Year 2 Science

Distinguishing between living organisms, things that have died, and objects that have never been alive through observation and classification.

Investigating small-scale habitats within the school grounds or garden, identifying the living things found there.

Exploring how different habitats provide the basic needs of specific plants and animals through examples and discussion.

Observing and identifying plants and animals in the local environment, linking them to their specific habitats.

Identifying how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals using simple food chains and diagrams.

Differentiating between producers (plants) and consumers (animals) in a food chain and understanding their roles.

Exploring how changes in one part of a food chain can affect other parts, using examples.

Learning to group animals based on observable characteristics such as diet, habitat, or body covering.

Discovering how plants begin their lives and the differences between seeds and bulbs through hands-on observation.

Setting up simple experiments to observe seeds germinating and identifying the initial conditions needed for growth.

Investigating through experiments how water and light are essential for healthy plant growth.

Exploring the importance of suitable temperature and soil for plants to thrive, through observation and discussion.

Identifying and naming the main parts of a flowering plant (roots, stem, leaves, flowers) and their functions.

Mapping the journey of a plant from germination to seed dispersal, using diagrams and sequencing activities.

Exploring how plants have adapted to grow in various environments, such as deserts or ponds.

Learning that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults, observing different animal life stages.

Investigating the life cycles of familiar animals like frogs, chickens, or butterflies, identifying key stages.

Identifying the basic needs of animals for survival: water, food, and air, through examples and discussion.

Focusing on the basic needs of humans for survival: water, food, and air, and how these are met.

Understanding the importance of exercise for human health, exploring different types of physical activity.

Learning about personal hygiene practices (washing hands, brushing teeth) and their role in preventing illness.

Understanding the importance of a balanced diet for human health, identifying different food groups.

Investigating the five senses and how they help humans and animals understand their surroundings.

Testing and classifying materials as wood, metal, plastic, glass, brick, rock, paper, or cardboard through observation.

Investigating properties like hardness and flexibility by testing various materials.

Testing materials for transparency (see-through) and absorbency (soaking up water).

Investigating how the shapes of solid objects can be changed by squashing, bending, twisting, and stretching.

Evaluating which materials are best for specific construction or design tasks based on their properties.

Exploring the importance of recycling and reusing materials to protect the environment.

Testing materials for their strength and how well they withstand wear and tear.

Learning how to turn curiosity into a scientific question that can be tested through observation or experiment.

Developing the skill of making informed predictions before conducting an experiment, based on prior knowledge.

Learning to plan simple comparative and fair tests to answer scientific questions.

Understanding that to get a reliable result, we must keep some things the same and change only one variable.

Developing skills in making careful observations and using simple equipment to take measurements.

Using drawings, tally charts, and simple tables to record observations and data from investigations.

Discussing findings, identifying simple patterns, and communicating what has been discovered to others.

Understanding basic safety rules and practices when conducting simple scientific investigations.

Tracking how the environment changes during autumn and winter, focusing on plant and animal adaptations.

Observing the changes in spring and summer, including plant growth and animal activity.

Measuring and recording weather data (temperature, rainfall, wind direction) using simple instruments.

Identifying patterns and trends in recorded weather data over a period of time.

Exploring how different weather conditions affect plants and animals in their habitats.

Exploring how humans can look after their local environment and the creatures in it through practical actions.

Understanding the concept of day and night and how it relates to the Earth's rotation.

Exploring the sun as a source of light and warmth and its importance for life on Earth.