Teaching Primary Biology: Classification (FutureLearn)

Teaching Primary Biology: Classification (FutureLearn)

Learn KS2 biology subject knowledge and teaching strategies that will engage pupils in the primary science national curriculum. Enhance your KS2 biology classes with CPD from STEM learning. To teach primary science effectively primary education teachers must have sound subject knowledge, but many primary teachers are not science subject experts. This course will equip you with the key subject knowledge required to effectively teach the biology elements of the primary science national curriculum, focusing on the topic of classification.

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This course does not have open access anymore.
Develop your understanding of the classification of living things
Classification is how we group living things based on features, similarities, and differences.
You’ll build your personal knowledge of classification in order to effectively teach the biology content in the primary science curriculum to pupils aged 7-11.

Discover KS2 science activities for teaching classification
Through the course, you’ll explore common misconceptions about classification that children may have.
You’ll learn how to identify and help KS2 pupils overcome these misconceptions using practical teaching strategies and activities.

Get teacher CPD for teaching science in the primary national curriculum
The National STEM Learning Centre is the biggest provider of education, teacher CPD, and careers support in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.
This course has been created by primary STEM subject specialists in collaboration with secondary science experts.
Your educating team are all experienced teachers themselves and all of the course content is developed using up-to-date research and insights.

Syllabus

Week 1: An overview of classification
Week 2: Misconceptions about classification

What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify the importance of good subject knowledge when teaching primary science.
  • Develop personal subject knowledge of classification to teach this topic as part of the biology primary science curriculum.
  • Apply subject knowledge of biology to class teaching of pupils aged 5-11 years old.
  • Explore practical activities to teach scientific concepts in the primary curriculum.
  • Identify common misconceptions children may have in primary science concepts.
  • Develop teaching strategies to identify and overcome children’s misconceptions.
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