Whizz Pop Bang primary science teaching resources sample pack

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Teaching resource samples
Get ready to transform science in your school..................................1
How much does it cost?............................................................................................3
What’s inside a resource pack?........................................................................4
Year 2 Lesson pack: Plants investigation..............................................6
Year 2 Reading: Non-chronological report text.................................7
Year 2 Reading: Question and answer sheets.....................................8
Year 3 Lesson pack: Animals inc. humans activity....................9
Year 3 Reading: Biography text....................................................................10
Year 3 Reading: Question and answer sheets..................................11
Year 4 Lesson pack: Sound investigation............................................12
Year 4 Reading: Explanation text...............................................................13
Year 5 Lesson pack: Forces investigation...........................................16
Year 5 Reading: Biography text.................................................................... 17
Year 6 Lesson pack: Electricity activity & experiment...... 20
Year 6 Reading: Interview text......................................................................21
Year 6 Reading: Question and answer sheets................................. 22
Year 6 Debate................................................................................................................. 24
Quick 10 minute science discussions...................................................... 25
FAQs about the resources................................................................................... 26
Contents

Get ready to transform
science in your school
with Whizz Pop Bang!
One word log-ins
Non-fiction reading texts
Interviews with real
scientists
Differentiated reading
comprehensions New resources added
each month
Written by teachers and
science writers
STEM debates
Lots of ideas and content
for science and eco clubs
Linked to the science and
reading curricula
How things work
Science Week ideas
Hands-on experiments
and investigations
To see all our resources visit whizzpopbang.com/teaching-resources 1

Using Whizz Pop Bang has
revitalised our science teaching. The quality
of the resources is first class, supporting
cross curricular links through the reading
comprehension activities.
In addition, the planning offers exciting
practical ideas, particularly useful to teachers
who are not scientific specialists. The children
absolutely love carrying out the
real-life experiments.
Sally Cowell, Head teacher at Shaw Ridge School, Swindon
• Brilliant value
• Saves time
• Reliable, trustworthy science
• Makes science teaching easy, and fun!
• Integrates science across the curriculum
To see all our resources visit whizzpopbang.com/teaching-resources2

8 magazine subscriptions
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*Packages above are based on standard-sized schools with 300 pupils.
To calculate the price per pupil for your school, use our online pricing
tool at whizzpopbang.com/schools. We also have packages for smaller
schools with under 110 pupils.
How much does it cost? 1 magazine subscription
+ resources
✔ 1 magazine each month
✔ Access to teaching resources
£190
Annual cost
per pupil
63p*
per year
4 magazine subscriptions
+ resources
✔ 4 magazines each month
✔ Access to teaching resources
£300
Annual cost
per pupil
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per year
3To see all our resources visit whizzpopbang.com/teaching-resources

Inside our ‘Sky High Science’ resource pack!
Simple
investigations
using
household
items
Comprehension
Q A linked to the
reading curriculum
Cross-curricular guided
reading texts
Curriculum links, learning objectives and
working scientifically links
Differentiated
lesson plans
Interactive PowerPoints
to guide the lessons
4

