Science Explorers is a fun, flexible collection of primary resources designed to help teachers to run a Science Day or Week for their class or the whole school – whether teachers have a science background or not. Pupils will work together to answer the Big Question: “Why are living things the way they are?”
Available to all UK teachers on the BP Educational Service website, this brand new collection offers lots of free science learning materials for primary school pupils aged 5 to 11.
The resources are specially designed to appeal to non-specialists, supporting primary teachers who are less confident in science teaching with a fun, interactive and whole-school approach. Through the programme’s interactive app, videos and classroom activities, Science Explorers can support schools and teachers when encouraging engagement with science from an early age.
Get the Science Explorer training app
The Science Explorer training app is a fun treasure hunt game for 7 to 11s. Pupils will solve riddles and unlock a series of activities relating to key science skills to help bring their learning to life. Used alongside engaging videos and classroom activities, the app will see pupils answer the Big Question: “Why are living things the way they are?”
Teachers will follow three steps to help their pupils become Science Explorers: • Step 1: Become a Science Explorer – introduce pupils to the Big Question and have them complete fun Science Explorer training to unlock a Class Challenge. • Step 2: Start Exploring – use the curriculum-linked resources provided to explore the Class Challenge in as much depth as teachers choose. • Step 3: Report Back to Base – bring everyone back together, so that pupils can present their findings to their peers, and watch a congratulatory film.
Designed for specialists and non-specialists
Science Explorers provides a clear and simple way to start engaging children in science. The resources are designed to give young people ownership of their own scientific investigations, showing science learning as a relevant, everyday experience.
This approach is informed by a range of research studies indicating demand among primary school teachers for further support in science teaching. According to research from the CBI, a third (33%) of primary teachers lack confidence when teaching science, while more than half (53%) said science has become less of a priority in the last five years.
BP’s own ground-breaking research has shown that developing a young person’s “science capital” is an important step in raising their career aspirations in science:
• Evidence from the ASPIRES project suggests that the majority of young people are interested in science but only 18% of boys and 12% of girls aspire to a career in science. • BP-backed research project Enterprising Science has shown that the development of a young person’s ‘science capital’ through personal and relatable science teaching is key to developing science career aspirations. Developing ‘science capital’ involves creating learning opportunities that are personalised and localised to a pupils’ community and day-to-day life. By exploring the science of familiar environments such as the park and the zoo, Science Explorers helps to ensure pupils’ learning is relevant and relatable.
More Information
Developed with science subject specialists, backed by the latest research and designed to inspire teachers and pupils alike, Science Explorers is an exciting new science learning tool for primary schools.
Find out more about Science Explorers.
Register with the BP Educational Service to access the resources today.
