Our vision is to provide children with a curriculum which sparks wonder and curiosity. We want to inspire the scientists of the future!

At St. Joseph’s, our intent is to give every child a broad and balanced Science curriculum which enables them to confidently explore and discover what is around them so that they can develop a deeper understanding of the world we live in. We want to equip our children with not only the minimum statutory requirements of the Science National Curriculum but also prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. In order to achieve this, we incorporate a range of exciting, practical experiences and encourage scientific curiosity and questioning.

We have a coherently planned and sequenced curriculum which has been carefully designed and developed with the need of every child at the centre of what we do. Where possible, we strive to make meaningful links with topics taught in other subjects such as Geography and History. Our themed gardens and grounds provide a beautiful, stimulating outdoor learning environment where much of the curriculum can be enhanced through practical activities. Our specialist Environmental Tutor visits each Wednesday afternoon to provide an outdoor, nature-themed workshop to all classes on a rota basis every half term.

The Switched on Science scheme of work is used as a starting point for planning and teaching Science but we have adapted and enhanced it in order to meet the needs of our children as well as to utilise our local area. With investigative learning at its core, our Science offering at St. Joseph’s ensures that pupils have ample opportunities to develop their understanding of the topics whilst also deepening their enthusiasm for this wonderful and crucial subject.

Please click on the links below to see our Science curriculum in more detail

Science whole-school curriculum map

Environmental classes timetable – Autumn 2022

28th November 2022: Into the woods

In Reception, the children have been reading the book ‘Little Red’. They have also been thinking about the different characters in the story, how they might feel at different points in the books as well as learning new words to describe them. In addition, the children have been very busy exploring the woodlands each week and imagining what it might be like to walk in the woods all alone.

While in the woods children noticed different plants and learnt the names of some including the ivy and holly leaves that we saw growing. Back inside the classroom, the children have been retelling the story at the small world area and writing about the book. Some children imagined they were going on an adventure in the woods and drew and labelled what they would need to take with them.

25th November 2022: Mud, mud, mud!

On Friday, Nursey had an exciting Science session called ‘Mud, glorious mud!’ The children and teachers talked about mud, where it comes from and what it might be made of. They investigated what happens when we add different things to soil and predicted whether mud or sand would be best for making castles. The children discovered that was the winner. Nursery also learnt why pigs and hippos like to roll in mud and had lots of fun painting brown pictures with it!

23rd November 2022: Shadow casters

Year 3 have moved on in their current Science topic ‘Light and Shadows’ to explore how shadows are formed. Pupils investigated the process of shadow formation and studied which objects make the best shadows. They explored an assortment of translucent, transparent and opaque objects. After some investigation, the pupils concluded that objects made out of opaque materials created the best shadows. Pupils also had opportunities to make and test predictions in addition to working on their explanation skills.

10th November 2022: A balanced diet

The Year 2 children learned that humans need to eat the right amount of different types of food such as fruit and vegetables, carbohydrates, proteins, dairy and oils. They used the eatwell plate to discuss which food groups are the most important. They discovered that fruits and vegetables as well as carbohydrates are the two most important groups. Fruits and vegetables provide nutrients and vitamins for our bodies and carbohydrates give us energy to exercise, play and learn. The children also now know what a balanced diet looks like.

8th November 2022: Tooth-tastic learning in Year 4

In Science this week, Year 4 have been learning about the different types of teeth and their functions. The children learned the names of our teeth using the mnemonic ‘I Can Pour My Water’; Incisors, Canines, Premolars, Molars and Wisdom teeth. The children used mirrors to find these in their mouths. Then, they explored why we have these 5 different types of teeth using bread. Afterwards, they created an imprint in the bread to see the shapes our teeth made; recognising that incisors created thin lines while molars created thick dents on the bread. Next, they tore off a piece and ate it; discussing the different teeth we used to do this.