KIT LIST
whizzpopbang.com/schools
Grow your own pet Y2 20 mins
Activity and Differentiation
Activity Session 2:
The children should have a discussion with
their partners, looking at all the different petgrass heads in the classroom. This could beset up in different ways:
1. Partners can walk around the classroom
looking at the grass heads.
2. Put the grass heads on tables, complete
with labels to show where they were kept.
3. Collate the pets on tables according to
how well they have grown.
As the children walk around with their
partners, they will have a list of questions
they will need to answer orally:
• Has the grass grown?
• Is the grass green? If it isn’t, why?
• Was the grass pet in the light?
• Was it somewhere warm?
• Did it have air?
• Was it watered?
• Was there soil for the seeds to get
nutrients from?
Lower ability readers should be supported
by their partners.
As the children are working with their
partners, target the children who need help
to structure their responses. Reward goodexplanations or questions. If evidence is
needed for the children’s science books,
you could take a photo of the children
discussing their ideas with their partners
and glue them into their books, along with
a description of the lesson.
National curriculum links
• Observe and describe how seeds and
bulbs grow into mature plants. Find out
and describe how plants need water,
light and a suitable temperature to grow
and stay healthy.
Learning objective
• To observe how seeds grow and know
what they need in order to survive.
Working scientifically links
• Observing closely using simple
equipment. Using their observations and
ideas to suggest answers
to questions.
Teacher input
The second activity needs to take place
once the grass has started to grow.
Hopefully the children will have noticed
changes over the course of a week.
Start the lesson by asking them
what they have noticed about their
grass pets? Why do they think that has
happened?
Encouragethechildrentothinkscientifically
when they structure their answers, for
example: ‘I think the grass head that was
placed by the radiator didn’t grow as well as
the one in the window because it was too
hot and didn’t have enough light.’
Plenary
Share the PowerPoint slide that shows the end result of the experiment. Which pet dothe children think was on a window sill? Why? How do they know?
ISSUE 33 Cross curricular links
Reading relating to seeds: Downloadable harvest mice pdf
Reading relating to pets: Issue 33 – Interview with Dr NicolaRooney who works with dogs, pages 22-23; How stuff works – petmicrochips, pages 24-25; Animal antics – hamsters, pages 14-15.
Year 2 sample lesson pack
Y2
Resources
Session 1
• Grass seed
• Soil or compost
• Nylon tights
• Plant pots, yoghurt pots or bowls
• Elastic bands
• Googly eyes or felt
• Glue
Session 2
• PowerPoint
• Pet grass heads from Session 1
• Question sheet
Grow your own pet
• Observe and describe how seeds and
bulbs grow into mature plants. Find out
and describe how plants need water,
light and a suitable temperature to
grow and stay healthy.
Learning objective
• To observe how seeds grow and know
what they need in order to survive.
• Observing closely, using simple
equipment. Using their observations
and ideas to suggest answers
to questions.
40 mins
Teacher input
Before the lesson, you will need to soak
the grass seed overnight in water. This will
speed up germination.
Ask the children how they think plants
grow. What do plants need? Collect the
children’s ideas and write them down so
that they can be revisited at the end of
the sessions. Share with the children the
PowerPoint about how a seed grows.
As children are working with a partner,
this would be a good opportunity to
model how the perfect partnership
works. Choose one of the children or your
teaching assistant to work with you as you
demonstrate following the instructions to
make a grass pet.
Share the Perfect Partnership Rules:
Get along
Respect others’ ideas
On task
Use quiet voices
Participate
Stay in your group
Activity Session 1:
All children will make their own pet during
the first session. There are examples of
different pets they could make included in
the PowerPoint.
As they are planting their seeds, discuss
why they need to put the seeds at the top of
their pet.
Once all of the grass pets are planted
and decorated, the children should decide
where to place them within the classroom.
Encourage children to choose different
places and then make predictions about
how well the pets will grow and why.
The grass pet you have made during your
demonstration would be perfect to place
in a dark cupboard to show what happens
when there isn’t any light.
If evidence is needed for the children’s
science books, take photos of their grass
pets and where they have situated them.
Differentiation
Children can work in mixed ability pairs.
Plenary
As a class, make predictions about how
well the pets will grow their ‘fur’.
Ask which pets the children think will grow
first. Why?
Example: ‘I think the dog’s ‘fur’ will grow
the fastest because it’s on the window sill.
Seeds need light and warmth to grow.’
l Soil or compost
l Tights
l Two tablespoons
of grass seeds
l A plant pot or bowl
l Elastic bands
l Googly eyes, felt or beads
l Glue
I’m a pet
monster!
investigationPlants

Year 2 reading Non-chronological report text
Magnifying glass indicates differentiation

Year 2 reading Question and answer sheets
whizzpopbang.com
©LaunchpadPublishingLtd2018,illustrations©CliveGoodyer
Name ...................................................................................................................................................................
Interview with Nicola Rooney, a dog trainer
What is Nicola Rooney’s job?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Circle the jobs dogs used to do in the past.
Guarding Playing Carrying loads
List three jobs dogs do today.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
What tip is given to dog owners?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
What do dogs do to signal they are playing?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Year 2
Q4.
Q5.
whizzpopbang.com
These questions can be given to the children as an independent task or
alternatively, you may want to use them for discussion.
Answering questions.
She investigates how we can train dogs and how we can care for animals to make
sure they live happy and healthy lives.
Three from this list;
Detecting drugs and explosives, guiding blind people, protecting livestock and
wildlife and medical help for example detecting blood sugar levels.
To play with them.
A play bow.
ANSWERS
Q1.
A1.
Q2.
A2.
Q3.
A3.
Q4.
A5.
Year 2
A4.
Q5.

whizzpopbang.com
©LaunchpadPublishingLtd2018
Name ....................................................................................................................................................................
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Can dogs read our emotions?
____________________________________________________________
What does imitate mean? Draw a circle around the correct answer.
Play Copy Guess
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Can you think of a question you would like to ask Nicola Rooney?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Year 2
Q4.
Q5.
Q6.
Q7.
Q8.
whizzpopbang.com
These questions can be given to the children as an independent task or
alternatively, you may want to use them for discussion.
She investigates how we can train dogs and how we can care for animals to make
sure they live happy and healthy lives.
Three from this list;
Detecting drugs and explosives, guiding blind people, protecting livestock and
wildlife, medical help; for example, detecting blood sugar levels.
To play with them.
A play bow.
Can dogs read our emotions?
Yes.
Discuss and clarify the meaning of words.
What does imitate mean? Draw a circle around the correct answer.
Play Copy Guess
Ask questions.
Can you think of a question you would like to ask Nicola Rooney?
Any question related to her job would be correct.
ANSWERS
Q1.
A1.
Q2.
A2.
Q3.
A3.
Q4.
A5.
Year 2
A4.
Q5.
Q6.
A6.
Q7.
A7.
Q8.
A8.

