The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades
A brief overview of the science curriculum for Grades 1 to 10 follows.
Knowledge and understanding of the natural sciences constitute a basis for participation in the democratic process and enable people to contribute to sustainable development. Learning science must be closely related to practical experience in laboratories and nature. The first sentence in the curriculum states, “Natural science is the result of human curiosity and our need to find answers to questions about our existence, life and life forms, and our place in nature and the universe, and, in this way, it becomes part of our culture.”10 The curriculum emphasizes the holistic nature of the subject even though natural science is divided into the disciplines of physics, chemistry, biology, and the geosciences. The curriculum also states that scientific laws and theories are models of a complex reality, and that these models are developed through observations, experiments, and ideas. In short, the science curriculum emphasizes the importance of understanding both the content and the nature of science.
The natural science curriculum for Grades 1 to 10 is organized into five main areas: the Budding Researcher, Diversity in Nature, Body and Health, Phenomena and Substances, and Technology and Design. The curriculum defines five basic areas of skill across all subjects and at all grade levels. For natural science, these areas of skill include the following:
- Oral skills—Listening and speaking in order to communicate knowledge and formulate questions, arguments, and explanations in natural science; adapting to different forms of expression, concepts, and examples to suit different objectives and recipients; progressing from simple experiences and observations to the ability to discuss progressively more complex themes, involving an increasing use of scientific concepts to express understanding, to form opinions, and to participate in academic discussions
- Writing skills—Writing plans and formulating questions, hypotheses, and explanations; comparing and reflecting on information, using sources in a purposeful manner, and formulating arguments; using scientific concepts, diagrams, and symbols that are suited to the objective and the recipient; developing in writing proficiency from using simple forms of expression to composing more complex texts with precise scientific concepts, symbols, graphic presentations, and argumentation
- Reading skills—Understanding concepts, symbols, diagrams, and arguments in texts related to natural science in books, newspapers, operating manuals, brochures, and digital sources; critically assessing how information is presented and used in arguments; distinguishing between data, assumptions, assertions, hypotheses, and conclusions; developing in reading proficiency from finding and using information in simple texts to understanding texts with increasingly complex terminology, symbols, diagrams, tables, and implicit information; developing the ability to read critically, to identify relevant information, and to evaluate the credibility and relevance of sources of information
- Numeracy—Collecting, processing, and presenting numerical data, using concepts, measuring instruments, units, formulas, and graphics; comparing, evaluating, and arguing for the validity of calculations, results, and presentations; progressing from using simple methods for counting and classification to being able to evaluate the choice of methods, concepts, formulas, and measuring instruments; gradually becoming able to make more advanced presentations, assessments, and arguments
- Digital skills—Using digital tools to explore, record, process, visualize, document, and publish data from studies, experiments, and fieldwork, involving the use of research tools and strategies; evaluating sources critically and selecting relevant information on topics in natural science; progressing from the simple application of digital tools to the selection and implementation of digital sources, tools, media, and information with increasing independence
Exhibit 2 presents the competencies that students are expected to attain in natural science in Grades 1 to 4, Grades 5 to 7, and Grades 8 to 10. As a general indication, it might be expected that the most elementary third of the goals for Grades 5 to 7 should be attained in Grade 5, and that one-third and two-thirds of the goals for Grades 8 to 10 should be attained in Grade 8 and Grade 9, respectively.
Exhibit 2: Expected Competencies in Natural Science, Grades 1–10 (Abbreviated)11
| Grade Range | Subject Domain | Expected Competencies |
| Grades 1–4 | The budding researcher | Explore the local neighborhood, ask questions, and talk about experiences in nature and man’s place in nature; describe observations, and suggest and discuss possible explanations; use simple measuring instruments, collect and organize data, present results, and write reports; collect and process information regarding natural science from different sources |
| Diversity in nature | Recognize, sort, and describe certain plant and animal species in the local environment, and compare their life cycles; observe and describe characteristics of the four seasons; observe and describe changes that occur in a tree or another perennial plant over time; describe an extinct animal species; discuss animal welfare and distinguish between fact and opinion; investigate biological decomposition and describe a life cycle in nature; practice recycling and discuss its importance; argue for appropriate behavior toward the natural environment | |
| Body and health | Describe general traits of the human body; discuss respect for one’s own body and the bodies of other people; describe the form and function of the digestive system, skeleton, and muscles; explain why we vaccinate against certain diseases; describe a common illness and how it can be prevented; observe and describe how the human body reacts in different situations; discuss different emotional reactions and the relationship between physical and mental health | |
| Phenomena and substances | Describe and illustrate how Earth, the Moon, and the Sun move in relation to each other, discussing the seasons, day and night, and lunar phases; research and write about planets in our solar system; recognize certain stellar constellations; tell and discuss legends and myths related to the starry sky and Northern Lights; describe and sort substances, and carry out experiments showing that substances and mixtures may change characteristics in certain environments; experiment with water, light, and sound, describe the observations, and suggest explanations; record and describe observations of weather, measure temperature and precipitation, and present the results graphically | |
