sachkunde

Sachkunde is a school subject in German-speaking countries, primarily in primary education, focusing on knowledge of the natural and social world encountered in daily life. The term translates roughly as "subject knowledge" or "general knowledge" and reflects an aim to develop practical understanding of everyday phenomena.

In most German states, Sachkunde combines elements of science, geography, history, civics, and health and safety. Topics can include plants and animals, weather and climate, the local environment, communities and transportation, as well as media literacy and everyday technologies. The objective is to build basic scientific and civic literacy through concrete, locally relevant content.

Pedagogy emphasizes inquiry-based learning, hands-on experiments, field trips, observation, and problem solving. Learning is often integrated with language and mathematics, and uses projects and portfolios alongside classroom discussion. Assessments tend to be continuous and task-based rather than standardized exams for primary grades.

There is variation by state: some regions use the term Sachunterricht or Umweltkunde, and curricula differ in content and time allocation. Despite naming differences, the underlying aim is to foster curiosity about the world and responsible citizenship.

Historically, the subject developed as part of efforts to connect science and social knowledge for young learners in German primary education.