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Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City

MATATAG CURRICULUM

SCIENCE

GRADES 3 - 10

SCIENCE SHAPING PAPER

I. Introduction The Science Shaping Paper is developed to provide the narrative for the development of the recalibrated Science Curriculum. It outlines the goals, theoretical and philosophical foundations, and rationale that shape the Science Curriculum. It presents the big ideas and cross-cutting concepts in Science to emphasize the development of durable understanding among learners as well as skills applicable in various contexts. The Science Shaping Paper and the Science curriculum are based on the General Shaping Paper, taking into consideration the findings of the curriculum review conducted in 2019-2020. Furthermore, the Science curriculum draws on the goals of the 2016 Science K to 12 curriculum. Its new features include: (a) expanding technological literacy to technology and engineering literacy to enable learners to develop their ability to connect science content to real-world technological and engineering applications; (b) introduction of key stage and grade level standards to articulate expectations of what learners should be capable of doing at each key stage and grade level; and (c) developmental sequence of content in consideration of the prior learning of students and the cognitive and language demands of learning new science ideas. Specifically, in sequencing the science content, three modes of thinking have been considered, starting from the simplest level when a person reacts to the physical environment; is able to internalize actions through words and images, and the most complex level; and is already able to think using a symbol system such as written language and number systems. The recalibration of the Science curriculum draws from and supports the DepEd MATATAG agenda, which sets the new direction in resolving basic education challenges through the four critical components:

• MA king the curriculum relevant to produce competent and job-ready, active, and responsible citizens;
• TA king steps to accelerate delivery of basic education facilities and services;
• TA king good care of learners by promoting learner well-being, inclusive education, and a positive learning environment; and
• G iving support to teachers to teach better. It comes at a time when rapid changes and disruptions are happening. According to Marope, Griffin, and Gallagher (2017), in the face of such persistent and rapid changes, education, through its curricula, should serve as lifelong learning systems, demonstrating constant self- renewal and innovation. The succeeding sections are organized as follows: ▪ The Shape of the Grades 3 to 10 Science Curriculum ▪ Development of the Curriculum o Curriculum Goals, Theoretical and Philosophical Bases, Curriculum Framework, Key Stage Standards, Grade Level Standards ▪ Elements Contributing to the Curriculum

The Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013 (RA 10533), Section 5.e requires that the curriculum support and reflect universally recognized theories of learning, particularly Constructivism. Other theories contributing to the development of the Science curriculum include Social cognition theory, Brain-based theories of learning, and Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). The Constructivist theory of learning suggests that learners learn by expanding their knowledge based on their prior knowledge. One of the primary goals of using constructivist teaching is for learners to learn how to learn when they are trained to take the initiative for their own learning experiences. Therefore, learners learn best when they can construct a personal understanding based on experiencing things and reflecting on those experiences. Constructivism emphasizes the active role of learners in building their own understanding. Rather than passively receiving information, learners reflect on their experiences, create mental representations, and incorporate new knowledge into their schemas, thus promoting deeper learning and understanding. The Social Constructivist Theory advocated by Vygotsky posits three important ideas on the processes of learning and development of an individual. First, these processes involve co-construction with others. Social interaction plays a key role in shaping what learners know (cognition). Second, language mediates the learning process as they communicate with others, which includes not only verbal but also non-verbal communication. Knowledge and concepts are conveyed in the language and modes of communication we use. And third, learning and development take place within cultural and historical contexts. This means that learners' participation in the classroom and in school is also influenced by other institutions in which they participate, such as their home and community. There is a need to accommodate learners’ diverse backgrounds, acknowledging their development as whole persons and tapping into their everyday practices, emotions, and identities. Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner. The term ‘proximal’ suggests that area where the learner is ‘close’ to grasping the knowledge or skills to be learned. It recommends that learning occurs best in the ZPD – the zone where instruction is the most beneficial – where the task is only just beyond the individual’s capabilities. An important process: therefore, is for the teacher to identify what the learner already knows and can do so the teacher can provide the ‘close to’ environment. Successful scaffolding thus requires appropriate selections, thoughtful organization, and sensitive presentation of suitable tasks. The Science curriculum acknowledges the learners’ direct interaction to their environment through assimilation and reinforcement as a crucial factor in learning and knowledge acquisition. The Social cognition learning model suggests that “most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling,” thus, learners can learn from observing others either as a live model, a symbolic model, or a verbal instructional model. This pedagogical theory explains as well how attention, retention of ideas, reproduction of skills, and motivation, are influenced by how learners observe others and their experiences as they interact in their social and media environment. The Brain-based learning theory is a relatively new educational theory that puts premium on the recent research about cognitive and neurosciences on how the brain learns and how learners learn differently as they age, grow, and mature cognitively, emotionally, and socially. It strongly suggests that learning can be improved and accelerated if teachers structure educational experiences in the classroom to reflect conditions that facilitate learning and improve brain functions and health and deliver lessons based on the science of learning.

