seedling in a jar or another clear, recycled container and look after it as a group 

for the rest of the term/year. What things does your plant need? Where in the classroom will you 

place it? Reinforce the needs of a plant such as water, sunlight and air. Pupils check to observe 

any changes to the roots, stem, leaves, flower and seeds throughout the term. Pupils may use the 

resource sheet on page 38 to record observations. 


Challenge pupils to research what role the seeds of a plant play and write a sentence. 

• Mixed ability pairs can work together to ensure that they both understand the key features of a 

plant and can complete page 37. 

• Keywords can be provided or short sentence explanations that pupils must match. 

Reflection: 

6. In pairs, pupils take turns to give each other a clue about a part of a plant and what it does, without 

saying the part name. The other pupil has to guess, and then they swap roles. (Teacher may need to 

model this game first to ensure pupils fully understand how to play). 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 6 

Plant Experiment 

Alien Plant Report 

Prepared by 

1. Draw the plant and label its features. 

2. Scan this QR code to watch a video about plants. 

Describe what each part does. 

(a) Root 

(b) Stem 

(c) Flower 


(d) Leaf 

(e) Fruit 

3. What do you think the seeds of a plant do? 


CLASS 


Lesson 6 

Living Things 


Plant Observation 

Date: Stem: 

What does it 

look like? 

Leaves: 

What do they 

look like? 

Flower: 

What does it 

look like? 

Roots: 

What do they 

look like? 

Seeds: 

What do they 

look like? 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 7 

Teacher Notes 


Why do plants from different habitats look different? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Pupils observe the leaves of a plant and describe the difference 

between them. 

• Describe how plants are different in environments that have too 

much sunlight (desert) compared to plants in environments that have 

little sunlight (rainforest). 


• Observing digital images and comparing observations of the desert 

to the rainforest. 

• Using a digital recording device to record observations of different 

plant leaves. 


• The main parts of a plant include the roots, stem, leaves, seeds, 

flowers and fruit. While all plants have these parts, they do not all 

look the same. 

• The leaves make food for the plant by capturing sunlight and 

using it to make food through a process called photosynthesis. 

Different plants have different leaf shapes, but most leaves are 

green. 

• The needs of a plant are sunlight (food), water, space and air. 

In a desert environment, too much sunlight and not enough 

water will affect the kinds of plant features found there. In the 

rainforest, ample water and heat, with little sunlight reaching the 

undergrowth, will affect the plant features found there. 

• Desert plants have minimal leaves with little surface area to assist 

with minimising water loss. Plants receive maximum sun exposure 

so there is no need for large leaves or leaves at all. 

• Rainforest plants have larger leaves to maximise the ability to 

capture sunlight below the canopy of trees. The plants must 

compete for sunlight so are only able to survive by growing tall or 

having large leaves. 


• Use the video from 

Step 3 as a formative 


ability to observe the 

leaves from two different 

environments. 

• Use the completed 

sentences from Step 

6 to assess the pupil’s 

understanding that the 

leaves of a plant in the 

desert are different to 

the leaves of a plant in 

the rainforest in order 

for them to be able to 

survive with too much or 

not enough sunlight. 

Resources 

• Three small cactus 

plants 

• Three leaves from 

a large-leafed plant 

(like a monsteria 

– often called a 

cheese plant) 

• Images of desert 

and rainforest 

environments to 

compare 

• Sufficient copies 

of page 41 

• Digital copy of 

pages 42 and 43 



CLASS 


Lesson 7 

Living Things 


Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Display images of the desert and rainforest environments. Establish what pupils know about these 

environments. What do you know about the desert/rainforest? What does it feel like in these places? 

Is it hot or cold? Wet or dry? What kinds of things live there? What kinds of plants will you find? 

Pupils discuss in small groups before recording their prior knowledge on page 41. 

Development: 

2. Display pages 42–43 for pupils to spot if anything is wrong with the pictures. Do you think you will 

find the same plants in both places? Why? Which plants don’t belong in the pictures? Why? How do 

you know? 

3. In small groups, pupils examine one plant from each environment. Set up six stations—three stations 

will have a cactus plant for pupils to observe and the other three stations will have a leaf from a 

rainforest type plant to observe (a monsteria or any other large-leafed plant can be used). Groups 

record their observations about the leaves by using the video function on a tablet computer, 

filming the leaf and describing what they see. Then swap to the other plant and record their 

observations again. 

4. Discuss the differences observed and create a class Venn diagram. How is the cactus different to 

the rainforest plant? What is the same? What did you observe? (Venn diagram can be displayed on 

working wall.) 

5. Review from the previous lesson what the function of a leaf is. Display the images of the 

environments again and recall the knowledge from Step 1. Discuss as a class. Why do you think the 

cactus has little needles for leaves? Why do you think the rainforest leaf is so big? Guide pupils to 

determine that there is a lot of sunlight in the desert and it is hot so the leaves need to be smaller 

(or non-existent), whereas in the rainforest there is little sunlight reaching the plants at the bottom 

so they need bigger leaves to catch the sun. 


• Mixed ability grouping and targeted adult support should allow all groups to make video 

explanations about the leaves of the two different plants. 

Reflection: 

6. Pupils complete the following sentences in their science book. 

A rainforest plant has leaves because . 

A desert plant has leaves because . 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 7 

Comparing Environments 

Desert 

Rainforest 

Looks like ... 

Sounds like ... 

Smells like ... 

Feels like ... 



CLASS 


Lesson 7 

Living Things 


Spot the Wrong Plant – 1 

Desert 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Lesson 7 

Spot the Wrong Plant – 2 

Rainforest 



CLASS 


Assessment 

Living Things 


Teacher Notes 





Indicators 

• Draws an animal and depicts the features of its home. 

• Identifies and labels the external features of an animal and describes what the body parts do. 

• Draws a plant and labels the common features. 

• Draws a plant that lives in the desert or rainforest. 

• Describes the difference between a common garden plant and one that lives in the desert or 

rainforest by referring to the leaf size. 

Answers 

Pages 45–46 

1.–3. Teacher check—Pupils should choose an animal explored in previous lessons, including a fish, 

shark, sea turtle, rabbit or insect. 

4.–5. 

seeds 

fruit 

roots 

petal 

flower 

stem 

leaf 


6. Teacher check—Pupils should draw either a cactus or large-leafed plant. 

7. Teacher check—The difference between a common garden plant and either a desert or 

rainforest plant is the leaf size. This is because of the different amount of sunlight in each 

environment. 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 


Assessment 

1. Draw an animal in its home. 

2. Label its body parts. 

3. Describe how it uses one of its body parts. 



CLASS 


Assessment 


Living Things 


4. Draw a common garden plant. 

5. Label its parts. 

6. Draw a plant that lives in the desert or rainforest. 

7. How is it different to a common garden plant? 

Common garden plant Desert or rainforest plant 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 



Alien Animals: 


Pupils imagine they are an astronaut being sent to a planet to explore living things. They must 

recreate an alien animal using an interactive website and build a 3-D display model of its habitat. 

Pupils then create a report to send back to Earth describing the animal, its features and how it 

uses them, and its preferred habitat. 



• Apply knowledge of living things and where they live. 

• Apply knowledge of external features of animals and their functions. 

• Conduct an investigation of different animals’ external features and what they do. 

• Sort and present information using a table. 

• Communicate findings in the form of a video. 



• Design an animal from composite animal parts using a digital program. 

• Print from a website. 

• Generate a design plan of the habitat. 

• Evaluate diorama and refine. 

• Select appropriate materials to represent the components of the habitat. 

• Use a digital recording device. 

Mathematics 

• Measure materials required to create a habitat. 



• Explore how parts of plants or animals are used to create medicines, clothing, jewellery, houses 

and so on. Choose one area to focus on. 

• Pupils create a plant or animal out of modelling clay and verbally explain its features, what the 

features do and where you would likely find the plant, using an application like ShowMe. 

• Pupils photograph their pet and create a digital book about it using . They must include a diagram of its body parts, what each part helps them do and where it 

lives. 

• Pupils conduct an interview with the school caretaker or gardener to find out about the different 

types of plants and their different features, and where the plants prefer to live. Pupils write some 

questions, design a set and record the interview. 


CLASS 



STEM Curriculum Links 

Living Things 








Skills Development/Working Scientifically 

• Questioning 

• Observing 

• Predicting 


• Estimating and measuring 

• Analysing 


Designing and Making 

• Exploring 

• Planning 

• Making 

• Evaluating 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 




Teacher Notes 

Create an alien animal and design and build a 3-D display model showing its habitat. 

Report back by recording a video explaining the animal, its body parts and functions, and its 

requirements for a home. 



• Go to and 

click on the images to read the poems from 

the book Cock-A-Doodle Moooo! by Keith 

DuQuette. Ideally read the whole book if 

you have access to it. 

• Display page 50 to read to the class and 

introduce the problem and task. 

• Clarify any details pupils do not 

understand. 

• Demonstrate to the class how to go to the 

website and then demonstrate how to create 

an animal of yourself. 

• Explore some of the different body parts 

and discuss what purpose they might have. 


• Pupils will explore the website individually 

to create their animal and then print it. 

• Pupils can explore the website to research 

the functions of each body part they 

selected. 

• They must address how they will move, eat 

and breathe, and what features assist with 

these things. 

• Pupils should complete the table on page 

52 describing their chosen body parts, 

using the information from the website as 

well as their own research. 


• Pupils form groups of three and design a 

habitat for all team members, by sketching 

a plan first. 

• Pupils ensure the sketch includes a suitable 

place for each animal creation to live, 

considering their body parts and how they 

move, eat and breathe. 

4. Make 

• Pupils cut out and glue their animal 

creations onto card in order to place them 

into the 3-D habitat scene to be created. 

• Pupils build the 3-D display model. 


• Pupils will check that their habitat diorama 

suits their alien animals. 

• Adjustments can be made to the parts of 

the habitat; for example, does it need a 

lake for an animal with fins to live in? Does 

it need to be cold for a furry animal to live 

in? 


• Pupils record a video explaining their alien 

animal and the habitat they designed for 

it to live comfortably so it can use its body 

parts to move, eat and breathe. 

• The video can be shared via email or 

uploaded to the school website for friends 

and family to watch. 



CLASS 



Living Things 


Project Brief 

ALIEN ANIMALS 

The problem 

You are an astronaut being sent to a new planet to explore the strange 

animal life and present your findings to the people of Earth. 

The task 

1. Your report will include a picture of an animal that you spot on 

the new planet. 

You will need to go to to 

create your animal. Think about how the animal moves, eats and 

breathes. 

2. You will also need to design a habitat for the animal. 

You will create a 3-D display model that shows a suitable habitat 

for the animal, depending on the body parts and what it needs to 

live. 

3. You will then make a video describing the animal and where it 

needs to live so it is cared for properly. 



• You must design your animal body first and then complete the 

table listing your body parts and their functions. 

• You will need to draw a design of your habitat on paper before 

building it. 

• You will need to use a cardboard 

box or shoebox to hold the habitat 

and animal, and other materials 

available from your classroom. 

• You must think about the needs of the animal and the body parts 

it uses to move, eat and breathe. 




1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 



Project Steps 

Investigate 

Research animal parts and suitable habitats. 

Learn how to use the website . 

Learn about the animal parts you have chosen. 

Learn about what the animal parts do. 

Learn what home is suitable for the animal based on its body parts. 

Complete the My Animal Description table. 


Plan your habitat and collect materials. 

Sketch what your habitat will include and plan where you will place 

the animal. 

Make a list of the materials you want to use to make your habitat. 

Make 

Create your animal and its habitat. 

Print your animal creation, cut it out and glue it onto card, ready to 

be placed in the habitat scene. 

Use a cardboard box or shoebox as the shell and create a home for 

the animal to live. 


Think about the body parts of your animal creation and check if their 

home suits its needs. Use your My Animal Description table to check 

your animal has what it needs and will be cared for properly. 

Make changes to your habitat if something isn’t right. 

Communicate 


Record your video as a group, explaining the animal’s body parts 

and what kind of home suits it best. 


CLASS 



My Animal Description 

Living Things 


Body part 

What animal does 

it belong to? 

The body part 

is used to 

A fact about the 

body part 

breathe move 

eat protect 

breathe 

move 

eat protect 

breathe 

move 

eat protect 

breathe 

move 

eat protect 

breathe 

move 

eat protect 

breathe move 

eat protect 


breathe 

move 

eat protect 



1st 

CLASS 


Living Things 




Pupil name: 

Date: 

STEM Project: Alien Animals 


I gave ideas. 







because 


. 


. 


fair poor . 


CLASS 




Living Things 



CRITERIA 

Project task: 

Create an alien animal and design and build a display model showing its habitat. Record 

a video explaining the animal, its body parts and functions, and its requirements for a 

home. 


Understands that animals have external features that perform various functions. 

Understands that animals live in different places and use their external features to help 

them survive. 


Conducts some research or investigation to understand the functions of their selected 

body parts. 

Organises information effectively using a table. 

Communicates science knowledge successfully using a display model and a digital video 

which explains the animal, its parts, how it uses the parts and where it lives. 


Sketches a design of a habitat display model. 

Builds an appropriate display model based on the sketch. 

Evaluates and revises the display model or video to achieve a better result. 

Successfully uses digital technology to create an animal and print out the image. 

Successfully uses digital technology to film accompanying video. 

Mathematics 

Accurately measures materials required for construction of a 3-D display model. 

Understands the creation of a 3-D representation from a 2-D sketch. 

Group skills 










1st 

CLASS 


Energy and Forces 

NOW YOU SEE IT! 

NOW YOU HEAR IT! 

light 

white light 

natural 

Keywords 

vibration 

low 

sun 

loud 

strike 

soft 


man-made/artificial 

sound 

sense 

source 

blow 

scrape 

shake 

high 

volume 

pitch 


CLASS 


Unit Overview 


NOW YOU SEE IT! NOW YOU HEAR IT! 


• Light and sound come from different sources. 

• Light and sound can be sensed and pupils will name and locate parts of the body that do this. 

Lesson 1 

What is light? What is 

sound? What parts of our 

body do we use to detect 

light and sound? 

Lesson 2 

What are some sources 

of light? What is the 

difference between 

natural and man-made/ 

artificial sources of light? 

Lesson 3 

How does light help us 

see? Does light help us 

see colours? 

Lesson 4 

What is sound? How can 

we hear or feel sound? 

Lesson 5 

How can sounds be 

made? 

Lesson 6 

How are sounds 

different? 

This lesson is used to assess pupils’ level of prior knowledge 

regarding light and sound. Pupils will rotate in small groups to 

answer six questions about light and sound. Pupils then take a 

photograph or record one thing they think relates to light and 

one thing they think relates to sound. 

Pupils define what light is and watch a video to research and 

identify sources of light. Pupils also explore what natural and 

man-made light is and sort the sources as a class using an 

online T-chart. 

Pupils observe that (white) light is made up of different colours, 

as demonstrated with their Newton disc. Pupils conduct an 

experiment to test whether changing the colour of light will 

change how the colour of objects are perceived. 

Pupils explore what sound is and identify examples of sound. 

Pupils then investigate what sound ‘looks like’ and what 

vibrations are, through viewing what happens when hundreds 

and thousands are placed on a bowl covered in cling film and 

a humming sound is made. 

Pupils create sounds made with simple musical instruments by 

striking, blowing, scraping or shaking. Pupils record the sounds 

and identify what actions caused each sound. 

Pupils explore how sounds differ in terms of pitch and volume, 

then investigate by comparing sounds made by different 

musical instruments. Pupils use vocabulary such as loud, soft, 

high, low, pitch and volume, and identify how the sounds are 

created and can be changed. 


