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upper primary students observing a science investigation in their classroom

Did you know?

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Animals, Biodiversity & Habitats, Climate Science, Electricity, Energy, Evolution & Inheritance, Forces, Light, Plants, Properties & Uses of Materials, Rocks, Fossils and Soils, Sound, Space, States of Matter

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Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science

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7-9, 9-12

Cutting-edge research can be linked to primary science curriculum topics.

Aimed at teachers and adults interested in introducing cutting-edge science research projects to primary age children, PSTT has created freely downloadable Did you know? articles which are linked to primary science curriculum topics.

Articles are written in language that primary children can understand and suggest questions for children to consider.

Accompanying Teacher Guides (which can be used a classroom presentations) describe activities and investigations that children can do related to the research.

You might have noticed some improvement if you’ve been a long time user of I bet you didn’t know… We have recently updated the resource to Did you know? – this resource still links to cutting-edge science but now with the following improvements:

  • Reading opportunities to help children understand how science is applied in the world around them.
  • Guidance for teachers to improve science capital by encouraging pupils to connect science learning to world events.
  • Teacher Guides are now made simpler by linking the research to one primary science topic and one learning objective within that topic.

Learn more about this resource from our recent Did you know? webinar. Presenters will share examples of articles which explain cutting-edge research in language that primary children (aged 7-12) can understand and suggest questions for children to consider. For more webinars and professional learning opportunities, visit our events’ page here.

Interested in a new article and Teacher Guide to explore this summer?

Find out how climate models can be used to help cities prepare for sports events such as the Paris Olympics

Be sure to share our latest Did you know? activity with your class if you are teaching about circulation, the impact of exercise on our bodies, staying healthy in warmer weather, or if you have sports day coming up, you are talking about the Paris Olympics, or about climate change.

The article could be discussed with the class (or read independently by older primary children) and includes questions about the effects of exercise on your body for children to consider. The accompanying Teacher Guide describes an activity to investigate the effects of different types of activity on heart rate. Download available below.

an athlete laying down on a track appearing exhausting after running a race

Did you know?

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Diagram of Cassini

Space

One of Saturn’s Moons May be Home for Extra-Terrestrial Life

Curriculum focus: Life in Space

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
an image of a phone screen displaying most commonly used applications

States of Matter

Computers Can Measure the Happiness of a City

Curriculum focus: Gases and Air pollution

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
slug on grass

Properties & Uses of Materials

Slug Slime Might Be the Answer for Medical Adhesives

Curriculum focus: Properties and uses of materials (adhesives)

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
axolotl swimming

Animals

Miracle Healing Could Come From the Axolotl

Curriculum links: DNA code

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
a simple illustration of a whale

Biodiversity & Habitats, Energy, Sound

Whale Song is Changing

Curriculum focus: Sound / Environmental change

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
woman sneezing into tissue

Animals

Catching Flu Might Depend on the Type of Place in Which You Live

Curriculum focus: Staying healthy (viruses)

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
Komodo dragon

Animals

Dragons Could Save Us From Bad Bacteria

Curriculum focus: Staying healthy (bacteria)

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
Bee on a flower

Biodiversity & Habitats, Plants

What is Happening to the Bees

Curriculum links: Insect pollination / Environmental change

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
moth

Biodiversity & Habitats, Evolution & Inheritance

Evolution of Life in Cities

Curriculum focus: Adaptation / Evolution

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
hands washing

Properties & Uses of Materials

The Science of Hand-Washing

Curriculum focus: Properties & uses of materials (soap)

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
animation of a magnet displaying north and south ends

Forces

What Small Magnetic Robots Can Do

Curriculum focus: Magnetism

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download
red blood cells

Animals

Blood Tests Could Detect Cancers

Curriculum focus: Human body parts/ Disease.

Enrichment, Practical Science, Science Enquiry, Scientists and their work, Topical Science | 7-9, 9-12

Download

It helped me think like a scientist as it gave me ideas to base my own ideas on.

Rose (aged 9) Devon

Three pupils learning

About the project

What are the benefits of introducing cutting-edge research to children?

  • Children learn how current science research has an impact on real-life.
  • By carrying out related investigations in the classroom, children can imagine themselves as scientists.
  • Children’s attitudes towards science research and scientists are enriched.
  • Children’s science capital is enhanced.

Download these guides to find out more about the project and how to use I bet you didn’t know… resources in your classroom.

Guidance

IBYDK Guidance

Meet the Team

IBYDK team

Further reading

IBYDK Publications

Related resources

See all resources
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Safety Notice & Disclaimer

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.

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. 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. 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.