Sandringham School Project

Science Transition Units Resources Booklet

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the science transition booklet. This resource has been put to-

gether by the Key stage three co- ordinator at Sandringham. The aim is to

support the transition of children from primary to secondary, by allowing

them to undertake an investigation project to consolidate the investigative

skills they have learnt and then demonstrate to their new science teachers,

on transition to secondary school, what they are capable of.

The Year 6 transition project looks at consolidating all the science skills

that they have come across in primary school in the context of a crime in-

vestigation. This will be followed by a summer project which involves de-

signing a sheriff badge with their own particular skills and attributes on.

This will be followed by a Year 7 investigation into forensics science, which

introduces them into key stage three vocabulary and practical procedures.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Allow students to do a final project to consolidate their primary sci-

ence and to celebrate its success

To have a record of achievement, to be shared with their new school,

science department and peers.

To develop independent learning skills that are highly valued at San-

dringham.

Overview of lessons, Titles and Content

Year 6 Transition Unit

Title of the unit: Becoming a detective

A sequence of 4 lessons, with scope for development and extension if you

wish to elaborate on crime scene investigations. These lessons focus on re-

capping core scientific ideas and then scaffolding an independent learning

project which enables students to present their work in the forum of a

court case/ video recording/ display or simply a practical project book.

Year 6 Summer Unit

Title of the unit: My Sheriff Badge!

Students are asked to make a sheriff badge which they will wear over the

first two weeks in their science classes. The badge will have details on it

of the students key skills and strengths in science.

Year 7 Transition Unit

Title of the unit: Becoming a forensic scientist

This is six how science works skills lessons, each lesson being presented in

the theme of forensic science. Each lesson is a structured independent

lesson on a different skill that we wish to focus on. The key objective is to

teach key stage three vocabulary and use of techniques and equipment not

available at primary school.

Overview of lessons, Titles and Content

Year 6 Transition Unit

Title of the unit: Becoming a detective

Pages 5-17 Lesson plans

Pages 18-31 Student booklet materials

All power points and extension material is at

Www.sandringhamscience.wordpress.com

Year 6 Summer Unit

Title of the unit: My Sheriff Badge!

Page 32-36 Student task sheet

Year 7 Transition Unit

Title of the unit: Becoming a forensic scientist

All lesson plans are found on

Www.sandringhamscience.wordpress.com

All materials are found on the website stated up above

on the transition page. Alternatively email

sarah.brodie@sandringham.herts.sch.uk

Lesson

number

Lesson structure resources

Lesson 1

Starter

Slide 2 and 3 Introduce to the crime. It is

a copy cat crime based on the Thomas

crown affair.

Students watch a clip

Slide 4 Students then answer questions in

their booklet to say how good their obser-

vation skills were.

Slide 5 introduce to the actual crime scene,

A picture has been stolen and this is the

crime scene that was lest behind! The valu-

able painting was missing. The guard who

was found unconscious just inside the room

that he was guarding, is thought by police

to be associated with the crime. Your job is

to work out whether he is innocent by ana-

lysing the evidence available

Opportunity at this stage for students to

make a prediction– what do they think

might have happened and WHY? What is

the evidence for this? Talk about the word

prediction and the role it plays in science.

Explore Task

Slide 6

How good are your observation skills?

Pair up the students. They are to take part

in a circus activity whereby each couple will

be testing each others observation skills.

You can adapt this task in what ever way is

practical, but have four activities set up in

the room to test the different senses.

Students spend a set amount of time on

each station, recording each others re-

sponses. Student are guessing what they

are tasting, smelling, hearing and touching.

Starter

Video clip of Thomas crown af-

fair-http://www.youtube.com/

watch?v=n-

LMZ1dbO7A&feature=related

Explore task

Hearing

Two paper plates stuck together

and filled with a range of differ-

ent materials– sand/ mud/ mar-

bles/scrunched up bits of paper/

sweetcorn

Taste

Blind fold

Plastic cups with different sub-

stances in– lemon juice, orange

juice, grape fruit juice, cold tea

Touch

Large cardboard boxes filled

with Polystyrene or shredded

paper. Various objects in it. Or

felt bags filled with various ob-

jects.

