Science

Science at it's simplest, science is a way to understand the world by observing, recording and making theories and testing them. This may sound daunting, but it can also be great fun. Don't forget that at the primary school level a lot comes down to common sense and logic.

You can help your child by:

  • Exploring the world using the senses - taste, smell, hearing, sight and touch.

  • Naming things - such as the parts of the human body and plants and animals.

  • Sorting things into categories and discussing why they belong there.

  • Observing how things change - for instance, the seasons; the way young animals grow; or (if you can stand it!) the way food "goes off".

  • Consider keeping a pet - what does it need to stay healthy? Are these the same things that your child needs?

  • Grow plants. What do they need to do well?

  • Explore the way every day materials can be changed - what happens when water is heated or frozen? What about when you put sugar in tea? Can you get the sugar back out of the tea? What's the difference between doing that and mixing sand and water?

  • What happens when you drop a ball? What about rolling it down a slope? What can you do to make it go faster or slower (eg, change the slant of the slope, push the ball harder, make the surface rougher to increase friction).

  • Talk about electricity and why we need it. Discuss the fact that it is also dangerous.

  • Visit science museums, open farms, planetariums and so on.

Science Experiment Crib Sheet

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