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 bookis 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

Masters-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

The Current Context of Primary Science Teaching - Alan Peacock and Mick DunneWhy is Science Hard to Teach? - Alan Peacock and Mick DunneDoing Science - Mick Dunne and Rania MakladPlay-based Science - Eleanor HoskinsLinking Science to the Wider Curriculum - Richard WatkinsScience and Computing - Malcolm Smith, Liz Flintoft and Robert CollinsScience and Mathematics Connections - Dave Howard, Ashlee Perry and Jill ToddLearning Science Beyond the Classroom - Leigh HoathLearning Science Through Talk - Sarah Earle and Natasha SerretTricky Topics and How to Teach Them - Mick Dunne and Dave HowardPlanning for Assessment for Learning - Tara Lievesley, Mick Dunne and Sarah EarleTransitions in Science Education - Leigh Hoath and Tanya ShieldsEffective Inclusive Practice in Primary Science - Dave Howard and Ashlee PerryA Way Forward - Alan Peacock and Mick Dunne