1st Grade Science Checklist: What Your Child Should Know

Organisms & Life Processes

Your child is discovering how living things grow — observing how seeds become plants, understanding what plants need to thrive, and exploring how animals develop from babies to adults.

• Naming Common Animals

  Identify and name common animals from major groups: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals

  • Name at least two animals from each group: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals
  • Sort a set of animal pictures into the five groups
  • Explain one feature of each group (e.g. 'birds have feathers', 'fish have gills')

• Common Plants & Trees

  Identify and name common wild and garden plants, including deciduous and evergreen trees

  • Name at least five common wild or garden plants from direct observation
  • Sort trees into deciduous (loses leaves) and evergreen (keeps leaves) with examples
  • Match a plant to its name when shown a picture or real specimen

• Living Things Vocabulary

  Name and use vocabulary for what makes something living — alive, dead, never been alive, movement, nutrition, growth, reproduction, sensitivity, excretion — and apply these terms when classifying objects and explaining why plants and animals count as living things

  • Correctly classify objects as living, dead, or never been alive and give a reason using one of the life process terms
  • Name at least five life processes using the correct vocabulary
  • Explain why a plant is alive using at least two life process words

• What Living Things Need

  Understand what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive: water, food, air, and suitable conditions

  • List the basic needs of animals: water, food, air, shelter
  • List the basic needs of plants: water, light, air, suitable temperature
  • Explain what happens if one basic need is missing (e.g. 'the plant wilts without water')

• Herbivores, Carnivores & Omnivores

  Classify common animals as carnivores (eat meat), herbivores (eat plants), or omnivores (eat both)

  • Define carnivore, herbivore, and omnivore in own words
  • Sort at least six common animals into the three diet groups
  • Give a reason for each sorting decision based on what the animal eats

• Parts of a Plant

  Identify and describe the basic structure of common flowering plants (roots, stem, leaves, flowers) and trees (roots, trunk, branches, leaves)

  • Label roots, stem, leaves, and flowers on a diagram of a flowering plant
  • Name the main parts of a tree: roots, trunk, branches, leaves
  • Explain that roots take in water and leaves catch sunlight

• Animal Body Groups

  Describe and compare the external body structure of common animals across groups (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals)

  • Describe key structural features of at least three animal groups (e.g. scales, feathers, fur)
  • Compare two animals from different groups, noting at least two differences
  • Use words like 'wings', 'fins', 'legs', 'tail' correctly when describing an animal

• Animal Life Stages

  Recognise that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults, and describe basic animal life stages

  • Describe the basic life stages of a human: baby, child, teenager, adult
  • Give examples of other animals and their young (e.g. kitten → cat, chick → hen)
  • Explain that offspring grow and change as they develop into adults

• Seeds & Plant Growth

  Observe and describe how seeds and bulbs grow into mature plants through stages of germination and growth

  • Describe the stages: seed absorbs water → root appears → shoot pushes up → leaves open
  • Compare how a bulb and a seed start growing differently
  • Record observations of a growing plant over several days using drawings or a simple diary

• Body Parts & Senses

  Identify, name, and locate basic parts of the human body and associate each body part with its sense

  • Label eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin on a body outline
  • Match each sense organ to its sense: sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch
  • Describe a simple scenario for each sense (e.g. 'I use my nose to smell cookies baking')

• What Plants Need to Grow

  Understand that plants need water, light, and a suitable temperature to grow and stay healthy

  • Name three things plants need to grow: water, light, suitable temperature
  • Predict what happens to a plant kept in the dark, with no water, or in freezing cold
  • Describe the results of a simple test comparing plants grown in different conditions

• Offspring resemble parents

  Observe that young plants and animals resemble their parents but are not identical, recognising inherited similarities and individual differences

  • Describe at least three features that offspring inherit from parents (e.g. eye colour, petal colour, fur type)
  • Explain that offspring are similar to parents but not identical copies
  • Give examples from both plants and animals showing resemblance with variation

Rainforests

• What Is a Rainforest?

  Know that a rainforest is a thick, tall forest found in hot, wet places near the Equator where it rains almost every day, creating a warm, damp environment where plants and animals thrive

  • Describe a rainforest as a forest that is hot and wet, located near the Equator
  • Explain that it rains very often in a rainforest, which is why the plants grow so tall and thick
  • Point to the Equator on a globe and say that rainforests are found in the hot belt near it

• Rainforest Layers

  Know that a rainforest has four layers from ground to sky — the forest floor (dark, damp, full of decomposing leaves), the understory (small trees and shrubs in the shade), the canopy (a thick roof of treetops where most animals live), and the emergent layer (the tallest trees poking above the canopy into bright sunlight)

  • Name the four rainforest layers in order from ground to sky: forest floor, understory, canopy, emergent
  • Describe one key feature of each layer, such as the canopy being a thick roof of leaves or the forest floor being dark and damp
  • Explain that most rainforest animals live in the canopy because that is where there is food and light

• Rainforest Animals

  Name and recognise iconic rainforest animals — jaguars, toucans, sloths, poison dart frogs, howler monkeys, macaws, and butterflies — and know which layer of the rainforest each lives in

  • Name at least five iconic rainforest animals such as jaguars, toucans, sloths, poison dart frogs, and howler monkeys
  • Match at least three animals to the rainforest layer where they live (e.g. monkeys in the canopy, jaguars on the forest floor)
  • Describe one distinctive feature of each named animal

• Rainforest Plants

  Know that rainforests contain an enormous variety of plants — towering kapok and Brazil nut trees, climbing vines called lianas, colourful orchids that grow on tree branches, giant water lilies, and huge leaves that funnel rainwater

  • Name at least three types of rainforest plant, such as kapok trees, lianas (climbing vines), and orchids
  • Explain that rainforest plants grow very tall because they compete for sunlight
  • Describe one unusual feature, such as orchids growing on tree branches or lianas climbing up trunks

