Science for Primary School Teachers

This book is intended to be a core text for primary school teachers in training, and in professional development into the induction year and beyond.

It tackles both the core teaching and learning issues of the investigative process and science subject knowledge in detail.

It is aimed at teachers who are not science specialists, and examines subject knowledge in sufficient breath and depth to enable science to be taught effectively up to the end of Key Stage 2.

In addition, science specialist may find the book helpful in covering the range of science topics taught in primary schools.

The overall principal behind the book is that trainees and teachers should be able to find what they need quickly.

This is supported by the introduction which contains 3 tables which enable trainees to approach the book in different ways.

Essentially these are intended to be used as indexes, depending on why the trainee or teacher is using the book.

Table 1 sets out the main issues related to learning and teaching through teaching the investigative process such as how children generate questions, misconceptions, planning, doing, recording and hypothesising.Table 2 relates to the curriculum guidance for the foundation stage and the National Curriculum at key stages 1 and 2.

Table 3 relates to the Units of work from the QCA Scheme, which may teachers and trainees use as the basis for their planning.

Section 1 of the book looks in detail at the teaching and learning of science through the investigative process, including the structure of the investigative process, how children develop the skills needed in a science investigation, links with curriculum materials and other sources of support.

Section 2 deals with the key concepts in each of the three knowledge based attainment targets in science.

Each attainment target is discussed in a structured way: Introduction to this attainment target.

The key science knowledge. For each section within the unit - links to the NC, Foundation Stage Guidance and to QCA units related; Key vocabulary; Detailed explanations in words and pictures; Common Misconceptions; and, Applications of the theory suitable for the Primary Classroom, from Nursery to Year 6.In order to enable teachers to teach and respond to questions appropriately, the book takes science knowledge beyond what is required for Key stage 2, to at least the level required at the end of Key Stage 3 and in some cases beyond (essentially to GCSE level).

This is considered important, as teachers should avoid over simplifying concepts which then cause misconceptions at key stage 3 and beyond.

In addition, in order to help broaden and develop the primary teacher's own knowledge it is necessary to take on board ideas that are only taught explicitly to pupils at later key stages.