Smell

Have a range of food in paper cups.

Before and after slides– can they spot

the difference?

Lesson

number

Lesson structure resources

Lesson 1

Slide 7 and 8

Introduce the idea of a method and re-

sults and explain the need for a table

and explain how to design one!

Ask students to fill in the template table

with headings.

G and T—you could talk about the need

for repeats and therefore creating an

average. The independent variable is in

the first column and dependent variable

in the second.

Explain

Slide 9

Explain what a conclusion is.

Ask students to write one based on the

questions.

Good scientists have good observation

skills. To be a detective you need good

skills.

Extension: slide 10,11,12

How good are your description skills?

Slide 10 Explain that it is one skill being

able to observe events and quite another

to be able to describe it accurately or

write it down!!

Get students back into study pairs. Give

each a number 1 or 2. 1s will look at the

image on the board whilst 2s close their

eyes. Remove the picture and then ask 1

s to describe the picture.2s have to

draw it!!

Lesson

number

Lesson structure resources

Lesson 1

Evaluation:

Slide 13

Show students the lesson outcomes.

Students write an EBI (even better if)

or WWW next to each outcome.

Did they achieve a gold badge?

Lesson

number

Lesson structure

resources

Lesson 2

Title

Planning

investiga-

tion

Starter

Slide 2

Students role play, dress up, draw or

model a detective. Labelling the sorts of

characteristics which make them a good

detective.

Alternatively, students can research this

area of science. Could be done on the

internet or using books!

A picture/ photo/description could be in-

cluded in their project.

Explore

Slides 3/4

Recap the crime scene and talk about the

white powder that was found on the

crime scene floor.

Introduce the task that they need to

identify the white powder to help to solve

the case!

Just like detectives have characteristics

that make them a detective so do chemi-

cals.

Slides 5

Brainstorm what kinds of characteristics

we could measure to help us to describe

the suspect substance.

Ask students to help you to do this and

record the descriptions on the power-

point. Alternatively students can do this

and collect their own results.

Resources vary depending

on activity chosen

The powders available for

testing are:flour,baking

powder, baby pow-

der,powdered sugar,baking

soda, cornflour.

Plastic bags with samples

of powder in it. Suggest

that you have a small bag

for each group so that

they can all have a look.

The powder that was fond

on the floor was talc pow-

der.

Scales to weigh.

Measuring cylinder to

measure volume.

Lesson

number

Lesson structure

resources

Lesson 2

Title

Planning

investiga-

tion

Explain

Slide 6/ 7

Recap the idea of fair test and that when

you design an experiment you need to

change one thing, measure/ record one

thing and keep all other things the same.

Relate to their experiment. They are going

to make observations of the different

substances to see which one most closely

matches the sample seen at the crime

scene.

They are going to test each powder. Thing

they are changing is each powder.

As a class get them to write ideas of ob-

servations that they could make on each of

the powders. Stick on the board. Can

they pick two or three and use those in

their investigation? These are the things

they measure.

What variables are they going to keep the

same to make it a fair test? Post it notes

and stick to board.

This could also be done as a larger collabo-

rative task whereby students are to work

in groups of four. Each student is given a

number. They have a set time to decide on

the answers to the questions above. After

the time period is up you shout time and a

number between one and four. That num-

ber has to stand up and tell the rest of

the class what they have decided.

This forms the backbone of their investi-

gation.

Post it notes

Refer to practical notes

for the types of measure-

ments/ observations that

would ACTUALLY tell the

powders apart. You can

help them with these ideas

if you like by demonstrat-

ing their effect.

You may need to include

the mystery sample as one

of the samples if the initial

observations weren’t thor-

ough enough.

The idea is they see how

the different poweders

react/ look with the prop-

erties of the mystery sam-

ple. The one with the most

Similarities is likely to be

the mystery sample.;

Lesson

number

Lesson structure

resources

Lesson 2

Title

Planning

investiga-

tion

Extend slide 8

Outline the fact that they are going to

design an experiment and write it up just

like detectives would.

Scientific write-ups have a set struc-

ture. Go through this and introduce the

practical worksheets.

Allow time for students to work through

their sheets.