Pages 

58–60 

61–63 

64–68 

69–72 

73–76 

77–79 



A Sun Chime 

Assess pupils' understanding of light and sound by answering 

questions and drawing examples of each. 

Pupils design and create a product that is a combination of a 

sun catcher and a wind chime. Pupils need to use materials 

that will ‘catch’ the sun and materials that will make sounds in 

the wind. 

80–82 

83–91 



1st 

CLASS 




Unit Overview 


Lesson 1 

Lesson 2 

Lesson 3 

Lesson 4 

Lesson 5 

Lesson 6 

Strand: Energy and Forces – Strand Unit: Light 

• Recognise that light comes from different sources. 

• Recognise that light is needed in order to see. 

Strand: Energy and Forces – Strand Unit: Sound 

• Recognise and identify a variety of sounds in the environment. 




• Investigate the relationship between light and materials. 

• Recognise that the sun gives us heat and light, without which we could not survive. 









• Explore ways of making different sounds using a variety of materials. 

• Design and make a range of simple percussion instruments. 



• Identify and differentiate between high and low sounds, loud and soft sounds. 



CLASS 


Lesson 1 



Teacher Notes 


What is light? What is sound? What parts of our body do we 

use to detect light and sound? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Pupils act like scientists when they observe, ask questions 

and describe changes in what we see or hear. 

• People use science in their everyday lives when exploring 

different sounds and lights. 

Technology/Engineering/Mathematics Link: 

• Using a digital device to take a photograph and record a 

video of a sound. 


• The Oxford English Dictionary defines light as 

‘electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength falls within 

the range to which the human retina responds’. 

• Light is a form of energy. It travels in a straight direction. It 

can bounce off shiny surfaces such as mirrors. It can bend 

when it moves from one material to another. 

• We need light to see. Most of our light comes from the 

sun. Some objects, like our sun and often stars, give off 

their own light. Other things bounce back light. The moon 

bounces back light from the sun. It does not have its own 

light to give. 

• Other sources of light include light bulbs, torches, 

computer screens, projectors, fire and candlelight. 

• The Oxford English Dictionary defines sound as ‘Vibrations 

that travel through the air or another medium and can be 

heard when they reach a person’s or animal’s ear’. 

• Sounds come from any object that is struck, plucked, 

blown, scraped, shaken or any other action applied. The 

sound or vibrations create waves that move outwards from 

the source through the air and into our ear. 


• Use the posters to gauge class 

understanding of the concept of 

light and sound. Use the images 

and videos to assess individual/ 

small group understanding of 

what light and sound are. 

Resources 

• Resources to make the 

room dark: dark coloured 

sheets or cardboard to 

cover any places where 

light enters; tape, BluTack , 

drawing pins to attach 

cardboard or sheets to 

walls to cover light entry 

points 

• Large torch 

• Copy of page 60 cut into 

strips and glued to poster 

paper 

• Poster paper × 6 

• Digital camera or tablet 

computer for each group 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 1 

Lesson Plan 

Note: This lesson is to establish pupils’ prior knowledge about light and sound. 

Introduction: 

1. Block out as much light as possible and turn off all the lights. Alternatively, take the pupils into a 

dark room such as a storeroom. What can you see? What can you hear? Pupils may respond with 

ideas such as ‘nothing’, ‘shadows’ or ‘breathing sounds’. Switch on a large torch and point it to 

a number of different objects in the room. What can you see now? How did you see the objects 

pointed to? Turn the lights back on. When we see objects, what part of the body is being used? 

When we hear things what part of the body is being used? 

Development: 

2. As a class, brainstorm what pupils know about sound and light and share examples from their 

everyday life. 

3. In small groups, pupils rotate through six stations, each with a large piece of paper with one of the 

questions from page 60 glued to it. (One question per paper. More stations may need to be set up 

depending on class size). Pupils draw or write answers to the question using an allocated marker 

pen colour, before rotating to the next question. They will need to read the previous group’s 

answers before writing their own, as they are not allowed to write the same response. 

4. Pupils then use a digital device to take a photo of one thing that relates to light and record one 

thing associated with sound. 


• Targeted support should allow all pupils to share their ideas and answer the questions at each 

station. 

Reflection: 

5. Display the posters at the front of the class and read through responses together. Completed 

posters can be displayed on the working wall or summarised and then added to the working wall. 

6. Select groups to share their photo and video that relates to light and sound and give a brief 

explanation. These photos can also be added to the working wall. 



CLASS 


Lesson 1 



Light and Sound 

What is sound? 

What is light? 

What things make sound? 

What things make light? 

What would happen if there was no sound? 

What would happen if there was no light? 

What is sound? 

What is light? 

What things make sound? 


What things make light? 

What would happen if there was no sound? 

What would happen if there was no light? 



1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 2 

Teacher Notes 


What are some sources of light? What is the difference 

between natural and man-made/artificial sources of light? 




• Analysing 




and describe sources of light. 

• People use science in their everyday lives such as when 

using natural or man-made/artificial sources of light. 


• Exploring characteristics of light and how it can be used 

for clothing design. 

• Using a digital device to scan a QR code and viewing a 

video. 

• Contributing to a digital T-chart. 

• Participating in an interactive whiteboard activity to 

identify sources of light. 


• Most of our light comes from the sun. Some objects, like 

our sun and often stars, give off their own light. Other 

things bounce back light. The moon bounces back light 

from the sun. It does not have its own light to give. A 

firefly gives off its own light. These are all natural light 

sources. 

• Artificial light is light created by people. Artificial light 

comes from things like light bulbs, candles, fireworks 

and lasers. 

• Additional simple information about light sources can 

be found at . 


• As a formative assessment, 

observe the pupil’s ability to 

name and describe natural and 

man-made sources of light during 

the Development and Reflection 

activities. 

Resources 

• Light Dancers video 

• Video about light energy 

 


• Online T-chart 

• Interactive whiteboard 

activity about sources of light 

 

• Computer tablets with QR 

code reader 



CLASS 


Lesson 2 



Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. As a class, watch Light Dancers video such as (you don’t need to 

watch the entire video). What materials were used to design the dancers’ outfits? What effect did it 

give? What kind of light is it? How were you able to see it? Is it natural or man-made light? 

Development: 

2. Refer to the class posters from the previous lesson with the questions relating to light. What 

definition do you think we could write about light? After the class has made some suggestions, refer 

to the anchor chart on page 63 and read out the definition. 

3. Watch the video about light energy at , or allow pairs or small groups 

to watch it on a tablet computer by scanning the QR code on page 63. 

4. Pupils complete page 63 by adding examples of light sources as 

shown in the video. Encourage pupils to add their own examples. 

They may wish to use the computer tablet to research further 

examples, or the teacher could provide library books on the subject 

for pupils to research. 

5. As a class, create an online T-chart at 

to list the examples of light. Label the columns with ‘natural’ and 

‘man-made’ for pupils to suggest which column their answer belongs 

in. Discuss the meaning of the two terms, as referred to in the video 

in Step 3, to ensure pupils are able to classify the sources of light. 


• Guided group work with an adult pausing the video at key points 

and allowing pupils to share their ideas will allow all pupils to 

complete the anchor chart. 

• Challenge pupils to research more examples of natural and man-made light and to create their 

own T-chart in their science books. 

Reflection: 

Natural Man-made 

6. As a class, select individual pupils to take turns in participating in the interactive whiteboard activity 

at . Pupils need to correctly identify the light sources in the different 

scenes. After identifying the source ask pupils to classify the sources as natural or man-made. 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 2 

Light is a form of 

energy that is 

detected by our 

eyes. 

Light is needed for 

us to see. 


Scan the QR code to watch the video about light energy. 


CLASS 


Lesson 3 



Teacher Notes 


How does light help us see? Does light help us see 

colours? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Pupils act like scientists when they observe, ask 

questions and describe different colours and how 

they can be seen. 

• People use science in their everyday lives such as 

when comparing how light sources can be used. 


• Colour is reflected light. We see colour in one of 

two ways: an object can emit light waves in the 

frequency of the colour we see; OR the object will 

absorb the frequencies of all other colours and 

reflect back only the light wave, or combination of 

light waves, that produce the colour we see. The 

colour of an object depends on the colour of the 

light source. 

• At this age level, it is sufficient to simply observe 

that white light is made up of all the colours and 

lets us see objects and their colour. Changing the 

colour of light will change the colour we see. This 

video also offers more Background Information 

. 

• The rainbow spinner activity: White light is 

composed of all colours of the visible spectrum. 

Spinning the circle mixes all the different 

wavelengths of coloured light together, creating 

white light. The faster the circle moves, the more 

white light is visible. 

Technology/Engineering/Mathematics 

Links: 

• Recording results by taking a 

photograph with a digital device. 

• Using informal measurement to cut/ 

select appropriately sized pieces of 

cellophane. 

• Working in a team and following 

a sequence of steps to construct a 

shoebox viewer. 


• Teachers may choose to speak 

individually to selected pupils about 

how colours are formed while they are 

completing their shoebox experiment. 

• Teachers may ask pupils to write one 

or two sentences (or draw pictures) 

to explain that light is made up of 

different colours and it helps us see. 

Resources 

• Copies of page 66 on thick card 

• Scissors and colouring pencils/felt 

tips 

• Poster paper 

• Disappearing colour wheel video 

 

• Sufficient copies of experiment on 

page 67 

• Red, green and blue cellophane 

squares 

• Torch 

• Shoebox or small box 

• Gobstoppers, bubblegum balls or 

aniseed balls 

• A3 copy of page 68 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 3 

Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Provide pupils with copies of page 66 on thick card and colouring pencils or felt tips. Pupils colour 

the wheel according to the colours on the sheet. They carefully follow the instructions to create the 

Newton disc. (This may require guided work and support by adults to ensure that all pupils can 

create the Newton disc). 

2. Discuss with pupils how they are able to see objects such as the wheel, recall and consolidate 

previous learning about light and their eyes as the reason. Ask pupils questions such as What 

colours can you see when the wheel is still? What do you think you will see if you spin the wheel very 

fast? Write class predictions on poster paper. 

Development: 

3. Allow the pupils to spin their Newton disc and to observe what happens. Play the disappearing 

colour wheel video and discuss what the pupils observed and 

compare it to their predictions. 

4. Explain to pupils that the colour wheel represents light—it is made up of all of these colours but we 

see it as white light. This white light shines onto objects and lets our eyes see colours. What would 

happen if we changed the colour of the light? Would we see colours differently? 

5. In small groups, pupils conduct the experiment on page 67 to see how light determines how our 

eyes see colour (alternatively, this can be conducted as a whole class experiment with one set of 

equipment). The teacher may wish to demonstrate how to construct the shoebox, or pre-prepare 

the materials by cutting a hole in the shoebox and cutting squares of cellophane. Pupils complete 

page 67 individually. As an alternative, pupils may take photographs of the results and print them 

to glue into their science books. 


• Guided group work will enable all pupils to observe and record what happens when different 

light is used. 

• Once the experiment is complete, challenge pupils to try using gobstoppers/bubblegum balls 

of different colours in the same experiment and observe what happens. 

Reflection: 

6. Pupils volunteer to read out their conclusions and ensure everyone is in agreement. Discuss any 

differing answers. 

7. As a class, compile a list of things that pupils learnt about light that they didn’t know before. 

Use the resource sheet on page 68 if required. Alternatively, scan the page and display it on the 

whiteboard. 



CLASS 


Lesson 3 



Newton Disc—The Disappearing Colour Wheel 

1. Colour each part of the circle using the correct colour. 

2. Cut out the circle. 

3. Poke a small hole in the centre of the circle with a pin. 

4. Insert a bamboo skewer (or pencil) carefully and push circle 

halfway down. 

5. ‘Wiggle’ skewer a bit so it is not too tight in the hole. 

6. Spin the rainbow circle and watch the colours turn ‘whitish’! 

VIOLET 

RED 

PURPLE 

ORANGE 

YELLOW 


BLUE 

GREEN 



1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 3 

Prediction: What will the colour of a bubblegum look like 

if a different colour light is used to see the bubblegum? 

The colour of the bubblegum will look the same. 

The colour of the bubblegum will change. 

The colour of the bubblegum will turn white. 

Materials: 

• red, green 

and blue 

cellophane 

squares 

• torch 

• shoebox (or 

other small 

box) 

• scissors 

• red bubblegum 

Procedure: 

• Cut a small hole in the top of the shoebox. 

• Place a red bubblegum in the shoebox and 

place the lid on. 

• Place four layers of red cellophane squares 

on top of the box to cover the hole. Secure 

with Blu-tack . 

• Use the torch to shine into the shoebox 

though the cellophane and onto the 

bubblegum. Record results. 

• Repeat for each colour cellophane. 

Results: Draw what the red bubblegum looks like. 

Red cellophane Green cellophane Blue cellophane 


Conclusion: 

When a red light was used the red bubblegum looked . 

When a green light was used the red bubblegum looked . 

When a blue light was used the red bubblegum looked . 

Light lets us see colour. If we change the colour of the light, then 

the way we see the colour of objects changes doesn’t change . 


CLASS 


Lesson 3 



What We Found 

Out About Light! 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 4 

Teacher Notes 


What is sound? How can we hear or feel sound? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 




questions and describe different sounds. 


making and using sound. 


• Sound is created by the vibration of an object or air. 

The vibrations create waves which move and spread 

outwards from the source. The vibrations move 

through the air to our ear and we hear sound. 

• Sound vibrations cannot be seen but if an object is 

making a sound, some part of it is vibrating. 

• A sound wave must travel through something in 

order to be heard because vibrations must push 

against something to travel outwards. Sound can 

travel through solids, liquids and gases (like air), 

but sound moves faster through liquids and solids 

because the particles are packed more closely 

together. 

• Our ears collect sound waves and filter them 

through the ear passage, where it causes the ear 

drum to vibrate. The vibration is converted into a 

signal by the rest of the ear and sent to the brain. 

The brain then identifies the sound. 

• While we mostly detect sound using the ears, we 

can also feel by touching objects that vibrate; for 

example, the vibrations caused when a hand is 

banged on a table can be felt by another person 

touching the table. It is possible, too, to feel the 

vibrations thunder makes through the body while 

the ear is hearing the sound. 


Links: 

• Using a digital device to scan a 

QR code and view a video. 

• Working in a team and following 

a sequence of steps to construct a 

‘humming drum’. 


• Use pages 71 and 72 as formative 


understanding of sources of sound 

and sound as vibrations. 

Resources 

• Digital audio files of sound 

effects at 

• Sufficient copies of page 71 for 

pupils; one digital version to 

display to the class 


• Video about sound or a 

suitable book about sound for 

children of this class level 

• Vibration experiment—bowl, cling 

film, hundreds and thousands 

• Video of experiment at 

• Tablet computers with QR code 

reader 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 



Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Play a series of sound effects such as water drops or an aeroplane taking off, found at . Ask pupils to listen and try to identify what the sound is. How did you hear the 

sound? Can you just hear it or can you feel it too? 

2. The pupils place a hand gently over their throat and hum a well-known song together as a class. 

What can you feel? 

Development: 

3. Refer to the posters created in Lesson 1 on the working wall about sound to reflect on pupils’ prior 

knowledge. 

4. Watch a video about sound at or read a factual book about sound. 

(If possible provide a range of suitable books about sound close to the working wall for pupils to 

read for the duration of the unit of work). Discuss information and highlight important words like 

waves and vibrations. Compare any new information to the posters recalled in Step 3 and add to 

the working wall. 

5. Display page 71 on the whiteboard and read through the definition of sound. Ask pupils to suggest 

sources of sound and the action required to make the sound. Complete one example in the 

circle; for example, hammer hitting a nail. Pupils then complete page 71 individually, listing other 

examples of objects and the action required to make sound. Pupils may watch the video about 

sound again by scanning the QR code. 

