Early Years Science

 

Welcome to Early Years Science in 2018!

My name is Eve Sage and I am excited to be teaching Science to our Reception, Years 1 and 2 Students. Science is such a stimulating curriculum area to focus and nurture children’s natural curiosity in the world around them. It is also a subject that lends itself easily to an Inquiry hands on approach, incorporating STEM, allowing children to experiment, question, explore changes within the parameters of their investigations and draw conclusions based on their findings.
It’s Term 4 already! To celebrate the return of Spring, all Year Levels will be participating in the Biological Strand of  the Science Curriculum where we can get out into the newly created Nature Garden and explore what lives there!
Receptions will be investigating what humans need to survive. They will also compare and contrast their own needs to that of  pets and plants, what is the same, what is different? Year 1’s will be investigating the features, habitats and behaviours of small invertebrates (mini beasts). They will observe that living things have a variety of external features and live in different places where their needs are met. Year 2 Students will be again be hosting a silk worm to observe first hand the life cycle of a Silk Moth, how they grow, change and have offspring similar to themselves.

For a more detailed overview of content at each Year Level, click on the links below and for photos, keep scrolling!

Reception Biological Sciences Rubric 2018

Year 1 Biological Sciences Rubric 2018

Year 2 Biological Sciences Rubric 2018

Year 2’s Making first observations of their Silk Worms

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receptions using their senses to describe what is in the box

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receptions deciding what is wanted and what is needed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 1’s Observing small invertebrates in the Nature Play Garden

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Making beeswax sandwich covers as an alternative to plastic – first we grate the bees wax onto material

        

Next we even out the wax and put into the oven

    

Then we cool it down to make it go hard

    

Voila!

 

Year 1 Recreating their own digestive system – adding food to the stomach and churning

   

Then through to the small intestine where the juices flow to the bloodstream

    

Lastly through to the large intestine and out!!

     

Receptions recreating a working stomach and then straining out the fibre

   

   

Receptions and Year 1’s participating in working a big digestive system

   

Fibre moves to the large intestine

   

Year 2 – Mixing materials to remove stains

   

Year 2 – Mixing  materials to make scones

   

 

Year 2 – What happens when we mix Plaster of Paris and water – testing ratios

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 1 – Making a tower that will hold a Kinder Surprise – comparing the properties of cooked and uncooked spaghetti

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 2 – Investigating dissolving, suspension, sedimentation when mixing materials with water

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receptions – What material is waterproof?

 

 

 

 

 

Year 1 – Investigating the properties of cooked spaghetti

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 1 – Designing their own park

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 2 – Investigating what is in soil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receptions – making a rain gauge

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receptions   testing a rain gauge and wind strength


 

 

 

 

 

 

Receptions Observing a cloud form inside a jar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 2 Investigating how to make a reservoir

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 2 – Researching water sources at school – how full is that water tank?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 2 – Investigating the bore water shed – Recording water sources

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Year 2 – Modelling a bore water pump


 

 

 

 

 

 

Receptions learning to use a thermometer – testing warm water and cool water

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Receptions – testing how far cars roll on different surfaces according to the friction exerted by the surfaces

    

Receptions testing how long different types of balls can bounce – why is this?

    

Year 1 – Feeling the vibrations that make sound

    

Year 1 – Seeing the vibrations of the sound waves as the sprinkles jump in the air

Year 1 –  Listening to the pitch made by shaking different sized objects in cups

    

Year 2 – Testing the buoyance of water

    

Year 2 – Testing different materials to see what floats – why do some materials float?

    

Year 2 – Testing which balls bounce highest and measuring using informal measurements

    

Year 2 – Investigating how to make a parachute stay in the air longer – air resistance

    

Year 2 – Success!

    

 

 

 

Below are some photos from late 2017 when we had some extra time to investigate science concepts outside the curriculum. The first 2 photos involve Reception students and the concept of Surface Tension. Water molecules love each other, but what happens when we add detergent to break the molecules apart?

        

Students exploring the animal life in our Native Garden

    

Year 2 Students constructing a box needed to house a silk worm according to a set criteria and the silk worm!

    

Year 3 Students also investigating Surface Tension creating a meniscus on a 5 cent coin – how many drops?