Sweden Biology Curriculum (Lgr22) - Grades 7-9

This information is derived from the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket) curriculum, Lgr22.

Purpose:

The Biology curriculum aims to cultivate students' curiosity and interest in themselves and the world around them. It equips them with the knowledge and skills to understand biological concepts, explain biological processes, and differentiate between scientific and non-scientific explanations of the world. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of evolution as a foundational theory in the natural sciences. Students are encouraged to explore nature, ask questions, and develop critical thinking skills. They learn to formulate arguments, evaluate information, and make informed decisions about environmental and health issues. Practical skills are developed through systematic investigations, including experiments and field studies, using various tools and technologies.

Core Content:

• Nature and Environment: Origin and development of life, biodiversity, evolution, genetics, genetic engineering (ethical considerations included), ecosystems (local and global), populations and resources, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, material cycles, energy flows, human impact on nature, and sustainable development.
• Body and Health: Cells, organs, organ systems (structure, function, and interaction), viruses, bacteria, infections, disease prevention and treatment, physical and mental health (influence of lifestyle factors), human reproduction, sexuality, identity, relationships, and sexual health.
• Systematic Investigations and Information Analysis: Field studies, experiments (using analog and digital tools), formulating research questions, planning and conducting investigations, evaluating results, documentation, connection between biological investigations and the development of concepts and explanatory models, history and evolution of biological explanatory models, information retrieval, critical evaluation of sources, and argumentation.

Grading Criteria (Åk 9):

The Swedish grading system uses a six-grade scale (A-F), with A being the highest passing grade and E the lowest. Grades are based on knowledge, skills, and the ability to apply these in various contexts.

• Grade E: Demonstrates basic knowledge of biological concepts and explanatory models. Can describe and explain biological connections in nature and the human body with some application of these concepts. Can reason and present arguments related to environmental and health issues with some scientific basis. Can search for and evaluate information from different sources and discuss their credibility and relevance. Can plan and conduct systematic investigations and evaluate the results based on the research questions.
• Grade D: Performance falls between C and E.
• Grade C: Demonstrates good knowledge of biological concepts and explanatory models. Can describe and explain biological connections with relatively good application of these concepts. Can reason, present, and refute arguments related to environmental and health issues with a relatively good scientific basis. Can search for and evaluate information from different sources and provide developed reasoning about their credibility and relevance. Can plan and conduct systematic investigations and evaluate the results using developed reasoning based on the research questions.
• Grade B: Performance falls between A and C.
• Grade A: Demonstrates excellent knowledge of biological concepts and explanatory models. Can describe and explain biological connections with a strong application of these concepts. Can reason, present, and refute arguments related to environmental and health issues with a solid scientific basis. Can search for and evaluate information from different sources and provide well-developed reasoning about their credibility and relevance. Can plan and conduct systematic investigations and evaluate the results using well-developed reasoning based on the research questions.