SNC General Knowledge 1-3
SNC General Knowledge 1-3
SNC General Knowledge 1-3
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
GRADE I-III 2020
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
GRADE I-III
2020
3.1 Knowledge 13
3.2 Skills 20
4.1 Grade – I 23
4.2 Grade – II 31
6.4 Assessor(s) 62
Single National Curriculum for General Knowledge 2020 for Grade I to III is the result of an
effort to review and revise the previous curriculum in line with modern trends and
innovations in different fields. It is important to mention here that National Curriculum
2006 for General Knowledge was an integration of General Science, Social Studies and
Islamiat. The subject of Islamiat was integrated in General Knowledge in Grades I and II
and appeared as a separate subject from grade III onwards.
Keeping in view recomendations from different stakeholders, the government has taken
the historic decision to introduce Islamiat (for Muslim students) and Religious Education
(for minorities) as separate subjects from Grade I onwards.
As a result of this decision the Single National Curriculum for General Knowledge 2020 is
now based on the themes and concepts from General Science and Social Studies.
This Curriculum for General Knowledge aims to provide our students with real life quality
learning experiences which is based on inquiry and hands-on activities. It is comprised of
concepts from General Science and Social Studies and Ethics:
• Knowledge of science is drawn primarily from the domains of life sciences, physical
sciences, earth and space sciences;
• Knowledge of social studies is drawn primarily from the social sciences strands of
history, geography, government, citizenship, economics, culture; and ethical values
which are essence of Islam and common in all the religions.
This Curriculum is designed for the young students to develop basic knowledge, skills,
values, interests, and attitudes that will lead them to productively learn and understand
the aforesaid areas of knowledge more deeply in later grades. The main goal is to produce
young critical thinkers, capable of understanding and evaluating information, developing
knowledge, skills, values, positive attitudes, healthy habits, civic sense and making
informed decisions.
This Curriculum has been developed with the following emphasis:
• Broadening the learning space (out of the classroom learning)
• Strengthening the interface with pre-primary and secondary school curricula
• Developing understanding of ethical values
• Integrating students' learning experiences with emphasis on patriotism and
sustainable development
• Promoting life-long learning and enhancing 21st century skills
• Developing students' independent learning
• Enhancing interest and appreciation in society and curiosity in science & technology
• Putting emphasis on students' holistic development and providing them real life
quality experience, based on inquiry and hands-on activities/experiences.
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1.2 CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Students in the early grades have a natural curiosity about the world, thus it is appropriate
for them to start learning the basics of science and other disciplines at a young age. Early
school education (Grades I-III) has traditionally been content-intensive which has hindered
the development of effective thinking skills of students. The Single National Curriculum is
based on content progression at early levels to prepare the students for conceptual
learning at higher grades, supports students to meet International standards and equip
them with 21st century skills.
Coherent:
This Curriculum has been designed to ensure that the ideas taught within a grade level
have a logical and natural connection with each other and with those of higher grades.
Efforts have been made to introduce concepts, skills, and attitudes in a well-integrated
manner with progressive articulation appropriate to each grade level. This progression is
intended to prepare students to understand and use more complex concepts and skills as
they advance through the learning process.
The Curriculum is designed to help students develop attributes, essential for 21st century
in all areas of the physical, emotional, social, linguistic, aesthetic, and cognitive
development. It also emphasizes on:
These experiences during the early years of school not only influence their later
functioning in school but also have effects throughout the life.
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Feasible:
This Curriculum can be taught with easily available resources and materials. Teacher’s
Guide Manual is strongly recommended, which will contain sample lessons on each topic
for each grade level. The Teacher’s Guide Manual is a document that will grow as teachers
add exemplary lessons aligned with the new Curriculum while keeping in view the inquiry
approach. In addition, activity-based workbook and other print resources are also
recommended.
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Meaningful Learning and Engaging:
Children learn best when they have real materials they can manipulate. Through direct
sensory involvement with their environment, children learn about topics that are
personally meaningful and interesting. Teaching children requires the use of real and
relevant materials and experiences. Discovering what works best for all students requires
knowledge about each student, various learning styles of the students and clear learning
outcomes.
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When students use inquiry to discover content, they not only learn a great variety of facts
and concepts, but they also learn how these are related to each other and how it is that we
human beings come to understand our world and add to the great body of information,
we call knowledge.
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CHAPTER
General Knowledge Curriculum is organized around themes that students can relate in
their everyday experiences. It is also based on commonly observed phenomena in nature
& environment, geography, socio-cultural norms, moral values and practices. The basic
aim is to enable students to appreciate the links between different topics and thus allow
the eventual integration of ideas.
Therefore, a careful selection of topics/ themes have been made to promote greater
understanding instead of covering a “little bit of everything”. The content is organized into
standards, which are then divided into themes. The topics under each theme are not to be
viewed as compartmentalized blocks of knowledge. In general, there are no clear
boundaries between these themes. There may be topics common to different themes for
example “Changing World from Past to Present” can be included in theme of both Science
and Social Studies. Hence, a conscious effort is needed to demonstrate the relationship
between themes whenever possible while writing a textbook. Nevertheless, all of the
themes identified are drawn from the standards for General Science Curriculum and
Social Studies Curriculum.
Each standard consists of various learning areas or topics, which have intended learning
outcomes. Whereas learning outcomes are statements that describe what knowledge,
skills and attitudes students are expected to demonstrate as a result of their cumulative
learning experiences at each grade level. The learning outcomes for a particular learning
area are provided to form a strong foundation for meeting the Benchmarks and Standards
for the entry to Grade IV for Social Studies & General Science.
3.1 KNOWLEDGE
Students will develop knowledge and understandings of the following concepts and apply
their understandings to interpret, integrate, and extend knowledge.
