Longitudinal Studies

Over the course of the year, each year group completes a longitudinal study. This gives the children opportunities to apply their 'working scientifically' skills and observe changes over time. The children take accurate measurements, gather and analyse data and draw conclusions.

Reception

How do the trees change over the four seasons?

Reception are observing trees over time. They are looking out for changes to the trees across autumn, winter, spring and summer. The children will create tree diaries, create observational drawings, measure and look closely at the changes to the leaves, take bark rubbings and photograph a tree, to see the changes over the seasons.
Link to EYFS framework: ELG Understanding the world- The Natural World

Year 1

How does the weather change over the four seasons?

Year 1 are comparing the rainfall, temperature and windspeed across the four seasons.

Link to Science Curriculum: Seasonal Changes

Year 2

What plants live in the school ground over the year?

Year 2 are using quadrats to sample what plants live in the school grounds, and how this differs in autumn, winter, spring and summer.

Link to Science Curriculum: Living things and their habitats

Year 3

How does a shadow change over a day and through the year?

Year 3 are making use of a range of equipment to take accurate measurements of a shadow of an object, throughout the day in autumn, winter, spring and summer. They will investigate how the length and size of the shadow changes throughout the day and in the different seasons.

Link to Science Curriculum: Light

Year 4

How does the rate of evaporation of liquids change with temperature?

Year 4 are investigating how different temperatures effect the rate of evaporation of a liquid. Children will compare evaporation of water, orange juice and lemonade in autumn, winter, spring and summer.
Link to Science Curriculum: States of matter

Year 5

Do taller people have a bigger hand span?

Year 5 will collect data from a sample of children in each year group to see if there is a pattern between height and hand span.
Link to Science Curriculum: Animals, including humans

Year 6

How much do we grow over the year?

Year 6 are measuring their height, arm span, hand span and foot length each term. At the end of year, they will calculate how much they have grown and compare their individual growth to the growth of the class. Year 6 will gather data from a sample of children from each year group, to compare data across the school.

Link to Science Curriculum: Animals including humans / Evolution and inheritance