Year 6 Draft Science guidance

Important points to note about this draft guidance document:

Science is a subject that naturally lends itself to a constructivist, inquiry based method of teaching and learning. This is well documented as an evidence-based, best pedagogical practice in science. Through a range of explicit and inquiry-based strategies, students generate questions, design experiments and assess outcomes based on experiences students share at school.” This type of practise is used to “facilitate more equitable instruction as well as increases student engagement and advancement in science.” (Carlson, Davies and Buxton, 2014).

Wherever an inquiry is mentioned, students should be given the opportunity to complete a full investigation that includes all of the key elements: Aim, Question, Hypothesis or prediction (these are different), Method, Results, Analysis, Conclusion, and Evaluation

All of the information in this working draft is to be used as guidance, and as such they are suggested activities. There are many ways to meet learning objectives. This is NOT a step-by-step guide.

The breakdown of the topic objectives by year: *Additional to NC objectives*

Year 4

Living Things

- Ourselves: (Who we are)

Identify major organs, including brain, heart, lungs, stomach, liver, bladder, small and large intestines, kidneys, and place these organs on an outline of the human body Learn about factors that contribute to good health including diet Investigate how basic life processes including digestion helps to maintain healthy bodies *including the use of teeth* Understand that humans have skeletons and muscles to support their bodies and help them move, for example, make a hinged cardboard model of their joints (T)

- Animals and Plants: (How the world works or Sharing the planet)

Observe similarities and differences among animals and among plants Find out about other animals, including how they grow, feed, move and use their senses

Investigate a local habitat, including the relationship between the animals and plants found there, and develop skills in classifying animals and plants by observing external features, for example, classify minibeasts by observing the number of legs and note the conditions in which they were found

Materials

- Properties: (How the world works)

Investigate the distinctive properties of solids, liquids and gases as exemplified by water, for example, learn that solids have a definite shape and volume, that liquids have a definite volume but take the shape of containers and that gas will occupy the space available

- Change: (How the world works)

Investigate the changes of state brought about by heating and cooling everyday substances, for example, investigate the effect of heat on ice and water and the reverse process

*linking to the key features of the water cycle*

- Environment: (Sharing the planet)

Find out how human activities create a variety of waste products, for example, match waste products to the activity that created them Find out that some materials decay naturally while others do not, for example, find out that fruit and leaves decay while aluminium cans and glass do not

Physical Processes

- Forces and Energy: (How we express ourselves or How the world works)

Find out about the range of energy sources used in school and at home (recap) *Basic of what energy is* Identify the sources of energy in a variety of models and machines, for example, in a flashlight, yacht or waterwheel, or make a model that incorporates an energy source Understand the differences between renewable and non-renewable energy resources and the need for fuel economy

- Electricity: (How the world works)

Know about the safe use of mains electricity and its associated dangers Construct simple series circuits using components, such as switches, bulbs and batteries, for example, light a bulb using two wires and a battery *link understanding to everyday electrical items*

Year 5

Living Things

- Ourselves: (Who we are)

Find out about themselves, including how they grow Develop an awareness of puberty-related changes, through discussion with the teacher and other professionals, for example, discuss with the teacher the changes that

occur in their bodies during puberty

- Animals and Plants: (How the world works or Sharing the planet)

Investigate the conditions necessary for the growth of familiar plants including light, heat and water, for example, place plants in different environments, varying the light, water and temperature and observe the results

Learn about the life cycle of a flowering plant including how pollen is taken from the stamen into the stigma, fertilised in the ovule and a seed produced which is dispersed in a variety of ways

Materials

- Properties: (How the world works)

Find out about the origins of materials and learn that some are natural and others are manufactured, for example, find out that wood is natural and plastic is manufactured Investigate the properties of materials and how these relate to their uses, for example, investigate the strength of paper, or describe the different materials used in building

a house

Physical Processes

- Forces and Energy: (How we express ourselves or How the world works)

Investigate how forces can affect the movement and shape of objects, for example, describe what happens when different weights are placed on sponges Investigate the effect of friction on the movement of objects, for example, carry out grip tests with shoes or blocks on a variety of surfaces

- Electricity: (How the world works)

Investigate materials as to whether they are insulators or conductors, for example, identify materials that can be used to complete a circuit Investigate the effects of varying current in a series circuit to make bulbs brighter or dimmer, for example, use two bulbs or two batteries to observe changes in brightness

Sound (How we express ourselves) Investigate how sounds are produce when objects vibrate, for example, find out that vibrations caused by plucking an elastic band make sounds, or make instruments

which produce sounds Investigate that sound travels through a variety of materials, for example, recognise that sound travels through string in a string telephone and through metal when tapping

pipes

Light (How the world works) Find out that when light travelling from a source does not pass through materials, shadows are formed, for example, draw an object and the shadows formed when the light

shines from different positions Investigate the reflection of light from mirrors and other shiny surfaces, for example, observe images formed by a range of objects with reflective surfaces

Earth in space: (Where we are in place and time)

Investigate the key characteristics of the sun, moon, earth and solar system. Learn that day and night can be explained in terms of the rotation of the earth on its axis and that year length can be explained in terms of the movement of the earth round

the sun *monthly moon cycles*

Year 6

Living Things

- Ourselves: (Who we are)

Find out about themselves, including how they move and use their senses Learn about factors that contribute to good health including, exercise, hygiene and develop an awareness of the safe use of medicines and the harmful effects of tobacco,

alcohol and other substances Investigate how basic life processes including circulation, simple respiration and digestion relate in order to maintain healthy bodies, for example, compare breathing and

pulse rates before and after exercise

- Animals and Plants: (Sharing our planet)

Order living things in a simple food chain and understand the dependency of one on the other, for example, construct a food chain, such as grass/cow/human Discuss the use of colour in the natural environment, for example, in camouflage, talk about how animals adapt to their surroundings

Materials

- Properties: (How the world works)

Know that when materials are changed this may be desirable or undesirable, for example, find out that the change brought about by baking is desirable whereas the change brought about by rusting is undesirable

Understand that when new materials are formed, change is permanent, for example, learn that plastics are made from oil, paper is made from wood and that these changes are permanent

Investigate how rusting can be controlled, for example, observe that the use of paints and oils (grease) will prevent rusting and protect iron

- Environment: (Sharing our planet)

Understand that some waste materials can be recycled and that this can be of benefit to the environment, for example, discuss the recycling of bottles, cans and paper

- Geological Changes: (How the world works)

Learn about the structure of the earth Describe and group rocks and soils on the basis of their characteristics, including appearance, texture and permeability Learn about fossils and how they are formed *Fossils as evidence of the theory of biological evolution*

Physical Processes

- Forces and Energy: (How the world works) *Magnetism and the uses of it – magnetic and non-magnetic materials, properties of permanent magnets, uses of magnets*

- Electricity: (How the world works) *How electrical components function and current changes the function e.g what lamps do, and how changing the current can change the brightness**Circuit diagrams and

basic circuit modeling using simple situations such as water*

Unit 1: Living Things

Living Things: Ourselves

Big Picture questions:

How do we use our senses to complete complicated interactions with the world around us?

