3rd Grade Science Checklist: What Your Child Should Know

Organisms & Life Processes

Your child is discovering how the human body works — learning about the digestive system and how different types of teeth help us eat and break down food.

• How animals adapt to environments

  Identify how animals and plants are adapted to suit their environment and understand that adaptation may lead to evolution over time

  • Define adaptation as a feature that helps an organism survive in its environment
  • Give at least three examples of adaptations in different organisms and explain how each helps survival
  • Explain that over many generations, organisms with helpful adaptations survive and reproduce more, leading to evolution

• Life Cycles of Organisms

  Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all share the common stages of birth, growth, reproduction, and death

  • Describe the life cycle of at least two different organisms (e.g. butterfly, frog, plant)
  • Identify the common stages all life cycles share: birth, growth, reproduction, death
  • Explain how life cycles can look very different (metamorphosis vs gradual growth) but follow the same pattern

• Variation & Survival Advantage

  Use evidence to explain how variations in characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in surviving, finding mates, and reproducing

  • Explain that variation within a species means some individuals have traits better suited to their environment
  • Give examples of advantageous variations (e.g. camouflage, speed, drought resistance in plants)
  • Connect variation to survival advantage: individuals with beneficial traits are more likely to survive and reproduce

• How Plant Parts Work

  Identify and describe the functions of different parts of flowering plants: roots absorb water and nutrients, stems transport materials, leaves make food, flowers enable reproduction

  • Describe the function of roots (absorb water and minerals from soil)
  • Explain that the stem transports water up and food around the plant
  • State that leaves use sunlight to make food and flowers produce seeds for new plants

• Pollination & Seed Dispersal

  Understand the life cycle of flowering plants including pollination, seed formation, and seed dispersal

  • Describe the stages: pollination → fertilisation → seed formation → seed dispersal
  • Explain at least two methods of seed dispersal (wind, animal, water, explosion)
  • Describe pollination as the transfer of pollen from one flower to another, often by insects or wind

• Animal Nutrition

  Understand that animals, including humans, need the right types and amounts of nutrition, and that animals cannot make their own food

  • Name the main food groups: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre, water
  • Explain that animals get energy from food they eat, unlike plants which make their own
  • Describe what happens with too much or too little of a food group (e.g. weak bones without calcium)

• Animal Classification Vocabulary

  Use vocabulary for classifying animals and describing life cycles — vertebrate, invertebrate, mammal, bird, reptile, amphibian, fish, insect, arachnid, larva, pupa, metamorphosis, gestation, offspring, complete metamorphosis, incomplete metamorphosis — and apply these correctly when sorting and comparing organisms

  • Correctly classify a set of animals as vertebrates or invertebrates, then into more specific groups
  • Use 'metamorphosis' correctly to describe insect and amphibian life cycles and distinguish complete from incomplete metamorphosis
  • Compare a mammal's life cycle with an insect's using precise vocabulary

• Drawing Life Cycle Diagrams

  Draw and interpret life cycle diagrams for flowering plants, insects (complete and incomplete metamorphosis), birds, and mammals — labelling stages, describing transitions, and comparing cycles across species

  • Draw a labelled life cycle diagram for a flowering plant including seed, seedling, mature plant, and flower/fruit
  • Compare a butterfly life cycle (complete metamorphosis) with a grasshopper life cycle (incomplete metamorphosis) using diagrams
  • Label a blank life cycle diagram for a given organism correctly, including transitions between stages

• Inheritance Vocabulary

  Use vocabulary for variation and inheritance — inherited characteristic, acquired characteristic, variation, offspring, trait, species, breed, genetic, environment — and apply these when comparing organisms and explaining similarities and differences within and between species

  • Distinguish between inherited and acquired characteristics with a correct example of each
  • Use 'variation' correctly to describe differences within a species and explain what causes variation
  • Use 'offspring', 'species', and 'trait' correctly in written descriptions of living things

• Inherited characteristics

  Analyse and interpret data to provide evidence that plants and animals have traits inherited from parents and that variation of these traits exists in a group of similar organisms

  • Define inherited traits as characteristics passed from parents to offspring
  • Collect or interpret data showing variation within a group (e.g. different heights, colours, sizes)
  • Explain that while traits are inherited, there is natural variation among individuals of the same species

• The Digestive System

  Describe the simple functions of the basic parts of the human digestive system: mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine

  • Name the main organs in order: mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine
  • Describe the function of each (mouth chews, stomach breaks down, small intestine absorbs nutrients)
  • Draw or label a simple diagram of the digestive system

• Skeletons & Muscles

  Identify that humans and some other animals have skeletons and muscles for support, protection, and movement

  • Name the three functions of the skeleton: support, protection, movement
  • Identify that muscles are attached to bones and pull to create movement
  • Give examples of bones protecting organs (skull protects brain, ribs protect heart and lungs)

• 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

• What Plants Need to Thrive

  Explore and compare the requirements of plants for life and growth: air, light, water, nutrients from soil, and room to grow

  • List five requirements for plant growth: air, light, water, nutrients, space
  • Explain how needs vary between plants (e.g. cacti need less water than ferns)
  • Predict what happens when one requirement is removed or limited

• Types of Teeth

  Identify the different types of human teeth (incisors, canines, molars) and describe their functions in eating

  • Name three types of teeth: incisors, canines, molars
  • Describe the function of each: incisors cut, canines tear, molars grind
  • Relate tooth type to diet (e.g. herbivores have flat molars, carnivores have sharp canines)

• Water Transport in Plants

  Investigate how water is transported within plants, using observations such as coloured water being drawn up through a stem

  • Describe an investigation using coloured water to track water movement in a plant
  • Explain that water travels from roots through the stem to the leaves and flowers
  • Draw or label a diagram showing the path of water through a plant

• 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

• Traits: inherited and environmental

  Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the environment as well as inheritance

  • Explain that traits result from both inheritance and environmental factors
  • Give examples of environmental influence on traits (e.g. sunlight affects plant growth, diet affects animal size)
  • Distinguish between inherited traits (e.g. eye colour) and environmentally influenced traits (e.g. muscle strength from exercise)

Scientific Inquiry

Your child is learning to think like an engineer — designing solutions to problems, planning fair tests, and improving their ideas based on what works best.

• Using evidence to answer questions

  Identify differences, similarities, or changes related to scientific ideas and use straightforward scientific evidence to answer questions or support findings

  • Identify at least one pattern (similarity, difference, or trend) in a set of scientific data
  • Explain how the pattern relates to the scientific idea being investigated
  • Use specific data points as evidence when answering a scientific question

• Drawing conclusions from evidence

  Report on findings from enquiries using oral and written explanations, draw simple conclusions, make predictions, and suggest improvements

  • Write or present a clear report of findings from an investigation
  • Draw a conclusion that answers the original question, supported by data
  • Make a prediction for a new situation based on the results, and suggest improvements to the method

• Could there be another explanation?

  For any result, ask: is there another explanation? — the first explanation that fits isn't always the right one, and good scientists actively look for alternatives

  • prompts to consider alternative possible worlds research (6-7 year olds)
  • scientific thinking promotes critical thinking (MDPI 2025)

• 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

• Classifying living things

  Gather, record, classify, and present data in a variety of ways including tables, bar charts, labelled diagrams, and keys

  • Organise data into a clear table with appropriate headings
  • Create a bar chart or pictogram from collected data
  • Use labelled diagrams and classification keys to present findings

• Correlation vs Causation

  Two things happening together doesn't mean one caused the other — recognise the difference between correlation and causation before drawing conclusions

  • developmental changes in children's recognition of evidence relevance to causal explanations
  • causal learning research

• Measuring accurately

  Make systematic and careful observations, take accurate measurements using standard units and equipment including thermometers and data loggers

  • Use at least three types of measuring equipment correctly (ruler, thermometer, measuring jug, scales)
  • Read measurements in standard units (cm, ml, °C, g) with reasonable accuracy
  • Make systematic observations by following a planned method consistently

• Fair testing

  Set up simple practical enquiries, comparative tests, and fair tests, understanding the importance of changing only one variable at a time

  • Explain what makes a test 'fair' (only one variable changes, everything else stays the same)
  • Identify the variable to change, the variable to measure, and the variables to keep the same
  • Set up and carry out a comparative or fair test with support

• 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

• Comparing Possible Solutions

  Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints

  • Generate at least three possible solutions to a defined design problem
  • Compare solutions against the specified criteria and constraints
  • Select the most promising solution with reasoning for the choice

• Fair testing (age 8+)

  Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved

  • Plan a fair test of a prototype with clearly identified variables to control
  • Carry out the test and identify failure points or weaknesses in the design
  • Propose specific improvements based on test results and retest

• Simple Design Problems

  Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost

  • Define a design problem by describing the need or want it addresses
  • Specify at least two criteria for a successful solution (e.g. must hold X weight, must cost less than Y)
  • Identify constraints such as available materials, time limits, or cost

• 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

Ecosystems & Habitats

Your child is exploring how living things interact with each other and their environments — understanding food chains, animal groupings, and how scientists classify and identify different species in nature.