6. In small groups, pupils investigate what sound would ‘look like’ by covering a bowl with cling film. 

Explain to pupils they will need to sprinkle hundreds and thousands on top of the container and 

simply hum near the bowl. Pupils take turns to hum and move closer or further from 

the bowl, or even touch their mouth to the bowl edge while humming. 

The teacher may wish to watch a video of the experiment to see the 

expected results at . Ask pupils 

what they expect to happen during the experiment and 

allow them to complete the prediction on page 72. 

Pupils then conduct the experiment and complete the 

rest of page 72 individually. 

7. Discuss observations as a class and whether there were 

any differing results. 


• Guided group work or mixed ability pairings to ensure that 

all pupils participate in the experiment, observe the results and are 

able to link sound and vibration. 

Reflection: 

cling film 


8. Read aloud the sentences from the conclusion as a class. Pupils should have used the word 

vibrations to complete the sentences. 

9. In small groups, pupils use their bodies to re-enact what happens when a sound is created; for 

example, someone playing a guitar would case the strings to vibrate and the air around them until 

it reaches someone’s ears. 



1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 4 

Sound is 

vibrations that 

travel in waves 

through matter to 

our ears. We can 

hear and feel the 

vibrations. 


Scan the QR code to watch the video about sound. 


CLASS 


Lesson 4 



Prediction: What will happen to the hundreds 

and thousands on the bowl when I hum? 

Nothing will happen. 

The hundreds and thousands will move and vibrate. 

The hundreds and thousands will change colour. 

Materials: 

• ceramic bowl 

• cling film 

• hundreds and 

thousands 

Procedure: 

• Place cling film tightly over bowl. 

• Sprinkle hundreds and thousands on top. 

• Hum near the bowl. 

• Try humming at different distances, even 

touching the bowl with your mouth. 

Results: Draw or write what the hundreds and thousands looked like 

when you hummed. 


Conclusion: 

When you hum you create 

sound. 

which make a 

The 

are invisible but the hundreds and 

thousands let us see them. 

Finished? Scan this QR code to watch a video and compare 

it to your experiment. 



1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 5 

Teacher Notes 


How can sounds be made? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 




questions and describe different sounds. 

• People use science in their everyday lives when 

using musical instruments and exploring how 

different sounds can be made. 


• Sound is an invisible vibration which travels in 

waves, spreading outwards from a source such 

as a music player, a car engine or a musical 

instrument. 

• Musical instruments make sounds by being 

struck, blown, plucked or by being played 

with a bow. Each of these actions causes part 

of the musical instrument to vibrate rapidly; 

for example, the column of air inside a wind 

instrument, the strings of a piano or violin, or 

the skin of a drum all vibrate when played. The 

vibration of this part of the musical instrument 

produces sound waves in the air, and we hear 

these sounds as musical notes. 


• Exploring properties of materials used to 

design instruments and the sounds they 

create. 

• Using a digital device to make an audio 

or visual recording of sounds made 

during the experiment. 


• The recording sheet on page 76 may be 

used as a formative assessment activity. 

Resources 

• Magic School Bus clip Sound is 

Vibration at 

• Pre-prepared instruments: 

Striking—large, empty cans; 

balloons; rubber bands; pencil; 

ruler; small drumstick (optional) 

Blowing—plastic straws, scissors, 

sticky tape 

Scraping/Tapping—plastic drink 

bottle with ridges, strong tape to 

secure lid, length of ribbon/string, 

pencil 

Shaking—two clean, recycled 

yoghurt containers or large plastic 

cups; seeds/rice/dried beans/pasta; 

strong tape 

Plucking/Strumming—tissue box; 

scissors; large, rubber bands 


• Sufficient copies of page 76 or 

ShowMe application on computer 

tablet instead 

• Audio/video recording device or 

computer tablet 


CLASS 


Lesson 5 



Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Discuss what was learnt in the previous lesson to consolidate learning about sound and vibrations. 

Watch The Magic School Bus clip Sound is Vibration at . What 

musical instruments can you name? How do they make sound? This list can be added to the working 

wall. 

Development: 

2. Pupils will explore ways sound can be made by playing with simple instruments. What are some 

actions that cause a sound? Write ideas on the board to assist pupils to complete their recording 

sheet. Explain the different activities as described on page 75. At each activity, pupils identify a way 

to make sound. 

Note: Almost all of the activities involve easy, home-made musical instruments which will need to be 

made before the lesson. Teachers may choose to allow pupils to make their own of one or all of the 

home-made musical instruments in class or at home. The objective for this lesson is to experiment 

with making sounds with the instruments, rather than make the instruments themselves. 

3. Pupils rotate through the activities in small groups. Allow five minutes at each station. At each 

activity, pupils work out how to make sound using the material provided. Individually, pupils record 

information on the recording sheet on page 76. (NOTE: The pupils are only required to record 

words like ‘blowing’, ‘plucking’, ‘striking’ etc.) Pupils use an audio/video recording device to record 

the sounds they made with each instrument. 

4. After pupils have experimented and recorded their information about the activities, come together 

as a class to discuss ideas. How did you make sounds with each of the different objects? Did you 

find any new ways? Discuss different ways sounds could be made with the same object. (Some 

pupils may blow down into an object; others may blow across the top and so on.) 


• Guided group work and mixed ability pairing should enable all pupils to experience making 

sounds using the different instruments. Key vocabulary can be provided to ensure that all pupils 

are able to complete the recording sheet (page 76). 

• Challenge pupils to write additional information on the back of the recording sheet and to 

explore different ways of making sounds using the same instrument. 

Reflection: 

5. Select pupils to explain one way they learnt sound could be made. They can complete the 

sentence ‘Sound is made by …’ What are some ways you make sounds at home or at school? 

6. The teacher may wish to upload any videos or ShowMe pieces to the class website or e-newsletter 

to demonstrate what pupils learnt about actions that create sound. 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 5 

Striking 

Materials required: 

• large, empty cans or any cylindrical containers; 

balloons; rubber bands; pencil; 

ruler; small drumstick (optional) 

Instructions: 

• Cut the opening off each balloon. 

• Stretch one balloon over the top of 

each can and secure with rubber band. 

• Pupils experiment to find different ways to 

make sounds with the object. (Note: Pupils 

need not strike the drum with an implement— 

they may simply hit with the palm of their 

hand. They should be encouraged to try 

different ways of making sound.) 

Scraping/Tapping 


• plastic drink bottle with ridges or can with 

ridges, strong tape to secure lid, length of 

ribbon/string, pencil 

Instructions: 

• Secure lid to bottle with tape. 

• Tape pencil to ribbon and ribbon to 

lid. 

• Pupils experiment to find different 

ways to make sounds with the object. 

Plucking/Strumming 


• tissue box; scissors; large, rubber bands 

Instructions: 

• Cut most of the top from the 

tissue box. 

• Stretch the rubber bands at 

intervals around the box. 


make sounds with the object. 

Music Stations 

Blowing 


• plastic straws, scissors, 

sticky tape 

Instructions: 

• Cut the straws to different lengths. 

• Use the sticky tape to secure them 

together to form a simple, flute-like 

instrument. 



Shaking 


• two clean, recycled yoghurt containers or large, 

plastic cups (painted and decorated if desired); 

seeds/rice/dried beans/pasta; strong tape 

Instructions: 

• Half fill one container with seeds. 

• Attach second container to first with open 

tops together and secure well with strong tape. 




Making sounds with the body 


• body parts 

Instructions: 

• Pupils experiment 

to find different ways 

to make sounds with 

their body; for example, clapping, stamping, 

clicking tongue and snapping fingers. 


CLASS 


Lesson 5 



Making Sounds Recording Sheet 

Name 

Objects used 

How did you make sound? 

Did you record 

the sound? 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 6 

Teacher Notes 


How are sounds different? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 




and describe changes in sound. 


listening to music or playing a musical instrument. 


• Sound is an invisible vibration which travels in waves, 

spreading outwards from a source such as a music 

player, a car engine or a musical instrument. 

• The frequency of a sound is how high or low it is. 

Some animals hear at frequencies higher or lower than 

humans. Sounds lower than human hearing are called 

infrasound, while sounds higher than human hearing 

are called ultrasound. 

• When vibrations are fast, a high note is heard. When 

vibrations are slow, a low note is created. 

• Musical instruments make sounds by being struck, 

blown, plucked or by being played with a bow. Each of 

these actions causes vibrations—sound. 

• A musical instrument produces sound when part of it 

vibrates rapidly; for example, the column of air inside a 

wind instrument, the strings of a piano or violin, or the skin 

of a drum all vibrate when played. The vibration of this 

part of the musical instrument produces sound waves in 

the air and we hear these sounds as musical notes. 

• For the purposes of this lesson, it is sufficient for pupils 

to acquire knowledge of the pitch (high or low) and 

volume (loud or soft) of sounds of musical instruments. 


Links: 

• Researching ideas using a website. 

• Using a digital device to scan a QR 

code to take an online quiz. 

• Exploring properties of materials 

used to design instruments and 

the sounds they create. 

• Referring to a simple tally or show 

of hands to see which category 

had the most responses. 

• Using a Venn diagram to sort the 

sounds that musical instruments 

produce. 


• The recording sheet on page 

79 may be used as a formative 

assessment activity. 

• The quiz used in Step 5 of the 

lesson can be used as a summative 

assessment activity. 

Resources 

• Demonstration experiment: 

eight identical glasses or 

glass jars, jug of water, metal 

teaspoon 

• BBC Bitesize website about 

sound at 

• Musical instruments: 

xylophones, tambourines, 

triangles, bells, castanets, 

cymbals, scrapers 

• One copy of the worksheet on 

page 79 for each pupil 

• Tablet computer for pupils 

(optional) 

• A selection of books about 

sound (suitable for 1st/2nd 

Class) would be useful 

• Sound quiz questions at 

 



CLASS 


Lesson 6 



Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Demonstrate how different sounds are made using the following experiment. Fill eight identical 

glasses or glass jars with varying amounts of water; i.e. 1 , 1 , 3 , 1 8 4 8 3 

full and so on to completely full. 

Use a metal teaspoon (or select pupils) to gently tap each glass to hear the difference in sound. 

Which glass makes the highest sound? Which glass makes the lowest sound? Is it a loud sound or 

a soft sound? Place the glass jars out of pitch order so the pupils can order them by the highest to 

lowest sound. 

Development: 

2. Read through the BBC Bitesize information about sound at , also 

linked to the QR code on page 79. What words describe sounds? Write ideas on the board, or 

working wall, to assist pupils to complete their investigation. Reinforce the word pitch to describe 

high and low sounds, and volume to describe loud and soft sounds. 

3. Pupils then investigate how sounds are different. It is sufficient for this activity if pupils can identify 

high, low, loud and soft sounds. Pupils rotate through the activities in small groups. At each activity, 

there is one or more of the same instrument. Pupils take turns making a sound with the instrument. 

Before they play each instrument, pupils verbally predict what the sound will be like. They then 

record on their copy of page 79 what the sounds are like. They can also experiment with playing 

each one loudly or softly to hear the difference. 

4. After pupils have experimented and recorded their information, come together as a class to discuss 

conclusions. Pupils can indicate by a show of hands the instruments they thought produced high, 

low, loud and soft sounds, and discuss any differing responses. The teacher may wish to construct a 

tally chart to record the show of hands for each instrument. How can you make an instrument play a 

soft sound or a loud sound? Can some instruments play high and low sounds? 


• Guided group work and mixed ability pairs should enable all pupils to complete the experiment 

and to record whether the instruments make a high or low sound and whether they make a loud 

or soft sound. 

• Challenge pupils to create a Venn diagram to show the results of the experiment and investigate 

other instruments and add them to the Venn diagram. 

Reflection: 

5. Complete the quiz questions about sound at as a class on the 

whiteboard. Use the free version, where no answers are provided, as they are quite obvious. Clarify 

any questions or problems the pupils may have. 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 6 

How are Sounds Different? 

What kind of sound does the instrument make? 

Tick high, low or both. Tick loud, soft or both. 

Pitch 

xylophone 

Volume 

high low loud soft 

tambourine 


triangle 

bells 

castanets 





cymbal 


scraper 



CLASS 


Assessment 



Teacher Notes 


• Light and sound come from different sources. 

• Light and sound can be sensed and pupils will name and locate parts of the body that do this. 

Indicators 

Page 81 (Light) 

• Draws and labels one natural and one manmade 

source of light. 

• Identifies and names the different colours of 

the rainbow. 

• Identifies that sunlight is ‘white’ light. 

• Draws a diagram to show how we see objects. 

Page 82 (Sound) 

• Identifies that vibrations of an object create 

sound. 

• Identifies the body part used for hearing. 

• Recognises that vibrations can be felt as well 

as heard. 

• Identifies differences in sounds. 

• Identifies one way to make a sound. 

• Draws and labels how sound travels from an 

object to the ear. 

Answers 

Page 81 

1. Teacher check 

2. Includes seven colours of the rainbow — red, 

orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo/purple, 

violet/pink 

3. (a) True 

(b) Teacher check 

Page 82 

1. vibrates 

2. ears 

3. Yes 

4. All should be ticked. 

5. Answers will vary. 

6. Pupils are expected to draw an instrument and 

sound waves coming from it, moving through 

the air to an ear. 




1st 

CLASS 




Assessment 

Light 

1. Draw and label: 

one natural source of light one man-made source of light 

2. Draw the colours that make up white light. 


3. (a) Light lets us see colour. The colour of the 

light affects the colour that we see. true false 

(b) Write or draw an example. 


CLASS 


Assessment 


Sound 



1. Sound is made when an object v . 

2. We hear sounds using our e . 

3. We can feel vibrations of sound. yes no 

4. Tick the correct words. 

Sound can be ... 


5. Write one way to make sound. 

6. Draw and label a diagram to show how we hear sound. 

(You will need to draw a body part and an object that makes 

sound.) 




1st 

CLASS 




STEM project Project 

A Sun Chime: 


Design and make a new decoration for the school garden that is a combination of a sun catcher 

and a wind chime—a sun chime. 



• Recall that light is needed to see things. 

• Recall that light is provided by a number of sources, including sunlight. 

• Explore how different sounds are created by different materials when a physical action occurs, 

such as blowing or banging in the wind like a wind chime. 

• Pupils communicate science knowledge by creating a short video. 

• Pupils observe and describe the materials used in sun catchers and wind chimes. 

• Know that science is used in everyday life, making objects that produce different sounds and use 

sunlight. 



• Record design ideas by drawing a sketch and writing a plan. 

• Use a digital device to scan a QR code and conduct research using ICT. 

• Produce a product as required for the school grounds. 

• Explore the characteristics of different materials, discovering which are the best to catch sun and 

create sound. 

• Create a video to share online or with the school. 

• Evaluate and revise the sun chime design and/or the video. 

Mathematics 

• Identify and incorporate 2-D shapes into the design of the sun chime. 



• Read the story about Sleeping Beauty to the class. The challenge for pupils is to create a house 

or bedroom for her that doesn’t let any light or sound in. Pupils will explore the properties of 

materials and how they help or hinder light and sound from travelling. 

• Pupils explore a simple telephone and create their own using string and plastic cups. Pupils can 

use them to communicate in class, but will also need to work out a way to signal to their partner 

that they wish to talk by using light from a torch. Pupils will explore SOS signals and how light can 

be used to communicate. 

• Explore hearing aids and how they are used to help people who have a hearing impairment. 

Using this idea, can pupils create a simple hearing aid that ‘collects’ the most amount of sound 

waves? 


CLASS 











• Explore ways of making different sounds using a variety of materials. 

Strand: Materials – Strand Unit: Properties and Characteristics of Materials 

• Identify and investigate a range of common materials used in the immediate environment. 

