Autumn

Scheme of learning

Year 4

© White Rose Education 2023

The White Rose Science schemes of learning

Schemes of learning Working practically

Our research-based schemes of learning are designed to teach Research shows that children learn best from a ‘hands on and
the aims and objectives of the National Curriculum. heads on’ approach whereby practical activities are engaging
and relevant. This features throughout our schemes of learning.
Content over time
Our schemes are written for content rather than time. This Experiments
ensures that children are developing a solid understanding of Children carry out experiments following a plan,
scientific processes and concepts. investigate and evaluate (KS2) model. Children plan
their investigations, carry out their experiments and
Substantive knowledge conclude and provide evaluations.
Our schemes of learning ensure full coverage of the scientific
content as stated within the National Curriculum. Modelling
Modelling is used wherever possible to explain abstract
Disciplinary knowledge (Working scientifically) scientific ideas and concepts. This makes it easier for children
to apply their knowledge and improve their understanding. In
Each step has Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 1
Upper KS2, children are introduced to the limitations of models.
a working Group animals

scientifically skill
Outdoor learning
Notes and guidance Key questions

focus. Working In Year 2, children looked at animals (including humans) to identify

their needs for survival, life cycles and offspring. They explored
examples of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles.
• Is a __________ a mammal?
How do you know?

• What features do birds have?

scientifically In this step, children identify, sort and group animals into
categories based on their features. It is essential that children
are confident with the definitions of each animal group as they
•
•
What features do fish have?
What features do reptiles have?
Children are encouraged to work outside the classroom
skills are •
wherever possible to help provide relevancy to scientific
will use this information to classify animals in later steps. What features do amphibians have?
Highlight to children that all animals in this step have a spine. • Is a whale a fish? Why/why not?
They should be introduced to the term “vertebrate” to describe
• How are amphibians and reptiles similar?

developed concepts.
an animal with a spine. This is a building block for Step 2 where
How are they different?
they will look at invertebrates. Children should be shown
examples of animals that are harder to categorise, such as the • Which animals are harder to categorise?

across years and

duck-billed platypus, to challenge thinking and reasoning skills.

year groups. Things to look out for

National curriculum links Scientific enquiry
• Children may incorrectly classify animals. For example,
they may classify a whale as a fish because it lives in • Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety
of ways.

There is one enquiry question per block covering the

water. Discuss examples of animals that are harder
to categorise before children carry out grouping and • Working scientifically – Talk about criteria for grouping,
sorting activities. sorting and classifying (non-statutory).

© White Rose Education 2023 five enquiry types. This allows children to develop
answers to a range of relevant scientific questions.

© White Rose Education 2023

Teacher guidance
Every block in our schemes of learning is broken down into manageable small steps, and we provide
comprehensive teacher guidance for each one. Here are the features included in each step.
Notes and guidance
that provide an overview
of the content of the
step and ideas for
teaching, along with
advice on progression
and where a topic fits
within the curriculum.
Things to look out
for, which highlights
common mistakes,
misconceptions and
areas that may require
additional support.
Year 3 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Skeletons | Step 1
Name and identify bones in the human body Key questions that can
be posed to children
Notes and guidance Key questions to develop their
In this small step, children explore the human skeleton for the • How many bones are there in the human skeleton?
scientific understanding
first time by naming and identifying bones. There are lots of
bones in the human skeleton, many of which have complex
• Where is the skull found in the skeleton?
names. The focus of this small step is on the skull, femur, • Where is the femur found? and reasoning skills.
pelvis, spine and ribcage. By the end of this step, children • Where is the pelvis found in the skeleton?
should be able to name, identify and locate these bones in the
• Where is the ribcage found?
human body.
The enquiry question for this block is “How can we sort and • Where is the spine found in the skeleton?
group animals based on their skeletons?” This is an identifying,
grouping and classifying enquiry. Within this step, children can
create relevant questions to begin the enquiry process.
Enquiry question
• How can we sort and group animals based on their skeletons?
Things to look out for
National curriculum links
• Children may think that the skeleton is one large bone,
rather than a collection of bones.
• Identify that humans and some other animals have
• They may believe that bones in the body do not have skeletons and muscles for support, protection and
specific names, for example, they may think all bones in movement.
the leg are called “leg bones”.
• Working scientifically – Asking relevant questions
• Children may think that the arms and legs are one long and using different types of scientific enquiries to
Enquiry questions are
bone, rather than made up of multiple bones. answer them.
© White Rose Education 2023
highlighted when
children are undertaking
the scientific enquiry
National Curriculum links process. Each block has
to indicate the objective(s) one enquiry question
being addressed by and there is coverage of
the step. the five enquiry types
across a year.
© White Rose Education 2023
Teacher guidance

