Is the academic teaching tradition thriving in upper primary school science?

The findings of this thesis highlight the marginalized status of science education in upper primary school.The three studies included investigate the various factors influencing upper primary school teachers' design and implementation of science teaching from different perspectives.In Sweden, children attend upper primary school (grades 4-6) between the ages of 10 and 12, a critical period for their interest in science.During this time, many students express enthusiasm for the subject, but this interest often declines when they transition to secondary school.Navigating science in upper primary can be challenging, particularly as abstract concepts and models are introduced in textbooks meant for students who have just developed basic reading skills.It's possible that interest in science does not diminish during the transition to secondary school; instead, the difficulties in teaching these abstract concepts may hinder primary students' engagement with the subject.