Analysis of primary school science textbooks in terms of PISA competency levels and thinking skills

This research aims to provide a comprehensive overview of primary school science textbooks. The problem situation of the research is constituted by examining the primary school 3rd and 4th-grade science textbooks in terms of their representation adequacy levels in PISA and science literacy skills. Additionally, the research aims to investigate which thinking skills the activities in the textbooks target, their objectives, the learning experiences they guide the students through, the study methods, the resources required in the activity processes, and the distribution regarding interactions with nature and other living beings. In line with the objectives of the research, the document analysis method, which is one of the qualitative research models, has been adopted. The first dataset of the research consists of activities in the primary school 3rd and 4th-grade science textbooks of educational institutions affiliated with the Ministry of National Education in the 2023-2024 academic year. The data of the research were obtained from the activities in the textbooks examined within the scope of the research. The research findings have indicated some deficiencies in the textbooks in terms of certain qualities examined within the scope of the research. These deficiencies primarily revolve around the low representation adequacy levels of the activities in PISA, the limited number of activities aimed at developing thinking skills, and guiding students to use a limited number of resources in the activity processes. In this context, the activities in the textbooks can be rearranged and designed in a qualitative and enriching manner to ensure that students have a more effective learning experience and to enhance their thinking skills. This way, students can receive an education that conforms to international standards