
Weather and Climate
Levels 3 and 4

NZC Achievement Objectives

Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa
Earth Science: Develop understanding of the water cycle and its effects on climate, landforms and life.
Papatūānuku: Ka mārama haere ki ngā āhuatanga nui o te mata o Papatūānuku, arā, te wai, te toka, te one, me ngā āhuatanga e taea ai te ora i reira.

Learning Intentions

Integration Ideas
Learning Intentions are from the Ministry of Education
Integration ideas are from the Ministry of Education
Level 4
Investigate the main causes of weather patterns and use this knowledge in weather forecasting.
Students can predict weather changes from weather maps, observations, and other collected data. They can communicate their observations and predictions in a variety of ways.
Mathematics and Statistics (Geometry and Measurement): Measure the amount of rainfall in a given area over a defined period of time.
Mathematics and Statistics (Statistics): Collect and display time series data on an environmental phenomenon, such as river heights.

Related Topics
Resources

The CARIM project, funded by MBIE is researching the decrease in pH in NZ’s coastal waters and its effect on marine life.
Level
4
Type
Poster
Acidification Studies
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
The CARIM project, funded by MBIE is researching the decrease in pH in NZ’s coastal waters and its effect on marine life.

Inquiry learning resource for Years 5-8 students that builds students' citizenship competencies in response to transport issues.
Level
3-4
Type
Unit
Active Travel Action
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
Inquiry learning resource for Years 5-8 students that builds students' citizenship competencies in response to transport issues.

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?

When we measure atmospheric pressure, we’re measuring the weight of air above us. When the droplets stick together, we get rain or snow. We measure atmospheric pressure with an instrument called a “barometer”. Build your own!
Level
1-4
Type
Experiment
Barometer in a Bottle
Bill Nye The Science Guy
When we measure atmospheric pressure, we’re measuring the weight of air above us. When the droplets stick together, we get rain or snow. We measure atmospheric pressure with an instrument called a “barometer”. Build your own!

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.

How climate change is affecting Canterbury is what this booklet is all about. We investigate what it will mean for you, your family and friends, and the natural environment.
Level
1-4
Type
Activity Book
Canterbury's Changing Climate: an educational resource for schools...
Environment Canterbury
How climate change is affecting Canterbury is what this booklet is all about. We investigate what it will mean for you, your family and friends, and the natural environment.

Waterways can recover; however it takes a sustained effort over many years. Working together we can make a positive difference. Every bit helps — even small things make a difference.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Canterbury's Stormwater Story
Environment Canterbury
Waterways can recover; however it takes a sustained effort over many years. Working together we can make a positive difference. Every bit helps — even small things make a difference.

Bill Nye’s storming in to tell you all about climates.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F2UfI0rXQE
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Climate
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Bill Nye’s storming in to tell you all about climates.
Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8F2UfI0rXQE

Climate is the average weather of a given area over a long period of time. This includes seasonal temperatures, rain, sunshine, and large weather events such as storms.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Climate Change
Kids Greening Taupō
Climate is the average weather of a given area over a long period of time. This includes seasonal temperatures, rain, sunshine, and large weather events such as storms.

Dr Michelle Dickinson will cover in this episode the concepts around climate change, how we measure it and how it's different than just weather, carry out a hands-on experiment and talk about ice cores with Tim Naish from the Victoria University of Wellington.
Level
3-4
Type
Video
Climate: BREAKING IT DOWN Episode 11
Nanogirl
Dr Michelle Dickinson will cover in this episode the concepts around climate change, how we measure it and how it's different than just weather, carry out a hands-on experiment and talk about ice cores with Tim Naish from the Victoria University of Wellington.

What happens when you get a cold? Suzy has a cold, she feels awful and looks worse! So, it's a great time to investigate what happens when you get a cold!
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Cold One: What happens when I get a cold?
Suzy's World
What happens when you get a cold? Suzy has a cold, she feels awful and looks worse! So, it's a great time to investigate what happens when you get a cold!

“Greig’s Pointed Problem” explores the processes involved in planning, designing, and producing a technological solution to a problem through the process of developing a new umbrella.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2012 Level 3: ‘Greig’s Pointed Problem’
Ministry of Education NZ
“Greig’s Pointed Problem” explores the processes involved in planning, designing, and producing a technological solution to a problem through the process of developing a new umbrella.

