Primary Science and Technology newsletter by John Houston

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Autumn 2015 Newsletter 63

The

support

service for

Science and

Design Technology in primary schools

Primary Science & Technology

Pretty prickly FREE to all member primary schools & other members.

In this issue: ■ Working Scientifically – the foundation for primary science

■ Linking Primary Science and Computing Technology

■ Textiles

■ A global experiment with hydrogels

■ Using conductive (copper) tape www.cleapss.org.uk in circuit work

Working Scientifically The foundation of Primary Science

In September 2014 children in years 1, 3, 4 & 5 began following the new National Curriculum (NC). Since September 2015 all primary aged children in maintained schools have been required to follow the Science programme of study: key stages 1 & 2 (September 2013).

Aims of the NC While it is tempting to dive straight in to the year-by-year subject content we would urge teachers to spend an incredibly useful five minutes reading pages 3&4 of the document, which explains the aims of the science NC. The Programme of study (PoS) is set out with Working Scientifically (WS) at the beginning of KS1, lower KS2 and upper KS2 followed by yearly subject content. This is both symbolic and practically significant because it is the intention of the NC that children should develop their understanding and learn about biology, chemistry and physics by ‘working scientifically’. In other words children should carryout scientific enquiries during which they ask and then try to answer questions about the subject content. Children will need to collect, analyse and present data which helps them understand the subject knowledge they are learning about.

engage with a range of scientific enquiries. At CLEAPSS we are really pleased to see that fair test will no longer be the only way that children answer scientific questions. Children need to understand and become proficient in a range of enquiry types including: observing over time, pattern seeking, identifying and classifying, and researching using secondary sources. Fair test has not been removed from KS1, considering variables is introduced in lower KS2 and fair test is statutory for WS in upper KS2.

Subject Knowledge There have been some changes to content with an apparent reduction made in KS1. However the introduction of topics such as ‘seasonal change’ in Y1 and an increased requirement for children to regularly observe and name a range of living things in their local environment provides the perfect opportunity to spend more time enquiring outside and for teachers to help children deepen their understanding of the natural world. The NC content statements reflect many of the big ideas in science including ‘evolution and inheritance’ which appears for the first time in upper KS2. Teaching evolution will be daunting for some and will no doubt present challenges but some excellent materials have already been published.

trialled with teachers and children in Enfield primary schools. If you are unable to attend this training and would like information please contact CLEAPSS who will be able to provide you with additional information. For much of the NC subject content there is progression although this is not always apparent e.g. ‘Plants’ in Y1, 2 & 3 however a closer examination of ‘living things and their habitats’ reveals that the study of plants continues throughout KS2. Evolution and inheritance also falls in to this category, while on first glance it would appear to be a ‘standalone’ topic. There are links to evolution littered throughout the Programme of study e.g. identifying and classification, naming living things, fossils and life cycles are all important precursors to the teaching of this Y6 topic. The slimmed down Programme of study presents a great opportunity for primary

teachers and children to spend time deepening and broadening learning through enquiry. Teachers may find this challenging if they are not confident in delivering enquiry but the CLEAPSS primary resources provide a wealth of ideas which teachers can take and use or adapt to meet the needs of their children. Ensuring that children develop and can articulate secure understanding before they move on provides a real need for teachers to think and plan hands on practical activities which will engage and move children’s learning forward. Given these requirements and the research evidence linking accelerated achievement to practical enquiry we at CLEAPSS are confident that working scientifically will play a crucial role in supporting children’s scientific learning, inspiration and development.

CLEAPSS Primary Resource E244p Garden Food Chain Mobile. Applicable to Yr 1,3,4,animals including humans.

