Science resources

In this activity students progressively build up evidence for and against a new idea in pest control: using bumblebees to transmit a fungicide. Students practise argumentation skills and reflect on how they formulate opinions on environmental issues.

Students look closely at a photograph taken on the beach and record their observations. They think and write about the consequences of the things they see.

Students combine their observations with some information provided to complete a story about what might have happened in the photograph.

Task: Students read a short written text to explain how the special features of wild ginger help it survive. Assessment focus: explanation of wild ginger's special features and why it is a pest plant.

Task: Discuss opinions, presented as a concept cartoon, about why a toy car rolled down a slope eventually stops and develop group explanation. Assessment focus: explanations

Students are provided with four illustrations of situations where using electricity could be dangerous. Students are asked to explain why each situation is dangerous.

Task: Students decide what sort of animals two skulls belong to. A self-assessment checklist is included. Assessment focus: using evidence to identify carnivores and herbivores.

Task: Look for the similarities and differences in leaf patterns to answer questions about observations and evidence.

Task: Students use observation and a key to identify native plants. Assessment focus: Using a classification key.

This practical task assesses students' ability to identify the larger group that four animals belong to and then to identify the features that those groups have using animal cards and labels.

Task: name the parts of a flower and describe methods of pollination and seed dispersal. Assessment focus: structure and function of flowers.

Task: Match insects to their adaptations for protection against enemies, and infer two ways stick insects are adapted for their protection against predators. Assessment focus: using observations to make suggestions about survival methods.

Diagrams of four different vertebrate tails are illustrated. Students are required to name an animal that has each type of tail, and then explain how the animal uses this type of tail.

Students are given a diagram of a fly and are asked to give three reasons why this animal is not a spider.

Four different vertebrate animals are illustrated. For each animal the student needs to name the body part used by each animal to move, and then explain how this part makes the animal move.

Students classify a range of animals as mammals, birds, or fish.

Task: sort pictures into specified groups and identify features that are common to each group. Assessment focus: classification of insects/non-insects.

Select from multiple choice options. Assessment focus: classification features of insects and mammals.

Task: select which group pictures of animals belong to. Assessment focus: classification of small animals.

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: group pictures of animals under headings. Assessment focus: classification of mammals, birds, and insects.

Task: compare features of sea mammals and fish, and describe two features of mammals. Assessment focus: classification of fish and mammals.

Students compare drawings of a healthy and unhealthy plant and decide which quantitative and/or qualitative data distinguishes them. They draw conclusions from the data. This is a mathematics/science resource.

Three multiple choice questions ask students to identify the most likely times for sun rise, sun set, and which diagram best illustrates night and day.