4.5
MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE CURRICULUM PATTERNS4.5
MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE CURRICULUM PATTERNSScience curriculum offerings in the middle school can viewed as traditional, or integrated and applied. These two groupings were used in a study of U.S. curriculum. According to the results of the study, (which focused on grades 5, 9 and 12), the most emphasized of the traditional sciences in grades 5 and 9 was Earth science. The most emphasized topics were the solar system and meteorology. Figure 4.9 shows the mean ratings of traditional science emphasized in grades 5 and 9. Biology, although not emphasized as much as Earth science, scored higher ratings than physics and chemistry. Chemistry is the least emphasized traditional science subject emphasized in the middle school.
Mean Ratings of Traditional Science Content Emphasized
in Grades 5 and 9
In the survey results for applied and integrated science, environmental science content is the most common in the science offerings in grades 5 and 9 (Figure 4.10). The only subject that is emphasized more is Earth science. Note also that health was rated fairly high compared to physics and chemistry.
Mean Ratings of Applied and Integrated Science Content,
Grades 5 and 9
There are two patterns that typically describe the curriculum of the middle school/junior high school. These depend on whether the school includes grades 6-8, or 7-9. The typical patterns are as follows:
Grades 6 - 8
Grades 7 - 9
There are two-year sequences of unified or general science available from some publishers. Some districts use these as their 7th and 8th grade science options in either of the patterns above.
What topics are emphasized in these traditional programs? Figure 4.11 outlines the major topics found in a contemporary grade 6 textbook, and in the textbooks in a life, earth and physical science series.
Grade
6 Text of Elementary Series Life
Science Earth
Science Physical
Science Unit 1: Motion and
Energy 1. Motion 2. Forces 3. Energy Unit 2: The Changing
Earth 4. How Rocks are
formed 5. Studying the Earth's
Crust 6. Earth History Unit 3: Matter and Its
Changes 7. Classifying
Matter 8. Matter Changes
Form 9. Reaction of
Matter Unit 4: Human Body
System 10. Food and
Nutrition 11. Digestion and
Circulation 12. Respiration and
Excretion 13. Taking Care of
Yourself Unit 5: The Earth's
Resources 14. Conserving Our
Resources 15. Energy
Resources 16. Future
Resources Unit 6: Heredity 17. Reproduction 18. The Passing of
Traits 19. Heredity, Environment
and Learning 20. Health 1. Introducing Life
Science Unit 1: Science and Living
Things 2. Life 3. the Simplest Living
Things 4. Fungi 5. Environment and
Life Unit 2: Plants 6. Kinds of
Plants 7. Plant Function 8. Ecology Unit 3: Animals Without
Backbones 9. Sponges 10. Worms 11. Mollusks 13. Arthropods 14. Water Ecology Unit 4: Animals With
Backbones 15. Cold-Blooded
Vertebrates 16. Animal
Behavior 17. Protecting the
Environment Unit 5 18. Reproduction and
Development 19. Genetics 20. Changes Over
Time Unit 6: Human
Biology 21. Support and
Movement 22. Digestion and
Circulation 23. Respiration and
Excretion 24. Control and
Regulation 25. Health and the
Environment 1. Introduction to Earth
Science Unit 1: The
Universe 2. Outer Space 3. The Milky Way
Galaxy 4. The Solar
System 5. Space
Exploration Unit 2: The Earth's Gaseous
Envelope 6. The Atmosphere and its
Movement 7. Water in the
Atmosphere 8. Weather 9. Climate Unit 3: The Waters of the
Earth 10. Fresh Water 11. Oceanography Unit 4: The Earth's
Structure 12.Minerals 13. Rocks and the Rock
Cycle 14. Internal Structure of
the Earth 15. Plate
Tectonics 16. Mountains and Crustal
Movement Unit 5: The Rock
Story 17. Mapping the Earth's
Surface 18. Weathering and
Erosion 19. The Rock
Record Unit 6: The Earth's
Bounty 20. The Earth's
Resources 21. Nonrenewable Energy
Resources 22. Renewable Energy
Resources 23. Your Environment,
Earth 1. Introduction to Physical
Science Unit 1: Motion, Force, and
Energy 2. Matter, Energy, and
Motion 3. Forces 4. Work, Machines, and
Power 5. Forces in
Liquids Unit 2: The Structure of
Matter 6. The Elements 7. The Atom 8. Combining the
Elements 9. Carbon
Compounds Unit 3: Matter, Energy, and
Change 10. Chemical
Reactions 11. Nuclear
Reactions 12. Heat 13. Heat Energy in Your
Life Unit 4: Magnetism and
Electricity 14. Magnetic and Electric
Forces 15. Electricity 16.
Electromagnetism 17. Electronics Unit 5: The Action of
Waves 18. Waves 19. Sound 20. Light 21. The Uses of
Light Unit 6: Energy and the
Future 22. Energy and
Society 23. Energy
Alternatives 24. The Universe
The middle school science curriculum that is based on the traditional model of the textbook emphasizes coverage of the discipline, as a opposed to inquiry or problem solving. Although most of these program include lists of skills, and include skill activities and investigations within the textbook, the goal statements are generally cognitive.
To see this more clearly, all you need to do is examine the outline of a typical chapter in a science textbook. Figure 4.12 outlines one chapter of the topics and features of an Earth science text that is used in many school systems in the United States.
Chapter 17: Igneous Rocks
Section A. Igneous Rocks Goals: Students will
• learn how igneous rocks form
• learn to identify some igneous rocks
17:1 Origin of Igneous Rocks
17:2 Minerals in Igneous Rocks
17:3 Igneous Rock Classification
Skill: Classifying Rocks
Review
Think Section
Career: Technician
Investigation 17-1: Classifying Igneous Rocks
Section B. Igneous Activity
Goals: Students will
• learn about the different types of volcanoes on Earth's surface
• learn about igneous rock structures that result from volcanic activity
17:4 Volcanic Mountains
Investigation 17-2: Volcanic Eruptions
17:5 Igneous Rock Structures
Review
Problem Solving
Chapter Review
What should science education be like in a middle school? What should be emphasized? What curriculum topics, units, subjects should be stressed? Let's examine the some recommendations made by a group of science educators on the nature of middle school science, and then look at some promising practices in the teaching of middle school science.