Primary Connections

Primary Connections focuses on developing students’ knowledge, understanding and skills in both science and literacy through a guided-inquiry approach. This is achieved through exemplary curriculum resources and comprehensive and practical professional learning.

Hands on science at the Shine Dome

Videos

  • Watch how teachers bring the Primary Connections approach to life! See students actively engage in learning, practise inquiry skills and develop their understanding of the nature of science.
  • Find out how teachers link science with literacy, implement the 5E teaching and learning model and are guided by our Indigenous Perspectives Framework.
  • Hear from Principals and other educators about how implementing guided-inquiry science supports increased student engagement and enhances outcomes in both science and literacy.

Research

  • Research highlights that successful science education requires teachers to be supported not only with curriculum resources, but also with professional learning to strengthen their understanding of the teaching of science and literacy.
  • The Primary Connections program provides both; has undergone substantial trialling and independent evaluation.

Curriculum Resources

  • Primary Connections’ suite of units, Foundation to Year 6,is a guided inquiry, teaching and learning approach based on the 5E teaching and learning model. Each unit provides practical and comprehensive teacher advice, including embedded assessment and opportunities to link science with literacy.
  • Fully aligned with the Australian Curriculum: Science, the units cover the three interrelated strands of Science Understanding, Science as a Human Endeavour and Science Inquiry Skills.
  • Primary Connections units also aligns with many content descriptions of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics and the Australian Curriculum: English as well as the general capabilities and the cross-curriculum priorities.

Professional Learning

  • Primary Connections’ professional learning is designed to build teacher confidence and student learning outcomes in science and literacy. It is grounded in practice and focussed on meeting teachers’ changing need in organic and evolving learning and teaching environments. It is modelled on pedagogical principles underpinning Primary Connections and exemplifies how these can be easily applied in practice.
  • Primary Connections’ professional learning affords teachers an opportunity to understand and apply the Primary Connections approach, its philosophy and purpose. Through interactive workshops and online courses participants develop pedagogical content knowledge and explore evidence-based, high impact teaching and learning strategies and tools Teachers also explore how to effectively use, adapt and extend curriculum units to suit school contexts and students' needs, or how to develop their own science inquiry units.

COVID-19 response

Primary Connections customised its resources for the emergency remote teaching and learning, brought about by COVID-19. Changes were informed by teachers, state and territory education departments and national agencies to effectively support Australian schools, primary teachers and students. As teachers and schools adapted and transition to alternative methods of delivering education in unprecedented and changing times, Primary Connections developed learning and teaching resources suitable for implementation in emergency remote teaching and learning. These revised resources:

  • Gave teachers flexibility and agency with resources to most appropriately deliver at-home learning for different contexts and student needs.
  • Equipped teachers to support parents and carers to implement learning at home.
  • Linked science with literacy, be guided by education research, incorporate collaborative learning principles, and include opportunities for investigating and embedded assessment.
  • Encouraged curiosity, build an awareness of science in our everyday world, and develop scientific literacy

Explore Primary Connections COVID-19 resources

© 2024 Australian Academy of Science

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