Everyday objects turn us all into scientists

Explaining scientific concepts can be tricky because, by their very nature, they are abstract ideas that many younger children find hard to assimilate. But a helpful video is “Materials” from Teachers TV, which has four ideas for practical science lessons that use everyday equipment and ingredients.

Topics include reversible and irreversible changes, floating and sinking, insulation and separating materials. We watch pupils predict, test, observe, discuss and often re-evaluate their ideas as they make sense of what they see. As one teacher says, “They’re actually behaving like real scientists.”

Year 2 pupils predict that putting a coat on a snowman will make it melt faster - after all, their life experience tells them that coats keep you warm. After designing and carrying out an investigation (with ice blocks in socks), they are surprised when the outcome proves that the opposite is true.