MATATAG CURRICULUM SINGAPORE SCIENCE CURRICULUM

A. Curriculum Framework

A central feature of the Science Students are diverse, with different needs,
curriculum is the balanced integration of interests, and aptitudes for Science. Given
three interrelated content strands: the diversity of our students and the needs
of our country, the twin goals of Science
• Performing scientific inquiry skills; education are to:
• Understanding and applying scientific • Enthuse and nurture all students to be
knowledge; and scientifically literate, so that they are able to
make informed decisions and take
• Developing and demonstrating
responsible actions in their daily lives; and
scientific attitudes and values.
• Provide strong Science fundamentals for
The design supports learners to engage
students to innovate and pursue STEM for
with and learn in science appropriate to
future learning and work. Surrounding the
the expected prior experiences and
centre circle are the three “IN”s
learning.
Inspire, Inquire and Innovate—which
The learning of this content is principally
represents the vision for Science Education
facilitated using the inquiry approach,
and encapsulates the overall experience of
supported through approaches that
our students in Science education:
challenge learners acc ng to their prior
learning needs. (a) INspired by Science. Students enjoy
learning Science and are fascinated by
Other approaches that enhance inquiry
learning and have also contributed to the how everyday phenomena have scientific
curriculum design include: connections and how Science helps solve
many of our global challenges. They regard
• applications-led learning, Science as relevant and meaningful,
appreciating how Science and Technology
• the science-technology-society have transformed the world, and improved
approach, our lives. Students are open to the
possibility of pursuing Science-related
• problem-based learning, and
careers as a viable profession to serve the
• multi-disciplinary learning. good of society.
(b) INquire like Scientists. Students have
strong fundamentals in Science and
possess the spirit of scientific inquiry. They
are able to engage confidently in the
Practices of Science, grounded in the
knowledge, issues and questions that relate
to the roles played by Science in daily life,
society and the environment. They can
discern, weigh alternatives, and evaluate
claims and ideas critically, based on logical
scientific evidence and arguments, and yet
be able to suspend judgement where there
is lack of evidence.
(c) INnovate using Science. Students apply
Science to generate creative solutions to
solve real-world problems, ranging from
those affecting everyday lives to complex
problems affecting humanity. It is
envisaged that there will be a strong
pipeline of students who can contribute
towards STEM research, innovation,and
enterprise.