• 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)

• 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

• Changing Environments

  Recognise that environments can change and that this can sometimes pose dangers and challenges to living things

  • Give at least two examples of environmental changes (natural and human-caused)
  • Describe how a specific change affects the organisms in that environment
  • Explain why some organisms may not survive if their environment changes too quickly

• Food Chains & Energy Transfer

  Construct and interpret food chains identifying producers, predators, and prey, and understand energy transfer between trophic levels

  • Construct a food chain with at least four organisms, labelling producer, primary consumer, predator
  • Define producer, predator, and prey with examples
  • Interpret a given food chain to predict what happens if one organism is removed

• Grouping Living Things

  Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety of ways based on observable features

  • Group a set of organisms using at least two different criteria (e.g. by habitat, by body covering, by diet)
  • Explain the reasoning behind each grouping choice
  • Recognise that the same organism can belong to different groups depending on the criteria used

• Classification Keys

  Explore and use classification keys to identify, group, and name living things in local and wider environments

  • Follow a branching classification key to identify an unknown organism
  • Create a simple yes/no classification key for a set of 6-8 organisms
  • Use a key to identify organisms in the local environment during a field activity

• 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')

• Human impact on environments

  Use vocabulary for human impact on the environment — pollution, habitat destruction, deforestation, biodiversity, conservation, renewable energy, non-renewable energy, fossil fuel, carbon footprint, sustainability, endangered, extinct — and apply these when discussing environmental issues and human choices

  • Distinguish between renewable and non-renewable energy sources using the correct terms and give examples of each
  • Use 'biodiversity' and 'conservation' correctly in discussing why protecting habitats matters
  • Apply 'carbon footprint' and 'sustainability' correctly in a discussion about everyday human choices

• Animal Groups & Survival

  Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive, such as herds, packs, or colonies

  • Give at least two examples of animals that live in groups (e.g. wolves, ants, fish schools)
  • Explain how group living provides survival advantages (protection, finding food, raising young)
  • Construct a simple argument with evidence for why a specific animal benefits from group behaviour

• Ecology Vocabulary

  Use vocabulary for feeding relationships and ecological roles — producer, consumer, predator, prey, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, decomposer, food chain, food web, nutrient cycle — and describe how energy and matter flow through ecosystems using these terms

  • Construct a food chain correctly using producer, consumer, predator, and prey in the right positions
  • Distinguish between herbivore, carnivore, and omnivore with correct examples from a given ecosystem
  • Explain what a decomposer does and why it matters, using the correct vocabulary

• Reading Food Web Diagrams

  Read and interpret food web diagrams — identify producers, primary and secondary consumers, and decomposers; trace energy flow along food chains within the web; predict the effect of removing or adding a species

  • Identify the producer, herbivore, and carnivore in a food web from a diagram
  • Trace two food chains through the same food web and identify shared species
  • Predict what would happen to fox numbers if rabbits were removed from a food web diagram

Waves, Light & Sound

Your child is discovering how sound works — understanding that sounds are vibrations that travel through air, water, and solids, and exploring how pitch and volume relate to the strength of these vibrations.

• 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

• 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)

• How Shadows Form

  Recognise that shadows are formed when light from a source is blocked by an opaque object, and find patterns in how shadow size changes

  • Explain that a shadow forms because an opaque object blocks light from reaching a surface
  • Describe the pattern: shadow gets larger when object moves closer to the light source
  • Predict the shape and relative size of a shadow given the position of light and object

• Sound Travels Through Materials

  Recognise that vibrations from sounds travel through a medium (solid, liquid, or gas) to the ear

  • Explain that sound vibrations need a material (medium) to travel through — they can't travel in a vacuum
  • Give examples of sound travelling through different media: air, water, solid objects
  • Describe how a string telephone works: voice vibrates the cup, vibrations travel along the string to the other cup

• Volume & Vibrations

  Find patterns between the volume of a sound and the strength of the vibrations that produced it

  • Describe the pattern: stronger vibrations (larger movements) produce louder sounds
  • Demonstrate volume changes by varying the force applied to a sound-making object
  • Explain volume as how loud or quiet a sound is, determined by the size of vibrations

• Reflecting Light

  Notice that light is reflected from surfaces, and that shiny smooth surfaces reflect light best

  • Explain that light bounces off surfaces, which is called reflection
  • Identify that smooth, shiny surfaces (mirrors, still water) reflect light best
  • Give everyday examples of reflection: mirror, puddle, polished floor

• Sound Fading with Distance

  Recognise that sounds get fainter as the distance from the sound source increases

  • State that sound gets quieter as distance from the source increases
  • Describe an observation or investigation demonstrating this pattern
  • Explain that vibrations spread out and get weaker as they travel further from the source

• Pitch of Sounds

  Find patterns between the pitch of a sound and features of the object that produced it

  • Describe the pattern: shorter/thinner/tighter objects produce higher-pitched sounds
  • Demonstrate pitch changes using at least one instrument or everyday object
  • Explain pitch as how high or low a sound is, determined by how fast the object vibrates

• Protecting Eyes from Sunlight

  Recognise that light from the sun can be dangerous and that there are ways to protect eyes

  • State that looking directly at the sun can damage eyes permanently
  • Name at least two ways to protect eyes from bright sunlight (sunglasses, hat, shade)
  • Explain that the sun is an extremely bright light source unlike any artificial light

Dinosaurs & Paleontology

Your child is becoming a young paleontologist — learning how fossils form, what they tell us about ancient life, and discovering fascinating facts about dinosaurs and the scientists who study them.

• Fossils as Evidence

  Analyse and interpret data from fossils to provide evidence of organisms and environments that existed long ago

  • Explain that fossils are preserved remains or traces of organisms that lived long ago
  • Use fossil evidence to make inferences about past organisms and their environments
  • Describe how comparing fossils with living organisms helps us understand how life has changed

• Fossils Reveal Ancient Environments

  Understand that fossils tell us not only about ancient animals but also about ancient environments — for example, marine fossils found on a mountaintop show that area was once underwater

  • Give an example of a fossil that reveals a past environment different from today's
  • Explain that finding marine fossils inland means that area was once covered by sea
  • State that plant fossils can show whether an area was once a forest, desert, or swamp

• How Fossils Form

  Explain in simple terms how fossils form: an organism dies and is quickly buried in sediment; over millions of years minerals replace the remains and the sediment turns to rock, preserving the shape

  • Describe the basic sequence: organism dies, buried in sediment, minerals replace remains over time
  • Explain why fossilisation is rare — most organisms decompose before being buried
  • Use the words 'sediment', 'minerals', and 'rock' correctly when explaining

• Fossilised Dinosaur Dung

  Describe what coprolites are (fossilised dinosaur dung) and how palaeontologists analyse them to discover what dinosaurs ate, including plant fragments, bones, and seeds

  • Define a coprolite as fossilised dung (animal droppings preserved as rock)
  • Explain that scientists cut coprolites open to find plant seeds, bone fragments, or fish scales inside
  • State one example of what coprolite contents reveal about a dinosaur's diet

• Types of Fossils

  Distinguish body fossils (preserved bones, teeth, shells) from trace fossils (footprints, trackways, eggs, burrows, coprolites) and explain what each type can tell scientists

