Setting the Q

Demonstrations of suitable practical activities

The Thinking Frame Approach can be used in all topics across the Science National Curriculum in normal lessons. However we have found that contexts that we have termed "Kitchen Sink Science" are a particularly good way of introducing the approach. Kitchen Sink Science activities make use of simple everyday familiar equipment that can be found around the house but can be used to show phenomena that the children (and possibly the teachers) find counter-intuitive. Using simple apparatus is effective because (a) the pupils can relate to the context and so feel more confident to discuss their ideas and opinions and (b) often the use of specialist equipment only found in science labs can lead pupils to believe that there is only one right answer.

The 5 video clips show teachers demonstrating activities and explaining the questions that they would use for for KS2 and KS3 pupils. With some simple alterations to the wording of the question (see teacher guidance), all of these contexts could be used in either KS2 or KS3 or both.

Mark Townsend demonstrates the 'Flying teabag' experiment
Malcolm Price poses lower KS2 a question related to exploding canisters
Gareth Moores explains a magnetism activity and the question he would pose to KS3.
Gareth Moores explains an activity demonstrating sound and the question he would pose to KS3.
Gareth Moores explains an activity linked to pressure and forces and the question he would pose to KS3

The Thinking Frames used to explain Kitchen Sink Science can provide a very effective transition project. For example KS2 pupils bring their Thinking Frame explanations that they did in primary school to their secondary school to show the level of explanation that they can achieve to their new Science teacher. The secondary teacher can then revisit the context posing a new question and asking children to apply the key ideas in their explanations