KS2 Teacher’s notes: Enquiry 1: How do penguins keep warm?
Enquiry synopsis:Initially, learners activate their prior knowledge and understanding by considering what they already know about penguins and recording ideas in a mind map. They watch and consider a video showing penguins in a huddle, before being encouraged to review their mind map and consider whether they want to add to it. Learners consider whether penguins keep warm through watching the video clip again and looking for information to answer any questions they might have. They are encouraged to plan and carry out an enquiry to find information about how penguins keep warm. / Curriculum links:
Science FP – Myself and other living things.
KS2 – Skills – C1-3. EP1-7. ED1-7. ER1-6. Range – TSE3,4.
KS3 – Skills – C1-3. EP1-7. ED1-7. ER1-4. Range – HTW2.
KS4 – Skills – C1-3. EPS1-4. DETE1-3. Range – OH1. / Skills framework links:
Dt – Plan – Asking questions; Activating prior skills, knowledge and understanding; Gathering information; Determining the process/ method and strategy; Determining success criteria.
Develop – Generating and developing ideas; Valuing errors and unexpected outcomes; Thinking about cause and effect and making inferences; Thinking logically and seeking patterns; Considering evidence, information and ideas; Forming opinions and making decisions; Monitoring progress.
Reflect – Reviewing outcomes and success criteria; Reviewing the process/ method; Evaluate own learning and thinking; Linking and lateral thinking.
Dc – Oracy – Developing information and ideas; Presenting information and ideas;
Reading – Locating, selecting and using information using reading strategies; Responding to what has been read.
Wider Communication Skills – Communicating ideas and emotions; Communicating information.
Dn – Use mathematical information – Measuring, Gathering information.
Interpret and present findings – Talking about and explaining work; Comparing data; Recording and interpreting data and presenting findings.
Screen
1 / Using the screen:
The aim of this task is for learners to activate their prior knowledge and understanding about penguins and the screen provides learners with a photograph of a penguin as a stimulus. Learners are asked to share and discuss what they know about penguins and to record their ideas as a mind map*. Rollover questions prompt learners to consider how they know these things about penguins, what else they would like to know about penguins and why.
The important element of this task is that all learners have the opportunity to think about what they know about penguins, to share their ideas and to consider how they know these things. Initially, learners might use think-pair-share*to express their ideas before recording them.
A mind map is suggested, though some learners might create a concept map*or use a KWHL* or QuADS grid*. / Learning opportunity:
Learners consider what they know and understand about penguins.
Additional resources:
Link to DfES ‘How’ booklet – think-pair-share, mind map, concept map, KWHL grid, QuADS grid.
Useful links:
Screen
2 / Using the screen:
This screen provides learners with a Source square* at the centre of which is a video clip that shows penguins in a huddle and how they change position within a huddle. Learners are asked to think about and discuss what they see happening in the video clip. The Source square* provides a structure that will support learners to interrogate the video clip in more depth. Initially, learners might use direct observation to consider what they see in the video clip. They might then be asked to guess or infer what else might be happening that is not directly observable or to provide possible explanations for what they have observed. The clip should provide a stimulus that promotes discussion and learners will raise new questions. An important part of the process is for learners to use these questions to consider what else they want to know about penguins and how they might find out these things. Rollover questions prompt learners to consider how the penguins move in the video and to explain why they think penguins move in this way.
The structure provided by using a Source square* can be used to interrogate and raise questions about any video clip or still image. / Learning opportunity:
Learners consider what happens in a video clip of penguins huddling together.
Additional resources:
Link to DfES ‘How’ booklet –Source square.
Useful links:
Most of these links contain video clips the learners are likely to find enjoyable and interesting. An internet search about how penguins keep warm is also likely to provide access to several more video clips that might be used as a stimulus for this activity.
Screen
3 / Using the screen:
On this screen, learners are asked to look again at their mind map and to consider what they will change or add to their mind map in light of having watched the video clip about penguins. Encourage the learners to explain why they have made these changes or additions to their mind maps. It is essential that learners understand that ‘Reflection’ is an ongoing process and not something that is only done at the end of an activity. When learners revisit their mind map it will reinforce the idea that considering what they know, what they have learned and what they still need to find out is a continuous process. Rollover questions prompt the learners to consider what new things (information) about penguins they have learned from watching the video and how did this change their thinking about penguins. / Learning opportunity:
Learners reconsider their prior knowledge and understanding about penguins after watching a video clip.
Additional resources:
Link to DfES ‘How’ booklet –mind map.
Screen
4 / Using the screen:
On this screen, learners are again asked to watch the video clip that they first watched on the second screen. This provides them with the opportunity to consider their prior discussions and what they have learned since the start of the activity and to use this information when watching the video again. Learners are asked to share and discuss their ideas about how they think penguins keep warm. Using their prior learning learners might be able to consider their ideas in a more focussed way. The rollover questions prompt learners to consider how they think huddling helps penguins to keep warm and to explain why. They are also encouraged to consider what they think the outside of a penguin’s body is covered in, why they think this and how it might help a penguin keep warm. / Learning opportunity:
Learners watch a video clip and consider how penguins keep warm.
Screen
5 / Using the screen:
On this screen, learners are asked to consider what else they would like to find out about penguins. They might discuss ideas in pairs or small groups before recording ideas on screen or away from the computer. The screen is left blank so learners might choose how to record their ideas, however, a KWHL or QuADS grid* could be used instead. Away from the computer learners could use a post-it challenge* to record and then discuss the relevance of their questions.
