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Primary Science
A Guide to Teaching Practice

Second Edition
Edited by:


November 2014 | 312 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

Why is science hard to teach? What types of scientific investigation can you use in the primary classroom?

Touching on current curriculum concerns and the wider challenges of developing high-quality science education, this book is an indispensable overview of important areas of teaching every aspiring primary school teacher needs to understand including: the role of science in the curriculum, communication and literacy in science teaching, science outside the classroom, transitional issues and assessment.

Key features of this second edition include:

• A new chapter on science in the Early Years

• A new practical chapter on how to work scientifically

• Master’s-level ‘critical reading’ boxes in every chapter linking topics to relevant specialist literature

• Expanded coverage of creativity, and link science to numeracy and computing

This is essential reading for all students studying primary science on initial teacher education courses, including undergraduate (BEd, BA with QTS), postgraduate (PGCE, School Direct, SCITT), and also NQTs.

Mick Dunne is Senior Lecturer in Science Education at Manchester Metropolitan University
Alan Peacock is Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Exeter

Alan Peacock and Mick Dunne
The Current Context of Primary Science Teaching
Alan Peacock and Mick Dunne
Why is Science Hard to Teach?
Mick Dunne and Rania Maklad
Doing Science
Eleanor Hoskins
Play-based Science
Richard Watkins
Linking Science to the Wider Curriculum
Malcolm Smith, Liz Flintoft and Robert Collins
Science and Computing
Dave Howard, Ashlee Perry and Jill Todd
Science and Mathematics Connections
Leigh Hoath
Learning Science Beyond the Classroom
Sarah Earle and Natasha Serret
Learning Science Through Talk
Mick Dunne and Dave Howard
Tricky Topics and How to Teach Them
Tara Lievesley, Mick Dunne and Sarah Earle
Planning for Assessment for Learning
Leigh Hoath and Tanya Shields
Transitions in Science Education
Dave Howard and Ashlee Perry
Effective Inclusive Practice in Primary Science
Alan Peacock and Mick Dunne
A Way Forward

What a helpful book. It covers the current issues in primary science education, providing an overview and dealing with the detail, identifying the areas that teachers and student teachers find most challenging and offering valuable guidance. It is challenging and reassuring, thought-provoking and enjoyable. I can’t recommend it too highly.

Stuart Naylor
Director, Millgate House Education

What a good read. This book covers everything an aspiring teacher would want from a Primary Science publication. Inspirational writers, clearly defined introductions to each chapter, insight into a range of issues linked to Primary Science. Opportunities for self reflection supported by references to current and relevant research all in one place. Perfect.

 

 

 

Kathy Schofield
Primary Science Teaching Trust College Director

This book is invaluable in supporting trainee teachers at all stages of their degree programme in their teaching of science in the primary classroom. It covers a broad range of topics incorporating all aspects of science teaching and learning across the primary age range. There are ample opportunities throughout the book for the reader to reflect in order to develop themselves further as an effective teacher of primary science. 

Louise Hawxwell
Senior Lecturer in Primary Science, Edge Hill University

This book is extremely useful for trainees to use as reference material for assignments as it covers all of the main issues in science education today. Moreover, every chapter has a further reading list, reference list and web links. I would recommend this book to my peers, but also to teachers who feel less confident in teaching science. An accessible read, quickly digested and easy to understand with the depth of content needed for advanced study.

Rachelle Louise Blagdon
The Association for Science Education

The 'food for thought' and 'critical thinking tasks' are excellent and provide a stimulus for discussion.

Mrs Louise Wormwell
School of Education, Birmingham University
October 2, 2023

An effective and comprehensive guide for primary trainees

Mrs Jessica Baines-Holmes
School of Education, University of Brighton
June 16, 2016

An excellent comprehensively written book to be used by students who need to understand the importance of delivering practical and theoretical science teaching. It's features are easily accessible enabling the reader to fully comprehend key scientific concepts. The reflective questions support developing practitioners to think critically about the delivery of their Science lessons. Highly recommend this text.

Mrs Catherine Agnese O'Brien
School of Social Sciences and Law, University of Teesside
March 7, 2016

This book is a very useful as a reflective teaching tool for any primary practioner. Although the book focuses mainly on science, it extends far beyond into essential realms of planning, formative assessment, inclusion as well as providing ideas for meaningful cross-curricular links. This book is mainly theoretical with relevant research and further reading at the end of every chapter along with some very practical web links to resources that would be helpful in the classroom.

Ms Lucille Feather
School of Education, Hertfordshire University
October 9, 2015

A clear textbook linking theory to practice.

Mrs Amanda Thomas
Faculty Of Life Sciences And Education, University of South Wales
July 6, 2015

Very helpful text for aspiring primary teachers and for those already in post who want to brush up their science, boost their confidence or engage in research. Nice to see science outside the classroom given such thorough treatment, but it is strange that 'evolution' or 'STEM' are not listed in the index as both now have a role in primary science.

Dr Sue Howarth
Institute of Education, University of Worcester
May 29, 2015

Mick Dunne

Alan Peacock

Alan Peacock is Honorary University Fellow at the Graduate School of Education, University of Exeter, and until recently was Editor of Primary Science journal for six years. He has worked in teaching, training and research in science education for over 40 years, in various regions of the UK and overseas.  He has carried out primary science consultancy work for the British Council, UNESCO, the EU, The National Trust, various environmental groups and numerous NGOs in Africa, including in Kenya, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Senegal and Mozambique. His publications include Science Skills: A Problem-Solving Activities Book (Taylor &... More About Author

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ISBN: 9781446295090
£31.99

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