How does the various parts of our bodies work together to demonstrate various movements?

What are the different aspects of a healthy lifestyle?

How do medicines work?

Common Misconceptions:

Muscles can push as well as pull.

All parts of the body has the same sensitivity

All medicines are good for you and drugs are different (they refer to illegal drugs)

Being healthy is the same as just eating a balanced diet

Low tar cigarettes and alcohol is not harmful.

Your heart is a shape.

Learning Objectives and Key Vocabulary

Teaching and Learning activities Resources Evidence of learning

Find out about themselves, including how they move and use their senses

Key Vocabulary:Senses, smell, touch, feel, taste, see, sweet, sour, bitter, sensititvity, joints, hinge, muscle, antagonistic, contraction, relaxation

Catch: Students in small groups have a “feely bag” where there is a different mystery item in each one. Students take it in turns to have a feel and guess what it is.

Students can feedback about what they thought it was, and whether they all agreed with each other/reasoned with each other to change their minds. They can then reveal what their items were.

Students can then work in pairs in a carousel of activities that focus on their senses. E.g.

Seeing Station: Look at the pictures in the first column. Then students look at the pictures in the second column. Are they the same? If not, what’s different?

Hearing Station: There are five different sealed containers. One holds a marble, one holds a paper clip, one holds some rice, one holds water, and one holds some sand. Students shake each container. What do you hear? Can you tell what is in each container?

Smell Station: There are 4 containers, each with something inside. What do you smell? Does the smell remind you of something? Can you tell what is in each container?

(Blindfolded) Taste Station: There are 3 samples to taste (you might know what they are). How would you describe the taste of each sample? Is it sweet? Salty? Bitter? Sour?

Inquiry: Touch station - Whilst one student is blindfolded the other can use two toothpicks to test the sensitivity of different parts of the body.

1. One of the pair is going to lightly poke their partner with either one or two toothpicks (a better alternative is the very thin drinks straws) on various places on their skin. The person being poked has to tell you whether or not they feel one poke or two. The partner doing the poking will need to, hold the two toothpicks so that the points measure 2 mm apart and lightly poke their partner on the palm of her hand. Ask them if they felt one or two points on her skin. If they says one point, separate the two points of the toothpicks so that they measure 4 mm apart and lightly poke them in the palm again. Keep pulling the points apart until the blindfolded partner says that she feels two points. Record the measurement at which they felt two points. They can then test using the same principle on different parts of

Opaque bags or boxes with a cover, various small items

Spot the difference sheets

5 sealed containers with different objects in

4 jars/containers with different fragrances, items that smell in.

Toothpicks/skinny drinks

Students will be able to use their sense of touch to identify unknown items.

Students develop communication and scientific reasoning skills.

Students practice using their senses in order to carry out specific tasks.

They will use their investigative

the body such as: fingertips, the upper arm, the lower arm, the neck, and the legs. The partners can then swap around. At the end, conclusions will be drawn bout which part of the body tested, is most sensitive, and how the evidence supports that. This data can then be collated amongst the class to see if everyone is the same.

2 mm 4 mm 6 mm 8 mm 10 mm

Tip of Finger

Palm of Hand

Upper Arm

1.Students can then make some summations about the different senses and the organs that are responsible for each.

This then moves onto the next point which links how senses are often related to other bodily actions, such as movement.

Students can use an activity to see how senses and movement are used together. Blindfolded directions around a paper maze activity

Then students have to write down a question and answer related to their understanding about senses, circulate the room asking each other questions playing quiz, quiz trade. When they return to their seats they can think about what they have been doing in terms of movement. What was required of their bodies to get them to move around the classroom?

Teacher can bring to their attention some of the previous work they have done with bones and their skeleton. The movements around the joints require muscles.

Students can then explore some of their own joints and what is required to make them move. Do all joints move in the same way? They can then share these observations with the class, giving some demonstrations.

straws, blindfolds

Blindfolds, maze activity sheets

Sticky notes

skills to collect, compare and report data.

Students will draw conclusions about their senses, their importance and the organs related to their function.

They can link senses with how they may be used in conjunction with movement.

Working as pairs or small groups students can construct a simple are or leg model, using elastic bands to represent the muscles, contracting and relaxing.

For some joints and movements, the muscle contractions/relaxations are easy to explore on their own bodies, however there are lots of good online simulations too: https://www.edumedia-sciences.com/en/media/231-biceps-and-triceps

Popsicle sticks, or thick cardboard, split pins, elastic bands

IWB, laptop

Students are able to explore and model a simple joints, and the muscles associated with it.

Learn about factors that contribute to good health including, exercise, hygiene and develop an awareness of the safe use of *different types of* medicines and the harmful effects of tobacco, alcohol and other substances *inc marijuana*

Catch: Start all students off with a quick 3 minute exercise video type activity accompanied by music. This can lead to a discussion about why do we do exercise, and what does it mean to be healthy?

Students can then name some of the methods/types of exercising and describe how they might have different effects on the body.

1. The teacher can then explain about being healthy in relation to eating and exercise guidelines such as the foods standards and general keeping healthy guidelines. The World Health Organization states: “Children and youth aged 5–17 should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity daily.”

Students can also then create a journal of all the activities they have done in the past day. They can then decide if they have done enough exercise to be

IWB, speakers, laptop

Scenario sheets

Students will actively participate in exercise session and link exercise to being healthy.

Students can demonstrate their prior

Key Vocabulary:exercise, sports, physical activity, sleep, hygiene, cleanliness, illness, spread, contagious, drugs, medicine, legal, illegal, addiction, addictive

defined as healthy. How will they decide upon this? *Note be sensitive to students with weight issues.

