Science · Year 1

Active learning ideas

Recording Discoveries with Drawings

Active learning works well for recording discoveries with drawings because young pupils learn best when they use their hands and eyes together. Drawing real objects and phenomena helps children connect observation with memory, making scientific results more meaningful and easier to share.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: Science - Working scientifically

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Mystery Object
• 25 min · Pairs

Pairs: Plant Parts Observation

Provide each pair with a real plant or flower. Pupils observe closely for 5 minutes, then draw the main parts and add labels such as stem, leaf, and root. Partners compare drawings and suggest improvements.

Explain how drawings help us remember our science results.

Facilitation Tip

During the Plant Parts Observation, remind pairs to take turns holding the plant so both can see it clearly before drawing.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple object, like a leaf or a toy animal. Ask them to draw it on a small piece of paper and add at least two labels. Check if they have attempted to draw what they see and if the labels are accurate.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Mystery Object
• 35 min · Small Groups

Small Groups: Minibeast Hunt Drawings

Groups search the school grounds for minibeasts, observe safely, and draw with labels for body parts or habitat. Back in class, they present one drawing each to the group for discussion.

Construct a clear and labelled diagram of an observation.

Facilitation Tip

For the Minibeast Hunt Drawings, provide small magnifiers to help pupils examine details before sketching.

What to look for

Give each student a card. Ask them to draw one thing they observed in today's science lesson and label one part of it. On the back, they should write one sentence explaining why drawing helps them remember.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Mystery Object
• 30 min · Whole Class

Whole Class: Shadow Shape Diagrams

Use a sunny spot or torch for shadows of objects. The class draws collective shadow outlines on paper, labels shapes and positions, then discusses changes over time as a group.

Assess the importance of drawing exactly what we see.

Facilitation Tip

In Shadow Shape Diagrams, dim the lights slightly so shadows are easier to trace accurately.

What to look for

Display two different drawings of the same object, one with clear labels and one without. Ask students: 'Which drawing is more helpful for understanding the object? Why?' Guide them to discuss the importance of labels in scientific drawings.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Mystery Object
• 20 min · Individual

Individual: Weather Feature Sketch

Pupils observe current weather outside, draw key features like clouds or rain, and label them. They add a simple table for temperature or wind notes below the drawing.

Explain how drawings help us remember our science results.

Facilitation Tip

For the Weather Feature Sketch, model how to draw simple shapes first, then add labels before adding details.

What to look for

Provide students with a simple object, like a leaf or a toy animal. Ask them to draw it on a small piece of paper and add at least two labels. Check if they have attempted to draw what they see and if the labels are accurate.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Self-Management
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teaching recording through drawings benefits from a step-by-step approach that separates observation from decoration. Start with black-and-white outlines to focus on shape and accuracy, then introduce labels as a way to communicate findings. Avoid rushing to colour or artistic flourishes, as these can distract from the scientific purpose. Research suggests that frequent short practice sessions build confidence and precision more effectively than longer, less frequent ones.

Successful learning looks like pupils drawing what they see with clear outlines, adding simple labels to key parts, and describing their observations in their own words. You should see accuracy over artistic detail, with labels that match the real features of the object or specimen.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Plant Parts Observation, some pupils may add imaginary details or artistic embellishments to their drawings.

  Ask pupils to hold their plant next to their drawing and point out where each part matches exactly. Use a peer review step where partners compare drawings to the real plant and suggest corrections.

• During Minibeast Hunt Drawings, pupils may believe labels are unnecessary if the drawing looks like the creature.

  Display a sample drawing with and without labels during the group sharing session. Ask pupils which image helps them identify the creature more easily, then prompt them to add labels to their own drawings before presenting.

• During Shadow Shape Diagrams, pupils may focus on colouring the shadow instead of tracing its outline accurately.

  Provide black-and-white tracing paper and stress that the goal is to capture the exact shape of the shadow. Use a dark marker to outline the shadow first, then discuss how colour is not needed to show the shape clearly.

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Methods used in this brief

• Mystery Object