The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

The 2008 science curriculum for Grades 1 and 2 (second cycle of primary school) may be summarized as follows.¹³ In the first two grades of primary school, science is taught under the broader subject Découverte du monde (Discovery of the World), which covers two fields—Space and Time; and Living Things, Matter, and Objects.

In Grades 1 and 2, students have easier access to knowledge because their skills in reading and mathematics are more advanced. They acquire new reference points in time and space as well as knowledge about the world, and master the corresponding vocabulary. They move beyond their initial understanding of the world around them through observation and experimentation. Students begin to develop skills for the Brevet informatique et Internet (B2i, Computer and Internet Certificate) as they discover and use basic computer applications.

Student objectives in science in Grades 1 and 2 comprise the following:

Space and Time
- Students discover and begin to develop simple representations of familiar spaces (e.g., their classroom, school, neighborhood, village, and town). They compare these familiar environments with other more distant environments and spaces. They discover common forms of representation (e.g., photographs, maps, world maps, planispheres, and globes).
- Students learn to identify the alternation of day and night, weeks, months, and seasons. They use tools for tracking and measuring time (i.e., calendars and clocks). They discover and memorize particular points of reference in time (i.e., certain dates and figures in the history of France); and they become aware of changing lifestyles.
Living Things, Matter, and Objects
- Students identify the characteristics of living things (i.e., birth, growth, and reproduction), and nutrition and animal diets. They learn principles of hygiene and security, personal and collective. They understand the interactions between living things and their environment, and they learn to respect the environment.
- Students distinguish between solids and liquids and perceive changes in states of matter. They construct elementary models and simple electrical circuits to develop their understanding of how devices operate.

The Common Base of Knowledge and Skills¹⁴ states that at the end of the second cycle of primary school, students should be able to demonstrate the following skills in science and technology:

Conduct investigations, making and describing observations
Apply elementary safety rules to prevent the risk of domestic accidents
Begin to take ownership of a digital environment

The 2008 science curriculum for Grades 3 to 5 (third cycle of primary school), in which the subject of science is designated Experimental Sciences and Technologies and covers eight topic areas, may be summarized as follows:

Experimental Sciences and Technologies aims to help students understand and describe the real world (both the natural world and the one built by man), to act on it, and to master the changes caused by human activity. The study of science helps students to understand the distinction between facts and testable hypotheses, on the one hand, and opinions and beliefs, on the other.
Observation, questioning, experimentation, and argumentation are essential to achieving these goals. Knowledge and skills are acquired as part of an investigative approach that develops curiosity, creativity, critical thinking, and interest in scientific and technological progress.
Learning to approach nature with sensitivity, students become responsible toward the environment, the living world, and health. They learn that sustainable development meets the needs of present and future generations. In connection with the teachings of humanistic culture and civics, students learn to act with an educated perspective.
Students record their work in science in various ways (e.g., in a journal of field observations or a science log book).

The 2008 science curriculum in France in Grades 3 to 5 covers the following topic areas:

The Sky and Earth
- The movement of Earth (and the other planets) around the sun, Earth’s rotation, the length of day, and how it changes with the seasons
- The movement of the Moon around Earth
- Light and shadows
- Volcanos and earthquakes, and the risks they present to human societies
Matter
- Water—A resource; its states and changes of state; its path in nature; and maintaining its quality for different uses
- Air and air pollution
- Mixtures and solutions
- Waste—Reduce, reuse, recycle
Energy
- Simple examples of energy sources (e.g., fossil and renewable)
- Energy needs, consumption, and savings
Unity and diversity among living things
- Introduction to biodiversity—investigate differences among living species
- Introduction to the unity of living things—investigate similarities among living species
- Introduction to the classification of living things—similarities and differences of interpretation of kinship
The functioning of living things
- Stages of development of a living thing (plant or animal)
- Conditions of development of plants and animals
- Breeding patterns of living things
The functioning of the human body and health
- Body movement (muscles, bones, and joints)
- Introduction to metabolic functions—digestion, breathing, and blood circulation
- Human reproduction and sex education
- Hygiene and health—beneficial or harmful behaviors, particularly in sports, diet, and sleep
Living things in their environment
- The adaptation of living things to environmental conditions
- The place and role of living things in their environment; food chains and food webs
- The evolution of an environment managed by humans (e.g., forests) and the importance of biodiversity
Technical objects
- Electrical circuits powered by batteries
- Safety rules and electricity hazards
- Levers, scales, and balances
- Mechanical objects and transmission of movement

The Common Base of Knowledge and Skills states that at the end of the third cycle of primary school, students should be able to demonstrate the following skills in science and technology:

Carry out an investigation; observing and questioning
Plan and conduct experiments; formulate, test, and defend hypotheses
Test several possible solutions
Present and explain experiment results and research using scientific vocabulary in written and oral communication
Master knowledge in various scientific fields
Apply knowledge in various scientific contexts and in everyday activities (e.g., assessing the nutritional balance of a meal)
Master certain manual and technological skills

The Common Base of Knowledge and Skills identifies the following skill objectives in Information and Communications Technology for students in Grades 3 to 5:

Use computers to research, gather information, and present a project
Use computers to communicate
Demonstrate discretion when gathering and handling information