The teacher can then give the students some scenario sheets and they have to discuss and decide whether they demonstrate healthy or unhealthy exercise behavior. *Note that you can also have too much exercise being unhealthy.

In addition to this the teacher can talk about sleep, as the process of getting enough sleep and rest is essential in being healthy.Inquiry: Students, individually, could carry out a data collection survey about the average amount of sleep (on average) their classmates get. This data can then be presented in the format of a histogram and draw a conclusion about whether the class is getting enough sleep or not. This has been linked to disrupted brain development, concentration and performance at many cognitive tasks.

Students can work in teams to brainstorm why personal hygiene is so important, especially when related to exercise. Students can state what is important before and after exercise. Such as wearing clean dry clothing before, and washing thoroughly after, etc.

Student take part in a short activity, where they circulate the room, meet someone else, shake hands, and take it in turns to share their facts about exercise and hygiene. The twist is, one of the students (who has been pre-briefed by the teacher) has hair gel, or similar on their hands. After a few minutes, the teacher can yell “Freeze”. Then asks all students who ended up with some of the hair gel on their hands to raise their hands. This will allow the class to assess the spread of the hair gel. The students can then be asked what this is meant to represent, and they should come up with something along the lines of the spread of a cold/illness. *Note, this links back to hygiene and why it is important to wash your hands, cover your mouth when you sneeze, etc.

Sometimes poor health is just part of life even if you lead a healthy, active

Hair gel

knowledge and PE lessons about types of exercising.

Students can catagorise the difference between healthy and unhealthy exercise behaviour.

Students understand the important role that sleep also plays in being healthy and healthy development.

Students work to decide on hygienic behaviour related to exercising.

They will then be able to summarise their

and hygienic lifestyle, as it can easily be spread by others. As such being ill can require some form of medication. In 2 minutes, small teams on a large piece of paper can see how many different medicines (over the counter and prescribed) students can name, bonus points for explaining what the specific medicine is for.

Teacher explains that, as the students will know, that there are many drugs (known as medicines) that are developed to help people get better from certain illnesses. E.g you might use antibiotic ear drops if you get an ear infection, but these would not be suitable if you had a sore throat. Some drugs/medicines need to be prescribed by a doctor, as they can be potentially dangerous and sometimes addictive. Therefore you have to follow the instructions from the doctor carefully.There are also other items that contain drugs that are potentially very dangerous, there are both legal and illegal examples of these.

Students can carry out research and create an informative poster about the dangers of drugs such as; tobacco, alcohol and marijuana.

Examples of medicine packaging

Laptops, ICT suite, or informational leaflets

learning as well as practically see how easy it is for germs/bacteria to spread.

Students research and explain the dangers of specific drugs including: tobacco, alcohol and marijuana.

Investigate how basic life processes including circulation, simple respiration and digestion (note digestion is covered in Year 4, so this simply refers to digestion being involved with relate in order to maintain healthy bodies, for

Catch: Show the students an example of an animal heart to use an engagement piece to get pupils to have a close look at it and explain its function related to keeping us alive, active and healthy. Linking to previous lessons on exercise. Then get all the students to feel their pulse at their wrist or neck, and imagine what their heart is doing to cause their pulse. Does it go faster or slower when you are exercising?

Students can work in small groups to mind map what they know about the circulatory system and how it is important in maintaining a healthy body, including where the heart and the lungs are in the body. Groups can then have one student to be a roving to share ideas

Heart (from local butcher/farmer)

Large paper

Students understand and appreciate that the heart is a pump for pumping blood around their body and is responsible for their pulse.

Students can identify where

example, compare breathing and pulse rates before and after exercise

Key Vocabulary:Heart, heart rate, pulse, , pump, valve, circulate, artery, vein, circulation, oxygen, blood, exercise, air, lungs, chest, breathe, respiration, digestion, energy, nutrition

The teacher can then demonstrate using a water fountain and/or computer simulation how the heart functions as a pump in a one way system, with one way valves. This is to ensure that the blood carries the necessary elements to all aspects of body.

With this information and some further notes about the circulatory system students will work in larger groups to be able to present a dramatisation of the circulatory system, including oxygen obtained from the lungs and glucose from digested food is carried to muscles/cells, and the waste CO2 is transported away to the lungs to be removed. As well as the difference between arteries and veins

Teacher explains that respiration is a key process in all cells, and without it we couldn’t survive, because it uses the glucose from digestion and the oxygen from breathing to provide the energy (currency obtained by the digestion of food) we need to every one of our cells. The same way your folks at home will need to work, so that they can earn money and buy food, pay CUC bills etc. The more our muscles work, the more energy that is required. The more energy that is required is the faster HR and breathing rate is.

Students can work in small groups to create a game that can demonstrate how all the systems link up using a feedback loop/domino effect, i.e. one thing affects another etc.

Inquiry: How does breathing and heart rate changes after exercise? Comparing breathing rate (BR) and heart rate (HR) before and after exercise. Students will need to work in small groups to construct the investigation, this can be brought back to a class discussion in order to ensure results are comparable between groups.

Small self-contained electric water fountain, Laptop, IWB

Coloured paper, markers

$1 bills, similar looking paper bills that represent energy

Stopwatches, clipboards, clickers, sticky

the key parts of the cardiovascular system is. As well as using models and dramatisation to explain how the key parts work together to facilitate the function of body.

Students can describe what respiration is and liken energy to currency.

Students will develop collaborative working skills, to develop their own investigation, which they can

Students will need to determine the type of exercise, duration, averages taken of the breathing rate (how many breaths in and out per minute) and heart rate (how many heart beats – lub dub- per minute), where the HR is taken from (neck or wrist). The investigation can be expanded to include the different effects on HR and BR of different types of exercise or even length of exercise. This investigation planning can be conducted using the sticky note planning:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sEz6HmIY6Wg

notes. then carry out, collect data, present it, draw conclusions and evaluate the investigative method.

Living Things: Plants and Animals

Big Picture questions:

How are different plants and animals interlinked with each other?

How is energy produced in a food chain?

How have plants and animals adapted to their environment?

Common Misconceptions:

Food chains and webs are the same thing.

Adapted to the environment means the animals/plants change immediately.

All plants and animals produce their own energy.

Only animals like Chameleons use camouflage.