• Where Rainforests Are

  Know that rainforests are found in a belt around the middle of the Earth — in South America (the Amazon), Central Africa (the Congo), and Southeast Asia — and that they appear on every continent except Antarctica and Europe

  • Point to the Amazon, Congo, and Southeast Asian rainforest regions on a world map
  • Explain that rainforests grow near the Equator where it is hot and wet all year
  • Name at least two continents that have large rainforests

• Indigenous Rainforest Peoples

  Know that indigenous peoples such as the Yanomami have lived in rainforests for thousands of years, building homes from forest materials, finding food by hunting, fishing, and gathering, and knowing the forest and its plants and animals deeply

  • Explain that indigenous peoples like the Yanomami have lived in rainforests for thousands of years
  • Describe how they use the forest for shelter, food, and medicine
  • Show respect for indigenous knowledge by explaining that these communities understand the forest very deeply

• Rainforest Insects

  Know that rainforests are home to millions of insects — leaf-cutter ants that farm fungus, giant beetles, jewel-coloured butterflies, enormous spiders, and stick insects — and that insects are the most numerous animals in the rainforest

  • Name at least three types of insect or minibeast found in the rainforest, such as leaf-cutter ants, morpho butterflies, and giant beetles
  • Explain that insects are the most numerous animals in the rainforest
  • Describe one interesting behaviour, such as leaf-cutter ants carrying leaf pieces back to grow fungus

• Everyday Foods from Rainforests

  Know that many everyday foods come from rainforests — chocolate is made from cacao beans, bananas grow in tropical forests, coffee berries ripen in forest shade, and Brazil nuts fall from giant trees — connecting our daily lives to faraway forests

  • Name at least three foods that come from rainforests, such as chocolate (cacao), bananas, and Brazil nuts
  • Explain that cacao beans grow on trees in the rainforest and are made into chocolate
  • Connect their own food choices to rainforest origins by identifying a product they eat that comes from the forest

• Inside a Rainforest

  Describe what it feels like inside a rainforest — hot and sticky (humid), dark on the ground because the treetops block the light, loud with animal calls and insect buzzing, and dripping with water from rain and condensation

  • Describe the air inside a rainforest as hot and sticky (humid)
  • Explain that the forest floor is dark because tall trees block most of the sunlight
  • Name at least two sounds you would hear in a rainforest, such as bird calls, insect buzzing, or rain dripping

Polar Regions

• Where Are the Poles?

  Know that Earth has a North Pole and a South Pole — the two coldest places on the planet — and be able to find them on a globe, understanding that they are at the very top and very bottom of the Earth, as far from the Equator as possible

  • Point to the North Pole and South Pole on a globe or world map
  • Explain that the poles are the coldest places on Earth because they are farthest from the Equator
  • State that the North Pole is at the top and the South Pole is at the bottom of the Earth

• Arctic vs Antarctic

  Know that the Arctic (North Pole) and Antarctic (South Pole) are very different — the Arctic is a frozen ocean surrounded by land where people and polar bears live, while the Antarctic is a huge ice-covered continent surrounded by ocean where penguins live but no people live permanently

  • State that the Arctic is a frozen ocean surrounded by land, while the Antarctic is a continent covered in ice surrounded by ocean
  • Explain that polar bears live in the Arctic and penguins live in the Antarctic, not the other way around
  • Know that people (like the Inuit) live in the Arctic but nobody lives permanently in Antarctica

• Polar Animals

  Know about other polar animals besides penguins and polar bears — seals that swim under ice, walruses with long tusks, Arctic foxes that turn white in winter, snowy owls, narwhals with their unicorn-like tusk, and whales that migrate to polar waters to feed — and that all these animals have special features to survive extreme cold

  • Name at least four polar animals beyond penguins and polar bears, such as seals, walruses, Arctic foxes, snowy owls, or narwhals
  • Describe one way each named animal survives the cold (e.g. walrus blubber, Arctic fox white winter coat)
  • State that narwhals have a long spiral tusk and live in Arctic waters

• Penguins

  Know key facts about penguins — they live in the Antarctic and Southern Hemisphere, they cannot fly but are excellent swimmers, Emperor penguins are the largest and huddle together in winter to keep warm, and penguin parents take turns keeping their egg warm on their feet in freezing temperatures

  • State at least three facts about penguins: they can't fly, they're excellent swimmers, and Emperor penguins are the biggest
  • Describe how Emperor penguins huddle together in winter to keep warm
  • Explain that penguin parents take turns keeping their egg warm on their feet in freezing temperatures

• Polar Bears

  Know key facts about polar bears — they live only in the Arctic (not the Antarctic), they have thick white fur and a layer of fat (blubber) to keep warm, they are excellent swimmers, and they hunt seals by waiting at holes in the sea ice

  • State that polar bears live in the Arctic, not the Antarctic
  • Describe at least two ways polar bears stay warm: thick white fur and a layer of blubber (fat)
  • Explain how polar bears hunt seals by waiting at breathing holes in the sea ice

• Ice & Snow

  Know that water can be solid (ice and snow) or liquid, that snow is made of tiny frozen ice crystals, that icebergs are huge chunks of ice floating in the ocean with most of their bulk hidden underwater, and that ice floats because it is lighter than liquid water

  • Explain that ice and snow are frozen water (solid) and that water can change between solid and liquid
  • Describe an iceberg as a huge piece of ice floating in the ocean with most of it hidden below the surface
  • State that ice floats because frozen water is lighter than liquid water

• Brave Polar Explorers

  Know simple stories of brave polar explorers — Robert Falcon Scott and Roald Amundsen who raced to the South Pole, and Ernest Shackleton whose ship Endurance was crushed by ice but who brought all his men home safely — and understand that polar exploration required incredible courage and endurance

  • Name at least two polar explorers: Scott, Amundsen, or Shackleton
  • Tell the basic story of Scott and Amundsen's race to the South Pole in simple terms
  • Describe what happened to Shackleton's ship Endurance and how he brought his crew home safely

• Midnight Sun & Polar Night

  Know that at the poles, daylight and darkness are extreme — in summer the Sun never fully sets (midnight sun) and in winter the Sun never rises (polar night lasting months) — and that this is very different from what we experience at home, where every day has both daylight and darkness

  • Describe midnight sun: in polar summer, the Sun stays above the horizon all day and night
  • Describe polar night: in polar winter, the Sun stays below the horizon for weeks or months
  • Compare this to normal day-night patterns at home, noting the dramatic difference

Scientific Inquiry

Your child is learning to be a young scientist — asking questions, making careful observations, recording what they see in simple charts and drawings, and testing ideas to find answers.

