Much has been written about the standards agenda in relation to primary pupil performance levels on end of key stage tests. A range of policy "levers" such as numeracy and literacy strategies have been utilized to hike the annual cohort percentages towards the government targets. However, whether measurable (by standardized testing at…

Increasingly, coordinators are undertaking a scrutiny of work in order to check standards in their subjects. This is done frequently for English and mathematics, where annual targets for attainment in year 6 have to be set, but less so for science. Carrying out a scrutiny of work can be a daunting and time-consuming process. Faced with a pile of…

People notice children's creativity in their lively talk, practical ingenuity, funny or surprising ideas, or their new or clever ways of applying their knowledge. When the connections they make between ideas seem to come from them as individuals, there is a sense of "authenticity." Understanding learning from a constructivist perspective…

As a primary science writer, the author finds writing the books for children far more satisfying than writing those for teachers. In the pupil books, one can speak directly to the child. Teacher notes are always interpreted by somebody else, but pupil books are not mediated by the teacher in the same way. Writing them offers particular challenges:…

This article is situated within a theoretical framework, "instructional congruence," articulating issues of student diversity with the demands of academic disciplines. In the context of a large-scale study targeting elementary school science, the article describes a research instrument that aims to combine the strengths of both quantitative and…

It is becoming clear that human influences are a significant factor driving climate change. Education is one of the main weapons in influencing patterns of behaviour and teachers inevitably have a crucial role to play. Teachers need to be fully aware of issues surrounding climate change in order to be positive role models for children and to…

In this paper, I recall previous arguments for a hermeneutic approach to science and claim that such an approach necessitates attention to the development of dispositions. I undertake an analysis of Hans-Georg Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics to identify and describe dispositions relevant to a hermeneutic approach to science. I then apply…

As a result of an increased emphasis on literacy learning, teachers are forced into making difficult choices about how to allocate and balance time for other content areas. As a result, science is often neglected as part of the daily curriculum. If this trend continues, the result will be a generation of learners lacking the ability to perform…

In this article, the author presents and discusses activities that use a phenomena-first, guided inquiry approach to teach important concepts related to plant function, as well as the history and nature of scientific inquiry. These activities are intended for use with students in grades 3-8, as well as in elementary science methods courses. The…

This paper describes a module provided to first year elementary participants in a two-year after-degree Bachelor of Education program. The module was specifically designed to address the fact that pre-service teachers can enter the B.Ed. degree with little or no science knowledge. Science experiences were explicitly incorporated into the B.Ed.…

Group work has been promoted in many countries as a key component of elementary science. However, little guidance is given as to how group work should be organized, and because previous research has seldom been conducted in authentic classrooms, its message is merely indicative. A study is reported, which attempts to address these limitations.…

"Mineral Detectives!" is one of eighteen lessons in the "Private Whys?" integrated science unit, which uses a guided inquiry investigation to teach students in grades three through five about the role of minerals in our lives. The University of North Texas developed "Private Whys?" with funding from the Copper…

Through a century-long process, there has been a resolute effort to shape science teaching in elementary classrooms. A close look at science teaching and student learning may provide a better understanding of what really happens in elementary classrooms. This study examines relationships between science teaching pedagogy, teachers' science…

West outlines the scientific method as a proven problem-solving method for young children across the curriculum and in all areas of life and learning. She emphasizes that doing, thinking, and talking with peers when problem solving are as important as writing conclusions. The article walks readers through a second grade class's experiment in…

Connections between science and mathematics seem natural. First, mathematics can be used in science to organize and analyze data in tables and graphs. Second, mathematics can help represent scientific phenomena and understand scientific concepts. Student learning should benefit when teachers make the connections between science and mathematics…