The Spiral Progression Approach in Science: Marlene B. Ferido, Ph.D. Up Nismed

The Spiral Progression
Approach in Science
Marlene B. Ferido,Ph.D.
UP NISMED
Tracks in the K to 12 Curriculum
Track 1. Technical-Vocational-Livelihood
Track 2. Sports and Arts
Track 3. Academic
Strand 1. Science, Technology, Engineering, &
Mathematics (STEM)
Strand 2. Humanities, Education, and Social
Sciences (HES)
Strand 3. Business, Accountancy, and

Management (BAM)
The aim of K to 12 is to help graduates..
• acquire mastery of basic competencies

• be more emotionally mature
• be socially aware, pro-active, involved in
public and civic affairs
• be adequately prepared for the world of
work or entrepreneurship or higher
education
• be legally employable with potential for
better earnings
• be globally competitive
Enhanced Basic Education
Curriculum
Aims to give every learner an
opportunity to receive quality
education based on an enhanced &
decongested curriculum that is
internationally recognized and
comparable.
The science curriculum has a big role
to play in achieving this aim
Science education aims to develop

… scientific literacy among students that
will prepare them to be informed and
participative citizens
who are able to make judgments
that may have social, health, or
environmental impact.
Scientific literacy refers to an
individual’s…
scientific knowledge and use of that knowledge
to identify questions, acquire new knowledge,
explain scientific phenomena and draw
evidence-based conclusions about science-
related issues
understanding of the characteristic features of

science as a form of human knowledge and
inquiry
Programme for International Student

Assessment (PISA), 2009
Whether or not students pursue
careers that involve science and
technology,
the science curriculum will
provide students with a repertoire of
competencies important in the world
of work and in a knowledge-based
society.
University of Melbourne, Curriculum
Comparison Study for Kto12, 2011
“Compartmentalization of topics within

broad curriculum areas such as biology,
chemistry, and physics within the science
curriculum is likely to inhibit transfer of
learning across topics.
… students who exit school early do not
have the basic functioning skills across
requisite areas of science.”
Science
Framework,
Philosophy &
Curriculum
Components
The science curriculum is
designed around three domains of
learning science.
The science curriculum is
constructed around the development of
scientifically, technologically and
environmentally literate Filipinos who
are
• critical problem solvers
• responsible stewards of nature
• innovative and creative citizens
• informed decision makers
• effective communicators.
Monitoring the implementation of the
curriculum and its effects is necessary
because in time, its design will
become obsolete.
Monitoring should answer the following:

1. Does the actual curriculum match the
design?
2. Are the students acquiring the knowledge,
skills, and attitudes through the designed
curriculum?
3. Are the learners able to demonstrate the
acquired knowledge, skills, and attitudes?
Component 1:
Inquiry Skills
Higher Order
Thinking Skills
Basic Science Integrated
Processes Skills
Scientific Inquiry Skills

Component 2:
Content &
Connections
Living Things & Force, Motion and
Their Environment Energy
Characteristics Movement
Structure and Effects of Force
Function Forms of Energy and
Processes Transformation
Science
Interactions
Content
(Gr3-10)
Matter
Properties and Earth and Space
Structure Surroundings: Land,
Changes Water, Air,
Interactions Weather and Climate
Solar system
Sequence may vary from grade to grade.

Component 3: Scientific Attitudes
and Values
 Intellectual honesty
 Objectivity
 Perseverance
 Active listening
 Assuming responsibility
 Taking initiative
 Independent learning
 Analyzing and evaluating information,
procedures, and claims.
 Making decisions based on sound
judgment and logical reasoning.
A learner-centered curriculum provides for
opportunities that create learning
environments which optimize learning and
allow learners to think well and apply
principles to new situations.
The focus of scientific inquiry is proposing
explanations for observations about the
world around us.
Inquiry into authentic questions generated

from student experiences is the central
strategy for teaching science.
National Science Education Standards, p. 31
Inquiry-based science teaching
enables students to …..
 ask questions and use evidence to answer
them;
 conduct an investigation and collect
evidence from a variety of sources;
 develop an explanation from the data; and
 communicate and defend their conclusions.
Source: NRC, 1997

Spiral progression approach
The scope and sequence of the content
are developed such that concepts and
skills are revisited at each grade level
with increasing depth.
As more facts and principles on each

topic are encountered, the
understanding grows in breadth and
depth, creating a metaphoricalspiral.
Spiral progression approach
Progression is not only vertical

