A world without science would be a much lesson interesting place. Science explains and affects everything we do, from dropping a pen off the table to how we grow and age. We know so much about how our world works, yet the universe is shrouded in mystery; it’s exciting, fascinating, and it’s our job as teachers to introduce young minds to these topics.

KS1 marks children’s introduction to science lessons, so it’s essential to ensure that the teaching methods employed are engaging, fun, and interactive to capture the attention of young learners and help them develop a love for science. The KS1 science curriculum is designed to introduce young learners to the basic concepts of living things, materials, and physical phenomena.

Science is an essential subject and one we all spend a lot of time teaching at the primary school level, but that doesn’t often mean that coming up with meaningful lesson plans that align with the KS2 Science Curriculum is easy. To teach lessons to your pupils that resonate and cover the curriculum in its entirety throughout the school year can require significant planning.

Teaching science can be a daunting idea;

• What if the experiments go horribly wrong?
• What if they ask me why trees grow, and rocks don’t?
• What if they can tell that I’m not a scientist?

It’s no wonder that only 32% of primary teachers strongly agree that they are “confident in teaching science”. (The Wellcome Trust’s State of the Nation report of UK Primary Science Education)

It's no secret that girls are underrepresented in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Although progress has been made throughout the years, in part due to the support of incredible teachers, there is still room for improvement. According to United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), women make up only 35% of STEM students in higher education globally. Since interest in STEM often starts in primary school, it's incredibly important to provide support for these women early on in life and instil them with the courage to pursue STEM fields. Teachers can no doubt support this work. Here are five ways teachers can help encourage girls to become inspiring women in STEM.

Science lesson planning: how to plan and write a great science lesson

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