  • Sort examples into body fossils (bones, teeth, shells) and trace fossils (footprints, eggs, dung)
  • Explain that body fossils show what an animal looked like physically
  • Explain that trace fossils show how an animal behaved — how it moved, what it ate, where it nested

• Reading Dinosaur Trackways

  Use dinosaur trackways (fossilised footprints) to make inferences about a dinosaur's size, speed, and behaviour — widely spaced prints suggest running, closely spaced suggest walking

  • Explain that larger footprints generally mean a larger dinosaur
  • Compare spacing between prints to infer walking versus running
  • Suggest what a set of parallel trackways might mean (e.g. dinosaurs travelling in a group)

• The Mesozoic Era

  Place the three periods of the Mesozoic Era — Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous — in order and understand that different dinosaurs lived in different periods, not all at the same time

  • List Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous in the correct chronological order
  • Assign at least one well-known dinosaur to the correct period
  • Explain that millions of years separated these periods and different species lived in each

• Dinosaurs Around the World

  Understand that different dinosaurs lived on different continents and that fossil discoveries around the world show dinosaurs were a global phenomenon, with some species found only in certain regions

  • State that dinosaur fossils have been found on every continent including Antarctica
  • Name at least one dinosaur discovery location (e.g. T. rex in North America, Velociraptor in Mongolia)
  • Suggest a reason why the same type of dinosaur is sometimes found on continents now far apart

• Mary Anning, Fossil Hunter

  Know who Mary Anning was — a pioneering fossil hunter from Lyme Regis, England, who discovered ichthyosaur and plesiosaur skeletons in the early 1800s and contributed to our understanding of prehistoric life

  • State that Mary Anning lived in England in the early 1800s and hunted for fossils along the coast
  • Name at least one of her major discoveries (ichthyosaur or plesiosaur)
  • Explain why her work was important — she helped scientists understand that extinct creatures once lived on Earth

Earth's Systems

Your child is exploring weather and climate by collecting and displaying weather data, learning to distinguish between daily weather patterns and long-term climate conditions in different regions around the world.

• Shapes of land and water

  Develop a model to represent the shapes and kinds of land (mountains, valleys, plains) and bodies of water (rivers, lakes, oceans) in an area

  • Name and describe at least four types of landforms (mountain, valley, plain, hill, cliff)
  • Name and describe at least three types of water bodies (river, lake, ocean, pond)
  • Create or interpret a simple model or map showing land and water features of an area

• Where water is found on Earth

  Identify where water is found on Earth and understand that water can exist as solid (ice) or liquid, recognising water in oceans, rivers, glaciers, and underground

  • List where water is found on Earth: oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, underground, atmosphere
  • Explain that water exists as liquid (rivers, oceans) and solid (ice, glaciers, snow)
  • Recognise that most of Earth's water is in the oceans

• Properties of materials

  Compare and group different kinds of rocks based on their appearance and simple physical properties such as hardness, texture, and colour

  • Describe at least three observable properties of rocks: hardness, texture, colour, grain size
  • Sort a collection of rocks into groups based on chosen properties
  • Compare two rocks and describe how their properties differ

• How fossils form

  Describe in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within rock over millions of years

  • Describe the basic process: organism dies, gets buried in mud/sand, layers build up, material turns to rock over millions of years
  • Explain that the organism's shape is preserved as a fossil within the rock
  • Give examples of common fossils (shells, bones, leaf imprints, footprints)

• Weather vs climate

  Obtain and combine information to describe climates in different regions of the world, distinguishing between weather and climate

  • Define weather as day-to-day conditions and climate as the long-term pattern of weather in an area
  • Describe at least three different climate types (tropical, temperate, polar, desert) with examples
  • Explain that climate varies by region due to factors like distance from the equator

• Seasonal changes (age 8+)

  Represent data in tables and graphical displays to describe typical weather conditions expected during a particular season

  • Collect and organise weather data in a table (temperature, precipitation, cloud cover)
  • Create a graphical display (bar chart, pictogram) showing weather patterns for a season
  • Use the data to describe typical weather conditions for that season and compare with other seasons

• Preventing Erosion

  Compare multiple solutions designed to slow or prevent wind or water from changing the shape of the land

  • Describe how wind and water can change the shape of land (erosion)
  • Compare at least two design solutions for reducing erosion (e.g. retaining walls, plants, windbreaks)
  • Evaluate which solution works best based on evidence from tests or observations

• Evaporation and condensation

  Name and use vocabulary for the water cycle — evaporation, condensation, precipitation, collection, transpiration, water vapour, runoff, groundwater — and describe each stage of the cycle using these terms in the correct sequence

  • Describe the complete water cycle using at least four correct technical terms in the right order
  • Distinguish 'evaporation' from 'condensation' and explain where each occurs in the water cycle
  • Use 'water vapour' and 'precipitation' correctly in descriptions of weather and the water cycle

• Rocks and soil

  Recognise that soils are made from rocks and organic matter, and that different soils have different properties

  • State that soil is a mixture of broken-down rock particles and decomposed organic matter (humus)
  • Compare at least two types of soil (sandy, clay, loam) and describe their different properties
  • Explain that soil formation takes a very long time as rocks gradually break down

Matter & Materials

Your child is exploring states of matter — learning to identify solids, liquids, and gases, and discovering how water changes form through evaporation and condensation.

• Heating & Cooling Changes

  Observe and describe that some materials change state when heated or cooled, and measure the temperature at which changes occur in degrees Celsius

  • Describe melting (solid to liquid) and freezing (liquid to solid) with everyday examples
  • State that water freezes at 0°C and boils at 100°C
  • Explain that heating adds energy causing particles to move more, leading to state changes

• Drawing Particle Diagrams

  Draw and interpret particle diagrams — dot representations showing the arrangement, spacing, and movement of particles in solids (close, regular, vibrating in place), liquids (close, random, flowing past each other), and gases (widely spaced, moving rapidly in all directions) — and use these diagrams to explain observable properties such as fixed shape, fixed volume, and compressibility

  • Draw labelled particle diagrams for solids, liquids, and gases showing the correct arrangement and spacing of particles
  • Use their particle diagram to explain why solids keep their shape but liquids flow
  • Sketch what happens to particles during a change of state (e.g. melting) and explain the energy changes involved

• Solids, Liquids & Gases

  Compare and group materials as solids, liquids, or gases based on their observable properties and behaviour

  • Define solids (fixed shape, hard to compress), liquids (flow, take shape of container), gases (spread out, fill space)
  • Sort at least eight everyday materials into solid, liquid, or gas categories
  • Explain tricky cases like sand (solid particles) or steam (gas, not visible water droplets)

• Evaporation & the Water Cycle

  Identify the role of evaporation and condensation in the water cycle, and associate the rate of evaporation with temperature

  • Describe evaporation as liquid turning to gas and condensation as gas turning to liquid
  • Explain the water cycle: evaporation from seas/lakes → condensation into clouds → precipitation
  • Explain why evaporation happens faster at higher temperatures (e.g. puddles dry faster on hot days)

• 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

• Changes & Separation Vocabulary

  Use process vocabulary for changes of state and material separation — dissolve, solution, soluble, insoluble, evaporate, condense, melt, freeze, filter, sieve, mixture, separate — and understand precisely what each term describes, including the important distinction between dissolving and melting

  • Distinguish 'dissolve' from 'melt' correctly in context and explain the difference
  • Use 'soluble' and 'insoluble' accurately when describing whether a material dissolves in water
  • Explain the difference between evaporation and condensation using the correct terms

• Testing Materials for Uses

  Give reasons, based on evidence from comparative and fair tests, for the particular uses of everyday materials including metals, wood, and plastic

  • Design a fair test to compare a specific property of two or more materials
  • Present test results as evidence for why a material is suited to a particular use
  • Explain the link between a material's tested properties and its real-world application

• Classifying Materials

  Plan and conduct an investigation to classify different kinds of materials by their observable properties

  • Design a simple test to compare one property across several materials
  • Record observations in a table or chart during the investigation
  • Classify the tested materials into groups based on the results

• Taking Apart & Rebuilding

  Observe that an object made of a small set of pieces can be disassembled and made into a new object, understanding that the pieces still exist

  • Explain that taking apart an object and rebuilding it uses the same pieces in a new arrangement
  • Describe how the pieces themselves don't change even though the object looks different
  • Give an everyday example of reusing materials to make something new

Weather & Climate

Your child is learning about weather science — how meteorologists forecast weather, what causes different weather patterns like wind and storms, and understanding the water cycle that brings us rain and snow.