The Cognitive load theory is a theory of how human brains process, learn and store information. The theory suggests that working memory has a limited capacity and that overloading it reduces the effectiveness of teaching. Furthermore, Dylan William has described cognitive load theory as “the single most important thing for teachers to know” (William 2017). A large body of research evidence indicates that instruction is most effective when designed according to the limitations of working memory. C. Curriculum Framework Figure 1. Science Curriculum Framework A central feature of the Science curriculum is the balanced integration of three interrelated content strands: ● Performing scientific inquiry skills; ● Understanding and applying scientific knowledge; and ● Developing and demonstrating scientific attitudes and values.

The intention of the curriculum is not to rely solely on textbooks, but to engage learners in science, as well as technological and engineering- related practices and processes and to incorporate varied hands-on and minds-on activities to develop learners’ interest and encourage them to be active learners. Where learning competencies suggest engagement with and demonstrations of knowledge and understanding, this curriculum sets the expectation that learners will actively engage in locating and interpreting the relevant scientific facts, concepts, laws, and theories, and reinterpret or represent them as a deliberate learning strategy. This approach is strongly supported in brain-based learning, which suggests that teachers can promote higher learning through guidance with questions rather than by requiring learners to rote learn. The Science curriculum is designed to be learner-centered and inquiry-based, emphasizing the use of evidence in constructing explanations and providing opportunities for collaboration, innovation, creative scientific exploration, and engineering design. The curriculum explicitly presents many learning competencies that require active learner participation and leadership. Thus, teachers should also deliberately look for opportunities to apply inquiry learning when addressing any learning competency, as this models the nature and practice of science in authentic scientific research and enterprise. Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. The curriculum is designed to progressively introduce science concepts and skills and build towards learning of more conceptually complex content. For that reason, it is crucial that the prior experiences, knowledge, and understanding of learners are considered and assessed in formative ways to ensure that an accessible but challenging level of teaching and learning is offered to learners, maximizing the effectiveness of instruction (Vygotsky, 1978). Further information about assessment is described in the last part of this paper. The Science curriculum provides learners with a repertoire of competencies for lifelong learning, for the world of work, and playing part in a well-informed society. It envisions learners with scientific, environmental, and technology and engineering literacy. Learners will be productive members of society because they are critical and creative problem solvers, responsible stewards of nature, innovative/inventive thinkers, informed decision makers, and collaborative and effective communicators. The curriculum provides Content standards for each Domain and Grade to support teachers to identify the level of science knowledge, skills, and values to be taught and learned. It also clearly articulates Performance standards to support the teacher to assess the levels of knowledge, skills, and values that learners demonstrate in relation to the Content and Learning Competencies addressed during and at the end of each quarter of teaching and learning. The Science curriculum is structured using the following organizers: ● Content – signaling the key areas of focus for a Quarter; ● Content Standards – indicating the conceptual level expected for the Quarter; ● Learning Competencies – identifying the specific aspects of content for learners to achieve; ● Performance Standards – providing a level for teachers to use to judge learner achievement at the end of each quarter; and ● Performance Tasks – samples of tasks where the learner applies their knowledge, understanding, skills and processes, values and attitudes, through which teachers can judge the levels of achievement of the performance standard for each quarter in the domain.

