{"id":670,"date":"2016-08-15T20:32:57","date_gmt":"2016-08-15T20:32:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/the-science-curriculum-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-grades\/"},"modified":"2016-10-06T20:20:42","modified_gmt":"2016-10-06T20:20:42","slug":"the-science-curriculum-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-grades","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/the-science-curriculum-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-grades\/","title":{"rendered":"The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"carouselwrap\"><div id=\"menu-croatia\" class=\"carouselmenu\"><a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>Introduction<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/the-mathematics-curriculum-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-grades\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>The Mathematics Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/the-science-curriculum-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-grades\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/teachers-teacher-education-and-professional-development\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>Teachers, Teacher Education, and Professional Development<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/instruction-for-mathematics-and-science-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-grades\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>Instruction for Mathematics and Science in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/monitoring-student-progress-in-mathematics-and-science\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>Monitoring Student Progress in Mathematics and Science<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/special-initiatives-in-mathematics-and-science-education\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>Special Initiatives in Mathematics and Science Education<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/use-and-impact-of-timss\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>Use and Impact of TIMSS<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/suggested-readings\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>Suggested Readings<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/references\/\" class=\"menu-link main-menu-link menu-item menu-item-type-custom menu-item-object-custom\"><span>References<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/div><\/div>\t<style>\n\t\t.carouselwrap{\n\t\t\tbackground: #e5eaef;\n\t\t}\t\t\n\t\t.owl-item a{\n\t\t\tbackground: #ffffff;\n\t\t\tborder: 4px #00b2cc solid;\n\t\t\tcolor: #000000;\n\t\t}\t\t\n\t\t.owl-item a:hover,\n\t\t.owl-item a:focus,\n\t\t.owl-item a.current-menu-item{\n\t\t\tbackground: #00667f;\n\t\t\tborder: 4px #00b2cc solid;\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tcolor: #ffffff;\n\t\t}\n\t<\/style>\n\t\n<h2>The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades<\/h2>\n<p>As with the mathematics curriculum, the Syllabus for Primary School <em>(Nastavni plan i program za osnovnu \u0161kolu)<\/em><sup>8<\/sup> contains the educational work plan for science topics and subjects for Grades 1 to 8. According to the syllabus, by the end of fourth grade, students should be able to do the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Characteristics and Life Processes of Living Things\u2014Differentiate between the living and the nonliving world, and recognize the correlation between them; recognize parts of the body and understand that the human body is an organism; recognize changes that occur in the body during puberty; describe the main parts of plants and understand their main functions; understand the importance of plants for life; differentiate animal species according to their diet; explain mutual dependencies between plants and animals; recognize plants and animals that live in grasslands and understand their mutual relationship; know the most common forest animals; recognize the interdependence of plants and animals in the forest; understand the significance of water for humans, plants, and animals; and recognize the most common plants and animals in fresh water and in and near the sea<\/li>\n<li>Life Cycles, Reproduction, and Heredity\u2014Name members of a family and differentiate between members of the nuclear and extended family; differentiate between ancestors and descendants; and become familiar with the life cycles of living things<\/li>\n<li>Interaction with the Environment\u2014Differentiate among the seasons and recognize their main features; describe seasonal changes and link them with changes in the lives of plants, animals, and people; and understand the interrelationship of professions, institutions, plants, and animals in Croatia<\/li>\n<li>Ecosystems\u2014Recognize that plants need sunlight and food; identify simple food chains; recognize human impact on the environment; learn how to separate waste into appropriate containers; understand the correlation between people\u2019s activities and pollution; understand man\u2019s role in water conservation and consumption; and understand the importance of protecting the air and sea from pollution<\/li>\n<li>Human Health\u2014Understand the importance of personal hygiene, a healthy diet, and maintenance of health; become acquainted with health care facilities and staff; describe how one can maintain health by adhering to basic hygienic, dietary, and physical habits; understand how infectious diseases are transmitted; and recognize maltreatment and ask for help<\/li>\n<li>Classification and Properties of Matter\u2014Describe physical states and properties of water by conducting simple experiments; describe characteristic differences in shape and volume of each state of matter, and understand that state changes can occur by heating or cooling; identify observable changes in materials caused by heating, cooling, and freezing; give examples of materials that dissolve in water and those that do not; and identify properties of air by conducting experiments, and determine the composition of air<\/li>\n<li>Energy\u2014Identify sources of energy (e.g., the sun, electricity, water, wind) and describe practical uses of energy; identify common light sources (the sun); and describe the concepts of rainbow and shadow<\/li>\n<li>Earth\u2019s Structure, Physical Characteristics, and Resources\u2014Recognize features of the landscape in Croatia (lowland, hill, mountain, and coastland); describe elements of the natural environment in students\u2019 local town or village regions; understand the correlation between climate and living things; name the most common types of wind; understand the importance of air for life; identify evidence that air contains water; differentiate among types of soil; differentiate among types of forest; differentiate among types of water; identify the role of land in the economy and explain the economic importance of different regions; and recognize the importance of using Earth\u2019s resources responsibly<\/li>\n<li>Earth\u2019s Processes, Cycles, and History\u2014Describe the movement of water on Earth\u2019s surface; understand the water cycle; observe changes in nature caused by the seasons; and understand basic terms associated with fossils<\/li>\n<li>Earth in the Solar System\u2014Understand the relationship between the sun and life on Earth; describe the solar system as a group of planets, including Earth, each revolving around the sun; identify the sun as a source of heat and light; and relate daily patterns observed on Earth to Earth\u2019s rotation on its axis (e.g., day and night, appearance of shadows)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By the end of eighth grade, students should be able to do the following:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Biology\u2014Describe types of living things and classify organisms on the basis of major taxonomic groups and their characteristics; describe the structure and functions of plants and animals; describe organs in the human body, their functions, and the most common disorders associated with organ systems; describe how the nervous system and hormones control processes in the human body; compare structures and functions of human organs and body systems with those of other animals; describe the main parts and life cycles of cells and the role of metabolic processes in cells; differentiate between unicellular and multicellular organisms, and understand the processes of cell division and photosynthesis; describe the life cycles of plants and animals; differentiate between asexual and sexual reproduction; recognize the importance and hereditary role of genes; recognize the evolutionary development of living things and explain the process of emergence of new species; describe the adaptation of living things to specific types of habitat and explain how changes in the environment can affect them; describe the importance of fossils; describe the interdependence and adaptation of living things in ecosystems and how changes in nature and human activity affect ecosystems, anticipating possible consequences at the local and global levels; describe food chains and explain the relationship among producers, consumers, and decomposers; describe causes of common diseases, addictions, and other factors that jeopardize human health and life; understand immunity; and explain the principles and importance of health protection<\/li>\n<li>Chemistry\u2014Examine and explain physical properties of substances using experimentation (density, thermal and electrical conductivity, magnetic properties, solubility, boiling point, and melting point); differentiate between chemical and physical changes; explain chemical changes; describe how chemical reactions may be used as a source of energy; differentiate between metals, nonmetals, and chemical compounds; recognize properties of acids and bases; differentiate between pure substances and mixtures; recognize homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures and understand methods for separating mixtures; describe the structure of atoms and molecules; describe factors that affect the process of dissolving or making solutions; recognize the physical properties of water and air; and recognize uses of oxygen<\/li>\n<li>Physics\u2014Describe transitions that occur between states of matter through heating and cooling; describe various forms of energy and energy transformations; relate temperature changes to changes in volume; describe examples of heat transfer; identify basic properties of light; recognize characteristics of sound; construct and draw direct current circuits and explain the role of each part of the circuit; differentiate between conductors and insulators; understand applications of the magnetic effect of electric currents and uses of electromagnets; describe motion; describe types of force and apply knowledge of forces to examples from everyday life; compare the density of substances; explore and apply levers; and explain pressure in terms of force and area<\/li>\n<li>Geography\u2014Identify renewable and nonrenewable energy sources and discuss their efficiency and environmental impact; describe methods of waste management; identify causes of pollution; explain how common methods of agriculture and land use can affect land resources; describe the importance of water conservation; describe the solar system; describe Earth\u2019s motion around the sun and its effects; recognize features of the structure of Earth; describe earthquakes and volcanoes; describe uses of minerals and rocks; differentiate among types of soil; recognize characteristics of and the importance of water on Earth and the water cycle; describe Earth\u2019s atmosphere; and describe changes in climate and weather patterns<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Science Curriculum in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades As with the mathematics curriculum, the Syllabus for Primary School (Nastavni plan i program za osnovnu \u0161kolu)8 contains the educational work plan for science topics and subjects for Grades 1 to &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/countries\/croatia\/the-science-curriculum-in-primary-and-lower-secondary-grades\/\">Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":118,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-670","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/670","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=670"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/670\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6848,"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/670\/revisions\/6848"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/118"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/timss2015.org\/encyclopedia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=670"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}