Project Three

Explanation Texts – Explaining science, Blue Peter style

Approach

This project involved sixty children working in two class groups of thirty for four days each. The children were asked to create a ‘Blue Peter’ style video demonstration to explain a key concept of their science topic, which was based around solids, liquids and gases and separating mixtures. The children worked in groups to conduct their experiments and agree their findings. They then had to decide how to demonstrate and explain this to camera, using digital photographs and drawings to explain. The script of this video was, in effect an explanation text, just written to be performed aloud to camera.

Literacy Links

There is a clear link to non-fiction Explanation Texts but also on speaking and listening, both during the planning, rehearsal and developmental stages but also during the final performances to camera.

Pupils’ comments

‘I have enjoyed doing the taping.’
‘Writing the script was cool.’
‘I like doing quiet work, it was fun writing down notes.’
‘It was good to keep practising in front of the camera.’

Teacher’s comment

‘There has been an obvious improvement in the children’s writing. They are much more confident when writing about their experiments.’
View the Martins Wood science experiments video here

Leo’s notes

Creating a series of short video presentations suggested itself through the curriculum theme of Solids and Liquids, to which I added Gases. (I was reminded and inspired by such programmes as Tomorrow’s World and Blue Peter.) The aim was to undertake a series of short experiments to be performed/presented live to camera. For this, the children could use photographs (digital photo cameras) and drawings to assist their presentations and could also use video cameras to help in rehearsing their presentations, practising reading aloud.
To begin with, we gave the groups of children a series of experiments to undertake, with each a sheet with the different stages of the experiment and the questions, requirements and results that needed to be considered and recorded. This formed the basis of the writing throughout the four days, encouraging them to think in a structured and scientific way about what they were doing and also to create an accurate script for their final presentations.
With this (and with both other projects) we created a word bank, a sheet of scientific and relevant words for the children to refer to. The different elements of the project – planning experiments, writing, undertaking, considering outcomes and writing up - added to this. In addition, making drawings and photographs, and rehearsing to camera, gave a varied approach to what was a fairly repetitive structure. The final aim, to create a Science Programme, also gave a final focus and reason for their hard work.
During this, the last project, I was amazed by how hard the children worked and how they were able to remain focused throughout the project. All three workshops were extremely intense events. The possibility of being able to take a block of days and work solely on the project during this time enabled a focus and concentration that would not normally be possible. (These projects were split over two separate years, i.e. two different Year 4s and two pairs of teachers.)
What also made these events possible and successful was the assistance from parents and other helpers during the first and last of the projects. With each of these, to a greater or lesser extent, I had to look into the themes for myself, particularly the Habitats and Solids and Liquids projects. As I had never undertaken a science lesson before, it was important that I was familiar with the curriculum and connected issues, and thus my knowledge and abilities were extended. None of these events would have been possible without the openness of the school, which allowed me to try out these approaches, new to both of us, and the assistance and confidence given me by the teachers I worked with at Martins Wood School.