Science Talk online
Science Talk: a series of EYFS activities available to Ogden partnerships, designed to develop pupil questioning, improve scientific literacy and build pupil confidence in using scientific enquiry skills.
Published: 13 December 2021
This month, over eighty partnership early years teachers and science co-ordinators joined an online seminar for the Ogden Trust Science Talk CPD. The session was aimed at those teachers who have been unable to access the online workshops in 2020-21 due to COVID and precedes the launch of revised resources in the spring.
Science Talk is a series of Early Year Foundation Stage activities available to Ogden partnerships, designed to develop pupil questioning, improve scientific literacy and build pupil confidence in using scientific enquiry skills. It includes activity cards with a step-by-step guide and a list of resources, key questions and relevant early learning goals. A teacher support pack includes an overview to key concepts, measuring impact and a risk assessment sheet.
During the online seminar, Kirstin explored and explained the resources and the supporting materials; she introduced the teachers to new ideas that they can use in their setting to engage and inspire their young learners – including games that develop questioning and enquiry, and evaluation of the children’s responses as they develop greater scientific understanding and reflection.
“I do have an area in my class for children to explore, but you have given me so many more ideas of how to continue to develop their speaking and questioning.”
“I know the children at my school will really benefit from these ideas and activities to expose them to vocabulary and building key concepts.”
“My Year group partner and I are really enthused by the session. A mini-Phiz Lab will be built in our outdoor area this Spring for sure!”
Kirstin is currently reviewing the resource cards to reflect changes in the Early Years framework. The new Science Talk resource will be available to first year partnerships in the spring and as a pdf to existing partnerships. Further training sessions in the spring/summer will be available to partnerships yet to attend due to Covid.
Not in an Ogden partnership?
Applications are now open for new partnerships starting in September 2022.
The deadline to apply is 1 February 2022. Visit our partnership pages to find out more and to make your application.
Phizzi enquiry activities
We also have a series of early years Phizzi enquiry activities freely available on the Ogden website, together with a further pdf that includes an overview of the key concepts and how to use the resources. These have been taken from the Science Talk programme. These activities should be freely (or cheaply) resourced and develop the language skills children need to explain their ideas and discuss the world around them.