A complete Year 1 Science unit covering Plants, designed to meet the National Curriculum requirements while developing children’s Working Scientifically skills throughout.

Across this carefully sequenced unit, children learn to identify and name common wild and garden plants, distinguish between deciduous and evergreen trees, and identify and describe the basic structure of flowering plants and trees. Children explore the functions of roots, stems, leaves, flowers and fruit and apply their knowledge through practical observation, classification, labelling and comparison activities.

The unit makes extensive use of practical and outdoor learning, including opportunities to investigate real plants and complete a plant hunt within the school environment. Seasonal change is revisited through observations of the signs of spring and summer, helping children make connections between their learning about plants and the natural world around them.

Lessons include retrieval practice, explicit vocabulary teaching, teacher modelling, practical scientific enquiry, hinge questions, SEND adaptations and higher-attaining Scientist Challenges. Working Scientifically is embedded throughout, with children observing closely, identifying and classifying, using observations to answer questions, and gathering and recording information.

Suitable for: Year 1 / KS1
Subject: Science
Unit: Plants
Length: 9 lessons
Curriculum coverage: Plants, Seasonal Change and Working Scientifically