Purpose: The rationale behind this study was to investigate how three Grade 5 Natural Sciences teachers in three Western Cape primary schools teach science concepts so as to enable the researcher to gain a deeper understanding and more insightful perception of the ways in which the pedagogical practices of South African primary school teachers…

This column provides ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue discusses using the 5E learning cycle to create coherent storylines. The 5E learning cycle provides an important framework to help teachers organize activities. To realize the full potential of the 5E framework for student learning, lessons must also…

This study was conducted to investigate the extent to which preservice teachers held alternative conceptions in elementary science concepts. Eighty-six preservice elementary teachers participated in this study. Twelve preservice elementary teachers participated in follow-up interviews. Data were collected through the use of Alternative Conceptions…

In this paper, we summarize two major components of a research project, Model of Research-based Education (MORE) for Teachers, to build and evaluate a program for rigorous and research-based science teacher preparation at the elementary level. We briefly discuss the research upon which the program is built and two major changes we made in response…

Lisa Newton, an Association for Science Education (ASE) Primary Science Committee member, reflects on the benefits gained from joining and taking an active part in the ASE. For a number of years Newton attended regional meetings, fed back information to the local section, and helped to organise a number of different local events. These were well…

The intent of national efforts to frame science education standards is to promote students' development of scientific practices and conceptual understanding for their future role as scientifically literate citizens (NRC 2012). A guiding principle of science education reform is that all students receive equitable opportunities to engage in rigorous…

The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) based educational practices in astronomy lectures on prospective science teachers' success levels. The study was conducted on 4th-grade prospective science teachers of a public university and lasted for 14 weeks. In the study,…

As teachers and students access their linguistic and cultural repertoire to teach and learn, comprehensible input may be possible as the result of teachers' systematic efforts to connect with their students. Some evidence of this purposeful connection has been found in studies that have explored teachers' efforts to prioritize meaning making over…

This embedded mixed method study used a randomised controlled? trial design to examine two cohorts of upper (grades 4-6) elementary teachers' classroom implementation of nature of science (NOS) instruction following their participation in a statewide professional development (PD). The treatment group (n = 145) was compared to a control group (n =…

Everyone has problems, from the smallest ant competing for a food source to the largest elephant needing to cool down. Fortunately, organisms have structures that function to help them solve these problems. So when a group of fourth-grade students look for solutions to their problems, who do they turn to? A biological champion, of course! Plants…

With the release of the "Next Generation Science Standards," many schools are reexamining the science materials they are using. Textbook companies and kit developers are eager to meet the demand for "NGSS"-aligned teaching materials. Teacher may have been asked to serve on a science curriculum committee, or to evaluate current…

Inquiry science instruction is especially challenging in elementary grades where teachers are constrained by crowded curricula and time. Professional development (PD) may provide an opportunity to support elementary teacher development of inquiry science instruction. The study examines the inquiry practice of two teachers who participated in an…

In the current educational climate of testing and accountability, many elementary teachers find they lack adequate time and confidence to enact reform-based science teaching due to pressure to perform in reading and mathematics. With this tension in mind, we explore the phenomenon of elementary teacher specialisation in comparison to the…

This quantitative study was designed to investigate if relationships existed between elementary science teachers' self-efficacy toward science teaching, schedule structure (self-contained or departmentalized), experience level of teachers, amount of time dedicated to science instruction, and student achievement on a standardized science…

This article illustrates an enhancement and lesson-delivery process used to engage classroom students in primary school science lessons. In the enhancement process, university educators and pre-service teachers collaborated with local experts to prepare lessons based in local or regional contexts. Lessons were designed to enable students to think…