CARIBBEAN PRIMARY SCIENCE Teacher's Book 2 - Macmillan ...

CARIBBEAN PRIMARY SCIENCE
Teacher’s Book 2
David and Penny Glover
This course has been written through a close collaboration
between experienced teachers and primary science
specialists.
• Fortuna Anthony • Pamela Hunte • Nelson Longsworth
• Eulie Mantock • Ryan Mongroo • Frank Newton
• Doltan Ramsubeik • Motielall Singh • Dwight Steadford
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Contents
Introduction 5
What is science 5
Why teach science in the primary school 6
The primary science curriculum 7
Using Bright Ideas with your curriculum 8
Lesson planning 9
Resources for science teaching 12
Books, songs, poetry, raps and rhymes 15
Field work and visits 15
Displays 17
Assessing children’s progress in science 17
Developing children’s scientific vocabulary 18
Developing science process skills 18
Science process skills in Bright Ideas 25
Safety 25
Lesson plans 28
Unit 1 Living things 28
Unit 2 The environment 42
Unit 3 Matter and materials 51
Unit 4 Structures and machines 63
Unit 5 Forces and energy 70
Unit 6 The Earth in space 85
Resources
Bright Ideas Workbook 2 answers 91
Action songs and rhymes for Year 2 Science 96
Planning grids 98
Bright Ideas Year 2 Scope and Sequence 101
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Series preface – Bright Ideas
The Bright Ideas series is a comprehensive science course for all students in primary schools.
Building on practical experience and investigation, the books follow current best practice in
science education. Through engaging content and carefully graded activities and exercises,
students are guided to develop a sound framework of scientific knowledge, understanding and
skills. There are seven full-colour Student’s Books from kindergarten level to the final year of
primary school. Each Student’s Book is accompanied by a Workbook.
This Teacher’s Book provides detailed support for teachers using the Year 2 Student’s Book as the
basis for their science teaching through the school year. The introduction starts with a discussion
of the question ‘What is science’ and sets out the case for teaching investigative science in the
primary school. Subsequent sections deal in turn with the primary science curriculum; matching
the content of Bright Ideas to your curriculum; lesson planning and preparation; resources for
science teaching; field work and visits; displays; assessment; developing science process skills;
and safety in science teaching.
Pages 28–90 of the guide present sample lesson plans for each of the 44 lessons in the Student’s
Books. Each lesson plan lists the lesson objectives and the resources required. There are ideas
for starter activities and lesson development and suggestions for summarising and evaluating the
lesson. There are also suggestions for extension activities, cross-curriculum links and answers to
the Student’s Book questions.
On pages 98–100 you will find printable grids and planning forms to assist your planning and
record keeping.
Science teaching, especially when it is ‘hands-on’, can be highly enjoyable and rewarding for
teachers and students alike. We hope that the Bright Ideas course will contribute both to the
effectiveness of your teaching and to the pleasure that you and your class gain from studying
science.
David and Penny Glover
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Introduction
What is science
For most of history, science had little to do with the everyday lives of ordinary people. This is not
true today. From antibiotics and X-rays, through mobile phones and the internet, to hurricane
tracking by satellite and the impact of global warming – the discoveries and applications of
science affect all our lives. Indeed, it would not be unreasonable to claim that science has created
the modern world.
So what exactly is science A partial answer to this question is that science is the body of
knowledge – observations, ideas and explanations – assembled by scientists through generations
of painstaking investigation of the natural world. This knowledge is recorded in books and journals
that fill miles of shelving in the world’s great libraries. Subdivided into major subject areas such as
Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology and Astronomy, the creation of this intellectual wealth is a
wonderful human enterprise that continues today at an ever increasing rate.
Great as this enterprise is, if that’s all there was to science then, apart from the small percentage
of the population who work as professional scientists, most of us could only ever hope to be
spectators to the discoveries of science and consumers of its applications. But this is certainly not
the case. We can all think and work as scientists; even five-year-olds in their first year at school
can be scientists as they discover the wonders of the world in which they live.
That this is so is because science is not just a body of knowledge, it is also a process for
investigating and understanding the things around us and for checking that our ideas and
explanations are correct. The essence of the scientific method is simply stated. Scientific
understanding is based on:
● evidence collected from the real world
● careful observations and measurements that can be checked by others
● explanations (theories) that make predictions which can be tested by further observation and
experiment.