Evaluate:

Students share their plans with class and

rest of class gives feedback. Students

share with work buddy and work buddy

gives one positive comment and one nega-

tive comment.

Materials Needed:

For each group: 6 small containers with different white powders labelled 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, & 6and with

their names of what they are on (Baking soda, baking powder, corn starch, flour, powdered sugar, and baby powder)

3 small dropper bottles filled with testing liquids

(Water, vinegar, and iodine solution)

Box of toothpicks

Strips of wax paper

Squares of aluminium foil (for heating samples)

Tweezers or tongs

Small candle (with aluminium foil as holder)

Matches

FOR EACH SAMPLE:

Step 1: Place 6 small samples of your powder (about apenny size) on a

piece of wax paper. Place the wax paper on a paper towel to

prevent messes!

Step 2: Describe your powder sample and write your observations in the

chart on the back of your worksheet.

Step 3: Add 4 to 5 drops of WATER to the 1st pile and mix using a clean

toothpick. Record your observations in the chart.

Step 4: Add 4 to 5 drops of VINEGAR to the 2nd pile and mix using a

clean toothpick. Record your observations in the chart. (HINT: Fizz or

noreaction)

Step 5: Add 4 to 5 drops of IODINE to the 3rd pile and mix using a

clean toothpick. Record your observations in the chart. (HINT: Black,

brown, or no reaction)

CAUTION: Iodine will stain clothing, hands, and anything it touches!

Step 6: For the HEAT test, place a small amount of powder on a clean

square of aluminum foil. Bend the edges up to create a ―cup‖ and hold

onto it using a pair of tongs or tweezers. Hold the sample over the candle

flame for a few seconds. Record your observations in the chart.

CAUTION: Use care when working with heat! Long hair must be tied

back. Sleeves must be rolled up. Keep papers (and anything flammable)

away from the flame. Goggles must be worn, since the powder may melt

and splatter! CLEAN UP YOUR AREA BEFORE YOU LEAVE!

Lesson

number

Lesson structure

resources

Lesson 3

Title

Method

and re-

sults

Starter:

Engage: why repeat? Slide 2-5

You can do one of two activities or both

activities.

1) Get kids to thumb war. Hands up

who won. Was that a fair represen-

tation of who has the strongest

thumbs? What could you do to make

the test more reliable. Explore the

idea that idea in science that when

you do repeats you make your an-

swer more accurate.

OR)

2) Show a picture and ask them to re-

member as much as they can. Talk about

the effect of seeing the picture again.

Making it more accurate.

Relate these ideas to their own experi-

ment. Are they going to do repeats?

Explore:

How to draw a table slide 6 and 7

Remind students of this skill.– why is it

important to collect results systemati-

cally?

Do a blind sequencing task with them. The

aim of the task is that students have to

sort the cards which have parts of the

steps in drawing a table on. The catch is

that they are NOT allowed to show any-

one else their cards.

Divide the class into groups of six and

give each student a card with the one of

the steps on it. Students have to go DE-

SCRIBE what they see on their card to

the rest of the card– take it in turns to

describe.

Post it notes

Lesson

number

Lesson structure

resources

Lesson 3

Title

Method

and re-

sults

Students then order their cards on the

table in what they think is the correct

sequence. All students put their hands on

the head when they finish and you can

check.

Slide 15

Talk about skills of drawing a table. Ask

students to design their own table for

their own experiment.

To check their table drawing skills you

can get each pair to draw their plan of a

table and then ask them to screw it up in

a ball. They then throw the ball at an-

other pair in the room so that all pairs

have someone else ball/plan. Couples un-

ravel the table plan and mark it and write

a comment on their table. Repeat however

many times you need to.

Extend

Slide 16

Students to carry out the practical that

they have planned and record their re-

sults in the table that they designed ear-

lier..

Encourage them then to write a conclu-

sion.

Evaluate:

Students to fill out an evaluation of their

individual practical. Focus is on how they

chose the variable that they measured

and how they made it a fair test. What

could they do next time to improve?

Refer to the practical

help sheets.

Lesson

number

Lesson structure

resources

Lesson 4

and 5

Title

Finding

the cul-

prit

Engage:

Slide 2

Discuss what an eyewitness testimony is

and the problems police face when taking

one from a witness.

