Longitudinal study involves working scientifically to set up an enquiry that will be measured each half term and reflected upon.
Each year group have their own field of study that will be explored using their previous knowledge of the subject. They will explore how to answer the question as well as thinking about what science they will need. The first discussion centres around what the question is actually asking.
Year 1 question, what should I wear in the outside classroom?
This evoked a lot of discussion around type of clothing and the weather. We then talked about seasons and in groups, brain stormed Summer and Winter clothing. The children used personal experience and questioning to express reasons for their answers.
They were asked how we could gather evidence outside to show it was Autumn. They suggested we should wear welly boots because it had been raining.
What would you wear if it is raining?
Could you wear the same clothes if it is sunny?
Explain your answer.
What order are the seasons?
What season are we in now?
What other changes could you observe in our clothes?
Year 3 question, do birds have food all year?
To clarify the type of birds we know about the children, in small groups wrote a list of the birds they knew about. This list was then reduced to the birds found in the outside classroom. The discussion then led to types of food the birds eat.
Do you know at least 5 foods the birds eat?
After a walk around the school observing what birds they could see the children then came together to decide how they could observe and record information throughout the year.
What did your group decide?
What do you need to collect your data?
Year 5 question, can we provide the kitchen with nutritious food all year?
Year 5 brainstormed what fruit and veg they thought could be grown on our grounds. Having seen the pumpkins and squash already, they then considered what could be grown seasonally.
What did you think could be grown?
Can you explain your thoughts on whether or not we can provide nutritious food all year round?
Year 4 question, do animals have shelter all year round? After making a list of all the animals they see in the outside classroom the children, in small groups then chose which one they would study and how they would record their findings.
Which animal did you choose?
Why did you choose that one?
How are you planning to record your findings?
Year 2 question, which animals live in the outside classroom all year? The children expressed great knowledge of the type of animals they would expect to find outside. To back up their pre-learned knowledge they went outside and searched for as many animals as they could find.
How many different types did you find?
Which animal were their the most of?
Year 6 question, how will we change over the next year? In small groups the children discussed what they considered were changes in themselves. We then unpicked the ideas and eliminated any that were not scientifically sound. The next step was to chose one of the enquiries to observe and monitor over the next 5 sessions.
How are you going to gather, record and present your data?
What predictions did you make?
What enquiry are you going to do?
Reception question, what evidence can we collect to show what Autumn looks like in our school?
The children went on their first outside classroom walk. We walked around the whole school looking for signs of Autumn. We found leaves, plants, veg and fruit, we also took note of the various colours.
