What’s in a drawing? Scientific or not?
Spot the difference between the two drawings to the left.
When you ask your pupils to draw in science, how confident are you in what they produce? Would you know whether it is accurate and that it would be considered a scientific drawing?
“My drawing has got better and I’m using the scientific colours of the actual flowers. ”
(Evie, Year 1)
The images show the change in a 6-year-old's scientific drawings after learning about how to observe closely and represent what they see in a scientific way when her class took part in the Great Observation Share. By including a sense of size, colour, proportion and labelling, this pupil has begun to learn how scientists use drawings to communicate observations, identify, sort and classify different species of plants.
During science lessons, how do you support pupils to draw when they work scientifically? Whether drawing a body part, a flower, an object or an insect:
do you have the resources to support them with becoming more accurate?
are you able to support other teachers in your school to teach the necessary skills of observation and drawing skills in an age-appropriate way?
Within the Great Science Share for Schools campaign, we recognise how important it is to enhance every opportunity to ask, investigate and share scientific questions. Drawing can be a key disciplinary skill to this.
Why is it important?
Devoting time to direct instruction is recommended by the Education Endowment Foundation in the new Improving Primary Science Report. We also see this supported in the Ofsted Finding the Optimum Report which encourages teachers to embed disciplinary knowledge within pupil learning opportunities.
Taking this into account, #GSSfS2025 has provided support to teachers to guide pupils when observing and drawing in science. Through piloting the Great Observation Share, we’ve already seen the difference that can be made through some short interventions, enabling pupils to be increasingly independent and proficient when working scientifically
What can you do to develop observation and drawing skills?
Take a look at how the Great Observation Share and Great Science Toolkit resources can support you to:
explicitly teach the knowledge, skills, and processes to work scientifically;
guide pupils to apply this in practice; and
incorporate opportunities for discussion and reflection.
What is the Great Observation Share?
Three age-related, curriculum linked lesson outlines to enable you to guide pupils for 5-7, 7-11 and 11-14 year-olds. Everything you need including teacher notes, pupil resources and supporting videos.
Learning outcomes:
5-7: Observe flowering plants closely, using simple equipment and begin to use simple scientific language.
7-11: describe common observable characteristics of insects and make careful observations and accurate measurements using scientific diagrams
11-14: make systematic and careful observations and pay attention to accuracy and precision
The resources enable you to inspire pupils to initially break the activity of observing down.
5 stages are outlined that include involving pupils to:
Look at the shapes of the object – what shapes can they see?
Focus on the different parts – how many different parts has the object got?
Closely observe the size of the parts - which are the biggest and smallest parts?
Look at the colours – which parts have which colours?
Labels – do you know the different names for each of the parts?
Inspiring your pupils with real world botanists and entomologists
Use the Great Plant and Insect Draw videos below and support them with their observational drawings. From Manchester Museum, Curator of Botany, Rachel Webster and Curator of Entomology, Diana Arzuza guide pupils to carefully draw plants and insects by following the step-by-step guide in the Great Observe and Draw Prompt. Use these videos in class to support pupils before they start drawing but also use whilst they’re drawing and pause the video after each step to scaffold.
Which GSSfS Toolkit resource can help you?
The new Great Observe and Draw Prompt is part of the #GSSfSToolkit and provides a self-help guide to encourage pupils to go through a series of stages by themselves.
Giving them autonomy to develop and improve is what makes them take more ownership and be more independent and confident in working scientifically.
Top tips are useful verbal and visual reminders that can become touch points for plenaries and up-levelling the drawings. Display in the classroom or use as table-top reference guide whenever you do science.
Top tips include:
Just use lines, not arrows
Use a ruler to draw a straight line
The ends of the line should meet the part of the object exactly
All labels should be on one side of the drawing
Keyword is used
Drawings should be made with accurate proportions
What resources enable pupils to look closely?
Using hand lenses, magnifiers and microscopes pupils begin to look closely and with precision. There are a wide range of digital microscopes that are useful for this purpose, as well as the traditional types. We’d love to know which resources and apps you use in your setting! Email greatscishare@manchester.ac.uk to let us know.
Image credits: TTS group (hand lenses, small microsc6opes and egg microscope) and Phillip Harris (large microscope)
What difference can this make?
“The improvements the children made by observing closely is amazing, not only is it amazing artwork but it is factually accurate too.” (Mrs Gardner, Assistant Headteacher)
Springfield Primary School trialled this enquiry and teachers and pupils commented on the difference made to pupils’ observation and scientific drawing skills.
Teachers used examples of drawings from actual botanists from the past (Charles Darwin) to help build understanding. They taught the flower drawing with 5-6 year olds across 3 classes.
In this KS2 picture, the pupil has vastly improved on the factual accuracy of the insect, really noticing the shape of the different bdy parts. They have used the correct colours and patterns and shapes in the body. They have used accurate detail on the wings and have included key vocabulary correctly labelled using the ‘Top tips’ guide.
“I liked learning about the real names of the flowers.” (Ollie, 6 years old)
“I liked my second drawing because I can see I have improved and I want to be an entomologist when I am older.” (Gracie, 9 years old)
Call to action: what’s in this for you?
Next time you ask pupils to draw in science, these resources could be for you. Download, print and/or display the Great Observe and Draw Prompt, and jump into the Great Observation Share to capitalise on the range of extra resources…
Inspire your pupils by exploring careers in STEM using the Careers Chat resources. Download profile cards for Rachel and Diana and watch the accompanying videos.
Share the learning!
Be part of #GSSfS2025 and share your pupils’ enquiries and drawings at any time using X @GreatSciShare and on the school social media platforms. Remember to schedule the GSSfS celebration date in your school diary – 17th June 2025, or an another day that best suits your school calendar.
Acknowledgements
With thanks to Manchester Museum and The Worshipful Company of Glass Sellers for supporting this GSSfS Guided Enquiry. With their support pupils consider the work of real-life botanists and entomologists and explore the connection between glass and observing closely. Links to other organisations including the Royal Microscopical Society are also useful connections to make.