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The Association School Science Review for Science Education 379 The ASE’s journal for science education 11–19

Science revision A4 ad.indd 1 24/11/2020 12:25 2533 FSC ASE handbook ad 2020.qxp_ASE handbook ad 2020 07/09/2020 17:14 Page 3 School Science Ad.qxp_Layout 1 02/09/2020 20:37 Page 1 Supporting your Need a bit of a challenge fieldwork needs or some fuel for an enquiring mind?

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Field Studies Council, FSC, is an environmental education charity providing informative and enjoyable opportunities for Where things NEVER stand still! people of all ages and abilities to discover, explore, and understand the environment School Science Review The ASE’s journal for science education 11–19

Editor Geoff Auty Joint Executive Editors Martin Payne and Andrew Welsh Assistant Executive Editor Helen Johnson Book Reviews Miriam Chaplin Websearch David S. Moore Editorial contact ASE Jane Hanrott Design/typesetting Andrew Welsh

School Science Review is published in March, June, September and December and sent to all Ordinary Members of the ASE free of charge. It is also available on subscription from the ASE. Authorisation is granted by the Association for Science Education for items from SSR to be photocopied for personal use or for the use of specific students. Permission is needed to copy or reproduce for any other purpose and requests should be addressed to the ASE. The contents of this journal do not necessarily represent the views or policies of the ASE, except where explicitly identified as such.

© Association for Science Education, 2020

ISSN 0036–6811

The Association for Science Education Address College Lane, Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AA Telephone 01707 283000 Fax 01707 266532 Email [email protected] Website www.ase.org.uk Advertising Rebecca Dixon-Watmough 01254 247764, [email protected] Printing Holbrooks Printers Ltd, Portsmouth, England

SSR December 2020, 102(379) 1 Contents

School Science Review December 2020, 102(379)

5 Editorial 6 Letter 9 Science notes 9 Bad posture and fall alarms using a BBC micro:bit Steven Weir 11 Simple experiments that may illuminate school geometry, algebra and science Iain MacInnes 13 Simple models for teaching and learning about the human withdrawal reflex Leo Chi Chun Lee, Noddy Ho Long Sin and Kennedy Kam Ho Chan Teaching models for simulating nervous pathways related to the human withdrawal reflex that can engage students in active learning 20 Representations of atomic structure in the logos of atomic energy regulatory bodies Barend Vlaardingerbroek Representations of atomic structure in the logos of atomic energy regulatory bodies do not follow the rules we teach in our science and chemistry classes 23 Should Earth be the last place to think about gravity? Philip Johnson A progression leading to understanding falling towards Earth is presented 28 A longitudinal survey of teachers’ attitudes to the reform of GCSE and AS/A-level sciences, 2015–2017 Tony Leech, Neil Wade, Frances Wilson and Steve Evans A summary and discussion of findings of a longitudinal OCR survey of science teachers’ attitudes to the reform of GCSE and AS/A-level practical science assessment in England since 2015 35 A Predict–Observe–Explain cycle to promote college students’ scientific explanations Ozden Sengul Using a Predict–Observe–Explain cycle in fostering college students’ scientific explanations on concepts of velocity and acceleration in a small-group activity 39 Booking into science: approaches and activities to encourage children and young teens to read science for pleasure Ruth Jarman and Joy Alexander Can we encourage children and young teens to read science for pleasure? This article presents teacher- devised approaches and activities that have proved successful in the classroom. 48 Auditing summative assessments: the need to increase creative reasoning in mathematics and science at lower secondary in Ireland Ailbhe Garry, Aishling Reilly, Majella Dempsey and Ann O’Shea An illustration of the importance of using frameworks to audit tasks in second-level state examinations for mathematics and science 55 Best Evidence Science Teaching: research evidence in action Lucy Atkinson, Lynda Dunlop, Judith Bennett, Peter Fairhurst and Alistair Moore Case studies demonstrate how resources from the Best Evidence Science Teaching project enable teachers to use research evidence in planning and teaching 64 Practical suggestions for promoting science student actions to overcome social and environmental harms Dimitris Tsoubaris, Larry Bencze, Sheila Curtis and Majd Zouda How a class of year 9 (age 13–14) students engaged in a science project to address socio-scientific issues, undertaking actions of their choice

2 SSR December 2020, 102(379) Contents

School Science Review December 2020, 102(379)

