This document provides guidance for teaching primary school science sessions on investigating human life processes through working scientifically. It outlines health and safety measures, session aims, national curriculum links, developing children's ideas through elicitation strategies like annotated drawings. Practical investigations are suggested to model digestion using Weetabix, make blood models, and measure heart rate response to exercise. Children's misconceptions about topics like digestion and circulation are discussed. The importance of nutrition, food groups, and interpreting food packaging is covered, along with useful teaching resources.

1. Working scientifically to
investigate humans
Session 3
Primary PGCE Science
Maria Elsam

2. Hazard
Persons
at Risk & Nature of
harm
Current Control Measures
Risk Rating
Severity x
Likelihood
Trip hazards. Students and
Staff
Inform students to keep walkways clear at all times by storing
bags under tables. Chairs to be replaced under the table when
not being used.
Low
Student electrical equipment
on desktops – reduces space
and potential for electric
shocks with spillages.
Students and
Staff
All student personal electrical equipment to be put away when
not required during practical activities. Mobile phones not to be
charged in rooms.
Personal Safety Hands to be washed after practical activities where appropriate.
No food to be consumed in the science teaching rooms.
Students to advise lecturers of any personal medical conditions
that may be exacerbated during specific practical sessions.
Students to take responsibility for informing others of potential
hazards that manifest from their practical investigations.
Low
End of session etiquette All equipment returned to the place of origin.
All rubbish to be disposed of and/or recycled where
appropriate.
Tables and floors to be left clear.
All chairs to be replaced under tables on leaving the room.
Please take time to familiarize yourself with the following health and safety measures applicable during
all Primary Science sessions.
Health and Safety

3. Session Aims
• To explore pupils’ ideas and explanations on human life
processes
• To consider the use of formative assessment strategies to
elicit children’s ideas
• To investigate how pupils’ ideas are developed by working
scientifically, using models and pattern seeking.
• To gain insight into the processes of digestion, circulation,
movement and exercise by working scientifically
• To increase awareness of the factors which contribute to
good health and growth, including a healthy balanced diet,
lifestyle and exercise.

4. National Curriculum (DfE, 2013)
Year 1:
Identify and name a variety of common animals that are
carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.
Year 2:
Describe how animals obtain their food from plants and
other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and
identify and name different sources of food.
Describe the importance for humans of exercise, eating
the right amounts of different types of food, and
hygiene.
Year 3:
Identify that animals, including humans, need the
right types and amount of nutrition, and that
they cannot make their own food; they get
nutrition from what they eat.
Year 4
Describe the simple functions of the basic parts
of the digestive system in humans.
Identify the different types of teeth in humans
and their simple functions.
Construct and interpret a variety of food chains,
identifying producers, predators and prey.
Year 6
Recognise the impact of diet, exercise, drugs and
lifestyle on the way their bodies function
Describe the ways in which nutrients and water
are transported within animals, including
humans.

5. Developing children’s ideas
• Children develop early ideas about scientific phenomena
during their everyday lives.
• Many of these are scientifically incorrect (Driver et al.,
1994) and are known as naïve conceptions, alternate
conceptual frameworks or misconceptions.
• The teacher’s role is to support children in developing more
scientifically correct ideas. However, conceptual change
takes time.
• When using constructivist theories of learning, teachers
take children’s ideas into account to build on these.

6. Developing scientific ideas by working scientifically ‘Big
Ideas of Science’ (Harlen, 2015)
Early ideas are
naïve and
present as
misconceptions
due to counter-
intuitive nature
of science.

7. Eliciting children’s ideas using
formative assessment strategies
Teachers’ questions can reveal
levels of understanding.
– What do you think?
– Why do you think that?
– How do you know this?
– Can you tell me more?
• Annoted drawings and
diagrams
• Concept maps (mind-
maps)
• KWHL Grids

8. Elicitation Task: Annotated drawings
• Create an annotated diagram of the human
body digesting food.

9. Compare your diagram with an anatomical
diagram

10. Osbourne, Wadsworth and Black (1992, p.36)
Children were asked to add to show
what happened to food in their body.
This elicited a wide range of
responses, illustrating the range of
children's understanding and extent of
their biological knowledge.
At the simplest level, children would
simply draw a body cavity containing
untransformed food with no tube.
Alternatively, food would be shown
distributed through the human body.

11. Children’s misconceptions about digestion
Digestion starts in the stomach.
• Digestion starts in the mouth, where the salivary amylase (a digestive enzyme) acts
on the starch in food.
Digestion ends in the stomach or large intestine.
• Digestion ends in the small intestine, where carbohydrates, proteins and fats are
digested. Proteins are digested in the stomach. Water and minerals are absorbed
into the bloodstream in the large intestine.
The digestive system has two outlets – one for faeces and one for urine.
• The digestive system has one outlet – the anus through which undigested food is
discharged from the body

12. Digestion is the process which releases usable energy from food.
• Digestion is the breakdown of large food molecules into smaller ones.
Respiration is the process by which energy is released from food.
The discharge of undigested food through the anus is called excretion.
• The discharge of undigested food through the anus is called egestion
or defecation. Excretion is the discharge of metabolic wastes from the
body, e.g. urine excreted by the kidneys, carbon dioxide excreted by
the lungs.
The oesophagus and windpipe are one and the same tube which splits
leading to the stomach and lungs.
• The oesophagus and windpipe are two different tubes. The gullet
connects the mouth to the stomach while the windpipe leads to the
lungs. A flap called the epiglottis closes the windpipe while food is
being swallowed into the gullet..

