KS1 & KS2 science curriculum

This unit builds on pupils' prior learning from Properties, changes and separating materials, where they explored how materials can change state and be separated based on their properties. In Climate change and sustainability, pupils will learn about the impact of human activities on the climate and explore sustainable practices to reduce environmental damage. This prepares them for the next unit, Solid, liquid, gas states and changes of state, where they will study how matter changes between these states and the role of energy in these processes.

1. Fossil fuels (non-statutory)
2. Reducing air pollution (non-statutory)
3. What carbon is (non-statutory)
4. Reducing our carbon footprint (non-statutory)
5. Carbon capture (non-statutory)
6. The Sun as an energy source (non-statutory)
7. The wind as an energy source (non-statutory)
8. Water as an energy source (non-statutory)

• can describe in simple terms how fossils are formed when things that have lived are trapped within rock
• can recognise that living things have changed over time and that fossils provide information about living things that inhabited the Earth millions of years ago
• can explain that some changes result in the formation of new materials, and that this kind of change is not usually reversible, including changes associated with burning
• can use knowledge of solids, liquids and gases to decide how mixtures might be separated, including through evaporating
• can construct a simple series electrical circuit, identifying and naming its basic parts, including cells, wires, bulbs, switches and buzzers