In this article, Julian Grant, a Prep VI class teacher at Bridgewater School, Worsley, Manchester, explores the cross-curricular nature of language in scientific recording and how children can waken an audible science world with words. The ideas that came from what started as an applied vocabulary exercise demonstrated just how many…

As part of the celebration of Manchester being the European City of Science 2016, schools across the City were invited to take part in a Citizen-Engineering project, which set out a quest to make a recycled robot orchestra. It is a unique project, which is an experiment itself--to bring people together to create, collaborate and care for the…

As teachers the authors aim to inspire and instill curiosity while teaching science and this can be enriched by tapping into pupils' interest in what is happening in the outside world. At Whitehill Junior School, they endeavor to make the most of real-life events and seek to foster meaningful links with scientists and engineers to help bring STEM…

In March 2016, the school that the author teaches at held its annual science day and the theme was "bees." Each class was given a different question relating to bees to investigate. The children in the authors' year 2 class (ages 6-7) were challenged to investigate the life cycle of a bee. The whole day was focused around the life cycle…

Even in the foundation stage (ages 3-5), children reveal an awareness of and enthusiasm for dinosaurs and fossils, so this research includes the entire primary age range. The authors sought to discover what ideas prevail as children develop and how their understanding progresses. Reviewing relevant educational research led them to define five…

Thorntree Primary is a small school in Greenwich, London, with strong links to the local community and an appealing village feel that is unusual in its inner London setting. The children come from a mix of cultural and economic backgrounds, with those entitled to free school meals being higher than average. The school has a strong inclusive and…

Terry Russell and Linda McGuigan of the University of Liverpool draw on their classroom research to offer their thoughts on argumentation, an aspect of "working scientifically," with contributions from two recent research collaborators: Janet Hamilton teaching 4-6 year-olds and Joanne Geldard teaching science to 10-11 year-olds. Between…

Microbes (by definition) are tiny living things that are only visible through a microscope and include bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protoctists (mainly single-celled life forms such as amoebae and algae). Although people are familiar with the effects of microbes, such as infectious disease and food spoilage, because of their lack of visibility,…

At first glance, science and art seem as likely companions as oil and water. Is there more to mixing them up than mere metaphor and a messy floor? In this article, Tom Pringle shares some ideas for powering up the classroom by turning STEM into STEAM by dipping the paintbrush of art into the pot of science. In both art and science pupils can…

Front Street Primary School, situated near Gateshead in the north east of England, has been teaching its children about the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations. These goals have the power to create a better world by 2030, aiming to end poverty, fight inequality and address the urgent challenge of climate change. The year 2…

Building on a project that began in 2016, Leeds Beckett University students have continued to work with a local Community Investment Company (CIC) that uses surplus food to facilitate learning around wellbeing and sustainable development. This year students focused on designing a science education pack that would enhance learning and facilitate…

In March last year the authors was asked to take over as science coordinator in her primary school. The school had signed up for the Primary Science Quality Mark (PSQM, www.psqm. org.uk) and the author attended the first PSQM meeting with very little idea of what it entailed. This turned out not to be a problem: her mentors were a huge source of…

A constructivist philosophy underpinning science teaching and learning for over 100 years in United Kingdom (UK) classrooms places "conceptual change" at the heart of classroom work in which children's scientific ideas form, strengthen and change. In this article, the author explains how the simple, effective method of "eyes…

Julie Wiskow's fascination with space started in 2013-2014 when her year 5 (age 9-10 year) class took part in the European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO) Primary Space project and they were one of the first primary schools in the UK to achieve a Gold "Space Education Quality Mark". The experience was a huge success, with…

In this article Andrew Bell describes how he developed science capital at his school by involving his class in a Family Science project. He finds that the Family Science project has many impacts including: (1) substantial increase in science activity at home; (2) interest in families in sourcing their own science activities; (3) parental interests…