Practical Ideas for Teaching Primary Science

This up to date text addresses primary science teaching in light of the new primary National Curriculum and the latest Teachers’ Standards. Aimed at primary trainees and teachers, it provides creative, inspiring and practical ideas and approaches for teaching the full range of science topics. Each chapter is aligned to an area of the new National Curriculum and provides key vocabulary, details of common misconceptions and how to address them, teaching strategies and activities, cross-curricular links and health and safety points. Throughout there is a strong focus on science subject knowledge development and how to translate this into practice in the primary classroom. The book also encourages readers to reflect on their own subject knowledge of science and challenges them to critically evaluate their teaching in order to become more effective.

Introduction

1: The nature of science teaching and working scientifically

2: What makes an effective science lesson?

3 Animals and humans

4 Plants, habitats and living things

5 Evolution and inheritance

6: Everyday materials and their properties

7: Earth and space

8: Rocks

9: Light

10: Forces, motion and magnets

11: Sound

12: Static electricity and electricity

Vivian Cooke is a senior lecturer in primary science education at the University of Worcester. She began her teaching career as a primary school teacher with responsibility for science, design and technology and ICT. She has worked in two other higher education institutions as a senior lecturer in science on postgraduate, undergraduate and Masters’ courses as well as being course leader for early years, primary and the two-year PGCE. 

Colin Howard is a senior primary lecturer in Initial Teacher Education (ITE) at the University of Worcester. He has been involved in primary education for over 24 years of which 14 years has been as a successful head teacher in both small village and large primary school settings. He has been involved in inspecting schools for the Diocese of Hereford as a S48 SIAS Inspector. He has recently been awarded a Phd linked to his interest in the influence that school buildings have upon their stakeholders.