Year 3
MAKE A Bendy Backbone
Plenary
What has
changed? Is
this how our backbones work? What do the
children think the sticky tack represents?
Share Y’s explanation of the backbone
from the speech bubble below. Let the
children read it and see if that helps with
an explanation.
Bring the children’s observations together.What did they find out?
Give the children the names of the
parts of the backbone – vertebrae and
cartilage. Finish with a clear diagram of
the backbone.
Reading: Skeleton Secrets, pages 12-13; interview with an orthopaedic vet,pages 8-9; Sensational Scientist – Marie Curie, pages 28-29; how stuffworks – X-ray machines, pages 22-23; make a skeleton craft, pages 17-20.
40 mins
Activity Two:
1. Remove the straw and cut it into four
equal pieces (roughly 3 cm long).
2. Wrap a blob of sticky tack around the
wire and alternate lengths of straw
and sticky tack as shown below.
The backbone is more
flexible when you cut the straw into
shorter lengths. This explains why your
backbone consists of shorter bones called
vertebrae. Cartilage between the vertebrae
prevents them from rubbing, much like the
sticky tack stops the sections of straw
from rubbing together.
© Launchpad Publishing Ltd 2018, illustrations © Clive Goodyer
Year 3
Depending on your class, you could set
this up in several ways:
1. Lead it step-by-step from the front.
2. Give pairs instructions for the activities
so that they can work at their own
speed. The instructions (available in the
resources pack) can be cut in half for
the two parts of the lesson.
3. Lead a lower ability group while the
more able children follow instructions.
Activity One:
Give all of the children a 5 cm paperclip
and a drinking straw. The children could
measure the straws themselves to link
to maths and measurement.
1. Straighten the paperclip.
2. Thread the straw through the
paperclip.
Ask the children to try bending it. What
happens? Do they think this is how our
backbones work? Why not?
MAKE A Bendy Backbone
• Ask relevant questions and use
different types of scientific enquiries to
answer them.
• Identify that humans and some animals
have skeleton muscles for support,
protection and movement.
Learning objective
• Find out how your backbone works.
• Asking relevant questions and using
different types of scientific enquiries to
answer them.
• Setting up simple practical enquiries.
• Using results to draw simple
conclusions.
Resources
• 5 cm paperclips
• Straws
• Sticky tack
• Scissors
40 mins
Teacher input
Ask the children if they know where
their backbone is? Can they point to a
partner’s backbone? Why do we have
one? How does it work? Use the image of
a skeleton in the resources pack, share
on an interactive board and ask the
children to label each part (also available
in resources to print out). Share the
PowerPoint available in the resources
pack.
Explain that the children are going to
find out if their knowledge is correct by
making their own model backbone using
straws, paperclips and sticky tack.
l A 5cm paperclip
l A drinking straw
l Scissors
l A ruler
l Sticky tack or Plasticine
KIT LIST
Animals inc. humans Activity

Year 3 reading Biography text
Isabel Thomas
traces the
discovery
of two
extraordinary
elements that
made Marie
Curie one of
the world’s
most famous
scientists.
Marie was the youngest of five brothers and sisters.
They all loved learning, but at that time Polish girls were
not allowed to go to university. So Marie had to move
to France to study physics and maths.
In 1896, Marie read about the
strange properties of a metal
called uranium. It gave out invisible
rays that could pass through solid
objects and even make air conduct
electricity! Marie asked a question
that would change her life:
MARIE
CURIE Marie Curie
was born in Poland on the
7th of November 1867
Science has
great beauty. A scientist in her
laboratory is a child placed before
natural phenomena which impress
her like a fairy tale.
I wonder
if any other
materials give
out these
rays?
First, Marie tested every element that
had ever been discovered. She had no
luck, but she didn’t give up. Next, she
tested minerals, including pitchblende
– a rock that contains small amounts
of uranium. This time the results were
amazing. Pitchblende gave out rays
MUCH STRONGER than those given
out by pure uranium!
The only way to prove it
was to get the mystery
new substance out of the
pitchblende. Marie’s husband
Pierre gave up his own
research to help.
This is very
remarkable and led us
to believe that these
minerals may contain a much
more active element than
uranium itself!
It was killing
work to carry the
containers, to pour off
the liquids, and to stir,
for hours at a time, the
boiling material in a
cast-iron basin.
Sensational Scientists
WPB027 P.28-29 History.indd 1 22/09/2017 22:39
I wonder
if any other
materials give
out these
rays?
The rays given
out by polonium and radium were
so strong, they made X-rays look
weak and weedy. They could pass
through almost ANYTHING.
I invented the word ‘radioactive’ to
describe this amazing
property.
Radium was not
to enrich anyone.
Radium is an
element. It belongs
to all people.
After many years,
they managed to
extract not one
but TWO new
elements from the
pitchblende.
For the rest of her life, Marie
carried on researching radiation
and how it could be used to help
people. During the First World
War, she designed mobile X-ray
trucks known as ‘little Curies’.
She and her 17-year-old daughter
Irène worked as drivers, X-raying
casualties near battlefields.
Marie’s research often made
her feel sick and exhausted,
but people didn’t realise
how dangerous radioactive
substances were until the
1930s. Over time, Marie’s
work had damaged the cells
in her bones. Marie died aged
66, but she lived to see Irène
and her husband Frederic
win a Nobel Prize of their
own, for producing artificial
radioactivity.
Marie was
the first person in the
world to win TWO Nobel
Prizes, for her work on
radioactivity. She became a
science superstar – her fans
included Albert Einstein!
She could have made a
fortune but she decided to
share her knowledge
for free.
WPB027 P.28-29 History.indd 2 22/09/2017 22:39
whizzpopbang.com
©LaunchpadPublishingLtd2018,illustrations©CliveGoodyer.

