PRIMALS 4-6

Pedagogical Retooling in Mathematics, Languages,

and Science for Grades 4-6 Teachers

Session 1.0
Revisiting 21st century skills vis-à-vis
the k-12 math and science curriculum

Learning Action Cell Session Guide

Science 4-6

Prepared by:

JUNNAH B. TIU
School Service Coordinator
Butuan City Schools Division Office
Department of Education - Region VIII
Objectives of the Session

At the end of the session, teachers should be able to:

 1. Identify the desired set of 21st century skills that the K to 12 program aims to
develop within the students;
2. Discuss the specific scientific reasoning and skills that the K to 12 Science
Curriculum targets to enable graduates to become globally competitive; and
3. Relate the purpose of the K to 12 content and performance standards in the
development of students’ scientific reasoning and skills.

Key Understanding or Learning Points

1. Official government documents show that the goal of the K12 program is to
“produce Filipino graduates to be locally and globally competitive”.
2. According to the Global Competitiveness Report that publishes an annual
ranking of the world’s most competitive economies, global competitiveness
involves developing and designing innovative solutions to various problems.
3. For a developing country to be globally competitive, the educational system
should train its graduates to be creative and become problem-solvers.
Correspondingly, the Science curriculum should foster mastery in scientific
reasoning and provide opportunities for inventive thinking and design.
4. Math and Science teachers then play a critical role in the advancement of a
developing country like the Philippines. Through the K12 content and
performance standards, teachers can mold students to seek scientific
solutions to the problems in their community.

Materials Needed Approximate Duration

 Copy of Math Case 1 (see 1.5 hours / 90 minutes

Annex 1)
 Copy of Science Case 1
 (see Annex 2)
 Set of Index Cards
 Whiteboard, Marker

References

Republic Act 10533: Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013

Retrieved Dec. 29, 2016 from
http://www.gov.ph/downloads/2013/05may/20130515-RA-10533-BSA.pdf

Implementing Rules and Regulations of the K12 Curriculum

Retrieved Dec. 20, 2016 from
http://www.deped.gov.ph/sites/default/files/order/2013/DO_s2013_43.pdf

Partnership for 21st Century Learning

Retrieved Dec. 29m 2016 from
https://www.imls.gov/assets/1/AssetManager/Bishop%20Pre-Con%202.pdf

World Economic Forum 2016-2017 Global Competitiveness Report

Retrieved Dec. 1, 2016 from
http://www.nmi.is/media/338436/the_global_competitiveness_report_2016-

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 2017.pdf
PPT Slide: Screenshot of Chart: WEF Stage 1-5 Ranking of Globally
Competitive Countries (2016)

Department of Education. K to 12 Curriculum Guides in Math and Science August

2016

PowerPoint Presentation – Session1: Revisiting the 21 st Century Curriculum vis-à-

vis the K12 Curriculum
“Good __________ everyone. Welcome to a thought-provoking LAC
session. Today, we’ll have a journey together on the road to successful learning.
Let’s begin by sharing what comes to mind when we hear the term 21 st Century
Learning.”

Note to the facilitator: If you have less than 10 participants, ask each of them to
share to the whole group. If there are more than 10, then ask only 3 participants to
share their answers to the whole group. Then thank them for sharing their
thoughts.

Introduce the session (10 minutes)

“Many educators in different parts of the world today talk of developing 21 st

century skills within their students. Like other progressive-thinking countries, the
K12 program in the Philippines makes an explicit claim of integrating 21 st century
skills within its instructional system. This session aims to revisit the topic of 21 st
century skills and discuss how these skills relate to the teaching of the Math and
Science Curriculum”.

ACTIVITY (25 minutes)

“Let’s now begin with an activity. You are going to get a copy of the cases
that I will be flashing onscreen, one case for Math and another for Science. Find a
partner from your subject group to discuss the case”.

Note to the facilitator: Distribute index cards and on the unmarked side, have
trainers write the number of their choice and below it a 1-2 sentence reason for
their answer. When time is up, survey first the Math teachers by asking the
following:
How many of you chose the test item created by Teacher 1? Teacher 2? Teacher
3? Teacher 4? Have concerned teachers raise and show their cards.