In the following lesson, they began to think about how to answer the question ‘What causes tooth decay?’. To do this, the children planned fair tests to compare the effect of five different liquids on the eggs. The shells of eggs are made from calcium so they used these to represent our teeth. In three days they will check these liquids to see if the eggs have changed.

4th November 2022: Exploring buoyancy in Year 6

This week, our Year 6 pupils learned that the buoyancy force on any object is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object. Following this, they conducted comparative tests to check the difference between the buoyancy of an unpeeled compared to that of a peeled orange. They then explored what may cause tinfoil to float when scrunched in air versus when scrunched in water.

2nd November 2022: Environmental connections

Year 4 had their outdoor environmental class this week with Sophia who explained how and why our leaves change colour. The children were given an opportunity to find some leaves and compared them. We discussed how leaves produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Then, we explored the connections between things in our environment using a web. Each child held a card with something on it, for example, a leaf or a creature. They threw the string to another person in their group, who had to explain how their cards were connected. We had some very interesting connections; such as food chains and habitats. The children were then able to see how each thing creates a web which links the wider environment together.

21st October 2022: Year 3 paleontologists

In Science this half-term, our Year 3 pupils have been exploring the process of fossilisation. They learned how fossils form and also had the opportunity to conduct research on the famous paleontologist, Mary Anning, who pioneered the study of fossils. With our final week having a DT focus, pupils applied their knowledge and understanding of fossils to make their own salt dough fossils.

19th October 2022: Making healthy pizzas

To celebrate the end of our current Science topic ‘Healthy Me’, this week the Year 2 children made healthy pizzas. We made cross-curricular links with Design & Technology as the children were taught how to cook a simple meal and applied the principles of nutrition and healthy eating. The ingredients used were healthier options such as reduced sugar passata, low-fat cheese, peppers and sweetcorn. We hope to instill a love of cooking in our young pupils and look forward to more cooking opportunities in our next Science topic ‘Little Masterchefs’.

18th October 2022: Local air quality study with UCL students

This week, Years 5 and 6 had a visit from  UCL undergraduate students. The talked about air pollution, dangerous gases and the effects that it can have on the earth as well as our health. The children took part in a quiz and then used a map of the local area to identify locations of low and high pollution. They also had the opportunity to discuss the differences between them. What’s next? Air quality tubes will be placed in various locations near our school and the UCL students will feedback the results in a month.

14th October 2022: Sensory bottle fun!

Year 1 have been learning about their five senses this term. They put their Science learning to good use by making sensory bottles this week. The children used water, paint and glitter to make bottles that looked and felt interesting.

They were also very lucky to have our local nurses from the Whittington Hospital come in and talk all about oral health. The Year 1s learned how to brush their teeth properly and now know that they should spit but not rinse as this gets rid of the fluoride. The children were excited to get a colourful toothbrush to bring home!

6th October 2022: Investigating germs

Today in Science, Year 2 carried out an investigation on germs. The children were given plates with water which had black pepper sprinkled on top – this represented germs. They then took turns at dipping their fingers into the water to see what happened. But nothing changed at all. However, when the children put some soap on their fingers and dipped them into the peppery water, the pepper spread out away from the soapy fingers instantly. This proves that germs do not like soap and therefore, we should always be aware our personal hygiene and wash our hands properly!

30th September 2022: Year 1 explore using their five senses

The children in Year 1 worked extremely hard this week in Science. They discovered how our bodies use the five senses and later went on an Autumn walk around the school grounds, exploring what they themselves could and couldn’t do with their five senses.

23rd September 2022: Nursery’s listening walk

The Nursery children went on a listening walk around our school environment this week and heard lots of different sounds. Solomon said “I hear builders.” Max said “It’s birds tweeting.” Nalah said “I can hear the chickens.”

22nd September 2022: A visit from a nurse

Reception were lucky enough to have Olivia (Claudia’s mum) come and talk to us about her job as a nurse this week. The children learned lots about what is involved in the job. She even demonstrated some of her medical equipment. Thank you so much for coming to visit!