B. Theoretical and Philosophical

Bases

1.Constructivist theory of learning Developing 21CC through Science

suggests that learners learn by
expanding their knowledge based on Civic Literacy, Global Awareness and
their prior knowledge. Cross-Cultural Skills (CGC)For students to
actively contribute to the community and
2. Social Constructivist Theory nation, and develop an awareness of and
advocated by Vygotsky posits three the ability to analyse global issues and
important ideas on the processes of trends, they can be given opportunities to:
learning and development of an
• Explore how Science and Technology
individual. - First, these processes contribute to society, globally and in
involve co-construction with others. Singapore (e.g., how applications of new
scientific discoveries inspire technological
- Second, language mediates the advancement while advancement in
learning process as they communicate technology motivates scientists to ask new
with others, which includes not only questions and/or empower scientists in
verbal but also non-verbal their inquiry).
communication.
• Work together with people from diverse
- Third, learning and development take backgrounds and engage in socio-scientific
place within cultural and historical issues. Students can participate
contexts. indiscussions that require them to exercise
open-mindedness when weighing differing
3. Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal
perspectives and develop in them care and
Development (ZPD) refers to the
responsibility for mankind and the
difference between what a learner can
environment.
do without help and what he or she can
achieve with guidance and Critical and Inventive Thinking (CIT)
encouragement from a skilled partner.
For students to develop the ability to
4. The Social cognition learning model generate novel and useful ideas to address
suggests that "most human behavior is issues and solve problems, exercise sound
learned observationally through reasoning, use metacognition to make good
modeling,". decisions, and manage complexities and
ambiguities, they can be given
5.Brain-based learning theory is a
opportunities to:
relatively new educational theory that
puts premium on the recent research • Engage in scientific inquiry, set in
about cognitive and neurosciences on authentic contexts where possible. Such
how the brain learns and how learners activities allow students to appreciate the
learn differently as they age, grow, and creative yet logical nature of scientific
mature cognitively, emotionally, and inquiry. Students can exercise creativity as
socially. they raise questions about the natural
world, develop multiple ways to observe
6. Cognitive load theory is a theory of
and collect evidence, propose
how human brains process, learn and
inferences,suggest predictions, and explore
store information. The theory suggests
more than one explanation that could be
that working memory has a limited
justified by their evidence. At the same
capacity and that overloading it reduces
time, students get to appreciate the
the effectiveness of teaching.
differences between scientific evidence and
those in other disciplines; to exercise
healthy scepticism in questioning the
assumption and uncertainty in their
evidence and evaluate how these
assumptions can influence their
explanations.
• Recognise that Science is an evidence-
 based, model-building enterprise
concerned with understanding the natural
world through exploring how and why
scientific models evolve over time in light of
new evidence.
Communication, Collaboration and
Information Skills (CCI)
For students to be able to communicate
information and ideas clearly, collaborate
effectively and manage information
thoughtfully, ethically, and responsibly, they
canbe given opportunities to:
• Communicate their ideas clearly and
persuasively using the language of
Science. QStudents can engage in
activities that allow them to appreciate the
importance of having scientific standards
and terminology in Science.
• Understand how Science is presented in
various forms (e.g., oral, written, visual) and
media (e.g., print media, social media) and
evaluate the effect these forms of
communication have on the audience (e.g.,
explore the lack of integrity and objectivity
in fake news reports).
• Collaborate with other students in
knowledge construction. Just as
professional scientists, students can
present their work and ideas to others and
have healthy discussion and critique as part
of the Science community.

C. Pedagogies

1.Inquiry-based learning approach puts Learning takes place with the development
a premium on of skills and dispositions in our
questioning,investigating,prov students.The Primary Science Curriculum
ing,probing, explaining, predicti ng,and seeks to leverage students’ interest and
establishing connections of evidence stimulate their curiosity about themselves
(Calburn, 2020). and their environment. They can be
provided with learning experiences that
2.Applications-led approach suggests allow them to pose questions, be involved
that it is useful to consider the in discussions on socio-scientific issues or
application of the concept rather than of be engaged in problem solving, with the
an approach based on the traditional use of authentic contexts. Through these
logic of the discipline. learning experiences, students are likely to:
3. The Science Technology Society • Ask questions as they engage with an
approach (STS) focuses on the societal event, phenomenon, problem, or issue.
role of science and technology in the They can ask questions which they are
contemporary and modern world. interested to find out. The questions can
guide the design of investigations (e.g., to
4. Problem-based Learning approach find out how shadows are formed) so that
(PBL) is the acquisition of knowledge they can draw valid conclusions and solve
and skills using critical thinking and problems.
creativity to solve real-life problems.
• Gather evidence in response to their
5. Multidisciplinary (cross-disciplinary) questions. They can gather evidence
design is built into the Science through observations and/or use of simple
curriculum."curriculum integration which equipment to collect either qualitative or
focuses primarily on the different quantitative data. After the data collection,
disciplines and the diverse perspectives they can present the evidence gathered in
they bring to illustrate a topic, theme or appropriate forms (e.g., in tables, charts,
issue. A multidisciplinary curriculum is graphs) to facilitate the analysis of patterns
one in which the same topic is studied and relationships.
from the viewpoint of more than one
discipline." • Formulate explanations based on the
evidence gathered. They can explain using
6. Transdisciplinary approach as "an their own words using the evidence
approach to curriculum integration which gathered (e.g., qualitative descriptions of
dissolves the boundaries between the observations or quantitative data collected
conventional disciplines and organizes over a timeinterval).
teaching and learning around the
construction of meaning in the context of • Connect their explanations to various
real-world problems or themes." contexts. They can explain how the
concepts are related or applied in various
7.Interdisciplinary approach is defined examples and contexts around them and in
as "An approach to curriculum the environment. This helps them to
integration that generates an appreciate how Science is relevant in
understanding of themes and ideas that everyday life.• Communicate and justify
cut across disciplines and of the their explanations. They can communicate
connections between different using various types of representations. For
disciplines and their relationship to the example, they can use texts, drawings,
real world. It normally emphasizes charts, tables or graphs or a combination of
process and meaning rather than representations to support their
product and content by combining explanations.
contents, theories, methodologies, and
perspectives from two or more • Reflect on their learning and progress.
disciplines." They can reflect on their learning (e.g.,
what they have learnt, how they would like
 to improve, what they are curious about) in
different ways (e.g., asking questions,
journalling). These reflections help them to
take greater ownership of their own
learning and develop deeper conceptual
understanding.

