Principles for constructing a scheme of work

Science at key stages 1 and 2

Sequencing the units

About the units

The diagram of the framework below shows the titles of the 37 units (12 for key stage 1 and 25 for key stage 2) in a year-by-year sequence, and indicates the section of the programme of study (Life Processes and Living Things, Materials and their Properties, Physical Processes) on which each focuses. Opportunities for teaching Experimental and Investigative Science and the introduction to the programme of study are built into each unit. The seven units for year 6 include four short units, which allow much of the programme of study to be revisited.

Teachers can also refer to the diagram, coverage of the programme of study below which shows how each unit relates to the National Curriculum programme of study.

Ways in which the units might be sequenced during the course of a year (or two years) to ensure progression in the development of children's knowledge and skills are shown in Table A in the example long-term plans.

The units for key stage 1 are designed to be taught in nine hours or less, and those for key stage 2 in 12 hours or less. Depending on their circumstances teachers may choose to develop and extend particular units.

Each unit is designed to be taught as a block. However, some of the longer units could be divided into two sections and taught as two smaller blocks if teachers felt this was appropriate.

The framework

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Using PDF Files

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Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Year 6

Life Processes and Living Things (Sc2)

LIFE
PROCESSES Humans as
organisms Ourselves 1A

Green plants
as organisms Growing plants 1B

Living things
in their
environment

Variation and
classification Ourselves 1A

Materials and their Properties (Sc3)

Grouping and
classifying materials Sorting and using materials 1C

Changing
materials

Separating
mixtures of
materials Not included at Key Stage 1

Physical Processes (Sc4)

Electricity

Forces and
motion Pushes and pulls 1E

Sound Sound and hearing 1F

Light Light and dark 1D

The Earth and
beyond Not included at
Key Stage 1

Coverage of the programme of study

Each unit reflects the 'Breadth of study' requirements.

Year	Unit title	Programme of study references
Year	Unit title	Sc1 Scientific enquiry	Sc2 Life processes and living things	Sc3 Materials and their properties	Sc4 Physical processes
1	Ourselves, 1A	2a, 2f, 2i	1a, 1b, 2a, 2g, 4a
1	Growing plants, 1B	2a, 2f, 2g, 2i, 2j	1b, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b, 5b, 5c
1	Sorting and using materials, 1C	1, 2a, 2f, 2g		1a, 1b, 1c, 1d
1	Light and dark, 1D	2a, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j	2g		3a, 3b
1	Pushes and pulls, 1E	2a			2a, 2b, 2c
1	Sound and hearing, 1F	2a, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j	2g		3c, 3d
2	Health and growth, 2A	2a, 2g, 2h	2b, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g
2	Plants and animals in the local environment, 2B	2a, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j	2f, 3c, 5a, 5b
2	Variation, 2C	2a, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j	1a, 2e, 4a, 4b, 5b
2	Grouping and changing materials, 2D	1, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i		1c, 1d, 2a, 2b
2	Forces and movement, 2E	2a, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i		2a	2a, 2b, 2c
2	Using electricity, 2F	2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2i			1a, 1b, 1c
3	Teeth and eating, 3A	2a, 2b, 2f, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2m	1a, 2a, 2b
3	Helping plants grow well, 3B	2a, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2i, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m	1b, 2b, 3a, 3b, 3c
3	Characteristics of materials, 3C	1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2h, 2i, 2j		1a
3	Rocks and soils, 3D	2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2i, 2j, 2l		1a, 1d, 3a
3	Magnets and springs, 3E	1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m		1a	2a, 2b, 2d, 2e
3	Light and shadows, 3F	1a, 2c, 2f, 2h, 2k, 2m			3a, 3b, 4b
4	Moving and growing, 4A	1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2k	1a, 2c, 2e
4	Habitats, 4B	2a, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2i, 2j, 2k, 2l	1c, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e
4	Keeping warm, 4C	2a, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2l, 2m		1a, 1b, 1c, 2c
4	Solids, liquids and how they can be separated, 4D	2c, 2e, 2f, 2j		1a, 2a, 2d, 2f, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3e
4	Friction, 4E	1a, 2a, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2h, 2i, 2k, 2l			2c, 2e
4	Circuits and conductors, 4F	2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2i, 2l		1c	1a, 1b
5	Keeping healthy, 5A	1a, 1b, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2l, 2m	1a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2g, 2h
5	Life cycles, 5B	1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2i, 2j, 2l, 2m	1a, 1b, 2f, 3a, 3d
5	Gases around us, 5C	1a, 1b, 2f, 2g, 2j, 2l, 2m		1a, 1e, 2b	2c
5	Changing state, 5D	1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2k, 2l		2c, 2d, 2e
5	Earth, Sun and Moon, 5E	1a, 1b, 2b, 2f, 2i, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m			4a, 4b, 4c, 4d
5	Changing sounds, 5F	2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2i, 2j, 2k, 2l, 2m			3e, 3f, 3g
6	Interdependence and adaptation, 6A	2a, 2b, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2k, 2l	1b, 1c, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e
6	Micro-organisms (short unit), 6B	1a, 1b, 2a, 2f, 2g, 2j	2b, 5f
6	More about dissolving, 6C	2a, 2c, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2m		3a, 3b, 3c, 3d
6	Reversible and irreversible changes (short unit), 6D	2f, 2l		2a, 2b, 2f, 2g, 3c, 3d
6	Forces in action, 6E	1a, 1b, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2l, 2m			2b, 2c, 2d, 2e
6	How we see things (short unit), 6F	2c, 2d, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2j, 2l			3a, 3b, 3c, 3d
6	Changing circuits (short unit), 6G	2a, 2d, 2h, 2i, 2j, 2l		1c	1a, 1b, 1c
5/6	Enquiry in environmental and technological contexts, 5/6H	1b, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 2f, 2i, 2l, 2m

Principles for planning

The scheme provides the information usually associated with medium-term planning. Schools using the scheme, of course, want to make decisions about links to other subjects, possible visits, visitors to the class and contexts in which alternative activities might be more suited to their circumstances.