Watch the video.

Slide 3 and 4

Explain that the guard has been put in jail

and is awaiting trial. The police think

that he did it. Students job is to find out

whether this is the case.

Explore:

Explain that the students are going to

work in their practical group teams and

are going to interview witnesses.

They should now have a clue as to what

the white powder is! This is going to come

in helpful when they are analysing the

witness statements. Remind them to

keep this in mind!

Place the witness statements in positions

around the room and give students a time

limit to spend at each witness station.

Students jot down key evidence that they

have picked up from the statements and

after each statement they have to say

what their hunches are as to who stole

the painting and why. This is done in

their student booklet.

Video embedded in slide.

You need to print out

power point slide witness

statements and place

them at stations around

the room. Slide 5-14

There is a teachers solu-

tion page over leaf just

for your Interest and so

you can guide the students

in their exploration

Lesson

number

Lesson structure

resources

Lesson 4

Title

Finding

the cul-

prit

Explain slide 15

Give students time to discuss in their

work pairs who they thought did it why.

They must be able to justify their answer

using facts.

There is a page in the booklet for them

to fill out.

Draw the parallel with scientists and

drawing conclusions based on evidence

that they have found in their experiment.

They can than accept or reject their hy-

pothesis. For eg) the police officer’s hy-

pothesis was that John committed the

crime.

Extend

Slide 16

Optional

Students to present all their project

work. Presentation orally and collabora-

tively to aid communication skills.

1)This could be done in the form of a

courtroom.

Each forensics science group could pre-

sent their experiment and evidence to

the judges.

G and T students to play the role of

judges and they can ask questions of each

of the students presentations to question

the validity of their research and conclu-

sions. Video record their performance?

2) Sugar paper display with experiment

and evidence on.

Evaluate Fill out evaluation template in

workbook

.

The solution

The guard is tired. His wife has just had a baby and he is spending a lot of time

during the night getting up and helping with the child care duties. Although he

knows he shouldn’t, his friend (who is junior and less experienced than John)

keeps nipping out to buy him coffee to keep him As a consequence John was

desperate for the loo and goes to the loo at around 2:00pm for around 30 min-

utes as the nearest toilet is broken so he had to find one which was quite a dis-

tance away.

The time away was ideal chance for the picture robber to sneak in take the pic-

ture.

One of the robbers dressed up as an engineer for the coffee machine. He dis-

tracted the other guard by telling him that the coffee machine was broken and

could he help him with something. The other guard knowing that John was living

off coffee to keep him awake went out leaving the painting attended. The rob-

ber posing as a machine vender mender bought the two guards a coffee and or-

ange juice with a sedative in that would have knocked them out almost instantly.

The guard bumped into John on his way back and the two men stopped to talk

about John and how he was feeling. Both drank their coffee and orange juice.

John made his way back, walked across the room to the armchair, where he fell

asleep On his way he put down the cup of juice that his friend had given him.

The footprints were made from talc powder which was found on the floor of the

only bathroom that was open.

The other guard went to cafeteria at 2:30pm where he was going to get them

both some food– he too feel asleep on a bench on his way. The restaurant owner

was expecting him. He was working in conjunction with the coffee machine ven-

dor man. He took the keys off Jim and ran up stairs. He could wait outside and

then go inside and lock the door. He removed the painting and then used the pa-

perweight o break the window. He used the paper weight and broke the window

and where the vendor was waiting for the painting and the keys. He made his way

back to the cafe and woke up the guard. It was if he never had left.

Key words Forensics, observation, description.

prediction, method, results, conclusion, evaluation,

fair test, repeat, average, table, eyewitness testi-

mony, evidence

Web resources

Website for information on what forensic science is

http://www.exploreforensics.co.uk/

Rather gruesome. For teacher use.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/forensicscience

Interesting short articles and case studies on forensics

http://www.discoverychannel.co.uk/crime/_home/

index.shtml

The Discovery Channel's crime and forensics page:

http://www.fbi.gov/kids/6th12th/

investigates/investigates.htm

Shows how the FBI investigates a crime:

Website for extension material

http://sciencespot.net/Pages/classforsci.html

All extension power points with student sheets– powerpoints

rather advance and will need simplifying. Care so as not to

teach material in the year 7 module.

http://www.nclark.net/ForensicChem

A whole range of different extension material from cross

words to worksheets.

