In this "Primary Science" interview, science educators Alan Peacock and Mick Dunne reflect on their own experiences of what science was like in England before a National Curriculum was introduced. Among the topics covered are: earliest memories of science in school, teaching science before 1988 (pre-science curriculum for primary…

Lead is a good example of a metal that was used for many things over centuries--in water pipes, paints, on roofs, and in leaded petrol, for example--but was superseded as scientists discovered "new" metals, and because its toxicity became a problem. It was originally an important element in pewter utensils, alloyed with tin; it made the tin easier…

The Jurassic Coast is Britain's only natural World Heritage site, a tangible time-line that takes one through 185 million years of history in 95 miles of coast. It provides individuals with a world-famous educational resource and an unrivalled outdoor classroom that has played a key role in the study of earth sciences. The author is keen to ignite…

When "ITV News" ran an item that shocked the author, about rising sea levels that will have caused the entire evacuation of the islands by the end of this year, he began to wonder whether the Pacific Ocean is really rising as fast as this. The media reporting of such things can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it brought to the author's…

This article presents an interview with Sharon Macnab and Jillian Boag of Glasgow Science Centre, who discuss the work of their centre and the Scottish Science Centres network. The Scottish Science Centre is a network of four science centres across Scotland: (1) Glasgow Science Centre in Edinburgh; (2) Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh; (3) Sensation…

When one begins to look at science in primary schools elsewhere, one is immediately struck by the fact that those in England are the odd-ones-out. Hence this is the second in a series of articles looking at how science is dealt with in other systems, beginning with England's immediate neighbours and then looking outwards towards school systems in…

Crime Scene Investigators (CSIs) are the bridge between the police and forensic science specialists. Their job is to recover physical evidence from the scene of a crime, and try to make sense of it to interpret and explain what probably happened--which is just what scientists also do. They recover many things: objects, photographs of the crime…

Children in South Africa learned to do fascinating activities when they were introduced to the "Spider's Place" materials and, in the process, learned valuable science skills and knowledge. "Spider's Place" was initially a series of 13 science programmes for primary-age children from the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), produced by…

Pupils' books in primary science are either rarely used, underused, or misused, even though many excellent books and schemes exist. Various explanations have been offered, such as cost, lack of "match" to the QCA scheme, failure to differentiate, lack of visual literacy, cultural inappropriateness, and language problems (Peacock, 1995, 1997). So…

The Eden Project in Cornwall sets out to educate about the interdependence of plants and people. Its tropical and Mediterranean biomes are housed in the largest "greenhouses" in the world, which serve as a backdrop to plants that grow in the temperate zones of the world, grown in Eden's outdoor landscape. Eden has aroused worldwide interest, and…

The Republic of Senegal, formerly a French colony, is the westernmost country in Africa. It is a three-party democracy, with 92% of the population being Muslim. The structure of education is still closely modelled on the French system of "Elementaire" (Basic) from 7 to 13, "Moyen" (Middle) from 13 to 16 and "Secondaire" (Upper Secondary) from 17…

Provides an international perspective for elementary science education and discusses the structure of science instruction and curriculum in countries like England, Kenya, Malaysia, and Nigeria. Evaluates England's and Wales's current status in science education. (YDS)