The Seaside
This list consists of lesson plans, activities and ideas to support the teaching of science through the topic of The Seaside. It contains ideas for how to link science to the topic, tips on using the resources, suggestions for further use and background subject knowledge to support teachers in delivering the science objectives through this topic. Resources support the teaching of the science topics: animals, including humans, materials and their properties and living things and their habitats. This enables teachers to choose which aspect of science they would like to teach within the overarching topic.
Visit the primary resources for cross curricular topics webpage to access all resource lists:
https://www.stem.org.uk/cross-curricular-topics-resources
How can we clean our dirty water?
Challenge your class to clean some dirty seawater. You could add some stones, pebbles and sand and challenge them to make the seawater clean, using colanders, sieves with different sized holes and filter paper. Though aimed at older primary this activity could still be run with younger children. The first two videos are the most useful for teachers teaching younger children, as they deal with how to set up and run the investigations. In the first video Professor Brian Cox joins a teacher to find out how to set up and run an investigation to find out how to turn dirty water into clean water. In the next video he then joins the class carrying out their investigation. Further videos show Brian Cox visiting a sewage treatment plant to see how sewage is cleaned by various processes so it can be returned to rivers. He also meets a scientist using chromatography as a separation technique.
Sea and Seashore
This is an older book, but it still contains some lovely ideas that could easily be adapted for younger children. It also provides information on the plants nad animals found at the seaside, which is really useful for a teacher taking a trip to the seaside. Lots of great cross-curricular links; try writing poems about the seashore, collecting and identifying shells, create a pictograph using the shells found, or a collage using them.
What do you find in a rockpool?
This short film clip shows some of the animals found in a rock pool, including anemones, limpets and periwinkles. Carry out a rock pool survey and have fun taking pictures or drawing what is found there. This could include plants, as well as animals. Children can then identify the plants and animals they find using simple spotter sheets, such as these: http://wildlifewatch.org.uk/spotting-sheets
National SEA LIFE Centre: Key Stage One Resources
This teachers' toolkit and accompanying students' activity sheets, offer a set of stimulating lessons for use with younger learners. Children investigate marine welfare and conservation and focus on:
*Movement and the senses *Reproduction *Living creatures *Classification and variation *Caring for animals and their environments
The toolkit suggests a number of activities for each of these subjects using the students' worksheets provided and the corresponding classroom aids.
Which Colour Makes the Best Sunglasses for Teddy?
Children investigate different coloured filters for sunglasses for Teddy. Start by using the light sensor to record the light without a filter and with a total block (black card) before looking at the light which travels through the various colours of cellophane. This could be linked to an art/D & T activity designing frames for the sunglasses.
Pirate Themed Bee Bot Mat
Aimed at early years and lower primary this resource supports the learning of basic programming. It contains a printable pirate themed programmable robot mat on a grid. Children can program a Bee Bot to visit several sites on the pirate island and reach a treasure chest. It is designed to be printed in several A4 segments and stuck together to form one large picture.