Kids independent tasks:

http://www.csitheexperience.org/

Interactive crime scene that students can use as a game

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/kearny/forensic/

Webquest—nice as goes through scientific method

Sandringham transition project

Name: Primary school: Secondary school:

How Good are Your Skills? Lesson One

Detective

Name:________________________

Institution: _____________________

How good are your obser-

vation skills? Answer these

Questions to find out.

1) What coloured tie was the first guard wearing in the opening

scene?

2) When the fake guards in the picture room are confronted by the

real guards, how many real guards were there?

3) What colour was the helicopter?

4) What was the picture of that was stolen?

5) What was used to hold the gate up with?

What score did you

get? Write the num-

ber you got right in

here.

How Good are Your Skills? Lesson One

Detective

Name:________________________

Institution: _____________________

Your crime scene

Notes that you wish to make: Initial hunches/ suspicions Write a predica-

tion– what do you think happened (guess) and back it up with evidence.

_______________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

How Good are Your Skills? Lesson One

Detective

Name:________________________

Results:

How Good are Your Skills? Lesson One

Detective

Name:________________________

Conclusion: How many did you get right and wrong?

Is one sense stronger than another?

Were your results the same as your friends?

Why do you think its important for a detective to have good observation skills?

Evaluation:

How Good are Your Skills? Lesson Two

Detective

Name:________________________

What i know about detectives:

We are investigating:

Planning:

What are the factors or things that could change:

How Good are Your Skills? Lesson Two

Detective

Name:________________________

Planning:

What we are going to change:

What we are going to measure:

We will keep our investigation fair by:

We predict that (guess with science explanation):

How Good are Your Skills? Lesson Two

Detective

Name:________________________

Planning:

To carry out an experiment we will:

How we are going to make sure we are safe

How Good are Your Skills?

Detective

Name:________________________

Results:

My table to record results

How Good are Your Skills?

Detective

Name:________________________

Conclusion and evaluation

What we did well/ How we can improve:

What we found out:

Presenting your case

Detective

Name:________________________

Record the evidence and facts you have picked up after interviewing the

suspects. Then record who you think did it at each stage.

Inter-

view

charac-

ter

Evidence/ Facts Who you think it is and

why?

Presenting your case

Detective name

Interview

character Evidence/ Facts Who you think it is and

why?

Presenting your case

Detective name

Interview

character Evidence/ Facts Who you think it is and

why?

We think that john did it/ didn’t do it.

Person responsible__________________

Evidence:

What do forensic scientists do?:

What new things have you found out when doing this inves-

tigation?:

What was the most difficult part of the investigation?:

What other things could you investigate if you did this in-

vestigation again?:

Any other comments:

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

Science Self Assessment

Sandringham Summer Project

Name: Primary school: Secondary school:

In science i am good at:

My favourite topic in science is:

I need to improve at:

My funniest moment in science was:

In my key stage 2 science, I am expecting

Information for your

Year 7 teacher

Information for your Year 7 teacher

Detectives, forensic scientists and

sheriffs wear badges to identify

themselves. It says who they are

and what department they belong

to.

Design your own sheriff badge to wear to your first science lesson

at Sandringham,

Task 1

Your badges character should reflect your own. Have a look at the

different designs below and see which appeals.

Information for your Year 7 teacher

Task 2

Draw and cut out your badge so you

Have a template. Think about what

Kind of material you want your

badge to be made out of.

Task 3

A badge usually has

a picture on of the

person who wears it

for identification

purposes. Have you

got a picture that

you could use or

could you draw one?

Where are you going

To put the picture?

Task 4

Around the outside in each point or somewhere appropriate,

could you put information about yourself? 5 facts about yourself

and one fact that is made up!! This sounds strange, but it will be

useful for a task when you arrive at Sandringham.

Information for your Year 7 teacher

You are almost there now!!

Task 5

How are you going to

colour in and deco-

rate your badge?

Could you use other

materials to help

you?

Task 6

How are you going to attach your badge to your top?