IV. Elements Contributing to the Science Curriculum A. Big Ideas The concepts and skills of Science are not taught in isolation, but rather in the context of big ideas in Science with increasing levels of complexity from one grade level to another in developmental progression, thus paving the way to a deeper understanding of core concepts. The integration across science domains leads to a meaningful understanding of interrelated concepts and their applications in real-life situations. One of the reported findings from the curriculum review is that the curriculum is congested – that there is an unequal distribution of learning competencies across different cognitive demands and grade levels. Specifically, there are many learning competencies on the cognitive demands communicating understanding of science concepts and analyzing information and advance scientific arguments. To address this issue, the learning standards are redesigned with a focus on the Big Ideas, and the content standards are progressively appropriate for each grade level. Additionally, the learning competencies ensure a comparable distribution of cognitive demands across different cognitive domains and grade levels, for the learners to learn to perform basic procedures before undertaking the more cognitively demanding competencies. A Big Idea is a statement of an idea that is central to learning – one that links numerous understandings into a coherent whole. It also represents a progression towards understanding key concepts in different learning areas (Charles, 2005). Grounding the learner’s content knowledge on a relatively few Big Ideas establishes a robust understanding of the learning area. The connection of Big Ideas to many other ideas allows the learner to see it as a set of interrelated concepts, skills, and facts thus, promoting memory and enhancing transfer. B. Crosscutting Science Concepts Crosscutting concepts are described as “dimensions that unify the study of science and engineering through their common application across fields.” ( A Framework for K-12 Science Education Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, National Academy of Sciences, 2012) Research suggests that learners, over multiple years of school, actively engage in science and engineering practices and apply crosscutting concepts to deepen their understanding of each field’s disciplinary core ideas. The Science curriculum recognizes the importance of utilizing internationally accepted crosscutting ideas that recur across the different science domains and across grade levels. These crosscutting concepts include the following: ● Structure and function, ● Stability and change, ● Systems and system models, ● Energy and matter: flows, cycles, and conservation,

The various concepts, processes, and skills in the four domains of the Science curriculum are arranged in an increasing level of complexity from Grade 3 to Grade 10. It reinforces new ideas through the use of the development of key ideas towards the big ideas as described by Harlen, et al., (2015), and this learning is reinforced by integrating the crosscutting concepts of science developmentally through the various domains. The progression of concepts across grade levels provides opportunity for the development of understanding of key science concepts. This is fundamental to the process whereby learners construct their understanding and skills. Since science is taught as a separate learning area from Grade 3, the learning standards leading to the acquisition of good health habits and development of curiosity about self and the environment using basic process skills in Grades 1 and 2 are articulated in other learning areas. b. Horizontal Articulation The learning of science is interconnected with other learning areas especially languages and mathematics. The foundational skills, especially literacy and numeracy, introduced in the other learning areas are paramount to the understanding and acquisition of concepts and skills in science. These basic skills, together with the other essential skills, such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking, ensure not only the learning of science content but also address and establish connections and applications in other learning areas. Linking science with literacy and numeracy is vital to fill in the gaps where the learners' knowledge and skills may be inadequate. The curriculum also makes use of the interconnection between science and the other learning areas such as Edukasyong Pantahanan at Pangkabuhayan/Technology Livelihood Education (EPP/TLE), Araling Panlipunan (AP), the language subjects, and Mathematics, among others. Analysis of factors affecting the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) performance of Filipino learners has shown that the development of problem solving, critical thinking, and information literacy in subject areas such as Araling Panlipunan, English, and Filipino is related to the development of the same set of 21st^ century skills in Science. D. Development of the 21st^ Century Skills One of the daunting challenges of 21st^ century education is to respond to the needs and demands of this fast-paced dynamic world. Accelerated digitalization and artificial intelligence, shifting job market demands, information explosion, pressures of global competitiveness, and transforming scientific innovations and technological advancements redefine the knowledge, skill and competency sets that the next generation of learners must be equipped with to be adequately prepared. The Department of Education (DepEd) recognizes and responds to these needs and demands through appropriate changes in the educational system. DepEd also continues to respond to the challenges through the refinement of the K to 12 curricula to produce holistically developed Filipino learners with essential 21st^ century knowledge and skills needed to participate in and provide significant contributions to the society and to nation-building. 21 st^ Century Skills are the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and competencies that learners need to develop so that they can prepare for and succeed in work and life in the 21st^ century (DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2019). It also refers to the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be

