Australia's Science Forum

Hello

Can you all tell me what text(s) you use for the Australian National Curriculum?

We are only starting next year and wonder what text you all think is a good text.

Also, do you have actual texts for the student, or e-books?

Thanks

I don't think they have fully agreed on curriculum yet, so text books have not been printed

We are using Oxford's Big Ideas. I'm not too sure about the theory content (I haven't heard any complaints from the teachers, but I haven't checked it out myself), but find some of the pracs aren't too good. Too many need a few tweaks to make them work properly and always needing to tell the class to corect some error.

Ocker wrote:I don't think they have fully agreed on curriculum yet, so text books have not been printed

Some were printed last year. We started this year from day one with Oxford's Australian Curriculum edition. I also have three other texts on my desk that are for the Australian Curriculum, 2 from Macmillan and one from Jacaranda.

We have a copy of Pearson and of Jacaranda Science Quest 8 - was just wondering if anyone had made any firm commitment to any specific text.....

We used to use Science Quest and had no real dramas with them. I know most of the content is very similar to the old editions, so wish we had bought the new Science Quest rather than swapping to Big Ideas. We scrapped the idea of getting Pearson's very early on, teachers weren't too keen on it.

We use Pearsons at one of my schools and Jacaranda at the other. I prefer the persons as they are less "cartoon" like. Pearson online is also great and you can print out a Lab Tech equipment list for the pracs which is a bonus.

We are using Pearson Science 9 and 10. We are also still using Science Dimensions for the Y8 and Y7. Time will tell if the new texts are useful. Some pracs like the carbon reduction in the Y10 book using carbon blocks and blowpipes have not been done for at least twenty years or so.
Lyn.

My teachers are loving the Science Essentials Australian Curriculum edition by Macmillan.

joy

Arvo everyone, 2 days to go woooooooooooohooooooooooo

Just wondering what text books all you NSW Labbies are preferring under the new NSW National Curriculum. I've been asked to get a heap on approval.

Any ideas would be great.

I have been excluded from all the faculty meetings discussing this - "You don't need to know"...huh?
How am I supposed to know how to resource the classes and whar is required fro prac work if I don't know anything?
So - where do I find something I can read to let me know what to expect?

Has anyone in NSW made any firm decision on what text they will be using we still haven't received copies of some text for inspection yet due to publication issues.

AAAggghh, We are going to be using Core Science.
It's like going back in time 10 years or so.
all the same old pictures, too much writing, its very busy.

BUT, it is in stages so programming is really easy for the HOD so that's why we are going to use it.
Apparently the Nelson book was much, much better. But as it was in year groups, not stages so it would be a huge amount of programming for HOD and he is not into that.
Now this huge 400 plus page book is to dragged around by the kids for 2 years, can't wait to see what condition they are in by then.

Talking about the how large the Core Science is made me think of Messell that those of us over a certain age had to lug around.
It was hard cover and had over 1,000 pages.
If you did 1st level Biology as well you also had "Web of Life" which had over 800 pages.
All this in your globite school case.

Those were the days!!!

Ah yes ..... I remember Web of Life ...... oops, showing my age again!

AND (according to my son when he was very little) we had to fight the dinosaurs off!

Hey Sunray! You know they can't bitch about you when your there to defend yourself, that would make them look silly

Have been busily typing up the programs etc for Years 7 and 9 for next year. It seems we're using a few texts for reference: National Science (a new text) plus Science Focus and Science Search, Core Science is mentioned at times too! Not sure if we'll be buying class sets of National Science at this stage; we do have sets of Science Focus which aren't very old. I guess time will tell!

My school is looking at National Science 7-10 (Science Press). Unfortunately they only come with binder holes & perforations so I don't know if we'll go ahead . Our students would probably tear out all the pages. Its more of a workbook-style