Support from CLEAPSS Enquiry Underneath each statutory requirement section is a paragraph entitled ‘notes and guidance (non-statutory)’. Here you will find helpful information and hints about possible ways that the subject knowledge could be delivered through enquiry. The guidance also includes information about different types of enquiry. This is important as the NC specifies that children should 2

L.B. Enfield supported by CLEAPSS, will be running an Evolution and Inheritance workshop on Saturday 9th January 13:15 – 15:15 at the Association for Science Education annual Conference. This year the conference is being held at Birmingham University and runs from Wednesday 6th January to Saturday 9th. The two hour session will showcase the teaching sequence and resources L.B.Enfield developed and

Primary Science and Technology 63. Autumn 2015. Support for Science and Technology Coordinators. Free to all LA members and other members.

The pupils will have learnt: • Printing techniques, including the use of symbols and the need to reverse the shape to get the required outcome.

Over the past year there have been a few changes in the way Design and Technology is being perceived in schools. The advent of the new National Curriculum, with new subject content has given many schools the opportunity to look at what has been delivered in the past and to develop new programmes. “Design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical subject. Using creativity and imagination, pupils design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts, considering their own and others’ needs, wants and values.” We have had a number of enquiries over the past year about the implications for teachers in primary schools and their skills and expertise, we have also been asked about equipment and resources needed to be able to deliver the new requirements.

The resources are relatively simple to get hold of, and easy to use: • A material to print on (the substrate) – this can be old bed sheets, cushion covers or even paper. • Blocks for printing (the plate) – these could be off-cuts from your local secondary school D&T department, squares of around 8cm MDF or plywood are ideal. • Material to produce the stamp – sticky back neoprene or neoprene held on with double sided tape, this has to be absorbant and easy to cut. • Ink – this can be made from mixing poster paint and PVA glue.

One area that we feel offers a great opportunity to get all staff involved in a relatively simple activity that can engage the pupils and offers a wealth of project ideas is textile printing. Another area that is taxing many teachers is the inclusion of spiritual, moral, cultural (SMC) elements into the curriculum. To link the use of textiles in D&T and SMC we have been working with a teacher in Hertfordshire who has been developing an Adinkra printing project. This has been run on a number of training events and it has gone down well. 4

The symbols used in Adinkra printing all mean something, so it is possible to tell a story, or communicate with others through the use of symbols. For example the symbol of a turtle

• Cutting techniques, the safe use of scissors or craft knives and cutting mats stands for ‘adaptability’, there are also symbols for change, loyalty and perseverance. However there is also the opportunity to develop your own symbols. There are a wealth of examples on the Internet. A way of introducing this project is to get pupils to consider symbols that they are familiar with and to discuss what they mean; road signs, flags, Nike, Amazon, CBBC. From this they can be shown existing Adinkra symbols or printed cloth and the concept of using symbols to convey meaning can be discussed. This is a great way to bring in the SMC topics, such as religious symbolism or the way in which commercial organisations use symbols to attract certain groups of people.

Primary D&T, all of which are available from the website. When the printing shapes are cut out they need to be stuck onto the printing blocks. This is where it becomes apparent that symmetrical shapes are better for printing as it doesn’t matter about doing mirror images or rotating the shape to get the symbol required.

pattern rather than randomly as it is easier to understand the symbolism. They could be reminded that writing is done in lines, and random letters on a page would be very difficult to decode.

Primary Science and Technology 63. Autumn 2015. Support for Science and Technology Coordinators. Free to all LA members and other members.

• Symmetry and the need for uniform layout • Spatial awareness • Colour theory, use of the terms contrast or complementary • Working with others to achieve a successful outcome You can download a Word version of all major Adinkra symbols on our website – www.cleapss.org.uk and please do tweet us images of this in action, using @CLEAPSS. If you would like to know more about this or other ways of delivering the D&T curriculum, please get in touch. We run courses specifically designed for primary teachers, and would love to hear from you if you would like to be a venue or host one of our courses.

