// courtesy of Mark Hughes EXPERIMENTS Experiments # responds enthusiastically to suggestions and puts forward ~ own ideas and predictions. ^ makes relevant observations and can measure with increasing precision. ^ understands and carries out a fair test, and recognises and explains why it is fair. ^ has written general conclusions to ~ investigations. # makes observations and can measure carefully. ^ understands and carries out a fair test, and recognises why it is fair. ^ can select suitable equipment, and uses results tables and graphs the result. # responds to suggestions and, when prompted puts forward ~ own predictions. ^ makes observations and can measure with increasing care. ^ carries out a fair test, and recognises why it is fair. ^ has developed the ability to select suitable equipment, and uses results tables and graphs the result. ^ writes some conclusions to ~ investigations with help. # identifies the key factors that need to be considered in contexts that involve only a few factors. Where appropriate, # makes predictions based on scientific knowledge and understanding. ^ selects apparatus for a range of tasks and uses it with care. ^ makes a series of observations or measurements with precision appropriate to the task. ^ is beginning to repeat observations and measurements and to offer simple explanations for any differences encountered. ^ records observations and measurements systematically and presents data as line graphs. ^ draws conclusions that are consistent with the evidence and is beginning to relate these to scientific knowledge and understanding. " LEVEL 3 Level 3 - INVESTIGATIONS # responds to suggestions, puts forward ~ own ideas and, where appropriate, makes simple predictions. ^ makes relevant observations and measures quantities, such as length or mass, using a range of simple equipment. With some help # can carry out a fair test, recognising and explaining why it is fair. ^ records observations in a variety of ways. ^ provides explanations for observations and, where they occur, for simple patterns in recorded measurements. ^ says what has been found out from ~ work. Level 3 - LIFE PROCESSES # uses knowledge of basic life processes, such as growth or reproduction, when describing differences between living and non-living things. ^ provides simple explanations for changes in living things, such as diet affecting the health of humans or other animals, or lack of light or water altering plant growth. ^ identifies ways in which an animal is suited to its environment, such as a fish having fins to help it swim. Level 3 - MATERIALS # uses knowledge and understanding of materials when describing a variety of ways of sorting them into groups according to their properties. ^ can explain why some materials are particularly suitable for specific purposes, such as a metal for making electrical cables. ^ recognises that some changes, such as the freezing of water, can be reversed and some, such as the baking of clay, cannot, and they classify changes in this way. Level 3 PHYSICAL PROCESS # uses knowledge and understanding to link cause and effect in simple explanations of physical phenomena, such as a bulb failing to light because of a break in an electrical circuit, or the direction or speed of movement of an object changing because of a force applied to it. ^ is beginning to make simple generalisations about physical phenomena, such as explaining that sounds become fainter the further they are from the source. " LEVEL 4 Level 4 AT1 - INVESTIGATIONS # recognises the need for fair tests by describing, or showing in the way ^ performs a task, how to vary one factor whilst keeping others the same. Where appropriate, # makes predictions. ^ selects suitable equipment to use and makes a series of observations and measurements that are adequate for the task. ^ presents observations and measurements clearly, using tables and bar charts. ^ is beginning to plot points to form simple graphs and use these graphs to point out and interpret patterns or trends in data. ^ takes account of patterns when drawing conclusions, and is beginning to relate conclusions to scientific knowledge and understanding. Level 4 AT2 - LIFE PROCESSES # demonstrates knowledge and understanding of aspects of life processes and living things drawn from the Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 3 programme of study. ^ uses scientific names for some major organs of body systems, such as the circulatory system, and identifies the position of these organs in the human body. ^ can identify organs, such as petal, stamen or stigma, of different plants they observe. # has worked very well when describing the differences between living and non-living things, explaining changes in living things, and identifying how an animal is suited to its environment. ^ is able to systematically group animals according to their characteristics. ^ has worked hard to describe the differences between living and non-living things, and has begun to explain the changes in living things, and identifying how an animal is suited to its environment. ^ has begun to group animals according to their characteristics. ^ can use keys based on observable external features to help identify and group living things systematically. ^ recognises that feeding relationships