• Asking scientific questions

  Ask simple scientific questions and recognise that they can be answered in different ways including observation, testing, and research

  • Ask at least three 'how' or 'why' questions about the natural world
  • Suggest different ways to answer a question: observing, testing, asking an expert, reading a book
  • Choose an appropriate method to investigate a specific question

• Observation vs Interpretation

  Notice the difference between what you observed and what you think it means — 'the ice melted' is an observation; 'the ice melted because of the heat' is an interpretation

  • observation vs interpretation in primary science
  • BERA: children's observation skills in nature

• Observing with simple equipment

  Observe closely using simple equipment such as hand lenses, and use observations to describe, compare, and identify things

  • Use a hand lens or other simple equipment to make detailed observations
  • Describe observations using specific vocabulary (colour, shape, size, texture, pattern)
  • Compare two objects based on careful observation, noting similarities and differences

• Simple tests and experiments

  Perform simple tests and use observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions

  • Carry out a simple test with one thing changing at a time
  • Observe what happens and describe the result
  • Use the result to suggest an answer to the original question

• Recording Data

  Gather and record data using simple methods such as tables, tally charts, and drawings to help answer questions

  • Record observations and measurements in a simple table or tally chart
  • Use drawings or labelled diagrams to record what was observed
  • Explain how the recorded data helps answer the original question

• Changing Your Mind with Evidence

  Be willing to change your mind when evidence doesn't support your prediction — a result that surprises you is more valuable than one that confirms what you already thought

  • belief revision in children research (PMC 2020)
  • hypothesis testing and argumentation from evidence in young children

• Comparing Design Solutions

  Analyse data from tests of two objects designed to solve the same problem to compare the strengths and weaknesses of each design

  • Test two designs that address the same problem and collect data on their performance
  • Compare the results, identifying strengths and weaknesses of each design
  • Use data as evidence to recommend which design works better and suggest improvements

• Modelling with Sketches

  Develop a simple sketch, drawing, or physical model to illustrate how the shape of an object helps it function as needed to solve a given problem

  • Create a sketch, drawing, or physical model of a design solution
  • Explain how the shape or structure of the design helps solve the problem
  • Relate the model to the real-world problem it addresses

Weather & Climate

Your child is discovering how weather works — learning about different types of weather, how to stay safe during storms, and understanding how weather patterns change with the seasons.

• Types of Weather

  Identify and describe different types of weather — sunny, rainy, windy, snowy, cloudy, foggy, stormy — and describe what the weather is like today using simple vocabulary

  • Name at least five types of weather
  • Describe today's weather accurately using appropriate vocabulary
  • Match weather types to simple pictures or symbols

• Seasons & Weather Patterns

  Know that weather changes with the seasons — spring brings rain and new growth, summer is warmest with long days, autumn brings cooling and falling leaves, winter is coldest with short days — and that this pattern repeats every year

  • Name the four seasons and describe typical weather for each
  • Explain that days are longer in summer and shorter in winter
  • State that the seasonal pattern repeats every year

• Rain & Puddles

  Know that rain falls from clouds in the sky, that puddles disappear because water goes back into the air, and that this is part of how water moves around — up into the sky and back down again

  • State that rain falls from clouds
  • Explain that puddles disappear because the water goes into the air
  • Describe the basic idea that water goes up and comes back down in a repeating process

• Temperature & Thermometers

  Understand temperature as how hot or cold something is, that a thermometer measures temperature, and use words like hot, warm, cool, and cold to describe how the air feels on different days

  • Explain that temperature describes how hot or cold something is
  • Identify a thermometer as the tool used to measure temperature
  • Use words like hot, warm, cool, and cold appropriately to describe air temperature

• What Is Wind?

  Know that wind is moving air, that it can be gentle (a breeze) or very strong (a gale), and that wind can move things like leaves, kites, flags, and even push people

  • Define wind as air that is moving
  • Describe the difference between a gentle breeze and a strong wind
  • Give examples of things that wind can move or affect

• Weather Forecasting & Safety

  Ask questions to obtain information about the purpose of weather forecasting and how people prepare for and respond to severe weather

  • Explain that weather forecasts help people plan and stay safe
  • Describe how people prepare for at least two types of severe weather (storm, flood, heat wave, blizzard)
  • Ask relevant questions about weather hazards and find answers from appropriate sources

• Storm Safety

  Know basic storm safety: during thunder and lightning, go indoors or into a car, stay away from trees and water; understand that storms can be frightening but there are ways to stay safe

  • State at least two safety rules for thunderstorms
  • Explain why going indoors is the safest option during lightning
  • Describe that storms are natural events and there are ways to stay safe

• Dressing for the Weather

  Choose appropriate clothing and equipment for different weather conditions — coat and umbrella for rain, sun hat and sunscreen for hot sun, warm layers for cold — understanding that weather affects what we do and how we prepare each day

  • Select appropriate clothing for at least three different weather conditions
  • Explain why certain clothes or equipment are needed for specific weather
  • Describe how weather affects daily activities like playtime, walking to school, or outdoor events

Animals of the World

Your child is discovering the amazing diversity of animals around the world — learning how they have babies, find shelter, use camouflage, and adapt to different environments from deserts to polar regions.

