CHAPTERONE

SCI
ENCEANDTHESCI
ENTI
FICMETHOD
Awof
odu,
A.D

HI
STORYOFSCI
ENCEI
NNI
GERI
AANDTHEWORLD

TheWor
ldWarI
Iandt
heUSSRl
aunchi
ngofSput
nik1i
ntoor
bi he4th of
tont
Oct
ober1957aswel
lasVanguar
dIbyt
heUni
tedSt
atesi
nMar
ch1958madepeopl
e,
gov
ernment
,educat
ioni
ndust
ri
esandmassmedi
aawar
eoft
hei
mpor
tanceofsci
ence
andi
tsnumer
ousappl
i
cat
iont
ohumani
ty.Thephenomenalr
isei
nindust
ri
alr
evol
uti
on
l
i
ke comput
ert
echnol
ogy,
bio-
technol
ogyand communi
cat
ions f
urt
heraccel
erat
ed
i
nter
estoft
hewor
ldi
nsci
enceeducat
ion(
Agusi
obo,
1985)
.

Thei
nter
estofcur
ri
cul
um dev
eloper
sinsci
encewasst
imul
atedandt
heysought
f
ort
hebestwayoft
eachi
ngsci
ence.Theydi
scov
eredt
hatt
hebestwayt
oteach
sci
encei
nsuchawayt
hati
tsbenef
ici
ari
escoul
dli
veef
fect
ivel
yint
hismoder
nageof
t
echnol
ogyi
sthr
oughabr
oadf
iel
dcur
ri
cul
um-
sci
ence.Thi
smov
eor
igi
nat
edf
rom t
he
dev
elopedcount
ri
es.Thev
ari
oussci
encecur
ri
cul
um mov
ement
swhi
chemer
gedi
n
1950si
ntheUSAandl
aterUK,Scot
landandAust
ral
i
aemphasi
zedt
eachi
ngofsci
ence
i
nthei
ntegr
atedf
orm mostespeci
all
yint
hepr
imar
yschool
sandt
hej
uni
orsecondar
y
school
s.Thi
sspat
eofcur
ri
cul
um i
nnov
ati
onsl
edt
othepr
oduct
ionofnewpr
ogr
ammes.
Exampl
eofsuchpr
ojecti
sSci
ence:APr
ocessAppr
oachf
rom t
heAAASi
ntheUni
ted
St
atesofAmer
ica.I
twasoneoft
hef
ir
stcur
ri
cul
um i
nnov
ati
onsi
nce(
1963)andnow
oneoft
hel
argestsci
encepr
oject
sofal
l(Haggi
sandAdy
,1979)
.

Concept
ual
l
y or
ient
ed pr
ogr
ammes f
orpr
imar
y sci
ence i
n 1961 (
COPES);
El
ement
arySci
enceSt
udyandSci
enceCur
ri
cul
um I
mpr
ovementSt
udyi
n1962.Ot
her
s
wer
eScot
ti
shSci
encePr
ojecti
nEngl
and;School
sCounci
lSci
encePr
oject(
SCI
SP)i
n
Engl
and;t
heBSCSEnv
ironment
alModul
efr
om t
heBi
ologi
calSci
enceCur
ri
cul
um St
udy
Pr
ojecti
nUSA;Manandhi
sPhy
sicalWor
lddev
elopedatVi
ctor
iaSt
ateEducat
ion
Depar
tment
,Aust
ral
i
a.
 Ascanbeseenf
rom t
henames,eachpr
ojectat
tempt
edt
oint
egr
atev
ari
ous
aspect
sofsci
ence.Onecannotdobutnot
ethewor
thwhi
l
eef
for
tUNESCO madeby
or
gani
zi
ngameet
ingonsci
encei
nPar
isi
n1969,
theai
msofUNESCOwer
e:

a. Assi
stt
he memberst
ates t
o st
imul
ate and st
rengt
hen t
he sci
ent
if
ic
at
ti
tudesandski
l
lsofchi
l
dren.

b. Pr
omot
esci
encet
eachi
ngi
npr
imar
yschool
sandt
hel
owerf
ormsof
secondar
yschool
s bear
ing i
n mi
nd t
hatsci
ence t
eachi
ng shoul
d be
i
ntegr
atedasf
ull
yaspossi
blei
ntot
heov
eral
lcur
ri
cul
um.

c. Emphasi
zet
hei
mpor
tanceofi
nit
iat
ingsuchpr
ogr
ammesatt
hepr
imar
y
schooll
eveli
nor
dert
hatsci
encemaybei
ntr
oduceatt
heear
li
estgr
ade
possi
ble,
ther
ebyt
eachi
ngt
hel
argestgr
oupofchi
l
drenwhi
l
etheyar
est
il
l
i
nschool
.