competitive in the 21st^ century workforce, participate appropriately in an increasingly diverse society, use new technologies and cope with rapidly changing workplaces (Binkley et al. 2012; Scoular and Care, 2018). These skills are transversal in nature and work in conjunction with foundational literacy and numeracy skills and discipline-specific competencies (e.g., scientific literacy). Every K to 12 graduate is expected to be equipped with 21st^ Century Skills which include the following: (a) Information, Media and Technology skills – the ability to gather, manage, evaluate, use, and synthesize information through media and technology. These skills allow learners to navigate a fluid and dynamic environment of knowledge creation and acquisition. Among the skills and competencies that the science curriculum emphasizes include Visual, Information, Technology, and Digital literacies. (b) Learning and Innovation skills – the ability to think critically, analyze and solve problems, create and implement innovations, and generate functional knowledge. The science curriculum highlights Creativity, Openness, Critical thinking, Problem-solving, and Reflective thinking. (c) Life and Career skills – prepares learners to make informed life and career decisions to enable them to become citizens that engage in a dynamic global community and to successfully adapt to meet the challenges and opportunities to lead in the global workforce. The science curriculum helps develop Informed decision-making, Self-discipline, Future orientation, and Resilience and adversity management. (d) Communication skills – the ability to express oneself clearly and collaborate with others. The science curriculum puts premium on communication skills including all forms and context including but not limited to verbal and non-verbal, active listening, as well as the abilities to express feelings and provide feedback. The science curriculum focuses on the development of the sub-skills: Teamwork, Collaboration, Intrapersonal skills, Interactive communication, and Communicating in a diverse environment. E. Social Issues and Government Priorities The Science curriculum contributes to the achievement of government priorities to address current social issues by integrating developing learners’ awareness in relation to those aspects of the content that are most applicable and provide authentic significance for learners. The common goal is achieved by bringing relevant issues and applications to curriculum learning contexts in science to support learners to develop their understanding, skills, and values and attitudes towards becoming responsible and productive citizens. Science, as a discipline, puts premium on the investigation of natural phenomena and as such addresses and contributes to the goals of the many government priorities, which include the following: ● Reduction and management of risks and disaster; ● Fighting against climate change; ● Environmental protection and conservation; ● Sustainable development of resources and energy, including the Green economy, Renewable energy, Sustainable mining; and ● Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).

Inquiry-based learning approach puts a premium on questioning, investigating, proving, probing, explaining, predicting, and establishing connections of evidence (Calburn, 2020). Instead of a transmissive mode of teaching, this approach involves inquiry and sustained active engagement of learners. The approach is characterized in the classroom by questions and discussions. Inquiry allows learners to formulate questions and find solutions through learning real-life-based investigations and research projects. Concepts and specific scientific terms need to be explained in simple language. Applications and situations need to be explained in relevant contexts and are best explored through science activities. In this approach learners also engage in developing process skills, analyzing and evaluating evidence, experiencing and discussing, and talking to their peers about their own understanding (Suchman, 1964). Learners collaborate with others to make discoveries, solve problems, and plan investigations. An applications-led approach suggests that it is useful to consider the application of the concept rather than of an approach based on the traditional logic of the discipline. Applications-led approach means that the science to be taught is determined by applications from life and NOT by the logic of the discipline of science. Although this curriculum does not suggest an applications-led approach for the entire curriculum, the inclusion in each quarter in each of the domains of learning of suggested Performance Tasks is intended to reflect the importance given to the expectation that the learners demonstrate how their learning can be applied to their everyday lives. The Science Technology Society approach (STS) focuses on the societal role of science and technology in the contemporary and modern world. It provides a dynamic and interdisciplinary relationship of history, philosophy and sociology including cultural perspectives to answer and respond to current science concerns, issues and problems (Pritchard & Woollard, 2010). By using this approach, the learners expand their understanding of science across disciplines and holistically view problems by examining the consequences of science and technology. Problem-based Learning approach (PBL) is the acquisition of knowledge and skills using critical thinking and creativity to solve real-life problems. In this approach, real-world problems motivate learners to seek out deeper understanding of concepts, design reasoned decisions and defend them, and collaborate among themselves (Duch et al., 2001). Through this approach, development of critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and collaboration and communication skills, are essentially given a focus. An effective and versatile approach for PBL is design thinking or engineering design process, which can be used to generate solutions based on the needs of intended users. A multidisciplinary ( cross-disciplinary) design is built into the Science curriculum. A multidisciplinary approach is defined by UNESCO as “ curriculum integration which focuses primarily on the different disciplines and the diverse perspectives they bring to illustrate a topic, theme or issue. A multidisciplinary curriculum is one in which the same topic is studied from the viewpoint of more than one discipline .” The Science curriculum lends itself to greater integration of disciplines as may be adopted in some schools. Similarly, UNESCO defines a transdisciplinary approach as “ an approach to curriculum integration which dissolves the boundaries between the conventional disciplines and organizes teaching and learning around the construction of meaning in the context of real-world problems or themes. ” An interdisciplinary approach is defined as “ An approach to curriculum integration that generates an understanding of themes and ideas that cut across disciplines and of the connections between different disciplines and their relationship to the real world. It normally emphasizes process and meaning rather than product and content by combining contents, theories, methodologies, and perspectives from two or more disciplines.”

