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Achievement objectives by level
Strands
The New Zealand Curriculum specifies five strands for the sciences.
The Nature of Science strand is the overarching, unifying strand; all science programmes will incorporate achievement objectives from this strand alongside appropriate objectives from the four contextual strands:
- Living world (biology)
- Planet Earth and beyond (Earth and space science)
- Physical world (physics)
- Material world (chemistry).
While content knowledge is important, the focus of the curriculum is on science as a process. For this reason, it is desirable that programmes integrate achievement objectives from across the contextual strands and that learning in science connects with learning in other areas.
To link them to the source document, the codes for the achievement objectives are derived from the strand names in The New Zealand Curriculum.
Level 6
Students will:
Nature of science
Understanding about science
- NOS 6-1 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
- NOS 6-2 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
- NOS 6-3 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
- NOS 6-4 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.
Biology (living world)
Life processes
- LW 6-1 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
- LW 6-2 Investigate the impact of natural events and human actions on a New Zealand ecosystem.
Evolution
- LW 6-3 Explore patterns in the inheritance of genetically controlled characteristics; Explain the importance of variation within a changing environment.
Earth and space science (Planet Earth and beyond)
Earth systems
- PEB 6-1 Investigate the external and internal processes that shape and change the surface features of New Zealand.
Interacting systems
- PEB 6-2 Develop an understanding of how the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere interact to cycle carbon around Earth.
Astronomical systems
- PEB 6-3 Investigate the interactions between the solar, lunar, and Earth cycles and the effect of these on Earth.
Physics (Physical world)
Physical inquiry and physics concepts
- PW 6-1 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
- PW 6.2 Investigate how physics knowledge is used in a technological or biological application.
Chemistry (Material world)
Properties and changes of matter
- MW 6-1 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
- MW 6-2 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
- MW 6-3 Investigate how chemical knowledge is used in a technological application of chemistry.
Level 7
Students will:
Nature of science
Understanding about science
- NOS 7-1 Understand that scientists have an obligation to connect their new ideas to current and historical scientific knowledge and to present their findings for peer review and debate.
Investigating in science
- NOS 7-2 Develop and carry out investigations that extend their science knowledge, including developing their understanding of the relationship between investigations and scientific theories and models.
Communicating in science
- NOS 7-3 Use accepted science knowledge, vocabulary, symbols, and conventions when evaluating accounts of the natural world and consider the wider implications of the methods of communication and/or representation employed.
Participating and contributing
- NOS 7-4 Use relevant information to develop a coherent understanding of socio-scientific issues that concern them, to identify possible responses at both personal and societal levels.
Biology (living world)
Life processes
- LW 7-1 Explore the diverse ways in which animals and plants carry out the life processes.
Ecology
- LW 7-2 Explore ecological distribution patterns and explain possible causes for these patterns.
Evolution
- LW 7-3 Understand that DNA and the environment interact in gene expression.
Ecology and evolution
- LW 7-4 Explain how the interaction between ecological factors and natural selection leads to genetic changes within populations.
Earth and space science (Planet Earth and beyond)
Earth systems and interacting systems
- PEB 7-1 and 7-2 Develop an understanding of the causes of natural hazards and their interactions with human activity on Earth.
Astronomical systems
- PEB 7-3 Explain the nature and life cycles of different types of stars in terms of energy changes and time.
Physics (Physical world)
Physical inquiry and physics concepts
- PW 7-1 Investigate physical phenomena in the areas of mechanics, electricity, electromagnetism, light and waves, and atomic and nuclear physics. Produce qualitative and quantitative explanations for a variety of unfamiliar situations; Analyse data to deduce complex trends and relationships in physical phenomena.
Using physics
- PW 7-2 Use physics ideas to explain a technological or biological application of physics.
Chemistry (Material world)
Properties and changes of matter
- MW 7-1 Investigate and measure the chemical and physical properties of a range of groups of substances, for example, acids and bases, oxidants and reductants, and selected organic and inorganic compounds.
The structure of matter
- MW 7-2 Relate properties of matter to structure and bonding; Develop an understanding of and use the fundamental concepts of chemistry (for example, equilibrium and thermochemical principles) to interpret observations.
Chemistry and society
- MW 7-3 Apply knowledge of chemistry to explain aspects of the natural world and how chemistry is used in society to meet needs, resolve issues, and develop new technologies.
Level 8
Students will:
Nature of science
Understanding about science
- NOS 8-1 Understand that scientists have an obligation to connect their new ideas to current and historical scientific knowledge and to present their findings for peer review and debate.
Investigating in science
- NOS 8-2 Develop and carry out investigations that extend their science knowledge, including developing their understanding of the relationship between investigations and scientific theories and models.
Communicating in science
- NOS 8-3 Use accepted science knowledge, vocabulary, symbols, and conventions when evaluating accounts of the natural world and consider the wider implications of the methods of communication and/or representation employed.
Participating and contributing
- NOS 8-4 Use relevant information to develop a coherent understanding of socio-scientific issues that concern them, to identify possible responses at both personal and societal levels.
Biology (Living world)
Life processes, ecology, and evolution
- LW 8-1 Understand the relationship between organisms and their environment.
- LW 8-2 Explore the evolutionary processes that have resulted in the diversity of life on Earth and appreciate the place and impact of humans within these processes.
- LW 8-3 Understand how humans manipulate the transfer of genetic information from one generation to the next and make informed judgments about the social, ethical, and biological implications relating to this manipulation.
Earth and space science (Planet earth and beyond)
Earth systems and interacting systems
- PEB 8-1 and 8-2 Develop an in-depth understanding of the interrelationship between human activities and the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere over time.
Astronomical systems
- PEB 8-3 Explore recent astronomical events or discoveries, showing understanding of the concepts of distance and time.
Physics (Physical world)
Physical inquiry and physics concepts
- PW 8-1 Investigate physical phenomena (in the areas of mechanics, electricity, electromagnetism, light and waves, and atomic and nuclear physics) and produce qualitative and quantitative explanations for a variety of complex situations; Analyse and evaluate data to deduce complex trends and relationships in physical phenomena.
Using physics
- PW 8-2 Use physics ideas to explain a technological, biological, or astronomical application of physics and discuss related issues.
Chemistry (Material world)
Properties and changes of matter
- MW 8-1 Investigate and measure the chemical and physical properties of a range of groups of substances, for example, acids and bases, oxidants and reductants, and selected organic and inorganic compounds.
The structure of matter
- MW 8-2 Relate properties of matter to structure and bonding; Develop an understanding of and use the fundamental concepts of chemistry (for example, equilibrium and thermochemical principles) to interpret observations.
Chemistry and society
- MW 8-3 Apply knowledge of chemistry to explain aspects of the natural world and how chemistry is used in society to meet needs, resolve issues, and develop new technologies.
Last updated July 10, 2012