• Animals Everywhere

  Know that animals live all over the world — on land, in water, and in the air — and that every continent, even icy Antarctica, is home to animals, each suited to the conditions where they live

  • Names at least 3 animals from different environments (e.g., forest, ocean, desert)
  • States that animals live on land, in water, and some can fly
  • Recognises that animals live on every continent

• Animal Homes

  Know that animals make or find many different kinds of homes — birds build nests, rabbits dig burrows, bees live in hives, hermit crabs use empty shells, spiders spin webs — and that these shelters protect them and their young

  • Names at least 4 different types of animal homes (nest, burrow, hive, web, shell, den, lodge)
  • Explains that animals need homes for shelter and to keep their babies safe
  • Matches common animals to their homes

• How Animals Have Babies

  Know that different animals have their babies in different ways — some lay eggs (birds, reptiles, fish, insects), some give birth to live young (most mammals) — and that babies may look like miniature adults or look very different from their parents

  • Gives examples of animals that lay eggs and animals that give birth to live young
  • Describes at least one example of a baby that looks different from its parent (e.g., tadpole/frog, caterpillar/butterfly)
  • Shows curiosity about how different animals have their babies

• Wild, Farm & Pet Animals

  Understand the difference between wild animals, farm animals, and pets — wild animals find their own food and shelter in nature; farm animals are kept by people for food, wool, or eggs; pets are animals people keep for companionship — and know that wild animals should be observed from a distance

  • Sorts animals into wild, farm, and pet categories with examples
  • Explains one key difference between each category
  • Understands that wild animals should be observed, not approached

• Nocturnal Animals

  Know that some animals are nocturnal — active at night and sleeping during the day — and that nocturnal animals often have special features like big eyes (owls, tarsiers), large ears (bats, fennec foxes), or sensitive whiskers to help them find food in the dark

  • Explains what 'nocturnal' means
  • Names at least 3 nocturnal animals (e.g., owl, bat, fox, hedgehog, moth)
  • Describes one feature that helps a nocturnal animal (e.g., big eyes, echolocation, whiskers)

• Animal Camouflage

  Know that many animals use camouflage — colours and patterns that help them blend into their surroundings — to hide from predators or to sneak up on prey, like a leaf insect that looks like a leaf or an Arctic hare that turns white in winter

  • Explains that camouflage means blending in with surroundings
  • Gives at least 3 examples of camouflaged animals
  • Explains that camouflage helps animals hide from predators or sneak up on food

• Animal Record-Holders

  Know some of the world's animal record-holders — the blue whale is the largest animal ever, the cheetah is the fastest land animal, the bee hummingbird is the smallest bird, the giraffe is the tallest — and compare their sizes to familiar objects

  • Names at least 4 animal record-holders with their record (fastest, biggest, tallest, smallest, etc.)
  • Compares an animal's size or ability to a familiar reference
  • Shows enthusiasm for superlative animal facts

Ecosystems & Habitats

Your child is exploring how living things interact with their environment — learning about different habitats, simple food chains, and the difference between living, dead, and never-alive things.

• Living, Dead & Never Alive

  Explore and compare the differences between things that are living, dead, and things that have never been alive

  • Sort a collection of objects into three groups: living, dead (was once alive), never alive
  • Give reasons for each sorting decision (e.g. 'the leaf was on a tree so it was alive once')
  • List characteristics of living things such as growing, breathing, reproducing, and moving

• Habitats & Basic Needs

  Identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how habitats provide for basic needs and how organisms depend on each other

  • Define a habitat as a place where an organism lives that provides what it needs
  • Give examples of how specific habitats meet organisms' needs (e.g. pond provides water and food for frogs)
  • Describe at least one way organisms in a habitat depend on each other (e.g. bees pollinate flowers, flowers feed bees)

• Simple Food Chains

  Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify different sources of food

  • Draw a simple food chain with at least three organisms using arrows to show energy flow
  • Explain that food chains always start with a plant (producer) that makes its own food
  • Use the terms 'producer' and 'consumer' correctly when describing a food chain

• Habitat Vocabulary

  Name and use vocabulary for where living things are found — habitat, environment, microhabitat, conditions, woodland, ocean, desert, rainforest, pond — and use terms to describe what animals need to survive: food, water, shelter, space, and suitable conditions

  • Match animals to their habitats and explain the match using 'adapted to', 'conditions', or 'shelter'
  • Correctly use 'habitat' and 'microhabitat' to describe different scales of environment with examples
  • Name at least three contrasting habitats and describe what makes each distinctive

• Local Plants & Animals

  Identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including microhabitats such as under a log or in a pond

  • Name at least three animals and plants found in a specific local habitat
  • Explain what a microhabitat is (a very small habitat within a larger one)
  • Describe conditions in a microhabitat (e.g. 'under a stone is damp and dark, woodlice like that')

• Plants and animals in their habitats

  Use a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants and animals and the places they live, connecting organism needs to habitat features

  • Use a simple model (drawing, diagram) to show how a habitat provides what an organism needs
  • Match at least three organisms to their habitats and explain why each needs that specific place
  • Describe what would happen if an organism were placed in a habitat that doesn't meet its needs

• Reducing Human Impact

  Communicate solutions that will reduce the impact of humans on the land, water, air, and other living things in the local environment

  • Identify at least three ways humans negatively impact the local environment (litter, pollution, habitat destruction)
  • Propose at least three solutions to reduce human impact (recycling, reducing waste, conserving water, planting trees)
  • Explain how each solution helps protect land, water, air, or living things

Insects & Minibeasts

• What is a minibeast?

  What is a minibeast? Small creatures without backbones, found in gardens, parks, and woodland. Bug hunts — searching under logs, stones, and leaves using magnifying glasses to observe minibeasts up close.

