Teaching Science Iin Elementary Grades (Physics, Earth and Space Science)

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TEACHING SCIENCE IIN ELEMENTARY GRADES (PHYSICS, EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE)
WEEK 8
Developing Instructional Plans for Elementary Science
I. Learning Objectives:
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
 unpack the standards in the curriculum guide;
 determine the nature of competencies;
 identify topic or content of instruction;
 select assessment strategies; and plan learning experiences.
II. Learning Activities
A. ACTIVATE
Activity A.1.
How do you use the curriculum guide for science?
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B. ANALYZE
The curriculum guide serves as the teacher’s blueprint in planning and designing the curriculum. It should not be
taught as is. It will be your job to interpret these standards using unpacking strategies. Unpacking means extracting
the component knowledge and skills required by a standard in order to understand the learning expectations and
clearly articulate those expectations to the students and the parents. Unpacking serves three purposes: (a) to
establish focus of standards and competencies; (b) to link standards, competencies, and teaching; and (c) to
contextualize teaching. The following are the steps you need to undertake when unpacking the elements of the
curriculum guide in order to plan for classroom instruction:
1. Analyze the standard.
2. Read the competencies. Determine the target domain of the competencies.
3. Determine the nature of competencies (knowledge, skills, values) .
4. Determine the target topic or content. Identify time allotment.
5. Select assessment strategies.
6. Plan learning experiences.
7. Design learning materials.
The first unpacking strategy involves analysis of the standards. Standards articulate what a student should know,
understand, and be able to do by the end of the year, and they set equitable benchmarks across classrooms and
schools.
Read the discussion below on the various types of standards stipulated in the curriculum guide.
Content Standard Performance Standard

 Answers the question, “What do the students  Answers the question, “What do we want the
want to know, be able to do, and understand?” students to do with their learning or understanding?”
and “How do we want them to use their learning or
understanding?”
 Defines what the students are expected to  Defines the expected proficiency level
know (knowledge: facts and information), what
they should be able to do (process or skills)
with what they know
 The meaning or understanding that they  Products and/or performances as evidence that the
construct or make as they process the facts and students can transfer or use their learning in real-life
information situations
Types of Standard
Core Learning Area Standard
(This defines the broad outcomes for the K-12 science.)
e.g., The learners demonstrate understanding of basic science concepts and application of science-inquiry skills. They
exhibit scientific attitudes and values to solve problems critically, innovate beneficial products, protect the environment
and conserve resources, enhance the integrity and wellness of people, make informed decisions, and engage in
discussions of relevant issues that involve science, technology, and environment.
Key Stage Standard

(This defines the specific outcomes for key stages such as K-3, Grades 4-6, Grades 7-10, and Grades 11-12.)
e.g., At the end of grade 3, the learners should have acquired healthful habits and have developed curiosity about self and
their environment using basic process skills of observing, communicating, comparing, classifying, measuring, inferring,
and predicting. This curiosity will help the learners value science as an important tool in helping them continue to explore
their natural and physical environment. This should also include developing scientific knowledge or concepts.
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Grade Level Standard

(This defines the specific outcomes for each grade level.)
e.g., Kindergarten – The learners will demonstrate an emerging understanding of the parts of their body and their general
functions; plants, animals and varied materials in their environment and their observable characteristics; general weather
conditions and ho these influence what they wear; and other things in their environment. Understanding of their bodies
and what is around them is acquired through exploration, questioning, and careful observation as they infer patterns,
similarities, and differences that will allow them to make sound conclusions.
Activity B.1.
Read carefully the curriculum guide. Copy some examples of standards on the table below.
Content Standard
Performance Standard
Learning Area Standard
Key Stage Standard
Grade Level Standard

C. ABSTRACT
The K-12 science curriculum is characterized as learner-centered and inquiry-based. It puts premium on the use
of evidence in constructing explanations. Concepts and skills in life sciences are presented with increasing levels of
complexity from one grade level to another in spiral progression. This facilitates deeper understanding of concepts along
with the integration across science topics and other disciplines.
Activity C.1.
Examine the example of spiral progressions of topics below.
What art the recurring topics or themes?

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How do teachers facilitate a deeper understanding of these topics or themes?
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What kind of activities are designed inside the classroom?
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SEQUENCE OF DOMAIN/STRANDS PER QUARTER
The second unpacking strategy is to determine the target domain, the broad group of topics in science. There are
five domains of science indicated in the curriculum guide.
Domain/ Component Code
Living things and their environment LT
Force, Motion, and Energy FE
Earth and Space ES
Matter MT
Examples:
Competencies Domain
Describe sources of light and sound, heat and electricity (S3ES-IVg-h-5 Earth and Space (ES)
Practice safety and precautionary measures in dealing with different types of weather Force, Motion and Energy (FE)
(S3FE-IIIg-h-4)
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The third unpacking strategy involves determining the nature of competencies (Knowledge, Skills, and Values).
The target of the competency maybe knowledge (conceptual and factual understanding), skills (ability to perform or
demonstrate science process skills), and values (development of right attitudes and values in science).
Examples:
Competencies Nature
Describe sources of light and sound, heat and electricity. (S3ES-IVg-h-5) Knowledge
Practice safety and precautionary measures in dealing with different types of weather (S3FE-IIIg-h-4) Skill
For steps 4-7,use the template below
Competencies Topic/Content Assessment Learning Materials
Experiences
Step 4. Determine the topic or content or time allotment.