• Describe and compare materials, noting the differences in colour, shape and texture. 

• Group materials according to their properties. 



• Observing 




• Analysing 



• Exploring 

• Planning 

• Making 





1st 

CLASS 






Teacher Notes 

Design and create a new product that is a combination of a sun catcher and a wind chime for the 

school garden—a sun chime. 

Estimated duration: 4 weeks 


• Display images of wind chimes/sun 

catchers on Pinterest (also linked to the first QR 

code on page 87 for pupils to explore 

individually). Ask pupils if they know what 

the items are called. Discuss what a sun 

catcher is and what a wind chime is. 

• Introduce the project brief on page 86 to 

create a sun chime for the school grounds. 


• Watch videos of wind chimes and sun 

catchers (linked to the QR codes on 

pupil page on 87): , , and . Do they make light? What 

source of light do they use? Do they make 

sound? How do they make sound? 

• Discuss sources of light learnt from 

previous lessons. What source of light 

do sun catchers use? Discuss what kinds 

of materials were used that used the 

sunlight. How do CDs use the sun? How 

does coloured glass use the sun? How do 

coloured beads or crystals use the sun? 

• Discuss what kinds of materials were used 

in the wind chimes and sun catchers. Why 

is glass used? Why is metal used? Why is 

wood used? What kind of sounds do they 

make? Pupils complete page 88. 

• Allow pupils time to investigate the 

properties of different materials before 

deciding which ones to use in their design. 

The following materials can be provided 

for the class: keys, washers, bottle tops, 

marbles, plastic beads, glass beads, craft 

bells, tin cans, CDs, sequins, craft gems and 

jewels, different-coloured plastic bottles, 

cellophane and pieces of metal rod. Pupils 

will also need fishing line or something 

similar to hang their sun chimes. 

• Other resources such as books about 

making sun catchers or actual examples of 

teacher-made or bought sun catchers can 

also be provided: Paper Suncatchers Kit or 

Origami Suncatchers: Create 20 Dazzling 

Stars for your Windows by Christine 

Gross-Loh. 


• Groups discuss ideas for different sun 

chime designs and the materials they want 

to use. Pupils design and label a plan of 

their design. They also make a list of the 

materials they would like to use and decide 

who will complete each component of the 

design. Use the plan template on page 89 

if required. 

4. Make 

• Groups collect resources and create their 

design cooperatively. 


• Pupils re-read the project brief to 

ensure they have included all required 

components and make changes if 

necessary. 


• Pupils create a brief video showing their 

design in the school grounds and how it 

makes sound and uses light. 



CLASS 





The task 

Project Brief 

A SUN CHIME 

The problem 

The school gardener wants a new product to decorate the school 

grounds with. He doesn’t just want a sun catcher or a wind chime, 

but a combination of both —a sun chime. 

1. You need to design and make a 

sun chime made from materials 

that will catch the sunlight and look 

dazzling, and materials that will 

make a pleasant sound when the 

wind blows. 

2. You will then make a short video 

showing the sun chime in the 

school grounds, demonstrating that 

it catches the sun and that it makes 

a sound in the wind. 


• You must work in groups of 

2–3 pupils. 

• You will need to think about what 

materials can be used to catch 

sunlight and what materials can be 

used to make sound. 

• You need to use at least four different 2-D shapes in your 

design. 




1st 

CLASS 





Investigate 

Learn about sun catchers and wind 

chimes, and their materials. 

As a class, discuss what sun 

catchers and wind chimes look 

like. 

Look at images and videos of 

different designs of sun catchers 

and wind chimes, or use a tablet 

computer to scan these QR 

codes. 

Make a list of materials and 

explore what the materials do, 

using the materials T-chart. 


Plan your sun chime and collect your 

materials. 

Decide which materials you want 

to use from the ones provided 

by your teacher and make a list. 

What materials will work best? 

Draw a sketch of what your sun 

chime will look like, including at 

least four different 2-D shapes. 

Think about how you will hang it 

in the school grounds. 

Project Steps 

Make 

Create your sun chime. 


Check that you have included at 

least four 2-D shapes in your sun 

chime. 

Check that you have included 

something that catches the 

sun and something that makes 

a sound when blowing in the 

wind. Test it out and change 

your design or the materials if it 

isn’t working. 

Is there anything else you can 

add to make your sun chime 

better? 

Communicate 

Record a short video showing 

your sun chime in the school 

grounds and how it catches the 

sun and makes a sound when 

the wind blows. 

Share the video with the school 

caretaker/gardener, or with the 

whole school so they know that 

the sun chimes will be displayed 

for other pupils to look at. 



CLASS 





Materials T-chart 

What materials are wind chimes and sun catchers made from? 

How do the materials use light or create sound? 

Wind chimes 

Sun catchers 

Materials used 

How the material uses 

light or creates sound 




1st 

CLASS 





Sun Chime Plan 

List of materials: 

Sketch: 


Our sun chime catches the sun by 

. 

Our sun chime creates sound by 


CLASS 


.





Pupil name: 

Date: 

STEM Project: A Sun Chime 


I gave ideas. 







because 


. 


. 


fair poor . 



1st 

CLASS 







CRITERIA 

Project task: 

Pupils design and create a sun chime that contains elements that use the sunlight and 

create sound. 


Sun chime includes materials that ‘catch’ the sunlight effectively. 

Sun chime includes materials that create sound effectively, using a blowing motion from 

the wind. 


Observes and describes designs of sun catchers and wind chimes. 

Conducts an investigation into materials used for sun catchers and wind chimes. 

Communicates science knowledge successfully using a digital video to demonstrate how 

the sun chime works. 


Draws a sketch of appropriate designs. 

Plans which materials to use. 

Explores and researches ideas using ICT successfully. 

Evaluates and revises the design to achieve a better result. 

Successfully uses digital technology to film a short video. 

Mathematics 

Includes and can identify and describe four different 2-D shapes used in the design. 

Group skills 









CLASS 





1st 

CLASS 


Materials 

IT’S A STRETCH 

material 

bend 

twist 

squash 

stretch 

crush 

break 

Keywords 

cut 

whip 

melt 

beat 

cool 

dice 

warm 

slice 

cook 

mix 

freeze 

fold 

ice 

press 



CLASS 


Unit Overview 

Materials 



• Exploring properties and characteristics of common materials in the immediate 

environment. 

• Knowing that everyday materials can be changed in a variety of ways, especially by 

heating, cooling and mixing. 

Lesson 1 

What are materials and how 

do they change? 

Lesson 2 

How can the shape of an 

object be changed? Does it 

change back to its original 

shape? 

Lesson 3 

What happens when some 

materials are heated? 

Lesson 4 

What happens when some 

materials are cooled? 

Lesson 5 

What other physical changes 

can be made to an object? 

Does an object go back to its 

original shape after a change is 

made or does it stay changed? 

Lesson 6 

How do materials change 

when cooking? 


Assessing prior learning lesson. This lesson is to 

establish pupils’ prior knowledge about materials and 

how they change by looking at a space hopper toy 

and an elastic hair tie. 

Pupils explore shapes made with playdough by 

playing a brief challenge game. Pupils then compare 

the shapes that can be made with playdough and a 

rubber band. 

Pupils observe and compare what happens to 

playdough and chocolate when they are placed 

in an oven, and how cooked playdough can’t 

be manipulated in the same way that uncooked 

playdough can. Pupils create playdough jewellery 

from the hardened playdough balls. 

Pupils investigate how water, juice, milk and oil 

change when cooled. Pupils take before and after 

photographs and record their observations in a table. 

Pupils explore what kinds of changes can be made 

to a cracker by breaking it in half, cutting it, crushing 

it, mixing it with water and then drying it out using a 

novelty shape mould. Pupils reinforce the concept that 

some objects can be changed and stay changed and 

other objects return to their original shape. 

Pupils undertake a real-life application of changing 

materials by making a cheesecake. This involves 

physical processes such as crushing, slicing, mixing, 

cooling, warming, whipping and beating different 

materials. 


Pupils communicate what they have learnt about how 

materials such as a rubber band, water, playdough, 

juice and a cracker can be physically changed. 

Pages 

96–100 

101–105 

106–109 

110–113 

114–116 

117–120 

121–122 


A Chair for a Bear 

Based on the book A Chair for Baby Bear, pupils 

design and make a chair by physically manipulating 

newspaper by rolling, twisting, folding, weaving, 

scrunching etc. The chair must be strong enough to 

hold a toy bear. Pupils then record a video explaining 

what is unique about how they used the newspaper. 

123–130 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Unit Overview 


Lesson 1 

Lesson 2 

Lesson 3 

Lesson 4 

Lesson 5 

Lesson 6 


• Identify and investigate a range of common materials used in the immediate 

environment. 





environment. 


• Begin to distinguish between natural and manufactured materials. 



environment. 


Strand: Materials – Strand Unit: Materials and Change 

• Explore the effects of heating and cooling on a range of liquids and solids. 



environment. 






environment. 




• Begin to investigate how materials may be changed by mixing. 

• Investigate the characteristics of different materials when wet and dry. 



environment. 




• Begin to investigate how materials may be changed by mixing. 

• Investigate the characteristics of different materials when wet and dry. 


CLASS 


Lesson 1 

Materials 


Teacher Notes 


What are materials and how do they change? 




• Analysing 




• Pupils observe the properties of everyday objects and 

materials and describe how they can change. 


• Using a QR code reader to access information. 


• Everyday materials include things such as water, 

chocolate, paper, wood, plastic, rubber, glass, clay, stone, 

fabric, metal, cork and so on. Objects are made from one 

or more materials; for example, space hopper toys are 

made from rubber, while hair ties are made from rubber, 

elastic or stretchy cotton. 

• Materials and objects can change shape, size, colour and 

temperature. 

• Materials can be changed in a variety of physical ways 

such as bending, stretching, squashing, crushing, 

breaking, cutting, warming and cooling. 


• Use the T-chart as a diagnostic 

assessment to establish prior 

knowledge. 

• Note any observations from the 

discussion at Step 6 about what 

pupils know about materials and 

how they can be changed. 

Resources 


• Digital copy of pages 98–99 

• Sufficient copies of page 

100 for pupils 

• Space hopper video 

 

• Tying a ponytail with hair tie 

video 

• Space hopper (optional) 

• Hair tie (optional) 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 1 

Lesson Plan 

Note: This lesson is to establish the pupils’ prior knowledge, so it is important to not correct them at this 

stage. 

Introduction: 

1. Display page 98 on the whiteboard and ask pupils to think about what is odd about these pictures. 

Using a think-pair-share, pupils explain what is unusual about the image based on prior knowledge. 

Pupils then share their thoughts as a whole class. 

Development: 

2. Show pupils a space hopper toy and a hair tie. Select a pupil to demonstrate how each object is 

used. Alternatively, display the images on page 99 (the correct objects). 

3. In pairs, pupils complete the T-chart on page 100 by viewing a video of a space hopper and a hair 

tie in action, then describing the observable properties of each object and how they can change 

shape. Pupils explore if each object returns to its original shape or not before answering the 

discussion questions on page 100. 


• Guided group work can support pupils in discussing the object and how it changes, with the 

adult questioning and prompting pupils to create a group T-chart. 

• Challenge pupils to write sentences to describe the object and how it changes using scientific 

words where they can. 

Reflection: 

4. Display the T-chart from page 100 on the whiteboard. Pupils share some of their descriptive words 

with the class, while the teacher writes the class responses. This is an opportunity to create a word 

wall for this unit of work. 

5. Discuss the following questions: What kind of materials are used to make things bouncy and 

stretchy? Is a piece of wood or a metal ruler bouncy or stretchy? What other words can be used to 

describe those objects? Do all objects return to the same shape after they have been changed? Can 

all objects have their shape changed? 



CLASS 


Lesson 1 

Materials 


Materials Cartoon 

What’s odd about these pictures? 




1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 1 

Real Materials 



CLASS 


Lesson 1 

Materials 


Space hopper toy 

Scan this to 

see it in action! 

Hair tie 

Scan this to 

see it in action! 

1. Do these objects return to their original shape? yes no 

Discussion questions: 

T-chart 

Write some words that describe these objects. 

Write how these objects can change their shape. 


2. Do all objects return to their original shape after they have 

been changed? 

3. Can all objects have their shape changed? 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 2 

Teacher Notes 


How can the shape of an object be changed? Does it change 

back to its original shape? 





• Analysing 



• Pupils observe and describe changes when manipulating 

playdough and a rubber band. 


• Designing a picture/object from playdough. 

• Working as part of a collaborative team to build an object 

from playdough. 

• Understanding the duration of ten seconds. 

• Using a digital timer/stopwatch. 

• Taking digital photographs. 

Additional note: 

At the end of the lesson, store playdough for future learning 

activities. 


• Materials and objects can change shape, size, colour and 

temperature. 




• Some objects can have their shape changed and stay 

changed; for example, plasticine, playdough, paper clip, 

pipe cleaner. 

• Some objects can have their shape changed and then 

they return to their original shape; for example, rubber 

band, stress ball, sponge, foam, metal ruler. 

• Some objects cannot have their shape changed easily by 

hand; for example, a metal rod, a screw, a brick. 


• Observe the pupil’s actions 

during the playdough game 

and make anecdotal notes of 

their understanding of the terms 

bend, twist, squash and stretch. 

• Use page 105 to assess 

planning and conducting 

skills, including their ability to 

record observations and form a 

conclusion. 

Resources 

• Homemade playdough 

recipe 

• Spinner board from 

page 104 and one paper 

clip per group 

• Timer and bell to indicate 

ten second rounds 

• Copy of page 103 to display 

• Copies of page 104 on 

board and a paper clip to 

create a spinner 




CLASS 


Lesson 2 

Materials 


Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Display page 103 on the whiteboard. Ask pupils to describe what each action is and what the 

action is called. Write the name of the action underneath the pictures; i.e. twist, stretch, bend and 

squash. This can be printed out and displayed in the classroom on a word wall so pupils can refer 

to it in later lessons. Ask pupils to suggest examples of times they have used one of these actions. 

Development: 

2. Pupils familiarise themselves with playdough by playing a game of Shape It! using playdough and 

the spinner from page 104. Divide the class into small groups and give each pupil in the group 

three small balls of playdough each. The aim of the game is to create a picture using playdough 

that has been changed by twisting, bending, squashing or stretching. 

Explain the game instructions as follows: 

• One person from your team spins the spinner and then shapes one piece of their dough using 

the action they landed on. Another member of the team is responsible for timing ten seconds. 

• Each person will have ten seconds. Listen for the timer or bell. 

• Pass the spinner to the next pupil and repeat the steps until all pieces of playdough have had 

their shape changed. Another member of the team is responsible for timing ten seconds. 

• When all pupils have changed their three pieces of playdough, pupils work together to create a 

picture with the changed shapes. Pupils will have three minutes to make a picture/image. At the 

end of the activity, each group should take a digital photograph of their picture/image. 

3. Pupils can conduct a quick gallery walk to view other groups’ pictures. 

4. Divide the playdough so each person receives a piece for individual experimentation. Pupils also 

receive one rubber band each. Pupils use the checklist on page 105 to complete the experiment 

and record their observations. 


• Some pupils will need additional support in understanding the task and recording the results - 

support to be provided to ensure that all pupils are able to complete the experiment. 

Reflection: 

5. Using a class whiteboard or large sheet of paper, as a class construct a Venn diagram about their 

observations in order to highlight the differences and similarities between how playdough and a 

rubber band change shape. Reinforce that the rubber band is an object that can change shape 

but it returns back to its original shape, while the playdough can change shape and stays in its new 

shape. Pupils can write something along these lines in their conclusion if they haven’t already done 

so. The Venn diagram can be added to the word wall area to begin to create a working wall. 


