The Really Useful Science Book

Reviews / Votes

The structure of this book is great: sectioned into biology, chemistry and physics, it is easy to navigate. . .and key ideas - for example, key idea 2.6 lists: energy transfer, food chains and webs, and the food cycle - demonstrate a natural link between topics, useful for planning for progression.

At the end of each section, the National Curriculum programme of study guides display progression through year groups, offering an 'at a glance' view of what pupils' prior knowledge should be and what they are aiming towards. The teaching idea boxes reveal great ideas to use as 'awe and wonder' activities and hooks, and the concept confusion boxes are really easy to use; allowing teachers to identify common misconceptions that may occur during the lesson.

I really enjoyed the famous scientist fact-boxes, they are relevant, linking concepts and topic areas to scientists and allowing children to see where theories and ideas originate and that they are developing and changing.

Finally, working scientifically is an excellent feature of the book; for a teacher or trainee teacher, this ensures and reassures us that the children in our class are achieving all the different aspects of working scientifically.

- Anna Porto, Third Year Undergraduate Primary Science Education Specialist, St. Mary's University, UK