D. Assessment

1.Classroom Assessment is an ongoing In the teaching and learning of Science,

process of identifying, gathering, assessment can take many forms. In
organizing, and interpreting quantitative addition to the written tests, teachers can
and qualitative information about what also conduct performance-based
learners know and can do (DepEd Order assessment using the following modes:
31, s. 2020).
• Checklists
Assessment for the Science curriculum
should be organized to: • Debates

• identify prior learning and to set goals • Drama / Show and Tell
for learning;
• Games and Quizzes
• support learners explicitly to take an
• Learning Trails
active role in assessing and evaluating
their learning; and • Model-making
• judge the level of achievement of the • Posters
learners against the content,
performance and grade standards of the • Practicals
intended learning.
• Projects
2. Performance Tasks and Standards
The curriculum provides Performance • Reflections / Journals
Standards along with sample tasks to • Teacher Observations
guide teachers on the performance level
expected. The levels of learner Teachers can also assess students’
performance are judged using criteria learning using portfolios. It is a systematic
suitable for the task. andpurposeful collection of students’ work
and provides a comprehensive picture of
Performance Tasks and Standards their development and progress in the
assist the teachers and learners to acquisition of knowledge, understanding
answer the questions: ofscientific concepts, application of skills,
1. "What do learners do with what they and development of attitudes. Students can
know?" select the pieces which will go into the
portfolio which provides opportunity for the
2. "How well do learners demonstrate students to have self-evaluation and
their learning?" reflections by revisiting their own portfolio of
their work.The assessment modes listed
3. "How well do learners apply their
above are by no means exhaustive.
learning in different situations, including
Adopting a variety of assessment modes
in real-life contexts?"
enables the teachers to assess different
aspects of teaching and learning.

E. Resources

There are several innovative teaching

methods and technological tools that
should be introduced appropriately in 1. The Ministry of Education (MOE)
basic science education. Singapore provides a revised Science
Curriculum Framework that encapsulates
These emerging methodologies, the thrust of Science education in
strategies and tools should be Singapore. It aims to provide students with
appropriately chosen, and integrated a strong foundation in Science for life,
into the science lessons to fit learners' learning, citizenry, and work.
cognitive abilities and classroom
contexts. Among these innovative 2. The Science Curriculum Framework is
teaching methods and tools which can another resource from the MOE that aims
be applied to science are to provide students with a strong foundation
in Science.
design thinking and engineering design
processes, robotics technology, mobile 3. Ai Tong School provides information
learning applications, learning analytics, about the Science Curriculum Framework
games and gamification, and virtual and and its goals.
remote laboratories.
4. The Science Curriculum Framework from
the MOE is derived from the Policy
Framework for the Teaching and Learning
of Science.
5. Methodist Girls' School provides
information about their Science
Department's aims, which includes building
interest and stimulating curiosity about
themselves and their environment,
acquiring basic concepts and skills to
understand the world around them,
developing skills, dispositions and attitudes
for inquiry, and applying Science concepts
and skills in making responsible decisions.
Preliminary Project

Mercado, Randyl
Kashly S.

ELE01-Teaching
Science in the
Elementary Grades
Year&Section:
BEED-2A