Getting Science: The Teacher's Guide to Exciting and Painless Primary School Science

by Clegg; Brian

• ISBN13: 9780415421997
• ISBN10: 0415421993
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2007-06-18
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

Science is rightly a fundamental part of primary school education, but that doesn?t make it easy to teach - especially for teachers without a science background. This straight talking book from an experienced science writer and communicator looks at how to make the most of it and give primary school children a good grounding in the topic. Getting Science sets out to engage the sense of wonder. The science in this book is not for the children, but for the adults who have to explain it. Starting with a whirlwind tour of the great milestones of modern science, Getting Science goes on to take each of the main curriculum topics and give it a new twist. It provides the information needed to understand the key topics better and be able to put them across with enthusiasm and energy. This book will help teachers to get children excited by science, to understand science rather than just answer questions. Getting Science makes science fun, approachable andcomprehensible to those who just don?t get it.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements	p. xi
A note on terminology	p. xii
Introduction	p. 1
Wonder, adventure and hope	p. 2
Putting the science into context	p. 5
Sprinkling it with amazing facts	p. 6
Finding it in real life	p. 8
Making it hands-on	p. 9
Making it fun	p. 10
Wonder, adventure and hope - essentials	p. 11
Science around us and the experiment	p. 12
It's not all labs and white coats	p. 12
Science across the Danube	p. 13
What's the point of experiments?	p. 14
Experiment versus experience	p. 15
The scientific method	p. 17
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?	p. 19
Lies, damned lies, and statistics	p. 22
Why experiment at all?	p. 25
Big pictures and small details	p. 26
Science around us and the experiment - essentials	p. 27
The basics	p. 28
Where it all started	p. 29
Most people's ideas of science are Victorian	p. 30
First catch your atom	p. 32
We just can't be certain	p. 33
Bigger fleas have smaller fleas	p. 34
The big four forces	p. 36
Einstein's magical mystery daydream	p. 38
Relativity can be very special	p. 39
Getting in a tangle	p. 40
The gravity game - relativity goes general	p. 40
Theories of everything	p. 42
In the beginning was the bang	p. 42
Next add life	p. 43
A little change here, a little change there	p. 45
The basics - essentials	p. 46
Around the curriculum - life	p. 47
Life: it's alive!	p. 48
Life: something that goes	p. 50
Life: thriving	p. 51
Life: variety is spice	p. 53
Life: nothing is constant	p. 54
Life: not very well designed	p. 55
Life: why people don't have fur	p. 56
Life: cracking the DNA code	p. 58
Life: another take on reproduction	p. 59
Life: first catch your stem cell	p. 61
Life: pass the energy	p. 64
Life - essentials	p. 65
Around the curriculum - stuff	p. 66
Stuff: what sort?	p. 66
Stuff: transformers	p. 68
Stuff: back to the beginning	p. 70
Stuff: riding the eco-surf	p. 71
Stuff: getting in a state	p. 73
Stuff: catching the cold	p. 75
Stuff- essentials	p. 76
Around the curriculum - workings	p. 77
Workings: electrickery	p. 77
Workings: illumination	p. 78
Workings: getting to the source	p. 79
Workings: reflecting on the photon	p. 81
Workings: refraction meets Baywatch	p. 83
Workings: seeing the light	p. 85
Workings: colour me excited	p. 87
Workings: hear, hear	p. 90
Workings: feel the force	p. 91
Workings: outer space	p. 93
Workings: dinosaurs and standard candles	p. 94
Workings: measuring the universe	p. 96
Workings: into the black	p. 97
Workings: wormholes in space	p. 98
Workings: solar system	p. 99
Workings: energy from atoms	p. 100
Workings: is anybody out there?	p. 102
Workings - essentials	p. 104
Getting hands-on	p. 105
Make sure it's their hands	p. 106
Things should happen	p. 107
Stimulate the senses	p. 107
Look for the unexpected	p. 108
Explore error	p. 109
Make results live	p. 111
Everyone loves a gift	p. 111
Dress to impress	p. 112
Use your external resources	p. 112
If it's too dangerous, go virtual	p. 113
Getting hands-on - essentials	p. 114
Out in the world and electric experiences	p. 115
Looking around me	p. 115
Inside the machine	p. 115
Getting mobile	p. 117
Desks and light sabres	p. 117
Building your hit list	p. 118
Moving outside the school	p. 118
Hands-on science museums	p. 119
Science festivals	p. 119
Major institutions	p. 119
Touring facilities	p. 120
Out in the world and electric experiences - essentials	p. 120
Science web	p. 121
Getting it right on the web	p. 121
Information for schools	p. 124
Online demonstrations and activities	p. 125
Science talks	p. 126
Museums	p. 126
Festivals	p. 127
Touring facilities	p. 128
Institutions	p. 128
Keeping up-to-date	p. 130
Booking some mind expansion	p. 130
Keeping up on the web	p. 132
Newsletters and RSS	p. 134
Magazines and newspapers	p. 135
TV	p. 135
Don't make it a chore	p. 136
Go inspire	p. 137
Index	p. 139
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