UNIT I: THE ELEMENTARY SCIENCE CURRICULUM

I. Lesson 1: What is Science?

II. Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:

 Define Science;
 Characterize scientists;
 Discuss the steps in the scientific process;
 Explore why some students love Science and others do not;
 Brainstorm ways on how teacher can make the teaching and
learning of Science engaging for students; and
 Characterize features and elements of an engaging Science
classroom.

III. Content of the Lesson

Science is valued because it has helped in satisfying many basic human

needs and improving living conditions. Advances in technology and Science are
transforming our world at an incredible and unimaginable pace. We cannot
escape from the and we cannot measure the significance of Science. Science has
shaped the world. Technology and the products of scientific knowledge surround
us everyday. Public and private policy decisions that impact every aspect of our
lives are driven by scientific process and scientific evidence.
The enormously complex physical world around us illustrates boundless
scientific concepts. Being “science literate” has become not just an advantage but
an absolute necessity in the 21st century.
Science is our way of understanding the world-its wondrous structure,
natural events, interrelated elements and systems, and processes. It is an exciting
and, at the same time, a useful endeavour that benefits our community and
society at large. Another important goal of Science has emerged during the past
decades: to find way to responsibly and ethically use natural resources to
guarantee their continuity and that of humanity itself; an endeavour and
advocacy that is referred to as “sustainability”.
Side from sustainability movement, education could become the most
important application of Science in the next decades (“Importance of Science”,
2017). It is crucial to provide humanity with a basic understanding of how
science has shaped the word and human civilization. It is for this reason that
education institutions need to constantly equip Science educators with the tools
and competence to advance Science education and to engage the learners in the
love of learning and doing Science.
The word “Science” is derived from the Latin word scientia meaning
knowledge. Science is commonly referred to as a systematic and organized body
of knowledge in any area of inquiry that is required using “the scientific method”:
Science has many facets and definitions that can be summarized into the
following:
 Science as a broad body of knowledge- Physical Sciences consist of disciplines
such as physics (the Science of physical objects), chemistry (the Science of
 matter), astronomy (the Science of celestial objects). Earth Sciences consists
of disciplines such as geology (the Science of the Earth)
 Science as a set of skills- The Science process skills form the foundation of
scientific methods. There are six basic Science process skills: Observation,
communication, classification, measurement, inference, and prediction.
These basic skills are integrated when scientist design and carry out
experiments. All six basic skills are important individually as well as when
they are integrated.
 Science as an intellectual activity- Science is the intellectual, practical and
systematic study of the structure and behavior of the physical and natural
world through observation and experiment.
 Science as a social activity- Science is a social activity shaped by history,
institutions, beliefs and values. Society shapes Science and vice versa.
 Science as problem-solving- Problem-solving skills are necessary in all areas
of life, and the Science class provides the students opportunities to develop
and utilize their problem solving skills, which include the ability to critically
analyze a problem, determine all its elements, and prepare a feasible
solution. These are valuable skills one can acquire in life.
 Science as a career- Individuals who have devoted themselves in studying
and doing Science have established careers in Science, such as biologists,
chemists, environmentalists, astronomers, medical practitioners, among
others.
 Science as a global human endeavour- Science is a result of human
imagination, ingenuity and creativity. Individuals and teams from many
nations and cultures have contributed to Science and to advances in
technology.
 Science as a process- The scientific method is a set of steps for verifying and
building scientific knowledge. When performing this process, one employs
skills necessary to research a topic, develop a plan and timeline, and draw
conclusions from research results.

B. Defining Science

Do you remember how your previous teachers, readings and classes

define Science? Create a word cloud below to illustrate/show these definitions or
keywords. Be guided by the sample word cloud on knowledge below.
C. The Facets of Science

Science means several things to various individuals and institutions. You can see
the various facts of Science in the first column below. On the opposite column,
write your insights and reflection about each of the facets of Science.

Facets of Science Insights of Reflection

1. Science as a broad body of
knowledge

2. Science as a set of skills

3. Science as an intellectual activity

4. Science as a social activity

5. Science as problem-solving

6. Science as a career

7. Science as a global human endeavour

8. Science as a process

IV. Self-Learning Activity

A. The Scientific Method

Scientific method refers to a set of steps for verifying and building scientific
knowledge. Steps include making valid observations, interpreting results, and
generalizing results. The scientific method allows researchers to independently
and impartially test preexisting knowledge and prior findings and subject them
to scrutiny and enhancements.
Recall a problem or challenge that you were able to solve recently. Identify the
steps you did or went through. Write the steps on the corresponding box in the
worksheet.

B. The Scientific Irony

Science is a very exciting subject and process, but why do teachers have difficulty
engaging all the students in learning and doing Science? In pair or triad, reflect
on this questions. Write the reasons why the students love learning and doing
Science in the first column and the reasons for their disinterest in the third
column. In the second column titled BUT, write the manifestations of the
students’ disinterest in the subject.

Students love Science BUT They hate Science class

C. Design My Future Science Class

Your goals as a future Science teacher should be to engage your students to love
learning and doing Science. What are the features of an ideal Science class?
Characterize each of the elements below.

Elements Characteristics/Features
Teacher

Curriculum
Students

Classroom

Other support
Systems

D. Characterizing an Inspiring Science Teacher

Research shows that the teacher is the most important factor in the effective
delivery of classroom instruction. Engaging classes are facilitated by inspiring
Science teachers. But what are the important traits of an inspiring Science
teacher? Write your descriptions and simple illustrations below.

Do you embody these traits? What steps do you undertake to develop them?

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E. Characterizing an Engaging Science Class
Interview some of the students about their previous Science class. List down
below the topics that the students find more interesting in learn. Ask also how
the teachers taught them effectively in the classroom.

Favorite/Most Interesting Lessons Teaching and Learning Strategies

in Science

F. Guide Questions

What should be the purpose for every Science class?

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What makes an engaging and inspiring Science class? An effective Science

teacher?
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