Nature of science
Students will:
Understanding about science
Understand that scientists’ investigations are informed by current scientific theories and aim to collect evidence that will be interpreted through processes of logical argument.
Investigating in science
Develop and carry out more complex investigations, including using models.
Show an increasing awareness of the complexity of working scientifically, including recognition of multiple variables.
Begin to evaluate the suitability of the investigative methods chosen.
Communicating in science
Use a wider range of science vocabulary, symbols, and conventions.
Apply their understandings of science to evaluate both popular and scientific texts (including visual and numerical literacy).
Participating and contributing
Develop an understanding of socio-scientific issues by gathering relevant scientific information in order to draw evidence-based conclusions and to take action where appropriate.
Living world
Students will:
Life processes
Relate key structural features and functions to the life processes of plants, animals, and micro-organisms and investigate environmental factors that affect these processes.
Ecology
Investigate the impact of natural events and human actions on a New Zealand ecosystem.
Evolution
Explore patterns in the inheritance of genetically controlled characteristics.
Explain the importance of variation within a changing environment.
Planet Earth and beyond
Students will:
Earth systems
Investigate the external and internal processes that shape and change the surface features of New Zealand.
Interacting systems
Develop an understanding of how the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere interact to cycle carbon around Earth.
Astronomical systems
Investigate the interactions between the solar, lunar, and Earth cycles and the effect of these on Earth.
Physical world
Students will:
Physical inquiry and physics concepts
Investigate trends and relationships in physical phenomena (in the areas of mechanics, electricity, electromagnetism, heat, light and waves, and atomic and nuclear physics).
Demonstrate an understanding of physical phenomena and concepts by explaining and solving questions and problems that relate to straightforward situations.
Using physics
Investigate how physics knowledge is used in a technological or biological application.
Material world
Students will:
Properties and changes of matter
Identify patterns and trends in the properties of a range of groups of substances, for example, acids and bases, metals, metal compounds, and hydrocarbons.
Explore factors that affect chemical processes.
The structure of matter
Distinguish between atoms, molecules, and ions (includes covalent and ionic bonding).
Link atomic structure to the organisation of the periodic table.
Use particle theory to explain factors that affect chemical processes.
Chemistry and society
Investigate how chemical knowledge is used in a technological application of chemistry.