As the Scottish Office reviews curriculum guidelines for environmental studies, help with the science element comes from Scottish Science 5-14, a three-stage course published by John Murray. Written by three Scottish teachers and an adviser, the course claims to be easy to use, require no in-depth understanding of the subject by the teacher and allow Primary 1 children to enjoy hands-on “real” science.
With sections entitled Myself, Where I live, All around me and Finding out about living things, the Stage 1, Primary 1 teacher’s book is now available (pound;40), with a pack of 12 A4 full-colour pictures(pound;25) and assessment workbooks (five of each title pound;20).
* The Sounds of Ancient Scotland
Using original instruments, this unusual CD offers a chance to hear “the sounds that would have been familiar to our forebears thousands of years ago”. With music ranging from ringing rocks to bird-bone flutes, it includes recordings of the 2,000-year-old Caprington horn and the eighth-century iron bell of St Adomnan. The disc is linked to displays at Kilmartin House Museum of Archaeology and Landscape Interpretation in Argyll, which has a range of ancient instrument replicas for visiting groups to play. An information booklet with the CD provides information about the musicians and instruments, which can be adapted for educational purposes. pound;12 plus VAT from Kilmartin House Trust, Kilmartin, Argyll PA31 8RQ.
* First Nature: This is a hefty 240-page environmental education programme for five to eight-year-olds, which provides teachers with a range of classroom and outdoor activities. Originally developed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds for school visits to one of its nature reserves, the material has been adapted and extended to support science work. Published with the help of Scottish Natural Heritage and BP, First Nature costs pound;25 from RSPB Education, Scottish Headquarters, 7 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh EH7 5BN.