Rollover questions prompt the learners to consider what information they need to find and how and where they will look for information to answer their questions about penguins. An integral part of this activity is for learners to explore in depth why they would pursue certain sources of information and how they would use them when they did. For example, learners might suggest ‘asking an expert’. They might then be encouraged to explain how they would identify a relevant expert, what makes that person an expert and to list what they would ask this expert and to explain why they would ask these questions. They are also probed about what search terms they would use in an internet search, to consider in what ways some of the information they find might be biased and how they will decide if the information they find is reliable. In each instance they are encouraged to justify their reasoning.
Some learners might struggle to fully understand ideas like ‘biased’ and ‘reliable’ but could still be introduced to the words. Discussions based around issues like ‘fairness’ and ‘trust’ might provide a basis to introduce and develop these ideas. / Learning opportunity:
Learners consider what else they would like to find out about penguins and how and where they might search for information.
Additional resources:
Link to DfES ‘How’ booklet – KWHL grid, QuADS grid.
Screen
6 / Using the screen:
Being asked to consider the ideas of peers has been shown to be engaging and motivational for learners. On this screen, learners are asked whether they agree or disagree with a series of statements that show children’s ideas about penguins. They are asked to share and discuss their ideas about the following seven statements that are generated randomly on the screen.
- Penguins keep warm by sharing their body heat.
- Bigger penguins have more heat so keep the little ones warm.
- Their feathers and skin give them heat.
- The penguins in the huddle act as insulators and keep heat in.
- Huddling makes more energy for the penguins.
- The penguins on the outside of the huddle keep the cold out.
When a group of learners uses the balance scale, individuals can see at a glance whether or not the group as a whole agree or disagree with an idea. The activity provides a way for each learner to consider their own view in relation to the view of the group as a whole. The balance scale might be used to encourage argumentation and evaluation of ideas or to explore whether or not the balance of ideas across a group change following discussion. / Learning opportunity:
Learners consider other children’s ideas about how penguins keep warm.
Screens 7a, 7b & 7c / Using the screens:
This task utilises a ‘plan-develop-reflect’ structure for an enquiry so that it is closely linked to the Skills section of the KS2 programme of Study for Science. Three linked screens are used to encourage learners to consider how to plan their enquiry before carrying it out and reflecting on the enquiry as a whole. Learners should also be encouraged to reflect on their approach and any emerging outcomes as they plan and develop their enquiry. The suggestions on the Reflection screen are in addition to the metacognitive processes that need to be encouraged as an integral part of learning.
The first (Plan) screen requires the learners to plan an enquiry to find out about how penguins keep warm. Learners might record ideas for their plan away from the computer or on the screen if required. They could be encouraged to devise their own way of recording or use a graphic organiser like a flow chart, for example. Rollover questions prompt the learners to consider their success criteria for a good plan, what they already know about the enquiry, to predict what might happen in the enquiry and to identify the key variables in the enquiry.
Learners might be asked to consider what variable they will change as they carry out the enquiry (Independent variable), what variable they will measure to collect information (Dependent variable) and what variables they will keep the same (Control variables) to help make the enquiry a fair test. KS2 learners need to be aware of the terms independent, dependent and control when applied to variables but teachers might use their professional judgement to decide when and where the best time is to introduce these terms.
Another rollover prompts the learners to consider what measurements they will need to make, what equipment they will use in the enquiry and to explain why. These questions provide an opportunity for learners to explore the links between what they need to measure and how this affects the equipment they will use. They are also asked how they will show their findings and what type of graph or chart they will draw. Learners should be encouraged to explain why they think these things need to be thought about at the planning stage.
Not all of these questions will be suitable for all the learners in a group in all probability but a range is provided so that teachers can decide which are the most relevant for different groups of learners.
On the second (Develop) screen learners are asked to carry out their enquiry and to record their results. Again, a range of rollover questions are provided. Some questions probe learners thinking about how they will make sure they use equipment correctly and safely and check observations and measurements and to justify their reasoning. Learners are asked how they will monitor the progress they make when following their plan and what they will do if things do not go to plan to encourage them to reflect on their progress throughout the enquiry.Other rollovers prompt the learners to describe what they found out in their enquiry and to explain their findings. They are also encouraged to consider what conclusions they can draw from their findings, the evidence for these conclusions and how sure they are of the conclusions. Finally, learners are prompted to consider and explain whether they will still present their findings in the way they planned.
The third (Reflect) screen requires the learners to consider what worked well in their enquiry, what did not work so well and what interesting things happened during the enquiry. They are asked to share, discuss and explain their ideas. The screen provides learners with a PMI diagram* that they can use to record their ideas on screen or print off and complete away from the computer.
Rollovers prompt the learners to consider how well they met their success criteria, how they might change them for future use and to explain why they would change them in this way. They are encouraged to consider how successful their plan was, to describe any changes they made to their plan and to think about how their plan could have been improved. Learners are probed about the success of the way they showed their findings, what they think they learned from carrying out this enquiry, what science skills they think they improved and how they think this will help them in future enquiries. Encourage the learners to explain their reasoning when asking them any of these open questions. Finally, to encourage learners to think laterally and make links to other areas of learning they might be prompted to consider what other animals might keep warm in this way and to think of other situations they know about when things are kept warm in this way. / Learning opportunity:
Learners plan and carry out an enquiry to find information about how penguins keep warm.
Additional resources:
Link to DfES ‘How’ booklet – graphic organiser, PMI diagram.