This paper illustrates a year-long case study investigating in-service teachers’ needs and mentor’s practices in implementing cutting-edge research science topics as nanotechnology and plastics in the ocean in primary education. In a Community of Learners design and with the support of a mentor, ten primary teachers implemented in 6th grade students a teaching–learning sequence either on “Nanotechnology Applications” or on “Plastics—bane of the ocean.” Data were mainly collected by audio-recordings of the training meetings. The results give insights in primary teachers’ needs when implementing such topics and mentor’s practices in order to support them in this endeavor. Specifically, they indicate increased teacher needs on instructional strategies of approaching cutting-edge research topics. These needs were covered by the mentor employing a wide range of practices, mostly by directly guiding and modeling the conduction of activities.

本文阐述了为期一年的案例研究，旨在调查在职教师在初等教育中实施前沿研究科学主题（如海洋中的纳米技术和塑料）的需求和指导者的做法。在学习者社区的设计中，在导师的支持下，十名小学老师在六年级学生中实施了“纳米技术应用”或“塑料-海洋之祸”的教学序列。数据主要通过培训会议的录音收集。结果为实施这些主题和导师的实践提供了洞见，以帮助小学教师，从而支持他们。具体而言，它们表明教师对接近前沿研究主题的教学策略的需求增加。