The Spiral Progression

Approach in Science

Marlene B. Ferido, Ph.D.

UP NISMED
 PHILOSOPHICAL and
LEGAL BASES
. The 1987 Phil. Constitution
. B.P. 232, Education Act of 1982
. R.A. 9155, Governance of Basic Education
Act of 2001
. The 4 pillars of education ( UNESCO )
. The vision - mission statements of DepEd
. The EDCOM Report of 1991
. Basic Education Sector Reform Agenda
(BESRA)
NATURE OF THE LEARNER NEEDS OF NATIONAL
. Has a body and spirit, intellect, free will, and GLOBAL COMMUNITY
emotions, multiple intelligences, learning
. Poverty reduction and human development
styles
. Strengthening the moral fiber of the Filipino
. Constructor of knowledge and active
people
maker of meaning not a passive recipient
. Development of a strong sense of nationalism
of information
. Development of productive citizens who contribute
NEEDS OF THE LEARNER to the building of a progressive, just and humane
society
. Life skills
. Ensuring environmental sustainability
. Self-actualization
. Global partnership for development
. Preparation for the world of the work,
entrepreneurship, higher education

CURRICULUM SUPPORT SYSTEM

FAMILY SUPPORT SOCIETAL SUPPORT

INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL Public-Private Partnership
STAKEHOLDERS’ SUPPORT Media, GO,NGO

INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT

Teachers’ CPD , Textbooks CO, RO, DO School
and other IMs
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
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
 Scientific literacy refers to an
individual’s …
 Awareness of how science and technology
shape our material, intellectual and cultural
environments

 Willingness to engage in science-related issues,

and with the ideas of science, as a reflective
citizen

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.
 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
 observing
comparing/
classifying

communicating
asking
Basic
questions
Process
skills
making
models measuring &
recording
data
inferring
 Applying findings to
new situations
Communicating Stating a
results problem

Integrated
Drawing Thinking Formulating
conclusion Skills hypothesis

Finding Designing a
patterns Procedure to
Collecting test hypothesis
data
Higher Order Thinking Skills

• Critical thinking
• Creative thinking
• Problem solving
• Decision making

(Real-life context)
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.
Salient Features of Science in the K to 12
Curriculum

Learner-centered

Inquiry-based

Shows spiral progression

 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;
 conductan 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
 Inspired by Bruner’s model of the ‘spiral
curriculum’
 Revolves around the understanding that

- human cognition evolved in a step-by-step

process of learning, which relied on
environmental interaction and experience to
form intuition and knowledge
- students continually return to basic ideas new
subjects and concepts are added over
thecourse of a curriculum
 One learns best through the repeated
experience of a concept.

 Spiral curriculum is also aligned with

Bruner's theory of discovery learning,
which posits that students learn best
by building on their current
knowledge.
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 metaphorical spiral.
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.
 Criteria for Prioritizing Content &
Placement in Grade Levels
 Macro to micro; simple to complex
 Appropriate to the cognitive level of learners
 Suitability to cognitive level demand of topic
 Prerequisite to succeeding topics & concepts
 Alignment with Math skills
 Supported by research
Sequence of Strands: Grades 7 & 8
Quarter Grade 7 Grade 8
1st Force, Motion &
Matter
Energy
2nd Living Things
and Their Earth & Space
Environment
3rd Force, Motion
Matter
& Energy
4th Living Things and
Earth & Space
Their Environment
 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
 FORCE, MOTION & ENERGY
Grade 7 Grade 8
• Motion in One Dimension • Newton’s Laws of Motion
• Different forms of energy explain why objects move (or
travel in different ways do not move) the way they
• Waves do (as described in Grade 7).
Transverse vs. Longitudinal
Waves • Transferred energy may
Mechanical vs. cause changes in the
electromagnetic waves properties of the object.
• Characteristics of waves
 LIVING THINGS & THEIR ENVIRONMENT
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
 EARTH & SPACE
Grade 7 Grade 8
• The Philippine Environment • Earthquakes & Faults
- Location of the Philippines how active faults generate
using a coordinate earthquakes
system, • Tsunami
• Interactions in the • Typhoons
Atmosphere - how tropical cyclones
• Seasons in the Philippines originate from warm ocean
• Eclipses waters
• Comets, Asteroids & Meteors
- recognize other members
of the solar system