Learning Objectives and Key Vocabulary

Teaching and Learning activities Resources Evidence of learning

Order living Catch: Using a series of cards given out to the class with Marine based food chain organism Students can

things in a simple food chain and understand the dependency of one on the other, for example, construct a food chain, such as grass/cow/human*make sure to explore terrestrial and marine examples*

Key Vocabulary:Food chain, food web, relationship, organism, prey, species, consumer, producer, primary, secondary tertiary, apex, predator, energy transfer, tropic level

different marine organisms on. Students have to find someone who has a card that is related to them, i.e an organism that eats theirs or an organism that their organism eats. Once paired up, students will need to then find others to make what they think is a suitable food chain. *Note this allows students to discuss with each other the interactions between organisms and what a food chain may look like. It is important that the teacher allows these discussions to occur, to help identify misconceptions, that can be addressed in the subsequent lesson(s)

Show or have a sheet with a series of both local and non-local plant and animal species. Students have to draw on previous knowledge to classify and identify the food energy source for each of them.

The teacher can then introduce the idea of trophic levels and then students can decide how to classify the previously mentioned organisms. And show various examples of food chains (both marine and terrestrial, local and non-local)

Students can then construct their own food chains that include the sun, a primary producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer and tertiary consumer (apex predator)

Demonstration on the field of the transfer of energy (explaining why the further along the food chain, requires more food) can then be modelled using plastic cups with different sized, or more holes in to show the energy loss at each stage of the food chain.

cards – can be found online

IWB or student sheet of plant and animal species examples

Bucket of water, representing the sun, different numbered foam/plastic cups, with different numbers/size of holes, containers representing different organisms with a line drawn on to the same level for all.

Inquiry: will also require stopwatches, trays, measuring cylinders or mass balances,

demonstrate their understanding of relationships between organisms and demonstrate what they already know about food chains.

Students are able to link various local and non-local examples to how different organisms have different energy sources.

Students will understand and can explain trophic levels in food chains using examples

Students will be

Inquiry: In small groups, looking at the effect of the numbers/size of holes in a cup and how much water it loses in a set time. *Note - this is best done over tray and using a short time frame, stopping the water flow with fingers or piece of plastic. The water collected can be measured using a measuring cylinder or mass balance.

The class can then revisit the activity from the start of the lesson, this time looking to see how all of the many different food chains are linked, and form complex food webs. This can be done by using the same marine organism cards and a ball of yarn. Full details of the activity are can be found:

https://groupereducation.edublogs.org/files/2015/12/Grouper-Keystone-Species-Activity-2015-20dxr2x.pdf

Grouper moon- Nassau Grouper Food Chain exercise

https://groupereducation.edublogs.org/files/2015/12/Grouper-Keystone-Species-Activity-2015-20dxr2x.pdf

Marine based food chain organism cards – can be found online, ball of yarn

able to compare how energy is transferred from one tropic level to another and why more of each organism is required the further up the food chain you go.

Students are able to carry out a full investigation into the rate of water fall through different size/numbers of holes.

Students will compare the similarities and differences between food chains and food webs, and model how food webs

are interconnected.

Discuss the use of colour in the natural environment, for example, in camouflage, talk about how animals adapt to their surroundings

Key Vocabulary:Camouflage, environment, surroundings, adapt, applications,background, colour, predator, prey, military

Catch: Put up a series of pictures of well camouflaged animals on the board to see if students can find them, alternatively teacher can set up an interactive animal hunt with camflouged paper animals around the classroom, such as, some being more obvious than others.

Teacher can then ask students about any other examples they know of camouflage to discuss in pairs, then get some pairs to feedback.

There may be some links here to man-made camouflage and how this ties in with the topic and how humans have used examples of how nature uses camouflage for applications such as military, videography/photography, architecture etc.

Teacher to set up and students can then play a game in pairs, where they have to try and pick up as many squares of paper as possible in a set time. There are 2 different coloured squares of paper and 2 different backgrounds of the same colours (so all the colour squares are placed on each background). Students must pick up the piece of

Blank cut outs of various animals (coloured in to fit in with different classroom backgrounds)

http://www.anapsid.org/pdf/camoflage.pdf

Some real examples or pictures of man mad camouflage.

Small squares of 2 different colours of paper, 2 large pieces of background paper those 2 different coloured pieces of paper.

Student will be able to identify that many organisms use colour to camouflage themselves with their environment.

Students will be able to discuss and share what they know about camouflage

Students will model how camouflage can be a selective

paper using only a finger and thumb, or pair of tweezers, in a 20-30 second time frame. After the activity has been completed and the students have some observations. Students should be directed to evaluate the activity and suggest how it might be related to camouflage in nature. *Note the aim of the game is to illustrate how a predator is more likely to choose a prey item from

Inquiry: This same activity can be expanded to include 3 or 4 different colour backgrounds, where students carry out a full investigation using the question; How does the colour of the background affect the most common chosen colour of prey? Students should be able to observe a pattern about the ease to detect prey

The teacher will also be able to talk about what organisms look like as well as behaviour affects how well animals can camouflage with their surroundings.

Also the teacher may want pose such questions as: why do most plants have green leaves? Why many organisms that live are in the open ocean, blue/grey, but coral species are brightly coloured?

Stopwatches, tweezers (optional)

Same as above, but with 3 or 4 different background colours of paper.

Videos showing how some organisms can use objects to camouflage themselves.

pressure, and investigate the impact of different coloured environments.

Unit 2: Materials

Materials: Change

Big Picture questions:

How can materials change?

Is changing of materials useful or not useful?

Why do we want materials to change?

Common Misconceptions

Change only occurs when you can observe the properties change

Rusting/oxidizing of materials is always a non-useful change

Wood and paper are different materials

Learning Objectives and Key Vocabulary

Teaching and Learning activities Resources Evidence of learning

Know that when materials are changed this may be desirable or undesirable, for example, find out that the change brought about by baking is desirable whereas the change brought about by rusting is undesirable.

Key Vocabulary:Ingredients, materials, corroded, physical, chemical, changes, desirable, non-desirable

The Catch: Teacher can show the ingredients for or bread dough and a baked loaf and ask them which one they would prefer to eat. This can lead to the point that they are both made of the same materials, only the bread has undergone a physical change.

Show students examples of various materials being changed, with examples that can be observed and discussed by students in groups.

E.g. corroded and un-corroded materials, raw materials and new substances such as thermite and cake ingredients and a cake

Bread dough and bread

Examples of desirable and undesirable changes, thermite mixture (if obtainable from secondary school) or cake ingredients and

Students can link understanding to describe the changes occurring in different examples.