Assessment for the Science Curriculum

1. Classroom Assessment is an ongoing process of identifying, gathering, organizing, and interpreting quantitative and qualitative information about what learners know and can do (DepEd Order 31, s. 2020). The alignment of assessment to curriculum and pedagogy ensures that assessments are fair, valid and reliable in judging, providing feedback, and adjusting for the cognitive progress of the learners. Appropriate assessment shall be employed to holistically measure the learners’ current and developing abilities while developing personal accountability in the process (DepEd Order 8, s. 2015). Assessment for the Science curriculum should be organized to: ● identify prior learning and to set goals for learning; ● support learners explicitly to take an active role in assessing and evaluating their learning; and ● judge the level of achievement of the learners against the content, performance and grade standards of the intended learning. As instruction for the Science curriculum is expected to be inquiry-based, it is critical that before addressing the learning competencies for that quarter the teacher identifies what the learners already know and can do. This may or may not be through formal assessment tasks but should provide the information needed to properly plan learning activities for individual learners and the class overall. These types of assessment may be used any time during inquiry-based science instruction to check on understanding of scientific concepts, verify the development of scientific inquiry, and reiterate the Science process skills. Assessment to check on learners' learning also provides a process to provide feedback and adapt to the needs of the learner, thus allowing the teacher to adjust instruction to meet learners' ever-changing needs.
2. Performance Tasks and Standards The Science curriculum requires learners to complete at least one substantial performance task for each quarter. These may be through independent or collaborative work. The curriculum provides Performance Standards along with sample tasks to guide teachers on the performance level expected. The levels of learner performance are judged using criteria suitable for the task. The Performance standards, which are closely aligned with the Content Standards, provide a mechanism for teachers to make judgements on how well learners are applying science knowledge and understanding, skills and processes, and values and attitudes described in the curriculum content. Performance Tasks and Standards assist the teachers and learners to answer the questions:
3. “What do learners do with what they know?”
4. “How well do learners demonstrate their learning?”
5. “How well do learners apply their learning in different situations, including in real-life contexts?”