  • Explain that minibeasts are small animals without a backbone found in gardens and parks
  • Find at least three different minibeasts during a garden bug hunt under logs, stones, or leaves
  • Use a magnifying glass to observe and describe one minibeast's appearance in detail

• Common minibeasts: naming and recognising

  Recognising and naming common minibeasts: ladybird, ant, bee, butterfly, spider, snail, worm, woodlouse, caterpillar, beetle. Building positive attitudes toward all minibeasts, not just the 'pretty' ones.

  • Name and identify at least six common minibeasts from pictures or real encounters
  • Describe one visible feature that helps tell a ladybird from a beetle or a spider from an ant
  • Show interest or curiosity toward less popular minibeasts like woodlice, worms, or spiders rather than only butterflies

• Minibeast Habitats

  Where minibeasts live: micro-habitats. Different minibeasts prefer different conditions — under logs (damp, dark), in soil (underground), on leaves (sunny), in pond water (wet). The idea that you find different creatures in different places.

  • Name at least two micro-habitats where minibeasts live such as under logs, in soil, or on leaves
  • Predict what type of minibeast might be found in a damp dark place versus a sunny leaf
  • Explain that different minibeasts prefer different conditions like wet, dry, dark, or light

• Minibeasts in the food chain

  Minibeasts in the food chain: simple garden food chains. A caterpillar eats a leaf, a bird eats the caterpillar. The idea that minibeasts are food for other animals, and that minibeasts eat things too.

  • Describe a simple food chain such as leaf → caterpillar → bird
  • Explain that minibeasts eat plants or other tiny creatures and are eaten by bigger animals
  • Give an example of what a specific minibeast eats, such as caterpillars eating leaves or ladybirds eating aphids

• How minibeasts move

  How minibeasts move: crawling (ants, beetles), flying (butterflies, bees), slithering (worms, slugs), jumping (grasshoppers, fleas), burrowing (earthworms). Counting legs as a first step toward grouping creatures.

  • Describe at least three different ways minibeasts move such as crawling, flying, and slithering
  • Match a minibeast to its way of moving, for example grasshoppers jump and worms slither
  • Count legs on a minibeast and notice that ants have six while spiders have eight

• Caterpillar to butterfly

  Caterpillar to butterfly: the life cycle of a butterfly as an observable transformation. Egg → caterpillar → chrysalis → butterfly. The idea that one creature can change its whole form. Classroom butterfly kits, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

  • Describe the four stages of a butterfly's life in order: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly
  • Explain that the caterpillar and the butterfly are the same creature at different stages of life
  • Retell or draw the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly after reading a story or watching it happen

• Caring for minibeasts

  Caring for minibeasts: observing minibeasts gently, handling them carefully, putting them back where you found them. Why minibeasts matter — they help gardens grow, break down dead leaves, and feed other animals.

  • Demonstrate careful handling of a minibeast such as letting a woodlouse walk onto a hand rather than grabbing it
  • Explain one reason why minibeasts are important, such as bees helping flowers grow or worms helping soil
  • State that minibeasts should be returned to where they were found after observing them

Matter & Materials

Your child is exploring how materials behave — investigating how solid objects can be changed by bending, twisting, or stretching, and learning why different materials are chosen for different jobs.

• States of Matter Vocabulary

  Name and distinguish the three states of matter — solid, liquid, and gas — using properties vocabulary: hard, rigid, runny, flows, keeps its shape, fills its container; use 'change of state' to describe what happens when materials are heated or cooled

  • Correctly sort a set of everyday materials as solid, liquid, or gas and give a reason for each
  • Use the terms solid, liquid, and gas accurately when describing everyday substances
  • Use 'change of state' to describe what happens when ice melts or water boils

• Describing Material Properties

  Describe simple physical properties of everyday materials such as hard/soft, stretchy/stiff, shiny/dull, rough/smooth, waterproof/absorbent, transparent/opaque

  • Use at least five property words correctly: hard, soft, stretchy, shiny, rough, smooth, transparent, waterproof
  • Describe the properties of three different materials using at least two property words each
  • Explain why a property matters (e.g. 'waterproof means water doesn't soak through')

• Objects vs Materials

  Distinguish between an object and the material from which it is made, understanding that objects can be made from different materials

  • Explain the difference between an object (e.g. a chair) and the material it is made from (e.g. wood)
  • Give examples of the same object made from different materials (e.g. plastic cup, glass cup)
  • Identify what material a given object is made from by looking at and touching it

• Naming Everyday Materials

  Identify and name a variety of everyday materials including wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, and rock

  • Name at least six everyday materials: wood, plastic, glass, metal, water, rock
  • Identify the material of at least ten different objects around the home or classroom
  • Recognise that some objects are made from more than one material

• Grouping Materials

  Compare and group everyday materials based on their simple physical properties

  • Sort a set of materials into groups based on a chosen property (e.g. transparent vs opaque)
  • Compare two materials and state which properties they share and which differ
  • Explain the reasoning behind a grouping decision using property vocabulary

• Changing Shapes of Solids

  Investigate how the shapes of solid objects can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting, and stretching

  • Demonstrate four ways to change the shape of a solid: squashing, bending, twisting, stretching
  • Compare how different materials respond to these forces (e.g. clay squashes easily, wood does not)
  • Explain that the material itself stays the same even when the shape changes

• Choosing the Right Material

  Identify and compare the suitability of everyday materials for particular uses, explaining why specific materials are chosen for specific purposes

  • Explain why a specific material is chosen for a purpose based on its properties (e.g. glass for windows because it's transparent)
  • Compare two materials and decide which is more suitable for a given use with reasoning
  • Suggest an alternative material for an object and explain why it would or wouldn't work

Ocean Life

Your child is discovering ocean life — learning about the amazing variety of sea creatures, how they depend on each other for food, and exploring special ocean habitats like rock pools and coral reefs.

• What Is the Ocean?

