This book describes the development and use of techniques to assess
children′s science investigations. The authors believe that science in
the primary classroom should, as far as possible, be a practical
activity. The advantages and difficulties of assessing investigations in
a practical situation are discussed. A general
framework for practical assessment is described and illustrated by
reference to the Water Sprinkler task, which has been used with several
hundred children in the STAR project. Guidelines are indicated for
teachers to develop their own classroom-based practical assessment
procedures.