Consolidation: 

Distribute photographs of the Shape It! activity and challenge pupils to label the different ways in 

which the playdough has been changed - encourage pupils to use the scientific vocabulary from the 

word wall. 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 2 

Twist, Bend, Stretch and Squash Poster 



CLASS 


Lesson 2 

Materials 


Spinner 

twist 

squash 

twist 

bend 

stretch 

bend 


squash 

stretch 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 2 

Some materials can be changed by actions like twisting, bending, 

squashing and stretching, and some can’t be changed. Record your results 

in the table by placing a 4or 7 in each column. 

Does it bend? 

Does it stay bent? 

Does it stretch? 

Playdough 4 7 Rubber band 4 7 

Does it stay stretched? 

Does it twist? 

Does it stay twisted? 

Does it squash? 

Does it stay squashed? 

How else can you change its shape? 

Write two more ways. 

Results Table 

Does it bend? 

Does it stay bent? 

Does it stretch? 

Does it stay stretched? 

Does it twist? 

Does it stay twisted? 

Does it squash? 

Does it stay squashed? 

How else can you change its shape? 

Write two more ways. 


Conclusion 

The difference between what happens when playdough changes shape and 

what happens when a rubber band changes shape is … 


CLASS 


Lesson 3 

Materials 


Teacher Notes 


What happens when some materials are heated? 





• Analysing 



• Pupils observe and describe the changes to playdough and 

chocolate when it is warmed. 

• Pupils use science to make jewellery. 


• Using informal measurement to work out the approximate 

size of 1 cm. 

• Using a timer (electronic or stopwatch). 

• Designing a piece of jewellery. 


• Materials such as chocolate can be warmed and will 

melt as a result. They will take on the shape of whatever 

container they are in. 

• Materials such as playdough can be warmed (cooked 

in an oven) and will become hard as a result. Cooked 

playdough can no longer be twisted, stretched, bent or 

squashed. 

• Playdough jewellery activity . 


• Use the experiment worksheet 

on page 108 as a formative 


understanding of conducting an 

experiment. 

• Use the Venn diagram on 

page 109 as a formative 


ability to process and analyse 

experiment observations about 

how heat can change a material. 

Resources 

• Mini whiteboards for pairs 

of pupils 

• Playdough (from previous 

lesson) 

• Chocolate buttons 

• Toothpicks 

• Foil bun cases to place 

playdough balls and 

chocolate in 

• Baking trays 

• Toaster oven 

• Sufficient copies of pages 

108 and 109 

• String to make jewellery 

• Digital timer or stopwatch 




1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 3 

Teacher Notes 

Introduction: 

1. Recall what was learnt about playdough and how it can change shape. In pairs, pupils use a mini 

whiteboard to list words describing playdough, as discovered in the previous lesson. Pupils then 

share with the whole class. 

Development: 

2. Display a ball of playdough and a piece of chocolate at the front of the classroom. Using think-pairshare, 

pupils think about what would happen if the playdough and chocolate were placed in a hot 

oven. Individually, pupils use page 108 to write their prediction. 

3. In pairs, pupils then conduct the experiment on page 108. Ensure pupils do not touch anything hot 

and remind them about using equipment safely. Pupils can set a timer using an electronic timer or 

stopwatch. 

4. Once the playdough balls are cool to touch, and pupils have made their observations of the 

chocolate and playdough, they thread the playdough balls through a piece of string to create a 

necklace or bangle, which can later be decorated. 


• Guided group work or individual support should be provided to ensure that all pupils have the 

opportunity to predict, observe and describe the changes to the playdough and chocolate. 

• Challenge: Provide children with names of other materials and ask them to predict what would 

happen to them if they were placed in a hot oven for ten minutes. 

Reflection: 

5. Pupils share their results for the warming and cooling part of the experiment and discuss how the 

playdough changed when it was heated compared to how the chocolate changed. What shape was 

it? What shape is it now? What happened to the hole? Could you twist the playdough? Squash it? 

Can you make it go back to how it was before? Can you make the chocolate go back to its original 

shape? How? 

6. In pairs, pupils construct a Venn diagram comparing the playdough and chocolate after it has been 

heated. Pupils can draw their own diagram based on the previous lesson (using the Venn diagram 

on the working wall), or use the template on page 109. Essentially, pupils should be able to state 

that playdough became hard and stayed in its ball shape, but the chocolate melted and changed 

shape. The hole stayed in the playdough, whereas in the chocolate the hole melted over. 



CLASS 


Lesson 3 

Materials 


Hypothesis: 

When playdough is put in the oven, I 

think it will … 

Experiment Worksheet 

When chocolate is put in the oven, I 

think it will … 

Procedure: 

1. Make small balls from the playdough the size of a blueberry or grape. 

2. Use a toothpick to poke small holes in the centre of the playdough balls and 

the chocolate buttons. The holes need to be big enough to fit a piece of 

string through. 

3. Place the playdough and chocolate in bun cases and put them in the oven. 

Remove the chocolate after two minutes and leave the playdough in for 

5–10 minutes. Make sure the oven is on low heat. 

4. Observe! 

Chocolate Before being heated After being heated 

How did the 

chocolate change 

after being 

heated? 

Draw or write what 

it looked like. 

What happened 

to the hole? 

Playdough Before being heated After being heated 

How did the 

playdough 

change after 

being heated? 

Draw or write what 

it looked like. 

What happened 

to the hole? 




1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 3 

Venn Diagram 

Playdough Both Chocolate 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Materials 


Teacher Notes 


What happens when some materials are cooled? 





• Analysing 



• Pupils observe and describe what happens when various 

materials are cooled in the freezer. 

• Pupils observe the difference between the shape that water 

can make compared to when it is cooled and forms ice 

shapes. 


• Indirectly calculating how much of each liquid is required to 

fill an ice cube tray. 

• Using digital camera to record observations. 


• Most liquids when frozen become a solid. Oil behaves 

differently when cooled because it is a lipid, which means 

it can stay in the same state regardless of temperature. 

Oil does not have a specific freezing point. Oil may 

appear to look somewhat solid when frozen but it 

behaves differently and feels different to other truly frozen 

substances like ice. 

• Water, milk and juice will become solid and freeze in the 

shape of the container they are in, and stay this shape until 

they melt to liquids again. 


• Observe the pupil’s 

understanding of the concept 

that ice is made from water that 

has been cooled in the freezer 

during discussions in Step 2. 

• Use the experiment worksheet 

on page 113 as a formative 

assessment of the pupil’s ability 

to conduct an investigation and 

observe how a material changes 

when cooled. 

Resources 





• Ice cube trays/shapes – one 

per group 

• Water, milk, juice, oil 

• Access to a freezer 

• Pre-prepared frozen ice 

cube trays with water, milk, 

juice and oil (optional—to 

speed up the process) 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 4 

Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Display different-shaped containers at the front of the classroom, filled with water. What shape does 

water have? How has the shape been changed in these examples of water? What other ways can 

you change water? What happens when you put water in the freezer? Discuss as a class and write 

pupil suggestions to the last question on the whiteboard. 

Development: 

2. Show pupils the cartoon on page 112 and discuss what it means. Why does the snowman need 

ice? What is snow made from? How is ice made? What shape is the snowman? How do you make a 

snowman? Pupils turn to a partner and discuss possible answers. 

3. Is it just water that turns into ice? What about if juice or milk was put in the freezer? What about oil? 

What would happen? As a class, discuss these ideas before forming small groups to conduct the 

experiment on page 113 to record their predictions and find out the answers. Pupils print out their 

before and after photographs and glue them in their science book. 

Note: To speed up the process, teachers may wish to pre-prepare ice cube trays with water, juice, 

milk and oil and freeze the night before. This can then be used for pupils to observe, rather than 

wait for their trays to freeze. Otherwise the lesson can be commenced at the start of the day and 

finished at the end of the day to allow enough time for the freezing to occur (generally a few hours is 

required). 


• Pupils requiring additional help to complete the experiment can be supported by an adult and 

guided through the process and aided with written answers. 

• Challenge pupils to think about other materials that can be changed by cooling and to draw 

before and after pictures. More able pupils can compile a list of other materials that can be 

changed by cooling them, and test it out if appropriate or if time is available. 

Reflection: 

4. Each small group pairs with another small group and shares their observations and results. As 

a whole class, discuss if there were any differing results and what may have caused this. Discuss 

pupils’ conclusions and then write a class conclusion on the board, referring to how most materials 

become hard when cooled, except oil which changes colour and is not as hard as ice. All materials 

will feel cold to touch. 



CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Materials 


Snowman Cartoon 




1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 4 

Write your prediction. 

What will happen when water is put in the freezer? 

What will happen when juice is put in the freezer? 

What will happen when milk is put in the freezer? 

What will happen when oil is put in the freezer? 

Procedure: 

1. Fill the sections of an ice cube tray with water, juice, milk and oil (one cube 

each). 

2. Take a photograph and then place in the freezer. 

3. After a few hours remove from the freezer, take another photograph and 

observe any changes. 

Water 

Juice 

Milk 

Oil 

Cooling Materials Experiment 

What does it look like? 

What does it feel like? 

Before After Before After 


Conclusion 

What happens when materials are cooled? 


CLASS 


Lesson 5 

Materials 


Teacher Notes 


What other physical changes can be made to an object? 

Does an object go back to its original shape after a change 

is made or does it stay changed? 





• Analysing 



• Pupils observe sounds to determine what action is being 

made. 

• Pupils observe and describe changes that can be made 

to a cracker biscuit. 


• Participating in an online quiz. 

• Observing digital audio files. 

• Understanding one half of an object. 


• Materials and objects can change shape, size, colour 

and temperature. 




• Some examples of physical changes include crushing 

a can or plastic bottle, breaking a glass, shredding 

paper, chopping wood, crumpling a paper bag, 

dicing vegetables and mixing crackers with water. 


• Use the experiment sheet on 

page 116 as a formative assessment 

of the pupil’s ability to plan and 

conduct a procedure and use digital 

technologies to record before and 

after observations. 

• Use Step 8 as a formative 


understanding that many physical 

actions can cause an object or 

material to change, and they cannot 

be changed back to their original 

shape. 

Resources 

• Changes to materials quiz 

 

• Sound effects website 

 

• Water crackers (or similar) 

• Water and droppers 

• Sandwich bags 

• Novelty ice cube trays 

• Digital camera device 





1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 5 

Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Revise with pupils what actions can change a material by answering the Studyladder quiz (free 

subscription) questions at , or create a simple true or false quiz that 

covers previous learning in this unit of work. 

2. Pupils brainstorm in pairs what other actions they can think of that will change a material. Does it 

stay changed? Does it go back to its original shape? 

Development: 

3. Explore other actions by listening to some audio files at using the search 

terms ‘plastic bottle crush’, ‘mirror shattering’, ‘plastic wrinkling’, ‘tearing paper’ and ‘chopping 

wood’. Play to pupils and ask them to guess what action is making the sound. Be careful not to 

show the website on the whiteboard as this will give away the answer. 

4. Pupils explore other actions that cause a change by conducting the guided experiment on page 

116. Give each pupil a sandwich bag with one large water cracker in it. Pupils make changes to the 

water cracker to observe how the shape changes. 

5. Ensure pupils do not add too much water as this will affect drying time. This lesson can be 

conducted over two sessions to allow for the crackers to dry completely. Continue the lesson from 

the What did happen section of the experiment on page 116. 

6. Pupils print out their before and after photographs of the cracker. 


• Most pupils should be able to complete the cracker experiment independently or in small 

groups following the step by step instructions. Adults can support through guided group work 

where necessary. 

• Challenge pupils to discuss and then compile a list of materials or objects that do not return to 

their original shapes after changes have been made. 

Reflection: 

7. Pupils share their results with a partner and compare their final water cracker shapes and 

photographs. 

8. Individually, pupils glue their photographs into their science books and write a sentence about the 

changes that were made for the cracker to go from the before photograph to the after photograph. 



CLASS 


Lesson 5 

Materials 


Question: How many ways can you change the shape of a cracker? 

Procedure: 

1. Leave the cracker inside the bag. Take a photograph of it. 

2. Break the cracker in half. 

3. Open the bag and cut the cracker into smaller pieces with scissors, keeping 

it inside the bag. 

4. Leave the cracker inside the bag and crush the cracker with something hard. 

5. Add a few drops of water at a time to the bag and swish the cracker around 

until all the pieces join together. 

6. Put the cracker into a mould and leave it in the sun or a radiator to dry. 

7. What do you think will happen? Record your answers below. 

Draw what you think will happen. 

Cracker Experiment 

Write what you think will happen. 

What did happen? Take a photograph and describe the shape of the cracker. 


How many ways did you change the shape of the cracker? 

Write one more action you could do to change the cracker. 

Which sentence is true about the cracker after each of the changes were made? 

The cracker changed and then went back to its original shape. 

The cracker changed and stay changed. 

The cracker could not be changed. 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 6 

Teacher Notes 


How do materials change when cooking? 




• Analysing 



• Pupils describe changes to ingredients after 

an action such as crushing, melting, cooling or 

slicing has been made. 

• Pupils identify that people use science when 

cooking. 


• Exploring how food is prepared and what tools 

and equipment are used. 

• Referring to measurement of ingredients and 

time needed for cooking. 


• Cooking can call for many physical changes 

to be made to ingredients, such as dicing 

vegetables, slicing onions, mincing garlic, 

crushing nuts, blending a smoothie, whipping 

cream, beating eggs, melting butter, chilling a 

cheesecake, rolling out dough, using a cookie 

cutter and so on. 

• Some of these changes can’t be reversed, 

such as dicing vegetables, while others can 

be changed back to their original form such 

as melting butter which can be cooled to 

solidify back to its original shape. 


• Observe the pupil’s interaction and 

understanding of the results of their actions 

during the cooking session, and make 

anecdotal notes. 

• Use page 119 as a formative assessment of 

the understanding of the practical purposes 

of making physical changes to objects when 

cooking, and that the pupil can correctly 

identify an action that causes a physical 

change. 

Resources 


• No-bake cheesecake recipe 

 

• Cheesecake ingredients: packet of 

biscuits, butter, powdered gelatine 

(or gelatine substitute), boiling water, 

cream cheese, caster sugar, vanilla, 

cream, strawberries 

• Baking utensils: 20-cm round 

springform cake tin, jug, fork, beater, 

spatula, plastic knife, bowls 

• Sufficient copies of page 119 for pupils 

• Copy of recipe on page 120 


CLASS 


Lesson 6 

Materials 


Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Show pupils a picture of a cheesecake which contains sliced strawberries, whipped cream, a 

crushed biscuit base, a chilled cheese centre and so on. (Copy from the No-bake Cheesecake 

Recipe) . Ask pupils to describe what actions might have been used 

to make this cake. How did the cheesecake become this shape? What was done to the strawberries? 

How was the base of the cheesecake made? What other actions are used in cooking that change the 

materials? Have you helped out in the kitchen? What job did you get to do? 

2. Pupils predict what actions will be required to change the ingredients in a cheesecake by 

completing Question 1 on page 119. The actual changes column will be completed after the 

cooking lesson. The answers are: crushing, melting, beating, whipping and slicing. 

Development: 

3. Pupils will take part in a cooking lesson where they will get the opportunity to perform a variety of 

actions that change the ingredients. Pupils will need to observe and pay attention to the actions 

as they will record them later. Use a simple no-bake cheesecake recipe such as the recipe on page 

120. Depending on class size and help available, this could be done with half the class in one 

group and the other half with another adult helper, or in three groups if more help is available. 

Note: The teacher should prepare the gelatine/boiling water mix before class so that it is able to 

cool down for use in the recipe and to avoid children handling boiling water. 

