Year 4
With most of our lesson plans there are lots of potential learning outcomes so have a look and choose a few that are most pertinent to the area of learning or topic you want to teach. You can download the lessons and edit them to your needs. Please note these are written in Google Docs so if downloading in Word or as a PDF you may see some formatting errors. Google Docs is available for free to anyone with a Gmail account.
Although we have set these out in year groups have a look at the surrounding year groups as the lesson might suit the children you are teaching.
As ever, your feedback is much appreciated and have fun!
The Moti-Lab Team
Slime Time
This activity investigates the properties of liquids with different viscosity (stickiness). Using “Gelli Baff” added to water in different amounts children can explore the effects on the flow of the liquid as it gets thicker; moving on from Y3 states of matter can be observed. The activity requires different types of scientific enquiries to answer relevant questions, predicting outcomes and using comparative and fair tests to draw conclusions, recording observations accurately. A number of mathematical calculations can be performed to solve problems including addition and subtraction, multiplication and division, fractions and well as converting measurements of volume, capacity and time and using statistics to interpret and record observations.
Sink Or Swim
This activity investigates the density of liquids. Water balloons are filled with range of liquids, weighed and then placed in the reservoir to see if they sink of float and the concept of density is introduced; moving on from Y3 a range of concrete mathematical enquiries are planned and performed to solve sum and difference problems. Scientific enquiry is performed by predicting results and drawing conclusions from evidence which supports findings.
Save The Water
This activity investigates water conservation, water is poured down the gutters and collected to see how much is lost; moving on from Y3 simple investigations are created as comparative and fair tests to draw conclusions, along with the mathematical investigations using conversions with units of volume and capacity. Scientific enquiry is observed and demonstrated by interpreting discrete and continuous data which are recorded and classified using a range of graphical representations.
Muddy Waters
This activity investigates filtration. Soil is mixed with water and poured down the gutters, everyday objects are placed in the gutters to see if they catch any of the dirt: moving on from Y3 describing how mud mixes with the water, timing the run and measuring the speed volume and weight of both clear and muddy water and predicting how different objects will perform by investigating their physical properties. Recording results using a range of charts.
Let It Roll
This activity investigates how different objects move down a ramp, a range of everyday materials are sent down the gutters to see how they move; performing predictions and tests and classifying and recording results by asking questions and solving practical problems: moving on from the activity in Y3 Measurement of position, direction and speed are studied by designing fair tests to determine how fast different shaped objects move down gutters at a range of angles. Results of the tests are interpreted and recorded using a range of charts.
Home Sweet Home
Moving on from the activity in Y3: These activities explore how different animals survive in different environments using the reservoir to design habitats and explore how animals respond when their environment suddenly changes.
Don’t Rock The Boat
Moving on from the activity in Y3, this activity investigates states of matter and compares how shape and size effects the efficiency of a paper sail which is designed and tested with cardboard boats. Predictions and observations are recorded in a range of charts.
What’s Time is it Mr Wolf?
This activity uses the wheel to investigate time; moving on from the activity in Y3 by describing and solving time problems accurately using vocabulary and measurement converting analogue, digital and 12 and 24 hr clocks. The activity also enables working scientifically, asking scientific questions recording observations accurately and performing comparative fair tests as well as identifying differences and similarities between observations.
Listen To This
This activity explores how sounds are made, how they travel, and why they are sometimes louder and quieter by performing practical inquiries, asking questions and recording observations.
Sinking Ships
Explore the size and geometry of boats and their ability to hold weight. Then test them to destruction!
Friction and Stiction
Hands on exploration of friction, which materials are the most sticky and affect speed.