Other key features of the scientific way of thinking and working include important attitudes
towards knowledge and learning:
● questioning – constant curiosity about how and why things are as they are
● respect for evidence – including the willingness to change accepted views of the world when
new evidence contradicts previously held ideas or beliefs
● collaboration – working with others, sharing ideas and resources to make new discoveries and
to solve problems.
The scientific method and attitudes are thus not only relevant to the work of high-powered
professors in sophisticated laboratories – they have a role in most aspects of life. Whether it is a
householder trying to reduce energy bills, a car driver trying to work out why his or her car won’t
start, a local politician trying to solve the problems of waste disposal in a community, or countless
similar challenges we face in our working and daily lives, thinking scientifically has proved to be
the most reliable and efficient method for solving practical problems, as well as for discovering
new knowledge.
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
Why teach science in the primary school
A generation ago science was not commonly taught as a separate subject in primary schools.
At best, there would be some nature study and a few model-making activities – which might
expose children to some simple applications of science in technology – but investigations and
experiments were not on the menu until secondary school and, even then, the emphasis was
often more on learning about science, rather than learning to do science.
With the move away from the didactic ‘chalk-and-talk’ approach to education, towards a more childcentred
model of learning that took place from the 1960s onwards, science gradually took its place
in the primary curriculum. Experiments with discovery learning and new educational theories, which
emphasised the importance of children ‘constructing’ their own understanding through first-hand
experiences and by sharing their ideas with others, developed in parallel with the growing influence
of science and technology in society. As politicians recognised the importance of science education
for economies and society in general, educators discovered the value of the hands-on approach to
science in motivating and enhancing children’s intellectual development in the primary school.
Investigative science motivates and
promotes real learning
Today, the case for teaching primary science hardly needs to be stated. Science, alongside
numeracy and literacy, is a core component of the primary school curriculum in schools around
the world. The reasons for teaching science at the primary level may be summarised as follows:
● investigation-based science learning develops children’s curiosity, problem solving, practical
and communication skills
● basic scientific knowledge of the human body, diet, living things, the environment, materials,
forces and energy contributes to children’s developing awareness of themselves and their
relationship to their surroundings; this knowledge will help them to make healthy choices, to
keep safe and to solve problems as they move through life
● scientific values and attitudes such as respect for evidence, questioning, flexible thinking and
the willingness to share knowledge and ideas are relevant in all areas of children’s learning, not
just science
● through science, children become aware of environmental issues and the impact that they
as individuals can have on their surroundings; they develop respect for living things and their
environment and become aware of the harm that simple actions such as littering, wasting
energy or contaminating water supplies can cause
● in the majority of countries science is an examination subject at the end of the final year of
primary school. Children may need to perform well in science to gain a place at the secondary
school of their choice
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
● a good knowledge of science gained in the primary school prepares children to do well in their
more formal science education at secondary school. Good results in secondary school science
examinations open up a wide range of career opportunities.
The primary science curriculum
A preliminary reading of primary science curriculum documents from the countries of the
Caribbean Region and beyond suggests that each is highly individual, with less in common
between the specifications from different countries than for, say, numeracy and literacy.
However, a more thorough analysis shows that, although different topics may be tackled in
different years and there are some country-specific contexts and examples through which
science is taught, the majority of themes are common to all primary science syllabus documents.
Table 1 identifies the core science themes that almost invariably appear at different points in the
kindergarten and the six years of primary school.
Table 1 Themes common to the majority of primary science syllabuses
Theme 1
How science works
Theme 2
The human body
Theme 3
Plants and animals
Theme 4
The environment
Theme 5
The Earth and its features
Theme 6
Materials and their
properties
Theme 7
Forces and energy
Theme 8
Space
Scientific enquiry and investigation skills: observing, questioning, classifying,
measuring, planning; hypothesising, evaluation, concluding, etc.
Body parts and processes: senses and sense organs, health and hygiene,
growth, reproduction, organs and organ systems, digestion, nutrition,
disease, healthy lifestyles, etc.
