School science constrained: print experiences in two elementary classrooms

Little is known about the ways in which teachers in elementary classrooms scaffold opportunities for students to engage with print resources during science inquiry lessons. Case studies have been conducted in two Grade 6 classrooms in a school jurisdiction which does not mandate use of a textbook. Inquiry-oriented instructional materials for teaching two units entitled Air and Flight were developed and supported by the provision of both print and manipulative resources. The pedagogical discourse resulted in limited experiences with available print resources and, in turn, constrained the possibilities for school science. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.