It is particularly important that children have a clear understanding and appreciation of the importance of our environment and that they consider themselves as part of it. Children must therefore be provided with evidence-informed learning activities to enable them to understand how they are intrinsically part of the local and global environment,…

Charlotte Smailes discusses how she uses the BBC "Bitesize 'Green classroom'" resources, "The Regenerators," to introduce environmental topics in school. She finds that the "Green classroom" resources are a versatile way to introduce themes of environmentalism and climate change for primary-aged children. The…

Previous articles in "Primary Science" have presented a range of ways to teach electricity in engaging and informative ways (e.g. Buckley and Harvey, 2014; Chapman, 2014; Norman, 2014; CLEAPSS, 2016) and Frank Harris provides an interesting historical account of the development and use of batteries in "School Science Review"…

This article reflects on the many benefits to children's learning and well-being of re-engaging with the outdoors through the author's experiences with outdoor learning at Burlington Junior School in Bridlington, East Yorkshire. The school has found that connecting with nature has reduced children's stress levels and improved their concentration…

Nature Friendly Schools (NFS) is a groundbreaking project funded by the UK Department for Education and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs with support from Natural England. It works in partnership with many organisations including the Wildlife Trusts, Young Minds and the Field Studies Council. By developing teachers'…

A new curriculum is set for implementation in Wales from September 2022. Preparation for change is already underway in Gwaunmeisgyn Primary School in South Wales. Various development teams are preparing for the new curriculum, including the three teachers in the science and technology team. The team met to plan and design a bespoke pilot project…

In response to primary students' pleas to learn more about the environment during the current climate crisis, St. Bernadette's Catholic Primary School in Birmingham has helped children investigate issues related to climate change and address ways each person can help to heal the imbalance between humans and the natural world. In this article,…

Previously the authors have reported on the merits of involving student teachers in school-based curriculum development projects (McCullagh and Doherty, 2018; Earle and McCullagh 2020; McCullagh and Doherty 2021). These projects have involved up to 20 primary science specialist student teachers planning and teaching lessons in a small number of…

In this article, the author considers the benefits of helping children envisage a future in STEM beyond the classroom. Rather than simply considering specific careers for an unknown future, it may be better to encourage children to consider "who" they would like to be rather than "what" they would like to be, that is, their…

There are arguably advantages to adopting a cross-curricular approach to planning, teaching and learning. This approach often works well for incorporating scientific skills and the wider perspectives of geography, technology and maths. It can help children to develop and consolidate their understanding through practical application and gives them…

In this article, the authors discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic completely changed the way one project communicated with children, parents, and teachers. The authors describe how they developed Science Gateways out of the need to handle the limitations of the Science Open Doors program that was developed prior to COVID-19. Science Gateways serves…

In this article, the author aims to open up thinking about a frequently used term -- disadvantage -- and to consider it in relation to the primary science classroom teaching and learning experiences. With the support of education charities such as the Comino Foundation and the SHINE Trust, the author discusses how her team has been exploring the…

Many newsworthy events have brought with them scientific developments that have furthered the knowledge and understanding of the world and impacted life today. Events such as these can provide the perfect way to link history with science and provide children with the opportunity to make the connection between science and everyday life. As Primary…

From the beginning of the September 2020 school year, in an effort to engage children in school life again after a lengthy absence due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rebecca Towner-Yates' school has adopted a 'quest' approach to learning. The concept has its roots firmly embedded in Dorothy Heathcote's 'Mantle of the Expert' (MoE) (Heathcote and…

As the conversation across the country progresses towards diversity and decolonisation of the curriculum, it is important to consider the many ways of demonstrating recognition of diversity. At Harris Garrard Academy in southeast London, educators have gone to great lengths to increase the visibility of race and ethnicity in the curriculum,…