Note: If possible, record a video of the cooking session, either by asking an adult assistant or a 

responsible pupil. The video can then be replayed to the pupils during the Reflection. Also take 

digital photographs of each stage of the cooking process. These too can be referred to in the 

concluding part of the lesson. 

4. After making the cheesecake, pupils complete the Actual change made column on the table 

on page 119 and the remainder of the questions. Discuss any differences between what they 

predicted and what actually happened. 


• Some pupils may need support to complete the exercise on page 119. 

• Challenge pupils to write a short recount describing the changes that they observed throughout 

the cooking experience. 

Reflection: 


5. While the cheesecake sets, play the video (if recorded) to pupils to remind them of what happened. 

As they watch, ask them to call out what changes they were making to an ingredient. 

6. Show the photographs of each stage of the cooking process and ask pupils to describe the 

physical changes that were being made to the ingredients. Labelled photographs can be added to 

the working wall. 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Lesson 6 

1. What actions do you think you will need to use to change some of 

the ingredients to make a cheesecake? 

Ingredients Change predicted Actual change made 

Packet of biscuits 

Butter 

Cream cheese 

Cream 

Strawberries 

2. I helped by 

3. Name two ways that cooling was used in the recipe. 

4. Write one way these ingredients can be changed when cooking. 

tomato 

onion 

cheese 

chocolate 

nut 

Cheesecake Recipe 



CLASS 


Lesson 6 

Materials 


INGREDIENTS 

• 250 g packet plain digestive biscuits 

• 150 g butter, melted 

• 3 teaspoons powdered gelatine 

(or gelatine substitute) 

• 1 1 2 tablespoons boiling water 

• 500 g cream cheese, softened 

• 130 g caster sugar 

• 2 teaspoons vanilla essence 

• 300 ml double cream, whipped 

• Hulled and halved strawberries, to decorate 

METHOD 

1. The teacher or adult should pre-prepare the 

gelatine mix by sprinkling gelatine over 

boiling water in a heatproof jug. Whisk with 

a fork until gelatine has dissolved. Set aside 

to cool and use later. 

2. Ask some pupils to grease the cake tin using 

butter and a paper towel. Emphasise the 

action of squashing the butter onto the cake 

tin. 

3. Place biscuits into several sandwich bags for 

pupils to crush into fine crumbs. Emphasise 

the crushing and ask pupils what action they 

are using. 

4. Add butter to a small bowl and melt it in the 

microwave. Ask pupils how the butter has 

been changed. 

5. Place biscuits into a large bowl and add the 

melted butter. Stir until combined. Reinforce 

how the biscuit crumbs changed when the 

butter was added. Ask some pupils to press 

the biscuit mixture over base and sides 

of prepared cake tin. Refrigerate for ten 

minutes until it goes hard. Ask pupils how 

the biscuit/butter mixture changed in the 

refrigerator. 



No-bake Cheesecake Recipe 

EQUIPMENT 

• 20 cm-round (base) springform cake tin per group 

• plastic knives 

• electric mixer 

• jugs 

• forks 

• spatula 

• paper towel 

• rolling pin or similar for crushing 

• various bowls 

• sandwich bags 

• microwave 

• refrigerator 

6. Remind pupils of safety and ask some to 

use an electric mixer to beat the cream 

cheese, sugar and vanilla until light and 

fluffy. Gradually beat in gelatine mixture 

until combined. Ask pupils to describe what 

action the mixer is doing (beating) and how 

it is changing the ingredients. 

7. Ask different pupils to whip the cream in a 

bowl and observe how the cream changes 

from runny to able to form soft peaks. 

Reinforce this action as ‘whipping’. 

8. Ask other pupils to fold the whipped cream 

into the cream cheese mix, using a spatula. 

Demonstrate how it is to be done if necessary. 

Describe the action as folding and ensure 

pupils observe any changes to the mixture. 

9. Ask pupils to pour the mixture into the 

prepared cake tin and level the top with a 

spatula. Cover. Refrigerate overnight or until 

set. Ask pupils how they think the mixture 

will change after being cooled. 

10. Meanwhile, some other pupils can use the 

plastic knives to halve/slice the strawberries, 

ready to decorate the cheesecake after it 

has set. Ask pupils to describe how they are 

changing the strawberries. Store the sliced 

strawberries in the fridge until ready to serve. 


1st 

CLASS 


Materials 


Teacher Notes 

Assessment 


• Exploring properties and characteristics of common materials in the immediate environment. 

• Knowing that everyday materials can be changed in a variety of ways, especially by heating, 

cooling and mixing. 

Indicators 

• Identifies a physical change that can be made to a material. 

• Describes what effect the physical action has on the material. 

• Identifies when warming and cooling can be used. 

• Describes the effect that warming or cooling has on a material. 

Answers 

Page 122 

Pupils should write their answers on the assessment sheet. Support can be provided through clear 

explanation, prompting or scribing answers for those pupils who experience difficulty. Suggested 

answers include: 

Material One way it can be changed What happens after it is changed? 

rubber band 

water 

playdough 

It can be stretched. 

It can be twisted. 

It can be bent. 

It can be squashed. 

It can be cooled in the freezer (frozen). 

It can be stretched. 

It can be bent. 

It can be twisted. 

It can be squashed. 

It can be heated/cooked. 

It goes back to its original shape. 

It goes hard and frozen. 

It stays changed. 

It goes hard (if cooked). 


It can be frozen. 

It goes hard and frozen. 

juice 

It can be broken. 

It makes smaller pieces. 

It can be cut. 

It makes crumbs. 

It can be crushed. 

It makes a mushy mix. 

It can be squished with water. 

It can be made into a new shape. 

cracker 

It can be dried in the sun. 


CLASS 


Assessment 


Material 

One way it can 

be changed 

Materials 


What happens after 

it is changed? 

rubber band 

water 

playdough 

juice 


cracker 



1st 

CLASS 


Materials 



A Chair for a Bear: 


Pupils imagine they are a furniture designer who only works with newspaper. They must design 

and create a chair that can hold the weight of a small bear or doll. Pupils must bend, twist, fold, 

scrunch, weave or change the newspaper in some way to make the chair. 



• Apply physical changes to newspaper to change its shape and create something suitable to 

construct a chair. 

• Create a video to communicate the chair’s features with reference to how the newspaper’s shape 

was changed. 

• Know that people use science in their everyday lives to understand how to use materials to make 

objects like furniture. 



• Design a chair and plan the physical changes that will be made to the newspaper to meet the 

design structure and shape. 

• Evaluate and revise the chair design and/or the video. 

• Use a digital application to record a video. 

Mathematics 

• Use informal measurement to construct chair legs and components that are even and balanced. 

• Use informal measurement to gauge whether the weight of a toy can be supported by the chair. 



• Design and make a bridge of straws that can hold the weight of a toy car. Pupils will need to 

work out how to best manipulate the shape of the straw to create a sturdy structure. Pupils could 

then create a bridge using a different material (like lollipop sticks) to compare the experience of 

manipulating both types of materials. 

• Use a selection of recycled materials and work out how to change their shape so they can be 

re-purposed. Pupils can start by exploring how a two-litre plastic bottle can be cut and re-used as 

a plant pot and then explore other materials, how they can be changed and what other possible 

uses there are for them. 


CLASS 




Materials 



• Identify and investigate a range of common materials used in the immediate environment. 


• Begin to distinguish between natural and manufactured materials. 


• Begin to explore how different materials may be used in the construction of homes suited to their environments 

(models, structures). 



• Observing 




• Analysing 



• Exploring 

• Planning 

• Making 





1st 

CLASS 


Materials 




Teacher Notes 

Pupils design and create a chair made only from newspaper. Pupils must bend, twist, fold, 

scrunch, weave or change the newspaper in some way to make the chair. 



• Read the book A Chair for Baby Bear by Kaye Umansky, or watch a reading of it on YouTube at 

or . 

• Display page 126 to read to the class and introduce the problem and task. 

• Clarify any details pupils do not understand. 


• Watch the PBS Kids video at . It is about how paper can be used 

to make structures. It goes through ways to fold the paper into an accordion shape, a triangular 

prism and a cylinder. This video is flash based so can only be viewed on a computer, not an 

iPad ® . 

• In small groups, pupils search for images on the Internet using the keywords ‘chair designs’. 

Demonstrate how this is done to the class first. 

• Pupils can then experiment with newspaper and explore how to manipulate it. 


• Pupils draw a design of a chair. 

• Pupils plan how they will manipulate the newspaper and where it will be used on the chair; for 

example, roll the newspaper into a cylinder for the legs. They should write how they are going 

to change the newspaper on to their design of a chair. 

4. Make 

• Pupils construct the elements of the chair, using some form of manipulation or physical change 

to the newspaper. 

• Pupils piece the chair together using sticky tape. 


• Pupils check that their chair has used at least five different methods to change the newspaper 

in some way, and that no newspaper is used as is. If needed, they make appropriate changes. 

• Pupils check if the chair can hold the weight of the toy bear and change as needed. 


• Pupils record a video explaining their chair design and the ways they used the newspaper to 

create the chair. 

• Play the video to the class for all to see the different designs and point out any unique ways the 

newspaper was manipulated or any unique shapes that the newspaper was changed into. 



CLASS 



Materials 


The problem 

Project Brief 

A CHAIR FOR A BEAR 

Goldilocks broke Baby Bear’s chair. 

Luckily, Goldilocks bought him a new 

one, but what if she hadn’t? Could you 

design one for Baby Bear? What kind 

of chair would you make if the only 

materials you had were newspaper and 

sticky tape to put it together? 



• You can only use newspaper and a small 

amount of sticky tape. 

• You must change the shape of the 

newspaper using at least five methods. 

• You cannot use the newspaper as it is; it 

must be changed somehow. 

• It must hold the weight of a toy bear. 

You can listen to the story again 

by scanning the QR code. 

The task 

1. You need to work out how you can change newspaper into a 

chair. What actions can be made to the newspaper to change its 

shape? How can you use the newspaper for decoration as well? 

2. You need to design a chair for Baby Bear, using newspaper. 

3. You will then make a video selling its features to Baby Bear. 




1st 

CLASS 


Materials 



Investigate 

Learn about chair designs and 

how to change paper. 

As a class, watch the video 

about paper structures at this 

website . 

Look at other chair designs 

on the Internet. 

Learn about other ways to 

change the shape of paper, 

and how to change it into 

something else that can be 

used. List all the ways and 

see if you can use them to 

make some part of the chair. 

Start with the ways you have 

learned about, like twisting, 

bending and crushing. 


Plan your chair and how you will 

change the newspaper. 

Draw a picture of what your 

chair will look like. 

Using the worksheet, record 

how you will change the 

newspaper and how you will 

use it to make the chair. 

Discuss who will build each 

part of the chair and which 

part to start on first. 

Project Steps 

Make 

Build your chair. 

Start creating the structure 

of your chair and putting it 

together using sticky tape. 

Use the newspaper to create 

decorations or make the 

chair more comfortable. 


Test if your chair can hold the 

weight of your toy bear. 

Check that you changed the 

newspaper using at least 

five methods and that the 

newspaper was not used 

as is. 

Communicate 

As a group, record a video to 

Baby Bear, selling the chair 

to him and describing all the 

wonderful ways newspaper 

was used to make the chair. 

How did you make all the 

parts of the chair? Why would 

Baby Bear want your chair? 



CLASS 



Materials 


Newspaper Changes Table 

What change was made 

to the newspaper? 

How will it be used in 

the chair design? 




1st 

CLASS 


Materials 




Pupil name: 

Date: 

STEM Project: A Chair for a Bear 


I gave ideas. 







because 


. 


. 


fair poor . 


CLASS 




Materials 



CRITERIA 

Project task: 

Design a chair for Baby Bear by making physical changes to newspaper and using sticky 

tape to put it together. 


Uses newspaper that has been physically changed in five different ways. 


Conducts an investigation into all the ways newspaper can be changed and incorporates 

this into the design features of the chair. 

Records information and observations from the investigation using a table. 

Communicates science knowledge successfully using a digital video and includes an 

explanation of any unique methods used to manipulate the paper. 


Draws a plan of an appropriate chair suitable for a toy bear. 

Discusses how they will execute the creation of the chair and allocates roles to team 

members. 

Evaluates and revises the chair design to achieve a better result or to withstand the 

weight of the toy bear. 


Mathematics 

Uses informal measurement to ensure the chair is constructed with legs of the same size 

and is balanced and even. 

Uses knowledge of 3-D shapes to make structures with newspaper. 

Group skills 










1st 

CLASS 


Earth and the 

Environment 

IN THE SKY AND ON THE LAND 

spring 

autumn 

sun 

moon 

star 

day 

night 

summer 

winter 

Keywords 

weather 

season 

spring 

summer 

autumn 

day 

night 

sunny 

cloudy 

rainy 

windy 


winter 

landscape 

natural feature 

managed feature 

constructed feature 


CLASS 


Unit Overview 

Earth and the Environment 


Science/Geography Learning Concepts: 

• Exploration of day and night and the changes in the sky and on the landscape. 

• Changing weather and seasons and their effects. 

• Natural, managed and constructed features in a landscape. 

Lesson 1 

What changes do we see in the 

sky and on the landscape during 

the day and at night-time? 

Lesson 2 

What changes do we see in 

the night sky and the day sky? 

Do the stars and moon only 

appear in the night sky? 

Lesson 3 

What other changes do we 

see in the sky? How does the 

weather affect the appearance 

of the sky? 

Lesson 4 

What changes do we see in 

the landscape? How do the 

seasons affect the appearance 

of the land? 

Lesson 5 

What are natural, managed 

and constructed features in a 

landscape? 

Lesson 6 

How do natural, managed and 

constructed features change? 

Predicting and discussing prior knowledge about the 

concepts of day and night. Pupils predict what changes 

they might expect to see in the sky and on the land 

between day and night and over longer periods of time. 

Pupils investigate why the stars are able to shine 

brighter in the night sky by conducting a simple 

experiment using a torch. Pupils then explore the 

misconception that the moon is only visible in the night 

sky by observing digital photographs and a moon 

timetable. 

Pupils discuss common weather descriptions and icons 

and how they indicate what can be seen in the sky. 

Pupils observe the day sky and predict what the weather 

will be like based on how the clouds look, how the 

wind feels and how much sunshine can be seen. Pupils 

should create a brief daily weather report video or class 

weather chart. 

Pupils define what a landscape is and explore how it 

changes throughout the seasons. Pupils recall what they 

have seen during each season and then draw a familiar 

scene during a chosen season. 

Pupils explore the difference between natural, managed 

and constructed features and then investigate and 

observe examples of these features in the school 

grounds. Pupils use a digital camera and create a table 

to sort their printed photographs. They also predict the 

changes that could occur to these features. 

Pupils use the photographs of natural features from the 

previous lesson and an interactive game to explore the 

impact of human activity on the natural landscape. 


Pages 

134–136 

137–140 

141–143 

144–148 

149–151 

152–154 


Assess pupils’ understanding of observable changes 

that occur in the sky and landscape of a school scene by 

listing changes in a table. 

155–156 


A Scene for a Day and Night 

Video Game 

Design a day and night scene for a video game, and use 

video to explain the scenes and how the video game 

character interacts with the scenes. 

157–166 



1st 

CLASS 




Unit Overview 


Lesson 1 

Lesson 2 

Lesson 3 

Lesson 4 

Lesson 5 

Lesson 6 


• Identify, discuss and appreciate the natural and human features of the local environment. 

Cross-curricular Learning: Geography: Strand: Natural Environments – Strand Unit: Planet 

Earth in Space 

• Recognise the sun as a source of heat and light. 

• Identify the sun, the moon, stars, day and night. 



Cross-curricular Learning: Geography: Strand: Natural Environments – Strand Unit: Planet 

Earth in Space 


• Develop familiarity with the spherical nature of Earth. 



