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Department for Education
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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.
Understanding How Science Works
The materials in this resource are from the Secondary National Strategy ‘Progressing to Level 6 and beyond in science’ project. They were intended for science teachers who are focusing on helping their students in understanding the processes and philosophy of science and scientists.
The Understanding ‘How science works’ teacher guidance file provides strategies for teachers using appropriate resources and should be read first - in conjunction with the Understanding ‘How science works’ steps table, and strategies for progression documents. These documents provide a breakdown of each key skill, with suggested strategies for moving students from one level, or ‘step’, to the next. There is also a guide to help enable Progression in developing ‘How science works’ – across a department whereby teachers, subject leaders and the department self assess their position with regard to developing ‘How science works’.
The teacher and classroom resources focus on the scientific process and the roles of a scientist: * Myths about the scientific process - an introduction * Myths about the scientific process - concept cartoons, and guidance on how to use a concept cartoon approach with students * The different roles of a scientist * Brief history of the scientific method * Scientific method summary table – a worksheet These ideas are then further explored through the lives of different scientists and the different standpoints of leading philosophers of science Francis Bacon, Karl Popper, and Thomas Kuhn.
The ‘How science works’ road map is a pictorial way to help understand the processes of science and the factors that influence it. Dialogues of conversations at decision points on the map are included.
For more on developing other aspects of ‘How science works’ such as graphical skills; variables, reliability and accuracy; and analysis and evaluation teachers can see the Aspects of How Science Works strand of the Level 6+ project.
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Downloads
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Understanding HSW steps table 60.24 KB
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Myths about the scientific process 95.59 KB
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Francis Bacon - philosophy and science 116.25 KB
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Karl Popper - philosophy and science 117.09 KB
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Thomas Kuhn - philosophy and science 123.17 KB
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Introduction to the HSW road map 61.31 KB
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HSW road map 126.51 KB
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Dialogue for traffic lights 64.88 KB
Show downloads
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Understanding HSW steps table 60.24 KB
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Myths about the scientific process 95.59 KB
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Francis Bacon - philosophy and science 116.25 KB
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Karl Popper - philosophy and science 117.09 KB
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Thomas Kuhn - philosophy and science 123.17 KB
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Introduction to the HSW road map 61.31 KB
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HSW road map 126.51 KB
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Dialogue for traffic lights 64.88 KB
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Download all files as a .zip3.07 MB
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