The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

In 2004, the Secretary of Education of the City of Buenos Aires approved the current curriculum for the primary education level that incorporates natural sciences content along with arts, social sciences, technology, civic education, physical education, mathematics, and Spanish (Resolution No. 365/SED/2004).

At the secondary level, different types of schools share a core biology curriculum, which was established in 2009.8

Exhibit 4 summarizes the science content objectives for Grade 4, and Exhibit 5 summarizes the biology content objectives for Grade 8 (first year of secondary school).

Exhibit 4: City of Buenos Aires Fourth Grade Science Curriculum Content

Subject Domains Learning Content
Materials Materials, electricity, and magnetism
  • Electric conductors
  • Contact electrification
  • Magnetism
Materials and heat
  • Heat conductors
Particular materials—metals
  • Properties of metals
  • Collection, processing, and use of metals
Living Things The diversity of living things
  • The classification of living things
  • Microorganisms
Reproduction and development
  • The development of animals and plants
Forces and Motion Forces
  • Different forces
  • The effect of different forces
  • The application of different forces
  • The concept of friction

Exhibit 5: City of Buenos Aires Eighth Grade Biology Curriculum Content (Lower Secondary Level)

Subject Domains Learning Content
Living Things—
Uniformity and Diversity
  • Classifying living things according to the following criteria: organization, metabolism, and reproduction
  • Uniformity and diversity of functions and structures among living things
  • The origin of life
Living Things as Open Systems—Exchanges
of Matter and Energy
  • The composition of organisms
  • Sources of matter and energy
Living Things and the
Environment
  • Ecosystems—structure and interaction between living things and the environment
  • Cycles of matter and energy flows
  • Changes in ecosystems