The BEST way to assess children's scientific understanding

Children may be familiar with the water cycle, but do they really understand some of the processes involved?

Our latest blog post is from Helen Harden who, thanks to funding from the Worshipful Company of Horners, has worked with other members of the CIEC team to develop the primary Best Evidence Science Teaching (BEST) diagnostic tools. These support teachers to assess children's understanding of important science concepts. Read on to find out more about one of the latest additions to this important bank of resources.

The water cycle is an important feature in the primary curriculum, but have you ever considered how the ways of thinking it develops are essential for future understanding of climate change and sustainability?

From observation of small-scale changes of state in the home or classroom, children must shift their thinking to the vastness of the oceans and clouds high above their heads. Instead of thinking about a single change of state, the children must understand a connected cycle that spans the whole surface of the Earth and the atmosphere above it. Some processes in the water cycle will be very familiar to children who have stood in the pouring rain or who have watched a rushing river.  However, the complete cycle includes a key process (evaporation) that is invisible. It is this way of thinking about a whole interconnected system, including both visible and invisible processes, that is a critical skill for future understanding of climate change and sustainability.

The Best Evidence Science Teaching  (BEST) 7-11 Water Cycle resources are free to download, and support children’s development of understanding about the more challenging aspects of the water cycle. The resources include diagnostic questions and prompts for discussion to identify misconceptions as well as ideas for investigations and other activities to help children develop a more mature understanding.

By laying a strong foundation of this core primary topic children will be better placed to develop their understanding of climate change and sustainability.

Examples of some of the activities included in this free to download resource.

BEST Primary Resources have been produced as a UYSEG project in collaboration with CIEC

Exploring STEM careers with Oak Academy resources

 We are proud to share a selection of ‘science careers’ lessons created by CIEC as part of the new primary science curriculum recently launched by Oak National Academy. 

The lessons are linked to the National Curriculum for primary science and encourage more children to feel that ‘science is for me.’ 

Children as young as Year 1 (5 and 6-year-olds) will learn about how some people use science every day as part of their job, and how science can be a job for everybody.

An extract from the Y1 unit on developing new materials

The lessons include opportunities for teachers to uncover and discuss any misconceptions children may have about who might work in a science related career. 

The Oak materials encourage children to discuss preconceptions about STEM careers.

They also encourage young children to consider a range of careers in science- related industries, as they begin to think about future aspirations with information such as... 

“If you like asking questions and finding out about the world around you, then you might like to have a career in science.”

For more information about these lessons, please get in touch with CIEC or visit The Oak National Academy primary science page to access the free primary units.