The science curriculum provides cross-domain alignment of significant science knowledge, skills, processes and attitude-related contexts and competencies to allow learners to apply and reinforce learning in varying contexts throughout each year and key stage. LEARNING AREA STANDARDS Science Curriculum Overview The Science curriculum provides learners with a repertoire of competencies important for lifelong learning and in the world of work in a skill-based society. It envisions the development of scientifically , environmentally , and technology literate learners who are productive members of society and who are critical problem solvers , responsible stewards of nature , innovative and creative citizens , informed decision makers , and collaborative and effective communicators. A central feature of the Science curriculum is the balanced integration of three interrelated content strands: · Performing scientific inquiry skills, · Understanding and applying scientific knowledge, and · Developing and demonstrating scientific attitudes and values. It is designed and organized through the integration of the three interrelated content strands. The acquisition of these content strands is facilitated by drawing from the key pedagogical approaches: inquiry-based learning, applications-led approach, the science-technology- society approach, problem-based learning, and multi-disciplinary learning. The approaches are based on sound and valued educational research and concepts including Constructivism , the Social Cognition Learning Model , Brain-based Learning and Vygotsky’s Zone of proximal development. The Science curriculum explicitly adapts in a developmental way Big Ideas (Harlen, et al., 2015) and Cross Cutting Concepts of Science (A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, 2012), and integrates governmental thrusts of the Philippines identified as appropriate to the science learning area. The science curriculum recognizes the place of science and technology in everyday human affairs. It integrates science and technology in the social, economic, personal, and ethical aspects of life. The science curriculum promotes a strong link between science and technology, including indigenous technology, thus preserving our country’s cultural heritage. Science concepts and science processes are intertwined through the learning competencies in the Science G3 to G10 curriculum. A learner- centered and inquiry-based approach facilitates the acquisition of science concepts. Organizing the curriculum around situations and problems that challenge and stir up learners’ curiosity motivates them to learn and appreciate science as relevant and useful. Rather than relying solely on textbooks, a variety of hands-on, minds-on, and hearts-on activities are advocated to develop learners’ interest and lead them to becoming active learners to acquire deep knowledge for applying 21st^ Century Skills.

The Science curriculum emphasizes the use of evidence in constructing explanations and providing opportunities for collaboration, innovation, creative scientific exploration, and engineering design. Concepts and skills in the learning domains are not taught in isolation, but rather in the context of important ideas in Science with increasing levels of complexity from one grade level to another in developmental progression, thus paving the way to a deeper understanding of core concepts. The integration across science topics and other disciplines will lead to a meaningful understanding of interrelated concepts and their applications in real-life situations. Assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning. The curriculum is designed to progressively introduce science concepts and skills and build towards learning of more conceptually complex content. For that reason, it is crucial that the prior experiences, knowledge and understanding of learners are considered and assessed in formative ways. Doing so ensures that an accessible and engaging level of teaching and learning is offered to learners, hence maximizing the effectiveness of instruction (Vygotsky, 1978). Regular monitoring will ensure effectiveness of the implementation of the Science curriculum and its responsiveness to the needs of the learner and the demands of the highly globalized community. I. Key Stage Standards Key Stage 1 Standard At the end of Grade 3, the learners acquire healthy habits and curiosity about self and their environment using basic process skills of observing, communicating, comparing, classifying, measuring, inferring, and predicting. This curiosity will help learners value science as an important tool in helping them continue to explore their natural and physical environment. This also includes developing scientific knowledge or concepts. The specific objectives of Key Stage 1 are to ensure that the learners: a. understand the properties of objects around them; b. describe the basic needs of living things; c. demonstrate and practice basic science process skills to investigate scientifically; and d. exhibit curiosity and appreciation of the natural world. Key Stage 2 Standard At the end of Grade 6, the learners have the essential skills of scientific inquiry – designing simple investigations, using appropriate procedures and tools to gather evidence, observing patterns, determining relationships, drawing conclusions based on evidence, and communicating ideas in varied ways to make meaning of the observations and/or changes that occur in the environment. The content and skills learned will be applied to maintain good health, ensure the protection and improvement of the environment, and practice safety measures in daily activities.

