VIEW FROM THE CLASSROOM


weeks, fully immersing them within the world of Mary Anning.


Why were the resources so beneficial to pupils’ learning?


The resources were centred on a dialogic teaching approach which structures lessons in a way which helps pupils express and share ideas, reason and debate through group- and class-wide discussion.


All the activities were interactive and designed to encourage discussion, with debate driving the learning. The enquiry-based approach of the resource meant our pupils were able to dive deeper into the topics, as they were encouraged to ask questions and collect evidence to communicate their findings.


For example, the children were asked to order a range of scientific discoveries and decide amongst themselves which was the most important. This led to significant levels of discussion with children presenting their reasoning as to why they believed one event or discovery had more merit or impact than another. It was brilliant to see how the children would analyse and weigh up each argument, helping others to understand their thinking with opinions often changing from the beginning to the end of lessons.


Can the resources be used in other subjects beyond science?


While the resource is focused on scientific discovery and evolution, it still allowed us to incorporate other subject areas, drawing in and introducing topics from English, history and RE. Exploring the process of societal reactions to Mary Anning’s discovery allowed our children to learn about the relationship between science and religion at the time, the ethical debates that can accompany scientific discoveries and comparisons between social factors in the 1800s and now. As the project was debate driven, discussions followed the pupil’s natural curiosity and lead to conversations around the health and wellbeing of children at the time as well as women’s rights and societal standing. Typically, evolution can be perceived as quite a complex and sometimes


‘dull’ topic in science, often solely focused on the concepts and facts. However, we were able to bring the world around Mary Anning’s discoveries to life and bolster the children’s knowledge of other subject areas at the same time. Contextualising learning in this way helped fully immerse the pupils in the subject and allowed them to completely engage and enjoy the project in a way that completing worksheets simply wouldn’t.


What was the impact on pupils, their learning and engagement?


The activities set built knowledge and linked to other subject areas, which made the learning inclusive to all, no matter their ability. The dialogic teaching element ensured no pupil - whether due to lack of confidence or understanding - was disengaged and we saw huge amounts of active engagement, with lots of discussion and debate among pairs, groups and class-wide. Something particularly valuable was that our pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND) also made progress at the same rate as our other pupils, which is not always the case. The fact that the project was not focused on written outcomes was an essential factor in making it inclusive to all our pupils regardless of their needs or ability.


There was visible excitement during lessons, and pupils felt empowered following their class discussions; the set-up of the lessons meant no one was right or wrong and so all opinions were valued and heard which notably built up their confidence. It also allowed pupils to take agency over the direction of their own learning, playing to their strengths and other interests. One of my pupils who is particularly artistic created her own detailed scientific drawings to submit as part of her work on the project. The guidance of the resource helped frame the children’s learning experience but also gave them the space to shine. It was clear how the project inspired them to take their learning beyond the classroom. Several of the children visited museums to see fossils in person with their families or even did some fossil hunting of their own!


Did pupils gain any specific new skills? Compared to previous projects, we noticed the children making more careful observations and educated predictions before working to draw their own conclusions. As they were encouraged to question and assess sources, they developed strong inquiry skills as they learnt to critically analyse materials, which only increased throughout the project.


They were challenged to make their own arguments, presenting them to classmates and supporting their claims with evidence, drastically improving the level of their debating skills. By the end of the project, pupils knew how to effectively construct and communicate their views and learnt to listen and work with others to come to conclusions.


How does this approach support staff to engage pupils with their learning? Key to the success of this approach was ensuring that staff had the support and resources they needed to confidently lead and guide class learning with dialogic teaching techniques. With some primary school teachers not necessarily having specialised scientific knowledge, the materials were helping in aiding understanding to better support pupils’ learning.


A Fossil Hunter’s Story included extensive CPD resources and professional learning strategies to aid confidence in developing pupils’ understanding of evolution, the nature of scientific enquiry and the strengths and limitations of scientific knowledge. With this support, our teachers were able to facilitate and encourage debate and lines of inquiry driving pupils’ genuine engagement with the subject.


How can other schools benefit from this type of learning?


I would encourage any school to test out the resources – after all, they are free! Helping pupils engage with science in a more interactive way builds positive attitudes and inspires curiosity that will support and frame their future education. This is particularly key for girls; it’s important to build this confidence and interest early before stereotypes or other factors may cause disinterest or disengagement from science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The story itself, as well as the cross-curricular nature of the project, also introduced our pupils to the wide range of career opportunities and possibilities in the world of STEM and just how enjoyable and inspiring science can be for all.


June 2024 www.education-today.co.uk 21


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44