In this post, I will be talking about the BC science curriculum from K-9. Science is unlike any other subject in the curriculum as it is an interconnected journey rather than a series of isolated topics. Even though the content changes from year to year, there are overarching themes throughout the subject that remain consistent. It is like building blocks that will allows students to grow a strong scientific mindset over the course of their schooling and hopefully throughout their lives!

Big Ideas

The main similarities from K-9 are the “Big Ideas”. In each grade, learning is organized around concepts that grow in patterns, change, and interactions. Whether students are observing living things in primary or exploring matter and energy in intermediate, they are consistently asked how those ideas connect within larger systems. The repetition in applying the big ideas throughout the entire curriculum allows students to deepen their understanding and support scaffolding new and old concepts.

Core Competencies

From the start of kindergarten, we are tasked with encouraging students to ask questions, make predictions, observe, and communicate their findings orally and written. We learned this year from our instructor that “see, think, wonder,” is visible at every level of science and how we should approach something. The curriculum develops the core competencies, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration. Students are taught to share ideas, reflect on evidence, and apply learning to real-world situations across all grade levels.

Final Thoughts:

Looking back on what I have learned about the science curriculum, I really see how it’s designed to nurture wonder and growth over time which I personally feel like we need more creative thinking! Each year feels like another step in helping students question the world around them and see how everything connects. This allows us to make meaningful connections to First Peoples Principles of Learning (FPPL) where everything is connected and we can make observations about the world around us. I love that it’s not just about memorizing facts, but about learning how to think, explore, and communicate like real scientists. The curriculum sets up science as a kind of reminder that learning isn’t a destination, it’s a lifelong journey of noticing, questioning, and understanding the world on a deeper level.