FORMAT AND PRESENTATION OF THE CURRICULUM IN SCIENCE

In accordance with The New Zealand Curriculum Framework the expected learning in science spans eight levels and is described in the form of sets of achievement objectives which are organised within learning strands.

LEARNING STRANDS

In this curriculum six learning strands are identified. These are:

The integrating strands:

• Making Sense of the Nature of Science and its Relationship to Technology;
• Developing Scientific Skills and Attitudes;

The contextual strands:

• Making Sense of the Living World;
• Making Sense of the Physical World;
• Making Sense of the Material World;
• Making Sense of Planet Earth and Beyond.

This division into six strands is a convenient way of categorising the outcomes for science education in schools. It emphasises that there are a number of aspects to science, all of which are important. The division does not mean that learning in each strand is to be developed independently from learning in other strands.

Science is both a process of enquiry and a body of knowledge; it is an integrated discipline. The development of scientific skills and attitudes is inextricably linked to the development of ideas in science. Similarly, as students' ideas evolve, they should be acquiring an understanding of the nature of science and its relationship to technology. Consequently, when planning and implementing a science programme, the integrating strands should be interwoven with the four contextual strands. Teachers should also seek ways to reflect the integrated nature of science by linking achievement objectives and learning experiences across the four contextual strands, and with achievement objectives in other essential learning areas of The New Zealand Curriculum Framework.