UNDERSTANDING PRIMARY SCIENCE. By Roy Phipps. Questions Publishing Company. pound;14.99 This book, by one of the co-authors of the Ginn Star Science scheme, has a very useful introduction. While it contains nothing new, it pulls together many ideas about the teaching of Sc1 Scientific Enquiry and about the use of data-handling for the results of investigations.
It is aimed at the student teacher and those teachers who are not yet confident in science. Each chapter begins with full background knowledge of the topic involved, followed by a set of lesson plansfor the reception year up to Year 6.
The plans detail the intended learning, with references to the scheme of work as well as the national curriculum, with suggestions for plenary sessions and assessment points at the end.
The author gives a clear framework for constructing lesson plans (in a format useful for students of the Initial Teacher Training for Primary Science), which is intended to complement the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority’s scheme. This practical book should be a useful addition to any staffroom resource shelf.