🔍Grade 1 Science Explorers

Science at this age is a set of habits, not a body of facts: look carefully, say what you notice, change one thing, see what happens. Grade 1 Science Explorers builds those habits through sixteen investigations that genuinely work on a kitchen table.

The four-pot plant investigation running through the first term is the backbone of the course. Children water one pot, starve another of light, leave a third in the dark and a fourth without water, then record what happens for six weeks. It is the first time most of them meet the idea of a fair test.

What your child will be able to do

By the end of this course, a learner working at the expected pace will be able to:

• Identify and name common plants, trees and animals
• Describe the basic parts of a plant and of the human body
• Group animals as mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians or insects
• Compare materials by their properties and choose one for a purpose
• Record weather observations over a month and spot a pattern

How the course is structured

Grade 1 Science Explorers is organised into 4 units covering 64 lessons in total, designed to run across 30 weeks at roughly 2 hours a week. The unit outline below shows 16 representative lessons.

Plants

• Parts of a plant and what each one does
• What do plants need? (a four-pot investigation)
• Deciduous and evergreen trees
• Seeds and bulbs

Animals including humans

• Six animal groups
• Carnivore, herbivore, omnivore
• Parts of the human body
• Our five senses

Everyday materials

• Naming materials and their properties
• Waterproof or not? A rain-test
• Strongest paper bridge
• Choosing the right material for a job

Seasonal change

• A weather chart for a month
• Day length across the year
• How animals respond to seasons
• Our seasonal photo diary

How it is taught

Each investigation is filmed twice: once as a demonstration, once as a 'what went wrong' version, because seeing a failed experiment analysed is more instructive than only seeing success.

What is included

• 64 lessons with 16 filmed investigations
• Printable science journal and results tables
• Equipment list using household items
• 16 quizzes plus an end-of-year project brief

Who this course suits

This course sits in the Grade 1 track and follows a oxford-aligned sequence. It suits families who want a complete, sequenced science year rather than a set of loose practice activities, and it assumes no teaching experience — every lesson includes a short method note for the adult. If your child is comfortably ahead or behind the beginner level described here, use the placement check in lesson one and start at the recommended point instead of lesson one.