Korea, Rep. of

The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

According to the science curriculum, including the 2009 science curriculum, students are expected to develop scientific literacy that will allow them to solve problems creatively and scientifically in daily life. Specifically, the science curriculum aims to accomplish the following:

• Help students understand basic science concepts through activities involving inquiry
• Motivate students to develop interest in and curiosity about natural phenomena and objects
• Facilitate student development of scientific thinking skills and creative problem solving abilities¹⁴

The 2009 science curriculum is designed for all students in Grades 3 to 9. In the science curriculum, the key aspects of learning are highlighted in various inquiry-based activities designed to develop student abilities that include observing, experimenting, investigating, and discussing. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of group as well as individual activities for nurturing scientific attitudes and communication skills including criticism, openness, integrity, objectivity, and cooperation. In addition, the curriculum stresses comprehensive understanding of basic science concepts and the ability to solve daily life problems scientifically, rather than a fragmented partial acquisition of knowledge.

The fourth grade students who participated in TIMSS 2015 studied under the 2009 curriculum in which the science content included such domains as Matter and Energy and Life and Earth, and basic concepts were linked to inquiry processes across grades and domains.

The eighth grade students who participated in TIMSS 2015 also studied under the 2009 curriculum. The middle school scientific course content included the same domains as in the fourth grade (e.g., Matter and Energy and Life and Earth). The curriculum was designed to encourage students to develop basic science knowledge, inquiry skills, and scientific literacy. Exhibits 3 and 4 present a summary of the science topics and skills covered in each grade band.

Exhibit 3: Science Topics Covered, Grades 3–6^15,a

Domain	Grades 3–4 (Elementary School)		Grades 5–6 (Elementary School)
Matter and Energy	Weight of objects Objects and matter Liquids and gases Properties of sound	Use of magnets Separation of mixtures Mirrors and shadows State changes of water	Temperature and heat Dissolution and solutions Acids and bases Speed of objects	Effects of electricity Various gases Use of lenses Combustion and extinguishment
Life and Earth	Earth and the Moon Animal life cycle Animal life Changes in Earth’s surface	Plant life cycle Volcanos and earthquakes Plant life Geological strata and fossils	Weather and our living Structures of plants and their functions Solar system and stars Structures of our bodies and their functions	Motion of Earth and the Moon Organisms and the environment Organisms and our living Seasonal changes

Exhibit 4: Science Topics Covered, Grades 7–9¹⁶

Domain	Grades 7–9 (Middle School)
Matter and Energy	What is science?*	Force and motion Heat and our living Molecular motion and changes of state	Composition of matter Light and waves Properties of matter Work and energy conversion	Electricity and magnetism Patterns in chemical reactions Various chemical reactions	Science and human civilization*
Life and Earth		Earth system and changes in lithosphere Photosynthesis Composition and circulation of hydrosphere	The atmosphere and our living Digestion, circulation, respiration, and excretion Stimulation and response	The solar system Reproduction and development Heredity and evolution Exosphere and space development

* Cross-domain topic