
Asking Scientific Questions
Levels 3 and 4

NZC Achievement Objectives

Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa
Science Investigations: Carry out classifying and identifying; exploring; looking for patterns and modeling; fair testing; problem solving; making/building an object or a system.
Ngā Momo Tūhuratanga: Ka oti te whakarōpū me te tautohu, te torotoro, te rapu tauira me te whakatauira, te whakamātau tika, te whakaoti rapanga, te hanga i tētahi mea, i tētahi pūnaha rānei.

Learning Intentions

Integration Ideas
Learning Intentions are from the Ministry of Education
Integration ideas are from the Ministry of Education
Coming Soon!

Related Topics
Resources

In this week’s lesson about Aotearoa and Conservation you will be learning some Te Reo Māori: Aotearoa’s indigenous language, learning more about our country and diving into conservation topics such as pest identification and tracking.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Aotearoa and Conservation
Kids Greening Taupō
In this week’s lesson about Aotearoa and Conservation you will be learning some Te Reo Māori: Aotearoa’s indigenous language, learning more about our country and diving into conservation topics such as pest identification and tracking.

Let’s delve into the realm of the Atua Tāne Mahuta and find out who’s living in
your yard. Let’s find out what they eat and what their tracks look like.
Level
1-4
Type
Outdoor Activity
Backyard Tracker
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Let’s delve into the realm of the Atua Tāne Mahuta and find out who’s living in
your yard. Let’s find out what they eat and what their tracks look like.

Electricity - where would we be without it? It powers almost everything we use. But how does an electrical circuit work? Why does it need a switch? How is electricity generated, transferred and transformed?
Level
3
Type
Unit
Circuits and Switches
Primary Connections
Electricity - where would we be without it? It powers almost everything we use. But how does an electrical circuit work? Why does it need a switch? How is electricity generated, transferred and transformed?

How much sleep should we be getting? How many people get enough sleep every night? Jeremy and Marama carry out an investigation to find out how much sleep their classmates are getting. They discover that sometimes, a good investigation can raise more questions than it answers!
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2015 Level 3: ‘Sleep Sleuths’
Ministry of Education NZ
How much sleep should we be getting? How many people get enough sleep every night? Jeremy and Marama carry out an investigation to find out how much sleep their classmates are getting. They discover that sometimes, a good investigation can raise more questions than it answers!

Scientific evidence suggests that sitting for long periods of time can cause health problems and that standing and moving around is better for us. But as with any scientific evidence, we need to ask questions about the evidence to determine if it can be trusted.
Level
4
Type
Book
Connected 2015 Level 4: ‘Don’t Sit If You Want to Keep Fit’
Ministry of Education NZ
Scientific evidence suggests that sitting for long periods of time can cause health problems and that standing and moving around is better for us. But as with any scientific evidence, we need to ask questions about the evidence to determine if it can be trusted.

Who, what, where, why and how are powerful question words.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7dh3EdCEHE
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Do-It-Yourself Science
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Who, what, where, why and how are powerful question words.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7dh3EdCEHE

Hold it right there, buddy – it’s the “Forensics” show
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP3xuHnbXM4
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Forensics
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Hold it right there, buddy – it’s the “Forensics” show
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP3xuHnbXM4

As this topic is Fungi, our activities are based around identification of fungi and lichens, zombie fungi, spores, cultural uses, and the importance of fungi for on this planet.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Funky Fungi of Aotearoa
Kids Greening Taupō
As this topic is Fungi, our activities are based around identification of fungi and lichens, zombie fungi, spores, cultural uses, and the importance of fungi for on this planet.

Curriculum resources for young people to contribute, connect and extend their ideas about keeping safe around trucks on New Zealand roads.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Keeping safe around trucks
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
Curriculum resources for young people to contribute, connect and extend their ideas about keeping safe around trucks on New Zealand roads.

Kia Pai Tō Haere is a flexible curriculum resource for Māori Medium Schools that provides guidance for teachers planning contextualised learning based on a kaupapa that keeping whānau safe on a journey is everyone’s work.
Level
1-4
Type
Te Reo Māori
Kia Pai Tō Haere
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
Kia Pai Tō Haere is a flexible curriculum resource for Māori Medium Schools that provides guidance for teachers planning contextualised learning based on a kaupapa that keeping whānau safe on a journey is everyone’s work.

Wind turbines allow us to harness the energy of wind and turn it into electricity to keep our TVs powered and our ipads charged. Did you know that the blade tips of a large wind turbine can reach speeds of more than 320 km per hour – that’s super-fast! Watch our video to make and test your own 3D printed wind turbine at school or home.
Level
3-4
Type
Activity
Make a Wind Turbine
Genesis School-Gen
Wind turbines allow us to harness the energy of wind and turn it into electricity to keep our TVs powered and our ipads charged. Did you know that the blade tips of a large wind turbine can reach speeds of more than 320 km per hour – that’s super-fast! Watch our video to make and test your own 3D printed wind turbine at school or home.

As this topic is Manu/Birds of Aotearoa, our activities are based around identification through sight and sound, along with bird feeding habits and creation stories.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Manu/Birds of Aotearoa
Kids Greening Taupō
As this topic is Manu/Birds of Aotearoa, our activities are based around identification through sight and sound, along with bird feeding habits and creation stories.

Providing students with question starters helps to promote evidence-based discussions in the science classroom. Encourage students to frame their questions for discussion with their team members when preparing their claim/s and evidence.
Level
1-4
Type
Poster
Question Starters
Primary Connections
Providing students with question starters helps to promote evidence-based discussions in the science classroom. Encourage students to frame their questions for discussion with their team members when preparing their claim/s and evidence.

This resource can help you plan, implement and take action on restoration projects throughout the school year.
Level
1-4
Type
Poster
Restoration through the seasons
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
This resource can help you plan, implement and take action on restoration projects throughout the school year.

Freshwater, or Wai Māori, is water that is not salty, unlike the sea. This water comes in many different forms such as rain, rivers and lakes.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
River Ecosystems
Kids Greening Taupō
Freshwater, or Wai Māori, is water that is not salty, unlike the sea. This water comes in many different forms such as rain, rivers and lakes.

Read these KCC interviews with NZ arborists to learn more about this important tree job, and get tips on climbing trees. Put them into action next time you are outside scaling a tree or trees!
Level
1-4
Type
Book
Tree Climbing Extraordinaires
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Read these KCC interviews with NZ arborists to learn more about this important tree job, and get tips on climbing trees. Put them into action next time you are outside scaling a tree or trees!

Wet Feet is about involving schools and communities in the care and restoration of freshwater systems.
Level
3-4
Type
Unit
Wet Feet – investigating freshwater
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Wet Feet is about involving schools and communities in the care and restoration of freshwater systems.