Theaf
ore-
ment
ioneddev
elopmenti
nUSA,UK,Aust
ral
i
aandt
heonei
nit
iat
edby
UNESCOnodoubthadt
remendousef
fect
sonsci
encecur
ri
cul
um r
efor
msi
nNi
ger
ia.
Thi
swasnot
iceabl
eint
hecur
ri
cul
um whi
chwasdesi
gnedf
orCompr
ehensi
veHi
gh
School
,Ai
yet
oro asf
arbackas1963-
Aiy
etor
o Basi
cSci
ence Pr
oject
.The f
ormer
West
ernr
egi
onofNi
ger
iawi
tht
heassi
stanceofAmer
icanAgencyf
orI
nter
nat
ional
Dev
elopment(
USAI
D)setupCompr
ehensi
veHi
ghSchool
,Ai
yet
oro.Cour
sesof
fer
ed
wer
eGener
alSci
ence.Engl
i
shl
anguage,
Engl
i
shl
i
ter
atur
e,Yor
uba,
French,
Mat
hemat
ics
Woodwor
k,Met
alwor
k,Techni
caldr
awi
ng,Agr
icul
tur
e,Busi
nessadmi
nist
rat
ion,Home
economi
cs,Ar
ts,El
ect
roni
cs,Aut
o-mechani
cs and Soci
alst
udi
es.A br
oad f
iel
d
cur
ri
cul
um wasdev
elopedf
orsoci
alst
udi
esandsci
ence.

Ai
yet
oroBasi
cSci
encedi
dnotof
feradef
ini
ti
onof
/forsci
ence.Howev
er,i
t
adopt
edandemphasi
zedi
ntegr
ati
on.Thei
rpr
ogr
ammewassi
mil
art
otheAmer
ican-
basedSci
ence-APr
ocessAppr
oach(
SAPA)whi
chai
msathel
pingchi
l
dren“
toacqui
re
compet
encei
nthepr
ocessesofsci
ence”
.Ai
yet
oroBasi
cSci
encePr
ogr
ammet
her
efor
e
ai
medatmaki
ngl
ear
ner
sdosci
encet
hewaysci
ent
ist
sdoi
t.Obser
vingcar
eful
l
y,
r
epor
ti
nghonest
lywhati
sobser
ved,andbei
ngpat
ient
.Wi
tht
hisv
iew,sci
encei
sseen
as“
abodyofknowl
edgeandt
hemet
hodofacqui
ri
ngi
t.
 I
naddi
ti
ont
otheAi
yet
oropr
oject
,ot
herat
tempt
stomakesci
encet
eachi
ng
i
ntegr
ated,meani
ngf
ul,chi
l
d-cent
eredandi
nqui
ryor
ient
edl
edt
otheemer
genceof
v
ari
oussci
encecur
ri
cul
aint
heNi
ger
ianeducat
ionalsy
stem bet
ween1859and1999s.
Suchpr
oject
sincl
udeAf
ri
canPr
imar
ySci
encePr
ogr
amme(
APSP)
,whi
chwasl
ater
changed t
o Sci
enceEducat
ionPr
ogr
ammef
orAf
ri
ca(
SEPA)i
n1971;t
hePr
imar
y
Educat
ionI
mpr
ovementPr
oject(
PEI
P)i
nit
iat
edatAhmaduBel
l
oUni
ver
sit
y,Zar
ia;t
he
Mi
d-west(
nowEdoandDel
taSt
ate)Pr
imar
yPr
oject(
MPSP)
;theNor
ther
nSt
atePr
imar
y
Sci
encePr
ogr
amme,Oy
o/Ogun/
OndoSt
atesPr
imar
ySci
encePr
ogr
amme(
OOOSPSP)
;
BendelSt
atePr
imar
ySci
encePr
ogr
amme(
BSPSP)
;theI
feSi
xyearPr
imar
ySci
ence
Pr
ogr
amme/
Proj
ect
s(I
SPS)
.Mostoft
hesepr
oject
swer
eimpor
ted f
rom USA and
Br
it
ainbutl
ateradopt
edt
oNi
ger
ianeducat
ionsy
stem.Howev
er,apur
elyi
ndi
genous
sci
encepr
oject(
NISP)emer
gedandwasdev
elopedbySci
enceTeacher
sAssoci
ati
onof
Ni
ger
ia(
STAN)
.

