
Life Processes
Levels 3 and 4

NZC Achievement Objectives

Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa
The Organism: Recognise that there are biological processes common to all organisms, which occur in different ways in different species.
Te Rauropi: Ka āhukahuka ki ngā tukanga koiora kei ngā rauropi katoa, me te mōhio anō he rerekē aua tukanga i ngā momo rerekē.

Learning Intentions

Integration Ideas
Learning Intentions are from the Ministry of Education
Integration ideas are from the Ministry of Education
Level 3
Investigate special features of common animals and plants and describe how these help them to stay alive.
Students can explore and describe how mimicry and camouflage help animals stay alive.
Level 4
Investigate and describe special features of animals or plants that help them survive into the next generation.
Students can explore and describe how mimicry and camouflage help both predators and prey to survive and reproduce.
Coming Soon!

Related Topics
Resources

This unit includes a series of activities which focus on the shells made from animals in the Phylum Mollusca (e.g. snails, mussels, limpets, chitons). Link to teacher guide: https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago062811.pdf
Level
1-4
Type
Poster
All About Shells Poster
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
This unit includes a series of activities which focus on the shells made from animals in the Phylum Mollusca (e.g. snails, mussels, limpets, chitons). Link to teacher guide: https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago062811.pdf

This unit includes a series of activities which focus on the shells made from animals in the Phylum Mollusca (e.g. snails, mussels, limpets, chitons). Link to poster: https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago371801.pdf
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
All About Shells Teacher Guide
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
This unit includes a series of activities which focus on the shells made from animals in the Phylum Mollusca (e.g. snails, mussels, limpets, chitons). Link to poster: https://www.otago.ac.nz/marine-studies/resources/download/otago371801.pdf

Get ready for “toad-al” fun with Bill Nye and the “Amphibians” episode.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMRCsjrjkpo
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Amphibians
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Get ready for “toad-al” fun with Bill Nye and the “Amphibians” episode.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMRCsjrjkpo

Animals have an amazing ability to adapt to their environment. This lesson plan teaches students about camouflage, a valuable advantage in the survival of a species.
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Animal Camouflage
Science Kids
Animals have an amazing ability to adapt to their environment. This lesson plan teaches students about camouflage, a valuable advantage in the survival of a species.

Bill’s in the swim with the “Animal Locomotion” episode.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkjGKBd61Y0
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Animal Locomotion
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Bill’s in the swim with the “Animal Locomotion” episode.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkjGKBd61Y0

Suzy really bites into this investigation. How do apples grow? Do you know? Why don't you join Suzy and find out?
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Apples: How do apples grow?
Suzy's World
Suzy really bites into this investigation. How do apples grow? Do you know? Why don't you join Suzy and find out?

This game is helps people to understand the stresses on animals living on the beach. There is choice involved and a certain amount of luck too. The aim of the game is to survive through to the end without succumbing to a bad end!
Level
1-4
Type
Game
Are you a Survivor?
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
This game is helps people to understand the stresses on animals living on the beach. There is choice involved and a certain amount of luck too. The aim of the game is to survive through to the end without succumbing to a bad end!

Our migratory (travelling) native fishes need clear paths so they can get where they need to go, upstream or downstream. However, more and more, there are things that get in their way or stop them travelling altogether. Can you get through all the human-made barriers blocking safe travel in this river?
Level
1-4
Type
Game
Barricade
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Our migratory (travelling) native fishes need clear paths so they can get where they need to go, upstream or downstream. However, more and more, there are things that get in their way or stop them travelling altogether. Can you get through all the human-made barriers blocking safe travel in this river?

Talking to Dr Cate Macinnis-Ng from Te Punaha Matatini, Dr Michelle Dickinson will cover the basics of plant biology in vascular plants, carry out a hands-on experiment and talk about how plants cope with drought.
Level
3-4
Type
Video
Botany: BREAKING IT DOWN Episode 7
Nanogirl
Talking to Dr Cate Macinnis-Ng from Te Punaha Matatini, Dr Michelle Dickinson will cover the basics of plant biology in vascular plants, carry out a hands-on experiment and talk about how plants cope with drought.

Joe takes you on a journey to discover the wonderful world of bugs!! Find some critters in your backyard & get to know them a little better.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Bug hunt
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Joe takes you on a journey to discover the wonderful world of bugs!! Find some critters in your backyard & get to know them a little better.

Joe introduces you to a special word that will help you to build an awesome shelter to survive the night, and hopefully the rain! He has a little help from his friends "Survival Man" and Laura. These are great skills for taking into the outdoors on your next adventure.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Build a Shelter
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Joe introduces you to a special word that will help you to build an awesome shelter to survive the night, and hopefully the rain! He has a little help from his friends "Survival Man" and Laura. These are great skills for taking into the outdoors on your next adventure.

Many animals make music: grasshoppers, birds, whales, and gibbons all sing or at least seem to be singing. They sing to communicate with each other.
Level
1-4
Type
Experiment
Coco-nutty Music
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Many animals make music: grasshoppers, birds, whales, and gibbons all sing or at least seem to be singing. They sing to communicate with each other.

Scientist Hannah Rainforth investigated kākahi in the Whanganui River to find whether the evidence supports claims by local kaumātua that kākahi have nearly disappeared.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2014 Level 3: ‘Counting Kākahi’
Ministry of Education NZ
Scientist Hannah Rainforth investigated kākahi in the Whanganui River to find whether the evidence supports claims by local kaumātua that kākahi have nearly disappeared.

This article describes the evolutionary development of life in Aotearoa New Zealand and addresses the question of why our flora and fauna are so distinct. It introduces and explains the concepts of evolution and adaptation and offers a brief overview of how the land itself changed over many millions of years.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2020 Level 3: ‘Life in Aotearoa New Zealand’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article describes the evolutionary development of life in Aotearoa New Zealand and addresses the question of why our flora and fauna are so distinct. It introduces and explains the concepts of evolution and adaptation and offers a brief overview of how the land itself changed over many millions of years.

This article demonstrates how students at Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate School designed a technological device to solve a community problem – how to care for the thousands of newborn kittens handed in to the SPCA each year. It encourages the reader to consider the issues, giving a model for how the same process could be applied to other problems.
Level
4
Type
Book
Connected 2020 Level 4: ‘Fostering Felines’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article demonstrates how students at Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate School designed a technological device to solve a community problem – how to care for the thousands of newborn kittens handed in to the SPCA each year. It encourages the reader to consider the issues, giving a model for how the same process could be applied to other problems.

Have you got a little part of your garden where you could make a lizard friendly area to give them shelter and keep them safe?
Level
1-4
Type
Poster
Create a Lizard-Friendly Garden
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Have you got a little part of your garden where you could make a lizard friendly area to give them shelter and keep them safe?