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Science Curriculum
Our aim is for ‘Sinai Scientists’ to become independent, inquisitive, creative and methodical.
Practical work is a priority at Sinai. Our vision is for ‘Sinai Scientists’ to become independent, inquisitive and creative learners.
Our science curriculum aims to motivate and enthuse curiosity about the world around us. Through our stimulating science lessons, children are able to make predictions, test theories and get excited about the natural phenomena in their world.
Across the year groups, the children are able to engage in scientific activities through: raising questions, forming hypotheses, identifying variables, choosing appropriate equipment and devising an efficient method. The children observe changes and collect results from experiments. They analyse their results using a carefully chosen graph and they draw scientific conclusions based on these results. Finally, children evaluate the effectiveness of their scientific methods.
These skills are adaptable to all parts of the curriculum, as well as giving the children a greater appreciation for the world around them. In Sinai, we provide children will the tools to continue to be inquisitive, strive for greater depth and understanding and to create new learning opportunities wherever possible.
Science at Sinai
Science is a body of knowledge built up through experimental testing of ideas. Science is also methodology: a practical way of finding reliable answers to questions we may ask about the world around us. Science is a core subject in the National Curriculum which is taught regularly throughout each term. Each year the children cover a range of topics which are covered in greater depth as they progress through each key stage. By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
Detailed information about the National Curriculum for Science, including the programme of study for each year group, can be found here.
Science Policy
Science Scientists
George Bernard Shaw said, “Science is always wrong. It never solves a problem without creating two more.” Sinai Scientists do not start out ignorant and gain knowledge. We use our knowledge to ask better questions.
- Listen carefully to your child. Engage them in conversation about what they think and encourage them to explain why they think by asking questions such as, “Why do you think this/that is happening?”
- Don’t immediately correct your child. If your child says something scientifically incorrect, help them discover the answer for themselves. For example, if they say, “Heavy things sink”, you could ask them, “Which heavy things have you seen sink?” Or, “I wonder if we can find something heavy that can float?”
- Model curiosity. Wonder aloud: “I wonder what will happen to this pudding mix when we put the water in?”
How to help at home
- Help your child to think like a scientist. It is more important to develop their scientific and investigative skills than to help them understand complex scientific concepts. Keep it practical and most importantly, fun! Visit th link below for some great ideas for practical experiments you can carry out at home.
- When it comes to developing your child’s investigative skills, explanations do not always help. Science is about asking questions, designing investigations, making sense of the information found out and communicating these findings. Children do not have to always find out the answer to their questions and they do not always agree. Spend time modelling how to be a scientist in fun ways: going on walks, mixing things, testing to see what happens, observing carefully and wondering alongside your child.
- Listen carefully to your child. Engage them in conversation about what they think and encourage them to explain why they think by asking questions such as, “Why do you think this/that is happening?”
- Don’t immediately correct your child. If your child says something scientifically incorrect, help them discover the answer for themselves. For example, if they say, “Heavy things sink”, you could ask them, “Which heavy things have you seen sink?” Or, “I wonder if we can find something heavy that can float?”
- Model curiosity. Wonder aloud: “I wonder what will happen to this pudding mix when we put the water in?”
Here are some links for more information on how you can support your child in science, as well as some great ideas for experiments you can do at home.
https://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/science/science.pdf
https://www2.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/science/science.pdf
http://www.kidspot.com.au/things-to-do/collection/science-experiments
Useful websites:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/science.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks1/science/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/science/
http://easyscienceforkids.com/
http://www.scienceforkidsclub.com/
http://www.ducksters.com/science/
http://www.science-sparks.com/
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/
https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/science-fair
