Hong Kong SAR

The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

The emphasis of science education at the primary and junior (lower) secondary levels is to enhance students’ scientific thinking through learning activities that involve planning, designing, measuring, observing, evaluating procedures, examining evidence, and analyzing data. As described in Science Education: Key Learning Area Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 to Secondary 3), school science education provides learning experiences through which students acquire scientific literacy and develop scientific knowledge and understanding, processing skills, values, and attitudes to help them contribute to a scientific and technological world.²² More specifically, the curriculum guide states that the goals for students in science education are:

• Develop curiosity and interest in science
• Develop the ability to inquire and solve problems
• Acquire basic scientific knowledge and concepts for living in and contributing to a scientific and technological world
• Recognize the usefulness and limitations of science and the interconnections among science,
  technology, and society, and develop an attitude of responsible citizenship, including respect for the environment and commitment to the wise use of resources
• Become familiar with the language of science and be equipped with the skills to communicate ideas in science-related contexts
• Appreciate and understand the evolutionary nature of scientific knowledge
• Attain personal growth through studying science
• Be prepared for further studies or careers in scientific and technological fields

At the primary level, science is taught as part of the subject General Studies (GS), which integrates the following: science education; personal, social, and humanities education; and technology education. The GS curriculum design is based on the belief that students’ learning experiences should be connected and not compartmentalized to allow students to develop a holistic view of themselves as individuals in the community, of their place in the natural world, and of the interaction of human beings with the environment.²³ To help primary students master the basic understanding of scientific concepts and cultivate the habit of exploring science with an open mind, it is recommended that students should engage in at least 20 hours of hands-on and minds-on learning activities in science and technology in Grades 4 to 6 (Primary 4 to Primary 6).²⁴ At the junior (lower) secondary level, biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, environmental science, and life science are taught together as an integrated subject. Some topics in earth science and environmental science are covered in personal, social, and humanities education.

Some secondary schools may allocate a higher percentage of lesson time for science at Grade 9 (Secondary 3). A common practice is to allocate 15 percent of lesson time to science, with the three separate science disciplines (biology, chemistry, and physics) each receiving 5 percent of lesson time.²⁵

The science topics taught at the primary and junior (lower) secondary levels are arranged into six strands: Scientific Investigation; Life and Living Things; the Material World; Energy and Change; Earth and Beyond; and Science, Technology, and Society.²⁶ Exhibits 3 and 4 present the science topics taught in each strand at the primary and junior (lower) secondary levels.

Exhibit 3: Science Topics Taught at the Primary Level, Grades 1–6 (Primary 1–Primary 6)

Strand	Topics
Scientific Investigation	Exploring the environment (e.g., visiting the park) Being a scientist Simple investigations, observations, and interpretations are carried out throughout the primary science curriculum.
Life and Living Things	The body Healthy living habits Characteristics of living things Plants and animals Personal and environmental hygiene Food Growth and reproduction Air
The Material World	Environmentally friendly practices Conservation of the environment and natural resources Matter
Energy and Change	The nature of heat Saving energy Motion Light Sound Electricity
Earth and Beyond	The sun, moon, and stars Day and night Weather and seasons Earth Water and the water cycle Light Sound
Science, Technology,and Society	Reuse and recycle Caring for the environment Wise use of natural resources Our society Hong Kong, China, and the world Information technology in everyday life Life and technology Population Problems in the world (e.g., famine, war, and poverty) This strand is applied to most of the science topics in the science curriculum.

Exhibit 4: Science Topics Taught at the Junior (Lower) Secondary Level, Grades 7–9 (Secondary 1–Secondary 3)

Strand	Topics
Scientific Investigation	Introducing science (including laboratory safety, laboratory equipment, and conducting experiments) Scientific investigation is carried out throughout the secondary science curriculum.
Life and Living Things	Plants and animals Cells and human reproduction Living things and air A healthy body Senses
The Material World	Metals Plastics Matter
Energy and Change	Different forms of energy Energy changes Fuels Electricity and circuits
Earth and Beyond	Water, the wonderful solvent Light and colors Space travel Space exploration Forces Gravity
Science, Technology, and Society	Materials of the modern world Environmental problems of waste disposal (e.g., metal, plastics) Effects of acid rain on the environment Pollution Acids and alkalis This strand is applied to most of the science topics in the science curriculum.

In 2011, the CDC issued an updated version of the GS curriculum guide, General Studies for Primary Schools Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 to Primary 6),²⁷ based on the 2002 version, aiming to enrich the GS curriculum in accordance with the needs of society and students. The current science curriculum for the junior (lower) secondary level was issued in 1998. Both the GS curriculum at the primary level and the science curriculum at the junior (lower) secondary level are under review.²⁸