Learners use everyday language to explore, describe, and make suggestions about the simple movements of objects. They learn through guided activities to make safe and careful observations of natural objects in the sky and demonstrate scientific ways of recording observations to reveal patterns in nature. Learners identify and explore sources of light and sound in their local environment and suggest how to use them safely in their lives. They apply their curiosity in the world around them and their creativity to propose solutions to simple challenges. Learners demonstrate safe handling procedures in using equipment and materials. Grade 4 At the end of Grade 4, learners describe chemical properties of materials and that changes to them are sometimes harmful. They identify that plants and animals have systems whose function is to keep them alive. They observe, describe, and create representations to show how living things interact with their habitat, survive, and reproduce. They use diagrams to show the feeding relationship among different organisms. Learners use simple equipment to identify types of soil that hold water and support plant growth. Learners use simple equipment and processes to measure and record data about movement, and describe and predict how things around them move. They describe the concepts of speed and force. They recognize that science processes are used to gain deeper understanding about the properties of magnets, light, sound, and heat. Learners apply their developing observation skills and objectivity to identify where energy is evident in their local communities and how it is used by people. They use instruments and secondary sources to measure and describe the characteristics of weather and use the information to make predictions. Learners demonstrate appreciation for the dangers of extreme weather events and use safe practice to protect themselves. Learners use personal observations and reliable secondary information sources to describe the sun and explain its importance to life on Earth. They exhibit objectivity and open-mindedness in gathering information related to environmental issues and concerns in the community. Grade 5 At the end of Grade 5, learners identify matter as having mass and taking up space and existing in three states based on the properties of shape and volume. They identify that heat is involved in changes of state. They plan and carry out a simple scientific investigation following appropriate steps and identifying appropriate equipment. Learners describe and create models of the body systems that represent how humans grow, develop, and reproduce. They use tables to group living things as plants, animals, or microorganisms. They use skills of observing, predicting, measuring, and recording to plan and carry out a simple activity to compare the life cycles of plants and animals. They plan and carry out valid and reliable scientific investigations to explore frictional forces by identifying and controlling variables. They observe and describe basic features of static electricity and electric current and explain and recognize applications of forces and electrical energy in the home and community. Learners explain the role of the water cycle in changing landforms and earth materials. They explain the causes and impacts of extreme weather and identify appropriate and safe ways to respond to such events. They recognize the scale of space and describe the features of the solar system. They use models to communicate significant relationships and movements. They demonstrate curiosity and creativity in communicating information about earth processes to other people. Learners use objectivity and measurement to carry out scientific investigations

using fair tests and multiple trials to explore how forces influence the movement of familiar objects and predict how gravity affects objects on Earth. Grade 6 At the end of Grade 6, learners describe the benefits of various separation techniques and demonstrate skills through the use of equipment. They use diagrams and flowcharts to describe changes of state. They use the words reversible and irreversible to describe changes to materials. They identify mixtures such as solutions and give examples such as mixture. They recognize and apply their understanding of the features of a fair test. Learners describe the different ways that plants reproduce and plan a simple scientific investigation to determine which method works best in a given habitat. They describe that vertebrates are animals with a backbone and that invertebrates do not have a backbone. They design and produce an example of a food web that identifies the role of consumers, producers, scavengers, and decomposers. They identify the technical terms biotic and abiotic as referring to living and non-living things. Learners carry out investigations to observe patterns and systems scientifically. They support their observations and conclusions to explain occurrences and concepts using technical scientific language. They use critical thinking skills and creativity to make models and other devices to communicate their understanding to other people. Learners describe that volcanoes can have unexpected and severe impacts on communities and that the uncertainty and impacts of unpredicted eruptions can be offset by understanding and following alerts from authorities. Learners explain that the weather patterns that produce seasons are largely predictable, and use models to explain natural processes and timing, such as the changes of season. Learners identify that scientific models are valuable in explaining other observations of patterns in nature, such as the apparent movement of celestial objects across the sky. They exhibit respect for cultures and interpretations of natural phenomena by indigenous people over generations and respect explanations of phenomena using scientific inquiry and objectivity. Grade 7 At the end of Grade 7, learners use models to describe the Particle theory of matter. They use diagrams and illustrations to explain the motion and arrangement of particles during changes of state. They explain the role of solute and solvent in solutions and the factors that affect solubility. They demonstrate skills to plan and conduct a scientific investigation making accurate measurements and using standard units. Learners describe the parts and function of a compound microscope and use this to identify cell structure. They describe the cell as the basic unit of life and that some organisms are unicellular and some multicellular. They explain that there are two types of cell di vision, and that reproduction can occur through sexual or asexual processes. They use diagrams to make connections between organisms and their environment at various levels of organization. They explain the process of energy transfer through trophic levels in food chains. Learners use systems to analyze and explain natural phenomena and explain the dynamics of faults and earthquakes. They identify and assess the earthquake risks for their local communities using authentic and reliable secondary data. They use national and local disaster