The focus of science in schools has changed from simply having knowledge to being able to use knowledge.
The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) gives schools a lot of freedom to develop science programmes that reflect the needs of their students.
The challenges for schools include deciding:
- how students’ learning experiences in science help them gain capabilities for living and lifelong learning, (NZC vision statement)
- how to focus on the Nature of Science (NOS)
- what science knowledge is important
- what science capabilities students should be developing as they move through their primary school years.
These challenges are also challenges for assessment.
This section explains how the science capabilities have been embedded into each item to help teachers develop a picture of their student's' thinking in science.
Click on the links below to learn more about:
- How the items embed the science capabilities
- Supporting teacher inquiry into students' thinking in science