ABSTRACT
Having looked at the compelling reasons for teaching science in the primary school in Chapter 1, and at the bare bones of curriculum requirements in the countries of the UK in Chapter 2, here we begin to put some flesh on the bones through some examples of classroom actions. There are multiple steps between the intentions of a programme of study and the experiences of children that will enable them to develop the ideas and skills intended. These examples show what some of the end products – the learning activities and interactions – look like. There are five short case studies between them spanning the primary school years, each beginning with some background information before describing one or more lessons on a topic. The rest of the book is about the steps that have to be taken – in planning, preparing, resourcing, evaluating and assessing – in order to provide for such opportunities for learning in science.
