P2University of Manchester Lesson Plan

Subject: Science
Lesson context
In this lesson, the
children will discuss
working scientifically
and plan investigation.
They will predict which
materials make good
conductors and which
make good insulators
as well as being
introduced to the
concept of resistance.

Class: Y5
Childrens learning from
previous lesson S2b, S6b
In the last session, the pupils
investigated how to change a
circuit to make a bulb brighter
or dimmer. We discussed
voltage and how increasing the
voltage will make a bulb
brighter. I wanted to discuss
how adding more components
increase the resistance which
is why that makes a bulb
dimmer but unfortunately we
did not have time to consider
resistance.

Date: 1/12/2014
Provision for inclusion (SEN, EAL, G&T, Beh,
GRT, LAC...)(S5d, S5b)
SEN their TA will have left before the
science lesson so I will make sure to keep
checking on Asad and Romilly and praise
their peers for supporting and including
them in their group. The children will be
planning collaboratively before completing
their own work so this should help Asad
and Romilly. I will also make their
worksheet more accessible.
EAL New vocabulary will be clearly
explained as should be new to all students.
G+T Concept of resistance as the reason
materials are conductors or insulators will
be explained to all pupils. However, I hope
that HA will really engage with this and
understand how conductors and insulators
work. I have included pencil lead as a
material to test and I will speak to
individuals to lead them into making sure
this is one material which they will test.
Beh work towards a tick with Raven.
Praise and encouragement for independent
work and for challenging herself.

Objective: what do I want the pupils to learn and how I will know they have learnt it?
Lesson objective
Success criteria: To be successful pupils
Differentiation (who will do what?)
(To)
will
link each activity to the success
criteria on the left(S5a)
To plan an
R2: choose materials to test.
SEN differentiated worksheet.
investigation.
R2: choose what to keep the same.
Additional support from me during
R2: method: how will we carry out the
independent work.
Top three variables investigation?
to keep the same,
R2: make it a fair test
All children will do the same
three ways to make
R2: prediction.
activities; however HA will be pushed
it a fair test.
towards higher level thinking and will
be expected to plan their
Middle two
investigation in more detail.
variables to keep
the same, two ways
to make it a fair test.
Bottom one
variable to keep the
same, one way to
make it a fair test.
Subject knowledge: what do I need to know in order to teach this lesson?
Concepts I will explain: S3a
I will model:
Resistance the idea that the flow of
- Physical demonstration of what resistance is.
electricity is restricted by something. The
- Contributing to the shared planning reading and

electricity cannot flow as easily so a bulb

will be dimmer if there is more resistance.
(Review Voltage push or power in a
circuit. Increasing the voltage (by a
stronger battery or multiple batteries) is
what makes a bulb brighter.)
Conductor allows electricity to pass
through it. Good conductor v. little
resistance, poor conductor higher
resistance.
Insulator does not allow electricity to
pass through it. Very high resistance.
Vocabulary I will use: S3a
Voltage
Dimmer
Brighter
Bulb
Wire
Battery
Buzzer
Motor
Resources
RULERS for
circuit
diagrams
Flipchart paper
with key
planning
questions on
(from three
boxes on
planning sheet
plus which
materials
would be
interesting to
test) and
selection of
pens.

Resistance
Fair test
Change
Measure
Control
Variable
Conductors
Insulators
SEN sheets
Planning
sheets.
All the
materials
available to
test.

discussing what other people have put and then

adding my own ideas.
Filling in my own planning sheet.

Pedagogy: teaching strategies I will use (S2d):eg talk

partners, investigation, active learning, games,
collaboration, IT.
Talk partners, collaboration, discussion, active learning.

Safety S1a
General classroom management.
During collaborative planning
stage make sure children are
aware that they need to move
safely and not to crowd too
many around one table.

weblinks

Formative assessment and feedback (S6)

To challenge and extend the
pupils my questions are: S1b,
S6b

Which new concept did we learn last lesson?

What do you think resistance in a circuit might mean?
What are conductors?
What are insulators?
What questions do we need to ask ourselves in order to plan this
investigation?
What will we need to change?
What will we be measuring?
What will we keep the same?
How will we make it a fair test?
Which materials/objects would be interesting to test?
What is a fair test?
How will we set up our equipment?