These changes can be analysed to conclude if they are desirable or undesirable

Students can use and understand the importance of collecting qualitative

Here you can point out that some changes are desired, as they produce something more useful or with higher value. However it is worth pointing out that although some things may be desirable when they change e.g. toast, if you change it too much (burnt) bit may no longer be desirable

Inquiry: In small groups, students will investigate the effect of heating on different materials *important to use non-toxic materials*

Some examples include: candle wax, antacid/indigestion tablets, steel, paper

Students will be able to note their qualitative observations about any heat related changes that occur with the physical properties of the materials.

cake

Hot plates or other method of heating, candle wax, antacid/indigestion tablets, steel, paper, containers or tongs to hold the heated materials * note that a container will be needed for the candle wax

data to support ideas.

Students will be able to make qualitative observations about changing materials, and develop investigative skills.

The Catch: With the prop of a boiled egg, ask if you can Ice trays, water, Students will

Make comparisons with new materials being formed, change is permanent, for example, learn that plastics are made from oil, paper is made from wood and that these changes are permanent.*Most state changes and changes such as dissolving are reversible*

Key Vocabulary:Change, permanent, temporary, physical, reversible, dissolving, energy transfer, state, reactants, products, irreversible

convert it back to a raw egg and why? What about ice? What’s the difference?

Split investigation looking at physical and chemical changes. This can be run simultaneously with half the class collecting data on one and the other half on the other, then swap around and compare.

Physical changes – changes in state: Ice – Water – Water Vapour and back again – potentially linking to the water cycle.

The idea of energy transfer should be considered by students, i.e. energy must be transferred for a change in state, either into or out of the system.

Inquiry: What takes more energy, changing form a solid to a liquid, or a liquid to a gas? This can be run as an investigation with students in small groups using kettles to observe the differences in the time taken to change the states.

Chemical changes – changing reactants into products

E.g. Making caramel sauce demo, as many chemical reactions, the change is permanent/irreversible

Other examples can be used to exemplify irreversible changes and why we would want to do this – for different uses. E.g wood and paper are both useful but for different purposes.

kettle, mirror/glass to show water vapour, large and small ziplock bags, ice, cream/half & half, butter, sugar, salt, optional flavouring, saucepan, heating hob (plugin), other irreversible change examples.

understand the principles behind physical and chemical changes using examples.

Students will be able to explore the changes in the states of matter and what is required in terms of energy transfer using a practical example

Students will link the ice cream practical to an investigation around the super-cooling of ice.

Students will compare the difference between reversible and irreversible changes, linking to examples of both.

Investigate how rusting can becontrolled, for example, observe that the use of paints and oils (grease) willprevent rusting and protect iron

Key Vocabulary:Rust, oxidized, corrosion, paint, grease, water, undesirable, desirable

The Catch: Show the class concept cartoon about rusting and have a rusted and unrusted example of something for students to see and feel. What are the major differences?

Teacher can link to examples of rusting iron being undesirable and how we can use other materials to help prevent undesirable effects. This a particularly common occurrence on boats, cars, household objects etc. Then can ask the students to brainstorm about the ways people protect these items from corrosion.

This is a good opportunity for students to use research to help shape the focus of their investigation.

Inquiry: What conditions cause iron nails to rust the fastest? Select materials can be given out to small groups of students that they can use it to decide on the different categories of independent variables

A full scientific investigation into the conditions that cause iron to rust, and how it can be prevented. This is

Research materials printed. Number of iron nails, test tubes, water, salt, oil, grease, paint (or pre-painted nails)

Students have the opportunity to extract key information using research in order to inform the focus of the investigation.

Students will also be reminded about and use dependent, independent and control variables within an investigation.

In small groups, students plan, carry out, measure and record, present data on, conclude and evaluate a full scientific investigation.

something that will have to be setup and run over a week or two to get clear results, data collected will be qualitative.

Materials: Environment

Big Picture questions:

Why is trash such a problem for the environment?

What is the difference between recycling, reusing and reducing?

What materials can be recycled?

Common Misconceptions

There is no recycling in Cayman

All trash just breaks down and becomes soil/dirt.

Trash in the sea just disappears/has no impact.

Learning Objectives and Key Vocabulary

Teaching and Learning activities Resources Evidence of learning

Understand that some waste materials can be recycled and that this can be of benefit to the environment, for example, discuss the recycling of bottles, cans and paper

Keywords: Recycle, reduce reuse, plastic, degrade, biodegradable, compost, compostable, environment, organic

Catch: Teacher shows a clip of the documentary, starring Cayman’s Tanya Streeter “A plastic ocean”. Ask the students what the film is meant to show. Did any students know how much of a problem plastic is in the ocean?

https://www.plasticoceans.org/film/index.html#signup the full version of this may be available through the DOE.

Students can work in small table groups to identify which materials (from a sample given) is recyclable, compostable, and which are not. The teacher can then discuss with the class if everyone had the same results and what materials actually are recyclable. *Note it is important to differentiate between recyclable and compostable.

Students can then research (using a computer suite, or pre-printed materials and video clips) about ways in which trash/waste materials have a negative impact on the environment and as such how recycling, reducing and reusing will have positive benefits. Thinking specifically about the effect on: plants and animals, extraction and manufacturing of materials, pollution, an area’s natural beauty, use of land, etc. Students can share these with the class, and can draw from their own experience and anything they may have seen.

Students can then work as teams to discuss, how they can

IWB, Laptop, plastic ocean

Sample of various different materials, some recyclable, and some not, some compostable.

Computer suite or preprinted research materials

Students can identify key issues with litter, and how it is linked to local environments.

Students can identify and sort recyclable and non-recyclable materials

Students use researching skills and persuasive writing to express the importance of recycling, as well as the dangers of not.

Students work collaboratively to

make the school more environmentally friendly by encouraging reducing, reusing and recycling. What can students do themselves, what can the convince others to do such as their parents? Students can then create an assembly presentation in their groups, about making the school more environmentally friendly.

The teacher can also contact the DEH to come and provide some specific information about recycling here in Cayman.

Inquiry: Students work in small groups to investigate the rate of breakdown of different organic materials. *Note this is a long term and qualitative investigation. For something shorter and more quantitative, students can investigate how much recyclable trash is produced at school in 1 day/week, and possibly make comparisons between other schools. This could lead to a point about the more students the more trash there will be etc.

develop the schools environmental policy, linked to the wider community

Students investigate a real life problem of how different materials take different amounts of time to break down

Materials: Geological Changes

Big Picture questions:

Why does the Earth have different layers?

