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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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dry plains with a trees widely dispersed, mountains in the distance and blue skies with some clouds

States of Matter

Water Can be Harvested From the Air in Very Dry Climates

Curriculum links: Condensation and evaporation

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

Download
Toilet

Properties & Uses of Materials

Toilets in the Future May Charge Your Mobile Phone!

Curriculum focus: Separating mixtures

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

Download
Shrew Vertebral illustration

Animals

Some Mammals Have Unusual Backbones

Curriculum focus: Skeletons & bones

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

Download
Destroyed house

Energy, Sound

What Happens Underground When Humans Stay Indoors

Curriculum focus: Vibrations

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

Download
Bacteriophage

Animals

Bacteria Get Viral Infections As Well

Curriculum focus: Microbes

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

Download
Neptune

Energy, Light, Space

There is a Storm Coming & it is Not Going Away

Curriculum focus: Weather (storms)

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

Download
Uranus

Energy, Light, Space

Ice Giants at the End of the Solar System

Curriculum links: Giant planets & planetary motion

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

Download
Mars machine concept

Space

Insight into Mars

Curriculum focus: Conditions on Mars

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

Download
Lightning striking new York city

Electricity, Sound, Space

There is Lightning at the End of the Solar System

Curriculum focus: Weather (storms)

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

Download
a yellow, white and black striped caterpillar gripped onto a leaf while it eats it

Evolution & Inheritance

Bees & Caterpillars Can Change the Evolution of Plants

Curriculum focus: Inheritance, Adaptation and Evolution

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

Download
a pride of lions beside a tree

Biodiversity & Habitats

About Biodiversity & Trophic Cascades

Curriculum focus: Food chains and webs

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

Download
termites in soil and pieces of straw

Animals, Climate Science

Termites Can Help Rainforests Survive Drought

Curriculum focus: Food chains / Climate change

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

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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.