Do the same for the Science teachers: How many of you chose the test item
created by Teacher 1? Teacher 2? Teacher 3? Teacher 4? Have concerned
teachers raise and show their cards.

Have teachers share their reasons for their chosen answer. To record their
responses, make a T-chart on a whiteboard. Place the answers in the left column.
On the right column, write the reasons for the choice based on the K to12
provisions for determining student achievement. Make a separate chart for both
Math and Science groups.

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ANALYSIS (15 minutes)

Ask participants to review the answers in the charts pertaining to the K to 12

program. Ask questions like the following:
1. What are common ideas that you have about the kind of assessment items
teachers should make in line with the goals of the K to 12 program?
2. Are these ideas emphasized by the K to 12 curriculum? What do teachers
have to consider in delivering instruction to our 21 st century learners?
3. What feature is given more emphasis in the K to 12 curriculum as compared
to the previous BEC program?

ABSTRACTION (20 minutes)

“What skills must be developed by our 21 st century learners in the K to 12

program to be globally competitive? How do these skills help?
Let us find out by watching the video delivered by Mr. Julieven R. Abrea, Senior
Education Program Specialist, Bureau of Learning Delivery, Teaching and
Learning Division, DepED Central Office.”
Viewing #1. Revisiting 21st Century Skills
Resource Person: Julieven Abrea, PRIMALS 4-6 National Training of
Trainers

The following are the salient points discussed by the speaker in the video.
1. The four Cs of lifelong learning needed to meet the challenges of the 21 st
century workplace are Critical Thinking, Communication, Collaboration and
Creativity. These 4Cs have since been expanded by others to 7 which now
also cover Cross-Cultural Understanding, Computer/ICT Literacy and
Career and Learning Self-Reliance.
2. The list of skills came from various surveys of employers who were asked to
state the most desirable skills that they want new graduates or employees
to have. For example in a graphic of a survey result used in a P21 study
many of the 21st century skills were also mentioned or referred to.
3. The results of a study posted on June 15, 2011 (Business Mirror) shows the
Philippines ranking no. 7 among its ASEAN neighbors in the field of
education. In another study done among national industry employers,
perceptions by employers showed that high school graduates were
perceived to be “somewhat” good in human relations skills. But with regards
to their practical knowledge and skills and work habits, these skills were
rated as “hard to tell”.
4. The government-initiated K to 12 educational reform as an answer to the
feedback given by employers and industry practitioners. The Dep Ed in its
articulation of the K12 program has represented in its graphic of the K12 the
desired outcome of producing a “holistically developed Filipino with 21 st
century learning skills”.
5. Each academic subject contributes a particular part of the development of
these 21st century skills. English and Filipino aim to provide students with
effective communication and multi-literacy skills. Math is concerned with
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 developing students’ problem-solving skills. Araling Panlipunan is
concerned with the students’ growth in responsible citizenship. For its part,
Science is focused on enabling students to become “critical problem
solvers, responsible stewards of nature, innovative and creative citizens,
informed decision makers and effective communicators”. Hence, these skills
align with and translate into more specific terms the part Science and Math
plays in the students’ development of 21st century skills.
6. Unlike the previous BEC curriculum which focused on competencies, K to
12 is built on competencies aligned to content and performance standards.
The content standards which cover knowledge and understanding lead to
the performance standard which directs the way students are supposed to
transfer their learning. In particular, it is through the performance standard
that students in Science are expected to demonstrate their creative and
innovative solutions to the challenges they and their communities face.
7. Amin Hataman, who invented biodegradable plastic bags made of nata de
coco as part of his required school Science project won a gold medal in the
2014 International Young Inventors Olympiad in Tbilisi, Georgia and a
bronze medal in the 2015 International Sustainable World Energy,
Engineering and Environment Project (I-SWEEP) Olympiad held in
Houston, Texas. Hataman’s work alters our thinking about plastics which
have been previously thought to contribute to environmental degradation.

Discussion (20 minutes)

1. Between performance and content standards, which one accounted more

for Hataman’s scientific contributions? (Performance standards) Why do
you think so? (For it is through observable performance of their knowledge
that students are able to actualize 21 st century skills and become successful
workers or professionals in the 21st century.)
2. In our work as 21st Century Science and Math teachers, what do we need to
constantly do? (Be updated about the latest scientific findings and find ways
of encouraging our students to search for scientific solutions to the
problems in their community.)