Relevant and
The key vocabulary purposeful practical
During experiment steps, section highlights ideas to encourage a
experiment variables and essential vocabulary ‘hands on and heads
equipment are clearly identified. and definitions. on’ approach.

Year 5 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Forces | Step 3 Year 3 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Skeletons | Step 2

Plan – parachute experiment Functions of the skeleton

Experiment variables Experiment information Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Independent variable (what will change) – the surface area
Equipment needed • Children could work in pairs
of the parachute. Skull – The bones to draw around the outline of
• Plastic bags • Stopwatch in the head that their partner’s body on large
• Scissors • Scales Ribcage – Curved protect the brain. sheets of paper. Children can
• 12 pieces of string 30 cm each • Modelling clay to attach to bones in the chest then correctly identify and
• Ruler the strings that protect the label the locations of the bones
• 12 paper clips heart and lungs. learnt in Step 1

• Dependent variable (what will be measured) – the time taken

Practical activity
skull ribcage femur pelvis spine
for the parachute to fall to the ground. Spine – A group Pelvis – A rounded
• Put children in small groups. of small bones “bowl-like“ set They should then describe the functions of each of the bones.
(Note: If drawing round a partner’s body is not appropriate,
Give each group the equipment needed for the experiment. stacked on top of bones which
of each other connect the spine a printed outline could be used.)
Children should identify what the equipment is and why it is
in the back to the legs.
used within the experiment.
that support
Factual knowledge
movement.
• Controlled variables (what is kept the same) – the material Femur – A long
that the three parachutes are made from, the object that is
Planning sentence stems
bone in the upper • Bones have specific functions.
attached to both parachutes, and • I predict that … leg that supports • The skull protects the brain.
the height that the parachutes are
dropped from. • I think this will happen because … movement.
• The femur helps humans to stand and move.

• The independent variable will be … • The pelvis helps to support the spine.

• The controlled variables will be … • The spine helps humans to twist and be held upright.

• The ribcage protects the heart and lungs.

© White Rose Education 2023 © White Rose Education 2023

Sentence stems to help promote Factual knowledge written

the use of scientific talk in the in clear, child-friendly
classroom. language.

© White Rose Education 2023

Symbols

Key Stage 1 and 2 symbols Sustainability

The following symbols are used to indicate: Sustainability blocks are highlighted with a leaf symbol.

Children are answering an Yearly overview

The yearly overview provides suggested timings for each
block of learning, which can be adapted to suit different
term dates or other requirements.

enquiry question. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12

Group and classify States of matter

Consolidation
Autumn term
living things

collection A
Highlights when and how

Data
health and safety measures
Sound Electricity

Consolidation
Spring term

collection B

Energy
need adhering to.

Data
Data Habitats The digestive system Food chains

Summer term

Deforestation
collection C

An outside activity or one that uses

resources from nature.
© White Rose Education 2023

Each year group has two blocks dedicated to sustainability. We want to

help children to:
Children talk about and compare
their answers and reasoning.
A question that should really
make children think. The question
may be structured differently or
require a different approach from
others and/or tease out common
misconceptions.
Understand the current issues around sustainability and
climate change.
Identify that they have a role to play in creating a more sustainable
future for themselves and others.
Think of ways to make a positive impact on their local and wider
environments.
Have a positive and proactive mindset when it comes to making
sustainable changes.

© White Rose Education 2023

Premium supporting materials

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© White Rose Educatio
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© White Rose Education 2023

 Meet the characters
Our class of characters brings the schemes to life and will be sure to
engage learners of all ages and prior attainments. Follow the children and
their class pet, Diddy the duck, as they explore new scientific concepts and ideas.