Living things: classification, variety, body parts and systems, life processes,
interactions, life cycles, photosynthesis, useful plants and animals, caring for
animals, gardening, etc.
Habitats and ecosystems: interdependence, different ecosystems, threats
to the environment, pollution, deforestation, global warming, endangered
species, sustainable development, etc.
The structure and components of the Earth: characteristics of rocks and soil,
rock and soil formation, minerals and their uses, landforms, the atmosphere,
weather conditions, climate, water supply, the water cycle, natural disasters,
etc.
Properties and uses of materials: wood, plastic, metal, glass, etc., matching
materials to their applications, conductors and insulators, shaping materials,
using tools, natural and synthetic materials, simple structures, etc.
Force, energy and movement: the effects of forces, types of force, friction,
gravity, simple machines, energy types and sources, fossil fuels and global
warming, alternative energy sources, the characteristics and uses of heat,
light and sound, sources and uses of electricity, simple circuits, magnetism
and its applications, etc.
The Earth in space: the Earth, the Sun and the Moon, day and night, the
seasons, the tides, the phases of the Moon, eclipses, the solar system,
characteristics of the planets, space travel, stars and galaxies, the Universe,
etc.
In practice, each theme is revisited several times as children progress through the school. Topics
from a given theme, the human body, for example, are taught in different year groups – both as the
syllabus demands and as the children become ready to deal with the topic at the depth required.
The main external parts of the human body will probably be introduced in the kindergarten, but the
internal organs and their detailed functions will probably not be covered until Years 5 or 6. Children
progress at different rates and so the opportunity to revisit a topic gives the chance to reinforce
and develop understanding; a topic which had been only partly understood in an earlier year may
be grasped more fully when it is met again and taken further in later years.
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
plants Y6 animals human energy body: space
materials Earth digestive ecosystems
magnetism Y5 electricity plants
animals energy human space body: force
materials Earth ecosystems
Y4
internal organs
magnetism electricity plants
animals energy human space body: force
materials Y3 Earth diet and ecosystems health
magnetism electricity plants
animals Y2 energy human space body: force
materials Earth growth ecosystems
magnetism Y1 electricity plants
animals energy human space body: force
materials Earth ecosystems
K
external parts
The spiral curriculum. Progression through the primary
science curriculum is more akin to a spiral than a straight line.
Children revisit ideas and take them to a higher level as they
progress up the learning spiral.
Themes 2–8 in Table 1 are the knowledge-based areas of the curriculum – the traditional ‘content’
of science. As children work on these themes they learn the basic facts of science – facts about
living things, materials, energy, the planets and so on, but they should not be passive absorbers of
facts. Learning is more effective when learners are actively engaged with the topic: planning and
carrying out investigations, participating in discussions, using the library or the internet to conduct
research for a poster or a display. It is Theme 1 ‘How science works’ that is concerned with the
processes, skills and attitudes of science. As children put these skills into practice, they become
scientists themselves and the syllabus content is brought to life.
In some syllabus documents, science skills are listed in the overall aims of the course; in others they
may be set out as a separate set of objectives in a section similar to the objectives for the knowledgebased
themes. Wherever they appear in the syllabus, it is important we recognise that science skills
cannot be taught in isolation, but should be introduced in real contexts. The idea of a ‘fair test’, for
example, might be introduced when children compare the conditions in which seeds germinate in Years
1 or 2. The concept of fairness can then become part of investigations in all parts of the curriculum.
Using Bright Ideas with your curriculum
The Bright Ideas course has been written for use throughout the Caribbean Region. In developing
the course, syllabus documents from around the region were examined to select the topics for
inclusion. Our aim has been to produce a comprehensive course which includes all the topics at
each level that teachers will need to satisfy their syllabus requirements. This means that:
● each Student’s Book contains more material than will be required for any one syllabus
● teachers must select the material they need for their syllabus
● ‘extra’ material is available in each book for extension and enrichment.
The Student’s Books have been structured to make the selection task as straightforward as
possible. The content has been carefully broken down into self-contained two or three page
‘lessons’. The lessons are grouped as subject Units.
