UNESCO Sourcebook for Science in the Primary School

The UNESCO Sourcebook for Science in the Primary School, published by UNESCO in 1992, is a book of 272 pages for teacher educators and primary teachers. The material is designed for use in pre-service or in-service courses for teachers and for individual study and reference. It uses a workshop approach, promoting active learning by teachers.

[b]Aims and objectives[/b]
To support the development of science teaching in primary schools in all countries. To provide activities and resources for teacher education and to illustrate inquiry-based classroom activities.

[b]Approach[/b]
As its title suggests, the book supports a workshop approach to teacher education. This term is used to indicate a learning experience in which learners create meaning and understanding through their own physical and mental activity. This is applied to the learning of teachers and to the learning of children.

The two parts of the book provide different elements of a course. Part one develops teachers’ understanding of children’s learning in science and the teacher’s role. Part two, using unique visual representations and a minimum of words, describes activities that engage children in learning science.

[b]Context[/b]
As part of its endeavour to improve science teaching in its Member States, during the 1970s UNESCO produced a series of publications for science teachers. These included the New UNESCO Source Book for Science Teaching (1973), comprising descriptions of classroom activities for primary schools children. In the 1980s courses for primary teachers and teacher trainers were run in a range of countries, mostly in the developing world, using a workshop approach.

[b]Contents[/b]
Part One: Developing understanding and skills for teaching primary school science
Chapter 1 About learning in science
Chapter 2 Doing science: making a start
Chapter 3 What makes an activity scientific?
Chapter 4 Science process skills and attitudes
Chapter 5 Developing children’s process skills and attitudes
Chapter 6 Developing children’s science concepts
Chapter 7 Language, communication and reporting
Chapter 8 Encouraging and handling children’s questions
Chapter 9 Science outside the classroom
Chapter 10 Assessment as part of teaching
Chapter 11 Formal assessment of scientific concepts and skills
Chapter 12 Evaluating learning opportunities for all pupils

Part Two: Engaging children in active science
Chapter 13 Classroom activities and teachers education
Chapter 14 Children and water
Chapter 15 Children and their environment
Chapter 16 Children, mirrors and reflections
Chapter 17 Children and balances