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PROGRESSION BETWEEN THE LEVELS
RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP
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DISCOVERING SELF AND IMMEDIATE ENVIRONMENT
Standard 3: Students recognize their own needs, those of others and understand their
role within their community and environment
Standard 4: Students recognize the respect and value of their country Pakistan, its map,
its heroes and the significance of its flag.
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PROGRESSION BETWEEN THE LEVELS
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LIFE SCIENCES
PHYSICAL SCIENCES
Standard 7: Students recognize simple forms of Physical phenomena (matter & energy)
and identify everyday uses of them.
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PROGRESSION BETWEEN THE LEVELS
• Slow and fast means of • Common sources (natural • Role of sunlight in the
transportation and human made) Formation of shadows
• Uses of heat and light • Sunrise and sunset
• Methods of producing • Using the sun for
heat. guidance
• Intensity of heat and light • States of matter
• Importance of resources • Observing matter
• Natural materials • Common sources and
uses of energy
• Human made objects
• Common inventions
• Effects of inventions on
lives
• Simple machines
• Push and pull as a force
• Uses of force
• Force and motion
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PROGRESSION BETWEEN THE LEVELS
Note: By the end of Grade III, students will have essential knowledge of Science and Social
Studies that will become foundation of learning for Grade IV. Science and Social Studies will
be introduced as separate subjects from grade IV.
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3.2 SKILLS
Students will develop the skills required for inquiry, solving problems, communicating
ideas and results, for working collaboratively, and making informed decisions.
Students use a variety of skills in the process of answering questions, solving problems,
and making decisions. While these skills are not unique to General Knowledge, they play
an important role in development of systematic understandings and in the application of
the same to new situations. However, the listing of skills is not intended to imply a linear
sequence or to identify a single set of skills required in each investigation. Every
investigation and application has unique features that determine a particular mix and
sequence of skills involved thereto.
These will assist in the development of skills with their increasing scope and complexity of
application in higher grades.
a. Initiating and Planning: These are the skills of questioning, identifying problems,
and developing preliminary ideas and plans.
b. Performing and Recording: These are the skills of carrying out a plan of action,
which involves gathering evidence by observation and, in most cases, manipulating
materials and equipment.
c. Analyzing and Interpreting: These are the skills of examining information and
evidence, processing and presenting data interpreting, evaluating, and applying the
results.
d. Communication and collaboration: Communication skills are essential at every
stage where ideas are being developed, tested, interpreted, debated/ discussed, and
agreed upon. Collaboration skills are also important, as the development and
application of inductive and deductive ideas are collaboratively processed both in
the society and in the classroom.
Attitudes refer to generalized aspects of behavior that are modeled for students by
example and reinforced by selective approval. Attitudes are not acquired in the same way
as skills and knowledge. They cannot be observed at any particular moment, but are
evidenced by regular, unprompted manifestation over time. Attitude development is a
lifelong process that involves the home, the school, the community, and the society at
large.
The development of attitudes and moral values generally occurs through the following
stages where teacher has a key responsibility:
• being aware of the importance and the need for developing attitudes and values.
• giving emphasis to these attitudes and values.
• practicing and internalizing these attitudes and values.
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The attitudes outcome focuses on the following ways in which school education can
contribute to attitudinal growth of the young students. These have been articulated as
general statements that have guided the development of the learning outcomes, which
also provide links to science & technology, society and environment:
3.3.2 Inquiry:
Students will be encouraged to develop attitudes that support inquiry, problem solving,
and decision-making. At early grades students will be engaged in partial and full inquiries
that are within their developmental capabilities. It can only contribute to attitudinal
growth when students are provided with the opportunities for development,
reinforcement, and extension of attitudes, which encourage inquiry such as
open-mindedness respect for reason and evidence, initiative, perseverance, creativity and
inventiveness.
3.3.3 Collaboration:
3.3.4 Stewardship:
3.3.5 Safety:
Students will be encouraged to demonstrate a concern for safety in their daily life, be at
school or otherwise. School education can contribute to attitudinal growth when students
are encouraged to assess and manage potential dangers and apply safety procedures in
their daily life, thus developing a positive attitude towards safety.
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4.1 GRADE – I
4.1 GRADE – I
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.1 GRADE – I
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
THEMES STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES
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4.1 GRADE – I
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
THEMES STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES
• understand the
importance of playing
games and exercise for
better health.
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4.1 GRADE – I
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
THEMES STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES
Places of Worship in the • identify the Masjid in • Interview any elder to get
Neighbourhood their neighborhood as a information about places
place of worship for of worship of different
• Places of worship for Muslims religions.
Muslims and others
• inquire about other
• Respect for worship places
places of worship
(church, temple,
gurdwara etc)
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4.1 GRADE – I
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
THEMES STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES
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4.1 GRADE – I
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
THEMES STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES
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4.1 GRADE – I
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
THEMES STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES
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4.1 GRADE – I
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
THEMES STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES ACTIVITIES
• differentiate between
animals that can and
cannot be kept at home
with reasons.
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4.2 GRADE – II
4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
• identify their
responsibilities with
respect to each right
(careful use of food, water
and other resources,
regularity and hard work
towards education, taking
care of surroundings and
hygiene, treating everyone
equally, and following
rules and regulations)
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4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
Agriculture and Live Stock. • list the major crops in • Collect the seeds of
Pakistan. major crops for
identification.
• Major Crops in
• recognize that people (wheat, maize, rice,
Pakistan process the crops they grow cotton and pulses.)
• Processing (Making for making products (cotton
Products) to thread to cloth to • Collect pictures and
• Live stock garments). make a list of
livestock.
• recognize and identify the
importance of livestock.