whizzpopbang.com
Name ............................................................................................................................................................
Sensational Scientist - Marie Curie
Why did the author choose to use speech and thought bubbles in the presentation?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
What did polonium and radium make X-rays look like?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
How do you know that Marie spent her whole lifetime researching radiation and
how it could help people? Write more than one answer.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Year 3
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
whizzpopbang.com
Sensational Scientist - Marie Curie Answers
Objective: Structure and presentation contribute to meaning.
Why did the author choose to use speech and thought bubbles in the presentation?
They make what Marie said and thought stand out for the reader, bringing it to life.
Objective: Retrieve and record information.
What did polonium and radium make X-rays look like?
Weak and weedy.
Objective: Justifying inferences with evidence.
How do you know that Marie spent her whole lifetime researching radiation and
how it could help people? Write more than one answer.
Answers can relate to time, e.g.
It says ‘for the rest of her life’.
It says ‘after many years’.
She was born in 1867 and she was reading about strange properties of
uranium in 1896.
Her 17-year-old daughter helped her drive the ‘Little Curies’ (work was still going on).
Year 3
Q1.
A1.
Q2.
A2.
Q3.
A3.

Year 4
Resources
• Hair pins
• A variety of containers made from
different materials, e.g. glass jar,
plastic bottle, wooden block, metal lid,
etc
• Sticky tape
Activity
The children should work in pairs to
carry out the experiment. They should
test what happens when they vary how
hard they press down on the pins, and
should also decide on another variable to
change, for example:
• The angle of the pins
• The size of the
container
• The material the
pins are attached
to
The pupils should
experiment by making
three different hair pin
strummers.
Pin Strummer investigation
• Find patterns between the volume
of a sound and the strength of the
vibrations that produced it.
Learning objective
• I can investigate how the volume of a
sound is altered.
• Asking relevant questions.
• Setting up simple practical enquiries
and fair tests.
Differentiation
Encourage able children to extend the
investigation themselves by thinking of
a question they would like to find the
answer to. If possible give them the
opportunity to investigate and report their
findings to the rest of the class.
Plenary
Choose pairs of children who have chosen
different variables to share their findings.
As a class, discuss why the sound changed.
What was different to make it change?
ISSUE 41 Cross-curricular links
Reading: Interview with a solo percussionist who can’t hear, pages 8-9;
How stuff works – pianos, page 16; Incredible inventions - the microphone,
pages 28-29.
When you press down on a
pin, you transfer energy from your
hand to the pin. The harder you press,
the more energy is transferred. More
energy means a bigger vibration and a
louder sound. Less energy means a softer
sound. More rigid objects vibrate
more quickly, so they make
higher-pitched sounds.
50-60 mins
Teacher input
Share the PowerPoint presentation
entitled ‘A mash-up of musical science’. It
explains the science behind how different
musical instruments work.
From the PowerPoint,
share the instructions
for how to make a pin
strummer. Make one
with the class, then ask
these questions: What
would happen to the
sound if I pushed harder
on the pins? Would
the sound change if I
attached the pins to a
different material?
l Hair pins
l Sticky tape
l A variety of different containers made
from different materials
KIT LIST
Sound Investigation

Year 4 reading Explanation text
PIANO
There are usually 88 keys on a
piano: 52 white keys, which play the
major notes (A, B, C, D, E, F, G), and
36 black keys for the sharps and
flats in between.
When a key is pressed, a
wooden hammer covered in
felt strikes the strings, which
vibrate to create the sound.
Sitting on top of the strings are dampers, which stop
the strings from vibrating. When the hammer rises to
hit the string, the damper on that string lifts off to allow
the string to vibrate before falling back down to stop
the sound when the player stops pressing the key.
Each string is wound around
a metal tuning pin that can be
turned to tighten or loosen the
tension and change the pitch of
the note. The tighter the string,
the higher the note it produces
when the hammer hits it.
There are usually two or three pedals on
a piano. The right-hand pedal lifts all the
dampers off the strings, so the notes carry on
sounding after they have been played. The
left-hand one shifts the hammer to one side,
which makes the notes sound softer.
A super-strong frame
made from cast iron
holds the strings tight.There are around 230
strings in a piano, with each
key playing two or three
strings tuned to the same note.
The strings are made of super-
strong steel, which is stretched
incredibly tightly.
The vibrating strings don’t
create much sound on their
own as they are very thin, so
pianos use a large flat piece of
wood called a soundboard
to amplify the sound by
creating much larger sound
waves in the air.
Some of the most amazing music in the world is played on
a piano – but how does pressing a few black and white keys
create such a range of beautiful sounds?
1
3
4
5
8
9
7
2
As well as grand pianos like
this one, there are also upright
pianos which work in the same
way, but the strings run up and
down instead of horizontally.
Vibrations from the strings
are transmitted to the
soundboard via a wooden
bar called the bridge.
6
The piano has the widest range of notes
of any instrument, covering more than
seven octaves (each with eight notes).
HOW STUFF
WORKS