• Geography & Local Weather

  Know that different places around the world have very different typical weather — tropical places are hot and wet all year, deserts are very dry, polar regions are freezing cold — and that geography (distance from the equator, altitude, nearness to the sea) affects local weather

  • Describe typical weather in at least three different climate types
  • Explain that places near the equator tend to be hotter
  • Name at least one factor that affects a place's weather besides latitude

• The Water Cycle

  Understand the water cycle: the Sun heats water in oceans and lakes causing it to evaporate into water vapour, the vapour rises and cools to form clouds (condensation), and water falls back to Earth as rain, snow, or hail (precipitation) — then the cycle repeats

  • Name the three main stages: evaporation, condensation, precipitation
  • Explain the Sun's role in driving the water cycle
  • Describe the water cycle as a continuous loop with no beginning or end

• Weather vs Climate

  Distinguish between weather and climate: weather is what the atmosphere is doing right now or today (it can change hour to hour), while climate is the typical pattern of weather in a place over many years

  • Define weather as short-term atmospheric conditions
  • Define climate as the long-term pattern of weather in a place
  • Give an example showing the difference: a cold day doesn't change the overall climate

• Cloud Types

  Identify the three main cloud types — cumulus (fluffy, fair weather), stratus (flat layers, overcast or drizzle), and cirrus (thin wisps, high up) — and understand that clouds form when water vapour in the air cools and condenses into tiny droplets

  • Name and describe the three main cloud types: cumulus, stratus, cirrus
  • Explain that clouds form when water vapour cools and condenses
  • Use cloud type to make a simple prediction about the weather

• What Causes Wind

  Understand what causes wind: the Sun heats the Earth's surface unevenly, warm air rises because it is lighter, and cooler air rushes in to take its place — this movement of air is wind

  • Explain that the Sun heats Earth's surface unevenly
  • State that warm air rises and cooler air moves in to replace it
  • Define this air movement as wind

• Designing for Weather Hazards

  Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard such as flooding, wind damage, or extreme temperatures

  • Identify a specific weather-related hazard and its impacts on people
  • Describe at least two design solutions intended to reduce those impacts
  • Make a claim supported by evidence about which solution is most effective and why

• Weather Forecasting

  Know that meteorologists are scientists who study and forecast the weather using satellites, radar, weather balloons, and computer models, and that weather forecasts help people plan their activities and prepare for dangerous weather

  • Define a meteorologist as a scientist who studies and predicts weather
  • Name at least three tools meteorologists use
  • Explain why weather forecasting is useful for safety and daily planning

• Using Weather Instruments

  Use weather instruments to measure and record weather data: thermometers for temperature in °C, rain gauges for rainfall, wind vanes for direction, and anemometers for wind speed — and keep a weather diary over time

  • Name at least three weather instruments and explain what each measures
  • Read a thermometer and record the temperature in degrees Celsius
  • Record weather data in a table or diary over several days

• Thunder & Lightning

  Know that thunder and lightning happen during thunderstorms: lightning is a giant spark of electricity that forms in clouds, thunder is the sound the lightning makes, and we see lightning before hearing thunder because light travels faster than sound

  • Describe lightning as a large electrical discharge in clouds
  • Explain that thunder is the sound caused by lightning
  • State that we see lightning before hearing thunder because light travels faster than sound

Animals of the World

Your child is exploring the amazing diversity of animals around the world, learning how different creatures communicate, migrate, hunt and survive in various habitats from rainforests to deserts to polar regions.

• Polar Animals

  Explore animals of the Arctic and Antarctic — polar bears, Arctic foxes, and walruses in the north; penguins, seals, and albatrosses in the south — and understand how polar animals survive extreme cold through thick fur or blubber, huddling behaviour, and seasonal changes like white winter coats

  • Names at least 3 animals each from the Arctic and Antarctic
  • Explains at least two adaptations for surviving cold (blubber, thick fur, huddling, white camouflage)
  • Knows polar bears live only in the Arctic and penguins only in the Antarctic/Southern Hemisphere

• Animal Migration

  Know that many animals make incredible journeys called migrations — Arctic terns fly from pole to pole, monarch butterflies travel thousands of miles across North America, wildebeest cross the Serengeti following rain, and humpback whales swim between polar feeding grounds and tropical breeding waters — and that these journeys are linked to food, breeding, and seasons

  • Defines migration as a regular long journey animals make
  • Names at least 3 migratory animals with their routes or destinations
  • Explains that migration is driven by food availability, breeding, or seasonal changes

• Predator Hunting Strategies

  Understand that predators have evolved hunting strategies — wolves hunt in packs, chameleons use their long tongues, spiders build webs, crocodiles ambush at water's edge — and prey animals have evolved defences — porcupine spines, skunk spray, poison dart frog toxins, zebra stripes confusing predators, playing dead

  • Describes at least 3 predator hunting strategies with examples
  • Describes at least 3 prey defence mechanisms with examples
  • Understands the concept of an 'arms race' between predators and prey

• Savanna & Grassland Animals

  Explore animals of the grasslands and savanna — lions, zebras, wildebeest, elephants, cheetahs in African savanna; bison and prairie dogs in American grasslands — understanding why large herds form on open grasslands and how predators and prey interact in these wide-open spaces

  • Names at least 5 grassland/savanna animals
  • Explains that herding provides safety in numbers against predators
  • Describes the predator-prey relationship (e.g., lions hunt zebras)

• Desert Animals

  Explore animals of the desert — camels, fennec foxes, scorpions, rattlesnakes, meerkats — and understand how desert animals survive extreme heat and lack of water through being active at night, storing water or fat, burrowing underground during the day, and having large ears to lose heat

  • Names at least 4 desert animals
  • Explains at least two desert survival adaptations (nocturnal behaviour, water storage, burrowing, large ears for cooling)
  • Knows deserts can be hot or cold but are always dry

• The World of Minibeasts

  Know that insects and other minibeasts (spiders, worms, snails, centipedes) are the most numerous and diverse group of animals on Earth — there are more species of beetle than any other animal — and that they play vital roles as pollinators (bees, butterflies), decomposers (woodlice, worms), and food for other animals

  • Knows that insects/minibeasts are the most numerous animal group
  • Names at least 3 roles minibeasts play: pollinators, decomposers, food source
  • Distinguishes insects (6 legs) from spiders (8 legs) from other minibeasts

• Rainforest Animals

  Explore animals of the tropical rainforest — the most species-rich habitat on Earth — learning that the forest has layers (canopy, understory, forest floor) with different animals at each level: toucans and monkeys in the canopy, jaguars and frogs on the floor, and that rainforests are found near the equator

  • Names at least 4 rainforest animals from different layers
  • Describes the rainforest as having layers (canopy, understory, forest floor)
  • Explains that rainforests are near the equator and are hot and wet

• Animal Communication

  Understand that animals communicate in many different ways — birds sing to attract mates and defend territory, whales call across vast ocean distances, bees dance to show other bees where food is, wolves howl to keep the pack together, and fireflies flash light signals — and that communication is essential for survival

  • Describes at least 4 different methods of animal communication (sound, dance, light, scent, body language)
  • Gives a specific animal example for each method
  • Explains that animals communicate to find mates, warn of danger, or share food locations

Forces & Motion

Your child is investigating how forces affect movement — observing patterns in how objects move and conducting experiments to understand how balanced and unbalanced forces change an object's motion.