Cross-curricular Learning: Geography: Strand: Natural Environments – Strand Unit: 

Weather 

• Observe and record varying weather conditions using appropriate vocabulary and simple 

equipment. 

• Begin to associate cloud cover and other conditions with different types of weather. 

• Begin to make and test simple weather predictions. 




• Understand that seasonal changes occur in living things and examine the changes in plant 

and animal life during the different seasons. 




• Develop an awareness that air, water, soil, living and non-living things are essential to the 

environment. 



• Realise that there is both an individual and a community responsibility for taking care of 

the environment. 

• Identify, discuss and implement simple strategies for improving and caring for the 

environment. 

• Become aware of ways in which the environment can be polluted or harmed. 


CLASS 


Lesson 1 



Teacher Notes 


What changes do we see in the sky and in the landscape 

during the day and at night-time? 



• Analysing 


• Pupils predict changes in the sky and landscape from day 

to night and over a longer period of time. 

• Pupils develop questions about the changing sky and 

landscape. 


• Using a QR code reader to access information. 

• Describing durations of time in days, months and years. 


• Landscape can be defined simply as ‘a view or prospect 

of natural scenery, or that part of an area that can be 

viewed at one time from one place’. This can include 

natural features like trees and man-made features such as 

a park bench. 

• Day generally conjures up images of the sun, blue sky, 

clouds, rainbows and other visible features. 

• Night generally conjures up images of the moon, stars 

and black sky. 

• Common misconceptions include that the clouds are only 

visible in the day and the moon is only visible at night. 


• Use the T-chart and page 136 

as a diagnostic assessment to 

establish prior knowledge. 

Resources 

• Day and night bottles 

(image at ). Use 

coloured water, silver 

pompoms (clouds), glitter 

(stars) and a permanent 

black marker pen to label 

the bottles. 

• Image of landscape in 

day linked to QR 

code on page 136 






1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 1 

Lesson Plan 

Note: This lesson is to establish pupils’ prior knowledge, so it is important to not correct them at this 

stage. 

Introduction: 

1. Before the lesson, prepare the sensory bottles representing ‘day’ and ‘night’. (Refer to ‘Resources’.) 

2. Shake up the bottles and ask pupils what they think the bottles are supposed to represent (day and 

night). Use a black marker pen to label each bottle. 

Development: 

3. Individually, pupils draw a picture on a sticky note, one that represents day and one that represents 

night. Draw a T-chart on a large piece of paper, with columns labelled ‘day’ and ‘night’, for pupils to 

glue their pictures in the appropriate columns. Pupils view the drawings and discuss What does the 

sky look like in the day? What does the sky look like at night-time? What changes from day to night? 

(This can be used to start your working wall on this unit of work). 

4. What other things can you see in the sky or on the land that change over time? Display an image of 

a park scene, with the sun shining and trees and a bench in the landscape such as the one shown at 

. In pairs, pupils discuss and answer questions about changes that 

might occur in the sky and on the land, using the table on page 136. Pupils can access the image 

by scanning the QR code on the page. 

5. In the space provided in the table, pupils think of one question they want answered about the 

changes in the sky or on the land. 


• Mixed ability pairings will allow both pupils to discuss ideas and ensure that page 136 can be 

completed by both pupils. 

• Guided group work with an adult leading a discussion and supporting individual pupils to 

complete page 136. 

• Challenge pupils to think of other objects they can see in the sky or on the land and predict how 

they might change over time. They can record their predictions on the back of page 136 or in 

their science books. 

Reflection: 

6. In round robin style, pupils share the question they want answered and check if anyone knows the 

answer and can share with the class. 



CLASS 


Lesson 1 



Scan the QR code and look at the picture. 

What things can you see in the sky or on the land? 

What changes do you think could happen? 

Answer the questions in the table. 

Things in 

the sky or 

landscape 

Sun 

Trees 

Clouds 

Bench 

Water 

Will it change at night? 

If so, how? 

Will it change in a month? 

If so, how? 


Write one question you want answered about changes in the 

sky and land over time. 



1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 2 

Teacher Notes 


What changes do we see in the night sky and the day sky? Do the stars 

and moon only appear in the night sky? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Pupils predict changes in the sky and land from day to night and over a 

longer period of time. 

• Pupils develop questions about the changing sky and landscape. 


• Observing digital photographs. 

• Conducting a simple tally. 


• Landscape can be defined simply as ‘a view or prospect of natural 

scenery, or that part of an area that can be viewed at one time 

from one place’. This can include natural features like trees and 

man-made features such as a park bench. 

• Day generally conjures up images of the sun, blue sky, clouds, 

rainbows and other visible features. Night generally conjures up 

images of the moon, stars and black sky. 

• Common misconceptions include that the clouds are only visible 

in the day, the moon is only visible at night and the stars only shine 

at night. 

• Stars shine constantly, they just appear to not shine in the day 

because the sun’s light is stronger. 

• The moon rises and sets according to its own timetable, so 

sometimes it rises during the day and is visible in the day sky. It 

does not produce its own light like a star does, it merely reflects 

the light from the sun. 

• This video explains why the moon is visible during the day 

, or for a thorough but simple 

explanation of how the moon changes, go to . 


• Use the experiment 

on page 140 as a 

formative assessment 

of the pupil’s ability 

to conduct a simple 

experiment, record 

observations with a 

drawing and write a 

conclusion. 

• During Step 7, observe 

if any pupils have not 

grasped the concept 

that the moon is visible 

in a day sky, not just at 

night. These pupils will 

need further assistance. 

Resources 

• Concept cartoon 

on page 139 

• Image of day 

sky with a visible 

moon 


• Image of day 

sky with moon 

and sun visible 

 


of page 140 for 

pupils 

• Moonrise 

timetable 

 


CLASS 


Lesson 2 



Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Show the cartoon on page 139 to the class and read aloud. In small groups, pupils discuss the 

cartoon and why they think stars aren’t visible in the day sky. 

Development: 

2. Pupils write their predicted answer on page 140. As a class, conduct a vote and tally how many 

pupils agree with each child in the concept cartoon. 

3. Pupils then conduct a simple torch experiment which illustrates what happens to the stars in the 

day, outlined on page 140. Pupils complete page 140. 

4. Discuss as a class, to ensure everyone has arrived at the same conclusion that the stars are always 

shining but during the day the sun shines brighter, so they appear to not be shining. Review 

the concept cartoon and take another class tally to compare their initial predictions with their 

observations. 

5. Ask pupils about the moon. Can you only see the moon in the night sky? Take a quick show of 

hands tally and record the results on a mini whiteboard. 

6. Show pupils this image of the day sky with the moon in it . Is it day 

or night in this photograph? How can you be sure? Show another image with both the sun and 

moon and discuss. Explain to pupils that the moon does not always 

disappear when the sun appears in the day. It does not make its own light like the stars. The moon 

has its own timetable and rises and sets like the sun, but not at the same time. 

7. Display the image again at and ask again if the moon can only 

be seen at night. Take another quick show of hands to tally the results. Pupils compare it to the 

predictions tally from Step 5 and explain any differences between the two tallies. 


• During the lesson, adult focused support to ensure that all pupils are able to understand the 

concept cartoon exercise and complete the star experiment on page 140. 

Reflection: 

8. Individually, pupils write in their science copybook one thing they learnt about the stars and one 

thing they learnt about the moon. 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 2 

Concept Cartoon 

Don’t the stars look amazing 

at night? It’s a shame they 

disappear in the day. 

Do you know why they 

disappear? Because they are 

like lights, they only turn on at 

night, otherwise they save their 

energy and turn themselves 

off during the day. 

I don’t think that’s 

right. It’s because 

they hide behind 

the sun in the day. 

I think it’s because the 

sun appears in the day 

and its brighter than 

everything, so it just looks 

like the stars aren’t shining, 

but they really are. 


Child 1 Child 2 Child 3 Child 4 


CLASS 


Lesson 2 

Star Experiment 



Prediction: Where do you think the stars go in the daytime? Which child do you 

agree with from the cartoon? 

Materials: 

• Torch 

• Well-lit classroom 

or room 

Observations: 

Write/Draw what you could see from 

the torch when you were outside in 

the sunshine. 

Procedure: 

1. Go outside (on a sunny day if you can). 

2. Turn on your torch and see if you can see the 

light coming from it. 

3. Turn off the torch. Go to a dark room inside 

(like a storeroom). 

4. Switch on the torch and observe the light 

coming from it. 

Write/Draw what you could see from the 

torch when you were in the dark room. 

Conclusion: 

Where did the torch appear brighter—outside or inside? Why? 


What happens to the stars during the day? Which child in the cartoon was 

right? 



1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 3 

Teacher Notes 


What other changes do we see in the sky? How does the 

weather affect the appearance of the sky? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Pupils observe changes in the sky to predict the weather. 


• Participating in an interactive game as a class. 

• Designing a weather icon. 

• Using a digital recording device to observe the sky and film a 

weather report. 


• Weather reports include descriptions such as rainy, cloudy, 

sunny, partly cloudy, partly sunny, thunderstorms, showers, 

rain, heavy rain, windy, snowing, blizzard, foggy, cold, hot, 

warm, humid and so on. These conditions can be seen in 

the sky and can often be judged based on the amount of 

cloud coverage, the type of clouds, height of the clouds, 

colour of the clouds and the amount of sunshine. 

• Other observable weather indicators such as air pressure, 

amount of moisture in the air and amount of rainfall are 

observed using specialist equipment. 

• More information on how to predict weather and what to 

look for can be found at , 

or . 

• The weather patterns can be observed daily, while seasonal 

patterns are observed over longer periods of time and 

include daily weather. 


• Use the daily weather video or 

weather chart as a formative 


ability to observe the sky and 

how it relates to the type of 

weather, such as clouds, sun, 

rain and so on. 

Resources 

• Interactive day sky and 

night sky game 

• Online weather chart 

tool 

• Larry the Chicken 

meteorologist video 

 

• Sufficient copies of 

page 143 for pupils 



CLASS 


Lesson 3 



Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Review and consolidate the previous learning by reading through the interactive game Day Sky, 

Night Sky at . As a class, construct a day sky scene by clicking on the 

options on the right-hand side. Ask pupils questions such as What other things might you see in the 

sky, like the clouds? What if it was raining? What if there was a storm? 

Development: 

2. Display the online weather chart tool at . Click on the red button to 

display the weather icons. In pairs, pupils discuss 

each icon and write what they think it means on a 

mini whiteboard; for example, sunny, sunny with 

some clouds, rain, snow and so on. Discuss the 

possible descriptions and what they mean, and how 

they relate to the sky’s appearance. 

3. Complete the online weather chart as a class, by 

selecting today’s weather. Pupils will need to observe 

the sky before deciding on an appropriate icon for 

the weather. 

4. Discuss what other icons might be needed to 

describe the sky’s appearance. In pairs, pupils draw 

another weather icon that would help show how the 

sky looks during certain weather. How many different 

types of clouds have you seen? What might you see if 

the weather is dark and gloomy? What might you see 

during a light shower? Have you ever seen a foggy morning? 

5. Pupils share their creations with the class for others to decipher. 

6. For the remainder of the week or up until the next science lesson, pupils work in pairs to record 

a brief weather report video each day using a tablet computer. Like a meteorologist, they should 

focus on cloud coverage and the amount of sunshine in the sky. Ensure they film what the sky looks 

like and describe the clouds and sunshine to predict what kind of weather this might mean for the 

day. Use page 143 as a guide. Alternatively, a class weather chart can be set up on the working wall 

and a rota devised so that a different pupil updates it every day. 


• Challenge pupils to include more detail into their weather observation such as temperature 

and the chance of rain during the day. Pupils can participate in guided group work to make the 

videos or mixed ability groups where each member takes turns in predicting the weather and 

appearing in the video. 

Reflection: 


7. Pupils view each other’s videos daily and compare if they all predicted the same weather. Did you 

all see the same things in the sky? What did the clouds look like? What did the sunshine look like? 

Who saw something different? Why? 



1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 3 

How do the clouds look? How much sun is there? Does it feel hot or cold? How does the wind feel? 


Friday Thursday Wednesday Tuesday Monday 


CLASS 


Lesson 4 



Teacher Notes 


What changes do we see in the landscape? How do the seasons 

affect the appearance of the land? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Pupils predict changes in the landscape based on the seasons. 

• Pupils recall observations of a familiar landscape and draw the 

features. 


• Describing duration of seasons using months. 

• Viewing and discussing a time-lapse video. 

• Designing a scene for a particular season. 


• A season generally contains certain weather patterns. Winter is 

typically cold, cloudy, rainy, stormy and with a chance of snow. 

Spring is typically warming up and getting wetter with rain. 

Summer is hotter, with less cloud, more blue skies and less rain. 

Autumn is windy, with cooler temperatures and mainly cloudy. 

• The weather is predicted daily, based on the pattern of changes 

during the day that are observed and recorded. Weather 

indicators include air pressure, amount of moisture in the air 

and amount of rainfall, which are measured using specialist 

equipment. 

• Changes in the landscape can include leaves falling from the 

trees, new leaves growing, flowers blooming or dying, trees 

growing and getting taller, soil being washed away during a 

rainstorm, streams filling up with water after heavy rain or drying 

up during long periods of hot weather. 


• Observe the pupil’s 

suggestions about the 

aspects of a landscape 

that change throughout 

the seasons. 

• Use the drawing of a 

landscape as a formative 


understanding that the 

view of a particular area 

changes with the seasons. 

Resources 

• Image of a landscape 

in all seasons 

(first 

image) 

• Mini whiteboards 

• Seasons video and 

sequence activity at 

 


• Time-lapse video 

of Earth’s changing 

seasons 

• Four large pieces of 

poster paper 

• Sticky notes 


of pages 146–148 

(optional) 



1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 4 

Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Show the images of a landscape at . Discuss what a landscape 

is and add a definition to a word wall—’an area of land that can be viewed at one time from one 

place’. What season do you think it is in each picture? How do you know? How does each landscape 

change? In pairs, pupils write their thoughts on a mini whiteboard. 

Development: 

2. Show the video reviewing what the seasons are and then as a class, 

complete the simple sequencing activity. You may want to display the months and seasons on the 

working wall. As a class, discuss what a season is and the pattern it follows. What season are we in 

now? What season will come next? What was before? Does it always go in this pattern? What kind of 

weather do you see in each season? 

3. Write a class definition for season and reinforce how it is different to the weather; for example, 

each season has certain weather patterns, like in the winter you can expect it to be cold, rainy and 

cloudy. 

4. Watch a time-lapse video of Earth over a year, showing the changes in the landscape through the 

seasons . With a partner, pupils discuss the seasonal changes they 

viewed. 

5. Set up four large pieces of paper at the front of the classroom, labelled with each season. Ask 

pupils the following questions for each season, and instruct pupils to write or draw an answer on a 

sticky note and place it on the appropriate season poster for the class to see. What things do you 

see out on the street? What do the trees look like? What animals do you see? What colours do you 

see? What does the sky look like? What does the land look like? How many people do you see and 

what are they doing? What places do people visit? What are people wearing? What kind of weather 

do you see? 

6. Individually, pupils choose a season and a landscape they are familiar with. It could be the view 

out of the classroom window, a view of the playground or a view of the school street. Their task is 

to draw the scene and include all the things they have observed and would expect to see in that 

area during that season. In summer there may be lots of children wearing T-shirts in the sunshine, 

but in winter there may be less children because it is raining, cloudy and windy. Encourage them 

to capture every detail and how it changes (page 146 provides a template to draw a view from 

a window). Alternatively, pupils may choose one of the scenes on pages 147–148 to draw the 

appropriate details. 


