This study aimed to investigate the extent to which middle school science textbooks address components of the nature of science. This research was conducted using a quantitative content analysis method. The statistical population and sample comprised the three experimental science textbooks for the seventh, eighth, and ninth grades, and all texts, images, and activities within these books were analyzed. The research instrument, based on a standard framework developed by other researchers, possesses appropriate validity. The reliability of the coding was also confirmed through the inter-coder agreement coefficient. The findings reveal that across all three grade levels, there is a predominant emphasis on scientific concepts and laws, whereas components such as scientific methodology, problem-solving, and the science-society-technology interface remain underrepresented. Furthermore, the increased volume of content in the ninth-grade curriculum is primarily theoretical and lacks a commensurate increase in practical, inquiry-based activities. Overall, these textbooks fail to achieve an effective balance between theoretical knowledge and scientific skills, with ‘science as inquiry’ being notably neglected. Consequently, it is recommended that future revisions of middle school science textbooks explicitly incorporate a greater focus on scientific methodology, the research process, and the nexus of science, technology, and society within both textual content and pedagogical examples. Moreover, an expanded range of practical and experiential activities is essential to foster scientific literacy and a deeper understanding of the nature of science.