• Predicting Motion Patterns

  Make observations and measurements of an object's motion to provide evidence that a pattern can be used to predict future motion

  • Measure an object's motion (distance, speed, direction) under different conditions
  • Identify a pattern in the data (e.g. steeper ramp = further roll)
  • Use the pattern to make and test a prediction about future motion

• Drawing Force Diagrams

  Draw and interpret force diagrams showing forces as labelled arrows — where the arrow's length represents the force's magnitude and its direction shows which way the force acts; show multiple forces on one object; identify from the diagram whether forces are balanced (equal arrows in opposite directions, no resultant) or unbalanced (arrows of different sizes, producing a resultant); represent the resultant with a single arrow

  • Draw a force diagram with labelled arrows showing direction and relative size for at least two forces acting on an object
  • Use their diagram to explain whether forces are balanced or unbalanced and what will happen to the object
  • Add a resultant force arrow to a diagram and explain how they calculated it

• Friction & Surfaces

  Compare how things move on different surfaces, noticing that some surfaces create more friction than others

  • Observe and compare how the same object moves on at least three different surfaces
  • Describe that rough surfaces slow objects down more than smooth surfaces
  • Use the word 'friction' to explain why movement differs on different surfaces

• 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

• Contact & Non-Contact Forces

  Notice that some forces need contact between two objects (contact forces) while magnetic forces can act at a distance (non-contact forces)

  • Define contact forces as those needing objects to touch (e.g. push, pull, friction)
  • Define non-contact forces as those acting at a distance (e.g. magnetism)
  • Sort examples of forces into contact and non-contact categories

• Balanced & Unbalanced Forces

  Plan and conduct an investigation to provide evidence of the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object

  • Define balanced forces (equal in size, opposite in direction — no change in motion) and unbalanced forces (cause motion to change)
  • Plan a fair test investigating how different force sizes affect an object's motion
  • Use results as evidence to explain when forces are balanced versus unbalanced

• Magnetic Materials

  Observe how magnets attract or repel each other and attract some materials and not others

  • Demonstrate that magnets attract some materials (iron, steel, nickel) but not others (wood, plastic, copper)
  • Show that two magnets can either attract (pull together) or repel (push apart)
  • Test at least six objects and correctly predict which are magnetic

• Magnetic Poles

  Describe magnets as having two poles (north and south) and predict whether two magnets will attract or repel based on which poles face each other

  • Identify and label the north and south poles of a magnet
  • State the rule: like poles repel, opposite poles attract
  • Predict the outcome of bringing two magnets together based on their pole orientation

Insects & Minibeasts

• The insect body plan

  The insect body plan: all insects share three body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), six legs attached to the thorax, and antennae on the head. Most have wings. They have an exoskeleton — a hard outer shell — instead of bones inside.

  • Label the three body parts of an insect — head, thorax, and abdomen — on a diagram or real specimen
  • State that all insects have exactly six legs and that the legs attach to the thorax
  • Explain that insects have an exoskeleton, a hard outer covering, instead of bones inside their body

• Not all minibeasts are insects

  Not all minibeasts are insects: distinguishing insects from other minibeasts. Spiders have 8 legs and 2 body parts (arachnids), woodlice have 14 legs (crustaceans), worms have no legs, snails have a shell and one foot. The 'Is it an insect?' sorting game.

  • Sort a set of minibeasts into 'insect' and 'not insect' groups using the six-legs rule
  • Explain why a spider is not an insect by noting it has eight legs and two body parts
  • Name at least one difference between insects and another minibeast group such as worms having no legs or woodlice having fourteen

• Sorting and Identifying Minibeasts

  Using classification keys to identify minibeasts. Branching yes/no questions: 'Does it have legs?' → 'How many legs?' → 'Does it have wings?' Dichotomous keys as a systematic tool for sorting and identifying creatures.

  • Follow a simple branching key to correctly identify at least four different minibeasts
  • Create a yes/no question that separates insects from spiders, such as 'Does it have six legs?'
  • Explain why asking questions in a set order helps identify a creature you have never seen before

• Social insects: ants and bees

  Social insects: how ants and bees live and work together in colonies. Queens, workers, and drones. Division of labour — some gather food, some build, some guard. Ant tunnels and bee hives as organised homes. Parallels to human teamwork.

  • Describe at least two different roles within an ant colony or bee hive such as queen, worker, or guard
  • Explain that social insects live together in large groups and divide up the jobs needed to survive
  • Compare an ant colony or bee hive to a human team, describing how different members do different tasks

• Bees and pollination

  Bees and pollination: how flowers and insects depend on each other. Bees visit flowers for nectar, pollen sticks to their bodies and transfers to the next flower. Without pollination many plants cannot make seeds or fruit. Why bees matter for the food we eat.

  • Describe how pollen moves from one flower to another when a bee visits to collect nectar
  • Explain that many fruits and vegetables depend on bees or other insects for pollination
  • State what would happen to a garden or farm if there were no pollinating insects

• Camouflage, warning colours, and mimicry

  Camouflage, warning colours, and mimicry: how insects survive by hiding or sending visual signals. Stick insects look like twigs, leaf insects look like leaves. Wasps have warning stripes; hoverflies mimic wasps but are harmless. The 'can you spot it?' challenge.

  • Give at least two examples of insect camouflage such as stick insects resembling twigs or leaf insects resembling leaves
  • Explain why bright warning colours like a wasp's yellow and black stripes help the insect survive
  • Describe mimicry by explaining that a harmless insect like a hoverfly copies a dangerous one like a wasp to trick predators

• Insect life cycles: complete metamorphosis

  Insect life cycles — complete metamorphosis in detail. Egg → larva → pupa → adult. The larva (caterpillar, grub, maggot) looks completely different from the adult. Inside the pupa the body is rebuilt. Butterflies, beetles, flies, and ladybirds all undergo complete metamorphosis.

  • Name the four stages of complete metamorphosis using the correct terms: egg, larva, pupa, adult
  • Explain that the larva stage is when the insect eats and grows, and the pupa stage is when its body transforms
  • Give at least two examples of insects that undergo complete metamorphosis such as butterflies and beetles

• Incredible insects: record-breakers

  Incredible insects — record-breakers and superpowers. Dung beetles are the strongest animals relative to body weight. Dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects. Fleas can jump over 150 times their own body length. Bombardier beetles spray boiling chemicals. The 'wow factor' of the insect world.

  • Name at least three insect record-breakers and their extreme abilities such as dung beetle strength or flea jumping
  • Compare an insect's ability to a human scale, for example a flea's jump would be like a person leaping over a skyscraper
  • Explain why being very small helps insects achieve extreme feats of strength or speed relative to their size

Ocean Life

Your child is diving deeper into ocean science — learning how sea creatures are classified, understanding complex ocean food webs, and exploring the different zones and features of our vast oceans.

• Classifying Ocean Animals

  Classify ocean animals into major groups: fish (breathe through gills, have scales), marine mammals (breathe air, warm-blooded, feed milk), and invertebrates (no backbone — jellyfish, octopuses, crabs, starfish)

  • Sort ocean animals into fish, marine mammals, and invertebrates
  • Give defining features of each group (gills vs lungs, backbone vs none)
  • Correctly classify at least two animals in each group

• Ocean Food Webs

  Understand ocean food webs: multiple interconnected food chains where energy flows from phytoplankton (producers) through zooplankton, small fish, and large predators, and that removing one species affects the whole web

  • Distinguish a food web from a simple food chain
  • Trace at least two paths of energy through an ocean food web
  • Explain what could happen if one species in the web were removed

• Ocean Depth Zones

  Understand that the ocean has different zones depending on depth and light: the sunlight zone near the surface where most life lives, the twilight zone where light fades, and the midnight zone of total darkness

  • Name the three main ocean zones: sunlight, twilight, and midnight
  • Explain that light decreases with depth until it disappears completely
  • State that most ocean life is found in the sunlight zone because plants need light to grow

• The Five Oceans

  Name and locate the five oceans — Pacific (largest), Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic (smallest and coldest) — on a world map, and understand that they are all connected as one global ocean

  • Name all five oceans: Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, Arctic
  • Locate at least three oceans on a world map
  • Explain that the five named oceans are all connected as one continuous body of water

• Ocean Animal Adaptations

  Understand that ocean animals have special adaptations for their environment: streamlined bodies for fast swimming, camouflage to hide from predators, blubber to keep warm in cold seas, and tentacles or suckers to catch prey

  • Name at least three different ocean animal adaptations
  • Explain how each adaptation helps the animal survive in its environment
  • Connect an adaptation to the specific challenge it addresses (cold, predators, catching food)

