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Science is exciting again with Science Edge – the junior science series with an edge!

Science Edge provides a user-friendly framework for essential learning in science. It has been designed to engage students of all levels and learning styles on an active journey of scientific knowledge and understanding. Science Edge’s hands-on approach will excite and captivate students so they become enthusiastic and motivated young scientists.

Science Edge will heighten students’ awareness of new, exciting areas of scientific research and inventions and the stories behind many great scientific discoveries. New ideas are introduced at an appropriate depth and at the appropriate stage, so that students are inspired and equipped to undertake further studies in science.

Science Edge student texts

The student texts contain material relevant and interesting to students with extensive practical work (guided and student-designed) to introduce new concepts and reinforce understanding.

The Science Edge student texts:

  • cater for individual abilities and learning styles
  • promote active enquiry-based learning, including many open-ended student-designed investigations
  • contain a variety of styles of experiment that are safe and age-appropriate
  • provide concise, clear instructions for guided experiments, investigations and setting out of reports etc
  • feature unifying themes in Science Edge1, 2 and 3. Science Edge 4 switches to the traditional divisions of science, so students can make informed choices for their senior science courses.
  • teach students scientific skills through a well-developed learning sequence; ideas are built up, reinforced and revisited to highlight the connections between different areas
  • have been written with clear and accessible language; new words are explained when they are introduced and summarised in the end-of-chapter and end-of-book glossaries
  • feature an exciting, colourful, easy-to-navigate layout with clear, well-designed diagrams
  • include meaningful discussions on important current issues, many in the form of literacy exercises to help build up scientific literacy
  • include case studies and stories of scientists, great scientific and technological discoveries and careers in science
  • contain up-to-date information on cutting-edge science and technology, including the Synchrotron, photonics, neuroscience, biotechnology and nanotechnology
  • cover high-interest topics such as forensic science, consumer science, indigenous science, inventions, oceans, the Australian bush and cars
  • have been written and researched by an experienced, expert author team.

Science Edge student CD-ROMs

The Science Edge student CD-ROMs are packaged with the texts and include:

  • valuable technology tutorials to help students develop ICT skills
  • an electronic copy of the text
  • interactive self-tests

Science Edge Web Links

This website provides students and teachers with extra website material and hotlinks to many excellent scientific websites. The links assist students to build up their scientific literacy while learning to access, interpret and use a variety of primary scientific data.

Science Edge Teacher Support Packs

The Science Edge Teacher Support Packs provide general advice and useful information to assist teachers of all levels and experience.

For each text chapter the pack provides:

  • fully developed lesson plans that are mapped to the student text and that can be tailored to the individual school (also provided on the teacher CD-ROM in Microsoft Word)
  • curriculum planning documents required by schools that can be tailored to the individual school (also provided on the teacher CD-ROM in Microsoft Word)
  • advice on matters such as assessment, classroom management and how to tailor each lesson to cater for enrichment, ESL and extra support students
  • ideas for classroom activities and demonstrations with all the necessary information to run them successfully
  • full details behind all practical activities – background theory, materials needed, safety precautions, how to do it, expected results and suggested answers to questions
  • lists of useful resources and contacts, excursion ideas etc.

Science Edge Teacher CD-ROMs

The Science Edge teacher CD-ROMs are packaged with the Teacher Support Packs and include:

  • lesson plans (in Microsoft Word)
  • curriculum planning documents (in Microsoft Word)
  • assessment proformas (in Microsoft Word)
  • tests covering the whole range of thinking skills required – not just multiple choice! (in Microsoft Word)
  • blackline masters with extension, remedial and revision activities, including pre-tests for new areas of work and a checklist of things students should know and be able to do by the end of the chapter (provided as printable PDF documents).