South Sudan Primary 4 Science Syllabus

Unit 1: Caring for Our Environment

• Importance of Cleaning Our Environment: This topic emphasizes the importance of maintaining a clean environment for the health and well-being of both living organisms and the ecosystem. Learners explore the negative impacts of pollution on plants and animals, focusing on food chains and air quality.
• Tools for Cleaning the Environment: Learners identify and describe various tools used for cleaning, such as brooms, mops, dustpans, and rakes. They learn about the specific uses of each tool and how they contribute to maintaining a clean environment.
• How to Clean Our Environment: This topic provides practical experience in cleaning the school environment. Learners participate in cleaning activities, using the tools they have learned about, and develop an understanding of the process of cleaning different areas.
• Safety and Hygiene: Learners are introduced to safety precautions and hygiene practices to be followed while cleaning. They learn about the importance of wearing appropriate protective gear, such as gloves and overalls, to prevent injuries and maintain hygiene.
• Proper Disposal of Different Types of Waste: This topic covers the classification and disposal of waste materials. Learners differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste and understand the importance of proper waste management for environmental protection.

Unit 2: Grouping Plants and Animals, Their Conservation and Food Chain

• Grouping Animals According to Their Feeding Habits: Learners classify animals based on their dietary habits, identifying herbivores, carnivores, and omnivores. They explore the adaptations of different animals for consuming various types of food.
• Interdependence of Living Things: This topic introduces the concept of interdependence within ecosystems. Learners explore how organisms rely on each other for food and other resources, understanding the interconnectedness of living things.
• Conserving Plants and Animals: Learners explore the importance of conservation and learn about methods to protect plants and animals. They discuss the impact of human activities on ecosystems and the need for sustainable practices.
• Effects of Climate Change on Animals and Plants: This topic introduces the concept of climate change and its impact on living organisms. Learners explore how changes in weather patterns and environmental conditions affect plants and animals, emphasizing the importance of environmental protection.

Unit 3: Seeds and Germination

• Structure of Seeds: Learners examine the internal and external structures of seeds, identifying the different parts and their functions in the process of germination.
• Germination of Seeds: Learners investigate the process of seed germination, observing the changes that occur under different conditions of light, temperature, and moisture. They conduct experiments to understand the factors necessary for successful germination.

Unit 4: Water and Its Properties

• Water in Different States: Learners explore the three states of water – solid, liquid, and gas – and investigate the changes in state caused by temperature variations. They learn about the processes of melting, freezing, evaporation, and condensation.
• Physical Properties of Water: Learners investigate the physical properties of water, such as its shape, volume, and ability to take the shape of its container.
• Solubility of Substances in Water: Learners explore the concept of solubility, experimenting with different substances to determine their ability to dissolve in water. They differentiate between soluble and insoluble substances.
• Floating and Sinking: Learners investigate why some objects float while others sink in water, exploring the concepts of density and buoyancy. They conduct experiments with objects of different materials, shapes, and sizes.

Unit 5: Matter and Materials

• States and Physical Properties of Matter: Learners explore the three states of matter – solid, liquid, and gas – and investigate their physical properties. They learn about the characteristics of each state and how matter can transition between states.
• How Some Matter Exists in All Three States: Learners investigate how certain substances, like water, can exist in all three states of matter under different conditions.
• Methods of Separating Mixtures: Learners explore different methods of separating mixtures, such as sieving, winnowing, dissolving, evaporation, decanting, filtering, and using magnets. They conduct experiments to separate various mixtures and understand the principles behind each method.

Unit 6: Light and Heat

• Sources of Light: Learners explore different sources of light, differentiating between natural sources like the sun and artificial sources like bulbs and lamps.
• How Light Travels: Learners investigate how light travels, understanding that it moves in straight lines. They explore the concepts of transparency, translucency, and opacity, experimenting with different materials.
• Behaviour of Light in Different Materials: Learners investigate how light behaves when it encounters different materials, observing reflection, refraction, and absorption.
• Uses of Light: Learners explore the various uses of light in daily life, understanding its importance for vision, communication, and other activities.
• Sources of Heat: Learners explore different sources of heat, including the sun, fire, and electricity.
• How Heat Travels: Learners investigate how heat travels through conduction, convection, and radiation, experimenting with different materials.
• Uses of Heat: Learners explore the various uses of heat in daily life, such as cooking, warming, drying, and ironing.

Unit 7: Electricity and Magnetism

• How to Produce Static Electricity: Learners investigate how static electricity is generated through friction, exploring its effects and properties.
• Current Electricity: Learners explore the concept of current electricity, learning about circuits, batteries, and the flow of electric charge.
• Connecting Dry Cells: Learners investigate how to connect dry cells in series and parallel circuits, observing the effects on the brightness of bulbs.
• How Magnets Are Made: Learners explore how magnets are made, differentiating between temporary and permanent magnets. They investigate the process of magnetization and the properties of different types of magnets.
• Grouping Materials Using a Magnet: Learners investigate the properties of magnets, using them to classify materials as magnetic or non-magnetic.
• Magnetic Poles: Learners explore the concept of magnetic poles, identifying north and south poles and investigating their interactions. They learn about the attraction and repulsion between like and unlike poles.
• Finding the Strength of a Magnet: Learners investigate the strength of magnets, exploring factors that affect magnetic force and conducting experiments to compare the strength of different magnets.

Unit 8: Earth, Gravity and Simple Machines

• How the Earth Looks Like: Learners explore the shape of the Earth, understanding that it is a sphere. They use models and other representations to visualize the Earth's shape and its rotation.
• The Force of Gravity: Learners explore the concept of gravity, understanding that it is a force that pulls objects towards the center of the Earth. They investigate the effects of gravity on falling objects and discuss the concept of weight.
• Effects of Gravity in Space: Learners explore the effects of gravity in space, discussing the concept of weightlessness and how astronauts experience gravity differently in space.
• Overcoming Force of Gravity: Learners investigate how objects, such as birds and airplanes, can overcome the force of gravity, exploring the concepts of air resistance and lift.
• How to Construct a Pulley: Learners learn how to construct a simple pulley system, understanding its components and how it works to lift objects.
• How to Use a Pulley: Learners investigate how to use a pulley to lift objects, exploring the concept of mechanical advantage and how pulleys make work easier.
• Making an Inclined Plane: Learners learn how to construct a simple inclined plane, understanding its components and how it works to move objects.
• How to Use a Simple Inclined Plane: Learners investigate how to use an inclined plane to move objects, exploring how it reduces the force required to lift objects.