Learning Through Science

Learning Through Science was a project initially sponsored by the Schools Council and the Scottish Education Department. Later it came under the aegis of the School Curriculum Development Committee. Its aims were to help teachers of children between the ages of eight and thirteen to learn science through first-hand experience using a variety of methods. The project produced 12 packs of materials for pupils to use, each accompanied by a brief teachers’ guide. Other general guides and background materials were also published between 1980 and 1985 to help with using the pupil materials, the selection of science resources and teaching science to children with learning difficulties. A pack for student teachers was published consisting of a small selection of the range of pupil materials. There was also a pack of audio-visual material comprising six filmstrips, three audio-cassettes and a booklet, for use in in-service courses.

Context
The project followed on from the Schools Council/Nuffield Science 5/13 project which produced books for teachers giving background information and describing activities relating to subject areas where children can conduct investigations. The trials and Formative Evaluation of Science 5/13 revealed a need among teachers for some supporting material for pupils. The Learning Through Science project undertook to supply this need.

Approach
The Learning Through Science materials for children took the form of full-colour, extensively illustrated assignment cards intended for the children to use. They were arranged in 12 major themes:
Ourselves
Colour
Materials
Sky and Space
All Around
Out of Doors
On the Move
Moving Around
Earth
Electricity
Which and What?
Time, Growth and Change

For each theme there are 24 assignment cards accompanied by a teachers' guide. The pupil activities comprise a comprehensive coverage of the areas of scientific experience that are normally studied by children in primary and middle schools. It was not intended that children would cover all the themes and all the assignments within each theme. Rather it was left to teachers to choose those assignments that were appropriate to the work in hand and to the interests of the children. Activities are not graded across or within the themes. There are no kits of equipment but resources required are listed in the teachers’ guides.

• URL: http://stem.org.uk/cxpm