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4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.2 GRADE – II
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.3 GRADE – III
4.3 GRADE – III
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.3 GRADE – III
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
Changes in Living Things • compare different stages • Draw and sequence the
of lifespan of plants and stages of the life cycle of
• Life cycle of some animals (from pictures, a plant/animal.
animals and plants through observation
/ Video etc.)
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4.3 GRADE – III
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
Energy and its sources • recognize that energy is Students will make a list
required for doing work. of tasks performed in
• Common sources and • understand that sources of their daily life that
energy are used for many require energy
uses of energy
things (move an object,
heating, lighting,
transportation, electric
appliances etc.).
• identify natural sources of
energy (e.g. the sun, wood,
flowing water, wind, coal,
oil, gas).
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4.3 GRADE – III
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
Food
• recognize that plants make
their own food in the
• Plants’ and Animals' Food presence of sunlight
• Basic Food Groups
• Balanced Diet • recognize that different
• Factors for Healthy living animals eat different kinds
of food
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4.3 GRADE – III
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.3 GRADE – III
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.3 GRADE – III
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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4.3 GRADE – III
LEARNING THEMES AND STUDENTS’ LEARNING OUTCOMES
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ATTITUDES
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CHAPTER
It is established that what students learn is fundamentally connected to how they learn it.
Therefore, there is a need for new forms of classroom organization, communication, and
instructional strategies where the teacher is a facilitator of learning whose major tasks
include but are not limited to:
• Creating a classroom environment that reflects a constructive, active view of the learning
process that supports learning and teaching.
• Designing effective learning experiences that help students achieve expected learning
outcomes.
• Stimulating and managing classroom discourse in support of student learning.
• Learning about and then using student’s motivations, interests, abilities, and learning
styles to improve learning and teaching.
• Selecting teaching strategies from a wide repertoire.
• Assessing students’ learning, including their participation in classroom activities for
making ongoing instructional decisions.
• Most of the classroom time is spent on teachers lecturing, students listening and reading
textbooks.
• Teachers use the same set of practices for every lesson. They do not review the previous
day’s lessons, state their objectives, present, demonstrate, model, check for
understanding, provide guided practice, and use closure.
• There are fewer connections between school learning and the everyday world.
• Knowledge of subject becomes an exercise of rote learning.
In the light of current understanding about the nature of learners and learning, the roles
and responsibilities of students and teachers in the learning process are changing. The way
in which learning is defined has expanded from simply recalling of facts or definitions to
being able to find connections between facts to build conceptual understanding. Teaching
for conceptual change requires knowledge about the preconceptions of the students. It
helps them to purposefully design, intellectually engaging explorations that encourage
students to confront and refine their own ideas. The teaching strategies described in this
curriculum are intended to support these changing emphases and classroom learning.
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The purpose of this curriculum is therefore, not to memorize the ‘’right’’ answer by the
students but for them to move along a learning continuum toward a deeper
understanding of concepts and processes. While students engage in constructing their
own understanding of each concept, the primary role of teaching is not to lecture,
explain, or otherwise attempt to ‘transfer’ knowledge, but to create situations for
students that will encourage their making the necessary mental constructions.
Teachers need to keep themselves abreast of recent trends in teaching and learning. They
need to learn, analyze, and appraise, new developments in this field. For example,
developmentally appropriate instructions describe an approach to education that focuses
on the child as a developing human being and a lifelong learner. This approach
recognizes the child as an active participant in the learning process: a participant who
constructs meaning and knowledge through interaction with others, friends and family,
materials and environment. The teacher is an active facilitator who helps the child to
understand meaning of the various activities and interactions encountered through the
teaching-learning process. It requires teachers to make decisions in the classroom by
combining their knowledge of child development with an understanding of the individual
child to achieve desired and meaningful outcomes. Teachers ought to value the basic
principles of active learning; some of these are:
1. Learning Involves the Whole Mind and Body. Learning is not all merely ‘’head’’
learning (conscious, rational, ‘’left-brained,’’ and verbal) but involves the whole body/
mind with all its emotions, senses and receptors.
3. Collaboration Aids Learning. The good learning has a social base. We often learn
more by interacting with peers than we learn by any other means. Competition
between learners slows learning. Cooperation among learners speeds it.
5. Learning from Doing the Work Itself (With Feedback). People learn best in context.
Things learned in isolation are hard to remember and quick to evaporate. We learn
how to swim by swimming, how to manage by managing, how to sing by singing, and
how to sell by selling.
6. Positive Emotions Greatly Improve Learning. Feelings determine both the quality and
quantity of one’s learning. Negative feelings inhibit learning. Positive feelings accelerate
it. Learning that is stressful, painful and dreary cannot form the basis for learning that is
joyful, relaxed and engaging.
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7. The Image Brain Absorbs Information Instantly and Automatically. The human
nervous system is more of an image processor than a word processor. Concrete images
are much easier to grasp and retain than verbal abstractions. Translating verbal
abstractions into concrete images of all kinds will make those verbal abstractions faster
to learn and easier to remember.
Research suggests that high quality student learning is most likely to occur when students
are engaged in the construction of personal knowledge and in work that has value
(application) beyond the school.
The key instruction of General Knowledge Curriculum is that ‘’ Students will value and use
their learning as a process of obtaining knowledge, based upon observable evidence.’’
Teachers can use a variety of teaching strategies to enhance students’ learning; however,
these must relate to outcomes of the General Knowledge Curriculum to be consistent with
the teaching role to be adopted. Suggested (not limited) teaching strategies for achieving
the outcomes of learning are described below:
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Traditional educational systems work in a way that discourages the natural process of
inquiry. Students become less prone to ask questions as they move through the grade levels.
In traditional system students learn not to ask too many questions, instead to listen and
repeat the expected answers.
• Learning is student-centered.