Year 4 reading Question sheets
whizzpopbang.com
Name ......................................................................................................
How Stuff Works - Pianos
How many strings are struck when a key is pressed?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Which notes are produced by the 36 black keys?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
How are grand pianos different from upright pianos?
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
In your own words, explain how the damper works.
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
On the left are some main ideas about pianos. Draw a line to the detail on the
right that goes with each of them. One has been done for you.
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.
Keys
Hammer
Strings
Dampers
This is usually made of wood
and is covered with felt.
These are stretched
tightly and they are made
of strong steel.
There are 88 of these on a
full-size piano.
When a key is pressed,
these lift off to allow the
strings to vibrate.
Year 4
whizzpopbang.com
What are the notes A-G known as?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
If I tightened the tuning pin what would happen?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Which pedal would I need to push if I wanted my piece of music to sound softer?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Can the vibrating strings alone produce sound?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
How many octaves can be produced by a full-size piano?
____________________________________________________________
Q6.
Q7.
Q8.
Q9.
Q10.

Year 4 reading Answer sheets
whizzpopbang.com
Retrieve and record information.
How many strings are struck when a key is pressed?
Two or three strings are struck. They are tuned to the same note and this note is
produced when the key is pressed.
Which notes are produced by the 36 black keys?
The 36 black keys produce the sharp and flat notes.
How are grand pianos different from upright pianos?
The grand piano’s strings run horizontally but the strings in an upright piano run up
and down (vertically).
Justifying inferences with evidence.
In your own words, explain how the damper works.
Plausible answers which explain that the damper stops the strings vibrating and
this in turn stops the sound when a key is lifted.
Using details to support the main idea.
On the left are some main ideas about pianos. Draw a line to the detail on the right
that goes with each of them. One has been done for you.
How Stuff Works - Piano ANSWERS
Q1.
A1.
Q2.
A2.
Q3.
A3.
Q4.
A4.
Q5.
A5.
Year 4
Keys
Hammer
Strings
Dampers
This is usually made of wood
and is covered with felt.
These are stretched
tightly and they are made
of strong steel.
There are 88 of these on a
full-size piano.
When a key is pressed,
these lift off to allow the
strings to vibrate.
whizzpopbang.com
What are the notes A-G known as?
The major notes.
If I tightened the tuning pin what would happen?
The pitch of the sound produced by that string would be higher (higher pitch).
Which pedal would I need to push if I wanted my piece of music to sound softer?
The left pedal (it shifts the hammer to one side and the notes sound softer when
the piano is played).
Can the vibrating strings alone produce sound?
Yes, but not much. Pianos use a soundboard to produce larger sound waves and
make the sound louder.
How many octaves can be produced by a full-size piano?
More than 7 octaves, each octave contains 8 notes.
Q6.
A6.
Q7.
A7.
Q8.
A8.
Q9.
A9.
Q10.
A10.
Year 4

Year 5
Rollercoaster Investigation
Resources
• Marbles
• Insulation piping (cut in half
lengthways)
• Masking tape
Activity
Ask the children to plan their
investigations. Give them these headings
as a starting point and ask them to write
notes for each one:
We want to find out the answer to…
We are keeping it a fair test by…
We will measure by…
We will record our results by…
There is a planning sheet available to
download in the resources pack. The
groups carry out their investigations.
Make sure each group has
a clear focus and knows
how to measure and
record their results. Initially
the rollercoasters may not
work; this is good as it
will encourage a
scientific discussion.
• Identify the effects of air resistance and
friction.
Learning objective
• I can plan an investigation to answer
the question ‘what affects the speed of
a rollercoaster?
• Plan different types of scientific
enquiries to answer questions, including
recognising and controlling variables
where necessary.
• Report and present findings from
enquiries, including conclusions.
Differentiation
Split the class into groups of three or four.
These could be mixed ability or ability
groupings. Lower ability children will need
some guidance during the planning stage
from a teacher or teaching assistant.
Challenge more able children to add
another loop to their rollercoasters.
Plenary
Ask the children to draw a conclusion by
answering the questions they outlined at
the start. They could do this in writing or
they could present their investigations
and rollercoasters to the whole class. They
should include:
1. The question they were trying to find the
answer to;
2. How they made their investigations a
fair test;
3. How they measured and recorded their
results;
4. Their conclusions.
If iPads are available, the children may
want to video their experiments and share
them with the class.
ISSUE 3
The greater the height
that your marble starts at, the
faster it will travel. Smooth
joints from one pipe to the next
will reduce friction.
60 mins
Teacher input
Start by asking who has been on a
rollercoaster? How does it work? What
causes it to move? Share the PowerPoint
available to download in the resources
pack. Ask some ‘what would happen if…’
questions, for example:
What would happen if there were fewer
loops?
What would happen if there wasn’t a
steep climb at the beginning?
Explain to the class that they are going to
make their own rollercoasters. Ask them
what they would like to find out? Take
suggestions from the children and write
these up for the class to refer to. Ask how
they will make their investigations a fair
test? Share the materials they will have.
©Launchpad Publishing Ltd 2018, illustrations © Clive Goodyer
l Marbles
l Insulation piping
l Masking tape
KIT LIST
, it
worked!
Forces Investigation