  Know that oceans are huge bodies of salt water that cover most of Earth's surface, and that the ocean is home to an enormous number of living things

  • State that oceans cover more of Earth than land does
  • Explain that ocean water is salty, unlike the fresh water in rivers and lakes
  • Describe the ocean as home to a huge variety of living things

• What Ocean Animals Need

  Understand that ocean animals need food, shelter, and the right conditions to survive — just like land animals — and that different parts of the ocean provide for different animals' needs

  • List basic needs of ocean animals: food, shelter, suitable water conditions
  • Give an example of how a specific ocean animal meets its needs
  • Compare an ocean animal's needs to a familiar land animal's needs

• Ocean Animal Variety

  Recognise that the ocean is home to an amazing variety of animals — from tiny seahorses and colourful clownfish to enormous whales and sharks — and that ocean animals come in many shapes and sizes

  • Name at least five different ocean animals
  • Describe differences in size between small and large ocean creatures
  • Express curiosity or wonder about the variety of life in the ocean

• Ocean Food Chains

  Describe a simple ocean food chain: tiny plants (phytoplankton) are eaten by small animals, which are eaten by bigger fish, which are eaten by top predators like sharks — showing that all ocean life depends on others for food

  • Describe a food chain with at least three levels
  • Identify that ocean food chains start with tiny plants or algae
  • Explain that bigger animals eat smaller ones in a chain of dependence

• Whales & Dolphins Are Mammals

  Know that whales and dolphins are mammals, not fish — they breathe air, are warm-blooded, and feed their babies milk — even though they live in the ocean

  • State that whales and dolphins are mammals, not fish
  • Give at least two reasons why: they breathe air and feed babies milk
  • Explain that living in water does not make an animal a fish

• Coasts & Beaches

  Know what a coast or beach is — the place where land meets the ocean — and that different coasts can be sandy, rocky, or muddy, each with different plants and animals

  • Define a coast as where land meets the ocean
  • Describe at least two types of coast: sandy, rocky, or muddy
  • Name an animal likely found at each type of coast

• Rock Pool Habitats

  Explore rock pools (tide pools) as small ocean habitats where crabs, anemones, starfish, and small fish can be found, and understand that these creatures are adapted to survive crashing waves and changing water levels

  • Name at least three creatures found in rock pools
  • Describe a rock pool as a small ocean habitat on the shore
  • Explain one way rock pool animals cope with waves or changing water levels

Dinosaurs & Paleontology

Your child is exploring the fascinating world of dinosaurs — learning about different species, understanding what fossils tell us about these ancient creatures, and discovering how scientists study life from long ago.

• Dinosaurs Were Real

  Understand that dinosaurs were real animals that lived on Earth a very long time ago and are now extinct — none are alive today

  • State that dinosaurs were real animals, not made up
  • Explain that 'extinct' means no living ones are left anywhere
  • Distinguish between 'a long time ago' and recent events like last year

• Fossils & Palaeontologists

  Understand that fossils are the remains of ancient living things preserved in rock, and that scientists called palaeontologists study fossils to learn about dinosaurs

  • Describe a fossil as the remains of a living thing preserved in rock
  • Name the job of a palaeontologist as someone who studies fossils
  • Identify examples of fossils: bones, teeth, footprints in rock

• Famous Dinosaur Species

  Recognise and name common well-known dinosaur species: Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, and Brachiosaurus/Diplodocus, describing a basic feature of each

  • Name at least four common dinosaur species from pictures or models
  • Describe one visible feature of each (e.g. T. rex has tiny arms, Triceratops has three horns)
  • Match a dinosaur name to a picture or model without help

• Plant-Eaters vs Meat-Eaters

  Sort dinosaurs into plant-eaters (herbivores) and meat-eaters (carnivores) by looking at clues like tooth shape — flat teeth for plants, sharp teeth for meat

  • Sort a set of dinosaur pictures or models into herbivore and carnivore groups
  • Explain that sharp pointed teeth are for tearing meat and flat teeth are for grinding plants
  • Give an example of one herbivore and one carnivore dinosaur

• Dinosaur Sizes

  Compare dinosaur sizes to familiar things — some dinosaurs were as tall as a house, others were as small as a chicken — and understand that dinosaurs came in a huge range of sizes

  • Compare the size of a large dinosaur to a familiar object like a bus or house
  • Name a very large dinosaur (e.g. Brachiosaurus) and a small one (e.g. Compsognathus)
  • Use words like 'taller than', 'longer than', 'heavier than' when comparing

• Real Dinosaurs vs Fiction

  Distinguish real dinosaurs from fictional or commonly confused creatures — pterosaurs (flying reptiles) and plesiosaurs (marine reptiles) were not dinosaurs, and movie dinosaurs are not always accurate

  • State that pterosaurs could fly but were not dinosaurs
  • State that plesiosaurs lived in the sea but were not dinosaurs
  • Identify at least one way a movie or cartoon dinosaur differs from the real animal

The Human Body

Your child is discovering how their amazing body works — learning about the heart, lungs, brain, skeleton, and five senses, plus understanding what their body needs to stay healthy and strong.