Alex Sam
Teddy Dora
Ron Rosie
Mrs Kha Tommy Kim
n

Jack Eva
Mo Whitney
Amir Annie

Dexter

Jo Max
Diddy

© White Rose Education 2023

 The yearly overview provides suggested timings for each
The yearly overview provides suggested timings for each
Yearly overview block of learning, which can be adapted to suit different
block of learning, which can be adapted to suit different
term dates or other requirements.
term dates or other requirements.

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12

Group and classify States of matter

Consolidation
Autumn term

living things

collectionAA
collection
Data
Data
Sound Electricity

Consolidation
Spring term

collectionBB
collection

Energy
Energy
Data
Data

Data Habitats The digestive system Food chains

Deforestation
Summer term

Deforestation

collection C

©
© White
White Rose
Rose Education
Education 2023
2023
Autumn Block 1

Group and classify

living things

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things

Small steps

Step 1 Group animals

Step 2 Vertebrates and invertebrates

Step 3 Classification keys (animals)

Step 4 Group plants

Step 5 Classification keys (plants)

© White Rose Education 2023

Key resources

Step 1 – Group animals Step 4 – Group plants

• Animal playing cards – • Physical examples of different plants

These can be images of
animals stuck onto small
• Hand lenses

rectangles of paper • Leaves from evergreen/deciduous trees

Step 2 – Vertebrates and invertebrates

• Hand lenses
Step 5 – Classification keys (plants)

• Large hoops

• String

• Images of plants printed onto A4 paper or physical

examples used in the previous step

Step 3 – Classification keys (animals)

• Large hoops

• String

• Images of animals printed onto A4 paper

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 1

Group animals

Notes and guidance Key questions

In Year 2, children looked at animals (including humans) to • Is a __________ a mammal?
identify their needs for survival, life cycles and offspring. How do you know?
They explored examples of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians
and reptiles.
• What features do birds have?

In this step, children identify, sort and group animals into

• What features do fish have?

categories based on their features. It is essential that children • What features do reptiles have?
are confident with the definitions of each animal group as they • What features do amphibians have?
will use this information to classify animals in later steps.
• Is a whale a fish? Why/why not?
Highlight to children that all animals in this step have a spine.
They should be introduced to the term “vertebrate” to describe • How are amphibians and reptiles similar?
How are they different?
an animal with a spine. This is a building block for Step 2 where
they will look at invertebrates. Children should be shown • Which animals are harder to categorise?
examples of animals that are harder to categorise, such as the
duck-billed platypus, to challenge thinking and reasoning skills.

Things to look out for

• Children may incorrectly classify animals. For example,
they may classify a whale as a fish because it lives in
water. Discuss examples of animals that are harder
to categorise before children carry out grouping and
sorting activities.
National curriculum links
• Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety
of ways.
• Working scientifically – Talk about criteria for grouping,
sorting and classifying (non-statutory).

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 1
Group animals
Key vocabulary
• Vertebrate – An animal with a spine.
• Mammal – An animal with a spine, fur or hair on its body,
and feeds its young on milk.
• Bird – An animal with a spine, feathers, wings and a beak.
• Fish – Animals that live in water and have fins and gills.
Most fish have scales.
• Amphibian – An animal with a spine that lives on land
and in water.
• Reptile – An animal with a spine and dry scales on its
body.
Practical ideas
Play games with children to help them identify animal characteristics.
• One child thinks of an animal but keeps it secret from others playing.
The other children must guess the animal they are thinking of by
asking yes/no questions about the animal’s characteristics.
• Children could play the game snap. Each card has a picture of an animal.
Children turn over a card from the top of their face down pile. If there
is a characteristic that is similar about both animals (such as they
both have scales) the fastest child to say “Snap!” takes the face up pile
and adds them to the bottom of their face down pile.
If children say “Snap!”, but are unable
to say what is similar, then their partner
takes the face up pile.
The child that ends up with all the cards
is the winner.
Factual knowledge
• Animals with a spine are called vertebrates.
• All mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles are vertebrates.
• Each animal group has different physical features.
© White Rose Education 2023
Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 2

Vertebrates and invertebrates

Notes and guidance Key questions

In the previous step, children used the term “vertebrate” • What is a vertebrate?
to describe animals with a spine. In this step, children are
introduced to the term “invertebrate” to describe an animal
• What is an invertebrate?

without a spine. • What is an exoskeleton?

