The following are the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) links that relate to the Kiwi Mars project.
Most are from the Nature of Science and the Planet Earth and Beyond strands, but some are also from the other 3 strands.
The Achievement Aims (AA) are over arching statements for each strand in NZC.
The Achievement Objectives (AO) are the learning objectives for each strand.
Achievement aims
Nature of science
Students will:
Understanding about science
Learn about science as a knowledge system: the features of scientific knowledge and the processes by which it is developed; and learn about the ways in which the work of scientists interacts with society.
Investigating in science
Carry out science investigations using a variety of approaches: classifying and identifying, pattern seeking, exploring, investigating models, fair testing, making things, or developing systems.
Communicating in science
Develop knowledge of the vocabulary, numeric and symbol systems, and conventions of science and use this knowledge to communicate about their own and others’ ideas.
Participating and contributing
Bring a scientific perspective to decisions and actions as appropriate.
Planet Earth and beyond
Earth systems
Investigate and understand the spheres of the Earth system: geosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere (life).
Interacting systems
Investigate and understand that the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere are connected via a complex web of processes.
Astronomical systems
Investigate and understand relationships between the Earth, Moon, Sun, solar system, and other systems in the universe.
Physical world
Using physics
Apply their understanding of physics to various applications.
Chemistry and society
Find out about the uses of common materials and relate these to their observed properties.
Level 4: Achievement objectives
Nature of science
Understanding about science
Appreciate that science is a way of explaining the world and that science knowledge changes over time.
Identify ways in which scientists work together and provide evidence to support their ideas.
Investigating in science
Build on prior experiences, working together to share and examine their own and others’ knowledge.
Ask questions, find evidence, explore simple models, and carry out appropriate investigations to develop simple explanations.
Communicating in science
Begin to use a range of scientific symbols, conventions, and vocabulary.
Engage with a range of science texts and begin to question the purposes for which these texts are constructed.
Participating and contributing
Use their growing science knowledge when considering issues of concern to them.
Explore various aspects of an issue and make decisions about possible actions.
Living world
Life processes
Recognise that there are life processes common to all living things and that these occur in different ways.
Ecology
Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced.
Planet Earth and beyond
Earth systems
Develop an understanding that water, air, rocks and soil, and life forms make up our planet and recognise that these are also Earth’s resources.
Interacting systems
Investigate the water cycle and its effect on climate, landforms, and life.
Astronomical systems
Investigate the components of the solar system, developing an appreciation of the distances between them.
Level 5: Achievement objectives
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.
Planet Earth and beyond
Students will:
Earth systems
Investigate the composition, structure, and features of the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
Interacting systems
Investigate how heat from the Sun, the Earth, and human activities is distributed around Earth by the geosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.
Astronomical systems
Investigate the conditions on the planets and their moons, and the factors affecting them.
Physical world
Students will:
Using physics
Explore a technological or biological application of physics.
Material world
Students will:
Chemistry and society
Link the properties of different groups of substances to the way they are used in society or occur in nature.
Level 6: Achievement objectives
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:
Planet Earth and beyond
Students will:
Earth systems
Investigate the external and internal processes that shape and change the surface features of New Zealand.
Astronomical systems
Investigate the interactions between the solar, lunar, and Earth cycles and the effect of these on Earth.
Physical world
Students will:
Using physics
Investigate how physics knowledge is used in a technological or biological application.
Material world
Students will:
Chemistry and society
Investigate how chemical knowledge is used in a technological application of chemistry.