71 The use of the SOLO taxonomy to support the development of complex responses in science lessons in the English and Welsh education system Nicklas Lindström Demonstrating ways of making progress from learning facts to linking related ideas and on to understanding knowledge 81 Reviews 85 Science websearch 88 SSR special issues 88 Advertisers index

Health & Safety For all practical procedures described in SSR, we have attempted to ensure that: l the requirements of UK health & safety law are observed; l all recognised hazards have been identified; l appropriate precautions are suggested; l where possible procedures are in accordance with commonly adopted model risk assessments; l if a special risk assessment is likely to be necessary, this is highlighted. However, errors and omissions can be made, and employers may have adopted different standards. Therefore, before any practical activity, teachers and technicians should always check their employer’s risk assessment. Any local rules issued by their employer must be obeyed, whatever is recommended in SSR. Unless the context dictates otherwise it is assumed that: l practical work is conducted in a properly equipped laboratory; l any mains-operated and other equipment is properly maintained; l any fume cupboard operates at least to the standard of CLEAPSS Guide G9; l care is taken with normal laboratory operations such as heating substances or handling heavy objects; l good laboratory practice is observed when chemicals or living organisms are handled; l eye protection is worn whenever there is any recognised risk to the eyes; l fieldwork takes account of any guidelines issued by the employer; l pupils are taught safe techniques for such activities as heating chemicals or smelling them, and for handling microorganisms. Readers requiring further guidance are referred to: Safeguards in the School Laboratory, 12th edn, ASE, 2020. Be Safe! Health and Safety in School Science and Technology for Teachers of 3- to 12-year-olds, 4th edn, ASE, 2011. Topics in Safety, ASE, latest version on the ASE website: www.ase.org.uk/resources/topics-in-safety (login required). Hazcards, CLEAPSS, latest version, and other relevant publications, on the CLEAPSS website: www.cleapss.org.uk (almost all schools, colleges and teacher training establishments in the UK outside Scotland are members, as are many overseas). Hazardous chemicals database, SSERC, latest version on the SSERC website: www.sserc.org.uk/health-safety/ chemistry-health-safety/hazchem_database-2/ (schools, colleges and teacher training establishments in Scotland). Preparing Risk Assessments for Chemistry Project Work in Schools & Colleges, SSERC, 2020.

SSR December 2020, 102(379) 3 Editorial Board and Associates

Editor Geoff Auty Editorial Board Miriam Chaplin science education consultant Michael Hal Sosabowski University of Brighton James de Winter Universities of Cambridge and Bernard Tedd King Edward VI High School for Girls, Uppsala Birmingham Maria Kettle University of Cambridge James Williams University of Sussex David S. Moore Oxford Janet Williams Mayflower High School, Billericay Dave Pickersgill Sheffield

Editorial Associates The Editorial Associates support the Editorial Board in advising the Editor on the suitability of submitted articles. Damian Ainscough independent education adviser Vanessa Kind Durham University Jeremy Airey National Science Learning Centre, York Chris King Keele University, Keele Maria Bateson The Charter School, East Dulwich, London Ian Lancaster Cheshire Richard Boohan London Dawn Leslie Davenies School, Beaconsfield Ian Carter ecology consultant, Alderney Roger McCune Northern Ireland Stuart Farmer Education Manager, IOP (Scotland), Robin Millar University of York Aberdeen Andy Newsam National Schools’ Observatory, Liverpool Alastair Fleming Oban John Moores University Mary Frost Appleton School, Essex Jonathan Osborne Stanford University, California Rory Geoghegan Irish Science Teachers’ Association, Alan C. Pickwick Manchester Dublin Michael J. Reiss UCL Institute of Education, London Keith Gibbs Schoolphysics, Taunton Keith Ross Villembits, France Randal Henly Dublin Sarah Sephton Brampton College, London Jon Heywood University of Leicester Dom Shibli University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield Stephen Hoskins Torquay Nicky Souter University of Strathclyde Sue Howarth Worcester Keith Taber University of Cambridge Michael Inglis University of Leeds Christopher Talbot St. Joseph’s Institution, Singapore Ruth Jarman Queen’s University Belfast Alaric Thompson Ulverston Victoria High School Susan Judge Marlow Neil Walker Westfield School, Newcastle upon Tyne Ian Kinchin University of Surrey ASE Health and Safety Group Representatives Peter Borrows science education consultant, Amersham, Phil Bunyan Oxhill, Warwickshire Buckinghamshire Joe Jefferies Everton, Nottinghamshire

Contributing to SSR We welcome contributions for all sections of School Science Review. For reference, a full page of A4 text in the journal is about 800–850 words; including two small figures on a page would bring that down to about 600 words. These can be emailed to The Editor, [email protected], or posted to The Editor, School Science Review, ASE, College Lane, Hatfield, Herts AL10 9AA. Detailed advice on the submission of articles and Science notes is available on the ASE website at: www.ase.org.uk/submission-guidelines.

