Geology in the Spanish Education System: The Incredible Shrinking Curriculum

The Spanish education system is undergoing a profound transformation due to the implementation of a new education law. In this work, we will make a comparison between the old and new educational laws about content related to Geology in primary education. Moreover, the Spanish curriculum will be compared to the New Generation Science Standards (NGSS), since this is the reference curriculum used by the largest American research institutions (NASA, USGS, NPS, Universities, .). This study will analyze the specific curriculum that will be implemented in the Canary Islands (Spain). In this sense, we will pay special attention to the treatment of the volcanic phenomenon and the use of Canarian geological resources. The Geology of the 21st century is characterized by its interdisciplinarity, where subjects such as physics, mathematics, chemistry, ethics or engineering play a fundamental role. Is this taken into account in new education laws? Finally, we will offer a series of didactical tips to give students and teachers of primary education a broader, more engaging and motivating vision of geology that awakens their curiosity around Earth sciences.