School Direct TraineeTwighlight

Working Scientifically - Investigations

Review of the Gap Task

Review your Gap Task using a Timed Pair Share

You will have 60 seconds to reflect on the success of your gap task

Investigations?

Why do Practical

investigation?

What investigations can you recall from your own

schooling?

What makes an

investigation

memorable?

What puts teachers off

practical science

What challenges

do you associate

with practical

investigation?

What are the main

stages in an practical

investigation

KS1 & 2 Working Scientifically

KS1 & 2 Working Scientifically

Fears…

Killer QuestionsInvestigations are a fantastic way to engage learners but they work best when learners are emotionally invested in the content…

A great way to do this is through a killer question, this is a hook to engage learners in what they are doing

Eg.Instead of “how does the height of a ramp affect the speed of a car” try…

Kevin is out of control! Can you find out how much space he needs to

stop safely on different hills

Practical Work in a nutshellUse Experiment to answer a question

Adding in layers of detail as you go…HypothesisPredictionVariablesMethodObservations/DataFair TestingConclusionEvaluationControl PrecisionAccuracyReliability

Using & Designing Planning Tools

“Using planning tools with learners is a great way to scaffold and differentiate practical investigations.”

Using the equipment and planning tool provided can you;

1. Create a killer question for this investigation to hook in the learner

2. Plan and carry out the investigation from the PoV of the Learner

3. Evaluate the planning tool, from different perspectives using De Bono’s hats (each take a different role) – Focus on the Yellow, Black, Green and Red hats

4. Think about how you could differentiate the sheet up or down for different year groups/abilities/literacy levels

Present tool & Activity

Recording observations & Data

Today There are many ways to record data and observations

How many can you think of?

Creativity at the end and the beginning

All write continuous round robin –

Write as many ways as possible that learners can share their findings with each other and the world…

Be prepared to share

Gap TaskTake a tool:

Using one of the tools provided (or another that we’ve provided) carry out a simple scientific investigation.

Differentiate the planning tool for different groups

Tailor the tool to suit the Key Stage/Year group you are working with