• Tides, Waves & Currents

  Know that the ocean has tides (water level rises and falls twice a day, caused mainly by the Moon's gravity), waves (caused by wind), and currents (rivers of water flowing through the ocean that carry warmth and nutrients around the world)

  • Describe tides as the regular rise and fall of water level, caused by the Moon's gravity
  • Explain that waves are caused by wind blowing across the water surface
  • Describe ocean currents as large flows of water that carry heat and nutrients around the globe

• The Ocean Floor

  Know that the ocean floor is not flat — it has mountains, valleys, and the deepest trenches on Earth — and that the deepest point is the Mariana Trench, deeper than Mount Everest is tall

  • State that the ocean floor has varied terrain including mountains, ridges, and trenches
  • Name the Mariana Trench as the deepest point on Earth
  • Compare its depth to a familiar reference like Mount Everest's height

• Coral Reefs

  Know that coral reefs are built by tiny living animals called coral polyps, that reefs are home to more species than almost any other ocean habitat, and that they are sometimes called the 'rainforests of the sea'

  • State that coral is built by tiny living animals called polyps, not made of rock
  • Describe coral reefs as one of the most biodiverse habitats in the ocean
  • Explain why reefs are compared to rainforests

Polar Regions

• Comparing Arctic & Antarctic

  Compare the Arctic and Antarctic in detail — the Arctic is an ocean covered by floating sea ice with surrounding land masses (Canada, Russia, Greenland, Scandinavia), while Antarctica is a continent larger than Europe buried under ice up to 4 km thick; polar bears, Arctic foxes, and walruses live only in the Arctic while penguins, leopard seals, and albatrosses are found only in the Antarctic

  • State that the Arctic is a frozen ocean surrounded by land (name at least two bordering countries), while Antarctica is a continent covered by ice sheet up to 4 km thick
  • Correctly assign at least three animals to the Arctic and three to the Antarctic
  • Name at least two differences in human presence: indigenous peoples in the Arctic vs research stations only in Antarctica

• Polar Food Chains

  Understand polar food chains — in the Antarctic, phytoplankton are eaten by krill, krill are eaten by fish and penguins, and penguins are eaten by leopard seals and orcas; in the Arctic, algae under ice feeds zooplankton, which feeds fish, which feeds seals, which feeds polar bears — and that tiny organisms like krill and plankton are the foundation of all polar life

  • Construct an Antarctic food chain: phytoplankton → krill → penguin → leopard seal or orca
  • Construct an Arctic food chain: algae → zooplankton → fish → seal → polar bear
  • Explain why krill and plankton are critical — without them, the entire food chain collapses

• The Race to the South Pole

  Know the story of the race to the South Pole in detail — Norwegian Roald Amundsen and British Robert Falcon Scott both set out in 1911, Amundsen arrived first on 14 December using dog sleds and careful planning, Scott arrived 34 days later using man-hauled sledges and tragically died with his team on the return journey; also know about Ernest Shackleton's 1914 Endurance expedition where the ship was trapped and crushed by ice, and Shackleton's extraordinary boat journey to South Georgia to rescue his crew

  • Describe the Scott vs Amundsen race: Amundsen arrived 14 December 1911 using dog sleds; Scott arrived 34 days later and died on the return
  • Explain at least two reasons Amundsen succeeded: better planning, dog sleds, polar experience, and lighter supplies
  • Narrate the key events of the Endurance expedition: ship crushed, camps on ice, boat journey to South Georgia, all crew rescued

• Ice & States of Matter

  Understand ice in different forms and states of matter — sea ice forms when ocean water freezes (it's salty and relatively thin), glacial ice forms from compacted snow over centuries (fresh water, very thick), and icebergs break off from glaciers and float in the sea; know that water exists as solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas (water vapour), and that salt lowers the freezing point of water

  • Distinguish between sea ice (frozen ocean, salty, thin) and glacial ice (compacted snow, fresh water, thick)
  • Explain that icebergs break off from glaciers and float because ice is less dense than liquid water
  • Describe the three states of water (solid, liquid, gas) and explain that salt lowers the freezing point

• The Arctic Tundra

  Know what the Arctic tundra is — a vast, treeless landscape with permafrost (permanently frozen ground) just below the surface, a very short growing season in summer when mosses, lichens, and tough grasses burst into life, and home to caribou/reindeer, musk oxen, lemmings, and snowy owls

  • Describe the tundra as a treeless landscape with permafrost (permanently frozen ground) beneath the surface
  • Explain that the tundra has a very short summer growing season when mosses, lichens, and grasses grow quickly
  • Name at least three tundra animals: caribou/reindeer, musk oxen, lemmings, or snowy owls

• Inuit & Sami Peoples

  Know that indigenous peoples have lived in the Arctic for thousands of years — the Inuit across Canada, Alaska, and Greenland, and the Sami in northern Scandinavia — developing remarkable knowledge of the environment, using dog sleds and kayaks for transport, wearing animal-skin clothing for warmth, and building igloos as temporary shelters, with a deep respect for the animals and land they depend on

  • Name the Inuit (Canada, Alaska, Greenland) and Sami (northern Scandinavia) as Arctic indigenous peoples
  • Describe at least three aspects of traditional Arctic life: dog sleds, kayaks, animal-skin clothing, igloos, or hunting practices
  • Explain that indigenous Arctic peoples have deep knowledge of their environment developed over thousands of years

• Cold-Weather Adaptations

  Understand how polar animals are adapted to survive extreme cold — blubber (thick fat layer) insulates seals and whales, hollow fur traps air for warmth in polar bears, counter-current heat exchange in penguin flippers prevents heat loss, Arctic foxes grow thick white winter coats for camouflage and warmth, and some animals migrate to avoid the harshest months

  • Describe at least three cold-weather adaptations: blubber, hollow fur, counter-current heat exchange, white winter coats, or migration
  • Explain the purpose of each adaptation (e.g. blubber insulates against cold water, white fur provides camouflage in snow)
  • Use the word adaptation correctly to mean a feature that helps an animal survive in its environment

• Why Polar Seasons Are Extreme

  Understand why the poles have extreme seasons — Earth's axis is tilted at about 23.5°, so as it orbits the Sun, each pole spends half the year tilted toward the Sun (continuous daylight, warmer summer) and half tilted away (continuous darkness, bitter winter); this tilt also drives the annual cycle of sea ice expanding in winter and retreating in summer, and triggers animal behaviours like migration and breeding

  • Explain that Earth's axis is tilted at about 23.5° and this tilt causes the extreme polar seasons
  • Describe how the tilt means each pole faces toward the Sun for half the year (summer/daylight) and away for the other half (winter/darkness)
  • Connect the seasonal cycle to at least one animal behaviour, such as migration or sea ice retreat affecting hunting

Rainforests

• Rainforest Food Webs

  Understand how energy and nutrients flow through a rainforest food web — from plants (producers) to herbivores (primary consumers) to predators (secondary consumers) — and that decomposers like fungi and insects break down dead material on the forest floor, recycling nutrients back into the soil for plants to use again

  • Construct a simple rainforest food chain with at least three levels: producer → herbivore → predator
  • Explain the role of decomposers in breaking down dead material and returning nutrients to the soil
  • Use the terms producer, consumer, and decomposer correctly

• Classifying Rainforest Organisms

  Classify rainforest organisms into major groups — mammals (jaguars, monkeys, bats), birds (toucans, macaws, hummingbirds), reptiles (snakes, lizards, caimans), amphibians (tree frogs, poison dart frogs), insects (butterflies, ants, beetles), and plants (trees, epiphytes, ferns) — using observable features to sort them

  • Sort at least eight rainforest organisms into correct groups: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, or plants
  • State the key feature that defines each group (e.g. mammals have fur and feed milk to their young)
  • Explain why classification helps scientists understand and study the huge variety of life in rainforests

• Rainforest Water Cycle

  Understand how the water cycle works in a rainforest — trees absorb water through their roots and release it through their leaves (transpiration), this moisture forms clouds above the canopy, and the clouds produce rain that falls back into the forest — creating a self-sustaining cycle that generates much of the rainforest's own rainfall

  • Describe the sequence: trees absorb water → release it through leaves (transpiration) → moisture rises → clouds form → rain falls
  • Explain that rainforests generate much of their own rainfall through this cycle
  • Use the word transpiration correctly when describing how water leaves a plant through its leaves

