Special features

The books are a resource for teachers. They are designed to help plan learning experiences that have a clear science focus at a level appropriate for the learner.

Each book is:

• designed for stated learning levels;
• referenced to one or more of the achievement aims from the contextual strands of Science in the New Zealand Curriculum.

Note: Provisional concepts for the indicated levels of the curriculum are developed without specifying exact links to achievement objectives at each level. This has been done because:

• Students' common misconceptions are highlighted to help the teacher avoid assumptions about what will already be obvious to learners. These misconceptions are usually addressed in the first section of the activities.
• In some places, there is no progression of linked ideas between curriculum levels.
• The familiarity of the context may set the level of learning challenge.
• Students may operate at different curriculum levels in different areas of science and in different topics.

Each book contains a concept overview, science notes, activities, assessment opportunities, and resources.