A learning progression based entirely on models, toys and activities allows children from ages 7 to 15 to obtain intuitive understanding of topics including photons, atoms, binding energy, the quantum nature of physical reality and logarithmic thinking, which allows introduction of big bang cosmology and climate science by the final year of compulsory science in Australia. Our goal: population-wide basic scientific literacy, enabling everyone to share the great scientific revelations as well as the scientific process in which scepticism and collaboration uncovered the great creation story of the universe, including unsolved mysteries. To support this curriculum we developed micro-credential courses for primary and secondary school teachers based on activities used in the classroom.