Uruguay Primer Grado School Syllabus - Physical Sciences

This syllabus outlines the curriculum for Physical Sciences in Primer Grado (1st Grade) in Uruguay, based on the Programa de Educación Básica Integrada (EBI) - 2023, published by the Administración Nacional de Educación Pública (ANEP). The curriculum is divided into four main areas: Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, Environmental Sciences (Biology), and Earth and Space Sciences.

I. Mathematics

The focus is on developing a foundational understanding of numbers, shapes, and mathematical thinking through hands-on activities and games.

• Numeration (Natural Numbers):
• Counting: Reciting numbers, one-to-one correspondence, identifying numerical symbols.
• Ordering: Comparing quantities (greater than, less than, equal to), understanding "before" and "after."
• Composition and Decomposition: Basic addition and subtraction in everyday contexts.
• Numeration (Rational Numbers): Introduction to the concept of halves and parts of a whole.
• Operations: Addition and subtraction in playful contexts, mental calculations, sharing and grouping.
• Magnitudes and Measurements: Comparing objects based on length, mass, and capacity. Using non-standard and standard units of measurement. Understanding the concept of time.
• Geometry:
• Space: Exploring three-dimensional shapes (polyhedra and non-polyhedra), identifying faces, edges, and vertices.
• Plane: Exploring two-dimensional shapes (polygons and non-polygons), identifying sides and vertices.
• Introduction to Probability and Statistics: Reading and interpreting simple lists, tables, and pictographs. Exploring random events.

II. Physics and Chemistry

This area introduces basic concepts about matter, energy, and their interactions through exploration and experimentation.

• Matter:
• States of Matter: Solid, liquid, and gas. Observing and describing the properties of materials (size, color, mass, hardness, fragility, flexibility, transparency, conductivity).
• Changes of State: Exploring changes between states of matter (e.g., melting, freezing, evaporation).
• Mixtures: Homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures. Simple methods of separating mixtures (decantation, filtration, sieving).
• Energy:
• Thermal Energy: Exploring temperature and thermal sensation.
• Light: How light interacts with different materials (opaque, transparent, translucent). Shadows and how they change with the position of the light source. The visible spectrum and additive color mixing.
• Other Forms of Energy: Solar energy, electrical energy, magnetism.

III. Environmental Sciences (Biology)

The focus is on understanding living things, their needs, and their relationship with the environment.

• The Human Body: Basic anatomy, the five senses, health, hygiene, and nutrition. The digestive system.
• Animals: Observing and comparing animals, their physical characteristics, and their diets.
• Plants: Observing and identifying plant parts (roots, stems, leaves, flowers). Plant care.
• Ecosystems: Components of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (biotic and abiotic factors).
• Living Things: Classifying living things into kingdoms (plants and animals). The importance of water for life.
• Nutrition: Different types of teeth and their relationship to diet. Human nutrition and the digestive process. Autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition.
• Respiration: How living things breathe. The respiratory system.
• Adaptations: Animal locomotion and adaptations to different habitats.
• Reproduction: Oviparous reproduction (birds and reptiles). Different forms of reproduction and embryonic development.

IV. Earth and Space Sciences (Geology and Astronomy)

This area introduces basic concepts about the Earth, its resources, and its place in the solar system.

• The Earth:
• Soil: Components and properties of soil. Soil care and preservation. Changes in soil caused by water (erosion, weathering).
• Water: Water as a component of soil. The water cycle. Surface water: circulation and transport. The effects of water on landforms.
• Atmosphere: Elements of weather and their variations. The relationship between weather, seasons, and human activities.
• Space:
• The Sun: The Sun as an astronomical body. The Earth-Sun system and the apparent daily motion of the Sun. Duration of day and night.
• The Sky: Observing elements of the day and night sky.
• Seasons: The four seasons and their characteristics. The relationship between weather and seasons.

General Methodological Guidelines:

The curriculum emphasizes active learning through play, experimentation, observation, and interaction with the environment. Teachers are encouraged to use a variety of resources, including technology, and to connect learning to the students' everyday lives. Collaboration and communication are also important aspects of the learning process. The curriculum promotes interdisciplinary connections between different subject areas.