AppendixThis section contains blank, photocopiable forms for you to use

Science medium term plan discussion sheet

Title

/ Date
Focus /

Yes/No/

Partly / Notes and suggestions
Is it clear which strands of the PoS 2, 3 or 4 will be covered?
Is it clear which science concepts are involved?
Has the focus of science skills from Sc1 been considered?
Does the work have links with the children’s overall topic?
Is there an activity to establish children’s current scientific thinking at the start of the scheme?
Does each activity show exactly the children are to learn. Are there clear science learning outcomes?
Do activities match the children’s abilities and interests?
Does each activity state exactly what the children are to do?
Have cross-curricular links been established where appropriate?
Has ICT been integrated into the activities?
Is there a range of organisations and teaching styles? Do they best fit the activity?
Has a whole investigation been included (if appropriate)?
Do the activities show progression in both skills and knowledge and understanding?
Are a range of assessment strategies built into the scheme?
What evidence will be collected to ensure that children can be assessed against learning objectives?
Has safe practice and ethics been considered?
Have resources and their reliability been checked?

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Science Lesson Plan Discussion Sheet

Focus / Yes/No/Partly / Notes and suggestions
Is there reference to the science National Curriculum?
Is it clear what scientific knowledge and understanding the children will gain from this lesson?
Is it clear what science skills are being developed?
Has ICT been integrated?
Has safety been considered?
Can the learning outcomes realistically be achieved in one lesson?
Does the plan show that the student’s science knowledge and understanding are correct?
Will this be an interesting lesson , relevant to the pupils and set in an appropriate context?
Is there an opportunity to discover what the children already know at the start of the lesson?
Is it clear how the class will be organised for practical work, e.g. whole class, groupings etc.?
Is it clear what the teacher will be doing at various stages of the lesson?
Is it clear what the children will be doing at various stages of the lesson?
Does the lesson have a clear beginning, middle and end? Are these realistically timed?
Are appropriate questions and scientific vocabulary planned for?
Is it clear how children will communicate their findings?
Does the lesson cater for a full range of abilities where necessary?
Is it clear what resources, including ICT, are to be used and how they are to be organised?
Is it clear what will be assessed and how this links with the stated learning outcomes?
Is this activity to be used as a summative assessment with a match made to Level Descriptors?

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Science Lesson Observation Discussion Sheet used with Lesson Title

Focus

/ Yes/No/
Partly /

Notes and suggestions

Are there links with previous work and assessment in science?
Is the science interesting, relevant and related to everyday life?
Are children encouraged to bring their own scientific experiences to the lesson in a non threatening way?
Are suitable resources and equipment,
Including ICT, prepared, well organised and efficiently presented?
Does the student show a clear understanding of the science covered and the ICT used?
Is the students language, particularly science language, at an appropriate level for the pupils?
Student interaction with children
Does the student involve children in planning their science activities where this is appropriate?
Are opportunities made to allow children to use particular science specific skills? Are they involved in any of the following:
close observation, comparing, classifying,
prediction, carrying out a fair test, collecting and recording data, looking for patterns in data, and/or interpreting and explaining findings.
If an investigation is taking place, does the student help pupils to understand the process of fair testing, recording data and drawing conclusions?
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Focus

/ Yes/No/
Partly /

Notes and suggestions

Are the students’ expectations clear and appropriate?
Are productive questions used to move children on in their scientific thinking throughout the lesson?
Do questions encourage pupils to give a variety of responses? Are both open and closed questions used?
Are children’s scientific responses to questions valued, explored and developed?
Are children encouraged to ask questions?
Are children’s alternative scientific views or misconceptions noticed? Is there a response to them that encourages progression?
Children’s responses and learning
Do the children use the scientific equipment appropriately and safely?
Do children use science specific language appropriately and with understanding?
Is the method of recording science appropriate and matched to the children’s abilities (English, maths and ICT)?
Concluding the lesson
Do children evaluate, interpret and share their science findings?
Is there evidence that children have made progress in their scientific knowledge and skills?
Have they achieved the expected science learning outcomes planned for that lesson?
Has the student aroused the children’s interest in science?

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The debriefing meeting

Use the science lesson observation check list as a basis for discussion followed by these questions.

Debriefing /
Notes and Suggestions
What science do you think the children learnt during this lesson? What evidence for their learning do you have? Did all the children learn the same?
What suggestions can you make for future lessons to develop children’s science learning?
Do you feel that you achieved your personal action targets during the lesson?
What will you try to improve for the next science lesson? (Your personal action plan)

Further comments:

Agreed personal action:

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