What makes the different types of rock different from each other?

How are fossils formed?

Why are there fossils of some organisms and not others?

How are fossils evidence for evolution?

Common Misconceptions

The Earth is just made of rock/soil

All rocks are the same

Fossils are the same as bones

The Cayman Islands are made from volcanic rock.

Learning Objectives and Key Vocabulary

Teaching and Learning activities Resources Evidence of learning

Learn about the structure of the Earth

Key Vocabulary:Crust, mantle inner core, outer core, convection

Catch: Using a peach, avocado or similar item that has a thin skin, flesh, and a stone, the teacher can represent the different layers of Earth. The skin = the crust, the flesh = the mantle and the stone = the core (although the Earth actually has an inner and outer core)

Students can then work individually to design and make their own model describing the structure of the Earth and its different layers. They can use research to help with their explanations of each layer. *Note – this can also be run as a homework project.

The teacher can then talk about the cross subject topic of the convection currents in the mantle. This can be demoed in a

Peach or avocado or similar.

Modelling clay, plastic knifes

Students will be able to appreciate a model that is use to explain what they cannot see – the layers of the Earth.

Students are able to use research to describe the structure of the Earth and model

number of different ways, for example:

A glass beaker containing water, heated on a hot plate, place some red food colouring in, and add an ice cube with blue food colouring.

This can further demonstrate what happens with the movement of the crusts using items floating on the surface of the water. Alternatively a hot plate, tomato soup, a metal tray and some pieces of bread, or crackers – this shows the movement of the crust.

Glass beaker, red food colouring, ice cubes with blue food colouring, hotplate, pipette, pieces of Styrofoam/polystyrene

Hot plate, a metal try (deep), tomato soup, pieces of bread or crackers.

what it looks like.

Students are able to link understanding of the Earth’s structure with the physical process of heat transfer i.e. convection using a model.

Students can draw comparisons between a simplified more to convection and what occurs in the Earth’s mantle.

Inquiry: What is the effect on the time taken for an ice cube to melt in different temperature water? Students work in small groups, and using beakers with different temperature water, along with ice cubes that have food colouring in them. Students can time how long it takes in the different temperatures for the ice cube to completely melt. * They may also be able to view convection currents at the same time.

Ice cubes (with blue food colouring in then), beakers, kettles, thermometers, stopwatches.

Students work in collaborative groups to look at the effects of changing temperature and ice melting

Describe and group rocks and soils on the basis of their characteristics, including appearance, texture and permeability

Key Vocabulary:Rocks, metamorphic, sedimentary, igneous, texture, permeability, characteristics, gravel, sand, soil, pressure, heat

Catch: using a collection of different types of rocks (including some local examples) along with “bio viewers” or hand lenses. Students can then sort out the rocks based upon some of their physical characteristics. The teacher can ask students/groups of students, why they grouped the rock samples as they did.

Teacher can link these skills to ones previously developed when classifying animals using the same method of dichotomous keys. Rocks can be classified into 3 broad groups, igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary. Explaining some of the key characteristics, like their appearance (getting students to observe), texture (getting students to feel) and permeability (getting students to observe trying to pour water through them)

Students working in small groups can then demonstrate the basics of the rock cycle and the features of each type using the “Chocolate rocks demo” http://www.earthsciweek.org/classroom-activities/chocolate-rock-cycle

This can be linked to local examples, much of the local rock is sedimentary as it has examples of fossils in it.

Inquiry: Students will investigate in small groups looking at sediment, and how quickly water permeates/filters through

Different samples of rocks (including local examples), hand lenses or bio viewers

White and dark chocolate, plastic knife, aluminium foil, hot water, grater

Examples of local fossils in rock such as corals and conch etc.

Filter paper (coffee filters will work), beakers, funnels, measuring cylinders,

Students will be able to observe and identify different properties of rocks.

They will be able to use their own methods for classifying rocks, then using dichotomous keys.

Students understand the key characteristics of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, specifically their appearance, texture and permeability.

different materials. Different materials such as gravel, sand, soil, placed in filter paper inside a funnel. Then a certain amount of water poured through each, and timed to measure the rate of permeation.

Alternatively can look at how quickly sediment settles in a jar containing different types of sediment and water.

timers, different samples of materials such as: large gravel, small gravel, sand, soil, etc

Alternatively: Jars, stopwatches, samples of materials such as: large gravel, small gravel, sand, soil, etc

Students will be able to model the characteristics or types of rocks as well as the rock cycle using simple models. Students will also be able to evaluate these models.

Students will work in small groups to carry out a full investigation into the permeability of different materials.

Learn about fossils and how they are formed

Key Vocabulary:Fossil, shell, bone, mineralization, plastercine, cast, impression, layers, excavate, plaster cast

Catch: The teacher can show the class some examples of fossils for them to observe and hand lenses. Ask if students know of any fossils that can be found in Cayman and fossils they know of in general.

The teacher can then demonstrate the process of how fossils are formed by placing an item, such as a shell in the bottom of a large jar/beaker that has already has a layer of plastercine/modelling clay in it, then layering it with soil, sand, gravel and water etc, to represent the layers that build up over time. Then leaving, for a while, to represent the long period of time that the process takes. The layers can then be poured out and then carefully pull out the plastercine, this should leave an impression of the shell, which is how a lot of fossils appear.

Sample of various fossils (local examples of corals and shells) etc. It may be possible to borrow some from the national museum/national trust, hand lenses.

Students will observe and compare the similarities and differences between different fossils.

Students will identify fossils found locally as well as internationally.

Students can use

The students can then make their own fossil using various hard items such as shells, plant braches, even plastic dinosaur toys etc. They can push these into plastercine to create an impression, then fill the impression in the plastercine with standard white PVA glue. Allow this to set to create a fossil that represents with bone or shell turns into a fossil (mineralized stone)

The teacher can demonstrate to the class about how the layers of rock with different fossils in represent different ages/points in time. This can be done using candy and Jello in a jar “Jurassic Jello Jar” .

https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/36611/fossils

(you will need to create a login to download this resource)

Inquiry: Which material to make a cast is the strongest? Working in small groups, using a standard cast of a small rectangle with a hole at one end, that sting can be threaded through.

