Explorify is a free digital resource that provides a range of engaging activities covering the whole curriculum. We are delighted to present a range of Explorify activities that have been specially curated to extend your experience with the 2025 Great Guided Enquiries.
The following activities from Explorify inspire pupils to ask and investigate their own scientific questions, whilst encouraging and developing good speaking and listening skills.
Why don't all plants look the same?
Why don't all plants look the same? 11-14 year-olds
This is a great question to get pupils exploring plants in different locations within their local environment. Pupils can look for patterns in the distribution of certain species. They could compare the appearance of common plant species growing in different habitats. For example, do dandelions have different sized leaves when they are growing in long or short grass?
Types of leaves 11-14 year-olds
Pupils discuss the three leaves and think about why they look very different to each other. This could spark children to ask questions which could be researched using secondary sources. How are plants adapted to thrive in different habitats and in different conditions around the world? Pupils could then observe a range of plants and leaves closely, drawing and noting their features.
Maria Merian 7-11 year-olds
Maria Sibylla Merian spent her early years observing and drawing insects. She was one of the first people to describe and record the metamorphosis that occurred during their lifecycle. Children can use spotters and guides to identify the butterflies and caterpillars in their school grounds or local area.
Yellow Weeds 5-7 year-olds
Observe the development of a dandelion plant over time. Children could go outside to find dandelions in their local environment which are at different stages of their development. Then they might collect and plant some of the dandelion seeds to investigate their own questions about how dandelions grow.
Three Weeds 5-7 year-olds
Discuss similarities and differences between the three images before revealing that they are all showing the same type of plant- a dandelion. Give children the opportunity to blow dandelion seed heads, see how far they travel and look at them using a magnifying glass.
Flowers in Spring 5-7 year-olds
Discuss similarities and differences between the three images before revealing that they are all showing the same type of plant- a dandelion. Give children the opportunity to blow dandelion seed heads, see how far they travel and look at them using a magnifying glass.
What’s Going On?
Under Glass 5-7 year-olds
After watching the What’s Going On? Under glass pupils might wonder whether plants grow faster in greenhouses. The Plant Germination and Growth activity (on page 21 Bringing Back Glass resource) suggests inverting a glass jar over seedlings to create a mini greenhouse.
Who is Bethan Stagg? 5-7 year-olds
Dr Bethan Stagg is a scientist who is keen for people to notice plants as much as they notice animals. Bethan explains how to identify four common wild plants which are often called weeds. Take children outside and see how many of these they can find in their school grounds. Do they see any weeds in the cracks of pavements or other unexpected places? Children might want to collect seeds and try growing wild plants in pots in the classroom.
Under glass 7-11 year-olds
Spark a conversation with this video showing a large commercial greenhouse where robots tend the plants. Do the children have experience of growing plants? Have any of them seen plants growing in a greenhouse? Children could plan an investigation to find out the conditions that plants need to be healthy. Does the environmental temperature affect plant growth?
Through the looking glass 7-11 year-olds
Glass has lots of useful properties and so we use it to make many different objects. These images prompt children to discuss how glass is transparent (see through), waterproof and hard (resistant to changing shape and scratching). They may also notice the glass has been moulded into different shapes including spectacle lenses. You could take your class on an I-spy hunt to find different objects made of glass. Can the children explain why the object is made of glass rather than another material?
What are my properties? 7-11 year-olds
These images of everyday kitchen objects provide examples of many different materials including plastic, metal, wood, rock and glass. Different materials have different properties which make them useful for different purposes. Can children work out why each material has been selected? For example, glass is transparent allowing the cook to see what is happening in the pan. The discussion provides a great opportunity to assess how well children are using scientific vocabulary. Children can find out the answers to their questions about heat conduction using the ideas and links within this activity.
Now you see me 7-11 year-olds
This What's Going On? video will get everybody thinking about what happens to light as it passes through transparent and translucent objects. When children learn that not all light passes through glass, they will have lots of questions. Using a light meter or datalogger is a good way to investigate how much light passes through different translucent and transparent objects.
Who is Tim Lamont? 7-11 year-olds
Dr Tim Lamont is a scientist who is trying to find ways to help coral reef ecosystems recover after huge coral bleaching events. This resource explains how his experiments showed that when recovering coral reefs had the sounds of healthy reefs played through underwater speakers, they attracted 40 % more fish which kickstarted the recovery of the coral reef habitat.
Start with art - ocean habitat 5-7 year-olds
This artwork was created by a child under 7 years old as part of an Explorify Art Competition. There are lots of animals and plants to spot in this underwater ocean habitat including turtles, jellyfish, an octopus, starfish, and a large clam shell hidden among the seaweed and seagrass. Children could use books and films to find out more about some of these living things and draw, write or record what they find out.
Who is David Attenborough?
Who is David Attenborough? 9-11 year-olds
The famous television broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough, is an expert on many living things around the world. Watching clips from some of his films will prompt lots of questions from pupils. They could choose an animal or plant that they would like to know more about and use their research to create posters, slideshows or even their own nature documentaries.
Who is Kiara Nirghin?
Who is Kiara Nirghin? 9-11 year-olds
In this Climate Challenge activity, pupils will learn about a young scientist from South Africa. Kiara Nirghin noticed that farmers were struggling to grow food during droughts and invented a biodegradable product which helps soils to retain water for longer. Pupils can find out more about super absorbent polymers whilst investigating nappies using this resource.
What if your school banned paper?
What if your school banned paper? 7-11 year-olds
Schools across the UK spend thousands of pounds every year on paper, photocopying and printing. Paper is made from wood and is a valuable resource that can be produced sustainably and recycled but should not be wasted. Children could investigate how much paper is wasted in their school and suggest ways that this could be reduced. They could explore how paper is recycled and appreciate that this takes effort and energy.
Have you ever tried running through water? 5-7 year-olds
After sharing their own experiences of moving through water, children could find out how bath toys move through large plastic storage boxes filled with water. Can they find out which shapes are easier to move, and which are harder? Which shapes would make good boats?
Who is Chi Onwurah? 9-11 year-olds
Chi Onwurah faced many challenges in her early life as her family were escaping war in Nigeria when they came to UK. Her story of becoming an electrical engineer and creating the mobile phone network in Nigeria is inspirational. Writing a list of devices and appliances found in school and homes that rely on electricity shows the importance electricity has in our lives. Children could investigate which materials conduct electricity or design their own switches.
Explorify is a free digital resource that provides a range of engaging activities covering the whole curriculum. Click here to sign up for your free account.
For help with subject knowledge and support with planning a science topic click here.
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