• Challenge pupils to write a few accompanying sentences for their landscape view from a 

window in their science books. 

• Some pupils can be provided with keywords associated with all seasons and choose which 

ones apply to their season. They use these keywords to help them with their pictures and also to 

complete simple sentences to describe their picture. 

Reflection: 


7. The artwork can be displayed around the classroom and working wall, grouped according to the 

seasons. Pupils can compare the landscapes and discuss any drawings that may have features that 

are not typical for that season or are different from the other drawings. 


CLASS 


Lesson 4 

Season Landscapes – 1 






1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 4 




CLASS 


Lesson 4 







1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 5 

Teacher Notes 


What are natural, managed and constructed features in a 

landscape? 



• Observing 


• Analysing 



• Pupils observe natural, managed and constructed features in 

the school grounds. 

• Pupils predict changes to natural, managed and constructed 

features. 


• Using a digital camera to observe a landscape. 

• Printing digital images for use in a table. 


• Natural features are untouched by humans. They can 

include rivers, lakes, oceans, waterfalls, streams, mountains, 

islands, cliffs, forests and hills. 

• Constructed features are created by humans. They include 

houses, buildings and transport infrastructure such as 

motorways and roads. 

• Managed environments are those looked after by humans. 

Farms and plantations are managed, as are parks and 

national forests. On a smaller scale, a front or back garden 

are also managed features. 

• A vast number of changes to features may occur in 

a landscape. These may be simple like a change in 

appearance from day to night or a tree being planted, or a 

change may be large like the clearing of a large area for a 

housing development. 


• Use the chart created in 

Step 4 as a formative 


ability to sort information into 

a table and predict changes to 

familiar natural, managed and 

constructed features. 

Resources 

• Image of a landscape in all 

seasons 


• Video about natural, 

managed and constructed 

features at 

• Digital cameras 



CLASS 


Lesson 5 



Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Revise and consolidate previous learning about how seasons change the view of a certain area 

throughout the year. Show the image again of the landscape in different seasons . Point out three features of the landscape—the house, the garden in front of the 

house and the hills in the background. Display page 151 showing these three features in separate 

columns and some extra images that are similar. Pupils think-pair-share about why the images have 

been sorted into these groups. What do they have in common? What heading could you give each 

column? How are they sorted? 

Development: 

2. Show pupils the video about natural, managed and constructed features at . Stop the video at 2.05, as it explains things that can be classified as more than one 

category. Pupils should now be able to label the columns on page 151 as constructed, natural and 

managed. Write class definitions for a word wall if required. 

3. With their knowledge of what each type of feature is, pupils pair up and conduct a school walk, 

using a digital camera to capture at least one feature of each type. 

4. Pupils print the images and sort them into a column chart, with labels for natural, managed and 

constructed. Underneath each picture, pupils predict and write one change that could happen. 


• Challenge pupils to write more than one sentence predicting possible changes that could occur 

to the photographed feature. Guided group work allows pupils to discuss and agree upon the 

changes that they think may occur. 

Reflection: 

5. Pairs of pupils present their chart to the class and discuss the suggested changes that may occur to 

the features. Pupils who have the same photograph can compare their suggested changes. Ensure 

all features are sorted correctly and ask pupils if they agree with each group’s chart. 




1st 

CLASS 




Concept Attainment 

Lesson 5 

house 

hills 

buildings 

forest 

garden 


park 

ocean 

road 


CLASS 


Lesson 6 



Teacher Notes 


How do natural, managed and constructed features change? 



• Observing 

• Analysing 



• Pupils observe and describe how humans have impacted the 

natural, managed and constructed features in a landscape. 


• Participating in an interactive game. 


• Natural features are untouched by humans. They can 

include rivers, lakes, oceans, waterfalls, streams, mountains, 

islands, cliffs, forests and hills. 

• Constructed features are created by humans. They include 

houses, buildings and transport infrastructure such as 

motorways and roads. 

• Managed environments are those looked after by humans. 

Farms are managed, as are national parks and forests. On 

a smaller scale, gardens and local parks are also managed 

features. 

• It is important to be aware and understand how changes 

to the landscape impact the environment. Humans change 

the landscape to suit their purposes and needs. This could 

include clearing forests for a housing development or 

building a tunnel into the side of a mountain. These actions 

can have good and bad consequences. The learning 

activities in this lesson have strong cross-curricular links with 

geography, as pupils have to develop an awareness for the 

environment and how to properly care for it. 


• Use the table on page 154 as 

a formative assessment of the 

pupil’s ability to identify and 

describe changes to natural 

and constructed features 

due to human impact and 

development. 

Resources 

• Image of a New York 

streetscape ‘before’ and 

‘after’ at 

• New developments game 

from Splash ABC 

• Sufficient copies of 

page 152 for pupils 

• The Lorax video 




1st 

CLASS 




Lesson 6 

Lesson Plan 

Introduction: 

1. Display the image of a New York streetscape ‘before’ and ‘after’ at . In 

small groups, pupils observe and discuss. What kind of features are shown in this landscape view— 

constructed, natural or managed? What changes do you notice from before to after? How did these 

changes happen? What caused the changes? 

Development: 

2. Refer to pupils’ photographs of natural features, collected in the previous lesson. Read through the 

predicted changes as written on pupils’ charts. Decide whether any are considered the result of 

human activity and list them in a table on the board. 

3. Pupils suggest any other ideas they have about how humans might change the land and add them 

to the list. Discuss possible reasons humans might have to change the landscape. 

4. As a class, explore the impact of development by playing the interactive game New Developments 

at . Click ‘next’ and look at the features of the landscape. Click ‘next’ 

to show how the landscape changes after humans develop the area. Ask pupils to name what 

type of feature houses, shops, roads, wetlands, national parks, farmhouses, creeks etc. are. Are 

they natural, managed or constructed? Click ‘back’ and ‘next’ to move between images so pupils 

can spot the differences. These include the road, buildings, bridge, polluted sewerage tank area, 

houses, swimming pool, national forest cleared, old farmhouse removed and creek extended. 

Note: The last page of this interactive game goes into details about how animals are impacted, but 

this is not necessary to include in this lesson, so the last part of the interactive does not need to be 

included. 

5. In pairs, pupils play the game again using tablet computers or computers. Note: As the interactive 

game is not available on iPads ® , it may be useful to load the images in two separate Internet 

windows and display them side by side on the interactive whiteboard for pupils to refer to. 


• Challenge pupils to discuss any areas in the locality that have changed recently due to 

constructed features. Where did this happen? What natural features changed? What constructed 

features were added? 

• Guided group with an adult support/prompting with questions and directing the activity will 

enable pupils to complete the game. Keywords can be provided to help in completing page 

154. 

Reflection: 


6. Watch a short video about The Lorax and stop around 1.50. Pupils 

discuss the natural and constructed features and discuss the topic—Should humans remove all trees 

and replace them with plastic trees like in The Lorax? Why? Why not? 

7. Ask children to share their experiences of when the local area has been changed by development 

and prompt them to state which natural features changed and what constructed features were 

added. 


CLASS 


Lesson 6 

Concept Attainment 



Which natural features changed? 

How did they change? 

Which constructed features 

were added? 




1st 

CLASS 




Assessment 

Teacher Notes 

Science/Geography Learning Concepts 

• Exploration of day and night and the changes in the sky and on the landscape. 

• Changing weather and seasons and their effects. 

• Natural, managed and constructed features in a landscape. 

Indicators 

• Identifies weather changes in a location by comparing images. 

• Identifies seasonal changes to natural features in a landscape. 

• Identifies changes to constructed features of a landscape by comparing images. 

Answers 

Page 156 

Pupils should indicate that Picture 1 has the sun (so may be summer), the child is wearing cool clothes, 

the tree has lots of leaves; Picture 2 shows a winter day with rain and wind, the leaves have fallen from 

the trees and they are bare, the child is wearing warm clothes because of the cold weather, there is a 

new fence at the front of the school. 

Note 1: If available, teachers should use coloured, digital photographs of changes to the school 

buildings or playground taken during the year. Even plants growing in different seasons in a school 

vegetable garden may be used as assessment activities. 

Note 2: Teachers may enlarge page 156 before photocopying to allow plenty of space for pupils to 

write. Alternatively, teachers may scan the two images and display them on the whiteboard. Pupils may 

then write on A4 paper which has two columns—one titled ‘sky/in the sky’ and the other titled ‘land/on 

the land’. 



CLASS 


Assessment 


What Changes can you See? 



In the sky 

SCHOOL 

SCHOOL 


On the land 



1st 

CLASS 





A Scene for a Day and Night Video Game: 


Pupils design a day and night scene for a video game using a website called Toondoo. Pupils 

will need to consider the features in the sky as well as natural and constructed features in a 

landscape. Pupils also create a video to explain the features in the scenes and how the video 

game character interacts with the features. 



• Recall observable features of the night and day sky. 

• Recall observable natural and constructed features of a landscape. 

• Create a video to describe night and day scenes in a video game. 

• Observe and describe changes to the sky or landscape. 



• Learn how to correctly enter a URL into a web browser. 

• Design a day and night background scene for a video game using a website program (Toondoo). 

• Become familiar with a website program and understand the functionality. 

• Evaluate and revise the scene designs and/or the video. 

• Use a digital application to record a video. 

Mathematics 

• Give directions that a video game character needs to follow in order to interact with the features 

in a designed scene. 

• Use Venn diagrams to sort and classify information. 



• Design and make a playground incorporating constructed and managed features. Pupils think 

about how the playground would look in the day and at night, and design features accordingly. 

• Read the book Window by Jeannie Baker. Pupils design and build a diorama view from a window, 

showing how natural or constructed features can change over time in a local landscape. 

• Create a night and day art wheel, as demonstrated in this Art Attack video . 


CLASS 








Cross-curricular Learning: Geography: Strand: Natural Environments – Strand Unit: Planet Earth in 

Space 

• Recognise the sun as a source of heat and light. 




• Observing 




• Analysing 



• Exploring 

• Planning 

• Making 





1st 

CLASS 






Teacher Notes 

Pupils design a day and night scene for a video game using Toondoo and use a video to explain 

the scenes and how the video game character interacts with the scenes. 



• Pupils share what video games they have 

played. Can you describe what scenes 

are in the game? Are they in the day or 

the night? What kind of features are in the 

scenes? Natural? Constructed? 

• Make a T-chart of natural and constructed 

features as suggested by the pupils. 

• Read the project brief on page 160. 


• View the website as a class. It will be helpful to set 

up a login account and give the password 

details to pupils when it is their turn to 

explore the website in pairs. You may also 

wish to pre-prepare a scene to show pupils 

what can be done in Toondoo. You can use 

DoodleR to free draw or select appropriate 

backgrounds and props from the icon 

buttons. 

• Allow pupils one or two lessons to play 

around with Toondoo and familiarise 

themselves with how the program works 

and all of the icon buttons so they can view 

the images and scenes contained within 

the program. It is flash based so will only be 

accessible on a computer. 

• Teachers may wish to use an alternative 

program or application. 


• Pupils select a character in Toondoo and 

sketch a rough plan of what their scene will 

look like based on this character; i.e. if they 

choose a queen as their character then the 

background may include a castle, river and 

bridges that they need to cross or collect 

gems to earn points. A template is provided 

on page 163. 

• Pupils list what features they want to 

include in their day and night scene using 

the Venn diagram on page 162. Will some 

of the features used in the day scene be 

used in the night scene too? 

• Pupils write a brief synopsis for their 

game using page 164, including how the 

character needs to move and what the 

character needs to achieve in the day and 

night scenes, in order to aid them with their 

description for the video presentation to be 

recorded later. 

4. Make 

• Pupils create a day scene and night scene 

using Toondoo. Each scene must include 

at least one natural and one constructed 

feature. 


• Pupils check that their morning and night 

scenes contain at least one natural feature 

and one constructed feature, and are 

appropriate for day and night landscapes 

and skies. Then they will need to make the 

appropriate changes. 


• Pupils save and print out their final version 

of their day and night scenes from Toondoo 

and glue them onto card. 

• Pupils record a video explaining their video 

game, character and what they need to do 

in the day and night scenes, and what part 

the features play in the scene. Alternatively, 

they can write a script explaining what 

happens in each screen. 

• Set up a classroom display of the printouts 

of the scenes created in Toondoo, or view 

the saved files online in your Toondoo 

account. Share the videos with the class 

and discuss any unusual features for the 

day and night landscape and sky. The video 

can also be shared via email or submitted 

to the school website for friends and family 

to watch. 



CLASS 





Project Brief 

A SCENE FOR DAY AND NIGHT 

The problem 

A computer game company wants to create a new video game for a 

character. The game needs a day scene and a night-time scene for the 

background. 

The task 

1. You need to design a day scene and a night-time scene. Each 

scene needs to include things that are observable in the sky and 

the landscape. 

2. You will then make a video explaining your video game idea and 

how the character uses the scenes created for day and night. 


• You must work in pairs. 

• You will need to think about what features to include in the sky and 

what features to include in the landscape for both scenes. 

• Landscape—Each scene must contain at least one natural feature 

and one constructed feature. 

• Sky—The day scene must include features you would see in the 

daytime sky. The night scene must include features you would see 

in the night-time sky. 




1st 

CLASS 





Investigate 

Learn about video game settings, 

and natural and constructed 

features. 

As a class, discuss various 

video games and background 

scenes that appear in them. 

List natural and constructed 

features that may appear in 

video game scenes. 

Look at images of various video 

game scenes and backgrounds; 

for example, Angry Birds . Type 

‘angry birds backgrounds’ into 

a search engine or use a tablet 

computer to scan this 

QR code. 

Explore how to use 

the website Toondoo 

. 

Design, plan and create 

Plan your character and your 

daytime and night-time scene. 

Decide on a character and plan 

an idea for a video game. Write 

about it in your science book. 

List what will appear in your 

night-time scene and your 

daytime scene using a Venn 

diagram. 

Draw a sketch of what your 

landscape scene will look like. 

Project Steps 

Make 

Create your day and night scene. 

Create your day scene and 

night scene using Toondoo. 

Include all of the features you 

planned for your night-time 

sky and landscape and your 

daytime sky and landscape. 



at least one natural and one 

constructed feature in your 

landscape. 


the correct features for a nighttime 

sky and a daytime sky. 

Is there anything else you 

can add to make your scenes 

better? 

Communicate 

Record a video explaining your 

video game and describe the 

features in your scenes and how 

they are used. How does your 

character move around or use 

the features? 



CLASS 





List of Features 

Day Night 

Both 




1st 

CLASS 





Scene Sketches 

Day scene 

Night scene 



CLASS 





1. What is the aim of the game? 

Game Outline 

2. How does your character move? 

3. What does your character do in the day scene? 

4. What does your character do in the night scene? 




1st 

CLASS 






Pupil name: 

Date: 

STEM Project: A Scene for a Day and Night Video Game 


I gave ideas. 







because 


. 


. 


fair poor . 


CLASS 







CRITERIA 

Project task: 

Pupils design a day and night scene for a video game using Toondoo and create a video to 

explain the scenes and how the video game character interacts with the scenes. 


Scenes include correct observable features for a night sky and day sky. 

Identifies at least one natural feature and one constructed feature in each scene. 


Conducts an investigation into scenes that appear in a video game and the features that 

may be used. 

Sorts features using a Venn diagram. 

Communicates science knowledge successfully using a digital video and includes an 

explanation of the designed scenes. 


Draws a sketch of appropriate scenes suitable for a video game. 

Explores how to execute the creation of the scenes using Toondoo. 

Evaluates and revises the scene designs to achieve a better result. 


Mathematics 

Gives directions for a character to interact with features in a video game. 

Group skills 










1st 

CLASS

PR-6171R Science A STEM Approach - Primary 2

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