Investigation of Activities Related to Specific Days and Weeks in Life Science Course in the Context of Classroom Teachers' Opinions

Abstract

Purpose: Life science course is one of the courses in which students acquire essential life skills at the primary school level. Students acquire many skills, such as being aware of what is happening around them, having knowledge about cultural life, social participation, personalizing basic human values, being sensitive to the natural environment, and adopting a healthy lifestyle. Since life studies is a course that focuses on human and social life, activities related to specific days and weeks are significantly associated with the life studies course. This study aimed to examine the practices related to specific days and weeks within the scope of life studies course in line with the opinions of classroom teachers. Method: The research was designed as a case study, one of the qualitative research methods. The participants were 20 classroom teachers selected according to the criterion sampling technique. The research data were collected through semi-structured interviews, and the data obtained were analyzed using the content analysis technique. Findings: As a result of the research, it was determined that the activities related to specific days and weeks contribute to the course’s importance in raising awareness in students, strengthening national unity and solidarity, and being sensitive to social events. It was determined that teachers did not find the activities related to specific days and weeks in the textbooks sufficient. Teachers stated that activities such as ceremonies and celebrations for specific days and weeks are not effective for students when they are unplanned and out of necessity, but more effective results are obtained when they are processed with active learning activities in the classroom. The teachers expressed problems such as lack of materials and resources and physical impossibilities as problems that prevented more effective handling of specific days and weeks. Implications: Based on the results of the research, suggestions can be made for life science textbooks to reflect specific days and weeks more effectively, to increase the variety of resources and materials related to specific days and weeks, and to carry out activities related to specific days and weeks within good planning.