(e.g., increasing complexity), but
also horizontal (e.g., broader range
of applications).
Learning is extended, reinforced

and broadened each time a concept
is revisited.
In a spiral progression approach to
teaching and learning …
 New concepts are built on pupils’ prior
knowledge and skills to allow gradual
mastery from one grade level to the next.
 There is “vertical articulation” or a

progression of competencies from
elementary to high school.
Force, Motion andEnergy
Spiralling of Concepts
Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9
FORCE AND MOTION
From a simple This time, students To deepen their
understanding of learn about the concept understanding of
motion, students of force and its motion, students
learn more scientific relationship to motion. use the Law of
ways of describing (in They use Newton’s Conservation of
terms of distance, Laws of Motion to
Momentum to
speed, and explain why objects
acceleration) and move (or do not move) further explain the
representing (using the way they do (as motion of objects.
motion diagrams, described in Grade 7).
charts, and graphs) They also realize that if
the motion of objects force is applied on a
in one dimension. body, work can be done
and may cause a
change in the energy of
the body.
ENERGY
This time students Students learn that Students explain how
recognize that different transferred energy may conservation of
forms of energy travel in cause changes in the mechanical energy is
different ways−light and properties of the object. applied in some
sound travel through They relate the observable structures such as
waves, heat travels changes in temperature, roller coasters and in
through moving or amount of current, and natural environments
vibrating particles, and speed of sound to the such as waterfalls.
electrical energy travels changes in energy of the They further describe
through moving charges. particles the transformation of
energy that takes
place in hydroelectric
power plants.
ENERGY (con’t)
In Grade 5, they Students learn that Students also learn
learned about the transferred energy may about the relationship
different modes of heat cause changes in the between heat and work
transfer. This time, properties of the object. and apply this concept
they explain these They relate the to explain how
modes in terms of the observable changes in geothermal power
movement of particles. temperature, amount of plants operate.
current, and speed of After they have learned
sound to the changes in how electricity is
energy of the particles generated in power
plants, students further
develop their
understanding of
transmission of
electricity from power
stations to homes.
Earth and Space
Geology
Students will learn how As a result of being Being located along the
to locate places using a located along the Ring Ring of Fire, the
coordinate system. They of Fire, the Philippines is Philippines is home to
will discover that our prone to earthquakes. many volcanoes. Using
country’s location near Using models, students models, students will
the equator and along will explain how quakes explain what happens
the Ring of Fire are generated by faults. when volcanoes erupt.
influences what makes They will try to identify They will describe the
up the Philippine faults in the community different types of
environment (e.g. and differentiate active volcanoes and
natural resources, faults from inactive differentiate active
climate). ones. volcanoes from inactive
ones. They will also
explain how energy
from volcanoes may be
tapped for human use.
Earth and Space
Astronomy
Students will explain the Students will complete Students will now leave the
occurrence of the seasons their survey of the Solar Solar System and learn
and eclipses as a result of System by describing the about the stars beyond.
the motions of the Earth characteristics of They will infer the
and the Moon. Using asteroids, comets,and characteristics of stars
models, students will other members of the based on the characteristics
explain that because the Solar System. of the Sun. Using models,
Earth revolves around the students will show that
Sun, the seasons change, constellations move in the
and because the Moon course of a night because of
revolves around the Earth, Earth’s rotation while
eclipses sometimes occur. different constellations are
observed in the course of a
year because of the Earth’s
revolution.
Earth and Space
Meteorology
Students will explain the Being located beside the In this grade level,
occurrence of Pacific Ocean, the students will distinguish
atmospheric phenomena Philippines is prone to weather from climate.
(breezes, monsoons, typhoons. In Grade 5, They will explain how
ITCZ) that are the effects of typhoons different factors affect
commonly experienced were tackled. Here, the climate of an area.
in the country as a result students will explain how They will also be
of the Philippines’ typhoons develop, how introduced to climatic
location with respect to typhoons are affected by phenomena that occur
the equator, and landforms and bodies of over a wide area (El
surrounding bodies of water, and why typhoons Niño and global
water and landmasses. follow certain paths as warming).
they move within the
Philippine Area of
Responsibility.
MATTER
Grade 7 Grade 8
• Doing Scientific • Particle model of matter
Investigations the behavior of matter in
Ways of acquiring terms of the particles it is
knowledge made of
• Diversity of Materials in the
Environment • Atomic structure
- Solutions
- Substances & Mixtures • Periodic table of elements
- Elements & Compounds
- Acids & Bases
- Metals & Nonmetals
Matter
Properties and Structure
In Grade 6, students Using models, Using their understanding
learned how to students learn that of atomic structure
distinguish homogenous matter is made up of learned in Grade 8,
from heterogeneous particles, the smallest students describe how
mixtures. In Grade 7, of which is the atom. atoms can form units
students investigate These particles are too called molecules. They
properties of solutions small to be seen also learn about ions.
which are homogeneous through a microscope. Further, they explain how
mixtures. They learn atoms form bonds (ionic
how to express and covalent) with other
concentrations of atoms by the transfer or
solutions qualitatively sharing of electrons.
and quantitatively. They They also learn that the
distinguish mixtures forces that hold metals
from substances based together are caused by
on a set of properties. the attraction between
flowing electrons and the
Matter
Properties and Structure
They distinguish The properties of They also learn that the forces
mixtures from materials that they that hold metals together are
substances based on have observed in caused by the attraction
a set of properties. earlier grades can between flowing electrons and
now be explained by the positively charged metal
Students begin to do the type of particles ions.
guided and semi- involved and the Students explain how covalent
guided investigations, attraction between bonding in carbon forms a
making sure that the these particles. wide variety of carbon
experiment they are compounds.
conducting is a fair Recognizing that matter
test. consists of an extremely large
number of very small particles,
counting these particles is not
practical. So, students are
introduced to the unit, mole.
Matter
Changes that Matter Undergo
Students recognize that Students learn that Students explain how new
materials combine in particles are always in compounds are formed in
various ways and through motion.They can now terms of the
different processes, explain that the rearrangement of particles.
contributing to the wide changes from solid to
variety of materials. Given liquid, solid to gas,liquid They also recognize that a
this diversity of materials, to solid, and liquid to wide variety of useful
they recognize the gas, involve changes in compounds may arise from
importance of a the motion of and such rearrangements
classification system.They relative distances
become familiar with between the particles,
elements and compounds, as well as the attraction
metals and non-metals, between them.
acids and bases.
Matter

