Planning to teach Science

Rachel Linfield

Description

This resource gives primary teachers, particularly non specialist science teachers, both pedagogical knowledge and ideas for teaching science, in one practical volume, covering Years 1 to 6.The book is brimming with teachers' notes, bullet pointed pages and masters. It will also include suggestions for different ways to record children's work and explanations about:- How to write a session plan- Use of ICT- Catering for individual needs and ideas for differentiation- Importance of key vocabulary and appropriate time to introduce it- Ability to plan and carry out investigations

Informations

• Publié par: Andrews UK
• Date de parution: 29 janvier 2014
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781909102620
• Langue: English

Extrait

Title page
Planning to teach
Science
in the Primary Classroom
KS1 & KS2
Rachel Sparks Linfield



Publisher information
2014 digital version by Andrews UK Limited
www.andrewsuk.com
Originally published by
Hopscotch, a division of MA Education,
St Jude’s Church, Dulwich Road, London, SE24 0PB
www.hopscotchbooks.com
020 7738 5454
© 2009 MA Education Ltd.
Written by Rachel Sparks Linfield
Illustrated by Emma Squire,
Fonthill Creative, 01722 717057
All rights reserved. This resource is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, hired out or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed upon the subsequent purchaser.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except where photocopying for educational purposes within the school or other educational establishment that has purchased this book is expressly permitted in the text.
Every effort has been made to trace the owners of copyright of material in this book and the publisher apologises for any inadvertent omissions. Any persons claiming copyright for any material should contact the publisher who will be happy to pay the permission fees agreed between them and who will amend the information in this book on any subsequent reprint.



Introduction
As a child I first became interested in science when, aged nine, my teacher showed me that if I stood one metre away from a mirror my mirror image was one metre behind. This fascinated me and so began many hours of investigating. When shopping with my mother I loved to try and trick the department store mirrors. I would stand in front of mirrors and see whether I could ‘catch out’ my reflection. I would ask lots of questions such as ‘Is the reflection in the mirror or behind it?’ ‘Does the metre ‘rule’ work with all mirrors?’ ‘Does the thickness of the mirror matter?’ ‘What happens if the mirror is made from plastic?’
For me science was, and still is today, about finding out why things happen and how things work. It is about developing understanding of our world and realising how different factors affect what happens. It is about asking questions, researching ideas, carrying out practical investigations and interpreting results. Most importantly science gives us the opportunity to develop a wide range of skills and to use our imaginations as we try to make sense of what we observe, read and are told.
The majority of children have an instinctive desire to investigate and to explore. Babies will shake, feel, lick and look at rattles. Over time they begin to form preferences for a particular toy perhaps based on its feel, sound or smell. Other toys will be rejected. In making these choices, babies and toddlers begin to develop the ability to make observations. Young children frequently ask ‘Why?’. When they wonder why a battery toy stops working, how to make a loud noise with a drum or try to build a tall tower of toy bricks, they are developing the ability to enquire, to ask questions and to explore. These key, early skills are excellent preparation for taught science in school. Teachers thus must appreciate that children have already had many relevant, prior experiences, before they are ever taught science in school.
Planning to Teach Science in the Primary Classroom has been written for trainees, supply teachers and non-specialist science teachers to help with the planning, teaching and assessing of science. It provides information about the key characteristics of science that should be developed within teaching and learning, and explains how to plan for, teach and assess science. It gives ideas for activities for the concept areas given within the National Curriculum for Science at Key Stages 1 and 2 and, also, gives children the opportunity to plan and carry out their own investigations. Where appropriate, teacher subject knowledge is supplied. Copy Masters provide diagrams for topics such as the human body and parts of a plant; sheets to plan investigations and a balanced meal; sheets to identify plants, leaves, minibeasts and pond creatures and a ‘Did you know?’ fact sheet to promote discussion and stimulate interest in science. A tracking sheet shows how the given activities in Section 2 relate to the ‘QCA Scheme of Work for Science’.
Planning to Teach Science in the Primary Classroom does not set out to be a scheme of work. Instead the intention is to have a flexible resource to ‘dip into’ at the planning stage. It can be used as the initial place for ideas when planning a scheme of work or to support existing school schemes of work or ones such as the QCA Scheme of Work for Science. Quality planning, teaching and learning in science must reflect the interests and abilities of the children.





Section 1
What is Science?
Science may be thought of as comprising of two elements: concepts/ideas and processes/skills. Consideration for both elements must be given when planning for teaching and learning in science.
What are concepts?
Concepts are the ‘big ideas’. For example, to understand the concept of floating and sinking a number of smaller ideas need to be developed and understood. We need to know that things float if they are light for their size and have an awareness of the properties of materials.
To have a concept of magnetism we need to be aware of key ideas such as all magnets have two magnetic poles, that like poles repel and unlike poles attract and that iron, steel, nickel and cobalt are attracted by magnets.
A key way to develop ideas in science is to carry out experiments and investigations. Sometimes these will simply be to illustrate a point. At other times they will be to research ideas and gather data. It must be stressed that although some science inevitably is learnt through secondary sources such as the internet, books and CD ROMs it is vital that, wherever possible, practical experiments and investigations take place.
What is scientific investigation?
Scientific investigation involves using a variety of processes to answer questions and gather data. Processes include aspects such as predicting, observing and recording. Within each process there are a number of related skills whose level of difficulty and sophistication will vary according to the age and ability of the scientist. For example, the process of measuring includes using non-standard and standard measures. It involves using a range of instruments to measure length, mass, weight, capacity, temperature and so on.
The process begins to develop when children make simple comparisons such as ‘Edmund’s parachute fell quicker than Leanne’s.’ The process is refined when standard measurements are introduced. Later on measurements will be taken a number of times and averaged to determine experimental errors. Not only do children need to be given the opportunity to practise and develop the various skills, they also need to understand when to choose to use a particular skill.


Regardless of the age of the scientist, the scientific investigative cycle is the same. It involves identifying an area to study; having an idea; finding a question to investigate; researching the idea through practical experience and/or secondary sources; recording and communicating findings; comparing the findings with the original idea and predictions and, if necessary, refining ideas. The cycle is shown in the diagram above.
It will not always be appropriate for the children to undertake the whole cycle. Sometimes a teacher might wish the class to focus on an aspect such as selecting equipment; finding the question; planning a fair test or making observations. Also, it must be remembered that carrying out the whole cycle requires quality time both for thinking and doing. Several lessons may be needed for a full investigation. During a year, however, teachers should plan for children to experience all parts of the investigative cycle.
Fair tests and controlling variables
Fair testing is one of science’s distinctive processes. It involves controlling variables, the ‘things’ that might make a difference to how something behaves, reacts or grows. In a scientific investigation to discover how seeds germinate best we might want to consider the effects of the variables light and water. To make the investigation fair we would need to keep other variables constant. We would have to use the same number and type of seeds (e.g. cress); the same size and type of pots and the same growing medium (e.g. cotton wool). We could then place a pot with water and one without in a dark cupboard and two similar pots on a windowsill. If children looked at the pots each day and ensured the ones with water were always wet it would be possible to carry out a fair test and to discover the best conditions for germinating seeds.
In the early days of planning fair tests children will need support. Some children will have an everyday concept of ‘fair’ such as, ‘It was fair, I had one go then Lucy had the other’. These children need to be helped to go beyond the idea of fair as ‘taking turns’ to controlling variables. Starting at an early age, however, listing the factors that could be changed to make a difference will help children to be able to plan fair tests. It is also important that they are aware that tests may not always be entirely fair. For instance, in the seeds germinating example, the temperature in the cupboard and on the windowsill m