Leave enough time at the end of co-operative activities to help teams assess their use of the skill. In science lessons in the past there has been a tendency for boys to manipulate materials and girls to record results. Primary Investigations tries to avoid traditional social stereotypes by encouraging all students, irrespective of their sex, to learn to the maximum of their potential. Co-operative learning encourages each student to participate in all aspects of team activities, including handling the equipment and taking intellectual risks. In Primary Investigations the philosophy of assessment goes hand in hand with the philosophy of learning.
Students develop their knowledge and skills over time and progress at different rates.
They need benchmarks against which to measure what they understand and can do at a given time. These lessons are a logical point at which to assess what students have learnt. While much of the work will be the result of team effort, there may be occasions when you will prefer that students do their own work. Student recording methods Encourage students to use recording methods that will develop their communication skills and increase their understanding. The lessons use a variety of recording methods.