It takes more than a set of workcards to teach a lesson. Science Connections is a scheme which recognises that. Pack B for Years 3 and 4 of key stage 2 follows the style of the key stage 1 materials (reviewed in The TES, May 9, 1997).

The teacher’s book provides the background to the science, cross-curricular links, display ideas and resource lists. There are ways of introducing each topic so that the children are prepared for the activity cards. The teacher’s book also contains planning and record sheets and some photcopiable masters. Content is related to the national curriculum for England and Wales, the Scottish 5-14 Guidelines, and the Northern Ireland common curriculum. There are 72 activity cards for 12 units to cover the two years. Each card is colourful, easy to read and durable and offers work at two levels of ability. Pack B units cover, for instance, the human body, classifying materials, types of forces, friction, changing materials and local environments.

Types of forces, for example, has activities to do with balance and stability, friction, gravity and flotation. Stability is explored at the first level with plastic bottles containing different amounts of water. At the higher level, children investigate the effect of the spacing and position of animals’ legs.

There are workbooks for each unit for children to record their activities and answer questions about them.

This resource covers teaching a topic from beginning to end, including those parts of a lesson that some other schemes do not always reach. It also recognises that not every teacher has a deep knowledge of science. All in all, Pack B lives up to the promise of Pack A.

Douglas Newton is a reader ineducation at Newcastle University