Italy

The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

The guidelines for curriculum at the preprimary level and in the first cycle of education were updated by the MIUR in September 2012.¹⁶ The science curriculum at the primary level is organized by identifying content to be taught by the end of the third year (Grade 3) and by the end of the fifth year (Grade 5).¹⁷ There is no specific curriculum for the end of the fourth year. The learning objectives and expectations detailed in the science curriculum at the primary level are summarized in Exhibits 4 and 5.¹⁸

Exhibit 4: Science Learning Objectives at the End of Grade 3

Content Area	Objectives and Expectations
Exploring and Describing Objects and Materials	Identify the structure of simple objects and materials through hands-on exploration, analyze their qualities and properties, describe them as a whole or in terms of their parts, deconstruct and reconstruct them, and recognize their functions and how to use them Order and classify objects and materials on the basis of their properties Identify tools and units of measurement appropriate to the problems being solved, take measurements, and use mathematics to manage the data Describe simple daily phenomena that occur with liquids, food, forces and movement, heat, etc.
Observing and Experimenting in the Field	Observe the germination of plant life and the development of animal life through cultivating small animal farms in the classroom, sowing in terrariums or gardens, etc. Identify similarities and differences between animal and plant development Observe the characteristics of soil and water through field trips Observe and understand the environmental changes generated by nature (e.g., sun, weathering, water) and by mankind (e.g., urbanization, cultivation, industrialization) Be familiar with atmospheric phenomena (e.g., wind, clouds, rain) and with the periodicity of celestial phenomena (e.g., day and night, the sun’s path in the sky, the seasons)
Man, Living Things, and the Environment	Recognize and describe the environmental characteristics of the place where one lives Observe and notice how one’s own body works (i.e., hunger, thirst, pain movement, cold, heat), recognize it as complex organism, and suggest a simple working model for it Recognize needs in different living organisms, similar to those of mankind, with respect to their environment

Exhibit 5: Science Learning Objectives at the End of Grade 5

Content Area	Objectives and Expectations
Objects, Materials, and Transformations	Observe and recognize certain scientific concepts in practical experience (e.g., spatial dimensions, weight, specific weight, force, movement, pressure, temperature, heat) Begin to recognize the regularity of phenomena and develop a basic understanding of energy Observe, use, and build simple measurement tools where possible (e.g., bowls to measure volume/capacity, spring balances), learning how to use conventional units of measurement Identify the properties of certain objects and materials (e.g., hardness, weight, flexibility, transparency, density); experiment with simple water solutions (e.g., water and sugar, water and ink) Observe and schematize phase changes of matter, building simple interpretative models and graphing relationships among identified variables (e.g., temperature versus time)
Observing and Experimenting in the Field	Make frequent and regular observations in the local environment with the naked eye or using the appropriate tools, individually or with classmates; identify characteristics of the environment and how they change during observations Understand the composition of soil, exploring rocks, stones, and topsoil; observe the characteristics of water and its role in the environment Reproduce and understand the movement of objects in the sky, modeling them with body movement
Man, Living Things, and the Environment	Describe and understand the functions of the human body as a complex system in a particular environment; configure realistic models of the systems of the human body and their functions; develop basic models of cell structure Care for personal health including diet and exercise; acquire basic knowledge about reproduction and sexuality Recognize the interdependence of organisms through exploration on plantations, farms, etc. Classify animals and plants based on the personal observation of basic characteristics Observe and understand environmental changes, including global changes, particularly those caused by mankind acting on the environment

The learning objectives and expectations detailed in the science curriculum at the lower secondary level are summarized in Exhibit 6.¹⁹

Exhibit 6: Science Objectives and Expectations at the End of Grade 8

Content Area	Objectives and Expectations
Physics and Chemistry	Apply fundamental concepts of physics (e.g., pressure, volume, speed, weight, specific weight, force, temperature, heat, and electric charge) in different situations; collect data on relevant variables of different phenomena, define quantitative relationships, and depict them in formal representations of different types; conduct experiments that involve inclined planes, flotation, communicating vessels, heating water, melting ice, and building circuits (e.g., battery-switch bulb) Understand and apply the concept of conservation of energy; recognize its dependence on other variables; understand heat transfer; conduct experiments that involve watermills, dynamos, rotating propellers on a radiator, and heating water with a blender, for example Understand chemical transformation; conduct experiments that involve safe chemical reactions with household products (e.g., water solutions, candle combustion, baking soda and vinegar) and understand the reactions based on simple models of the structure of matter; observe and describe the reactions that occur mechanisms and the products yielded
Astronomy and Earth Science	Model and understand celestial phenomena by observing the day and night skies and using planetarium or computer simulations; reconstruct Earth’s movements that determine day and night and the changing of the seasons; reconstruct three-dimensional models from the history of astronomy Explain the mechanisms of solar and lunar eclipses, using simulations; design experiments that involve  building a sundial and recording the sun’s trajectory and its height at midday throughout the year Recognize the main types of rock and the geological processes that generate them through field research and hands-on exploration Know Earth’s structure and its inner movements (plate tectonics); identify local seismic, volcanic, and hydrogeological risks to allow planning of possible prevention activities;  conduct experiments like rock collecting
Biology	Recognize similarities and differences among the functions of different living species Understand the classification of living things and recognize fossil evidence that contributes to understanding Earth’s changes over time, ecological succession, and the evolution of species; conduct experiments that involve observing the diversity among individuals of the same species on a farm or with livestock, for example Gradually develop the ability to explain biological functions at the cellular level (e.g., explain breathing in terms of cell respiration, nutrition in terms of cell metabolism, growth and development in terms of cell duplication, plant growth in terms of photosynthesis); conduct experiments that involve dissecting plants, making cell models, observing plant cells using a microscope, and cultivating mold and microorganisms, for example Understand the biological basis of the transmission of hereditary characteristics and basic genetics Acquire knowledge about puberty and sexuality; develop personal health care and self-control with a healthy diet; consciously avoid smoking and drugs Behave and make personal choices in a way that is environmentally sustainable; respect and preserve biodiversity in the environment; conduct experiments that involve building nests for wild birds, or adopting a pond or a forest, for example