Natural Sciences and Technology in Grade 5 encourages learners to explore the world through investigation and practical design. This subject integrates four knowledge strands: Life and Living, Matter and Materials, Energy and Change, and Planet Earth and Beyond. To ensure you have a comprehensive guide for the academic year, be sure to consult the full Grade 5 Annual Teaching Plans (ATPs).
This guide outlines the 2026 Natural Sciences and Technology Grade 5 ATP, providing a weekly breakdown of topics from Animal Skeletons in Term 1 to Fossils in Term 4.
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Download ATP HereNatural Sciences and Technology Grade 5 ATP 2026
The Annual Teaching Plan for Grade 5 balances scientific knowledge with technological problem-solving skills, requiring learners to observe, record, and design solutions throughout the year.
Download: Natural Sciences and Technology Grade 5 ATP 2026 PDF
Term 1: Life and Living and Structures
Focus: The first term explores biodiversity, the interdependence of plants and animals, and the physical structure of skeletons.
- Weeks 1–3: Plants and Animals on Earth
- Biodiversity: Many different plants and animals and their habitats.
- Interdependence: How living things depend on each other and non-living things.
- Life Cycles: Growth and development of plants and animals.
- Food Chains: How energy is transferred from one organism to the next.
- Weeks 4–5: Animal Skeletons
- Vertebrates: Animals with backbones (Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Mammals).
- Movement: How skeletons and muscles work together to allow movement.
- Weeks 6–8: Skeletons as Structures
- Frame and Shell: Understanding the difference between frame structures and shell structures in animals.
- Design Task: Designing and making a skeleton model that is strong, rigid, and realistic.
Term 2: Matter and Materials
Focus: Term 2 shifts to chemistry and material science, investigating the properties of metals and how materials are processed.
- Weeks 1–2: Metals and Non-Metals
- Properties: Distinguishing between metals (shiny, hard, conductors) and non-metals (dull, brittle, insulators).
- Investigation: Testing objects like coins, nails, chalk, and coal.
- Weeks 3–4: Uses of Metals
- Applications: Why specific metals are used for specific jobs (e.g., copper for wire, iron for structures).
- Magnetism: Investigating magnetic and non-magnetic metals.
- Weeks 5–7: Processing Materials
- Combinations: Mixing materials to create new substances (e.g., plaster of Paris, concrete).
- Traditional Methods: Weaving and making clay objects.
- Weeks 8–9: Processed Materials
- Properties: How processing changes the properties of raw materials to make them more useful.
Term 3: Energy and Change
Focus: This term deals with energy sources, electricity safety, and how energy creates movement.
- Weeks 1–3: Stored Energy in Fuels
- Fuels: Identifying fuels like wood, coal, wax, and food.
- Burning: Understanding that burning releases stored energy as heat and light.
- Fire Safety: Causes of fires, prevention, and safety in communities.
- Weeks 4–6: Energy and Electricity
- Circuits: Cells (batteries), wires, light bulbs, and creating simple circuits.
- Mains Electricity: How electricity gets from power stations to homes (pylons, substations, plugs).
- Safety: Important safety tips for using electrical appliances.
- Weeks 7–9: Energy and Movement
- Elastic Energy: Stored energy in compressed springs and stretched elastic bands.
- Systems: How stored energy is changed into movement energy (e.g., a catapult or jack-in-the-box).
Term 4: Planet Earth and Beyond
Focus: The final term covers geology and astronomy, looking at the Earth’s movement, rocks, soil, and the history of life through fossils.
- Weeks 1–3: Planet Earth
- The Earth Moves: Rotation (day and night) and revolution (orbit around the Sun).
- Surface of the Earth: Introduction to rocks and how soil comes from rocks.
- Soil Types: Investigating sandy, clayey, and loamy soil.
- Weeks 4–5: Sedimentary Rocks
- Formation: How layers of sediment build up over time to form rock.
- Examples: Limestone and sandstone and their uses.
- Weeks 6–8: Fossils
- Types: Body fossils (bones, teeth) and trace fossils (footprints).
- South Africa: The importance of South African fossils and the fossil record.
FAQ: Natural Sciences and Technology Grade 5
Q: What are the main assessments for Grade 5 NST? A: Each term usually includes a Practical Task or Investigation (SBA) and a Control Test.
Q: Is there a design project in Term 1? A: Yes, learners are often required to design, make, and evaluate a model of a skeleton to understand frame structures.
Q: How are the subjects split? A: Natural Sciences and Technology are integrated. You don’t study them as separate subjects; instead, you learn how scientific concepts (like energy) apply to technological systems (like circuits).