Comparative Study Of American Primary Science Curriculum Standards

The present world is in an era of rapid development of science and technology, the level of science and technology determines the competitiveness of the country to a great extend. Improving the level of science and technology must be rooted in the country’s science education. Under the backgrounds, all countries in the world attach great importance to improve the quality of science education.In July2001, Education Department of China published Full-time Compulsory Education Science Curriculum Standards of3-6grades(experimental draft). It’s the first Science Curriculum Standards of primary school, and means a bran-new starting of primary science education in China. Relative to the science education in western countries, at the stage of Chinese elementary education, the overall development and implementation of scientific education was late. Western countries have a wealth of experience. Therefore, it’s very necessary to learn from western countries. The USA is the strongest country in the science and technology, the development of science education is earlier than China. Massachusetts, one of the most flourishing regions in economy and education, and is one of the states which have modified the science curriculum in the most times. In October2006, new Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework was published after being checked and upgraded. This thesis compares and analyses the science curriculum of China and Massachusetts base on the importance of primary science education.In this thesis, after looking back upon the history of reform on primary science education in China, the USA and Massachusetts, study and compare the science curriculum standards of China and Massachusetts from micro view and macro view. At the micro view, this thesis studies and compares the development background,the organizational framework, the basic ideology, the curriculum objectives and the content framework between the two standards. At the macro view, it studies and compares the science inquiry, the emotion attitudes and values and scientific knowledge in content standards. In this part, it also includes the implementing advices. After studying and comparing from micro view and macro view, it draws conclusions at two views. At last, I conclude some thoughts on the differences between the two curriculum standards and some revelations on perfecting Full-time Compulsory Education Science Curriculum Standards of3-6grades (experimental draft).