20th September 2022: Parachutes

The Year 5 pupils worked as team players in Science this week to create their own parachutes in order to test the force of air resistance.  They came up with their own investigative question and decided the variables that would be changed.

20th September 2022: Autumnal changes

This week, Year 2 had an outdoor workshop with our specialist environmental teacher, Miss Sophia. They recalled from Year 1 that during the season of Autumn, some trees start to change and also some animals might soon start hibernating as it gets colder. They also learned how to tell the difference between an old tree and a young tree. The children had some good ideas such as: “There are more cracks on old trees” and “Older trees might be taller” but Miss Sophia was amazed when someone suggested “Older trees are wider”. The children had lots of fun and can’t wait for their next session with Miss Sophia!

16th September 2022: Healthy and unhealthy foods

In Science this week, the Year 2 children worked in groups to identify and classify healthy and unhealthy foods. They also learned what humans need to survive and explained why we need certain things such as food, water, shelter, oxygen and space.

1st July 2022: Creating a marble run

After collecting a number of resources such as toilet and kitchen roll cardboard tubes, Year 2 began their investigation on how the force of gravity pulls marbles down a slope. The children made a tunnel using the resources they brought in from home and had to decide if the slope is steeper, would the marble move faster or slower?

They explored the different options and aimed to make their tunnel flat enough for the marble to run down but as an extra challenge, we also wanted to ensure it took the longest time possible to reach the bottom. This meant that the marble run had to be as spirally as possible and not too vertical.

The children worked exceptionally well together in a team, ensuring they were working collaboratively and progressing through the task with lovely communication!

10th June 2022: The marvellous Dr Szydlo visits our school!

We were recently treated to a spectacular and explosive science show by the marvellous Dr Szydlo, a British chemist and chemistry teacher. In a truly unforgettable way, he taught us all about the science behind combustion, chemical changes and states of matter. It was a wonderful show and we all learned something new! Bravo!

6th June 2022: Nursery investigate exotic fruits using their senses

As Nursery started their new topic ‘A Taste of the World’ this week, they arrived to find some mysterious, exotic fruits in their classroom! They discovered that they belonged to Handa from key text Handa’s Surprise. The children investigated the fruits by using their senses and described the texture and smell of the fruit. Later in the week, they described the different tastes and voted for their favourite exotic fruit!

20th May 2022: Writing instructions and making fruit kebabs

During a busy SATs week which included lots of concentration and focus, the children in Year 2 still managed to take some time to relax and reap some yummy rewards! First, the children wrote instructions detailing how to make a fruit kebab and afterwards they got to make them. The strawberries, oranges, grapes and bananas were not only healthy but oh so delicious!

18th May 2022: Baking bread and planting sunflower seeds

With summer fast approaching, Reception thought it would be the perfect opportunity to plant some sunflower seeds in our beautiful outdoor area. The children prepared the flower beds by taking out any weeds and topping up the compost. Each child then planted their own seed. Fingers crossed we will see some growth soon!

After reading the story of The Little Red Hen this week, Reception had a go at baking some of their own bread just like the Little Red Hen. It was absolutely delicious and also a perfect afternoon snack!

4th May 2022: Young Scientists’ Conference 2022

This afternoon, some of our Year 5 pupils were lucky enough to attend the Young Scientists’ Conference which took place in the Institute of Physics! It was a fantastic, hands-on experience with lots of fun practical activities. Firstly, the children had to design an object that would ‘fall with style’ – a nod to Woody’s description of Buzz Lightyear’s efforts at flying in Toy Story. They used a range of materials including paper, sticky tape and string to support a 5 gram piece of Blu Tack as it was dropped from a height and fell to the ground. Impressively, they managed to keep it in the air for 3.5 seconds before it finally touched down.

Following this, the Year 5s delivered a presentation all about gravity and friction. They spoke clearly, confidently and articulated their scientific knowledge expertly! They also answered a range of questions from the audience with great confidence. At the end of the conference, the children received a well-deserved gift bag full of scientific goodies! Well done to all who participated!