Children name and identify familiar animals from insect,
spider and soft-bodied invertebrate groups. Children group
animals based on easily identifiable features.
The enquiry question for this block is introduced in this
step. Children are completing an identifying, grouping and
• What features do insects have?
• What features do spiders have?
• How can invertebrates be grouped?
• How many ways can you find to group these invertebrates?

classifying enquiry.
Children should use their understanding of vertebrates and Enquiry question
invertebrates to begin grouping and classifying animals.
• How can we group and classify living things?

Things to look out for

• Children may incorrectly classify worms and spiders as
National curriculum links
insects. They are classified in a different category
of invertebrate.
• Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety
• They may think that all invertebrates have an exoskeleton. of ways.

• Children may think all invertebrates move in the • Working scientifically – Asking relevant questions and
same way. using different types of scientific enquiries to answer them.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 2
Vertebrates and invertebrates
Key vocabulary
• Vertebrate – An animal with a spine.
• Invertebrate – An animal without a spine.
• Exoskeleton – A hard covering on the outside of the body.
• Insect – A small invertebrate that has three body sections,
six legs and antennae.
• Spider – A small invertebrate that has two body sections
and eight legs.
• Soft-bodied invertebrate – An invertebrate with a soft
body such as a slug or a snail.
Practical ideas
• Children can explore their local area to identify different
invertebrates. In this step, children should simply identify and count
the number of species they find, as they will gather and record data
using their local area in more detail in the next block.
• Children can group and sort images of invertebrates based on
different physical characteristics.
Children should be encouraged to sort the images in more than
one way.
Ask children to move around the room to see if they can guess the
sorting rule for another group.
Factual knowledge
• Animals with a spine are called vertebrates.
• Animals without a spine are called invertebrates.
• Insects have three body sections, six legs and antennae.
• Spiders have two body sections and eight legs.
• Slugs and snails are soft bodied invertebrates.
© White Rose Education 2023
Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 3

Classification keys (animals)

Notes and guidance Key questions

In this small step, children are introduced to classification keys • What is a vertebrate?
for the first time. So far, children have sorted vertebrates and
invertebrates into groups based on a range of categories. The • What is an invertebrate?

focus of this step is for children to use simple keys to classify • What features do mammals, birds, fish, amphibians
animals correctly. It is important that children have a clear or reptiles have?
understanding of the physical characteristics of each animal
group, as they will use this knowledge to create questions. • What features do insects, spiders or snails have?

Children should create closed questions that can be answered • What is a classification key?

with either “yes” or “no”. They may need support with creating • Why would scientists use a classification key?
these questions. For example, the question “how furry is it?”
would not help children to classify, but “does it have fur?” will.
If further support is needed, generate a whole-class question Enquiry question
bank which they can then use when creating classification
keys. • How can we group and classify living things?

Things to look out for National curriculum links

• Children may use questions that are based on opinion
rather than factual knowledge when trying to classify.
• They may create questions that are too broad and
therefore do not help to classify. Model writing a broad
question and also a specific question. Allow the children
to discuss which example is more useful and why.
• Explore and use classification keys to help group, identify
and name a variety of living things in their local and
wider environment.
• Working scientifically – Gathering, recording, classifying
and presenting data in a variety of ways to help in
answering questions.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 3

Classification keys (animals)

Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Vertebrate – An animal with a spine. • Create a large-scale classification key in the playground.
Children can each have a picture of an animal on a sheet of paper.

• Invertebrate – An animal without a spine.

Adults can facilitate the questions to allow children to move down the
classification key answering “yes” or “no” to the questions.

• Insect – An invertebrate that has three body parts, six legs Is it a mammal?
and antennae.
Yes No

Does it have antlers? Does it have scales?

• Spider – An invertebrate that has two body sections and Yes No Yes No
eight legs.

This could also be completed using hula hoops and string to

represent the classification key.
• Soft-bodied invertebrate – An invertebrate with a soft
body such as a slug or a snail. Factual knowledge
• Classification keys are used to classify animals accurately.

• Closed questions are used in classification keys.

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 4

Group plants

Notes and guidance Key questions

In KS1, children identified common wildflowers, garden plants, • What is a flowering/non-flowering plant?
deciduous and evergreen trees. In this step, children build on
this knowledge to sort and group plants in different ways.
• What is the difference between deciduous and evergreen trees?

