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This work was undertaken as part of a Partnership in Primary Science
Project, which was in funded by the AstraZeneca Science Teaching
Trust and The University of Stirling.
The aims of the project:
Develop communities of practice that help
support teachers in classrooms.
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The CD-ROM was created to be shared as long as
Astrazeneca Science Teaching Trust is acknowledged.
Dr Susan Rodrigues
Director, Institute of Science Education, Scotland
Weir Building
The King's Buildings
West Mains Road
Edinburgh EH9 3JY
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Encourage teachers to adopt informed positions
on pedagogical issues related to the use of ICT in terms
of curriculum and assessment.
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Make available continued opportunities for
teachers to acquire skills that enable them to select and
use ICT in a confident and effective manner.
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Encourage student learning.
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Illustrate exemplary classroom practices
and strategies, involving ICT that encourage understanding
of science concepts.
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Teaching staff from 5 councils took part with the support of several
scientists. The project team met once a month face-to-face and maintained
online communication during the interim period. We worked in small
groups, taking attainment targets in the new 5-14 science guidelines
and developing these into teacher's plans and step-by-step lessons.
A by-product of the key aim was the creation of resource materials
for teachers and children. These resource materials have been developed
and tried by the teachers involved in the project.
ICT was used by all teachers as a way of recording experiments,
of recording processes and of recording pupils' findings.
The first topic we at Dysart planned and prepared lessons for,
was level D - plants and animals and how they are suited to their
environment. We chose to develop this theme using rainforest plants,
animals and peoples.
The pupils worked in groups to research their topic and then developed
PowerPoint presentations towards finally presenting their findings
to parents and invited guests. The impact on pupil's learning was
profound! The pupils accessed information from books and the Internet,
then we watched as group leaders established themselves and organised
how this information should be presented! They were all very proud
of themselves and what they had achieved. After completion of the
topic we even had some boys in the class who were working at home
on another topic - boys who find it difficult to return their homework
- that says it all. They were thoroughly motivated. We kept referring
to science and about being scientists experimenting and they decided
science was cool!
Teaching strategies:
This project uses the theme of 'toys' to support the teaching of
science and the integration of the use of ICT in the classroom.
An innovative aspect of the project is the involvement of local
scientists linked with the schools and working with teachers to
help develop subject knowledge.
Teachers' plans, lesson plans, lesson materials, examples of pupils'
work and video clip from teachers explaining what they did and how
they did it are available on the PIPS - Partnership in Primary Science
CD-Rom
| Science Topics |
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Can you see the face and the word liar? |
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| 1. Rainforests/Classification |
| 2. Energy and Forces |
| 3. Build a Machine |
| 4. Light |
| 5. Water |
| 6. Butterflies |
| 7. Magnets |
| 8. Food Chains |
Video clips and digital photographs were included by nearly all
teachers as a way of displaying pupils work, as part of the assessment
process and as evidence of pupils' work.
For further information contact:
Linda Kirk at Dysart Primary School.
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