TheWestAf
ri
canExami
nat
ionCounci
l(WAEC)i
n1968cal
l
edonSTANhel
pin
i
mpr
ovi
ngsci
encesy
ll
abus.STANr
espondedbyset
ti
ngupcur
ri
cul
um commi
tt
eesf
or
phy
sics,
chemi
str
yandbi
ology
.Thewor
koft
hesecommi
tt
eebr
oughtoutt
heneedf
ora
basi
csci
encesy
ll
abusf
orf
orms1and2.Thecommi
tt
eesi
ntur
npul
l
edef
for
tst
oget
her
t
o pr
oduce NI
SP t
ext
book and t
eacher
’s gui
de.Thi
s was publ
i
shed i
n 1971 and
i
ntr
oducedt
oschool
sin1977.NI
SPwhi
chwasdev
elopedf
orf
orms1and2musthav
e
dr
awnal
otofi
nspi
rat
ionf
rom t
hev
ari
ouspr
oject
sadopt
edf
orm USAandBr
it
ain.The
Ai
yet
oroCompr
ehensi
veHi
ghSchoolexper
imentandi
tsmat
eri
alsal
soconst
it
uteda
posi
ti
vest
imul
antf
ort
hedev
elopmentofNI
SP.Wi
thr
ecentdev
elopment
sin our
educat
ionalsy
stem,t
hepubl
i
shi
ngoft
heNat
ionalPol
i
cyonEducat
ion(
NPE)cl
osel
y
f
oll
owedbyt
hedev
elopmentof“
Cor
eCur
ri
cul
um f
orSci
encef
orJuni
orSecondar
y
School
s(JSS)
”byt
heFeder
alMi
nist
ryofEducat
ionand Ni
ger
ianEducat
ionResear
ch
Counci
l(NERC)
,NI
SPhadt
ober
evi
sed.I
twasr
evi
sedt
ocat
erf
orst
udent
sint
hef
ir
st
t
hreey
ear
sofsecondar
yeducat
ioni
.e.JSSpupi
l
’st
ext
book1,2,3andcor
respondi
ng
t
eacher
’sgui
dewer
epubl
i
shedbet
ween1982and1985.

I
tadapt
ed t
hei
ntegr
ated appr
oacht
othet
eachi
ng ofsci
enceand ai
mst
o
pr
esentpupi
l
swi
thanov
erv
iew ofsci
enceasanact
ivi
tyr
athert
hanagr
oupof
unr
elat
edsubj
ect
swi
thunr
elat
edandi
rr
elev
antbi
tsofi
nfor
mat
iont
obememor
ized
(
Onwuka,1981)
.Itat
tempt
stogi
vest
udent
sabr
oadbasedgener
aleducat
ioni
nthe
l
owerf
ormsbef
oret
heypr
oceedt
ospeci
ali
zei
ntheseni
orsecondar
yschool
.

Ther
efor
e,accor
dingt
othecor
ecur
ri
cul
um f
orSci
enceJuni
orSecondar
ySchool
FEMST(
1984)
,int
egr
atedpr
inci
plesi
nSci
encear
eint
endedt
opr
oduceacour
sewhi
ch:

 i
srel
evantt
ost
udent
s’needsandexper
iences;
 st
ressest
hef
undament
aluni
tyofsci
ence;
 l
ayadequat
efoundat
ionf
orsubsequentspeci
ali
stst
udy
.
AChi
l
dishel
ptogai
nanunder
standi
ngoft
her
oleandf
unct
ionofsci
encei
n
ev
ery
dayl
i
feandt
hewor
ldi
nwhi
chheorshel
i
vesandaddsacul
tur
aldi
mensi
ont
o
sci
enceeducat
ion(
FME,
1981)
.

Bef
oremoder
nsci
encewasf
ir
mlyest
abl
i
shedi
nNi
ger
ianhi
ghschool
cur
ri
cul
um i
nthel
ate1940s,cer
tai
ntr
adi
ti
onalobj
ect
sandpr
ocesseswer
ebasedon
sci
ent
if
icknowl
edgeandpr
inci
ples.Sev
enar
easofknowl
edgeexi
stedi
ntr
adi
ti
onal
t
echnol
ogyandpr
oduct
ion,t
radi
ti
onalsci
enceandspecul
ati
on;t
radi
ti
onall
anguage,
l
anguageandcommuni
cat
ion;t
radi
ti
onalsoci
alst
udi
es;t
radi
ti
onalaest
het
icsst
udi
es
andassessment
;tr
adi
ti
onalmat
hemat
icsandcal
cul
ati
on;
tradi
ti
onalphy
sicaleducat
ion
andpr
ocess.

The basi
c sci
ence f
ormed par
toft
he cont
entoft
radi
ti
onalsci
ence and
specul
ati
on.Forexampl
e,chemi
calknowl
edge was demonst
rat
ed i
nthe nat
ive
pr
oduct
ion of spi
ri
ts,wi
ne,her
baldecoct
ions f
orheal
i
ng ai
l
ment
s and i
nthe
manuf
act
ureofsoapsanddy
es.I
nphy
sics,t
het
radi
ti
onalpeopl
eunder
stoodt
he
pr
inci
pleofmass-
vol
umer
elat
ionshi
pincanoebui
l
ding,i
nthemaki
ngofbowsand
ar
rowsandt
hepr
inci
pleofr
efr
iger
ati
onbyusi
ngacl
aypotasacool
erbecauset
he
por
ouspr
oper
tyoft
hecl
ayal
l
owev
apor
ati
ont
otakepl
acebr
ingi
ngaboutt
hecool
i
ng
ef
fectoft
hecl
aypot
.Al
soi
nbi
ology
,theanci
ent
sal
soest
abl
i
shedt
hatwat
eri
sneeded
f
ort
heger
minat
ionandgr
owt
hofseeds.Nev
ert
hel
ess,t
radi
ti
onalsci
ence,whi
chwas
domi
nat
ed byspecul
ati
on,had t
o gi
ve wayt
o moder
n sci
ence because t
he l
ater
under
li
est
hest
ruct
ureofmoder
ntechnol
ogy
.