Changes that Matter Undergo
Further,students They also recognize
demonstrate that that the same particles
homogeneous mixtures are involved when
can be separated using these changes occur. In
various techniques. effect, no new
substances are formed.
LIVING T H I N G S & THEIR E N V I R O N M E N T
Grade 7 Grade 8
• Microscopy • Biodiversity, the collective
• Levels of Organization variety of species living in an
• Asexual and sexual ecosystem
reproduction in plants • Interactions: explaining the food
• Cells in humans, animals chain in an ecosystem
& plants • Parts & function: digestive
system and how enzymes affect
digestion
• Cellular reproduction & genetics
Living Things & their Environment
Spiraling of Concepts
Parts and Function
In Grade 7, students are In Grade 8, students Students learn the
introduced to the levels learn how the body coordinated functions of
of organization in the breaks down food into the digestive, respiratory,
human body and other forms that can be and circulatory systems.
organisms.They learn absorbed through the
that organisms consist of digestive system and
cells, most of which are transported to cells.
grouped into organ
systems that perform Students learn that
specialized functions. gases are exchanged
through the
respiratory system.
This provides the
oxygen needed by
cells to release the
energy stored in food.
Parts and Function
They also learn that
They also learn that nutrients enter the
dissolved wastes are bloodstream and combine
removed through the with oxygen that was
urinary system; solid taken in through the
wastes are eliminated respiratory system.
through the excretory Together, they are
system. transported to the cells
where oxygen is used to
release the stored energy.
Heredity: Inheritance and Variation
After learning how Students learn the Students learn the
flowering and non- process of cell division structure of genes and
flowering plants by mitosis and meiosis. chromosomes, and the
reproduce, Grade 7 They understand that functions they perform in
meiosis is an early step the transmission of traits
students learn that
in sexual reproduction from parents to offspring.
asexual reproduction that leads to variation.
results in genetically Students learn the
identical offspring structure of genes and
whereas sexual chromosomes, and the
functions they perform in
reproduction gives rise
the transmission of traits
to variation. from parents to offspring.
Heredity: Inheritance and Variation
students learn that
students learn that
Spiralling Biodiversity
of Concepts and Evolution
Students learn that the Students learn that Students learn that most
cells in similar tissues species refers to a group species that have once
and organs in other of organisms that can existed are now extinct.
animals are similar to mate with one another to Species become extinct
those in human beings produce fertile offspring. when the environment
but differ somewhat They learn that changes and they fail to
from cells found in biodiversity is the adapt.
plants. collective variety of
species living in an
ecosystem. This serves
as an introduction to the
topic on hierarchical
taxonomic system.
Ecosystems
Students learn that Students learn how Students learn how
interactions occur energy is transformed plants capture energy
among the different and how materials are from the Sun and store
levels of organization in cycled in ecosystems. energy in sugar
ecosystems. molecules
Organisms of the same (photosynthesis). This
kind interact with each stored energy is used by
other to form cells during cellular
populations; respiration. These two
populations interact processes are related to
with other populations each other.
to form communities.
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K to 12 Science Resources
in KaSaMa Teachers
Members now have access to the complete DepEd K to 12
science resources: Get the link.
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2. Grade 7 Science Learner's Material (complete volume)
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• Series of free webinars for science educators in the
country. Intel Education grants free use of the Adobe Connect Pro
webinar platform.
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and updates to support science teachers in their
implementation of the K to 12 science curriculum.
• Begun in July 2012, the webinars take place every 4th
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ongoing discussions on the webinars and on K to 12
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The Spiral Progression

Strand 3. Business, Accountancy, and

• acquire mastery of basic competencies

Science education aims to develop

understanding of the characteristic features of

Programme for International Student

“Compartmentalization of topics within

Monitoring should answer the following:

Scientific Inquiry Skills

Sequence may vary from grade to grade.

Inquiry into authentic questions generated

Source: NRC, 1997

As more facts and principles on each

Progression is not only vertical

Learning is extended, reinforced

 There is “vertical articulation” or a

Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9

For more T/L materials, please visit:

Members contribute, participate, and interact to

Add to these the following UP NISMED webinar resources for

• The webinars aim to share critical information, resources,

• PowerPoint presentations, webinar recordings, and

N O W on the conference website:

For more info,contact

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