The different cast materials can be tested for how much hooked mass they can hold without breaking. When held/clamped against a table

Some of the materials that can be tested include: PVA, plaster, papier mache, concrete etc.

The casts can be made using clay, or casting rubber.

Plastercine, hard items such as shells, PVA glue,

Different coloured Jello, hot water, large jar, different types of small candy

Clay or casting rubber, string, mass hooks, different masses, different materials to make casts from: cement, plaster, PVA, papier mache

models to explain how fossils are formed, and will be able to make casts using simple materials.

Students understand (using a model) about how the different layers have fossils of different ages.

Students will be able to work collaboratively to test the strength of different materials in a full investigation.

*Fossils are used as evidence for the

Catch: Students participate in a fossil dig activity that has samples of related fossils. The fossils can give evidence for

Sand, trays, tissue paper, fossil samples,

Students will be able to identify

theory of biological evolution *

Key Vocabulary:Fossils, evidence, physiological, adaptations, evolutionary tree, theory, evolution, natural selection, mutation,

evolution over time e.g. the fossils that are deeper down are older (and less specific to their environment), compared to ones that are closer to the surface are younger (and have more physiological adaptations to their environment). *Reminder about the previous demonstration with the candy and Jello.

Students can then compare the fossils that they have found in the dig activity, as well as where they found them (which layer). Students should be able to compare common features between the fossils, as well as identifying some of the differences.

Teacher can show students evolutionary tree to learn about common ancestors, and explain the theory of biological evolution.

Students can then play a short game to represent how this works. The teacher gives out cards to the students, based on a specific animal, such as a blue iguana. The cards will have some

paint brushes,

Jurassic Jello Jar demo

IWB, laptop, or evolutionary tree poster.

fossils and link depth of sample to the time.

Student will be able to compare fossil samples, to identify the similarities and differences.

Students will understand the concepts of evolution and common ancestors.

information about the different features of the individuals (some of them have a positive impact e.g. better camouflage, some of them have no impact e.g. different coloured eyes, some have a negative impact e.g. producing weak shelled eggs. A specific environment/habitat is given. Students then have to decide to place their cards in a continuum line from best adapted to their environment to worst adapted. Once decided, the worst ¼ will be eliminated, and the exercise repeated twice more. The examples left are the ones that are best adapted to their environment, and more likely to produce offspring similar to themselves. As this happens over thousands/millions of generations, this is how new species form.

Teacher can also explain how having offspring that may have different features can lead to a change in the species. These differences have to provide an advantage, for them to be carried onto the next generation, and so on until there is a change in the species. If the difference is negative will not be carried on for enough generations to cause a change in the species.

Using the Phet “Natural Selection” simulator https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/natural-selection the teacher can show how in a an artic environment with white and brown furred rabbits, then introduce wolves as a selection factor. What will happen over time is that the less well adapted rabbits (brown fur) will be selected against, leaving only the better adapted (white fur)

Inquiry: Working in pairs, students can then investigate how the length of teeth affects the population of rabbits over time. Students will need to set the environment to “Equator”, click the

Cards with different, advantageous, disadvantageous or no-effect features on them.

Laptop, IWB

Students can model natural selection and decide on features that are advantageous/not advantageous based upon the environment.

Students understand the basic process of natural selection using information and simulated examples.

Students will be able to carry out a

“Add a friend button”, Then click on the long teeth mutation, wait a couple of generations, then select food as the selection. Students will then be able to see how the rabbit population with short and long teeth changes as time goes on.

Laptop trolley, computer suite,

full virtual investigation that focuses on the process of natural selection.

Unit 3: Physical Processes

Materials: Forces and Energy

Big Picture questions:

What is magnetism?

How do magnets work?

How do you know a magnetic field exists?

What are the uses of magnets/magnetic fields?

Common Misconceptions:

All metals are magnetic.

Aluminium cans are magnetic.

Suction/surface tension and magnetic attraction is the same thing.

The bigger the magnet, the stronger it is.

Magnetic attraction and repulsion is a “magical” force

Magnets are only used on fridges.

Learning Objectives and Key Vocabulary

Teaching and Learning activities Resources Evidence of learning

*Magnetism and the uses of it – magnetic and non-magnetic materials, properties of permanent magnets, uses of magnets*

Key Vocabulary:Magnet, magnetism, levitating, poles, north, south, field, iron cobalt, nickel, steel, metals

Catch: Show students a magnet related levitating toy/object or a picture of.

Ask the students what is happening?

Students can then investigate the properties of magnets in pairs using magnets and sealed petri dishes with iron filings in. Students should identify that like poles repel and opposite pole attract. They should also be able to see the magnetic field, by placing the magnet underneath the

Magnet related levitating toy/object.

Class set of magnets, sealed petri dishes

Students demonstrate their existing understanding of magnetism.

Students will explore the nature of

sealed petri dish containing the iron filings, and lightly shaking it. If the resources are not available, this can be looked at virtually:

http://interactivesites.weebly.com/magnets-and-compass.html

The teacher can then talk specifically about the specific features of magnets, after getting feedback from students.

Students can then work in pairs initially, then form small groups to brainstorm about the various uses of permanent magnets. *There may be quite a few uses that students have not thought of, such as: in cars, in tools – magnetic ended screwdriver, jewelry, in motors, certain power supplies/adaptors, microwaves and fridges – turning on and off the lights, cupboard doors, etc.

Teacher can pose the problem of, where a fridge magnet will stick to one fridge, but not the other, developing the idea that not all materials are magnetic.

Inquiry: Students will work in pairs or small groups to investigate the question; which materials are magnetic?

Students can then investigate a range of different materials to see if they are magnetic or not. *Note the only magnetic materials are Iron/Steel (an alloy of Iron), Nickel Cobalt and Steel.

Students can then use this information to construct their own magnet related game, such as the simple fishing game. They can explain their choice of materials using their new scientific understanding.

containing iron filings, if not a computer suite can be used instead.

Some examples of magnet uses

Class set of magnets, various magnetic and non-magnetic materials (including, iron, steel, cobalt and nickel)

*include some other metals to help dispel the misconception that all metals are magnetic.

magnets and magnetism using practical observation skills.

Students will understand the basic properties of permanent magnets and suggest what their uses are.

Students will be able to work collaboratively to problem solve using basic inquiry, looking specifically at what materials are magnetic (and which are not)

Students use their

Construction materials for the magnetic game, mini magnets, paperclips (test first)

knowledge of magnets/magnetism, to construct a game that uses magnets/magnetism.