Inquiry shifts ownership of learning process from the teacher to the students, making the
process through which students learn concepts and develop skills as important as the
content. In this setting, the teacher acts as a facilitator in the inquiry process.
Inquiry requires students to describe objectives and events, ask questions and devise
answers, collect and interpret data and test the reliability of the knowledge they have
generated. They also identify assumptions, provide evidence for conclusions and justify
their work.
Inquiry allows teachers to create a framework where students understand ‘’how’’ and
‘’why’’ to ask questions. Students reflect on the lesson and explain why it is important and
gain a greater understanding about the inquiry process and how it relates to learning.
Inquiry involves setting short and long term goals and adapting them to students’
interests. Within this framework, teachers involve students in hands-on activities, whole
classroom, or group collaboration. This learning environment allows students the
freedom to explore and investigate while making connections and drawing conclusions.
• Students interact purposefully with each other and with the teacher, leading to
effective communication.
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• Assessment for learning.
Inquiry takes the focus off memorization and instead promotes assessing students’ ability
to understand reason and use their knowledge. Assessment can be achieved through
questioning, observing, using checklists, portfolios, student journals, student work
samples, hands-on assessments etc.
Assessment provides students with constructive feedback on how well they are meeting
expectations and in addition gives response on how well the classroom ‘’lessons’’ are
going.
The skills of inquiry include observing, asking questions, proposing ideas, experimenting,
and interpreting the evidence that is gathered.
An inquiry may be initiated in a variety of ways. It may be based on a question brought to the
classroom by a teacher or students; or it may arise out of an activity, an interesting
observation, an unexplained event or pattern that appears worth pursuing. Engagement in
inquiry is not a linear process; it can have a variety of starting points and the steps followed
may vary from one inquiry activity to another. When an unexpected observation is made or
a procedure does not work, there is opportunity for new idea to emerge a new set of
procedures to be followed.
1. Questioning
Questioning is one of the basic tools for inquiry skill that students need.
There are various strategies for helping students to ask questions. For example: Provide
them with an observable phenomenon to ask question about. Initially, some coaching will be
necessary. Teachers can, for example, ask students to focus their attention on a particular
aspect of what they are asked to observe. This works best when the phenomenon being
observed is active in some way. Students should be invited to formulate questions that occur
to them as they watch and afterwards explain what they observed and suggest possible
follow-up investigations.
2. Conducting Investigation
Once students have decided on questions and hypotheses they wish to address, they should
be encouraged to design experiments that test their hypotheses.
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As students conduct their experiments, the teacher should continue in a role of a mentor or
as facilitator, giving as little direction as possible. Questions and issues can be brought up as
situations demand. Every effort should be made to let students make decisions and draw
conclusions. Students should also devise their own way to report their findings to others.
Inquiry is an involving process. Students may not always arrive at the complete answer, but
the point is they experience things which are new and different, conduct investigations,
supply evidence to support ideas, connect with scientists and experts, keep record of
thoughts and conclusions, and continue asking questions.
When working with younger, shy, or alienated students and with those who are new to this
sort of approach, teachers can ask leading questions or even spoon feed them questions to
get started.
C. Learning-by-Doing Approach
Hands-on activities actively engage the learners in learning. If they are physically involved,
they are likely to be mentally involved too. They are thinking about what they are doing. This
is called ‘’hands-on, minds-on’’ or the ‘’learning-by-doing approach’’. Students learn concepts
more when they are able to appreciate what they are doing. If they practice only calculating
answers to predictable exercises or unrealistic ‘’word problems’’ then that is all they are likely
to learn. Similarly, students cannot learn to think critically, analyze information,
communicate thought provoking ideas, make logical arguments, work as a part of team, and
acquire other desirable skills unless they are provided an opportunity and encouraged to do
those things over and over in different contexts.
We remember:
20% of what we read;
20% of what we hear;
30% of what we see;
50% of what we see and hear;
70% of what we see, hear, and discuss; and
90% of what we see, hear, discuss, practice and teach.
However, this approach requires systematic preparation, patience and guidance by teacher,
as there is often no single, ‘’right’’ answer.
First, it is important to review the materials and practice the activities to be taught. The
teacher should never freely give the answers to a problem/ question. Instead, the teacher
facilitates the students in this process.
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a. Experience (doing) – Describe the experience or activity students do, they are told or
shown ‘’how’’.
b. Share (What happened?) – Develop questions that teacher will ask the students about
their experience and their reaction to it after they have completed the activity.
c. Process (What’s important?) -Develop questions that teacher will ask the students about
something they felt important about the experience.
d. Generalize (So what?)- Develop questions that will ask the students how the experience
related to their own lives.
e. Apply (How what?) Develop questions that ask the students how they could apply what
they learnt to a similar or different situation.
D. Demonstrations
Once the demonstration is complete, let students complete their worksheet activities. An
interactive demonstration could be made up of a number of conceptually linked
mini-demonstrations to address important conceptual issues and worksheet activities
require students to write predictions, draw diagrams and answer a set of multiple-choice
questions.
Conduct a whole class discussion and provide explanations to clarify or extend students’
learning.
Teachers think that they need a lot of sophisticated, expensive resources to teach any
subject. While teaching and learning does require purchases, much of the General
Knowledge Curriculum contents can be taught with simple, inexpensive and readily available
materials: such as paper clips, soda straws, papers, balloons, rubber bands, paper cups, clay
etc. Similarly, outdoors (farms/gardens/parks) are perfect resources for learning. From
examining bugs on a sidewalk to observing how a tree changes through the seasons, the
outdoors provides a wealth of learning opportunities. Children can learn about plants and
animals, shadows, weather, seasons, traffic signals, religious and cultural festivals and many
more concepts outside the classroom.
e) Cooperative Learning
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In cooperative classrooms, students have two responsibilities:
Think-Pair-Share
• Students ‘Think’ alone to answer the question for a specified amount of time. Students
write their answer to show what they thought about the questions individually.