Each lesson includes the following elements:
● list of lesson objectives
● main content illustrated with artwork and/or photographs
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
● one or more activities (these are a mixture of experiments, group work and pencil-and-paper
activities)
● often a fascinating fact box
● key words
● a copy-and-complete summary of key learning points
● one or two review questions.
The learning objectives for each lesson are clearly stated in the Student’s Books in the box
following the lesson title. For example, for Unit 1, Lesson 1 of Year 2:
How plants grow
OBJECTIVES
When you have completed this lesson you will be able to:
● describe how living things grow gradually
● record the germination and growth of different seeds
● arrange pictures of seedlings in order
The knowledge and skills areas supported by the lesson are summarised in the scope and
sequence table at the back of the Student’s Book and Teacher’s Book. For example:
Lesson Title Science Knowledge Science Skills
UNIT 1 LIVING THINGS
How plants grow
Living things grow gradually
The germination and growth of seeds
observing; investigating;
measuring; recording;
communicating
To assist your planning, all this information is brought together as a series of printable planning
grids at the back of this guide. You can use copies of the planning grids together with your
syllabus document to identify those lessons you will be teaching through the school year. Use the
blank columns in the grids to add additional comments and information as required.
Lesson planning
The Student’s Book provides the basis for individual lessons, with the core content, activities and
questions to reinforce and review the students’ learning. Occasionally you may wish to base an
entire lesson around book-work, but science lessons would be dull and repetitive if they were
all taught ‘by-the-book’. In general, lessons should be individually planned, with a variety of
resources used alongside the book. At various stages of the lesson, students may be engaged in
discussion with each other and/or the teacher, question-and-answer, practical work, observing
demonstrations, drawing or note making, answering written questions, reciting poems and
rhymes, singing and other activities (though not necessarily all of the above in any one lesson!)
The key to a good lesson is good planning. The form below is an outline lesson plan for a science
lesson. The sections have been completed with explanations of the kinds of activities the teacher
and the children should be engaged in at different points in the lesson. A blank lesson plan form
is available on page 98 for you to photocopy. Pages 28–90 of this Teacher’s Book present sample
lesson plans for each of the topics in the Year 2 Student’s Book.
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I N T R O D U C T I O N
Outline science lesson plan
Subject: Science Year 2
Date: The date taught
Theme: The lesson theme; for example, Living things
Title: The specific lesson title; for example, How plants grow
Syllabus objectives: The syllabus objective(s) the lesson is planned to cover; for example,
‘When the student has completed this lesson he or she will be able to: describe how living
things grow gradually; record the germination and growth of different seeds; arrange pictures
of seedlings in order’
Knowledge and skills: The science knowledge and skills the lesson develops; for example,
living things grow gradually; the germination and growth of seeds; observing; investigating;
measuring; recording; communicating
Resources: Resources required to teach the lesson, which should be prepared in advance;
for example, a set of Student’s Books; science notebooks; easily grown seeds such as corn
(maize), beans, cress and grass; plastic trays; paper towel; water; a sawn log or tree stump
showing growth rings; rulers; a digital camera
Lesson introduction
This is the first part of the lesson in which the teacher revises previous work and introduces the
new topic. It is important to engage the children’s interest and imagination at the outset of the
lesson. Discussion of specimens and/or the children’s own experiences and existing knowledge
is a good way to do this. For example, the teacher might start the lesson by examining seeds
and growth rings in a sawn log to introduce discussion of plant germination and growth.
Lesson development
This is the main part of the lesson in which the students are engaged in activities and
investigations. For example, children prepare seed trays and plant a variety of seeds
to observe over the coming days and weeks. They plan how to make and record their
observations.
Evaluation and summary
In this part of the lesson the students report their ideas, observations and conclusions, and
the teacher helps them to state the results by introducing appropriate new vocabulary. The
teacher summarises the lesson content, for example by drawing sketches or writing new
vocabulary on the board. The ‘Check your progress’ questions in the Student’s Book could
be used at this stage. The teacher may conclude the lesson with an activity or questions
that reinforce the key objectives; for example by teaching the class a song about planting
seeds.
Extension and links
This part of the lesson plan provides suggestions for additional activities to use when time
permits to extend and enrich the students’ learning. Links are made to other areas of the
curriculum.
Check your progress answers
Answers are given for the Student’s Book questions.
1 0
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