Exploring the Sequence of Science Contents in the Intended Primary Curriculum of Bangladesh

This study aimed to explore the sequence of contents in the Primary science curriculum of Bangladesh at the intended level. The current Primary curriculum has been in implementation throughout Bangladesh since 2013 where all the students study ‘Science’ as a unified and compulsory subject at Primary level which consists of grade One to Five. There is no textbook of science for grade One and Two while National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) has developed teacher-manual for these grades. Science textbooks for grade Three, Four and Five have been developed and distributed by NCTB. The research questions of this study focus on how science contents are sequenced within a chapter of a specific grade and how science contents are sequenced vertically from one grade to another in the curriculum as well as in the textbooks. For conducting this study, qualitative research approach has been followed. Document analysis of the curriculum and textbooks has been done by adapting selected frameworks. A checklist which is based on the works of Print [9] has been used for exploring the principle of sequencing contents while a framework based on Bruner [21], Harden [17] and Johnston [18] has been used for exploring spiral-sequencing. This study finds that the intended Primary science curriculum and textbook is not fully well-organized in terms of sequencing. For sequencing content within a chapter, no principle is followed in most cases while ‘Simple to Complex’ principle has been followed in some cases. For sequencing contents vertically from one grade to another, ‘Simple to Complex’ has been followed or partially followed in most cases whereas no principle is followed in the rest. ‘Spiral sequencing’ is either partially followed or not followed in the curriculum and textbooks. As literatures emphasize on well-sequenced curriculum and textbook for ensuring successful and effective learning, this study recommends that curriculum developers as well as textbook authors may make efforts to make the science contents well-organized in the curriculum and textbooks by following the principles of sequencing.