Year 5 reading Biography text
Wright
Brothers
Isabel Thomas soars through the
remarkable story of the team behind the
world’s first powered flight.
Wilbur and Orville Wright grew up in the late
1800s, during the Industrial Revolution. When the
boys were 12 and 7, their father gave them a toy
helicopter powered by rubber bands. They decided
to build copies they could experiment with. Why not
use the sketch below to try making one yourself?
Both brothers loved building and fixing things. In their 20s, they
opened a bicycle shop. They even built 300 of their own bicycles
– five of which are still around today. The brothers combined
hands-on tinkering with scientific skill. When they decided to
try and build a flying machine, they read everything they could
about flight before carrying out their own experiments.
From the time we
were little, Orville and I
shared all our toys and talked
about our thoughts and dreams.
Nearly everything we did and
invented was the result
of discussions (and
sometimes scraps!).
We were lucky
enough to grow up in an
environment where children
were always encouraged a lot to
pursue intellectual interests;
to investigate whatever
aroused curiosity.
Wilbur and Orville built their
first glider in 1900. For the next three
years, they improved their designs.
They built a wind tunnel and tested up
to 200 different wing shapes before
they were happy! Once they had the
perfect glider, they were ready for the
next step: powered flight.
The
paperclip hook
rotates against
beads
Hook taped to
bamboo skewer
size of wings
not critical
This rotor is fixed
to the straw
Angle the rotating top wings so
that they are at opposite angles to
the fixed bottom wings. Twist the
top wings anticlockwise to power
up the band ready for flight.
Tip: Use a pipe
cleaner to push
the elastic
band through
the straw
bamboo taped to tube
rubber band
inside straw
tape slips of paper
to bamboo skewer
Rubber band helicopter
paperclip anchors
rubber band
The Wright brothers decided to
use a petrol engine to power
their plane. No one else could
build them an engine light
enough to get off the ground,
so the brothers designed and
built their own. They used the
lightweight metal aluminium,
which is still the main material
used to build aircraft today.
Sensational Scientists
Their new aircraft used the controls they had perfected
in their gliders, but had much bigger wings to lift the extra
weight of the engine and propellers. By December 1903, the
Wright Flyer was ready. The brothers took the plane to the wide, windy
beach at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, USA, where they had tested their
gliders. After tossing a coin to see who would fly first, Orville took off…
They made three
other flights that day.
On the fourth attempt, Wilbur
piloted the plane for 59 seconds,
travelling 260 metres! As they talked about
the successful flight, disaster struck. A gust of wind
tipped the Flyer over and rolled it across the sand. The
plane never flew again, but it had done its job.
The Wright brothers had finally unlocked
the secret of mechanical flight. The brothers
travelled to Europe to demonstrate their
invention. Interest in powered flight exploded
and they returned to the USA as celebrities.
In 1906, their patent was finally granted,
and they began selling planes to customers,
including the US military.
In 1912, Wilbur died suddenly from typhoid.
Orville sold their company and stopped
flying in 1915, but he spent the next 33 years
championing the development of flight. He
even helped to design the world’s first guided
missile during World War 1. He watched as
aeroplanes changed the world and made sure
that the Wright brothers’ contribution to the
world was never forgotten.
In 1969, a
piece of wood
and fabric from
the Wright Flyer
was taken to the
Moon by the crew
of Apollo 11.
For some years,
I have believed that
flight is possible
for humans.
We packed our
goods and returned
home, knowing that
the age of the flying
machine had come
at last.
… and stayed up for just 12 seconds! But it was a great start.
whizzpopbang.com © Launchpad Publishing Ltd 2018, illustrations © Clive Goodyer

whizzpopbang.com
Name ...............................................................................................................................................................
Sensational Scientists - The Wright Brothers
In what period of history were the Wright brothers born? (Not the date!)
____________________________________________________________
How old were they when they became interested in ‘flight’?
____________________________________________________________
What does the word ‘scraps’ mean?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Complete the grid below using information from the whole text. Either write a
question or an answer depending on which section is missing. The first one has
been done for you.
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Question Answer
How old were the Wright brothers when
they owned a bicycle shop?
In their 20s.
What tragedy happened in 1912?
A piece of wood and fabric from
the Wright Flyer.
Their patent was finally granted in
which year?
Up to 200.
Where was the Wright Flyer tested?
Year 5
whizzpopbang.com
What do you think the word ‘championing’ means in the final paragraph?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Why were the Wright brothers classed as celebrities? Give your answer using
evidence from the text.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Which phrase in the text means experimenting and trying things out for
themselves? Look in the section about when they were in their 20s.
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Q5.
Q6.
Q7.

