Sweden Year 3 Science Curriculum - Physics

Science Studies Curriculum (Years 1-3): In Sweden, the Year 3 Physics curriculum is integrated with Biology and Chemistry under the subject "Science Studies".

This integrated approach focuses on exploring the natural world through observation, investigation, and discussion. The curriculum aims to develop students' curiosity about themselves and nature, encouraging them to ask questions and seek answers through systematic studies. Practical investigations using various tools and equipment, including digital technologies, are emphasized. Students are also expected to develop critical thinking skills by evaluating their own results, considering different arguments, and assessing information sources. The curriculum promotes the use of scientific methods to test and evaluate statements. It also aims to equip students with the knowledge and tools to express their arguments and examine the arguments of others in contexts where scientific knowledge is relevant. This includes developing the ability to handle practical, ethical, and aesthetic situations related to health, natural resource use, and ecological sustainability.

Core Content:

• Force and Motion: This section introduces fundamental concepts of physics through everyday experiences.
• Gravity and friction are explored through observations of play and movement, such as on swings and slides.
• Balance, center of gravity, and equilibrium are investigated through activities like balancing and using seesaws.
• Materials and Substances in Our Surroundings: This section explores the properties of different materials.
• Students learn to categorize materials and objects based on properties like appearance, magnetism, conductivity, and buoyancy.
• The curriculum also covers the historical use and development of materials, the composition of everyday objects, and the concept of recycling.
• Different forms of water (solid, liquid, gas) and transitions between these forms (evaporation, boiling, condensation, melting, solidification) are studied.
• Basic properties of air are also observed and investigated.
• Simple solutions and mixtures, and methods for separating them (e.g., evaporation, filtering) are introduced.
• Seasons of the Year in Nature: This section integrates physics with other science disciplines.
• The relative motion of the Earth, Sun, and Moon is studied, including different phases of the Moon and the appearance of constellations throughout the year.
• Seasonal changes in nature and their impact on the life cycles of plants and animals are observed.
• Body and Health: This section connects physical science concepts to human experiences.
• Students explore how light, sound, temperature, taste, and smell are perceived through the senses.
• Narratives about Nature and Science: This section encourages students to explore scientific concepts through different lenses.
• Fiction, myths, and art related to nature and people are examined.
• Narratives about science from different cultures and historical periods are also explored.
• Methods and Ways of Working: This section focuses on developing scientific inquiry skills.
• Simple field studies and observations in the local environment are conducted.
• Simple scientific studies are carried out.
• Students learn to document their scientific work using text, pictures, and other forms of expression, with and without digital tools.

Knowledge Requirements (Acceptable Knowledge at the End of Year 3):

Students demonstrating acceptable knowledge can describe and give examples of simple relationships in nature based on their experiences and explorations. They can discuss seasonal changes, life cycles, parts of the human body, the senses, and factors affecting health. They can also discuss gravity, friction, and equilibrium in relation to their observations of play and movement. They can describe materials used in everyday objects, classify materials based on their properties, and describe properties of water and air. They can also discuss narratives about nature and human beings from different sources. In terms of scientific inquiry, students can perform simple field studies and other investigations based on provided instructions. They can make observations, categorize objects, and separate simple solutions and mixtures. They can compare their results with others and document their studies using various forms of expression.