Now comes the tricky part: cutting the printing shapes. The symbol to be printed needs to be drawn the correct size to fit the printing block and transferred onto the neoprene (ball point pen or felt tips are best). Then the shapes need to be cut out. Scissors can be used for this, however it may be easier with craft knives and cutting mats, but the use of craft knives must be closely supervised. Before tackling this all supervisory staff should be familiar with the Model Risk Assessments (2.007 Cutting with Scissors, Scalpels and Craft Knives and 4.016 Print Making: Engraving with Small Hand Tools) and our Guide to Tools and Techniques in

• The importance of symbolism in communicating with others

When the printing block is ready for printing it’s time to arrange the printing space. This is traditionally done by laying out the material (substrate) and marking out areas for printing using coloured wools which are removed after printing. Each pupil can be given a section of the substrate to print on, or each pupil can be given their own piece of material. Pupils should be encouraged to print in a uniform

Working as a whole class or even a small group can quickly generate a large piece of printed material which makes a great wall hanging.

Web site log-in details for 2015. To access the Primary part of our website requires a user name and a password. Click on the ‘Primary’ button. You will then be asked to type in the user name: oxygen and the password: combustion15. This will give you access through 2015 to all our primary documents, including back copies of Primary Science and Technology. Primary Science and Technology 63. Autumn 2015. Support for Science and Technology Coordinators. Free to all LA members and other members.

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Using conductive (copper) tape in circuit work To help children better understand how electrical circuits work, why not make a poster of a home with real working electrical parts – 1.5V bulbs for the room lighting, some motors for a ceiling fan, and even a buzzer as a model Hi-Fi system. Using electrically conductive tape – such as copper tape will make it much easier to plan, and execute a model electrical circuit in the home. An extension task could include DIY made switches, or even build a parallel circuit. See below: The copper tape is available from most DIY stores such as Homebase – as it’s often used as a slug repellent. It is fairly cheap at a cost of around £1 per metre. Look out for the tape with a conductive adhesive, which means that both sides will conduct, this means the strip can be cut and placed on to another and still conduct the electricity.

The lamp holders have some copper wire attached and bent below as shown in the picture below. The bulb holder then simply sits on the copper tape and will light up. We are using a low voltage power pack set at 3V, but a couple of AA batteries in a holder would work equally well.

Buzzer and motors can be connected just by taping them to the copper tracks.

For more information about circuit work, including how to make DIY switches for the above model, look at the document L122p Simple Electric Circuits with Bulbs and Batteries which is available on our website www.cleapss.org.uk 6

Primary Science and Technology 63. Autumn 2015. Support for Science and Technology Coordinators. Free to all LA members and other members.

Linking Primary Science and Computing Technology Helen Minnikin-Spring @HMinnikinSpring There are lots of different ways of linking primary science with computing technology. These range from using dataloggers in science lessons to recording an investigation using Scratch. In a lot of cases, science can provide the content, and computing can communicate that content. This article explores some of the more innovative ways of recording.

Schools that have access to iPads or other tablet devices can use apps such as PicCollage or Comic Life to create storyboards of investigations, inserting photographs and adding notes to explain predictions and conclusions. If you don’t have access to tablets, you or the children can still take photographs, which can be annotated using various software programmes on a PC or laptop. These can be great tools for children who find traditional recording methods difficult, as well as allowing you, the teacher, to see

photographs of what took place in the lesson. One of my colleagues even asked children to use PicCollage to photograph their learning, what they didn’t understand and what they enjoyed. The photographs of what the children didn’t understand provided fantastic AfL tools. Filming and audio-recording science investigations can provide a great opportunity for children to all be involved in an activity. If children are ‘trained’ in the right way, they can learn to record or film only the essential parts of an investigation, rather than the entire lesson. Giving out role cards in primary science lessons is a great way to manage behaviour and ensure that all children are engaged. If the ‘Recorder’ card gets to choose how they record the investigation, this can add prestige to the role as well as developing that child’s independence because they have to think about what is the most appropriate way of recording the investigation.

