A comparative analysis of Biology books included in the Federal list of school textbooks (2018) for grades 5–7

The paper discusses one of the most important issues for educational process organization while teaching Biology at secondary school educational and methodological support and its main component a course book. The authors prove the urgency of this problem as school teachers face a great choice of Biology course books. The paper also contains a brief overview how the notion course book developed in Russia. The authors have given a modern interpretation of the notion course book taking into account the Federal State Educational Standards of General Education. Particular attention is paid to considering the structure of the course book. The specificity of a Biology course book for secondary schools is characterized. The authors have also revealed some variability of Biology course books for 57 grades of secondary schools in modern conditions when there are two federal lists of school textbooks. The reasons for the existing difficulties in the choice of a Biology course book by school Biology teachers are revealed. Particular attention is paid to the criteria for a comparative analysis of the content of Biology course books for secondary schools. The authors have also revealed a degree of completeness of Biology courses with various components for grades 57. The presented materials can be used by school teachers while teaching a Biology course at a secondary school.