Did you have a good teacher who loved leading the class in science experiments? James Randerson of the Guardian writes about “The Death of Science Lessons.”

83% of the teachers thought that science enquiry is “very important” in science learning, but there appear to be significant barriers facing teachers when they try to make it happen. 68% cited a lack of equipment or space as a barrier, while 50% said there was a lack of time in the curriculum. That appeared to be more of a problem for secondary school teachers, with 74% citing it as a barrier to practical work. Perhaps surprisingly, 44% of teachers cited a lack of confidence as a reason for not undertaking practical lessons.

When I was in Jim Bauer’s room last week to write the story about studying genetics, I noticed a large collection of homemade habitats that included aquatic animals in a container at the bottom and plants and crickets on top. It looks like experimentation is still alive in Mr. Bauer’s room.