Course description

Science is a dynamic and expanding body of knowledge, covering new domains of experiences. It is a human endeavour to understand the world by building-up conceptual models on the basis of observations and thus arriving at theories, laws and principles. In a progressive society, science can play a truly liberating role, helping people escape from the vicious cycle of poverty, ignorance and superstition. People today are faced with an increasingly fast-changing world where the most important skills are flexibility, innovation and creativity. These different imperatives have to be kept in mind in shaping science education. Good science education is true to the child, true to life and true to the discipline.

As consistent with the stage of cognitive development, science is being taken as a core subject in the curriculum at the upper primary stage. At this stage, it is a gradual transition from environmental studies of the primary stage to the elements of science. It is important to expand the horizon of the child gradually and start with things that are within the direct experiences of the child. The child should be engaged in learning the principles of science through familiar experiences, working with hands to design simple technological units and models and continuing to learn more about the environment and health, including reproductive and sexual health. Scientific concepts are to be arrived at mainly from activities, experiments and surveys. Group activities, discussions with peers and teachers, surveys, organisation of data and their display through exhibitions, etc., in schools and the neighbourhood should be important components of pedagogy.

What will i learn?