ABSTRACT
Since 1993 the Dutch curriculum for physical science at the junior secondary level (grades 7-9) includes attainment targets referring to a number of environmental issues (water, waste, energy etc.) and the ability to present an argued point of view in related decision-making situations. However, in these attainment targets any indication of how these words (an argued point of view) might be interpreted is lacking. In order to assess the feasibility of the curriculum proposals a small-scale research and development project was started in 1991 with the aim of preparing and investigating teaching about one of these environmental issues (waste, limited to household packaging waste) and related decision-making in classroom practice, with grade 8 middle-ability students.
