Primary Remote Learning Resources
The key learning objectives are aligned to the National Curriculum for England, however, the topics chosen are relevant to learners across the UK:
(Age 5-6) - Materials - Four activities in one lesson document / Plants - Seven activities in one lesson document
(Age 6-7) - Materials - Five activities in one lesson document / Plants - Six activities in one lesson document
(Age 7-8) - Light - Six lesson plans / Plants - Five lesson plans
(Age 8-9) - Living things and their habitats - Five lesson plans / States of matter - Six lesson plans
(Age 9-10) - Living things and their habitats - Five lesson plans / Properties and changes of materials - Six lesson plans
(Age 10-11) - Living things and their habitats - Six lesson plans / Light - Four lesson plans
Each lesson is presented as a editable PowerPoint document featuring guidance for teachers/ home educators, explanations of key concepts, suggested activities for pupils and examples of possible learning outcomes. There is also an overview document for each topic, to show how the lessons are sequenced.
These resources were created by members of the ASE in response to the school closures during the coronavirus pandemic but can be be adapted for use in the classroom or for pupils learning from home. Please note, while at the time every effort was made to ensure the links were relevant to the learning, the ASE can make no guarantees about the on-going accuracy of the content or its continued availability.
The writing team comprised: Lucy Wood (co-ordinator), David Church, Carla Wallington, Naomi Hiscock, Nicola Beverley, Kulvinder Johal, Jenny Watson and Lizzie Wood (illustrator).
To give a more detailed view of how the resources have been used, and how they can be adapted for lessons in schools, Lucy and Carla wrote an article for Primary Science in Jan/Feb 2021 (Issue 166). You can see the article here: https://www.ase.org.uk/resources/primary-science/issue-166/ase-primary-science-lessons-home-and-school-learning-response
Year One resources
Every day materials
Identifying and comparing a variety of materials by exploring objects found at home...
Year Two resources
Uses of everyday materials
Classifying objects by material and property to suit a specific purpose
Year Three Resources - Light
Year 3 - Topic overview
A summary of key learning and suggested activities for each lesson
Lesson 2 – Sources of light
Recognising different light sources and identifying objects which reflect light
Lesson 3 – Reflective surfaces
Identifying how objects with different surfaces are more or less visible
Lesson 4 – Opaque, translucent or transparent?
Exploring materials that are opaque, translucent or transparent.
Lesson 5 – Sunglasses
Investigating sunglasses and other materials which act like sunglasses.
Year Three Resources - Plants
Year 3 Topic overview
A summary of key learning and suggested activities for each lesson.
Lesson 2 – How water travels
How does water travel to different parts of a plant?
Year Four resources – States of matter
Year 4 Topic overview
A summary of key learning and suggested activities for each lesson.
Lesson 1 – Solids, liquids and gases
Introducing the properties of solids, liquids and gases.
Lesson 3 – Freezing and melting
Changes of state: investigating freezing and melting.
Lesson 4 – Boiling and evaporation
Changes of state: comparing boiling and evaporation.
Lesson 5 – The water cycle
Understanding evaporation, condensation and the water cycle.
Year four resources - Living things and their habitats
Year 4 - Topic overview
A summary of key learning and suggested activities for each lesson
Lesson 1 – Habitats introduction
Exploring animal adaptations in an Arctic and a hot desert habitat
Lesson 2 – Local habitats
Investigating habitats and micro-habitats in gardens and woodland
Lesson 3 – Branching keys
Making branching keys and classifying woodland invertebrates (minibeasts).
Lesson 4 – Food chains
Drawing and describing food chains for woodland plants and animals
Lesson 5 – Changing environments
Exploring seasonal changes and habitat changes due to human activity.
Year Five resources – Properties and changes of materials
Year 5 Topic overview
A summary of key learning and suggested activities for each lesson.
Lesson 1 – Introduction to materials
Exploring properties and uses of materials.
Lesson 2 – Thermal insulators
Investigating thermal insulators using a comparative test.
Lesson 3 – Soluble and insoluble materials
Identifying and comparing soluble and insoluble materials.
Lesson 4 – Separating materials
Selecting equipment to separate materials by sieving, filtering and evaporating.
Lesson 6 – Irreversible changes
Recognising and comparing reversible and irreversible changes.
Year Five resources - Living things and their habitats
Year 5 Topic Overview
A summary of key learning and suggested activities for each lesson.
Lesson 1 – Plant reproduction
Exploring asexual and sexual plant reproduction and the life cycle of plants.
Lesson 4 – Animal life cycles
Comparing the life cycles of amphibians, insects and birds.
Year Six resources - Living things and their habitats
Year 6 - Topic overview
A summary of key learning and suggested activities for each lesson.
Lesson 1 – Classification
Classifying animals, plants, fungi and micro-organisms. The work of Carl Linnaeus.
Lesson 2 – Vertebrates
Classifying vertebrates: features of fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals.
Lesson 3 – Branching keys
Making branching keys to identify and classify vertebrates
Lesson 4 – Mythical animals
Designing a mythical animal with a mixture of vertebrate features
Lesson 5 - Invertebrates
Classifying garden or woodland invertebrates and conducting a survey
Lesson 6 – Plant classification
Classifying flowering and non-flowering plants. Identifying plants using a key.
Year Six resources – Light
Year 6 Topic overview
A summary of key learning and suggested activities for each lesson.
Lesson 1 – Introduction to light
Exploring that light travels in straight lines.