31st March 2022: Space explorers

Year 6 had a fascinating visit from the mobile planetarium today. The children shot off from Earth in a Soyuz rocket and went on a tour of the solar system visiting planets, moons, dwarf planets as well as our very own star, the sun. We even had time to zoom past some red giants, a supernova explosion and a rather dangerous looking black hole, before making it back in plenty of time for lunch!

Reception also became space explorers as they took a trip in a space shuttle. The children had a closer look at all of the planets in the solar system before diving into one of the moon’s craters! They even met an astronaut on the International Space Station who told them about how he eats and sleeps in space. Did you know astronauts have special space pyjamas and sleeping bags?

25th March 2022: Fun in the sun at Kew Gardens

Year 2 had an amazing day out at Kew Gardens today! We travelled by bus and overground to get there and enjoyed the scenery along the way. When we got there, the children were absolutely amazed by the size of the gardens. There were so many beautiful plants, fragrant flowers and huge trees. We walked around in the glorious sunshine and had lunch then explored the greenhouses which contained tropical plants from all over the world! We really enjoyed looking at the plants as it brought our recent Science topic to life! Before travelling back to school, we relaxed by the pond and saw some geese and rather large fish!

24th March 2022: Reception’s trip to Golders Hill Park

Reception had a fantastic day out at Golders Hill Park today and we were very lucky with the beautiful weather – Spring is definitely on the way! We began by boarding the 210 bus towards Brent Cross and travelled on the top deck all the way to the park. When we arrived, it was time for a toilet and snack stop. We laid our picnic blankets out and enjoyed our fruit while looking through our list of creatures to find on our scavenger hunt sheet.

Next, it was time to visit the animals. We saw lots of interesting animals: ducks, geese, goslings, squirrels, donkeys, wallabies (who put on an impressive jumping performance for us), an owl, kookaburra having their lunch, lemurs and a herd of deer. After exploring the mini-zoo, we had our packed lunches! We then spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying the large playground. We were all feeling tired on our way back to school and I think everyone will sleep well tonight!

11th March 2022: Blown away by Professor Bubbleworks!

The children (and teachers) were so amazed by the incredible science experiments Professor Bubbleworks conducted today! Following an incredibly exciting assembly, featuring fire and smoke, each class participated in a workshop for some really hands-on science fun!

The children were amazed to see hairdryers causing balls to float in the air as well as gloves enabling people to bounce bubbles without them popping… but their favourite experiment was adding glycerine to fairy liquid and using a hula hoop to create the largest bubbles we have ever seen! In fact, they were so big that two children could fit INSIDE them!

To round off this fantastic day, Professor Bubbleworks encouraged the children to consider which jobs involve science…it turns out there are many such as an astronaut, biologist, vet, doctor and lots more! Thank you for a wonderful day that has left the children so inspired and excited by science but also passionate about their future prospects involving the subject!

4th March 2022: Plants

This week in Year 2, the children produced some wonderful pieces of work that need to be celebrated! In Science, we have been looking at plants and seeds. We drew scientific diagrams of plants with labels and then researched the function of the various parts using the school iPads. We also looked at the different parts inside a seed and their purpose.

28th February 2022: An eggcellent week!

This week, the Nursery children really enjoyed welcoming some new members into their class. They waited patiently and hatched out some little chicks which was a fantastic experience. They also learned about the life cycle of a chicken and thought about the ways in which we can care for animals. The children enjoyed lots of hands-on time with the chicks and came up with some brilliant names such as Eggy Weggy, Chicky Wicky and Rainbow! The children were also inspired to make their own chicks using playdough with a lot of feathers. To continue the theme of caring, children role-played as vets in the water area, giving medicine to poorly ducklings.

