ABSTRACT
For many years primary science has been seen as essentially a practical, handson endeavour where children learn by doing, feeling, touching and finding out ‘what happens if … ?’ However, in recent years our understanding of the role of practical, first-hand experience has become more sophisticated. The relationship between doing science and learning science is conceived as more complex than simply ‘seeing is believing’. Clearly young children do need to experience the world, to see where apples grow, or where milk comes from, or how rivers flow to the sea, or to know what size a butterfly is, or to feel for themselves the effect of spinning on a roundabout. But learning science means going further than observing and in this chapter we begin by addressing two of the signature and related features of primary science: practical work and group work. In each case we consider the reasons for their importance and aspects of their implementation. Having considered these key elements of pedagogy we move on to the ways in which practical work is supported, first by looking at the selection, storage and maintenance of equipment and materials, and then at matters relating to safety. We end by listing sources of activities and materials available, often free, from the internet.
