Lithuania

The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

The current science curriculum in Lithuania was approved in 2008. In primary school (Grades 1 to 4), the curriculum divides integrated social and natural science into several content areas: humans living together, humans’ development, humans’ environment, humans’ health and safety, humans and nature, and humans and natural phenomena. Exhibit 3 summarizes the knowledge content and specialized skills students learn in these content areas during primary school.

Exhibit 3: Science Learning Objectives and Expectations, Grades 1–4

Content Area	Objectives and Expectations
Humans’ Environment	Learn about general weather changes and geographical attributes of Earth
Humans’ Health and Safety	Learn about the human body and its functions, in a simple and understandable way Learn proper breathing, posture, vision, hearing, and hygiene Learn first aid for oneself and others Develop healthy diet and personal hygiene habits Learn the causes of contagious diseases and their prevention Learn where to go and whom to contact in an accident, and how to prevent accidents Learn how to prevent alcohol abuse, how to calm oneself in a stressful situation, and how to rest actively
Humans and Nature	Learn to observe and remember facts, and link them to sets of causal relationships Pay attention to natural surroundings and the interrelationship of various life forms Explore the interrelationship of plants and animals (based on examples of forest or pond ecosystems) Recognize the environment and natural phenomena (sun, air, and water) help sustain life Recognize the importance of solar energy for life on Earth Emphasize the consequences of human activities on nature
Humans and Natural Phenomena	Learn to investigate natural phenomena Using illustrations from everyday life, explore movement and its laws, the phenomenon of electricity, sources of energy and ways of saving energy, properties and changes of materials, the phenomenon of burning, and the water cycle in nature Learn to formulate hypotheses, predict results, and draw conclusions Learn to apply scientific methods to analyze simple problems Develop the ability to distinguish what is true from what is probable Learn to plan and conduct experiments, using simple instruments from everyday life as well as basic laboratory equipment

Science education in basic school (Grades 5 to 10) aims to help students acquire foundational knowledge in the natural sciences, master essential concepts and ideas in the natural sciences, acquire skills that will help them develop an understanding of the world around them, and develop certain values and attitudes. The curriculum aims to help students mature as citizens able to live healthy lives and solve sustainable development problems.

In Grades 5 and 6 of basic school, science is taught as an integrated subject, and geography only is taught as a separate subject in Grade 6. From Grade 7, biology, chemistry, and physics are taught as separate subjects.

Overall, the science curriculum focuses on knowledge and understanding, problem solving, practical skills, scientific communication, and skills for learning science. Exhibit 4 summarizes the dimensions and content areas of natural science in Grades 7 to 8 of basic school.

Exhibit 4: Science Learning Objectives and Expectations, Grades 7–8

Dimension	Content Area	Objectives and Expectations
Scientific Investigation	Scientific investigation		Continue to learn the sequence of scientific investigation, including formulating a hypothesis based on life experience, planning and carrying out simple experiments and observations, presenting results, formulating conclusions, and identifying the main factors that influence studied phenomena Learn to predict and check relationships between two or more variables based on scientific laws Learn to research, summarize, and present information from various sources Explore the influence of the natural sciences and technology on human life Learn to apply scientific knowledge to explain phenomena Explore the issues of sustainable development, taking into account social and economic factors Investigate which personal qualities support the study of the natural sciences Learn strategies for studying science
Living Nature (Biology)	Structure and function of organisms		Explore the structural and functional links of cells, tissues, and organs; photosynthesis and breathing; metabolism and energy; food and a balanced diet; the nervous system and substances that affect its functioning; and reproduction, sexual intercourse, and healthy living
	Continuity and diversity of life		Explore the transmission of heritable traits, evolution, and the adaptation and classification of organisms
	Organisms and the environment: humans and the biosphere		Explore the movement of substances and energy in ecosystems and populations, and the impact of environmental pollution on organisms
Matter and Change (Chemistry)	Knowledge of the composition and characteristics of matter		Explore the periodic table of the elements, table periods and groups, and the composition of an atom; chemical elements and formulas; homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures; and physical attributes of substances (e.g., mass and density)
	Changes in matter		Explore physical and chemical changes in matter, signs of and necessary conditions for chemical reactions, and Avogadro’s number and the mole
	Knowledge and use of common substances		Explore air, oxygen, oxides, and ozone; chemical substances in everyday life; and the impact of human activities on the environment
Physical Phenomena (Physics)	Knowledge of motion and forces		Explore rectilinear and curvilinear motion, distance, speed, average speed, and acceleration; the interaction of objects; inertia; mass; the relationship of force, mass, and acceleration; the forces of action and reaction; types of forces; equilibrium of bodies, center of mass, and moment of inertia; and hydrostatics and atmospheric pressure
	Knowledge of energy and physical processes		Explore mechanical energy, work, power, potential and kinetic energy, and the law of conservation of energy; simple machines; molecular composition of matter (solids, liquids, and gases); thermal expansion of bodies; electrical currents and circuits; free and forced vibration; mechanical waves and sound; and light and the laws of reflection and refraction
	Knowledge of Earth and the universe		Explore the phases of the moon, and the movement of the planets