The target competency contains specific topic or lesson. The first column of the curriculum guide
Quarter/Week/Theme provides clue to the topic.
Competencies Nature Topic
Describe sources of light and sound, heat and electricity. (S3ES-IVg-h-5) Knowledge Energy: Light, Sound
Practice safety and precautionary measures in dealing with different Skill Earth and Space:Weather
types of weather (S3FE-IIIg-h-4)
The curriculum guide provides the minimum standard for the Filipino learners. The time allotment in the first
column of the curriculum guide proper also serves as the minimum duration of learning the topic. Our learners may
acquire or develop the target competency much ahead of the expected time.
Time Allotment Competencies Nature Topic
2 weeks (Week 7-8) Describe sources of light and sound, heat and Knowledge Energy: Light, Sound
electricity. (S3ES-IVg-h-5)
2 weeks (Week 7-8) Practice safety and precautionary measures in Skill Earth and
dealing with different types of weather (S3FE-IIIg-h- Space:Weather
4)
The table below culled from the curriculum guide is a Code Book Legend that will help us understand and
appreciate the coding use in labelling the competencies.
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Step 5. Select assessment strategies.

The most important principle to remember when selecting assessment strategies is constructive alignment. It is
the coherence among the learning outcomes, assessment, and learning experiences in an educational program.
Consider the objectives or competencies of the subject first. These competencies embody the knowledge and
skills the teachers want their students to have learned at the end of the quarter. Once the competencies have been
established, the second stage involves consideration of assessment. The backward design framework suggests that the
teachers should consider their overarching competencies and how the students will be assessed prior to consideration of
how to teach the content.
Example:
Time Competencies Nature Topic Assessment Strategies
Allotment
2 weeks Describe sources of Knowledge Energy: Light,  Answering short response test on sources
(Week 7-8) light and sound, Sound of light and sound, heat and electricity
heat and electricity.  Describing the sources of light and sound,
(S3ES-IVg-h-5) heat and electricity indicated by the picture
prompts
2 weeks Practice safety and Skill Earth and  Simulating different weather condition and
(Week 7-8) precautionary Space: the right response or reaction to each
measures in dealing Weather weather condition in the classroom
with different types  Participating in institutional/ departmental
of weather. earthquake drills
(S3FE-IIIg-h-4)
Clearly the verb used in the competency provides clue as to the type of assessment strategies to be used in the
classroom. In the example, the target competency involves the ability to describe; the assessment, therefore, should
provide the learners the opportunity to recall previous or acquired knowledge on the target content. The second
competency requires the students to apply knowledge of safety measures dealing with different types of weather. The
assessment provides them the opportunity to show their responses and reactions to different weather conditions.
Step 6. Plan learning experiences.

Make sure to match the learning activities with learning outcomes. Examine the table below.
Target Competencies Learning Activities/Experiences
Describe sources of light and sound,  Interactive discussion on sources of light, sound, heat and electricity
heat and electricity.  Describing the sources of light, sound, heat and electricity indicated by
the picture prompts.
Practice safety and precautionary  Viewing clips/lecture on safety and precautionary measures when
measures in dealing with different types dealing with different types of weather.
of weather.  Simulating different weather conditions and the right response or
reaction to each weather conditions in the classroom.
 Participating in institutional/departmental earthquake drills
Step 7. Design learning materials.

The teacher should keep the following guidelines when designing learning materials for elementary science.
 The materials should be aligned with the content and performance standards in the curriculum guide.
 The material should contain activities that allow different forms of interaction among the students and
between the teachers and students.
 The activities should be varied and may employ a combination of the following: inquiry-oriented
investigations, cooperative groups, use of technology, and simulations.
 The activities indicated in the materials should provide adequate time and opportunities for the students to
acquire knowledge, skills and attitudes
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 Opportunities must be provided for the students to develop an understanding of scientific inquiry.
 The content should be accurate and developmentally appropriate for the learners.
 Opportunities to learn should be consistent between goals and assessment.
 Assessment should stress the application of concepts to new or different situations.
 Assessment tasks should be fair for all the students. Scoring guide or rubric should be included as well.
D. APPLY
Activity D.1
On your own, choose one competency to unpack. Identify assessment strategies, learning experiences, and
materials aligned with it. Complete the table blow with your answers.
Content Standard:
Performance
Standards:
Competency Topic/Content Assessment Learning Experiences Materials

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Content Standard Performance Standard

Key Stage Standard

Grade Level Standard

Learning Area Standard

Key Stage Standard

Grade Level Standard

What art the recurring topics or themes?

Step 4. Determine the topic or content or time allotment.

Step 5. Select assessment strategies.

Step 6. Plan learning experiences.

Step 7. Design learning materials.

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