Starting from Rocks
Starting from Rocks was one of four books published by the Schools Council Environmental Studies Project to illustrate a recommended approach for working with students in the 5 to 13 age range. The approach had, as one of its aims, the development by children of a variety of methods of examining and representing the features they…
Geology in the School Curriculum
Geology in the School Curriculum was a report of the Schools Council Geology Curriculum Review Group, published in 1977. The report aimed to fulfil two roles. Firstly, its discursive sections were intended to support the recommendations put by the Geology Curriculum Review Group to the Schools Council. Secondly, it was hoped that…
Nuffield Secondary Science: An Evaluation
The Schools Council initiated this evaluation of Nuffield Secondary Science at the point when school trials of the materials were largely complete. As a result the evaluation focussed on the early adoption of the project by schools. Three aspects, which were thought to be characteristic of the project were chosen for study. They…
Science for the Young School Leaver
Science for the Young School Leaver was one of a series of informal publications by the Schools Council. Schools Council Working Paper Number 1 started a series to make widely available information about curriculum development projects while still in their formative stages. Working Paper No. 1 was produced for the Nuffield Foundation…
SCISP Topic Book: Earth Patterns
This Schools Council Integrated Science Project (SCISP) topic book was written to accompany the fourth of the SCISP students’ manuals. Contents • Introduction • Earth patterns in areas of stable continental crust • Patterns of Earth history in areas of mobile continental crust • Earth patterns…
SCISP Topic Book: Weather Patterns
This Schools Council Integrated Science Project (SCISP) topic book was written to accompany the third of the SCISP students’ manuals. Contents • Introduction • Water and weather patterns • Wind and weather patterns • Weather patterns in the British Isles • Predicting weather • Further…
SCISP Topic Book: Rocks and Minerals
This Schools Council Integrated Science Project (SCISP) topic book was written to accompany the first of the SCISP students’ manuals. Contents • Collecting rocks • Rocks - the building blocks of the Earth's crust • Identifying a rock • Identifying a mineral • Polishing your specimens…
SCISP Technicians’ Manual 4: Interactions and Change
The Schools Council Integrated Science Project (SCISP) technicians' manuals included classified lists of equipment, preparation guides, technical hints and lists of suppliers. The books were written to enable almost all school technicians to prepare for the Patterns lessons with as little help as possible from the teacher. Contents Classified…
SCISP Students’ Manual 4: Interactions and Change
The Schools Council Integrated Science Project (SCISP) manuals for students were not traditional textbooks. They included experiments, practical and theoretical problems, and information (such as photographs, data and extracts from books or newspapers) intended for use in problems and in class discussion. They also contained optional…
SCISP Teachers’ Guide 4: Interactions and Change
In the Schools Council Integrated Science Project (SCISP) course, the explanations of change used the concept of interaction under these headings: • Recognising change • A close look at a number of different changes • Stability Contents 1. Recognising change 2. Changes in behaviour 3. Changes in acidity 4.…
Using the Environment 3: Tackling Problems Part 2
The activities described in the Science 5/13 units Using the environment 3: tackling problems are designed for children aged 9-13, when they are becoming more capable of thinking logically and begin to speculate about the causes of phenomena and how their ideas could be tested. The work described takes children and teachers beyond…
Change, Stages One and Two and Background
This Science 5/13 unit for teachers on Change stages one and two describes a range of activities that build children’s ideas about change and how it occurs. Rather than being a topic to pursue as a whole, it contains ideas that can be woven into other topics. However, one theme 'Changes in the kitchen' has been given…
Using the Environment 2: Investigations Part 2
The Science 5/13 unit Using the environment 2: investigations part 2 follows on from part one focusing on what and how children can investigate in the outside environment. The first three chapters are concerned with helping children to become more aware of the things that change: the weather, living things and the landscape. Two…