With inquiry at the core, the sciences framework aims to guide students to independently and collaboratively investigate issues through research, observation and experimentation. The sciences curriculum must explore the connections between science and everyday life. As they investigate real examples of science applications, students will discover the tensions and dependencies between science and morality, ethics, culture, economics, politics, and the environment.

Scientific inquiry also fosters critical and creative thinking about research and design, as well as the identification of assumptions and alternative explanations. Students should learn to appreciate and respect the ideas of others, gain good ethical-reasoning skills and further develop their sense of responsibility as members of local and global communities.

Learning science involves more than simply learning technical terminology. The IB considers all teachers to be language teachers and, thus, IB sciences should enable students to access, use and communicate scientific knowledge correctly and confidently in oral, written and visual modes.