• How Breathing Works

  Know that we breathe air into our lungs through the nose and mouth, that our lungs take in oxygen from the air which our body needs to stay alive, and that we breathe out carbon dioxide as waste

  • Trace the path of air: nose/mouth → windpipe → lungs
  • State that lungs take oxygen from the air, which the body needs
  • State that we breathe out carbon dioxide, which the body doesn't need

• The Heart & Blood

  Understand that the heart is a muscle that pumps blood around the body through tubes called blood vessels, and that we can feel our heartbeat by placing a hand on our chest or fingers on our wrist

  • Locate their own heartbeat by touch (chest or pulse point)
  • State that the heart pumps blood through the body continuously
  • Describe blood vessels as tubes that carry blood to every part of the body

• The Brain Controls the Body

  Understand that the brain is the body’s control centre: it receives messages from the senses, thinks and makes decisions, and sends messages through nerves to tell muscles what to do

  • State that the brain is inside the skull and controls the whole body
  • Describe the basic loop: senses send information to the brain, the brain decides what to do, and sends messages to muscles
  • Give an example (e.g. eyes see a ball coming, brain decides to catch it, nerves tell hands to move)

• Basic Body Needs

  Know that the body needs food for energy, water to stay hydrated, sleep to rest and grow, and exercise to keep muscles and the heart strong — and that these are basic needs every human body has

  • List the four basic needs: food (energy), water (hydration), sleep (rest and growth), exercise (strength)
  • Explain that food gives the body energy to move, think, and grow
  • Describe what happens if one need isn't met (e.g. feeling tired without sleep, thirsty without water)

• Bones & Muscles

  Know that the body has a skeleton made of bones inside it that gives the body its shape and protects important organs like the brain (skull) and heart (ribcage), and that muscles attached to bones allow the body to move

  • State that bones give the body shape, support, and protection
  • Name at least three bones or bone groups (e.g. skull, ribcage, spine, leg bones)
  • Explain that muscles pull on bones to make the body move

• The Five Senses

  Explore the five senses in detail: sight uses eyes to detect light, hearing uses ears to detect sound, touch uses skin to feel pressure and temperature, taste uses the tongue to detect flavours, and smell uses the nose to detect odours

  • Name all five senses and match each to the correct body part
  • Describe what each sense detects (e.g. eyes detect light, ears detect sound waves)
  • Give an example of using each sense in everyday life (e.g. smelling food cooking, feeling hot water)

Volcanoes & Earthquakes

Your child is learning about powerful forces that shape our Earth — understanding what volcanoes and earthquakes are, how they change the landscape, and important safety rules to follow during earthquakes.

• What Is a Volcano

  Know what a volcano is: an opening in Earth's surface where hot melted rock (lava) comes out

  • Describe a volcano as a place where hot material comes out of the Earth
  • Explain that lava is rock so hot it has melted
  • Point to a volcano in a picture and describe what is happening

• What Is an Earthquake

  Know what an earthquake is: a sudden shaking of the ground that can be strong or weak

  • Describe an earthquake as the ground shaking suddenly
  • Explain that earthquakes vary in strength from barely noticeable to very strong
  • Describe what it might feel like during an earthquake

• Earth Is Made of Rock

  Understand that Earth is made of rock and other solid materials

  • State that the ground beneath us is made of rock
  • Identify rocks and stones as pieces of the Earth
  • Explain that Earth is solid and made of natural materials

• Fast & Slow Earth Changes

  Understand that Earth's surface changes: some changes are quick (eruptions, earthquakes) and some are slow (wind, water wearing away rock)

  • Give an example of a quick change to Earth's surface like a volcanic eruption
  • Give an example of a slow change to Earth's surface like erosion by wind or water
  • Compare quick and slow changes and explain the difference

• Power of Eruptions

  Appreciate that volcanic eruptions are powerful events that can change the landscape

  • Describe an eruption as a powerful, dramatic event
  • Give examples of how an eruption changes the area around a volcano
  • Compare the landscape before and after an eruption using pictures

• Earthquake Safety

  Know basic earthquake safety: drop, cover, and hold on; move away from windows; tell a trusted adult

  • Demonstrate the drop, cover, and hold on procedure
  • Explain why to move away from windows and shelves during shaking
  • Name a trusted adult to tell if they feel an earthquake

Space Exploration

Your child is beginning their journey into space science — learning about astronauts and the Moon's phases, identifying objects in the sky, and discovering that we live in a solar system with other planets.

• Sun, Moon & Stars

  Identify the Sun, Moon, and stars as objects in the sky and describe basic differences: the Sun gives light and heat during the day, stars are tiny points of light at night, and the Moon can appear in both the day and night sky

  • Name the Sun, Moon, and stars as objects in the sky
  • State that the Sun appears during the day and gives us light and heat
  • State that stars appear at night and the Moon can sometimes be seen during the day too

• Our Solar System

  Know that there are other planets besides Earth and that our group of planets orbiting the Sun is called the solar system — and that space is the vast area beyond Earth's sky

  • State that Earth is a planet and there are other planets too
  • Use the term 'solar system' to describe the Sun and the planets that orbit it
  • Explain that space is the area beyond the Earth's sky, where the planets and stars are

• What Astronauts Do

  Know that astronauts are people who travel to space in rockets, that humans have walked on the Moon (Apollo missions), and that astronauts today live and work on the International Space Station

  • Define an astronaut as a person who travels to space
  • State that humans landed on the Moon during the Apollo missions
  • Describe the International Space Station as a place where astronauts live and work in orbit around Earth

• Moon Phases

  Observe and describe the Moon's changing shape over about a month, recognising that it goes through a repeating cycle of phases from new moon (invisible) to full moon (complete circle) and back again

  • Describe that the Moon appears to change shape over about a month
  • Name or draw at least three phases: new moon (dark), half moon, and full moon
  • State that the pattern repeats — the Moon goes through the same shapes again and again

• Spotting Constellations

  Recognise a few star patterns (constellations) in the night sky, starting with the Big Dipper (the Plough), and understand that the North Star (Polaris) can be found using the Big Dipper

  • Identify or draw the Big Dipper (the Plough) as a pattern of seven stars
  • Explain that the two end stars of the Big Dipper's bowl point towards the North Star
  • State that constellations are patterns of stars that people have named

Waves, Light & Sound

Your child is investigating light and sound — discovering how we see objects, experimenting with transparent and opaque materials, and learning how vibrations create sound.

