There is a tradition in primary classes of using rich authentic activities to teach science. The idea of pupils learning science through experiment and discovery is appealing. But this is not how children are taught in other subjects. When children learn to read, there are tiny steps, mastering each one before moving onto more challenging books. The same when teaching math. It is known that this works. So why do many teachers choose to teach science differently? In this article the author describes a way of teaching science that evidence consistently shows is more effective at teaching concepts, methods and processes. The teacher breaks down complex learning into small elements, explaining each step and guiding pupil practice before thoughtfully combining the elements into complex ideas and skills. For consistency, the author refers to this approach as 'direct teacher instruction' although it has many other names.