• Tropical Rainforest Climate

  Understand that rainforests have a tropical climate — consistently hot (25–30°C) with over 2000 mm of rainfall per year — and that this combination of heat and moisture creates ideal conditions for rapid plant growth and extraordinary biodiversity

  • State that tropical rainforests are hot (25–30°C) and wet (over 2000 mm rain per year) all year round
  • Explain that the constant heat and moisture create ideal growing conditions for plants
  • Compare tropical rainforest climate to the UK or local climate, noting key differences in temperature and rainfall

• The Amazon Rainforest

  Know that the Amazon is Earth's greatest rainforest — spanning nine countries across South America, containing the world's largest river by water volume, and home to an estimated 10% of all species on Earth including 40,000 plant species, 1,300 bird species, and 3,000 types of fish

  • Locate the Amazon rainforest on a map of South America and name at least two countries it spans
  • State that the Amazon contains the world's largest river by volume and is home to roughly 10% of all species on Earth
  • Give at least two specific numbers showing the Amazon's biodiversity, such as 40,000 plant species or 1,300 bird species

• Indigenous Ecological Knowledge

  Understand that indigenous peoples of the rainforest have developed deep ecological knowledge over thousands of years — using plants for medicine, food, and building materials, practising sustainable farming methods like shifting cultivation, and understanding animal behaviour and forest ecology in ways that modern science is only beginning to appreciate

  • Give at least two examples of indigenous knowledge, such as using specific plants as medicine or practising sustainable farming
  • Explain what shifting cultivation is and why it is less harmful to the forest than permanent clearing
  • Describe how indigenous knowledge and modern science can work together to protect rainforests

• Rainforest Plant Adaptations

  Know how rainforest plants are adapted to their environment — drip-tip leaves channel water off quickly to prevent rot, buttress roots spread wide to support tall trees in thin soil, epiphytes (like orchids and bromeliads) grow on tree branches to reach sunlight without needing soil, and lianas climb trunks to reach the canopy

  • Describe at least three plant adaptations: drip-tip leaves, buttress roots, and epiphytes
  • Explain the purpose of each adaptation (e.g. drip-tips shed water to prevent rot)
  • Use the word adaptation to mean a feature that helps an organism survive in its environment

• Rainforest Animal Survival Tricks

  Know how rainforest animals are adapted to their environment — camouflage helps leaf insects and tree frogs hide, bright warning colours (aposematism) signal that poison dart frogs are toxic, prehensile tails let monkeys grip branches, toucans' large beaks help reach distant fruit, and many animals are nocturnal to avoid daytime heat

  • Describe at least three animal adaptations such as camouflage, warning colours, and prehensile tails
  • Explain how each adaptation helps the animal survive (e.g. camouflage hides prey from predators)
  • Give a specific example for each adaptation, linking the animal to its rainforest layer

Space Exploration

Your child is discovering how our solar system works — learning about Earth's movements that create day and night, exploring the eight planets and their features, and understanding how we use robots and telescopes to study space.

• The Sun is a star

  Know that the Sun is a star — the closest star to Earth — and that it is at the centre of our solar system, with all eight planets orbiting around it

  • State that the Sun is a star, not a unique type of object
  • Explain that the Sun appears bigger and brighter than other stars because it is much closer
  • Describe the solar system as the Sun at the centre with planets orbiting around it

• Earth's Spin & Orbit

  Understand that Earth moves in two ways: it rotates (spins) on its axis once every 24 hours causing day and night, and it orbits (travels around) the Sun once every 365 days, which is one year

  • Demonstrate with a globe or ball that Earth's rotation causes day on the Sun-facing side and night on the opposite side
  • State that one full rotation takes about 24 hours (one day)
  • State that one full orbit around the Sun takes about 365 days (one year)

• The Eight Planets

  Name the eight planets in order from the Sun (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune), know that Pluto is a dwarf planet, and distinguish rocky inner planets from gas giant outer planets

  • List all eight planets in order from the Sun
  • State that Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet in 2006
  • Explain that the four inner planets are small and rocky while the four outer planets are large gas giants

• Space Robots & Rovers

  Describe how robots and rovers have explored places humans cannot easily go — Mars rovers like Curiosity and Perseverance drive across Mars taking photos, collecting rock samples, and searching for signs of past water

  • Name at least one Mars rover (Curiosity or Perseverance) and state it drives on Mars's surface
  • Explain that rovers take photos, analyse rocks, and look for evidence of water
  • State why we send robots instead of people: Mars is very far away and has no breathable air

• Planet Features

  Describe a key feature of each planet: Mercury is smallest and closest, Venus is the hottest, Mars is red with rust, Jupiter is the largest with a Great Red Spot, Saturn has rings, Uranus tilts on its side, Neptune is the farthest and very cold

  • State one distinctive feature for at least six of the eight planets
  • Compare at least two planets (e.g. Jupiter is much bigger than Earth, Venus is hotter than Mercury)
  • Explain why Mars appears red (iron oxide/rust in its rocks)

• The Moon's Orbit

  Know that the Moon orbits Earth approximately once a month, that it does not make its own light but reflects sunlight, and that its changing appearance (phases) is caused by how much of the sunlit side we can see from Earth

  • State that the Moon orbits Earth roughly once every 28-30 days
  • Explain that the Moon reflects sunlight rather than producing its own light
  • Describe how Moon phases happen: we see different amounts of the lit-up side as the Moon orbits Earth

• Asteroids, Comets & Dwarf Planets

  Identify other objects in the solar system beyond planets: asteroids (rocky bodies mostly between Mars and Jupiter), comets (icy bodies with tails when near the Sun), and meteoroids/meteors/meteorites (space rocks that enter Earth’s atmosphere)

  • Describe asteroids as rocky bodies mostly found in the belt between Mars and Jupiter
  • Describe comets as icy bodies that develop a glowing tail when they approach the Sun
  • Explain the difference between a meteoroid (in space), meteor (streak of light in atmosphere), and meteorite (lands on Earth)

• How Telescopes Work

  Know that telescopes are instruments that help us see distant objects in space, and that space telescopes like Hubble and James Webb orbit above Earth’s atmosphere to get clearer views of the universe

  • Explain that a telescope magnifies distant objects so we can see them in more detail
  • State that Earth's atmosphere blurs the view, so space telescopes get clearer pictures
  • Name at least one space telescope (Hubble or James Webb) and describe what it does

Volcanoes & Earthquakes

Your child is learning about what's inside volcanoes and earthquakes, how Earth has different layers, and exploring dramatic geological events like the story of Pompeii and tsunamis.

• Ring of Fire

  Recognise that volcanoes and earthquakes tend to happen in certain places — especially around the edges of the Pacific Ocean (Ring of Fire) — not randomly across the Earth

  • Describe the pattern that volcanoes and earthquakes cluster in certain zones
  • Locate the Ring of Fire on a world map
  • Explain that the locations of earthquakes and volcanoes are not random

• Earth's Layers

  Know that Earth has layers — a thin outer crust, a thick hot mantle, and a core at the centre — and that the inside of the Earth is extremely hot

  • Name Earth's three main layers: crust, mantle, and core
  • Explain that the crust is thin compared to the other layers
  • State that Earth's interior is extremely hot — hot enough to melt rock

• Why Earthquakes Happen

  Understand that earthquakes happen when rocks underground suddenly move or break, releasing energy that shakes the ground

  • Explain that earthquakes are caused by rocks underground suddenly moving
  • Describe how this movement sends shaking through the surrounding ground
  • Distinguish between the underground cause and the surface effects of an earthquake

• Types of Rock

  Know the three main types of rock — igneous (formed when lava or magma cools), sedimentary (formed from layers pressed together), and metamorphic — and that fossils are found in sedimentary rock

  • Name the three main rock types: igneous, sedimentary, metamorphic
  • Explain that igneous rock forms when lava or magma cools and hardens
  • State that fossils are preserved in sedimentary rock because it forms in layers

• Inside a Volcano

  Understand the inside of a volcano: magma is hot melted rock underground, lava is the same material after it reaches the surface, and volcanoes have a magma chamber, vent, and crater

