Introduction   “Science without practical is like swimming without water” Teacher response to SCORE questionnaire   Hands-on learning experiences are key to the development of skills and the tying together of practical and theory. Good quality practical work can not only engage students with the processes of scientific enquiry, but also communicate the excitement and wonder of the subject.

Practical work lies at the heart of primary science. Children need opportunities to develop practical and enquiry skills in order to engage with the world in a scientific way and to make sense of what they are learning about living things, the environment, materials and physical processes. Hands-on experience promotes curiosity and engagement and provides opportunities for the discussion and questioning which develop understanding. Practical work can take place inside or outside the classroom, and can happen at any point in a unit of work or lesson. It may be a five minute demonstration, a short activity to practice using an unfamiliar piece of equipment or an extended enquiry. What it must be is a varied and integral part of the learning process which promotes thinking as well as doing.

 

There are a wide range of possible purposes for including practical work in science lessons; any particular piece of work should have its purposes made explicit to pupils if they are to benefit fully from it. If not, there is a danger of pupils seeing practical work merely as a break from the more routine activities of listening and writing.

 

The activities chosen here illustrate a range of purposes and highlight different types of practical activity that could be used to teach various topics in the science curriculum. The selections are purely illustrative and we recommend that you take a look at the original sources for further examples [see Further Information page to help you find an activity to suit your needs.]

 

The activities have also been categorised by purpose and, as you will see from the table of activities, many of the experiments fall into more than one category: Investigations including teamwork, Extended enquiry, Challenging existing ideas, Out of the classroom, Use of ICT, The 'messiness' of real data, Stimulating demonstrations, and Developing skills.

 

We would encourage Science Coordinators to look at what is being offered in terms of practical work within their own institutions and ensure that the full range of purposes is covered. A blank table has been provided that could be downloaded and completed.

 

Click here to download blank table as a microsoft Word document

 

 

“Science is a fascinating and exciting subject... The most stimulating and engaging teaching and the best learning occur when science is brought to life and pupils are given the chance to conduct, record and evaluate their own investigations.”

Christine Gilbert, Chief Inspector of Schools