KS2 Science Curriculum Resources

Popular KS2 Science Schemes of Work:

Frequently Asked Questions about KS2 Science

What Science topics are taught in KS2?

The KS2 Science curriculum covers a wide range of topics across Years 3 to 6, including plants, animals including humans, living things and their habitats, rocks, states of matter, properties and changes of materials, forces and magnets, light, sound, electricity, Earth and space, and evolution and inheritance. Children also develop their Working Scientifically skills throughout each area of learning.

What is taught in Year 3 Science?

Year 3 Science covers plants, animals including humans, rocks, light, and forces and magnets. Children begin to explore these areas in greater depth while developing their ability to ask scientific questions, make observations, carry out practical investigations and record their findings.

What is taught in Year 4 Science?

Year 4 Science covers living things and their habitats, animals including humans, states of matter, sound and electricity. Children learn about classification and environmental change, the digestive system and food chains, solids, liquids and gases, how sounds are made and simple electrical circuits.

What is taught in Year 5 Science?

Year 5 Science covers living things and their habitats, animals including humans, properties and changes of materials, Earth and space, and forces. Children explore topics including life cycles, human development, the Solar System, gravity, air and water resistance and reversible and irreversible changes.

What is taught in Year 6 Science?

Year 6 Science covers living things and their habitats, animals including humans, evolution and inheritance, light and electricity. Children develop their understanding of classification, the circulatory system, adaptation and evolution, how light travels and the behaviour of electrical circuits.

What are the Working Scientifically skills in KS2?

Working Scientifically is taught throughout the KS2 Science curriculum rather than as a separate topic. Children learn to ask scientific questions, plan different types of enquiry, make systematic observations and measurements, use equipment accurately, record and present data, report findings, draw conclusions and use evidence to support their ideas. As children progress through KS2, they should take increasing responsibility for making decisions about their investigations.

What Science experiments can you do in KS2?

KS2 Science experiments can include investigating friction and forces, shadows and light, electrical circuits, sound and vibrations, dissolving and separating materials, plant growth, insulation, air resistance and water resistance. Practical investigations should give children opportunities to make predictions, control variables where appropriate, take measurements, record results and draw conclusions from evidence.

How can I make KS2 Science lessons more engaging?

Combine clear teaching of scientific knowledge with plenty of opportunities for practical investigation, observation, questioning and problem-solving. Demonstrations, experiments, outdoor investigations and real-world examples can help children understand abstract scientific ideas while developing scientific vocabulary and enquiry skills.

What resources do I need to teach KS2 Science?

Useful KS2 Science resources include lesson plans, teaching slides, worksheets, practical activities, investigation ideas and assessment opportunities. Practical equipment will vary by topic but might include measuring equipment, magnets, electrical components, torches, mirrors, materials for testing and specimens or images for observing and classifying living things.

Are PlanBee KS2 Science resources aligned with the National Curriculum?

Yes. PlanBee's KS2 Science lesson plans and schemes of work are designed to support the National Curriculum for Science at Key Stage 2, covering the statutory subject content for Years 3 to 6 alongside opportunities to develop Working Scientifically skills.

Do PlanBee KS2 Science resources include experiments and investigations?

Yes. PlanBee KS2 Science schemes of work include opportunities for practical experiments, investigations and scientific enquiry, alongside detailed lesson plans, teaching slides, differentiated activities and worksheets. These practical activities help children apply scientific knowledge and develop their Working Scientifically skills.

How does Science progress from lower KS2 to upper KS2?

Across KS2, children build increasingly detailed scientific knowledge while becoming more independent scientific thinkers. In Years 3 and 4, children develop their observational, comparative and investigative skills. In Years 5 and 6, they increasingly make decisions about scientific enquiries, identify variables, take more precise measurements, analyse results and use evidence to support conclusions.