  • Explain that magma is melted rock underground and lava is the same material above ground
  • Label a magma chamber, vent, and crater on a volcano cross-section
  • Describe the path magma takes from underground to the surface during an eruption

• Active, Dormant & Extinct

  Classify volcanoes as active (could erupt any time), dormant (sleeping but could wake up), or extinct (will not erupt again)

  • Define active, dormant, and extinct volcanoes
  • Explain that a dormant volcano is not safe just because it has not erupted recently
  • Classify a given volcano based on its eruption history

• Pompeii & Vesuvius

  Know the story of Pompeii: a Roman city buried by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, preserved under volcanic ash, and rediscovered by archaeologists centuries later

  • Retell the key events: Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii was buried under ash
  • Explain that the ash preserved the city, its buildings, and even people's shapes
  • Describe how archaeologists uncovered the city and what we can learn from it

• Tsunamis

  Know what a tsunami is: a very large, fast ocean wave caused by an earthquake or volcanic eruption under the sea, which can cause great damage when it reaches land

  • Explain that a tsunami is caused by an earthquake or eruption under the sea
  • State that tsunamis travel very fast across the ocean
  • Describe the damage a tsunami can cause when it reaches the coast

The Human Body

Your child is discovering how their body works — learning about different types of teeth, how food travels through the digestive system, how bones and muscles work together, and understanding the importance of a balanced diet.

• Cells, Tissues & Organs

  Understand that the body is organised in a hierarchy: tiny cells are the building blocks, groups of similar cells form tissues, tissues combine into organs (like the heart or stomach), and organs work together in organ systems (like the circulatory system)

  • State that cells are the smallest building blocks of the body, too small to see without a microscope
  • Describe the hierarchy: cells → tissues → organs → organ systems
  • Give an example: muscle cells form muscle tissue, which forms the heart organ, which is part of the circulatory system

• Balanced Diet & Food Groups

  Know the main food groups (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre, water) and understand that a balanced diet includes the right amounts from each group to keep the body healthy and provide energy, growth materials, and protection from illness

  • Name at least five food groups and give an example food for each (e.g. carbohydrates = bread, protein = chicken)
  • Explain what carbohydrates (energy), proteins (growth and repair), and fats (energy and warmth) do for the body
  • State that vitamins and minerals protect against illness and help the body work properly

• The Digestive Journey

  Trace the journey of food through the digestive system: food enters the mouth where teeth break it down and saliva begins digestion, travels down the oesophagus to the stomach, passes through the small intestine where nutrients are absorbed, and waste moves through the large intestine

  • List the organs in order: mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine
  • Describe what happens at each stage (teeth chew, stomach churns with acid, small intestine absorbs nutrients)
  • State that the small intestine is where most nutrients pass into the blood, and the large intestine removes water from waste

• How the Eye Works

  Describe how the eye works: light enters through the pupil, the lens focuses it onto the retina at the back of the eye, and the retina sends signals along the optic nerve to the brain, which interprets the image

  • Name the main parts: pupil (lets light in), lens (focuses light), retina (detects light), optic nerve (sends signals to brain)
  • Describe the sequence: light enters → lens focuses → retina detects → nerve signals brain → brain interprets image
  • Explain that the pupil gets bigger in dim light and smaller in bright light to control how much light enters

• Types of Teeth

  Identify the four types of human teeth (incisors for cutting, canines for tearing, premolars and molars for grinding) and understand that tooth shape is linked to function, just as in other animals — herbivores have flat teeth, carnivores have sharp teeth

  • Name the four tooth types and describe each one's job: incisors cut, canines tear, premolars/molars grind
  • Compare human teeth to herbivore teeth (flat, for grinding plants) and carnivore teeth (sharp, for tearing meat)
  • Explain that humans have all types because we are omnivores — we eat both plants and meat

• How Muscles Move Bones

  Understand that muscles work in pairs to move bones: when one muscle contracts (gets shorter and pulls), the opposite muscle relaxes, and that some muscles are voluntary (we choose to use them) while others like the heart are involuntary (they work automatically)

  • Demonstrate or describe how biceps and triceps work as a pair to bend and straighten the arm
  • Explain the difference between voluntary muscles (we control them) and involuntary muscles (they work automatically)
  • Name the heart and muscles of the digestive system as examples of involuntary muscles

• Naming Major Bones

  Identify major bones of the human skeleton by name (skull, spine/vertebrae, ribcage, pelvis, femur, humerus) and explain the skeleton’s three jobs: supporting the body’s shape, protecting organs, and enabling movement with muscles

  • Name and locate at least six major bones or bone groups on a diagram or their own body
  • Explain the three functions: support (holds us upright), protection (skull protects brain, ribs protect heart/lungs), movement (bones work with muscles)
  • State that not all animals have internal skeletons — some have shells or exoskeletons

Energy

Your child is discovering how electricity works — building simple circuits with batteries and bulbs, understanding how switches control electrical flow, and learning which materials conduct electricity and which don't.

• Building a simple circuit

  Construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts: cells, wires, bulbs, switches, and buzzers

  • Build a complete series circuit that lights a bulb or sounds a buzzer
  • Name each component: cell (battery), wire, bulb, switch, buzzer
  • Explain the role of each component in making the circuit work

• What uses electricity at home

  Identify common appliances that run on electricity and understand that electricity is a form of energy that powers devices in everyday life

  • Name at least ten common appliances that run on electricity
  • Distinguish between mains-powered and battery-powered appliances
  • Explain that electricity provides the energy that makes these devices work

• Naming types of energy

  Name and use vocabulary for types of energy and energy transfer — kinetic energy, potential energy, heat energy, light energy, sound energy, electrical energy, chemical energy, stored energy, energy transfer, energy transformation — and describe energy changes in familiar situations using these terms

  • Name the type of energy stored in a battery, a stretched spring, and a moving ball
  • Use 'energy transfer' or 'energy transformation' to describe what happens in a simple device such as a torch or a toaster
  • Distinguish between 'stored energy' and 'transferred energy' with a correct example of each

• How switches work

  Recognise that a switch opens and closes a circuit, controlling whether a lamp lights or a buzzer sounds

  • Explain that a closed switch completes the circuit (current flows) and an open switch breaks it (current stops)
  • Demonstrate adding a switch to a circuit and using it to control a bulb or buzzer
  • Relate the switch concept to everyday switches in the home

• Will the bulb light up?

  Identify whether or not a lamp will light in a simple series circuit, based on whether the lamp is part of a complete loop with a battery

  • Predict whether a lamp will light by tracing the circuit for a complete loop
  • Explain that a gap anywhere in the circuit breaks the loop and the bulb won't light
  • Identify the fault in a non-working circuit (e.g. loose wire, missing connection)

• Conductors and insulators

  Recognise some common conductors and insulators, and associate metals with being good conductors of electricity

  • Define conductors (allow electricity to flow through) and insulators (block electricity)
  • Test at least six materials and correctly classify them as conductors or insulators
  • State that metals are generally good conductors and explain why wires are made of metal with plastic coating

Space Systems & Earth's History

Your child is learning that Earth changes over time — some changes happen quickly like earthquakes and volcanoes, while others like erosion and mountain building take millions of years.

• 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

• Rapid earth changes

  Use information from several sources to provide evidence that Earth events can occur quickly (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions) or slowly (erosion, mountain building)

  • Give at least two examples of rapid Earth events (earthquake, volcanic eruption, landslide, flood)
  • Give at least two examples of slow Earth processes (erosion, mountain formation, canyon carving)
  • Use evidence from text, images, or video to support the distinction between fast and slow changes

• Earth & Space Vocabulary

  Use technical vocabulary for Earth's motion and the wider universe — rotation, revolution, axis, tilt, orbit, light year, gravitational force, atmosphere, lunar phases, waxing, waning, solstice, equinox, eclipse — and apply these when explaining day and night, the seasons, and the Moon's phases

  • Use 'rotation' and 'revolution' correctly to describe Earth's two distinct types of movement and explain what each causes
  • Use 'waxing' and 'waning' to describe the Moon's phases and explain what causes them
  • Apply 'solstice' and 'equinox' correctly when explaining why seasons exist and why day length varies