Investigation of Science Textbooks in terms of Science Process Skills.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which science process skills are represented in the texts and activities in 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th-grade science textbooks according to the learning areas of the science curriculum. The document analysis method is adopted in the current study. Course contents and activities in science textbooks are analyzed using descriptive analysis. The results show that there are 899 science process skills defined throughout 42 units in the 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th-grade science textbooks. Moreover, it is found that science process skills are mainly focused on the 6^th grade science textbook (n=215) and the least on the 3^rd grade science textbook (n=112). Furthermore, when the averages of science process skills used in science textbooks are examined, it has been determined that the use of science process skills in 6^th (%23.9) and 7^th (%18.8) grade textbooks are above the average. While science process skills in science textbooks increase from the 3^rd grade to the 4^th grade at the primary education level, a similar increase is not determined in the use of science process skills in secondary school science textbooks. When science textbooks are examined according to grade levels in terms of science process skills, it is discovered that observing is the most commonly utilized science process skill, while using data and modeling is the least used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]