The first (exploratory) phase of the Learning in Science Project (Primary)--LISP(P)--focused on science teaching/learning in New Zealand primary schools. Project goals included the identification of major problems of classroom teaching and learning and the study of factors which promote or limit individual children's learning of science. This paper reports on some of these problems and issues. Information was obtained in unstructured audio-taped interviews from: primary inspectors, teachers' college staff, advisers, and non-teaching primary school principals (N=23); classroom teachers (N=24); and mixed ability children (N=35). Analyses of transcripts are reported in two parts. The first part (focusing on primary children learning science) addresses problems and issues related to the amount of science encountered, the purpose of activities, answering strategies, attitudes based on school experiences, ideas gained, and how children learn outside of school. The second part (focusing on primary teachers teaching science) addresses issues and problems related to teacher background in science, science equipment, science education goals, amount of science taken, teaching methods, science syllabi and resource units, and teacher background in curriculum development. One conclusion is that little time is devoted to teaching science and that instruction is often a matter of "covering topics" rather than helping children learn. (JN)