4 SSR December 2020, 102(379) Editorial

We reach the end of a year like none we have experienced next presents the results of their survey of teachers’ views before, with restrictions on travel and about six months of of practical assessment reform over a three-year period. school closures. The efforts by teachers to manage educa- Ozden Sengul from Turkey explains how a learning tion remotely are hard to imagine for those of us who are cycle of Predict–Observe–Explain was used to develop retired from the job. In the previous three editions of SSR, scientific thinking and understanding, illustrated by a we managed to include some articles that were consequent practical activity involving velocity and acceleration. on coronavirus and attempts to provide home schooling. From Northern Ireland, Ruth Jarman and Joy We have none in this edition. Further related activities Alexander follow up their article in our June edition have been taking place, but two anticipated articles were with a survey of how their pilot project has influenced not completed in time. Teachers have been extremely busy attitudes of children in lower secondary education to managing teaching under restrictions on distancing and reading books on scientific topics for enjoyment rather movement, which have particularly impacted on science than simply as required for education. They consider subjects. Practical work is much better if it is hands-on that introduction at a younger age is vital to the devel- rather than being viewed on a screen. Two of my grand- opment of such pleasure. Turning from literacy to sons have been sent home to isolate for two weeks (one mathematics, a group from the Republic of Ireland of them twice and he is now in the ‘GCSE year’) because has surveyed the level of creative reasoning required they had been in the same class as a student who was later to complete questions in state examinations in mathe- reported to have symptoms. Teachers who have managed matics and science. They found that most examination to do creative things in their science teaching to cope with tasks require imitative rather than creative reasoning such disruption have not had time to tell us about it. and suggest how small modifications could improve Although, at the time of writing, a limited supply of a this situation. COVID-19 vaccine has just become available in Britain, A team of five from York, led by Lynda Dunlop, it is going to be several months before things settle back presents case studies of 12 teachers who incorporated to anywhere close to the normality we used to take for their research-evidence-informed resources into their granted. This applies to education and to life generally. planning and teaching. Findings indicated that these Without a special section, this edition has a more teachers were able to develop their practice in key areas. random spread of content, covering both science and The sciences affect our lives more and more, and an education. All the articles came from separate individu- international group has engaged students in an action als or small groups. science project addressing socio-scientific issues. The A letter from Iain MacInnes, following up Stuart research methods were informed by STEPWISE, a Farmer’s articles in the previous two editions, coincides curriculum­ framework developed in Canada. with his own article on reflection, which has its place in the In the final article, Nicklas Lindström, now retired Science notes section along with a note on another electronic from King’s College London, makes use of another creation from Steven Weir – this time a personal alarm. acronym. He illustrates the use of SOLO taxonomy to A trio of authors from the Far East offers models evaluate student progress and understanding. to illustrate how nerves convey pain, leading to quick All the articles in this issue been offered by the (almost automatic) reactions. authors individually to our voluntary organisation with Barend Vlaardingerbroek from Beirut examines the the common motive of developing knowledge and logos of energy regulatory bodies representing atomic understanding in science education; some have had structure, and how they differ from the representations to wait a considerable time for us to have the space to taught in schools. This makes them a useful classroom include them. It means that the content is a random resource to enhance critical thinking about diagram- and diverse mixture of topics covering the educational matic models. process and knowledge of science. The content is also Philip Johnson, now retired from Durham University, from a wide spread of locations abroad as well as from notes that the concept of gravity is normally taught with England, Scotland and both parts of Ireland (and one the focus on the effect of the Earth on ourselves and on article includes Wales with England). We can never other living or inanimate objects. He argues that a better assume that all articles will appeal to all readers, but with starting point would be a theoretical approach starting such a diverse content, I hope and expect that everybody in space. will find something to their liking. Education cannot escape from examinations in a Geoff Auty normal year, and a group from the OCR awarding body Editor, School Science Review

SSR December 2020, 102(379) 5