starters for science
A series of five-minute videos created to support teachers to get started with practical science enquiry.
Starters for Science is a series of five-minute videos created to support teachers to get started with practical science enquiry. They require minimal resources and can be used in school or at home. This means that teachers can do science enquiry with a class and any children who are at home can do the same lesson.
Each video includes:
- A question or scenario related to the real world
- Time for children to think about what they already know
- A demonstration of a starter practical activity
- Time for children to think of their own questions
- Ideas about what they could find out for themselves
- Encouragement to share what they found with others
Please note that the videos are designed to get children doing some simple practical science enquiry and as such are not age specific, nor directly aligned to any particular curriculum unit. They are intended to give children valuable practical experiences that they will then be able to draw on once they meet the relevant concepts in a more formal learning situation.
The Starters for Science videos were created by Ali Eley (Outreach Director), Kate Redhead (Regional Mentor) with Alex Farrer (PSTT College Fellow). Grateful thanks to PSTT Fellows who took part in the videos: Rufus Cooper, Emma Crisell, Tom Jones, Jenny Lister, Jeannette Morgan, Hannah Osueke, Katharine Pemberton, Jules Pottle, Vanessa Seerhra, Elaine Stockdale and Tracy Tyrrell, and also to Haf Hayes for all the Welsh translations.
OVERVIEW AND TEACHER NOTES
| STARTER FOR SCIENCE | FOCUS | KEY WORDS | YOU WILL NEED | YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Paper Towers | Structures | Weight, gravity,
shape, strength |
3 pieces of A4 paper, some books (or plastic plate with small, heavy objects) | Sticky tape, other kinds of paper or card, ruler |
| 2. Straw Planes | Flight | Air resistance, gravity, shape, distance | Paper straws, card, sticky tape, scissors | Different kinds of paper or card, ruler or tape measure |
| 3. Paper Flowers | Absorbency | Absorb, liquid, solid | Bowl or tray of water, paper, scissors | Different kinds of paper or card, stopwatch or timer, other liquids |
| 4. Shadow Puppets | Shadows | Light, shadow, block, opaque | Small piece of card, scissors, sticky tack, torch or mobile phone | Ruler |
| 5. Falling Paper | Air resistance | Air resistance, weight, gravity, speed | Pieces of A4 paper | Card, other kinds of paper (sugar or tissue paper), ruler, mobile phone |
| 6. Levers and Catapults | Levers | Lever, pivot, force, catapult | Different types of spoons, cylindrical objects (pen, pencil, glue stick, rolling pin), scrunched up paper ball | Elastic bands, bendy spatula |
| 7. Animal Camouflage | Adaptations | Camouflage, visibility, predator, prey | Plain paper, colouring pens, pencils of paint, scissors | Leaves, twigs, natural materials, glue |
| 8. Mirrors and Light |
Light | Light source, reflect, travel, straight lines | Shiny, flat objects (mirrors, CDs, DVDs or saucepan lids), source of light (mobile phone or torch), dark place | Sticky tack or plasticine |
| 9. Melting Ice | Insulation | Solid, liquid, melting, insulating | Ice cubes, different types of socks, cups or containers, timer (clock or stopwatch) | Ruler, foil, bubble wrap, fabric or other materials to test |
| 10. Paper Friction | Friction | Force, friction, grip, contact | Two similar sized books | Other kinds of books: exercise books, hardbacks, paperbacks, magazines |
| 11. Pendulum Timers |
Forces |
Gravity, force, pivot,
oscillate, swing, air
resistance |
String or wool, something small and heavy (a
blob of sticky tack, some coins taped together, a
key or a marble), card, sticky tape |
Ruler, timer, scissors |
| 12. Spinning Paper | Air resistance | Fall, wing, force, gravity | Paper, scissors, paperclips, spinner template | Card, different types of paper |
| 13.. Blowing Bubbles |
Bubbles | Gas, liquid, solid, float | Pipe cleaner or wire, washing-up liquid, fizzy water or lemonade, raisins or grains of rice | Pot of bubbles |
| 14. Colourful Ink | Chromatography | Colour, ink, spread, absorb, separate | Felt-tip pens, dish of water, kitchen roll, sticky tack, scissors, ruler, books or containers (to prop up the ruler) | |
| 15. Making Music | Sound | Vibration, pitch, high, low | 2 drinking glasses, water, spoon, cardboard box, elastic band, 2 pencils | Extra elastic bands |
| 16. Floating Boats | Floating and sinking | Force, shape, mass, weight, buoyancy | 3 squares of foil (approx. 15cm x 15cm), large container of water, small objects, e.g. 1p coins, pieces of lego, marbles, cloth |
Click here for a downloadable PDF version of this overview.
Click here for a downloadable PDF version of this overview in Welsh.
Click here for the supporting teacher notes giving short descriptions of the science behind each video, plus some top tips.
Click here for these supporting teacher notes in Welsh.
VIDEOS
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEO
12. Spinning Paper
Investigate how you can change the speed of a paper spinner with Rufus Cooper
VIDEO
VIDEO
14. Colourful Ink
Discover the different colours that ink is made from with Katharine Pemberton
VIDEO
VIDEO
VIDEOS - WELSH VERSIONS
VIDEO
1. Paper Towers - Welsh version
VIDEO
VIDEO
3. Paper Flowers - Welsh version
- Investigate
absorbency and paper with Vanessa Seehra (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
4. Shadow Puppets - Welsh version
- Change and measure shadow size and shape with Katharine Pemberton (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
5. Falling Paper - Welsh version
- Explore how to slow down falling objects with Jeanette Morgan (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
6. Levers and Catapults - Welsh version
- Create and test your own catapult with Jules Pottle (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
7. Animal Camouflage - Welsh version
- Investigate and make camouflaged animals with Tracy Tyrrell (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
VIDEO
9. Melting Ice - Welsh version
- Explore how we keep things cold with Elaine Stockdale (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
10. Paper Friction - Welsh version
- See friction in a whole new way with Jenny Lister (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
11. Pendulum Timers - Welsh Version
- Work out how to create your own 30 second timer with Alex Farrer (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
12. Spinning Paper with Rufus Cooper - Welsh Version
- Investigate how you can change the speed of a paper spinner with Rufus Cooper (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
13. Blowing Bubbles - Welsh Version
Find out things you never knew about bubbles with Jules Pottle (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
14. Colourful Ink - Welsh Version
Discover the different colours that ink is made from with Katharine Pemberton (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
15. Making Music - Welsh Version
Explore making different musical sounds with Hannah Osueke (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
VIDEO
16. Floating Boats - Welsh Version
Work out what shape of boat is best to carry cargo with Emma Crisell (voiceover by Haf Hayes)
Safety Notice and Disclaimer
The PSTT advises teachers to refer to either the CLEAPSS website or SSERC website for up to date health and safety information when planning practical activities for children.
The PSTT is not liable for the actions or activities of any reader or anyone else who uses the information in these resource pages or the associated classroom materials. The PSTT assumes no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information contained in these resources. The PSTT recommends that a full risk assessment is carried out before undertaking in the classroom any of the practical investigations contained in the resources.
All materials are ©Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT) and are freely available to download and share for educational purposes. Whilst educators are free to adapt the resources to suit their own needs, acknowledgement of copyright on all original materials must be included. Rights to images included in the resource have been purchased for PSTT use only – as such, these images may only be used as part of this resource and may not copied into or used in other materials.