• Light & Seeing in the Dark

  Observe that objects in darkness can be seen only when illuminated by a light source

  • Explain that we need light to see objects — without any light source, it is completely dark
  • Describe an observation showing objects become visible only when light reaches them
  • Distinguish between light sources (sun, torch, lamp) and objects that just reflect light

• Light & Sound Vocabulary

  Name and use vocabulary for how light and sound behave — light source, transparent, translucent, opaque, shadow, reflect, vibration, pitch, volume — and apply these terms correctly when describing observations about how light travels and how sounds are made and changed

  • Correctly classify a set of materials as transparent, translucent, or opaque and explain each term
  • Explain what causes a shadow using the words 'opaque' and 'light source' correctly
  • Describe what changes the pitch or volume of a sound using vibration vocabulary

• Communication with Light & Sound

  Design and build a device that uses light or sound to solve the problem of communicating over a distance

  • Design a device that uses light or sound to communicate over a distance (e.g. string telephone, torch signals)
  • Build and test the device, identifying what works and what could be improved
  • Explain how the device uses properties of light or sound to transmit information

• Vibrations & Sound

  Understand that vibrating materials can make sound, and that sound can make materials vibrate

  • Describe that sounds are made when objects vibrate (move back and forth quickly)
  • Give at least three examples of vibrating objects making sound (drum skin, guitar string, voice box)
  • Demonstrate that sound can cause objects to vibrate (e.g. rice on a drum jumps when you shout near it)

• Transparent, Translucent & Opaque

  Investigate the effect of placing objects made of different materials in the path of a beam of light, discovering transparent, translucent, and opaque materials

  • Test at least six materials and classify them as transparent, translucent, or opaque
  • Define transparent (light passes through clearly), translucent (some light passes, blurry), opaque (no light passes)
  • Predict whether a given material will let light through based on its appearance

Earth's Systems

Your child is learning to observe and describe weather patterns and seasons, while exploring how plants and animals change their environment to meet their needs.

• Seasonal changes

  Observe changes across the four seasons and describe weather associated with each season, including how day length varies

  • Name the four seasons and describe typical weather for each
  • Describe how day length changes through the year (longer in summer, shorter in winter)
  • Give examples of changes in the natural world associated with each season (e.g. leaves, flowers, animal behaviour)

• Local weather patterns

  Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time, recording temperature, rainfall, and other conditions

  • Observe and record daily weather conditions (temperature, cloud cover, precipitation, wind)
  • Identify patterns in weather data over days or weeks
  • Use observations to make simple predictions about upcoming weather

• How Organisms Shape Habitats

  Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals can change the environment to meet their needs

  • Give at least three examples of organisms changing their environment (beaver dams, bird nests, plant roots breaking rock)
  • Explain why organisms change their environment (to meet needs for shelter, food, water)
  • Construct an argument with evidence showing how a specific organism changes its environment

Forces & Motion

Your child is learning about forces — understanding how pushes and pulls can make objects move faster, slower, or change direction, and testing different ways to affect motion.

• Pushes & Pulls

  Understand that pushes and pulls are forces that can change the speed or direction of an object's motion, and compare the effects of different strengths and directions

  • Describe a push and a pull as types of force that make objects move, speed up, slow down, or change direction
  • Compare the effects of a gentle push versus a strong push on the same object
  • Predict the direction an object will move based on the direction of the applied force

• Forces Vocabulary

  Name and describe forces using precise vocabulary — force, push, pull, twist, stretch, squash, contact force, non-contact force, gravity, weight, friction, air resistance, upthrust — and distinguish between forces that require physical contact and forces that act at a distance

  • Correctly name the force acting in at least five given scenarios (e.g. 'friction slows the sledge', 'gravity pulls the apple')
  • Distinguish between contact forces (friction, upthrust) and non-contact forces (gravity, magnetism) using the correct terms
  • Use 'weight' correctly as a force — distinct from 'mass' — in descriptions

• Testing Push & Pull Designs

  Analyse data to determine if a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or pull

  • Test a simple design (e.g. ramp, launcher) and collect data on whether it meets the goal
  • Analyse results to determine if the design works as intended
  • Suggest modifications based on the data to improve the design's performance

Space Systems & Earth's History

Your child is learning about predictable patterns in the sky — observing how the sun rises and sets daily, how the moon changes shape, and how stars appear at night.

• Why seasons change

  Make observations at different times of year to relate the amount of daylight to the time of year, noticing longer days in summer and shorter days in winter

  • Describe the pattern: more daylight hours in summer, fewer in winter
  • Compare sunrise/sunset times at different points in the year
  • Relate amount of daylight to seasonal changes in weather and nature

• Naming the Planets

  Name the planets in our solar system in order from the Sun and use vocabulary for space — planet, star, sun, moon, satellite, orbit, solar system, galaxy, universe, asteroid, comet — applying these correctly when describing the structure of the solar system and objects we see in the sky

  • Name the eight planets in order from the Sun without prompting
  • Use 'orbit' correctly to describe the movement of planets around the Sun and moons around planets
  • Distinguish between a planet, a moon, a star, and an asteroid using the correct vocabulary

• Sun, Moon, and stars

  Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe predictable patterns such as the sun rising and setting, the moon changing shape, and stars appearing at night

  • Describe the daily pattern of sunrise and sunset
  • Describe the pattern of the moon's shape changing over about a month
  • Explain that stars are visible at night and describe any seasonal patterns observed

Energy

Your child is beginning to understand energy — observing how sunlight warms objects and surfaces, and designing simple structures to create shade and reduce warming effects.

• Sunlight warms things up

  Make observations to determine the effect of sunlight on Earth's surface, noticing that sunlight warms the ground, water, and objects

  • Observe that surfaces in sunlight feel warmer than those in shade
  • Describe that sunlight provides warmth (heat energy) to Earth's surface
  • Compare temperatures of surfaces in sun vs shade using touch or a thermometer

• Building shade from the sun

  Use tools and materials to design and build a structure that will reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area, such as a shade or shelter

  • Design a structure intended to reduce the warming effect of sunlight on an area
  • Build the structure using available materials and test whether it reduces temperature
  • Compare the temperature in the shaded area vs an unshaded area as evidence of effectiveness