Welcome to the Science for Children website.
Note: These instructor resources are available for adopters of the book, and require a user name and password. Please contact Cambridge University Press if you require a password, and provide details of the course, semester and enrolment as well as your name, university and position. If you do not wish to be added to our contacts database and receive email marketing, please state this in your email.
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Note that when you click on a file, you will be prompted for your password just once for each session.
Overview
The links on this website will take you to resources that relate directly to the content of the book, plus additional resources and some questions to consider as you view the materials and YouTube videos.
The most relevant curriculum document for teaching science in early childhood settings is the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF). This document provides an overview of possibilities for learning. As you examine this document, identify the particular learning outcomes connected with science. How do the statements relate to the content that is shown in the Australian Curriculum - Science? What is the same? What is different?
The most relevant curriculum document for teaching science in primary schools in Australia is the Australian Curriculum. Examine one concept in this curriculum, such as 'light'. Note how the concept progresses in complexity over the bands. Now look at the EYLF and work back to where the learning of this concept was supported in the years prior to school. Do the concepts build on one another? Create a map that shows a progression in learning for your chosen concept.
Other useful links
- Concept cartoons
- Scientific report comic strips
- A free template for creating comic strip scientific reports can be found at Teachers pay teachers
- Examples of work samples by ACARA can be found here
Instructor resources
Chapter 1 Science as a human endeavour
Chapter 2 Researching children's understanding and ways of learning
Chapter 3 A transmission approach to teaching science
Chapter 4 A discovery-based approach to learning science
Chapter 5 Inquiry-based approach to teaching science
Chapter 6 Inquiry-based approach to learning science
Chapter 7 Teaching for conceptual change: constructivism
Chapter 8 Conceptual play and contextual and conceptual intersubjectivity: cultural-historical approaches to learning in science
Chapter 9 Culturally sensitive teaching: sustainability and relatedness in our ecosystems
Chapter 10 Becoming a leader of science: situating yourself
A quick guide to using Dynamic Science