What techniques and

strategies am I using to assess
the learning? (S6b)

How and when we I give

oral/written feedback to the
pupil against the success
criteria so that they can
respond?(S6d, S2a)

Talk partners and collaborative discussion of learning from last lesson.

Open questions about fair testing and working scientifically to elicit
what they know.
Flipchart paper to see their initial ideas and allow the children to tap
into their peers knowledge.
Discussion with different pupils during the flipchart activity.
Mini plenary after flipchart activity to address misconceptions and
highlight any key points raised or so far ignored.
Marking their independent work.
Recap of last lesson VF on their understanding of voltage to clear up
any confusion or misconceptions.
VF during flipchart activity to different groups of children.
Mini plenary after flipchart activity to address misconceptions and
highlight any key points raised or so far ignored VF
Written feedback on independent work which they can improve and
build on the next day.

Teaching and learning sequence: How will I teach this lesson? What will I do? The guide to my
lesson (S6a, S4 and S7)
(Think about behaviour management, timings, transitions and assessment leading to feedback)
Behaviour/timing What the teacher is doing
What the pupils are doing
s/assessment
leading to
feedback
5 mins
Quick shout out review of the symbols
Tuning back into the science they have
Talk partners what did we learn last
been learning. For the children baking
lesson?
last week, this will be helpful so that they
10 mins
dont think theyve missed out on too
Move this into talking about resistance.
much learning.
Few children for this demo. Battery
near Sami Zs seat, children are the
Taking part in or watching the
flow of electricity meeting me the bulb,
demonstration. Conceptualising what it
when they pass me they charge me up
would mean in terms of a circuit.
to keep my bulb bright. The longer it
takes the more I start to dim. Introduce Asking any questions or contributing any
the chairs that they need to squeeze
problems/ideas which they have about
through slows them down so I get less this concept.
electricity less quickly so my bulb is
dimmer. Put a chair to completely
block and show that too much
resistance will stop flow of electricity
completely.
Talk partners what is a
ALSO use cars around a track they are conductor/insulator? Recapping their
5 mins
driving fast without a problem and then previous learning/experience on the
suddenly lots of speed
elicitation activity and extending their
bumps/obstacles.
knowledge of the science behind it.
Explain what a conductor is and what
an insulator is.

15 mins

Share the task and explain that today

we are planning an investigation which
we will do tomorrow.

Thinking like a scientist, how do we find

the answer to scientific questions of
interest?

What questions do we need to ask

ourselves in order to plan this

investigation?
Share my key questions with the
children and put one question per
table.

10 mins

10 mins

The children have 15 mins to try and go

to every table. Try to put one answer
per pair or discuss what other people
have written if you have nothing to
add.
Draw childrens attention to some key
points: importance of a control to see
the bulb with no object, keeping the
same wires and bulbs. Credit the
children with these ideas.
Give the children their planning sheets
name on!
They are allowed to move around to
see all the ideas and use them to fill in
their first three boxes. Then to enter
the objects they want to test into their
results grid.

Moving around the classroom to

contribute to the shared planning.
Freedom to go to the tables in any order
means that they will probably gravitate
to the question they are most confident
answering (AfL for me). Exposure to the
ideas and knowledge of others in the
class and opportunity to talk about how
to plan an investigation.

Using what they have just thought of and

learnt from others to complete their own
planning sheets and decide which
materials they would like to test.

Making predictions and hypothesising

about conductors and insulators.

Plenary:
Are there any objects which you are
certain you know what the result will
be? Why?
Are there any objects which you are
very unsure as to what they result will
be? Why?
Assessment: Identify the progress pupils have made in this lesson (S6)
Identify with a code any children who have exceeded or not achieved the success criteria for this
lesson. In the third column, indicate what you are going to do to meet each identified childs needs as
a result of assessments made.
Success criteria

Names

Cod
e

What will you do to meet the needs of the

children identified through this
assessment?

Evaluation and reflection

Evaluate the progress pupils made in this
lesson in relation to the success criteria(S6b)

What were the strengths and weaknesses of your

teaching?(4d, S8d)

List three actions you will now take to improve pupil progress through your teaching(4d, S8d)