Denmark

The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

In primary school (Grades 1 to 6), science and technology are taught as an integrated subject, with the following grade level structures: Grades 1 to 2, Grades 3 to 4, and Grades 5 to 6. After Grade 6, science and technology no longer are taught as an integrated subjects; students study physics and chemistry instead. As with mathematics, science and technology curricula are not written specifically for the fourth grade. Student objectives for fourth grade science and technology are organized under the following skill and knowledge domains (færdigheds-og vidensområder):

• Production and Products—Students learn about materials, classification, and simple product development.
• Human Beings—Students learn about conditions of life, ways of life, and health factors. More specifically, students learn about the structure and function of the human body; blood circulation and respiration in human beings and other animals (using and designing models of circulatory and respiratory systems); anatomy and physiology (using dissection to make comparisons); and ways of life at home and abroad (comparing their own way of life to those of children around the world).
• Soil—Students learn about the mineral and biological elements of soil.
• Organisms—Students collect, identify, and classify organisms, and learn about the adaptation of organisms.
• Water, Air, and Weather—Students learn to compare weather at different locations, and study the atmosphere, light, measurement of rainfall, wind, and temperature. Students are expected to compare weather conditions in Denmark with other regions or other countries on the basis of weather forecasting, taking their own measurements and analyzing pictures. Students should develop skills through experimentation, including the use of digital measuring equipment.
• Technology and Resources—Students learn about electrical circuits and supply systems in their local area. Students work with general principles of electrical circuits and learn to draw their own and reproduce others’ constructions of electrical circuits. Later, students focus on supply systems in their local area (e.g., water lines and sewage systems). Students are introduced to simple chains of production: from raw materials to products, and from products to new resources through reuse. They also study the important issues of collecting and sorting waste, and waste management.
• Earth and the Solar System—Students learn about the relationship between Earth, the Sun, and the Moon, and are introduced to the solar system. They learn how to interpret models and animations that show the movements of Earth, the Sun, and the Moon. They are expected to describe the planets in our solar system, including characteristics such as relative size, distance from the sun, and number of moons. They learn about countries, regions, and large cities in their own part of the world, particularly in the Nordic countries, and they are introduced to the origins of the solar system and life on Earth.
• Nature, Local and Global—Students learn to read and work with maps, atlases, globes, and digital maps. They mark functions and infrastructures such as shops, roads, houses, and natural areas on maps of their local area. Students use atlases, globes, GPS (global positioning systems), and digital maps to study continents, oceans, climate zones, and the four corners of the world. They also study natural areas in other parts of the world and the impact human beings have on them.

Within these skill and knowledge domains (Færdigheds-og Vidensområder) four fields of competence (Kompetenceområder) are outlined: Studies (Undersøgelse), Models (Modellering), Perspective (Perspektivering), and Communication (Kommunikation). Students are expected to develop in these four fields of competence as they learn under the skill and knowledge domains.

Exhibit 2: Fields of Competence in Science after Grade 4

Fields of Competence	After Grade 4
Studies	Students are able to conduct simple studies based on hypotheses they develop themselves within the prescribed skill and knowledge domains. Students practice classification and categorization, and are expected to classify data from individual and group studies. Students participate in discussions on which hypotheses can be tested and make observations regarding the possibilities and limitations of their studies. Students draw conclusions based on simple criteria, obvious sources, and errors.
Models	Students are able to use realistic models. They construct simple models by following instruction manuals and implementing their own ideas. Students are introduced to several types of models. Instruction focuses on symbolic language in models (e.g., the signature of models, symbols, and color schemes, as well as  designing models of buildings, systems, and natural resorts in near and distant environments).
Perspective	Students are able to understand nature and technology in various contexts. Students are expected to put their knowledge of science and technology into perspective and compare conditions in Denmark to conditions in other parts of the world. They also learn about science and technology from a historical perspective.
Communication	Students are able to discuss simple issues in science and technology. Students explain and give demonstrations on topics within science and technology using purely technical terminology. Instruction focuses on reading and understanding literature on the subject.