25th February 2022: Young Gardeners

This week in Year 2, we started our new topic in Science called ‘Young Gardeners’. We will be identifying the parts of plants and explore how seeds and bulbs grow into plants over time. We will also be conducting some experiments to investigate the ideal conditions for growing healthy plants. The next few weeks will be very exciting indeed!

Yesterday, we helped Sophia plant some bluebells in the outdoor area. We used trowels to dig holes and carefully planted the seedlings into the ground. Hopefully, they will bloom over the next few weeks!

11th February 2022: Bird spotting

Year 6 had a wonderful session with our environmental tutor this week. She taught us how to spot common London birds, handed out binoculars and sent us off! The children saw all kinds of birds, including great tits, blue tits, sparrows, blackbirds and gulls!

4th February 2021: Exploring our local environment

In their Science topic, Year 2 has been learning about ‘Our Local Environment’ so today we went on a short trip across the road to Waterlow Park. We used maps to help us navigate around the park. We were on the lookout for living things, their habitats, minibeasts and micro-habitats. At the pond, we saw lots of ducks and even some gulls. Prior to our visit, we also conducted some research on the different trees that can be found in Waterlow Park. When we got there, some of us were able to identify them when we were walking around. We saw yew, holly, oak, pines and many others. They were different shapes and sizes and also had different leaves. Some even had berries, bracks and catkins. It was really enjoyable to get out and explore a local nature area that is so close to our school!

14th January 2022: May the force be with you!

It was another fantastic week in Year 3 as we continued exploring the topic ‘Forces and Magnets’ in Science. Pupils carried out an investigation on the push and pull forces and enjoyed using our outdoor space to complete this task. We were also investigating how objects travel on different surfaces. The pupils were able to identify why the toy car travelled differently on varied surfaces. We then collated our information to create a bar chart which allowed pupils to visualize their findings.

7th January 2022: May the force be with you!

This week, Year 6 began their new Science topic ‘Evolution and Inheritance’. The pupils created a timeline of life on Earth, starting from when life first appeared and finishing at present day. The children discovered that humans have actually been on the Earth for a very short amount of time in comparison to the length of time the Earth has existed!

25th November 2021: Mud, glorious mud!

This week in Nursery, the children had a great time exploring mud and what they could do with it. We started by listening to songs and stories about mud, then they shared their own ideas about what mud is and where it comes from. Some of the children wondered why pigs and hippos like to roll in the mud and gave suggestions as to why this might be the case. Afterwards, the children participated in a range of fun mud experiments and activities. They also painted with mud and found that it stuck better to the paper when we added some glue to the mud.

We also had different types of materials that the children added to mud to see if the consistency changed. They used all their senses to comment on what they noticed as they mixed materials together. We even discovered that the smells changed as we combined mixtures.

One afternoon, we watched a science video about why pigs roll in the mud. We learned some fascinating facts! For example, pigs don’t have so many sweat glands so the mud cools them down. Also, dried mud protects them from the sun like sun tan lotion protects humans.

Later in the week, we did a science experiment to find out which material would make the best sandcastle. We tried dry sand, wet sand and mud. Firstly, the children predicted which one might be the best then used the same type of container to make sure it was a fair test. The winner was wet sand!

23rd November 2021: A week full of scientific experiments

This week in their Science lessons, the Year 5 children have been learning about reversible and irreversible changes. We conducted an experiment to see whether mixing vinegar and bicarbonate of soda together would be a reversible or an irreversible change. The children mixed together vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, washing up liquid and red food colouring. This caused a chemical reaction and very quickly a foamy material was formed which started to flow out of the bottles… it looked like a volcano! The children established that this was an irreversible change as a new substance had formed. It was a fantastic, practical experiment and the children learnt a lot!

Also, last week, the children built bridges using a range of different materials and this week they had a chance to complete their bridges before testing to see whether they could hold the weight of a toy car or not. The results certainly were surprising to say the least!