• Students ‘Pair’ up with another student acting as a partner to discuss the question/
problem, listen to and expand on one another’s ideas.
• Students ‘Share’ their possible answers/solutions to the questions/problem with the
entire class.
Think-Pair-Share structures are effective only when students participate equally in practicing
social skills, and individually demonstrate what they have learned from their partners.
Success on the academic task is assessed by the randomly asking questions to students,
checking their work, or through individual tests or quizzes. For the social skills task, students
are evaluated through teacher observation and students’ evaluation of their own and group
effectiveness.
f) Role -Play
Role-playing is a teaching strategy in which students learn by acting and observing, where
some students act out a scenario in front of the class. Students learn the content being
presented and also develop problem solving, communication, initiative and social skills. As
students examine their own and others’ feelings, attitudes and perspectives, they develop an
understanding of themselves and others. If students are asked to write the content of
role-plays themselves rather than simply enacting roles handed to them it will enable them
to connect and process information, and be creative. However, for early grades students,
teachers have to facilitate them in conducting role-plays.
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Conducting Role-Plays
While students are acting, ensure that the rest of the students are attentive and observe the
role-play. Teachers must allow students enough time to read and understand their role and
prepare to enact it. Also, teachers may involve the rest of the class by having them suggest
questions for the discussion to follow.
After the role-play, teacher reviews it with the class then opens the discussion of the class
ensuring they discuss only the role-play’s content. If discussing a problem, students can
explore alternative solutions to it. Summarize the role-play, focusing on student’s
understanding of the problem/issue that was being dramatized and/or attempt to solve the
problem.
The teacher can assess concept understanding, ability to communicate an issue/ problem,
etc. through observation and asking questions. The social skills, developed while preparing
and conducting the role-play, can be assessed through a checklist.
Safety Practice
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CHAPTER
CHAPTER
Cognitive learning theories emphasize that learning is not linear, that is instead of building
knowledge bit by bit from fundamental elements into more complex, higher-order thinking,
and it is a process of connecting prior understanding with new learning. Consequently, an
assessment strategy that measures the acquisition of facts and elements cannot serve a
constructive model.
The early years of schooling (Age5-8) are an important period for development. It is in these
early grades that children learn to read and write, acquire a basic understanding of content
areas, and develop important dispositions toward learning. It is also a time to begin the
process of assessing children’s performance related to learning outcomes that is consistent
with how young children demonstrate their knowledge and skills.
This curriculum establishes that the ultimate outcome for the school education is that
students will learn the skills and competencies needed to succeed in today’s world such as
the skills of inquiry, reasoning, problem solving, decision-making and working
collaboratively. To meet these outcomes, teachers need to provide students with learning
experiences that are more authentic. If we want an accurate appraisal of how well teachers
are helping students to achieve these outcomes, they must make changes in assessment
that reflect the changes in curriculum and instruction.
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Alternative assessment is a better way to determine how well students are learning (and how
effective instruction is) than traditional forms of assessment. Research on assessment
suggests that a constructive alignment between instruction, learning, and assessment is
vital.
Therefore, assessment should be carried out regularly through the use of different
techniques such as oral questioning, observation checklist, and assignments, practical and
written tests. When assessment is carried out on continual basis, the teacher has the
feedback required to plan their day-to-day teaching.
On the basis of assessment data, a teacher can decide whether to proceed to the next
teaching lesson/ theme, carry out remedial teaching, set enrichment exercises/ drills or
modify teaching methods. Hence the process of evaluation can help a teacher raise students’
performance by identifying the needs of students and taking the right steps in meeting
these needs.
Assessment practices also communicate what is important and what is valued at early
education (Grades I-III). For example, assessments that emphasize the acquisition of factual
knowledge imply that facts are important, whereas inquiry-centered assessments indicate
that scientific inquiry is important. The methods used to gain information about
achievement should define what students must learn.
The primary purpose of classroom assessment for these grades is not solely to evaluate and
classify student performance, but to inform teaching and improve learning, and to monitor
student progress in achieving year-end learning outcomes. The intent is to find out whether
a student knows and understands sufficiently to apply knowledge and skills effectively after
a period of instructions.
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6.3 THE LEARNING ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Teachers can modify this process depending upon their professional competencies and
needs of the students. However,
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6.4 Assessor(s)
The teachers, the students doing self-assessment, or the student(s) assessing a peer or
group, are assessors.
a) Teacher Assessment
The teacher assesses individual students or groups of students using a variety of
assessment tools to implement the various assessment strategies.
b) Self-Assessment
Through self-assessment, students can get a good idea of what they are expected to
accomplish and how they can demonstrate their knowledge. Students perceive the
relationship among content acquisition, skill proficiency and assessment opportunities. By
setting their sight on a demonstration, students can more readily see the connection and the
relevance of their work.
In addition, students record their observation and write reflective notes about how learning
experiences help them to understand the concepts and principles.
The students assume the role of researchers and use critical thinking skills as they find facts
and make inferences to reach more conclusions. They are not receiving information
passively and then simply giving it back to the teacher after memorizing it. At early grades,
students apply established criteria to reflect upon and/ or assess their own progress and
achievement with the role of teacher as a facilitator.
Through the development of self-assessment skills, students can learn accuracy and
accountability. Other virtues of self-assessment are:
c) Peer Assessment
Peer assessment is an effective way to collect a great deal of reliable information in a short
time. Evaluating the work of others is a valuable learning experience for the student who is
doing the assessment. While students make systematic judgments about each other’s
performance relative to stated criteria for the student learning outcomes, it extends the
teacher’s knowledge about an individual or group. However, peers must be knowledgeable
about the criteria for assessment, willing to take their responsibility seriously, and treat
others with respect.