| Technology and design | Make objects that can be propelled by water or air and objects that use reflection of light, and discuss how they work; plan, build, and test simple models of building constructions and document the process with text and illustrations; describe building structures and discuss why some are more stable than others; recognize and describe load-bearing structures in buildings in the local neighborhood | |
| Grades 5–7 | The budding researcher | Formulate questions, suggest explanations, make a plan, and conduct an investigation; discuss the importance of making and testing hypotheses through systematic experiments and observations; use digital tools to record, process, and publish data from experiments and fieldwork; extract natural science information from different media and make a presentation |
| Diversity in nature | Plan and conduct explorations in nature, and record the observations; examine and describe flowering plants and explain the functions of different parts of plants; examine and discuss factors that influence the germination and growth of plants; describe the characteristics of certain plants, mushrooms, and animals and order them systematically; discuss traditional uses of certain plants, mushrooms, and animals | |
| Body and health | Describe the development of the human body from conception to adulthood; explain what happens during puberty and discuss gender identity and sexual orientation; describe the main features of the heart and lung system and its function in the human body; explain how the body protects itself against illness and how we may prevent and treat infectious diseases; collect information and statistics, and discuss damages to health caused by drug abuse | |
| Phenomena and substances | Use animations and models to describe the motions of the planets and the moon, and explain reasons for the seasons and the lunar phases; describe how certain minerals and rocks have been formed; account for the use of certain sources of energy in the past and the present, and describe consequences of this use for the global and local environment; explain the concept of climate, identify certain causes of climate change, and investigate the consequences of extreme weather; investigate phenomena related to sound, hearing, and noise, discuss observations, and explain how sound may damage hearing; do experiments with magnetism and electricity, and explain and present the results; describe the main characteristics of gases, liquids, solids, and phase transitions by using the particle model; use the concepts of atoms and molecules to explain the structure of substances and how substances may be transformed; carry out experiments with chemical reactions and describe what characterizes them |
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| Technology and design | Plan, build, and test mechanical toys, and explain the principles of mechanical transfer; plan, make, and test simple products that use electricity; describe the life cycle of a product, and discuss to what extent it is compatible with sustainable development | |
| Grades 8–10 | The budding researcher | Formulate testable hypotheses, plan and conduct experiments, and discuss observations and results in a report; collect and process natural science data, and present results graphically; write explanations and arguments; explain the importance of looking for relationships between cause and effect, and explain why arguments, disagreement, and publication are important; identify scientific arguments, facts, and assertions in media, and assess the content critically; comply with safety measures |
| Diversity in nature | Explain the main features of the theory of evolution and give an account of observations that support this theory; describe the structure of animal and plant cells and explain the main features of photosynthesis and cellular respiration; describe cell division, genetic variation, and inheritance; explain the main features of theories about how Earth is changing and has changed over the eons, and the underpinning of these theories; investigate biotic and abiotic factors in a local ecosystem and explain the relationship between the factors; observe and provide examples of how human activities have affected a nature area, investigate views of different interest groups on these effects, and propose measures that may preserve nature for future generations | |
| Body and health | Describe the nervous system and the endocrine system, and explain how these control bodily processes; describe the development of a fetus and the process of birth; discuss issues related to sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual limits and respect, sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, and abortion; explain how lifestyle may affect health, including slimming and eating disorders, and how they may be prevented; provide examples of and discuss the difference between alternative and academic medicine | |
| Phenomena and substances | Describe the universe and different theories of how it has developed; investigate a topic on the exploration of outer space; assess properties of elements and compounds by using the periodic table; examine properties of certain common everyday substances, and do simple calculations related to the dilution of solutions; examine and classify pure substances and mixtures based on solubility in water, combustibility, acidity, and basicity; separate substances in a mixture, and analyze an unknown substance; examine hydrocarbons, alcohols, carboxylic acids, and carbohydrates; explain the origin of crude oil and natural gas; use the concepts of current, voltage, resistance, power, and induction to explain results from experiments with electric circuits; explain how we can produce electric energy from renewable and nonrenewable sources, and discuss environmental effects; explain the concepts of velocity and acceleration, measure their magnitude with simple tools, and provide examples of how force is connected to acceleration; carry out experiments and simple calculations with work, energy, and power; explain how traffic safety equipment prevents and reduces injury in accidents; carry out experiments with light, vision, and colors, and describe and explain the results | |
| Technology and design | Develop products, and assess product functionality and user-friendliness; test and describe properties of materials used in a production process, and assess their use from an environmental perspective; describe an electronic communication system, explain how it transfers information from sender to recipient, and discuss positive and negative consequences |