At Birchwood Junior School, we believe that the understanding of science is the understanding of the world around us and is therefore a key learning experience for all our children. To do this, we allow our children to DREAM BIG, something that underpins our whole school. In Science, we constantly let children develop these key skills, such as through asking questions, being resilient and discovering through their enriching curriculum. 
We allow our children to question, observe and explore, as these are key in the development of all children. We aim to model and teach these scientific thinking processes in order that all Birchwood pupils can be successful in their own exploration of the world they live in.
Useful websites:
Space!
Understand How Things Work
Make toys at home with common household materials, often in only a few minutes that demonstrate fascinating scientific principles.
Extreme Science is the place online to find the biggest, baddest, and the best in the world of extremes and learn about the science behind what makes each the most extreme example of its kind.
Take your pick and explore the beauty of the sea, or the wonders of the universe. Sea and Sky is an incredible resource, providing extensive information on the mysteries of each in amazing detail.
A website providing fossil education, information and fun for kids of all ages. Questions will be answered, fossils will be found and you'll have fun in the process.
Long Term Science Mapping 2019-2020
| Year | Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | ROCKS Classification of rock types. Fossils. | SIMPLE FORCES Push and Pull. Magnetism. | LIGHT & SHADOWS Sources of light. Shadows and reflections. | ANIMALS Nutrition. Skeleton and muscle structure. | PLANTS Parts of a plant. Functions of parts. Requirements for life and growth. Investigate water transportation. Role of flowering plants - pollination. | PLANTS Parts of a plant. Functions of parts. Requirements for life and growth. Investigate water transportation. Role of flowering plants – pollination. |
| 4 | ELECTRICITY Electrical appliances and sources. Circuits and conductors. | SOUND How sounds are made and travel. | STATES OF MATTER Changing state through heating and cooling. Solids, liquids and gases. | STATES OF MATTER Changing state through heating and cooling. Solids, liquids and gases. | LIVING THINGS AND THEIR HABITATS Parts of a plant. Food chains and the effect of environmental change. | ANIMALS, INCLUDING HUMANS How food is broken down by the teeth and further in the stomach and intestines where nutrients go into the blood. |
| 5 | CLASSIFYING MATERIALS Compare and group. Conductivity and magnetism. | CHANGING MATERIALS Use knowledge of solids, liquids and gases to decide how mixtures might be separated. | EARTH IN SPACE Describe the movement of the Earth, and other planets, relative to the Sun in the solar system. Describe the movement of the Moon relative to the Earth. | FORCES Explain and identify gravity, air resistance, water resistance and friction. | LIFECYCLES Describe the changes as humans develop to old age. Recognise differences in life cycles | LIFECYCLES Describe the life process of reproduction in some plants and animals |
| 6 | EVOLUTION Understand how living things change over time and how fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago | EVOLUTION Understand adaptation and genetics. | ANIMALS INCLUDING HUMANS Identify and name the main parts of the human circulatory system and describe the functions | LIVING THINGS AND THEIR HABITATS Classification. | LIGHT Understand light sources and how it travels. Shadows. | ELECTRICITY Compare and give reasons for variations in how components function. |