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Metascientific education of prospective science teachers is seen as a priority in many European countries, in accordance with the central role that contents about the nature of science have achieved in national curricula. In this paper, we present an original theoretical tool, which we have called the matrix of stages and strands that may prove of help in adapting or designing didactical activities with the aim of teaching the philosophy of science to science teachers. The matrix arranges a collection of the most important theoretical models that philosophers of science have advanced during the twentieth century around six central topics of their discipline. This didactical tool that we present is related to the general rationale of our work with prospective teachers, which aims to answer three fundamental research questions, those regarding the selection, coherence and functionality of the philosophy of science in science teacher education. We exemplify our rationale through an original didactical activity that we have designed and implemented; this activity involves the use of the matrix. (Author)