Science in the New Zealand Curriculum
Achievement objectives
Level 3: Making Sense of the Living World
Students can investigate special features of common animals and plants and describe how these help them to stay alive.
Science in the New Zealand Curriculum, page 58
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/science/curriculum/p58_59_e.php
Levels 3 and 4: Developing Scientific Skills and Attitudes
Information gathering: Students can record observations and measurements.
Science in the New Zealand Curriculum, page 45
http://www.tki.org.nz/r/science/curriculum/p44_51_e.php
The teacher's intended outcomes were for the students to:
- develop their interest in native plants, and plan and carry out an action to encourage others to be environmentally aware
- develop an understanding of the preferred habitats and uses of some native trees.
The intended outcomes were aligned to the following "big ideas":
- People take responsibility for the world in which they live.
- Our unique New Zealand plants grow well in their own habitats, have interesting features, and are therefore useful for gardens and amenity planting.
The students have developed a native bush area alongside their school. While
at the school each student is allocated an area to develop.
In 2002, with regional council support, the school acquired a growing frame and several hundred seedlings. These were potted up or planted out according to the students' own plans. Their plans were based on their research into the preferred habitat and features (size and growth rate of the trees).
The students recorded the new plantings in a "Diary of my Patch" with photos of the trees planted. They debated what to do with the surplus trees and eventually the students decided to offer them to another school. They wrote to the school asking if they would like the trees and provided detailed instructions on planting and care (see Sara and Emily's letter to the school)
Teacher-student conversation
Discussion before the letter writing:
| Teacher: |
What are some of the things you'll tell the children at school? |
| Emily: |
We'll tell them about our native trees and what we are doing. |
| Sara: |
And why we're doing it, like the fantails coming to eat the bugs and planting trees so that even when we're not at this school the trees will still be here. |
| Teacher: |
What do you think they will need to know about the seedling you send them?
|
| Sara: |
How to plant it and look after it and that it has really pretty flowers. |
To move Emily and Sara to the next learning step the teacher could help them focus on:
- considering further action they could take if the response to this initiative is disappointing (developing interest and relating science learning to the wider world)
- encouraging further communication from Emily and Sara to the school so the students can research and develop their knowledge about the behaviour of the birds that visit the bush (developing and communicating scientific understanding).
The teacher could:
- encourage a visit from, or correspondence with, a botanist about trees that are rare in the region, or particularly useful to birds (developing interest and relating science learning to the wider world)
- encourage Emily and Sara to explore further ways of developing the area to make it a sanctuary and resource area for birds (developing and communicating scientific understanding).
Reference
Ministry of Education (1993). Science in the New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.
TKI Science community
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