Science Portfolio PSQM Gillespie Primary School June 2012

Gillespie Primary School Gillespie is a one form entry school in Highbury, London. The school population is diverse, reflecting the wealth of cultures and backgrounds within the local community. The proportion of children eligible for free school meals is well above the national average and almost half of the children speak English as an additional language.

Year 4 planning Teachers are using a variety of different methods to teach science – as hands on as possible. Teachers using concept cartoons to spark scientific discussions. Children having lots of opportunities to independently make decisions and answering own questions. Children giving opportunity to reflect on their work and discuss with learning partner. ICT link: children doing online experiments and quiz as plenary to support learning

Year 5 planning: Earth, Sun and Moon Teacher using many different teaching methods including video clips, raps and elicit previous learning and homework All children active and having hands-on experience in the lesson. Teacher has worked in the hall to make it fun and engaging. Lower ability children working with TA to support. Mini –plenaries for AFL to ensure that chldren are constantly aware and reflecting on their learning. Drama techniques to enhance and enrich the learning

Year 6 Planning Teacher using concept cartoons to spark scientific discussion. Children to plan and conduct their own investigation.Children using TASC planning wheel. Children given opportunities to make careful observations and comparisons and discuss findings as a whole class. Hands-on practical investigation into how light and shadows

Evidence from Reception Reception’s topic is animals and mini-beasts. Here you can see evidence of the role play area which is set up as a veterinary surgery. The topic table has got insects with reference books as well as magnifying glasses. One lesson observed by head teacher showed the teacher on a mini-beast hunt in the outdoor area.

Year 1 examples of children’s work ICT cross-curricular link. Children are working together to label the parts of the body and put the skeleton in correctly. Children are making careful observations and using vocabulary to describe the properties of the materials.

Year 1 examples of investigations The children were asked to investigate which material they thought would be the best for Rudolph’s nose. The children had to think about the properties of the materials and investigate which one would be the shiniest.

Examples of work – year 2 Children to investigate and describe properties of materials. Also focussing on scientific vocabulary.

Examples of Year 2 work Evidence of self assessment and children reflecting on their work. The children also writing a detailed description of their investigation using the appropriate scientific vocabulary.

Evidence for more self assessment and reflection on learning in Year 2. The children have been asked to carefully draw what they predict is inside the torch and then what is actually inside it. Year 2 also made a life-size torch on the floor in their classroom and made a human torch, with the children being the elements.

Example of children’s work: Year 4 Examples of children’s work showing two different independent investigations. Evidence also of AFL marking. ‘What if?’ questions are also evident.

Example of same investigation but differentiated for a lower ability child.

Examples of Year 4 work. Here you can see another example of ‘What if?’ question as well as using graphs in experiment write up. Also another example of independent investigations.

Examples of children’s work: year 5 Examples of Year 5’s work. Here you can see full write up of an investigation. You can also see a scientist study.

Year 6 examples of work Evidence here of problem solving wheel. Children use this to plan and conduct an investigation. Evidence of two different investigations here. All children engaged and enjoying the lesson.

Year 6 work Children planning and conducting investigations. Children plan their investigation using the TASC problem solving wheel, then conduct investigation and evaluate.

Concept cartoons Year 4 Year 3 Year 6 Here you can see examples of 3 year groups using the Concept cartoons.

Science week

Mad science assembly – whole school Science Museum – whole school assembly – 3 workshops with year 1, 4 and 5. Super Science project involving all classes – Year 1 – 6. Camera Obscura set up in group room- involvement of parent to help. Whole school planting of crops in garden

Children’s comments after Science week

Super Science Phase 1: Year 4 and 6 video a investigation for the other class to watch Phase 2: Science week- all classes involved videoing for their partner classes Phase 3: Summer homework project involving NUR – Year 6.

Children’s responses Super Science responses in Science week- children were peer assessing each other’s work. Super Science Project summer term: all children in school (NUR- Year 6) are involved in project- some of their responses shown here. Children enjoy working together and from each other: linked to our Principles of Science.

Some evidence of peer assessment Year 5 Year 3 Year 4

UCL students Loved working with real scientists! Martha – Year 4 We have really enjoyed learning new skills and it’s great to meet people who do science for a job! Amy – year 6

Cheltenham Science Festival Children enjoyed day out at Cheltenham Science festival. Children loved the LEGO tent and making and designing spinners Wiggly worm workshop. We learnt all about what was inside a worm from a biologist and then made it out of play doh. We had a talk about snot, sick and scabs- learning about immune system, visited the discovery zone as well as Wiggly worms and LEGO tent.

Science Principles Our Science principles are displayed around the school as well as on the school web site. I plan to engage all children in developing the principles in the beginning of every school year and thinking about them when planning science investigations for that term.

Global Growers Project 8 workshops delivered over the course of a year- NUR – year 6. Year 4 involved with running the lessons linked to Global Growers project All children have been responsible for planting a vegetable in garden Parent area being developed

Lab 13 Lab 13 development in progress- hope to be completed in Autumn term Lab 13 a work in progress. The children in Year 4 have helped design the layout of the space and made a wish list of what they would like inside!