Materials: Electricity

Big Picture questions:

How does electricity power appliances/components?

Why do some appliances work from batteries, whilst others require mains electricity?

How can you use models to explain what occurs in an electrical circuit?

How are electrical circuits used in appliances and the home?

Common Misconceptions:

Electricity is a tangible “thing” that runs through wires/plug outlets.

Electrical circuits can be made of a single wire just like electrical appliances, and it only needs to be connected to one terminal of the cell.

Voltage and current are the same things

Electrical components “consume” electricity

When a lamp/bulb is on, you can “see” the electricity

Learning Objectives and Key Vocabulary

Teaching and Learning activities Resources Evidence of learning

*How electrical components function and current changes the function e.g what lamps do, and how changing the current can change the output of a component*

Key Vocabulary:Component, electricity, circuit, speaker, buzzer, lamp, LED, motor, voltage, potential difference, current, voltmeter, ammeter

Catch: Students in groups have to identify various different electrical components and what they do, i.e what type of energy transformation they carry out. *Note – this is a good point for the teacher to explore that many components have both useful and non-useful forms of energy.

The groups can then feedback to the class, giving their answers and justifications/explanations.

Students can then observe some everyday objects to determine what types of components they may have in them, e.g a laptop – speakers, motors, LEDs, etc.

Students can then participate in a collective memory activity where they draw from pre-printed information on different electrical components and how they work. The students, working in small groups, take short 30 second turns to memorise as much information as they can, then come back to their group to share and mind map the information.

Alternatively, each group gets a different component and some information about how it works, they prepare an informational poster with presentation. 1 stay and the rest stray, so one student stays to present, and the other members of the group go to other presentations to get as much information. They all then regroup and create a mind map about all of the components, sharing the information they have just learned.

The teacher can then show the class a simple series circuit, with a component in it (This can be done as a simulation, if the equipment is not available). Using this they can demonstrate the difference between measuring voltage and current. *Simply put voltage or potential difference is the amount of energy used by the component and current is how fast

Various different electrical components such as: lamps, buzzers, electric bells, LEDs, etc.

Various everyday objects that have electrical components.

Pre-printed materials about how different electrical components work (in an appropriate readable format)

Large poster paper.

Students will be able to identify different electrical components.

Students will compare both useful and non-useful types of energy, (this differs depending on the component.)

Students will be able to identify the components and uses in everyday electrical objects.

Students work collaboratively to understand how energy transformations occur in different

the energy carrying electrons are flowing. Voltage/P.D. is always measured in parallel across a component and current is measured anywhere in series within the circuit.

Inquiry: How does changing the current change the output of the component? Using a simple circuit, students will vary the current and measure the effect on the voltage/p.d across a component. The current can be changes by adding cells, or adding resistors to the circuit. (If this equipment is not available, the Phet simulator can be used in an IT suite. https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/circuit-construction-kit-dc-virtual-lab

Simple circuit kit: wires, cells, lamps, voltmeter, ammeters OR IWB and laptop

Simple circuit kit: wires, cells, lamps, variable resistors (or change the number of cells) voltmeter, ammeters

components.

Students will understand the difference between voltage/p.d and current, and contrast the differences of how they are both measured.

Students will work collaboratively to set up simple working circuits and collect data from them in the form of a full investigation.

*Circuit diagrams and basic circuit modeling using simple situations such as water*

Key

Catch: Teacher to set up a number of printed simple circuit symbols displayed around the room. Students then have a set of sticky notes that they can then post on the symbols to indicate what they think each symbol represents. *Note - This will allow the teacher to assess what prior knowledge students have about circuit symbols

Pre-printed circuit symbols, sticky notes

Students will demonstrate their prior knowledge, and collaborate ideas about simple circuit

Vocabulary:Circuit symbol, lamp, wire, battery, cell, voltmeter, ammeter, model, electrons, energy, component

Students will then work in pairs to create a reference sheet for all simple circuit symbols. This can be likened to the key for a map, so that you know what you are looking at. The teacher can show some examples of this.

Students can make their own simple circuits using real or simulated components, then they have to draw them using the circuit symbols they have previously learnt.

Teacher can give the students a number of circuit drawing scenarios and students have to decide if they will work or not, and what appliance the circuit may be used in.

Students can then create/draw their own simple circuit using graphite pencils, paper, 9V batteries and LED bulbs.

https://www.kiwico.com/diy/Science-Projects-for-Kids/3/project/Graphite-Circuit/2667

The teacher can then explain what is going on in a circuit using a simple model, such as water pump system or pizza delivery.

Large plain paper

Simple circuit components (don’t have to be functioning for this activity)

Pre-printed or on the IWB examples of circuit drawingings

Graphite pencils, thick paper, 9V batteries, LED bulbs, sticky tape

symbols.

Students will be able to use lesson materials and research to identify the simple circuit symbols and what they stand for.

Students can identify the types of circuits from their diagrams, as well as identify potential problems and their uses.

Students are able to create and draw their own simple circuits

Students can use models/analogies to represent how simple circuits work.

So the pizzeria/Dominos represents the cell or battery, providing the pizza delivery drivers (electrons) with pizza (energy). The pizza delivery drivers are driving on the roads (wires in a circuit), and the house of hungry party-goers represent the component, transforming the chemical energy of the pizza into kinetic energy of dancing

Students, individually can then devise a similar model to explain the key aspects of energy transfer and transformation in a simple electrical circuit.

Inquiry: Using a similar setup to the draw your own circuit activity from earlier to answer the question: How does the length of the circuit affect the brightness of the lamp? *Note this is qualitative data, but can be

Large plain paper

Graphite pencils, thick paper, 9V batteries, LED bulbs, sticky tape,

Students can create their own models of electricity using their understanding of other models.

Students can work in small groups collaboratively to carry out an entire investigation on how the length of the wire/drawn line affects the brightness of a lamp.

quantitative if a voltmeter is used.

Students, working in small groups, can investigate different drawn circuits, with different lengths to see what the effects of the length of wire/drawn graphite line are. * Note for results to be comparable, then students need to make sure that the circuit lines are the same thickness and the batteries used have the same output, as well as the LEDs being the same rating for voltage and current. As an extension to the investigation students could also explore the effect of thickness of the line on LED output.

voltmeter (optional)