I am passionate about using dataloggers in primary science. Not only do they have the ‘wow’ factor as far as children are concerned, but

they can help children to meet the ‘Working Scientifically’ objectives relating to recording data, particularly looking at changes that take place over a period of time. Many dataloggers have a pictogram function which can be used by younger children to record the temperature, light or sound.

If your school has iPads or other tablet devices, there is a whole hosts of apps out there that can be used to identify plants and minibeasts, create branching databases, record in slow motion or even assess learning.

Introducing coding and programming at primary level has been a tricky concept initially, but programmes such as Scratch have made teaching this subject far more straightforward. Now is the time to enable children to apply what they have been

is to raise its profile, we need to be embracing new technologies in our science lessons.

learning in computing lessons, so that they can use coding programmes as a way of recording their science learning.

Computing technology has a place in every part of the primary curriculum; if science

At the National Science Learning Centre, we are running a course called ‘Linking Primary Science and Computing Technology’, presented by a range of experts in their field including Boffinmedia. We also have teachers who are coming to show us what they do in their own classrooms, and Gemma Taylor (@GTaylorSTEM), our resident Technology expert, will be leading a Scratch workshop, as well as focusing on picoboards and Makey Makey. For more information see our website: https://www.sciencelearning centres.org.uk/

Primary Science and Technology 63. Autumn 2015. Support for Science and Technology Coordinators. Free to all LA members and other members.

A global experiment with hydrogels – views from a technician’s cupboard This year the Royal Society of Chemistry has launched a new global experiment aimed at engaging 7-14 year old students anywhere in the world. This year’s theme is ‘smart materials’ and the experiment focuses on the science of hydrogels. You can get involved at home or in schools as the experiment uses widely available materials. Can you answer the question … how much water can your hydrogels hold? Jan Hodge, a science technician at a school in Hertfordshire, UK, tells us about her experience running the global experiment.

Suck it up During Science Week this year we conducted the global experiment with our year 7 classes – an experiment I whimsically called ‘Suck it up’ backstage in the prep room. A couple of weeks ago I revealed to the school that I had a serious need for nappies – you know, that packet that’s lurking at the back of the cupboard at home that you can’t bear to throw away – Mrs H needs it. Along with a few laughs, I easily acquired enough nappies to run the experiment with 120 pupils. A few towels repurposed from the PE lost property cupboard served as a reasonable substitute for towelling nappies and we were all set. Our teacher put a 10 cm x 10 cm nappy section into a litre of water and left it for 30 minutes. Holy cow those things suck! Watching the kid’s amazement as the nappies swelled and swelled was hilarious. It didn’t look as though there was much mass in them at first as all you could see was the wadding and some teeny tiny beads, but after the experiment it was as though alien babies had exploded across the trays. As it is, of course, impossible to resist poking the hydrogel, we had to convince our kids not to wash their hands in the sinks or we would be in real trouble! A dustpan and brush came in handy for spills.

Global impact The kids loved entering their data on the website and seeing that UK nappies appear to contain more hydrogel than those from Pakistan (so far). We had interesting conversations as we discussed that these explosive nappies could only go to landfill whereas towelling ones could be reused even if you did get wetter. One astute student noted that being wet might help toddlers to learn not to wet themselves as it is uncomfortable – with a disposable on it hardly notices it. We’ll be referring to this again when we cover recycling as it was amazing how much mass the hydrogels could hold. One last practical point: we had to warn the cleaner to be careful picking the bags out of the bins as they were really heavy – so, smaller disposable bags or collecting and reusing the hydrogels for something else (Learn Chemistry has resources for this too) is definitely the way to go. The experiment was simple to run and offered the opportunity to investigate hydrogels and the impact of these materials on our environment, as well as take part in a fun and safe science experiment. The global experiment site contains all the information teachers need for taking part. It also includes a range of activities from one quick simple experiment to a deeper investigation that can lead to students earning a CREST award.

To access the project visit this site : http://rsc.li/ge-water

Primary Science and Technology 63. Autumn 2015. Support for Science and Technology Coordinators. Free to all LA members and other members.