whizzpopbang.com
Sensational Scientists - The Wright Brothers ANSWERS
Retrieve and record information/identify key details from fiction and non-fiction.
In what period of history were the Wright brothers born? (Not the date!)
The Industrial Revolution.
How old were they when they became interested in ‘flight’?
12 and 7
Give/explain the meaning of words in context.
What does the word ‘scraps’ mean?
They used to fight or argue about things.
Summarise main ideas from more than one paragraph.
Complete the grid below using information from the whole text. Write either a
question or an answer depending on which section is missing. The first one has
been done for you.
What do you think the word ‘championing’ means in the final paragraph?
Promoting, developing, talking about flight and flying, trying to ensure that people
continued to work on and think about flight.
Q1.
A1.
Q2.
A2.
Q3.
A3.
Question Answer
How old were the Wright brothers when
they owned a bicycle shop?
In their 20s.
What tragedy happened in 1912? Wilbur died suddenly from typhoid.
What was taken to the Moon in 1969?
A piece of wood and fabric from
the Wright Flyer.
Their patent was finally granted in which
year?
1906
How many different wing shapes did they
test before they were happy?
Up to 200.
Where was the Wright Flyer tested?
At Kitty Hawk, North Carolina,
USA.
Q4.
A4.
Year 5
Q5.
A5.
whizzpopbang.com
Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from
the text.
Why were the Wright brothers classed as celebrities? Give your answer using
evidence from the text.
They had ‘finally unlocked the secret of mechanical flight’. They had done something
no-one else had done. ‘Interest in powered flight exploded’ means that people
thought it was an amazing discovery, they were very excited by it. Everyone wanted
to know the brothers and were interested in their work and their discoveries.
Which phrase in the text means experimenting and trying things out for
themselves? Look in the section about when they were in their 20s.
‘Hands-on tinkering’.
Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the
text.
Using evidence from the text, in your opinion what helped to make the two brothers
so successful? Find two reasons.
• They grew up at a time of discovery and invention; the Industrial Revolution.
• They talked about their thoughts and dreams from when they were little.
• They were encouraged to pursue ideas; to investigate whatever aroused their
curiosity.
• They persevered and kept on testing and improving designs, including trying over
200 different wing shapes.
• They unlocked the secret of mechanical flight, something no-one else had done.
What is the main material used to build aircraft today?
Aluminium
Make inferences from the text/explain and justify inferences with evidence from the
text.
Why didn’t it matter that the plane flew only 260 metres? Use evidence from the
text to explain your answer.
People were very excited that they had made the plane fly. It didn’t matter that it
flew only a short way. The point is that it lifted off the ground and flew. The phrase
‘it had done its job’ means that it had done enough to make people interested and to
prove that it could be done.
Q6.
A6.
Q7.
A7.
Q8.
A8.
Q9.
A9.
Q10.
A10.

Year 6
Resources
The recipe below will make enoughdough for five pairs of children, so youwill need to make enough batches forthe whole class.
• 160 g of flour
• 165 ml of water
• 3 tbsp of salt
• 2 tbsp of cream of tartar
• 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
Equipment needed:
• Tablespoons
• Measuring jug
• Scales
• Pan
• Wooden spoon
• Access to a hob
• Cookie cutters (optional)
• Foil – at least 20 cm long 3 cm wide• Batteries
• LEDs or buzzers
Activity
Explain to the class that salt dough hasthe texture of modelling dough.
Encourage them to choose a shapeto cut in half, like the example onthe PowerPoint.
In pairs, children should firstcreate a simple plan of their
electric art. Remind them theywill need to leave a gap for theelectricity to flow through the
LED or the buzzer. Explain LED
bulbs have a negative and a
positive. The longer pin is positive.
Electric Art
• Associate the brightness of a lamp orthe volume of a buzzer with the numberand voltage of cells used in a circuit.
Learning objective
• I can explain how the brightness ofa lamp or the volume of a buzzer ischanged.
• Planning different types of scientificenquiries to answer questions, includingrecognising and controlling variableswhen necessary.
Activity continued
The children’s art should light up brighteror buzz louder than Emmi’s, so theyshould explain how they will do this intheir plan (use more than two batteries,increasing the voltage). Their plans shouldinclude a diagram, using the symbols. Inthe resources pack there is a suggestedguide, showing all the symbols for thecircuit they would need to draw.
Plenary
Give the children the opportunity to presenttheir electric art design. Encourage them toexplain how it works. Challenge the moreable thinkers to explain, using the correctterminology. All the children should try toexplain how they know their light or buzzerwill be brighter or louder than Emmi’s.
Share Y’s explanation below…
Reading: Sensational Scientist Michael Faraday, pages 28-29;interview with Nikita Hari, an electrical engineer whose job it is to blow
things up, pages 22-23; How Stuff Works – plugs, pages 24-25;‘How green is our electricity?’, pages 6-7.
The dough conducts
electricity, so you can use it
to replace the wires in simple
circuits. The more voltage you
add to the circuit the brighter
the bulb or the louder the
buzzer.
60 minsTeacher input
Part 2
Share Emmi’s Eco Club page aboutelectric art (included in the PowerPoint).Ask the children how the bulb could bemade brighter or the buzzer louder? Whatwould need to be increased? Give thechildren the chance to discuss the answer.
Year 6
Resources
• Board games and pieces
per pair (included in the
resources pack)
• Dice
• Scissors
Activity
In pairs, the children can follow the
instructions to play the circuit game. If
evidence is needed, the circuits could be
stuck into the children’s science books
once the game is completed.
Electric Art
• Use recognised symbols when
representing a simple circuit in a
diagram.
Learning objective
• I can use recognised symbols when
using drawn circuits.
Differentiation
Lower ability children
can use the set
of instructions
that includes
the circuit
diagram (in the
resources pack).
Challenge more
able children to
build the circuit
using the set
of instructions
without the
diagram.
Part 2
The salt dough should be made while some
children are playing the game. They will use
their knowledge of the symbols when they
plan their electric art.
Remember, whenever
you are working with
batteries, always disconnect
them after use, as the
circuit can get
hot and cause fire.
10-20 mins
Teacher input
This lesson should be done in two parts,
the first part is much shorter and it
should be done as one activity whilst
some children are creating the dough
used for the electric art.
Part 1
How is a circuit drawn? There is an
example on the PowerPoint (also
available in the resources pack) that
shows the symbols for a battery, a
light and a switch, and explains what
electricity is made of. It also includes the
instructions for the game, so you can
read them through with the children if
you feel it’s necessary.
l 160g of flour
l 165 ml of water
l 3 tbsp of salt
l 2 tbsp of cream of tartar
l 2 tbsp of vegetable oil
EQUIPMENT NEEDED
l Tablespooons
l Measuring jug
l Scales
l Pan
l Wooden spoon
l Access to a hob
l Cookie cutters (optional)
l Foil - at least 20cm long
3cm wide
l Batteries
l LEDs or buzzers
KIT LIST
Electricity Activity Experiment

