Chemical education in korea

2.5. The Science Curriculum of High School
There are nine courses in the science curriculum of high school: General Science, Chemistry I, Physics I, Biology I, Earth Science I, Chemistry II, Physics II, Biology II, and Earth Science II.
"General Science" is a compulsory course for all high school students. This integrated course is designed to help students develop inquiry process skills needed to solve everyday problems and understand fundamental science concepts through inquiry activities. The objectives of the "General Science" course may be summarized as follows: 1) to understand natural phenomena and to scientifically solve problems in everyday situations by practicing scientific inquiry methods; 2) to understand fundamental science knowledge through inquiry activities and apply it to solving problems creatively; 3) to build interests in natural phenomena and learning science and develop attitudes to inquire continuously; and 4) to understand the influence of science on the development of technology and the progress of society.
The contents of "General Science" consist of two areas: 1) knowledge area such as matter, force, energy, life, earth, and the environment; and 2) inquiry area such as classification, measuring, predicting, experimentation, investigation and discussion, and interpreting data. Most chemistry subjects in "General Science" are included in the unit of "Matter". The contents in the unit of "Matter" may be divided into two areas. The knowledge area includes the reactivity of substances, the elements with similar properties, exothermic and endothermic reactions, and the factors affecting reaction rate. The inquiry area includes classification of elements by their properties, measuring the heat of combustion of fuels, and experiments regarding the effects of the concentration of reactant, temperature, and catalysts on reaction rates.
The "Chemistry I" course is designed to help nonscience (humanities and social studies) track students understand some fundamental concepts and strengthen their problem solving abilities. The objectives of the "Chemistry I" course may be summarized as follows: 1) to understand fundamental concepts in chemistry through the inquiries of natural phenomena; 2) to acquire scientific inquiry methods and apply them to solving everyday problems; 3) to build interests in natural phenomena and chemistry learning and develop attitudes to inquire continuously; 4) to understand the development of chemistry knowledge and historical viewpoints on the nature; and 5) to understand the influence of chemistry on technological development and human life.
The contents of "Chemistry I" are divided into two areas: 1) knowledge area that includes regularity in the world of matter and compounds around us; and 2) inquiry area that includes classification, experimentation, investigation, and discussion. The contents of "Chemistry I" are summarized in