In assessing their peers, students need to start with a limited role and use simple checklists,
rating scales, and frequency indexes.
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d) Group Assessment
Group assessment is similar to peer assessment; however, group assessment involves using
group of students to assess other groups or using one student to assess a group.
Classroom assessment strategies provide ongoing feedback for the learners and the teacher
on what is making sense and what learners don’t understand. They provide information for
the teachers on adjustments and modifications that need to be made to a course or learning
plan.
Teachers learn about students’ progress not only through formal tests, but also through
moment-by-moment observations of students in action. They often conduct assessment
through instructional activities. To assess students’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes,
teachers require a variety of tools and approaches.
a) Observation
Observation may offer information about students’ participation level for a given task, use
of piece of equipment or application of a given process. It is important to document
observations by keeping records.
Assessment tools that assist with recording information and maintaining records include
checklists, rating scales, scoring rubrics, frequency index scales, inventories, anecdotal
notes, codes, and self-adhesive notes or grids.
• Observe a certain number of students per class rather than all students.
• Focus on one skill at a time.
• Display scoring rubrics, rating scales, and checklist criteria.
• Use computer/ information technology to assist in recording observations (subject to
availability).
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b) Performance Tasks
Performance-Based Assessment
c) Questioning/ Interviews
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• Questions can be delivered formally or informally through interviewing carried out as
a station activity or through whole-class questioning.
• Students’ responses can be given in writing or through a variety of methods (e.g.,
human opinion lines, thumbs up/ down sideways signals, stand-up/ sit-down
indicators).
• Responses can be recorded using class checklists or other record-keeping methods.
Journal writing and learning log entries provide opportunities for students and record their
personal thoughts, reflections, choices, feelings, progress, and/ or participation, patterns
and changes related to active living participation chart, recess participation records,
personal goal-setting plans, and so on.
By recording feelings, perceptions of success and responses of new concepts, a student may
be helped to identify his or her most effective learning style. Knowing how to learn in an
effective way is useful information. Journal entries also give indicator of developing attitudes
towards concepts, process and skills, and how these may be applied in the context of society.
Self-assessment, through a journal, learning log or reflection allows a student to think about
strengths and weakness, attitudes, interests and new ideas.
e) Portfolio
Portfolios offer another option for assessing students’ progress in meeting Curriculum
Outcomes over a more extended period of time. This form of assessment allows the student
to be central to the process. There are decisions about the portfolio, and its contents, which
can be made by the student and teacher together. What is placed in the portfolio, the criteria
of selection, how the portfolio is used, how and where it is stored, and how it is evaluated,
are some of the questions to consider when planning to collect and display students’ work in
this way. Items in portfolio may take the form of audio-video productions, demonstrations,
laboratory reports, research projects, work of art, written reports, to name a few.
The portfolio should provide a long-term record of growth in learning and skills. This record
of growth is important for individual reflection and self-assessment, but it is also important
to share with others. For all students, but particularly younger students, it is exciting to
interview a student regarding portfolio and see the record of development over the time.
Paper and pencil tasks may involve answering multiple-choice, true or false, open-ended, or
matching questions, completing and drawing, or labeling a diagram. These techniques can
be formative or summative.
These can be in written form for display or direct teacher assessment. Whether as part of
learning, or a final statement, students should know expectations for the exercise and rubric
by which it will be assessed. Written assignments and tests can be used to assess knowledge,
understanding and application of concepts. Test items tend to assess knowledge of factual
information and application of basic skills in isolated, de-contextualized ways rather than
assessing the application of the knowledge and skills in meaningful, everyday situations.
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6.6 ASSESSMENT TOOLS
Assessment tools are instruments for measurement or making judgments, based on the
interpretation of evidence, to determine how well the students are performing. They include
the performance criteria to determine the level of students’ progress and achievement.
Examples of the assessment tools are checklists, rating scales, scoring rubrics, frequency
indexes, inventories, and anecdotal notes.
a) Checklist
b) Rating Scales
• Rating scales include clear and concise list of criteria that allows students’ performance
to be judged along a continuum.
• Rating scales can be descriptive (e.g., always frequently, rarely), graphic, and/ or
numeric (e.g., 5,4,3,2,1 with 5 being highest and 1 lowest.)
c) Scoring Rubrics
• Separate sets of descriptors/ criteria for each performance level reflect learning
outcome components and distinguish the quality of a performance or product. Rubrics
usually have three to five levels.
• Students assist with the development of criteria for each performance level where
possible so that there are clear expectations for students at the outsets of a project/
assignment, performance, or demonstration.
• Rubrics provide more detail than do rating scales or checklists. However, Scoring
rubrics are time consuming to construct. They should be created for large products and
processes.
• Scoring rubrics may range from two to five points:
• two- point rubrics (e.g., yes, no/ developing, developed/ okay, improvement desired)
• three point- rubrics (e.g., proficient, competent, improvement desired/ powerful,
capable, developing/ mature formative, initial/ outstanding, acceptable, progressing)
• four - points rubrics (e.g., outstanding, good, okay, novice/ exemplary, competent,
developing, emerging)
• five-point rubric (e.g., consistently, frequently, sometimes, with direction, rarely/
awesome, very good, satisfactory, minimal, non-existent)
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There are two types of rubrics
• Holistic rubrics score the students’ performance as a whole and combine a variety of
essential performance elements in order to determine the overall level of competency
(e.g. one rubric is used to assess several elements such as cooperation, participation,
fair play, and communication skills)
• Analytical rubrics outline essential elements so that student receives feedback on the
level of performance for each essential element (e.g., a separate rubric is used for
elements of fair play that includes respect for opponents, rules, and officials,
self-control and equitable playing)
d) Frequency indexes
A frequency index indicates how often various skills, behaviors and/or attitudes occur.
