Science at school

Your child will study science from the beginning of primary school up to the end of Key Stage 4 and perhaps even beyond. Science is one of the 'core' subjects at school: the others are English and maths.

Science at school is traditionally divided into three areas: biology, chemistry and physics. Your child will study topics from all three areas each year. As well as learning facts, she will work on investigations and experiments.

Children constantly ask questions - Why does my boat float on the bath when this plastic shape sinks? Why does the tide go in and out? Why is my ice cream melting? Science helps all of us to make sense of the world and answers these and countless other questions.

Biology activities to do at home

Science is not all about laboratories and experiments. There is a lot you can very easily do at home to keep your child enthusiastic about finding things out. These science activities are suitable for you and children of any age, since they teach (or revise) basic biology which is important throughout the school science curriculum.

Biology is the study of life and life processes.

Plant some seeds in old yoghurt pots. You can prove that plants need water by keeping one pot of seeds dry and prove that they need light by putting another in the dark. (Neither of these pots will produce a plant. The others should!).

Sit bulbs such as hyacinths in a wide-necked bottle. Fill the bottle with water so that the base of the bulb is just touching the water. Put the bottle in a warm, dark place until a shoot appears, then bring it into the light. Add extra water as the plant uses it up. You'll be able to see the roots growing down into the water.

Fill a clear container with layers of sand and soil, and put some leaves on the top. Add some worms and watch them digging their way through the layers. Look out for worm casts on the surface. Let the worms go after a few days.

Collect some caterpillars from hedges and gardens, together with some of the plant you find them on. Keep them in a large container. A large jar with air holes in the lid is ideal for three or four caterpillars. Don't mix the types of caterpillar - use different containers if you want to compare progress. They will turn into chrysalises and, after a few weeks, into butterflies or moths. Let them go and watch them fly to freedom.

Investigate different soils. Collect handfuls of soil from various places (a tended garden, waste ground, woodland) and place each on a sheet of white paper. Look for different colours and textures and try to explain them. Use a magnifying glass if you have one.

Your local library and museum should have hundreds more ideas to develop a child's interest in science.

Based on an article by Lorna Smith

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