教統會《第四號報告書》（1990）提到影響學生從共同課程獲益的問題是共同課程所提供的獨立科目眾多， 範圍廣泛，以致十分鬆散，而形成硬性將課程劃分的現象（頁10）。 報告書提議的解決方法是把三個本來獨立教學的科目：健康教育科、社會科及科學科綜合為常識科。但是，這個把小學科學科歸入常識科的嘗試，面對不少困難，尤其當教師在任教與科學有關的課題時。本研究旨在探討近三百名小學教師在任教常識科中與科學有關課題時遇到的困難，利用問卷調查教師的科學知識、科學教學資源、教學預備工作和授課情況，以平均數及單向變異數分析的統計方法比較不同背景的教師所遇到的困難。結果顯示四問題的存在：教師學科知識不足、支援科學教學資源缺乏、教師科學教學經驗不足和處理學生學習科學方面的困難。這些問題不但影響香港小學常識科教與學的質素，更會影響香港小學生的科學素養（scientific literacy）及阻礙他們發展思考的能力。以上各點均不利於學生面對二十一世紀高科技的生活。

　　　　　It was pin-pointed in the Hong Kong Education Commission Report No.4 1990) that the problems affecting students who can benefit from the common core urriculum is the wide range of discrete subjects offered, and this results in fragmentation and the wide range of discrete subjects offered, and this results in fragmentation and compartmentalization of the curriculum (p.13). The suggestion to resolve the problem was the integration of the three formerly separately taught subjects, Pimary Science, Health Education and Social Studies into a new core subject, General studies. However, the attempt to integrate Primary Science into the General Studies Curriculum encountered quite a number of difficulties and problems, especially in the teaching of science-related topics. This study aims to identify techers' problems in teaching science topics in General Studies. More than 300 primary school techers participated in a survey. Items in the questionnaire concerned with teachers' perceived problems on subject knowledge, science teaching resources, lesson preparation and teaching in class. The statistical analysis included mean calculation preparation and teaching in class. The statisical analysis included men calculation preparation and teaching in class. The statisical analysis included mean calculation and ANOVA to compare responses form teachers who vaied in their own experience of science and science education. The findings drew our attention to the four broad issues concerning teachers' problems in teaching science: teachers' insufficient subject knowledge in science; the lack of science teaching resources and teaching aids to support primary science teaching; inadequate experience in conducting class activities and science experiments; and the difficulties in handing pupils' learning of science. With the view that young children should begin to develop scientific literacy in the primary school years, teachers' problems in teaching science would not only influence the quality of teaching and learning of General Studies, it would also affect the scientific literacy of Hong Kong primary school pupils and hinder the development of pupils' thinking. All in all this would have negative impact in preparing pupils to face the scientific and technological way of living in the 21 century.