The scheme also gives some of the detail often associated with short-term planning eg sequencing of events within an activity. However, teachers using the scheme will be well aware that they still need to think about their short-term plans on a lesson-by-lesson basis. Among other things, they will need to decide:

which learning objectives are to be addressed in a particular lesson and how these relate to the work in previous lessons;
whether these objectives need to be modified for particular children or groups of children in the light of their existing knowledge, skills and understanding;
what resources are needed;
how to divide up time during lessons;
how to introduce the activities eg to a whole class or to groups of children, what questions to ask, how to draw in prior knowledge;
how to organise the activities eg which groups children should work in, whether the activities need to be modified for particular children or groups of children;
what will show what children have learnt eg responses to questioning, questions children ask, observation of practical tasks, children's records of their work;
what to look for in children's responses;
how to draw the lesson together at the end and to evaluate whether children are ready to move on.

Example long-term plan 1: general plan

The units are planned to cover the programme of study in three two-year cycles. Units for years 1 and 2 cover the key stage 1 programme of study. Units for years 3 and 4 begin to cover, and units for years 5 and 6 complete the coverage of, the key stage 2 programme of study. This ensures that key areas are revisited, extended and consolidated.

Some units build on the knowledge, skills and understanding in earlier units. Experimental and Investigative Science builds up through the units on a year-by-year basis. Schools will need to consider these points when they choose how to organise the units. The letters in the reference for each unit do not imply a teaching order within the year.

	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3
Year 1	1A	1C		1D	1B		1E	1F
Year 2	2A	2D		2E	2B		2C	2F
Year 3	3C	3E		3A	3D		3B	3F
Year 4	4A	4F		4C	4D		4B	4E
Year 5	5C	5A		5F	5B		5D	5E
Year 6	6A	6C	6G (short unit)	6E	6F (short unit)	6B (short unit)	6D (short unit)

Example long-term plan 2: mixed-age classes

Although the units have been planned on a year-by-year basis, schools with mixed-age classes will find that it is possible to sequence the units so that children eg in years 3 and 4 taught in the same class, can cover most of the units together. Exceptions to this are the introductory unit for year 1 (Unit 1A 'Ourselves'), and the short units for year 6 (6B, 6D, 6F and 6G).

	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
Years 1 & 2	1A/2A	1E		1C	1D		2E	2D	1A/2A	1F		1B	2F		2B	2C
Years 3 & 4	3C	3D		4F	4C		3F	4D	3E	3A		4A	3B		4E	4B
*Years 5 & 6 together	5C	5D		6C					5A	6A		6E
*Year 5 children only					5F		5E	5B					5F		5E	5B
*Year 6 children only			6G		6F	6B	6D				6G		6F	6B	6D

*Work from the middle of the spring term will require separate groups for year 5 and year 6 children taught in the same class.

Where schools with more than two age groups within the same class make their long- and medium-term plans, they may find it helpful to use the framework, which illustrates which units cover similar areas of the programme of study.

Where children in different year groups are taught the same units their teachers will need to ensure that they help children to make appropriate progress in the skills and processes of Experimental and Investigative Science with, in general, higher expectations in this area of the older children.

Units

Unit 1A. Ourselves
Unit 1B. Growing plants
Unit 1C. Sorting and using materials
Unit 1D. Light and dark
Unit 1E. Pushes and pulls
Unit 1F. Sound and hearing
Unit 2A. Health and growth
Unit 2B. Plants and animals in the local environment
Unit 2C. Variation
Unit 2D. Grouping and changing materials
Unit 2E. Forces and movement
Unit 2F. Using electricity
Unit 3A. Teeth and eating
Unit 3B. Helping plants grow well
Unit 3C. Characteristics of materials
Unit 3D. Rocks and soils
Unit 3E. Magnets and springs
Unit 3F. Light and shadows
Unit 4A. Moving and growing
Unit 4B. Habitats
Unit 4C. Keeping warm
Unit 4D. Solids, liquids and how they can be separated
Unit 4E. Friction
Unit 4F. Circuits and conductors
Unit 5_6H. Enquiry in environmental and technological contexts
Unit 5A. Keeping healthy
Unit 5B. Life cycles
Unit 5C. Gases around us
Unit 5D. Changing state
Unit 5E. Earth, Sun and Moon
Unit 5F. Changing sounds
Unit 6A. Interdependence and adaptation
Unit 6B. Micro-organisms (short unit)
Unit 6C. More about dissolving
Unit 6D. Reversible and irreversible changes (short unit)
Unit 6E. Forces in action
Unit 6F. How we see things (short unit)
Unit 6G. Changing circuits (short unit)