Year 6 reading Interview text

Year 6 Debate Would you use technology to remember your beloved pet?
How to remember your pet debate
Cut out the cards and decide as
a group if you would or wouldn’t
remember your pet in the way
it describes.
Give a reason for your choice and
remember, there is no right or wrong
answer – it’s your opinion.
I would
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Launchpad Publishing Ltd 2018whizzpopbang.com
I wouldn’t
Freeze dry your pet in a life-like pose,
using a vacuum chamber.
Have hair from your pet spun and knitted
into a jumper or a pair of socks.
Have jewellery made from your pet’s fur. Ask a taxidermist to stuff and mount
the skin of your dead pet.
Clone your pet using small samples
of its DNA.
Mummify your pet, just like the
ancient Egyptians did.
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Launchpad Publishing Ltd 2018
whizzpopbang.com
Cryogenically freeze your pet in the hope
of bringing it back to life in the future.
Embed your pet’s ashes in a vinyl record
of its favourite song.
Stuff your pet and turn it into a drone. Turn the carbon from your pet’s hair or
ashes into a diamond.
Cut out the cards and decide as
a group if you would or wouldn’t
remember your pet in the way
it describes.
Give a reason for your choice and
remember, there is no right or wrong
answer – it’s your opinion.
I would
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Shutterstock
© Launchpad Publishing Ltd 2018whizzpopbang.com
I wouldn’t
Freeze dry your pet in a life-like pose,
using a vacuum chamber.
Have hair from your pet spun and knitted
into a jumper or a pair of socks.
Have jewellery made from your pet’s fur. Ask a taxidermist to stuff and mount
the skin of your dead pet.
Clone your pet using small samples
of its DNA.
Mummify your pet, just like the
ancient Egyptians did.

Quick 10 minute
science discussions
This ten-minute activity, linking to speaking and
listening, is ideal for use at the beginning of the day
or during transition times. Pupils will be challenged to
guess what the image is by answering the questions
shown on the first slide of the PowerPoint.
Once pupils have finished, click through to the next slide
to reveal the answers. Our teaching resources include a
variety of science discussions, linking to all areas of the
science curriculum.
1
2 3

FAQs
1
2
3
4
5
Are the resources available without a subscription to the magazine?
No, we’ve tested the resources in schools and the feedback is that the children love reading the magazines and
therefore the best results come from having both magazines and resources together.
Do you offer resources for Reception and Year 1?
Not currently, however we hope to in the future.
How can we explain the resources to all our staff?
Once you sign up you’ll receive a Whizz Pop Bang welcome pack in the post, along with a PowerPoint for science
co-ordinators to share with other teachers. Please ensure you sign up with the correct email address in order to
receive information from us.
When will our first issue arrive?
As soon as we’ve received payment we’ll send out your welcome pack, and your magazines will start arriving the
following month.
When will the online resources be available to download?
As soon as you’ve paid, an email will be sent to the nominated person, who will then be able to set up further
members of staff (logins are unlimited).
If you have any questions please email us at hello@whizzpopbang.com or call our office 0330 2233790
We’d love to hear your feedback and any suggestions you have for Whizz Pop Bang!

Favourite jokes from the earth issue!
What do
cows make during
an earthquake?
Milkshake!
Why did the
mountain get told
off at school?
It always had its
head in the clouds!
What do you
call a pile of
kittens?
A meow-ntain!
How do
volcanoes read
their bedtime
stories?
By lava lamp!
Which ABBA
song do volcanoes
love?
Magma mia, here
I flow again!
What did the
tectonic plate say when
it bumped into another
tectonic plate?
‘Sorry, my fault!’

THE AWESOME SCIENCE MAGAZINE FOR KIDS!

Whizz Pop Bang primary science teaching resources sample pack

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