exist between plants and animals in a habitat, and describes these relationships, using food chains and terms such as predator and prey. Level 4 - MATERIALS # demonstrates knowledge and understanding of aspects of materials and their properties drawn from the Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 3 programme of study. ^ can describe differences between the properties of different materials and explain how these differences are used to classify substances as solids, liquids and gases. ^ can describe some methods, such as filtration, that are used to separate simple mixtures. ^ can use scientific terms, such as evaporation or condensation, to describe changes. # is able to describe the differences between different materials, and can explain why some materials are suited to their purpose. Produced very good work when describing the characteristics of materials. ^ is able to describe the differences between different materials within a group, and can begin to explain why some materials are suited to their purpose. Produced good work when describing the characteristics of materials. ^ is able to describe the differences between different materials with help, and recognises that some materials are suited to their purpose. Produced good work when describing the characteristics of materials. ^ uses knowledge about some reversible and irreversible changes to make simple predictions about whether other changes are reversible or not. Level 4 PHYSICAL PROCESS # demonstrates knowledge and understanding of aspects of physical processes drawn from the Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 3 programme of study. ^ can describe and explain physical phenomena, such as how a particular device in an electrical circuit may be switched on or off, or how the apparent position of the Sun changes over the course of a day. ^ understood and enjoyed arranging components in an electrical circuit, and explained ~ knowledge of hearing sounds with increasing accuracy. ^ can put together an electrical component, and explain what is needed to make it work. ^ has developed an awareness of how sounds are heard. ^ makes generalisations about physical phenomena, such as motion being affected by forces, including gravitational attraction, magnetic attraction and friction, or sounds being heard through a variety of materials. ^ can use the idea that light travels to explain phenomena such as the formation of shadows. " LEVEL 5 Level 5 - INVESTIGATIONS # identifies the key factors that need to be considered in contexts that involve only a few factors. Where appropriate, # makes predictions based on scientific knowledge and understanding. ^ selects apparatus for a range of tasks and uses it with care. ^ makes a series of observations or measurements with precision appropriate to the task. ^ is beginning to repeat observations and measurements and to offer simple explanations for any differences encountered. ^ records observations and measurements systematically and presents data as line graphs. ^ draws conclusions that are consistent with the evidence and is beginning to relate these to scientific knowledge and understanding. Level 5 - LIFE PROCESSES # demonstrates an increasing knowledge and understanding of aspects of life processes and living things drawn from the Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 3 programme of study. ^ can describe the main functions of some organs of the human body, such as the heart, and of the flowering plant, such as the petal, stamen or stigma and can explain how these functions are essential to the organism. ^ can describe the main stages of the life cycles of humans and flowering plants and point out similarities. ^ recognises that there is a great variety of living things and understands the importance of classification. ^ can explain that different organisms are found in different habitats because of differences in environmental factors, such as the availability of light or water. Level 5 - MATERIALS # demonstrates an increasing knowledge and understanding of aspects of materials and their properties drawn from the Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 3 programme of study. ^ can describe some metallic properties, such as good electrical conductivity, and use these properties to distinguish metals from other solids. ^ can identify a range of contexts in which changes, such as evaporation or condensation, take place. ^ uses knowledge about how a specific mixture, such as salt and water, or sand and water, can be separated to suggest ways in which other similar mixtures might be separated. Level 5 - PHYSICAL PROCESS # demonstrates an increasing knowledge and understanding of aspects of physical processes drawn from the Key Stage 2 or Key Stage 3 programme of study. ^ is beginning to apply ideas about physical processes to suggest a variety of ways to make changes, such as altering the current in a circuit or altering the pitch or loudness of a sound. ^ is beginning to use some abstract ideas in descriptions, such as forces being balanced when an object is stationary, or objects being seen when light from them enters the eye. ^ can use models to explain effects that are caused by the movement of the Earth, such as the length of a day or year " Comment 4 " Comment 5 " Comment 6 "