Appendix This section contains blank, photocopiable forms for you to use

Science medium term plan discussion sheet

Title Date

Focus Yes/No/ Notes and suggestions

Partly
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/Pa Notes and suggestions

rtly
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/ Notes and suggestions

Partly
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/ Notes and suggestions
Partly
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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