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This study explores book talks as an approach to teaching Nature of Science (NOS) to young children (4-6 years old). To teach about NOS means to, in one way or another, focus on the processes, humans that build science knowledge, as well as the characteristics and limits of scientific knowledge. Previous research in this area has studied the representation of NOS in science trade books and suggested ways for teachers to highlight this content, specifically in relation to books that have been rendered "exemplary" for teaching NOS. This study focuses on the actual conversations (i.e., book talks) between teachers and children related to science trade books that are available in bookstores. The aim of the study was to contribute further knowledge about the characteristics of book talks related to such books when they are used as an approach to teaching NOS. Book talks (N = 58) between two teachers and their respective groups of children were audiorecorded and transcribed. The results contribute by shedding light on how teachers use the book as a resource in combination with other resources to highlight various aspects of NOS during book talks. This is important since it shows how book talks as an approach to NOS teaching can be staged even if exemplary books are not available. A tentative model that can scaffold teachers' didactic analysis is presented.

Nature of science (NOS) has increasingly been emphasized as an important element in science education. This paper engages in the question of how teachers negotiate different approaches to and contexts for NOS teaching. This exploratory study is part of a three-year longitudinal project where six in-service teachers developed and negotiated their NOS-teaching practices. Pickering's (1995) theory of "the mangle of practice" is used for the analysis of teachers' focus-group discussions. In a mangled practice, school science traditions, policy documents, and students' and teachers' expectations and identities are rubbed against each other. As part of the project teachers planned, implemented, and reflected on two NOS activities at different levels of contextualization. The concepts alignment, resistance, and accommodation are used as an analytical tool to understand the processes of the mangle in relation to teachers' negotiations concerning the two activities during the focus groups. The results of the mangle are presented in relation to a backdrop of three teaching traditions (facts, lab-work, and discussions) that the teachers' claim to depart from. The results show how the alignment and resistance of different components of the mangle lead to various accommodations as regards both the activities and the three traditions. The article concludes by discussing how the teachers' negotiations highlight what becomes possible and what becomes challenging when NOS meets existing traditions, and what this means in respect of possibilities for NOS learning.

This study explores book talks as an approach to teaching Nature of Science (NOS) to young children (4–6 years old). To teach about NOS means to, in one way or another, focus on the processes, humans that build science knowledge, as well as the characteristics and limits of scientific knowledge. Previous research in this area has studied the representation of NOS in science trade books and suggested ways for teachers to highlight this content, specifically in relation to books that have been rendered "exemplary" for teaching NOS. This study focuses on the actual conversations (i.e., book talks) between teachers and children related to science trade books that are available in bookstores. The aim of the study was to contribute further knowledge about the characteristics of book talks related to such books when they are used as an approach to teaching NOS. Book talks (N = 58) between two teachers and their respective groups of children were audiorecorded and transcribed. The results contribute by shedding light on how teachers use the book as a resource in combination with other resources to highlight various aspects of NOS during book talks. This is important since it shows how book talks as an approach to NOS teaching can be staged even if exemplary books are not available. A tentative model that can scaffold teachers' didactic analysis is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nature of science (NOS) has increasingly been emphasized as an important element in science education. This paper engages in the question of how teachers negotiate different approaches to and contexts for NOS teaching. This exploratory study is part of a three‐year longitudinal project where six in‐service teachers developed and negotiated their NOS‐teaching practices. Pickering's (1995) theory of the mangle of practice is used for the analysis of teachers' focus‐group discussions. In a mangled practice, school science traditions, policy documents, and students' and teachers' expectations and identities are rubbed against each other. As part of the project teachers planned, implemented, and reflected on two NOS activities at different levels of contextualization. The concepts alignment, resistance, and accommodation are used as an analytical tool to understand the processes of the mangle in relation to teachers' negotiations concerning the two activities during the focus groups. The results of the mangle are presented in relation to a backdrop of three teaching traditions (facts, lab‐work, and discussions) that the teachers' claim to depart from. The results show how the alignment and resistance of different components of the mangle lead to various accommodations as regards both the activities and the three traditions. The article concludes by discussing how the teachers' negotiations highlight what becomes possible and what becomes challenging when NOS meets existing traditions, and what this means in respect of possibilities for NOS learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]