Designing a Flipped Classroom Framework for Grade 5 Science: A Theoretical Analysis and Instructional Design Study

Abstract

The application of the flipped classroom in primary education cannot be treated as a simple transfer of models developed for higher education. Grade 5 pupils have distinct needs related to learning guidance, self-regulation, digital access, and teacher scaffolding, while science learning requires sustained opportunities for inquiry, explanation, and the application of knowledge. This study aimed to develop a theoretically grounded instructional framework for applying the flipped classroom in Grade 5 Science. The study employed theoretical analysis, targeted literature synthesis, and instructional design. The analytical corpus comprised seminal and recent studies on flipped learning, K–12 and primary education, science education, formative assessment, educational design research, digital equity, and the Vietnamese General Education Curriculum. Sources were examined for design implications concerning the purpose and scope of pre-class learning, in-class inquiry, post-class consolidation, formative assessment, learner support, and technology access. The synthesis produced six design principles and a three-phase framework consisting of guided pre-class preparation, teacher-supported in-class inquiry and application, and post-class consolidation and extension. The framework was operationalised through an illustrative Grade 5 Science lesson on safe and efficient electricity use. The study does not claim causal effectiveness because no classroom intervention was conducted. Its contribution is a transparent, context-sensitive design that connects primary learners' developmental needs, science-learning processes, and flipped- learning principles. The framework provides a basis for subsequent expert validation and empirical testing in Vietnamese primary-school contexts.