Year 2

Plants may grow from either seeds or bulbs. These then germinate and grow into seedlings which then continue to grow into mature plants. These mature plants may have flowers which then develop into seeds, berries, fruits etc. Seeds and bulbs need to be planted outside at particular times of year and they will germinate and grow at different rates. Some plants are better suited to growing in full sun and some grow better in partial or full shade. Plants also need different amounts of water and space to grow well and stay healthy.

All objects are made of one or more materials that are chosen specifically because they have suitable properties for the task. For example, a water bottle is made of plastic because it is transparent allowing you to see the drink inside and waterproof so that it holds the water. When choosing what to make an object from, the properties needed are compared with the properties of the possible materials, identified through simple tests and classifying activities. A material can be suitable for different purposes and an object can be made of different materials. Objects made of some materials can be changed in shape by bending, stretching, squashing and twisting. For example, clay can be shaped by squashing, stretching, rolling, pressing etc. This can be a property of the material or depend on how the material has been processed e.g. thickness.

All objects are either living, dead or have never been alive. Living things are plants (including seeds) and animals. Dead things include dead animals and plants and parts of plants and animals that are no longer attached e.g. leaves and twigs, shells, fur, hair and feathers An object made of wood is classed as dead. Objects made of rock, metal and plastic have never been alive Animals and plants live in a habitat to which they are suited, which means that animals have suitable features that help them move and find food and plants have suitable features that help them to grow well. The habitat provides the basic needs of the animals and plants – shelter, food and water. Within a habitat there are different micro-habitats e.g. in a woodland – in the leaf litter, on the bark of trees, on the leaves. These micro-habitats have different conditions e.g. light or dark, damp or dry. These conditions affect which plants and animals live there. The plants and animals in a habitat depend on each other for food and shelter etc. The way that animals obtain their food from plants and other animals can be shown in a food chain.

Animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults. In humans and some animals, these offspring will be young, such as babies or kittens, that grow into adults. In other animals, such as chickens or insects, there may be eggs laid that hatch to young or other stages which then grow to adults. The young of some animals do not look like their parents e.g. tadpoles. All animals, including humans, have the basic needs of feeding, drinking and breathing that must be satisfied in order to survive. To grow into healthy adults, they also need the right amounts and types of food and exercise. Good hygiene is also important in preventing infections and illnesses. Diet, exercise, drugs and lifestyle have an impact on the way our bodies function. They can affect how well our heart and lungs work, how likely we are to suffer from conditions such as diabetes, how clearly we think, and generally how fit and well we feel. Some conditions are caused by deficiencies in our diet e.g. lack of vitamins.