The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades
Since the early 1990s, the science curriculum in Israel at both the primary and lower secondary levels has focused on science and technology literacy and has included the mastery of significant facts, concepts, principles, and theories in science and technology; a grasp of scientific and technological processes and their impact on society; and the ability to use this knowledge to serve the needs of individuals and society. In addition to presenting the key concepts and ideas of science and technology, the general objectives of the curriculum are to highlight the similarities and differences between the two disciplines; to indicate their potential contributions to society and their limitations; and to develop students’ intellectual competencies, such as inquiry and decision making skills, as well as performance skills in design and practical problem solving.
In general, the study of science is not compulsory beyond the lower secondary level. Students are not required to study toward a matriculation certificate in science and technology, and thus, many end their science studies in the ninth grade. Currently, attempts are being made to ensure that every student will continue to study science and technology beyond ninth grade and take at least a basic level in science and technology in the matriculation examinations.
The science and technology curriculum at the primary level includes six content domains and a set of cognitive and practical skills to be attained.13 The content domains are matter, energy, the man-made world, systems and processes in living organisms, ecosystems, and Earth and the universe. Each domain is divided into subdomains that contain a specified and detailed list of topics. These topics are further elaborated into a scheme of standards for each grade level. Each standard describes the scientific, technological, and societal aspects of every topic.
The topics are designated into six levels (one level for each grade), and the learning progression is planned in a spiral that takes students from one level to the next as they advance through the appropriate cognitive developmental stages. The syllabus does not define the sequencing of topics, and teachers are encouraged to sequence and connect topics meaningfully based on their specific pedagogical beliefs and educational contexts.
In addition to defining content domains, the curriculum defines how students may attain cognitive and performance skills. This component is woven into the content objectives. The curriculum identifies three non-mutually exclusive groups of skills, which highlight different aspects of scientific practice: information processing and handling, inquiry, and problem solving skills.
The curriculum at the lower secondary level comprises the same domains as the curriculum at the primary level (except Earth and the Universe, which is included under the geography curriculum, and replaced by Cell Structure and Function). Building on the primary school syllabus, the science and technology curriculum at the lower secondary level imparts basic concepts, modes of thought, and inquiry and problem solving strategies in science and technology, with the benefit of the entire population in mind. The curriculum provides a foundation for students who will major in other disciplines, and forms a basis for advanced science and technology studies for students choosing to major in these disciplines. In 2013, compulsory hands-on activities, designed to be performed by students in laboratories, were added to the curriculum in all the scientific domains and cognitive skill areas. The main science topics are distributed over the three grade levels of lower secondary school, as presented in Exhibit 3 (subjects for Grade 8 are described in greater detail).14 The curriculum also recommends that an investigative problem solving project be integrated with the scientific contents of one of the domains in the ninth grade.
Exhibit 3: Science Topics, Grades 7–9
| Grade | Content Domain | Percent of Curriculum | Topics |
| Grade 7 | Materials | 12% | Properties and uses |
| 30% | Physical changes in matter | ||
| Energy | 8% | Forms and transformations | |
| Cell structure and function | 8% | ||
| Systems and processes in living things | 34% | Conveying | |
| Design processes | 8% | Technology | |
| Grade 8 | Electricity and magnetism | 10% | Current and electric charge; factors affecting the intensity of current in an electrical circuit; energy transformation in electrical circuits; electricity and safety; renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy; energy production, usage, and ecological cost |
| Forces and motion | 13% | Interaction, forces and changes, daily use of forces, simple machines and levers, movement, and speed | |
| Materials: elements, compounds, and mixtures | 30% | Elements, the atomic model, and the periodic table; material changes (chemical reactions); mixtures; the conservation of matter; energy transformations; use and ecological cost of materials | |
| Cell structure and function | 4% | Genetic material (DNA) in cells, and its function and organization in chromosomes; all cells come from other cells; cell division, mitosis and its importance in life processes, and meiosis and its importance in reproductive processes; the relationship between structure and function of cells; sperm and egg cells; and differentiation of cells | |
| Systems and processes of living organisms: reproduction | 23% | Types of reproduction; fertilization; development of embryos and offspring; maturation; and finding mates | |
| Ecosystems | 13% | Interactions between living organisms in the ecosystem; materials and energy transitions in the ecosystem; ecological balance and human impact; biological diversity | |
| Technological systems | 7% | ||
| Earth science | Additional subject | Astronomy; geology (internal forces) and geomorphology (external forces); climate and weather; and Earth’s resources |
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| Grade 9 | Materials | 20% | Chemical bonds; the element carbon and its compounds; and the influence of human usage of materials on society and the environment |
| Cell structure and function | 10% | ||
| Systems and processes in living organisms | 30% | Nutrition and heredity | |
| Physics and technology | 40% | Energy and technological systems; and the impact of energy uses on individuals, society, and environment |
The cognitive skills and processes in the science curriculum are divided into three main categories: the process of inquiry, problem solving skills, and information management. The information management skill category is subdivided into locating, collecting, and transferring data; processing and representing data; and presenting knowledge through writing and speaking. The other skill categories—inquiry and problem solving—incorporate typical scientific and technological processes, such as planning and processing an investigation, managing information, conducting data analysis, and drawing conclusions. In addition, the curriculum describes cognitive skills such as strategic thinking, logical and critical thinking, reflective thinking, probability thinking, and creative thinking.