12th November 2021: Global warming

Reception have been learning about global warming this week and what could happen if we don’t look after our planet. The children learned about how greenhouse gases act as a blanket, keeping the earth warm, but that this isn’t a good thing! We investigated what could happen if the ice in Antarctica melted due to global warming. The children agreed that we all need to work together to look after Earth!

5th November 2021: Polar explorers

Year 1 are thrilled to have started our new Science topic on ‘Polar Places’ and the teachers have been absolutely blown away by some of the amazing polar animal creations. Take a look at just some of the amazing art and D&T work below:

The children thoroughly enjoyed learning facts about the climate and conditions in the Arctic and Antarctic as well as the life that inhabits them.

22nd October 2021: Pizza professionals in Year 2

To celebrate the end of our current Science topic ‘Healthy Me’, we decided to make healthy pizzas! We chose a selection of healthy ingredients including peppers, sweetcorn, low-fat cheese and mushrooms to top our pizzas. Thank you to Mr. Baxter for cooking all the delicious pizzas in our outdoor hob oven. We really enjoyed this lesson and hope that we can cook again in the future!

15th October 2021: Oreo cookies and the phases of the moon?!?!

In a rather tasty Science lesson this week, the Year 5 children were learning about the different phases of the moon and used Oreo cookies to represent the eight different phases. They seemed to disappear very quickly afterwards and we’re not quite sure where they went…

Throughout the four seasons, classes come outside to interact with and learn about our natural environment through many hands-on, practical activities, including:

• Cultivating the soil and planting a variety of bulbs, perennials, shrubs and trees.
• Sowing and growing fresh, organic food – from ‘Seed to Plate’
• Annual Sunflower growing
• Annual RSPB’s Big Schools’ Birdwatch and making bird feeders
• Exploring our Wildlife pond to learn about aquatic life and their lifecycles
• Sowing and growing wildflowers and understanding their importance as nectar rich plants for our much-needed pollinators; the Bees and Butterflies
• Creating habitats for insects, arachnids, birds and more as well as exploring hibernation
• Learning about the origins of rocks and soils and how different soils develop over time and space.
• Using Keys to classify plants and wildlife
• Using Identification sheets to discover and become more familiar with the flora and fauna visiting and living in our school grounds
• Composting, reusing, recycling and upcycling in order to reduce waste.
• Reducing Energy use and being water wise

and more….

We are also able to enhance our Topic themes outside, including:

• Using the ‘Three Sisters’ method of planting corn, beans and gourds to support our Mexico studies.
• Engaging in the ancient building technique of Wattle and Daub during our Viking and Anglo- Saxon studies
• Making and then baking ‘Viking Bread’ in our Cob Oven.

Children in all year groups gain a wealth of knowledge and experience through their nature themed workshops, and most seasonal activities can be linked to curriculum and topic learning in a variety of practical ways.

Importantly, children are able to explore their senses, learn how to care for other life forms, see and understand where and how their food grows, work as a team, harvest, prepare and eat fresh, healthy, organic school-grown produce, understand lifecycles and seasons, familiarise themselves with a variety of plants and their names, learn how to use basic gardening tools safely for a variety of planting activities, develop their creativity through their design ideas, signage for the gardens, habitat creation and more..

Links to curriculum include:

• Knowledge and understanding of the world, exploring the natural environment; classification, lifecycles, plant parts
• Caring for the world.
• Observing changes in different seasons: light levels, flowers growing, fruit and veg available, leaves budding, opening, changing colour and then falling and wildlife seen.
• Looking at creatures in the soil, exploring rocks and soil.
• Learning about and building/planting habitats for wildlife.
• Maths activities including shape and space measuring.
• PSED Personal Social and Emotional Development. Explore, calmness, encourages conversations, team work etc.
• Outdoor writing and poetry opportunities.
• Expressive arts and design – creative opportunities using natural resources.
• Speaking and listening – children often talk and converse more in a relaxed environment.
• Physical development – health and self-care.
• Children learn about healthy foods as they are able to help sow, grow and nurture them – from seed to plate.

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