Understanding about science resources

Students answer two multichoice questions giving explanations for their choice and two short answer questions.

Students are provided with a map showing wind speed and direction over some landforms. Students explain two ways that mountains affect the wind.

Students are provided with a fact file on the tuatara. Students answer four questions that are based on information contained in the fact file.

Students give two pieces of information a scientist could learn from placing bands on the legs of birds.

Students are provided with a picture of a New Zealand native bird. Students select a word from a given list to name each of these bird parts. Students are then required to explain why the bird needs each of these named parts.

Task: Read a short piece of narrative. Identify and explain the behavioural adaptations of oystercatchers. Assessment focus: interpreting text to identify behavioural adaptations and their purposes.

Task: Use evidence to make inferences about how leaves help plants survive in particular environments. Assessment focus: leaf adaptations.

Task: Identify features of 4 animals that live in water, then use this information to decide whether they are fish or not. Assessment focus: classification of fish.

Task: Identify features of 4 animals that live in water, then use this information to decide whether they are fish or not. Assessment focus: classification of fish.

Task: Students decide whether six animals are insects or spiders and justify their answers. Assessment focus: Using evidence.

Reading text to find information about how scientists work. Assessment focus: interpreting information about how scientists work.

Students answer three multiple-choice questions about fossils and how they are formed.

Students categorise statements according to whether they are evidence or inferences. They make inferences about moa, supporting them with evidence. Assessment focus: thinking in scientific ways.

For this practical students use provided definitions to classify 12 objects as either transparent, translucent, or opaque.

Students use a list that has some properties of glass to help them answer four questions about glass use.

Task: Create, use and identify ‘rules’ based on observable and/or measurable physical properties of common plastics. Assessment focus: classifying & identifying.

Students complete a table for six common objects by stating the material used to make each object and a useful property of that material.

Students answer three questions about information found on a bottle of bleach.

Task: Describe and compare some physical properties of plastic objects and identify the properties scientists might use for classifying materials. Assessment focus: classifying using physical properties.

Task: View photograph to explain how a chiton protects itself in its environment. Assessment focus: identifying features that help to protect an animal in its particular environment.

Task: Place in order six statements about a series of food chain related events in a beech forest, and justify decisions. Assessment focus: interdependence.

Task: Use features of velociraptors to make inferences about their life style. Assessment focus: using evidence to make inferences.

For this practical students observe some activities which illustrate melting and dissolving. They write sentences about what they observe and then write what they think melting and dissolving mean.

Students use two diagrams of the night sky to answer a multiple-choice question on each.

Task: Students classify each of six drawn whales as either toothed or baleen whales. They then divide each group further by using a key. Assessment focus: Interpreting information.