13. When teaching digestion, we need to make the scientific
subject knowledge accessible to children by modelling
the process practically.
• Models help students understand how a process works
or explains ideas or concepts.
• Some models can be purchased e.g. models of teeth.
• Others need to be set up e.g. Weetabix investigation
• Video-clips, animations, simulations and role-play
scenarios show sequences and processes.
Models

14. a Incisor
b Canine
c Premolar
d Molar•Incisors: cut food.
•Canines: tear food.
•Premolars: crush and tear food.
•Molars: grind food.
Subject Knowledge: Digestion starts in the mouth

15. What happens next?
https://www.youtube.com/watc
h?v=_QYwscALNng

16. Practical Investigation 1: Modelling the journey
of Weetabix through the digestive system
• Mouth
Food is chewed and mixes with saliva. It is
swallowed. Food is here for about 30 seconds.
• Oesophagus (Food tube)
Leads from the mouth to the stomach. This takes
about 10 seconds.
• Stomach
Food is churned up and mixes with juices which
help break it down. Food is here for 1 to 6 hours.

17. • Small intestine
More juices are added there is more mixing.
Once food is fully broken down it passes to
the blood. This takes about 5-6 hours.
• Large intestine
A lot of water passes back into the body.
Only solid waste is left.
• Anus
Waste is stored in the anus and passes out of
the body through the rectum.
This can take between 12-24 hours.

18. Circulation
• Circulation of the blood delivers
nutrition to and removes waste
from the cells at high speed.
• It takes oxygenated blood to and
removes carbon dioxide from
cells.
• The size of your blood vessels
control the speed of blood flow.
• In large vessels the flow is slow,
while in small vessels it speeds
up. This is because the same
amount of blood needs to move
under the same pressure (put out
by the pump of your heart). If the
opening is smaller, the pressure
will be greater and it will be
pushed through faster.

19. Practical Investigation: Making a model of blood
• 2 spoonfuls of glycerin
(represents plasma)
• 1 spoonful of sugar, salt, oil to
represent ions (dissolved
nutrients in saline)
• 2 spoonfuls of lentils to represent
red blood cells. (red cells capture
oxygen)
• 1 spoonful of hoops to represent
white blood cells: mini
marshmallows (germ police
surround the invading germs)
• To represent platelets: 1 spoonful
of sprinkles or chocolate chips
(form rafts to stop bleeding
wounds – form scabs).
• Red food colouring
• Water

20. Children’s models of the heart
structure and function

21. The heart and its function
• http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+h
eart+and+circulation+KS2&&view=detail&mid
=310EA1CB72D62965A004310EA1CB72D6296
5A004&FORM=VRDGAR
• Watch the clip the human body, heart and
circulation to find out how the heart works.

22. The Blood in the Body (sing to the tune of “The Wheels on the Bus”)
The blood in the body goes round and round,
Round and round,
Round and round.
The blood in the body goes round and round
All day long.
The blood enters the heart through the right atrium,
Right atrium,
Right atrium.
The blood enters the heart through the right atrium,
Then is pumped through the ventricle.
From the right ventricle, blood goes to the lungs,
To the lungs,
To the lungs.
From the right ventricle, blood goes to the lungs,
Where it gets oxygen.
From the lungs, the blood returns,
Blood returns,
Blood returns.
From the lungs, the blood returns
Into the left atrium.
From the left atrium, the blood is pumped,
Blood is pumped,
Blood is pumped.
From the left atrium, the blood is pumped
Into the left ventricle.
From the left ventricle, the blood flows out,
Blood flows out,
Blood flows out.
From the left ventricle, blood flows out
Through the aorta.
From the aorta, blood goes to the body,
To the body,
To the body.
From the aorta, blood goes to the body
Through the veins and capillaries.
Dr. Terry Shanahan, UC Irvine Learn English Through Science, April 26, 2003

23. We can investigate how the heart responds to
exercise
• A slow resting pulse rate can be
regarded as a sign of fitness.
• With exercise/physical activity, the
heart rate increases to supply the
muscles with more oxygen to
produce extra energy. The
respiratory rate increases so more
oxygen enters the lungs in a given
time.
• The heart has a maximum heart
rate. The brain sends nerve signals
to the heart to control the rate.
• The faster your pulse rate recovers
the better your cardio-vascular
fitness.
• The heart rate (in beats per minute –
bpm) increases to match the intensity of
exercise e.g. walking, jogging and running.
• Heart rate starts to rise prior to any type
of exercise – just the thought of exercise is
enough to trigger a heart rate response!

