Long-term overview - Being Healthy - Year 2

The Year 2 science curriculum places an emphasis on understanding the concept of health and what it entails for humans and other animals. Pupils are expected to recognise that all animals, including humans, produce offspring which then grow into adults. They explore the fundamental necessities for survival, such as the need for water, food, and air. Additionally, the curriculum highlights the significance of regular exercise, maintaining a balanced diet with the appropriate quantities of various food types, and the practice of good hygiene for human health.

Substantive knowledge acquired during this year includes learning about the life cycle stages of animals, the reasons why exercise and a balanced diet are crucial for human health, and the importance of hygiene. Practical aspects of the curriculum involve setting up investigations to determine the fittest individual in the class and identifying offspring of different animal species. This unit on being healthy is a natural progression from Year 1's focus on naming parts of the human body and leads into Year 3's study of the human skeleton and muscles. The curriculum also offers opportunities to integrate with Design Technology (DT) and Physical Education (PE), fostering a holistic approach to learning about health and the human body.