Languages and science

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Languages and science

• Gill Maynard AST
• Anglo-European School Ingatestone

2
Are there any links between languages and science
at KS1-2?

• Obvious links with KS1-2 Science topics
• Ourselves
• Growing plants,
• life cycles
• Animal habitats
• Healthy eating

3
Are there any links between languages and science
at KS1-2?

• Less obvious links
• Animal groupings
• Magnets
• Space and planets

4
KS1-2 Science DCSF guidelines on language and
communication

• Children should
• think creatively about science
• develop language skills through talking about
  their work and presenting their own ideas
• use scientific language and draw diagrams and
  charts to communicate scientific ideas
• read non-fiction and extract information from
  sources such as reference books
• All of these can be done in another language ..

5
Languages and science making the links

• 1 Use science topics to reinforce basic language
  and structures
• Reinforce understanding of a science topic
  through language activities
• 3 Base a half term or full term unit of work on a
  science topic

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1 Use science topics to reinforce basic language
and structures e.g. colours

• Autumn leaves (display, collage)
• La feuille est rouge / jaune / brune / orange.
• Les feuilles sont rouges / jaunes / brunes /
  oranges.
• Ma feuille est rouge / jaune / brune / orange.
• Mes feuilles sont rouges / jaunes / brunes /
  oranges.
• Jaime les feuilles rouges / jaunes / brunes /
  oranges.
• Je préfère les feuilles rouges / jaunes / brunes
  / oranges.

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Autumn leaves German

• Das Blatt ist rot / gelb / braun / orange.
• Die Blätter sind rot / gelb / braun / orange.
• Mein Blatt ist rot / gelb / braun / orange.
• Meine Blätter sind rot / gelb / braun / orange.
• Ich mag die roten / gelben / braunen /
  orangefarbenen Blätter.
• Ich mag die roten / gelben / braunen /
  orangefarbenen Blätter am liebsten.

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Autumn leaves Spanish

• La hoja es roja / amarilla / marrón / naranja.
• Las hojas son rojas / amarillas / marrón /
  naranja.
• Mi hoja es roja / amarilla / marrón / naranja.
• Mis hojas son rojas / amarillas / marrón /
  naranja.
• Me gustan las hojas rojas / amarillas / marrón /
  naranja.
• Prefiero las hojas rojas / amarillas / marrón /
  naranja.

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What language was reinforced here?

• Colour adjectives
• Singular and plural forms of nouns
• Gender of nouns and adjective agreements
• Position of adjectives
• Expressing likes and dislikes

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Numbers Counting

• Insects and animals  how many legs ?
• Combien de pieds?
•  Un pour lescargot, dix pour le crabe 

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Numbers Measuring things

• Je mesure un mètre quarante.
• Ma plante mesure vingt-deux centimètres.
• Ich bin ein Meter vierzig groß.
• Meine Pflanze ist zweiundzwanzig Zentimeter groß.
• Mido un metro cuarenta.
• Mi planta mide veintidós centimetros.

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More number activities in science

• Reading graphs and charts
• Weighing things (including yourself)
• Reading an electricity meter and calculating
  consumption

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Recording and talking about the temperature

• Make this intercultural look at todays
  temperatures in another country
• France www.meteofrance.com
• Germany www.wetter.de (click on Grad for
  temperatures)
• Spain www.eltiempo.es
• Quelle est la température à Paris? Vingt degrés.
• Wie ist die Temperatur in Berlin ? Zwanzig Grad.
• Cual es la temperature en Madrid? Veinte grados.

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2 Reinforce understanding of a science topic
through language activities

• KS2 Framework for Languages
• Language Learning Strategies
• Compare new words with known words in English or
  another language
• Use knowledge of English or other languages to
  help learning and understanding
• Use context and previous knowledge to determine
  meaning and pronunciation
• Use a word or phrase known in one context or
  topic in a different context or topic
• Many scientific terms are cognates good for
  general language awareness.

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Animal families grouping activities

• un mammifère
• un reptile
• un insecte
• un amphibien
• un oiseau

• ein Säugetier
• ein Reptil
• (pl Reptilien)
• ein Insekt
• eine Amphibie
• ein Vogel

un mammífero un reptil un insecto un anfibio un
pájaro
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Animal families grouping activities

• In groups, sort animal cards then complete a
  chart
• Make a dual or multi-language classroom display
• Multiple-choice or true/false activities
  children could hold up true / false cards
• (vrai ou faux, falsch oder richtig, verdadero o
  falso)
• (For more advanced activities in French, see
• Authentik A la française 7.2)

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Animal families activities

• Un crocodile est a) un mammifère
• b) un insecte
• c) un reptile
• Falsch oder richtig?
• a) Ein Tiger ist eine Amphibie
• b) Ein Schwein ist ein Säugetier
• El león es un
• La rana es un

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What do animals eat? Carnivores , herbivores and
omnivores

• (un) carnivore (un) herbivore (un) omnivore
• der Karnivore / der Fleischfresser
• der Pflanzenfresser
• der Omnivore / der Allesfresser
• (karnivor/fleischfressend pflanzenfressend
  allesfressend)
• (un) carnívoro (un) herbívoro (un) omnívoro

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Carnivores, herbivores and omnivores Activities 

• Match picture / word cards  animals and what
  they eat
• Complete a chart (For an example in French, see
  Authentik A la française 7.1)
• Display choose an animal, draw a picture of it
  eating and fill in a speech bubble
• Je mange .. Je suis carnivore / herbivore /
  omnivore.
• Ich fresse .... Ich bin Fleischfresser.
• Como .... Soy carnivoro/a.
• This could be an ICT activity, including copying
  and pasting images. For language reinforcement,
  use www.google.fr / www.google.de / www.google.es

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3 Base a half term or full term unit of work on a
science topic

• Before you start
• Look at your schools curriculum plan
• Look at the QCA schemes of work
• Is the topic do-able? Think about
• Language (vocabulary and structures)
• Resources
• Activities
• A clear outcome
• Will it be fun for you and your class? Can you
  build in enough activities?

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Growing things (QCA unit 6)

• Life cycle of a plant
• Jack and the beanstalk
• Story Dix petites graines / Diez semillas
  Ruth Brown
• Teaching resources are on the internet or from
  Essex LSG coordinators

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Healthy eating (QCA Unit 10, also 13 and 21)

• Food and drink in France / Germany / Spain
• Recipes, School dinner menus
• Story La chenille qui fait des trous /
• Die kleine Raupe Nimmersatt /
• La pequena oruga glotona Eric Carle