Focused questions to develop best practice in primary science (used to support planning and reflection)
Any practical work in science (Demonstrating good subject and curriculum knowledge- standard 3)
- What is the purpose?
- What do children need to know/ do before doing the practical work?
- Can the children explain what they are learning from doing the practice?
- How will the practical link to future learning?
Facilitating the progression of working scientifically skills (Promoting good progress– standard 2)
- Evaluating evidence: How could you support the children to develop the skill of evaluating evidence in this activity?
- Interpreting results: What questions could you ask to help children interpret their results?
- Asking questions: How can this activity be used to support children to ask their own scientific questions?
- Taking measurements: How can you develop this skill during the activity? What equipment do you need
- Gathering and recording results: How will the children record their observations / measurements?
- Presenting results: How will the children present their results? Could they use a graph?
- Making careful observations: What observations will the children make? What vocabulary may they need to make them?
- Drawing conclusions: How can you help the children to answer their investigation question using their results?
- Planning an enquiry: How can you help the children to identify their procedure to answer their investigation question?
- Predicting results: Do the children have enough scientific knowledge / experience to make a prediction
Science capital and Inclusion (High expectations – standard 1 and Adaptive teaching– standard 5)
- What open questions could you use to link this area with the students’ experiences?
- What open questions could you use to allow students to share their own ideas?
- What personal story / anecdote could you talk about the topic to prompt contributions from students?
- How could this relate to students’ interests, aspirations and past experiences?
- What familiar / local contexts could be used as hooks?
- How is this learning relevant to students’ everyday lives?
- What jobs might use this area of science?
- Do you know any family or friends who might use this area of science?
- What out-of-school science learning could enrich this topic?
- What scientists work in this area?
- Can you think of how this might relate to current news / media?
- How does could this topic / idea / skill be used in other areas of learning?
- How did you support (a named child) develop their science understanding?
- How did you support (a named child) develop their working scientifically skills?
- Does the child need any additional resources / health and safety requirements?
Sequencing / Assessment (Planning well-structured lessons / assessment – standard 4 and 6)
- What do the children need to be able to do to access this?
- What do the children need to know before learning this content?
- How might the children practice apply new knowledge / skills?
- What activities could you use to indicate understanding?
- What pre-existing misconceptions might you check for?
- What might the children learn next?
- How would you adapt this for a different year group / key stage?
KEY RESOURCES:
- Supporting subject knowledge and misconceptions: Reachout CPD
- Supporting planning and science-specific pedagogy: PLAN and TAPS
- Supporting dialogic learning and engaging starters: Explorify