Δελτίο της Ελληνικής Γεωλογικής Εταιρίας, τομ. XLVII , 2013 Πρακτικά 13 ου Διεθνούς Συνεδρίου, Χανιά, Σεπτ. 2013 Bulletin of the Geological Society of Greece, vol. XLVII 2013 Proceedings of the 13 th International Congress, Chania, Sept. 2013 THEORETICAL APPROACH OF TEACHING LITHOSPHERE IN JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES DEFINED BY THE CURRICULUM OF THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION Leontakianakos G. 1 , Vrachas C. 2 , Baziotis G. 3 , Baziotis I. 4, 5 , Soultati G. 1 and Fermeli G. 1 1 Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment, Department of Hist. Geology and Paleontology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Zographou, Athens, Greece, gleontakianakos@yahoo.gr, gfermeli@geol.uoa.gr, gewrgia_soul@hotmail.com 2 Faculty of Psychology, Pedagogy and Philosophy, Programme of Psychology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Zographou, Athens, Greece, crisvrach@yahoo.gr 3 Faculty of Physics, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, University Campus – Zografou, Athens, Greece, 15784, gbaziotis@synergy.gr 4 Department of Mineralogy, Petrology and Economic Geology, School of Geology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece, baziotis@metal.ntua.gr; ibaziotis@geo.auth.gr 5 Department of Earth Sciences, University of Perugia, 06100 Perugia, Italy Abstract The purpose of this study is an attempt to define the lithosphere concept, as de- scribed in the textbook “Geology-Geography” of the 1st Grade of junior high- school. Further we investigate whether the objectives of the corresponding chapter are being implemented according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Education. The main research hypothesis concentrates on the very limited cognitive background of the students regarding the lithosphere. It is based on the absence of a well- organized framework of proportional and gradually increased and specialized flow of knowledge, as suggest the few generalised concepts on the subject of Geography taught on the 5th and 6th grade of the Primary School. According to the Curriculum of the “Geology–Geography” of the Ministry of Education, the lithosphere chapter requires fifteen didactic hours for a sum of nine complexes, mostly cognitive objec- tives. However, the textbook contains only five didactic hours, an indicator of an asymmetric state of the Curriculum. Our opinion about curriculum content itself, which describes the lithosphere, compared to the strictly scientific definition, is that it represents a simplistic approach and consequently the materialization of the cog- nitive goals is doubtful. Key words: Geoscience education, Curriculum, secondary education Περίληψη Σκοπός της παρούσης εργασίας είναι να μελετηθεί το περιεχόμενο της έννοιας της λιθόσφαιρας όπως περιγράφεται στο σχολικό εγχειρίδιο «Γεωλογία-Γεωγραφία» της XLVII, No 2 - 1024