Within the eukaryotic cell, the actin cytoskeleton is a crucial structural framework that maintains cellular form, regulates cell movement and division, and facilitates the internal transportation of proteins and organelles. External cues induce alterations in the actin cytoskeleton primarily through the activation of Rho GTPases, which then bind…

In the activity described in this communication, the authors present a simple experiment that can be implemented with moderate operational costs and that allows students to acquire the manipulative skills necessary for chromatographic analysis of a familiar fuel that still plays a fundamental role in providing energy for transport of passengers…

Connecting physics with the humanities is a fascinating challenge and a complicated cultural task. Yet, it is exactly what the Italian secondary-school graduation exam requires in its oral part. Although it has been criticized by teachers and students, here I provide a list of real school life examples and discuss why this can be a great,…

The global scale of climate change may seem beyond many high school students' comprehension. To complicate matters, climate change has emerged as a political issue that pits candidates, neighbors, and sometimes teachers and students against each other (Kahan 2015). The "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS Lead States 2013) call on…

This article provides an overview of the instructional activity implemented to introduce the authors' first-grade students to the concept of measuring, collecting, and recording temperature data as part of a unit on weather. The activities introduced involved approximately one week of instructional time. However, the application of the skill…

Arguing from evidence is one of eight key science practices in which students should engage. It is an essential component of science, yet students have difficulties with this practice. We describe a scaffolded claims-evidence-reasoning (CER) argumentation framework that is embedded within a new eight-week, freely available curriculum unit…

Demonstrating higher-order thinking skills is crucial for thriving in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) environment. In science education, inquiry-based learning has increasingly been recognized as a potent approach to stimulate students' higher-order thinking skills. While prior research has shown evidence of its positive…

The aim of this research was to explore the use of children's stories as a methodology in the primary science curriculum. This paper reports on a pilot project involving the design and development of science lessons integrating the book, 'We're All Going on a Bear Hunt', with children ranging in age from 6-8 years old in two different primary…

Two of the most fundamental skills that students acquire in introductory undergraduate physics laboratory courses are how to accurately plot data and interpret the physical meaning of linear graphs. We redesigned our graphing skills lab with an open-ended approach designed to promote inquiry in graphical analysis and to address specific areas of…

Metacognition and self-regulation strategies enable students to make, on average, 7 months additional progress. Here I review the report recommendations by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) and introduce some useful strategies to develop more literate and versatile learners. Introducing the meta-learning cycle into lessons as an underlying…

The learning of science keeps evolving, just like the subject of science itself. With this in mind, teachers know the importance of keeping up to date and researching different ways of providing a rich learning experience for children. Teachers are developing not only children's learning, but how they progress as learners. This is where Tony…

According to Harlen (2010) the ultimate goal of science education is for children to have an understanding of relationships, moving beyond science as a series of facts or small ideas towards seeing the bigger picture. Working with a group of 10- and 11-year-olds from a year 6 class, teacher Simon Williams provided a series of challenges using the…

The authors are all students in the final year of a three-year undergraduate teacher-training programme at St Mary's University, Twickenham, London. For one of their courses they were asked to identify their science-learning journey to date. In this article, trainee teachers talk about science and explore their reasons for becoming science…

Now in a fully updated seventh edition, "The Teaching of Science in Primary Schools" provides essential information for students, trainee, and practising teachers about the why, what and how of teaching primary science. Paying particular attention to inquiry-based teaching and learning, the book recognises the challenges of teaching…

The attainment gap in science may not be as well-documented as the gap in English and maths, but it is just as pervasive. Our research has shown that disadvantaged pupils start to fall behind in science in Key Stage 1; the gap only gets wider throughout primary and secondary school and on to A-level. Helping schools to use evidence and to…