Mrs Mactivity

Year 2 Science Block 4: Animals Including Humans - Basic Needs

Year 2 science – Animals Including Humans: Basic Needs

This Year 2 animals including humans unit helps pupils investigate what animals, including humans, need in order to survive. Across six enquiry-led lessons, pupils explore the importance of water, food and air while learning how animals find resources and use their senses to survive in different environments.

Aligned with the National Curriculum, the unit encourages pupils to ask scientific questions, investigate survival needs and make links between animals and their habitats through practical activities and discussion. Pupils explore food sources, investigate water filtration and study how animals such as badgers and peregrine falcons rely on their senses to hunt, find food and stay safe.

Part of our comprehensive Scintillating Science scheme, this unit includes lesson plans, interactive teaching slides, differentiated worksheets, practical investigations and assessment materials to support engaging Year 2 science teaching.

Looking for the full Year 2 science curriculum?

Visit our main Year 2 science page to explore curriculum coverage, progression and long-term planning.

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View lesson overview and curriculum coverage

Lessons in this unit

  • What are needs and wants?
  • Why is water needed for survival?
  • Why is food needed for survival?
  • What do animals in our local environment eat?
  • How do animals use their senses to survive? (badgers)
  • How do animals use their senses to survive? (peregrine falcons)

National Curriculum objectives

Animals including humans

  • Find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air)
  • Understand that animals obtain food and water from their environment
  • Describe how animals use their senses to help them survive

Working scientifically

  • Asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways
  • Observing closely, using simple equipment
  • Performing simple tests
  • Using observations to suggest answers to questions
  • Gathering and recording data to help answer questions

What this Year 2 animals including humans unit covers

This Year 2 science unit helps pupils develop understanding of the basic survival needs of animals, including humans, through practical investigation and scientific enquiry. Pupils explore how living things depend on food, water and air while learning how animals adapt their behaviour and use their senses to survive in different environments.

Lessons encourage pupils to investigate real-world examples of survival and adaptation through outdoor observation, discussion and practical science activities. Pupils explore local food sources, investigate water filtration and examine how predators and nocturnal animals rely on senses such as sight, hearing and smell to hunt and stay safe.

The unit strengthens working scientifically skills by encouraging pupils to ask questions, carry out simple tests, gather evidence and explain findings using scientific vocabulary linked to survival, senses and animal behaviour.

What’s included?

  • Six fully planned science lessons
  • Interactive teaching slides for whole-class teaching
  • Differentiated worksheets and enquiry activities
  • Knowledge organisers with key scientific vocabulary
  • Hands-on investigations linked to survival and animal senses
  • Assessment materials to support tracking pupil progress

This unit forms part of our wider Scintillating Science scheme, supporting progression from EYFS science through to KS1 science.