By the end of this step, children should know that flowering

• What are the female or male reproductive parts in
plants called?
plants produce flowers and fruit and non-flowering plants
do not. This step lends itself to practical activities where • How can we sort and group these plants?
children can observe plants closely and group them based How many ways can you find?
on different characteristics.
• Look at the leaves.
Initially, children may group plants based on categories such
How are they similar? How are they different?
as colour or size. To extend learning, they can sort and group
plants based on more complex categories such as its leaf
structure. Allow children to continue to develop their answers Enquiry question
to the enquiry question throughout this step.
• How can we group and classify living things?

Things to look out for National curriculum links

• In Year 3, children used the term “stamen” to describe
the male reproductive parts in plants, and “carpel” to
describe the female. They do not need to use the terms
“anther”, “filament”, “ovule”, “ovary”, “stigma” and “style”
until Year 5.
• Recognise that living things can be grouped in a variety
of ways.
• Working scientifically – Talk about criteria for grouping,
sorting and classifying (non-statutory).

© White Rose Education 2023

Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 4
Group plants
Key vocabulary
• Flowering plant – A plant that can produce flowers and fruit.
• Non-flowering plant – A plant that does not produce
flowers and fruit.
• Stamen – The male parts in flowering plants.
• Carpel – The female parts in flowering plants.
Practical ideas
• Children should look at physical examples of plants to allow them to
observe closely and talk about criteria for grouping, sorting
and classifying.
Large hoops can be used to sort and group these plants in different
ways. Hand lenses would help children to make more accurate
observations.
• Children can collect leaves from deciduous and evergreen trees to
sort and classify them based on their leaf structure.
Factual knowledge
• Non-flowering plants include mosses and ferns.
• Flowering plants can produce flowers and fruit.
• Deciduous trees lose their leaves annually.
• Evergreen trees keep their leaves all year round.
© White Rose Education 2023
Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 5
Classification keys (plants)
Notes and guidance
In this small step, children use classification keys to classify
plants based on simple physical characteristics. This step
allows children to revisit the skills learnt in Step 3
Children should now be more confident when using
classification keys, but may still need support with generating
succinct, closed questions. Model examples of open and
closed questions so children can select the most appropriate
questions for their classification key.
In this step, children should provide an answer to the enquiry
question. They may choose to show their findings by creating
classification keys, presentations, or in written and verbal
responses.
Things to look out for
• Children may think that plants are not living things.
• They may create classification questions that are based
on opinion rather than factual knowledge.
• Children may create questions that are too broad and
therefore do not help to classify. Model writing a broad
question and also a specific question. Allow the children
to discuss which example is more useful and why.
Key questions
• What is a flowering plant?
• What is a non-flowering plant?
• What characteristics do ferns and mosses have?
• What characteristics do flowering plants have?
• Do all plants have petals? Explain your thinking.
• Do all plants have roots? Explain your thinking.
• How can these plants be classified?
Enquiry question
• How can we group and classify living things?
National curriculum links
• Explore and use classification keys to help group, identify
and name a variety of living things in their local and
wider environment.
• Working scientifically – Reporting on findings from
enquiries, including oral and written explanations, displays
or presentations of results and conclusions.
© White Rose Education 2023
Year 4 | Autumn term | Block 1 – Group and classify living things | Step 5

Classification keys (plants)

Key vocabulary Practical ideas

• Flowering plant – A plant that can produce flowers • Create open and closed question cards which children can sort correctly
and fruit. to help them understand the difference between question types.

• Children can use physical plant examples from the previous step to
classify on a larger scale.

• Pollination – The process of transferring pollen from the

male to the female parts of the plant to reproduce.

Is it a flowering plant?
• Non-flowering plant – A plant that does not produce
Yes No
flowers or fruit.

Does it have large, yellow petals? Does it have feathered leaves?

Yes No Yes No

• Fern – A non-flowering plant with long stems and

feather-like leaves.
Large hoops and string can be used to create pathways through the
classification key.

• Moss − A non-flowering plant that grows in damp, moist Factual knowledge

conditions.
• Classification keys are used to classify plants accurately.

• Closed questions are used in classification keys.

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