24. Practical Investigation: How does your heart respond to
exercise and recover after exercise?
Using the equipment provided design a SAFE investigation to find out what
happens to your pulse rate in response to exercise.
• How quickly does your heart rate increase and recover?
• How could you present your data and explain your findings?
• What scientific process skills have you used in this investigation?
• What are your L.O and your Success Criteria?

25. Risk Assessment
What are the hazards?
• To pupils with respiratory problems, such as asthmatics.
• To pupils with medical problems who may be affected by vigorous exertion
Precautions – suggested actions
Should a pupil experience difficulty breathing, especially breathing out: reassure and
calm the pupil
Ensure good supply of fresh air
If the pupil has medication, allow them to take it because it may provide relief
If symptoms persist, seek medical aid.
General information
Breathing – do not allow pupils to hold breath or hyperventilate

26. The body’s responses to exercise
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=heart+r
esponse+to+exercise&&view=detail&mid=38FF3
DFF2DB32610329D38FF3DFF2DB32610329D&F
ORM=VRDGAR
How the body responds to exercise (background
knowledge)

27. Pattern-seeking: Misconceptions or truths?
In pairs or small groups investigate the following statements:
• When you hold your arms out wide, the distance from fingertip to
fingertip is the same as your height.
• The width of your mouth is also the distance between your pupils.
• The length of your foot is the same as the distance around your fist.
• The distance around your head at your forehead multiplied by three is the
same as your height.
• The measurement around your wrist is one half the measurement around
your thumb.
• The distance around your wrist is one half the distance around your neck.
• The distance around your neck is one half the distance around your waist.
• The distance around your thumb multiplied by 8 is your waist size.
• The distance around your big toe is one half the distance around your
ankle.

28. Elicitation Activity:
“YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!”
1. Discuss this statement in small groups for 5
minutes:
Is it true? Do you agree?
2. Produce a consensus placemat to identify
arguments in agreement and disagreement
with this statement.

29. 29

30. Analysis of the eatwell plate
1. What are the 5 food groups?
2. Name some foods that belong in each of the groups.
3. Which are the 2 biggest groups that you should eat most from?
What fraction are they of the whole plate?
4. Of the other three, which is the largest, the next largest, and the
smallest – that you should eat least from? (Together these make up
the last third.)
5. What are the most important nutrients in each group? Why are
they important for health?
• Challenge: Put together a balanced meal for a particular
person/lifestyle-choosing foods from the different food groups.
• Play the eatwell plate games.

31. Use of food pyramids
Children can compare the food pyramids for different ethnic
groups to the British eat well plate. One pyramid can be used to
plan a healthy menu/meal for a different ethnic group:

32. What is nutrition?
• Materials and food required to support life and growth
• Diet: What you eat every day
• Good nutrition: moderation, balance, variety in food intake
• Energy from food intake = energy required for growth/
physical activity
• Nutrition system functions: feeding, digestion and excretion
• Nutrition/healthy eating is often taught as part of the health
promoting school initiative involving parental and community
partnerships.

33. What can we find out about the nutritional
value of foods from the packaging?

34. Practical Investigation: Compare the sugar and
fat contents of lunchboxes A and B
Measure out the
equivalent
weight in lard
and white sugar
and look at the
piles.
What do you
notice?
Equipment
Spoons
Scales
Paper

35. Reading and References
READING
Driver, R. et al (1994) Making Sense of Secondary Science: research into children’s
ideas. London: Routledge.
(Chapter 1 ‘Living Things’, which includes sections on the concepts of living, animal,
plant, classification and species)
Useful references and websites
British Medical Association (BMA) (2013) Board of Science. Available at:
http://bmaopac.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/exlibris/aleph/a23_1/apache_media/5BHGI
2CPEIGNRJXM8TV5AR58BGD252.pdf
Department for Education (DfE) (2013) National Curriculum.
Harlen: W. and Qualter, A. (2009) The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools.
Routledge.
Osborne, J., Wadsworth, P., & Black. (1992). Processes of life: Primary SPACE project
research report. Liverpool: Liverpool University Press.

36. Healthy living: some useful
websites/teaching resources
• https://www.teachingideas.co.uk/sites/default/files/ilovemylungs.pdf
Investigating lungs and breathing (Roy Castle lung cancer foundation)
• Healthy body and healthy eating Theme 5
• https://www3.hants.gov.uk/bi4l-theme5.pdf
• NHS: The eatwell guide
• https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/the-eatwell-guide/
• Food a fact of life: lessons
• http://www.foodafactoflife.org.uk/Sheet.aspx?siteId=15&sectionId=101&contentI
d=436
• Fun, food and fitness: A PSHE resource for Year 1-6
• http://www.westfieldinfants.co.uk/PSHE%20Primary%20Scheme/Fun,%20Food%2
0and%20Fitness.pdf
• British Nutrition Foundation: Ideas for British Nutrition Week 2018
• https://www.nutrition.org.uk/healthyliving/hew/bnhew18-activities.html
• STEM: Teaching the KS2 snack bar lesson
• https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/elibrary/resource/32003/teaching-ks2-snack-
bar-lesson