Teacher may use a class list to add check marks each time a student performs or
demonstrates a certain characteristic. For example, the students perform or demonstrate a
certain characteristics i.e., the student:
e) Inventories
An inventory is given to student in order to find out prior knowledge, past experience,
abilities, and/ or current interest in an activity/ area.
An inventory can be either verbal (informal inventory) or written, and can consist of a series
of questions or statements requiring responses. For example, teacher may use
questionnaires, surveys, and/or a show of hands on specific topic areas (e.g., sports
interests, food intake and physical activity participation in leisure time).
f) Anecdotal Notes
• a list of students for each class, divided into three columns: date, observation, planned
action.
• brief, focused and objective notes.
• codes for quick recording (e.g.) C-cooperation, FP-fair play, IA- inattentive)
• self – adhesive notes for comment forms that students fill out, including date, name,
and description of behavior (positive or negative). Notes can be placed on a class
record-keeping sheet.
• computer technology (e.g. software programs for creating class recording lists).
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Assessment of Affective Traits and Dispositions
Affective traits and dispositions are the attitudes, values, motivation, social relationship,
classroom environment, and concept of one’s own academic ability. They are those factors
(of the student, teacher, and classroom) that affect the way students learn.
Positive, well-developed affective traits motivate students to learn effectively now an in the
long-term. Students have a better self-concept, higher productivity and become more
involved citizens of their society. In addition, they learn or analyze themselves and refine
behaviors and disposition. (All teachers know that the students with positive affective traits,
learn better, and are more confident. But few, if any, teachers assess affective targets.
Reasons include the subject matter-knowledge and skills – are seen as the primary focus of
education in schools; the difficulty of defining affective targets because they are personal
and different for individual students; assessment is influenced by transient to please
teachers).
Affective traits can be assessed through self-reporting, teacher’s observation and peer
evaluation. No assessment technique/ tool is a perfect device to assess students’
achievement. Thus, several techniques may be utilized collectively to evaluate total growth
of students in:
• intellectual growth
• moral achievement
• physical development
• emotional growth
• social growth
• social development
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CHAPTER
CHAPTER
The teaching and learning resources include: textbooks, teacher’s guide/manual, student’s
workbooks, visual aids such as charts, models, videotapes, computer software, internet
websites, online libraries, community (field work, Guest Speakers etc).
A textbook is an important teaching and learning resource and one of the most extensively
used resources in classrooms. Both the quality of contents and presentation must be of the
highest quality for primary school children in the early grades. Young learners draw upon
immediate personal experiences as a basis for exploring concepts and skills. They enjoy
hearing stories of both the recent and distant past. They enjoy learning about events
through the autobiographies and biographies of historical personalities, therefore, for early
grades, short pictorial representation, exposure to various media and firsthand experience
through activities, must be included in the teaching and learning resources. Since the
textbook serves as a framework for teaching throughout the year, following are essential
features for a textbook, which need serious consideration:
1. A textbook must include an introduction to the textbook, explaining how to use the
textbook.
2. Table of contents including subtopics.
3. The textbook must be in line with the National Curriculum, covering all SLOs.
4. The book must be attractive and engaging.
5. Written text needs to be kept at minimum, particularly for Grade I and II.
6. Content and illustrations must be culturally, contextually and age appropriate.
7. Activities must be simple and within students’ capabilities.
8. All text and material must be accurate, up-to-date and error-free.
9. End-of-the-Chapter exercises must include a variety of assessment styles based on
levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy. These should encourage students to think, develop skills,
use information for a variety of purposes.
10. Exercises/questions must be contextually relevant (feasible to use in classrooms,
affordable, examples from context to increase relevance and meaning).
11. Textbooks should not include any content/ material repugnant to the national integrity
and harmony.
12. Textbooks should be free from all kinds of biases including, gender, religion,
occupation, social background etc.
13. Relevant internet links and other online resources may be included.
14. Glossary of the new vocabulary must be included.
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7.1.1 Guideline for planning and writing a chapter
This curriculum requires a new way of writing a chapter in the textbook. The textbook author
is free to decide the titles of each chapter and can choose to cover students’ learning
outcomes (SLOs) from any themes in developing the content of the chapter.
The textbook author must also keep in mind that a number of SLOs cannot be addressed in
the text (as if this is done it would lead students to simply memorize the text and not serve
the realization of the curriculum). These SLOs could be realized through questions and
practical activities within and at the end of the chapter exercises.
For example, students could be given a question that takes them to predict about scarcity of
natural resources with reference to growth of living things. Similarly, an activity could ask
students to engage in any inquiry and design a poster to communicate ways to conserve
natural resources as a product of the inquiry.
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7.1.2 Guidelines for choosing a textbook
4. Do the illustrations (maps, pictures, drawings, graphs) help understand the content
better?
5. Do the end-of-the-chapter exercises encourage students?
a. To think
b. To develop their skills
c. To be creative
d. To be research oriented
6. Activities?
a. Are activities suitable for the needs of the learners?
b. Do activities include student participation in real life issues?
c. Do activities promote 21st century skills?
7. Is a variety of assessment strategies suggested? (e.g., binary and multiple choice items,
completing picture/ map items, project work, exhibitions, interpretive exercises,
open-ended and divergent responses, etc.)
8. Does it motivate students to think?
9. Do the text, questions and suggested activities stimulate interest that would lead to
further study?
10. Is the book free from biases?
a. Religious | b. National/Ethnic Origin | c. Gender | d. Occupation | e. Class etc.