Reflection (10 minutes)

1. What are the characteristics of 21 st Century Learners? Why is it important
for us teachers to be aware of these set of skills?
2. How then can we have more students like Hataman?
3. How are we going to develop the skills that our 21 st Century Learners truly
need?
4. What particular activities for professional development can we undergo to
address what is truly necessary?

Note to the facilitator: If you have less than 10 participants, ask each of them to
share to the whole group. If there are more than 10, have small groups with three
(3) participants then ask only 3 representatives to share their answers to the whole
group. Thank them for sharing their thoughts.

APPLICATION (15 minutes)

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Given the above inputs, have participants go back to their respective cases (those
that were discussed in the opening activity) as well as the T-charts showing their
reasons. Ask participants to evaluate their choices and reasons and compare them
with the discussion.

In particular, trainers will ask the following questions:

1. Which of the reasons in the charts are clearly aligned with the goals of the
K12 program?
2. Which of the reasons in the charts need to be revised in order to be aligned
with the goals of the K to 12 program? What specific revisions will you
make?
3. Next, ask the participants to go back to their index cards. On the ruled or
marked side, let them write the important points that they should highlight in
teaching Science and Math. Then below it ask them to write a new
explanation as to why.

Have teacher-participants share their answers on the index cards and their
realizations.

Closure (5 minutes)

Gather the trainers’ realizations and ask how much of the session’s discussion
was new or different for them. Then show the PowerPoint slide that has the
following quotation by Alvin Toffler: “The illiterate of the 21st century will not be
those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and
relearn”. As 21st century Science and Math teachers and students, we all need to
learn, unlearn and relearn.

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Annex 1

CASE 1 (MATH)

MATHEMATICS GRADE 5 – NUMBER SENSE

CONTENT STANDARD: The student is able to demonstrate understanding of

percent.

PERFORMANCE STANDARD: The student is able to apply percent in

mathematical
problems and in real-life situations.

Four teachers came up with the following assessment items to get evidence of
student achievement of the above standard. Determine which assessment item the K
to 12 program says should be used to obtain evidence of student achievement of the
above standard.

Teacher 1: 50% of 67
Teacher 2: 41 of 91
Teacher 3: Joel answered 21 questions correctly out of 35 on his science test. What
percent did he answer correctly?
Teacher 4: During the 2016 Rio Olympics Basketball games, team USA shot 21 out
of 28 attempted free throws while team Argentina put in 16 out of 23 attempted free
throws. As a sports analyst, who will you report had the better percentage? How do
you know that your answer is correct?

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Annex 2

CASE 1 (SCIENCE)

SCIENCE GRADE 4 – HUMANS: PARTS AND FUNCTIONS

CONTENT STANDARD: The learners demonstrate understanding of how the

major internal organs such as the brain, heart, lungs, liver, stomach,
intestines, kidneys, bones, and muscles keep the body healthy

PERFORMANCE STANDARD: The learners should be able to construct a

prototype model of organism that has body parts which can survive in a given
environment.

Four teachers came up with the following assessment items to get evidence of
student achievement of the above standard. Determine which assessment item the K
to 12 program says should be used to obtain evidence of student achievement of the
above standard.

Teacher 1: Differentiate the ff.: brain, heart, lungs, liver, stomach, intestines, kidneys,
bones, and muscles
Teacher 2: In a given outline of a human figure, locate the following: brain, heart,
lungs, liver, stomach, intestines, kidneys, bones, and muscles
Teacher 3: Rico takes a jeep to school every day. The jeeps Rico rides in always
pass through streets that are heavily polluted by smoke coming from cars, jeeps,
buses and tricycles. By the time Rico arrives in school, he is usually tired and
continuously coughing. What do you think was the effect of the daily ride on Rico’s
health? Which parts of his body do you think were affected? Why do you say so?
Teacher 4: Choose one from the following and write three things children should do
to keep that part healthy. Explain why your action should be done. Select 1 from:
brain, heart, lungs, liver, stomach, intestines, kidneys, bones, and muscles.