The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades
As with the mathematics curriculum, the Syllabus for Primary School (Nastavni plan i program za osnovnu školu)8 contains the educational work plan for science topics and subjects for Grades 1 to 8. According to the syllabus, by the end of fourth grade, students should be able to do the following:
- Characteristics and Life Processes of Living Things—Differentiate between the living and the nonliving world, and recognize the correlation between them; recognize parts of the body and understand that the human body is an organism; recognize changes that occur in the body during puberty; describe the main parts of plants and understand their main functions; understand the importance of plants for life; differentiate animal species according to their diet; explain mutual dependencies between plants and animals; recognize plants and animals that live in grasslands and understand their mutual relationship; know the most common forest animals; recognize the interdependence of plants and animals in the forest; understand the significance of water for humans, plants, and animals; and recognize the most common plants and animals in fresh water and in and near the sea
- Life Cycles, Reproduction, and Heredity—Name members of a family and differentiate between members of the nuclear and extended family; differentiate between ancestors and descendants; and become familiar with the life cycles of living things
- Interaction with the Environment—Differentiate among the seasons and recognize their main features; describe seasonal changes and link them with changes in the lives of plants, animals, and people; and understand the interrelationship of professions, institutions, plants, and animals in Croatia
- Ecosystems—Recognize that plants need sunlight and food; identify simple food chains; recognize human impact on the environment; learn how to separate waste into appropriate containers; understand the correlation between people’s activities and pollution; understand man’s role in water conservation and consumption; and understand the importance of protecting the air and sea from pollution
- Human Health—Understand the importance of personal hygiene, a healthy diet, and maintenance of health; become acquainted with health care facilities and staff; describe how one can maintain health by adhering to basic hygienic, dietary, and physical habits; understand how infectious diseases are transmitted; and recognize maltreatment and ask for help
- Classification and Properties of Matter—Describe physical states and properties of water by conducting simple experiments; describe characteristic differences in shape and volume of each state of matter, and understand that state changes can occur by heating or cooling; identify observable changes in materials caused by heating, cooling, and freezing; give examples of materials that dissolve in water and those that do not; and identify properties of air by conducting experiments, and determine the composition of air
- Energy—Identify sources of energy (e.g., the sun, electricity, water, wind) and describe practical uses of energy; identify common light sources (the sun); and describe the concepts of rainbow and shadow
- Earth’s Structure, Physical Characteristics, and Resources—Recognize features of the landscape in Croatia (lowland, hill, mountain, and coastland); describe elements of the natural environment in students’ local town or village regions; understand the correlation between climate and living things; name the most common types of wind; understand the importance of air for life; identify evidence that air contains water; differentiate among types of soil; differentiate among types of forest; differentiate among types of water; identify the role of land in the economy and explain the economic importance of different regions; and recognize the importance of using Earth’s resources responsibly
- Earth’s Processes, Cycles, and History—Describe the movement of water on Earth’s surface; understand the water cycle; observe changes in nature caused by the seasons; and understand basic terms associated with fossils
- Earth in the Solar System—Understand the relationship between the sun and life on Earth; describe the solar system as a group of planets, including Earth, each revolving around the sun; identify the sun as a source of heat and light; and relate daily patterns observed on Earth to Earth’s rotation on its axis (e.g., day and night, appearance of shadows)
By the end of eighth grade, students should be able to do the following:
- Biology—Describe types of living things and classify organisms on the basis of major taxonomic groups and their characteristics; describe the structure and functions of plants and animals; describe organs in the human body, their functions, and the most common disorders associated with organ systems; describe how the nervous system and hormones control processes in the human body; compare structures and functions of human organs and body systems with those of other animals; describe the main parts and life cycles of cells and the role of metabolic processes in cells; differentiate between unicellular and multicellular organisms, and understand the processes of cell division and photosynthesis; describe the life cycles of plants and animals; differentiate between asexual and sexual reproduction; recognize the importance and hereditary role of genes; recognize the evolutionary development of living things and explain the process of emergence of new species; describe the adaptation of living things to specific types of habitat and explain how changes in the environment can affect them; describe the importance of fossils; describe the interdependence and adaptation of living things in ecosystems and how changes in nature and human activity affect ecosystems, anticipating possible consequences at the local and global levels; describe food chains and explain the relationship among producers, consumers, and decomposers; describe causes of common diseases, addictions, and other factors that jeopardize human health and life; understand immunity; and explain the principles and importance of health protection
- Chemistry—Examine and explain physical properties of substances using experimentation (density, thermal and electrical conductivity, magnetic properties, solubility, boiling point, and melting point); differentiate between chemical and physical changes; explain chemical changes; describe how chemical reactions may be used as a source of energy; differentiate between metals, nonmetals, and chemical compounds; recognize properties of acids and bases; differentiate between pure substances and mixtures; recognize homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures and understand methods for separating mixtures; describe the structure of atoms and molecules; describe factors that affect the process of dissolving or making solutions; recognize the physical properties of water and air; and recognize uses of oxygen
- Physics—Describe transitions that occur between states of matter through heating and cooling; describe various forms of energy and energy transformations; relate temperature changes to changes in volume; describe examples of heat transfer; identify basic properties of light; recognize characteristics of sound; construct and draw direct current circuits and explain the role of each part of the circuit; differentiate between conductors and insulators; understand applications of the magnetic effect of electric currents and uses of electromagnets; describe motion; describe types of force and apply knowledge of forces to examples from everyday life; compare the density of substances; explore and apply levers; and explain pressure in terms of force and area
- Geography—Identify renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and discuss their efficiency and environmental impact; describe methods of waste management; identify causes of pollution; explain how common methods of agriculture and land use can affect land resources; describe the importance of water conservation; describe the solar system; describe Earth’s motion around the sun and its effects; recognize features of the structure of Earth; describe earthquakes and volcanoes; describe uses of minerals and rocks; differentiate among types of soil; recognize characteristics of and the importance of water on Earth and the water cycle; describe Earth’s atmosphere; and describe changes in climate and weather patterns