11. Do the textbooks present issues from different perspectives?
12. Does it include current issues, problems, latest information and happenings?
13. Is a teacher’s guide/ teaching notes included?
14. Is it attractive and appealing to children?
15. Is the language readable, understandable, and easy to follow? Is it appropriate for the
level of target learners?
16. Are the contents relevant to the needs, age and level of understanding of the student?
17. Is there an introduction and summary?
18. Does it have an introduction explaining its organization, table of contents etc.?
19. Are there suggestions for further reading in the area or websites for further
information?
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7.2 GUIDELINE FOR WRITING A WORKBOOK
Workbooks are books that contain writing activities and exercises that build upon each
chapter in the textbook. Workbook exercises help students to develop conceptual
understanding of the concepts dealt with in the text, to develop skills and to apply
knowledge to new situations.
Educational Tours (visits): Keeping in view that students link their learning experiences
with real-life situations pertaining to environment, community, resources and local
expertise, explorative activities for examples, a quick field trip/ visit to the schoolyard or
nearby field/park, railway station etc are recommended. All such activities are characterized
by active student involvement in attempting to find answers to questions about the natural
and constructed world. For this, teacher has to plan the tour and Identify and contact
appropriate authorities (seek parents’, principal’s written permission at school and
management at place of visit). Explain about the purpose of the tour. Develop a task sheet
to be completed by students. Evaluate and record the students’ outcomes.
Guest Speakers: Guest speakers from laboratories/ factories or some community personnel
(not only professional but people with special skills such as carpenter) can be invited to the
school that could help students develop interest in learning.
Non-Print Resources: There are an increasing variety of resources such as video, offer
simulations and models of real-life situations that permit the investigation of phenomena
that are not easily available because of cost, safety, or accessibility.
Use of Technology: Computer and related technology offer students a very important
resource for learning the concepts and processes of science through simulations, graphic,
sound, data manipulation, and model building.
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7.4 A GUIDELINE FOR DEVELOPING “TEACHER’S GUIDE’’
A teacher’s guide:
• Helps teachers to plan and sequence the lesson in order to teach the text effectively.
• Provides teachers with relevant background knowledge essential for teaching the
concepts.
• Outlines the learning outcomes to be achieved from each planned lesson.
• Identify teaching strategies appropriate to the context of teaching and learning according
to the textbook.
• Provides step by step guidelines for teaching strategies that are suitable for teaching
knowledge, skills, and dispositions in each chapter.
• Identifies what extended activities students could do with teacher’s help to reinforce and
build upon the target knowledge, skills and dispositions.
• Identifies the resources needed for teaching strategies and extension activities.
• Identifies sources of information teachers can use to develop their knowledge (content
and pedagogical).
• Explains how and where teachers can develop low-cost or no-cost resources.
• Includes Materials that teachers can photocopy (PCM), use themselves or for students.
• Identify constraints and strength of each strategy or activity, especially if likely to be new
for teacher.
• Includes various assessment strategies (strengths, weaknesses, how to implement etc.)
and give examples of questions/ tests.
• Provides teachers with choices of strategy/ activity for each chapter (let them decide
which to use).
• Needs to be error free and contextually relevance.
• Includes Relevant website links
• Includes revised Bloom’s Taxonomy Pyramid to support the teachers in designing tasks
and questions in line with the progression in the lesson.
• Includes some other resources/ websites/ appropriate online resources at the end of each
topic/ theme.
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7.5 TEACHER TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
Teachers should have full command over different methods of teaching. For example,
promoting inquiry by participating in “inquiry experiences” similar to those they will
eventually provide for their students. They must have understanding of elements of
constructive teaching practices and various inquiry approaches. Knowledge of
methodologies must be accompanied by a full understanding about the philosophy and
rationale of each teaching method.
Teachers need to use and apply different strategies of teaching and learning according to
different situations, age appropriateness, and students’ prior knowledge. Experienced and
effective teachers know that their method and style needs to be adapted and transformed to
fit the local situation and external factors that may impinge on a lesson.
Teachers must be trained to develop skills for managing the new and existing resources that
they may require to enrich their teaching styles. Teachers need to arrange resources that are
required for activities that enhance concepts of students and match these with the level and
interests of the learners.
Teachers must be taught to evaluate their own teaching practices and subject knowledge in
the light of information about the content standards and students’ learning outcomes. They
improve their teaching practices by soliciting feedback and engaging in cycles of planning,
teaching, reflecting, discerning problems, and applying new trends and strategies. Teachers
use reflection and feedback to formulate and prioritize goals for increasing their subject
knowledge and teaching effectiveness.
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ADVISOR
SINGLE NATIONAL CURRICULUM
Islamabad
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Punjab
Deputy Director, Curriculum, Punjab Curriculum &
9 Mr. Karam Hussain Textbook Board Lahore
Sindh
Subject Specialist, DCAR Sindh,
17 Mr. Tanweer Ahmed Khan Jamshoro
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Subject Specialist (Social Science), DCTE Khyber
24 Mr. Babar Bashir Pakhtunkhwa Abbottabad
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Balochistan
Subject Specialist, Education Department
28 Mr. Muhammad Anwar Government of Balochistan
Subject Specialist, Education Department
29 Mr. Junaid Farooq Government of Balochistan
J.E.T, Education Department Government
30 Mr. Muhammad Imran Farooq
of Balochistan
33 Mr. Olaad Ali Shah Assistant Professor Degree College Ghari Dupatta
Gilgit-Baltistan
Instructor, Government College of Education
35 Mr. Samiullah for Men Gilgit
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LUMS University
Faculty, Technical Consultant,
47 Ms. Soufia Siddiqui LUMS University Lahore
Technical Support
79
NATIONAL CURRICULUM COUNCIL
MINISTRY OF FEDERAL EDUCATION AND
PROFESSIONAL TRAINING, ISLAMABAD
GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN
www.mofept.gov.pk