“Magic in the Wind” briefly describes some of the technological challenges faced by Len Lye in designing a successful wind wand. Together this article and "Greig's Pointed Problem" provide the basis for a comparison between technology and art.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2012 Level 3: ‘Magic in the Wind’
Ministry of Education NZ
“Magic in the Wind” briefly describes some of the technological challenges faced by Len Lye in designing a successful wind wand. Together this article and "Greig's Pointed Problem" provide the basis for a comparison between technology and art.

This article outlines the global influences on the weather. It explores how oceans, continents, and icecaps affect the way air moves, heats, and cools. It then reinforces the concepts explained in “What Makes the Weather” by applying them to the context of weather in the South Pacific and particularly in New Zealand.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2012 Level 3: ‘New Zealand’s Weather’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article outlines the global influences on the weather. It explores how oceans, continents, and icecaps affect the way air moves, heats, and cools. It then reinforces the concepts explained in “What Makes the Weather” by applying them to the context of weather in the South Pacific and particularly in New Zealand.

This article describes the physical processes that drive weather: the water cycle and changes in air pressure and temperature. The text then explains how these processes work together to cause a variety of weather conditions.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2012 Level 3: ‘What Makes the Weather’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article describes the physical processes that drive weather: the water cycle and changes in air pressure and temperature. The text then explains how these processes work together to cause a variety of weather conditions.

This article describes how the amount of rain that falls throughout the year(s) can be explored to find patterns. Different types of displays are used to show the data and to prompt questions, and some basic features of time-series data are introduced.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2012 Level 3: ‘Why Does it Always Rain on Me’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article describes how the amount of rain that falls throughout the year(s) can be explored to find patterns. Different types of displays are used to show the data and to prompt questions, and some basic features of time-series data are introduced.

Fa‘aea’s Mum is a meteorologist. She talked to Fa‘aea’s class about sorting and displaying data in different ways.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2013 Level 3: ‘You Can Count on It’
Ministry of Education NZ
Fa‘aea’s Mum is a meteorologist. She talked to Fa‘aea’s class about sorting and displaying data in different ways.

Some animals migrate thousands of kilometres every year - so how do scientists keep track of them? Take a look at the different technologies scientists use to study migration patterns, and discover what they have learnt about great migrations.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2016 Level 3: ‘On The Move’
Ministry of Education NZ
Some animals migrate thousands of kilometres every year - so how do scientists keep track of them? Take a look at the different technologies scientists use to study migration patterns, and discover what they have learnt about great migrations.

Pauline Harris, a scientist of Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungunu descent, is working with a team of researchers to collect and record mātauranga from iwi and hapū about plants and animals in Aotearoa. The team is using a computer program to record the mātauranga and connect it to particular times and places in history. They hope that this information will help us understand how climate change is affecting Aotearoa’s wildlife and ecosystems, knowledge that we can then use to plan for the change.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2018 Level 3: ‘Listening to the Land’
Ministry of Education NZ
Pauline Harris, a scientist of Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungunu descent, is working with a team of researchers to collect and record mātauranga from iwi and hapū about plants and animals in Aotearoa. The team is using a computer program to record the mātauranga and connect it to particular times and places in history. They hope that this information will help us understand how climate change is affecting Aotearoa’s wildlife and ecosystems, knowledge that we can then use to plan for the change.

On average, a volcanic eruption occurs somewhere on Earth each week! Volcanic eruptions are often seen as devastating events, but they are also instrumental in providing rich fertile soils and mineral deposits.
Level
3
Type
Unit
Creators and destroyers
Primary Connections
On average, a volcanic eruption occurs somewhere on Earth each week! Volcanic eruptions are often seen as devastating events, but they are also instrumental in providing rich fertile soils and mineral deposits.

Crunch Time is a fun interactive quiz game aimed at kids of all ages – with questions about energy, science and sustainability. The game can be played individually or set up so whole classes can play against each other.
Level
1-4
Type
Game
Crunch Time 2.0
Genesis School-Gen
Crunch Time is a fun interactive quiz game aimed at kids of all ages – with questions about energy, science and sustainability. The game can be played individually or set up so whole classes can play against each other.

Nanogirl wants to get the Superpowers of the Earth! Join her as she experiments and investigates how we can use the hidden power that's all around us, above us and buried right under our feet to give ourselves superpowers.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Earth Superpower Series
Nanogirl
Nanogirl wants to get the Superpowers of the Earth! Join her as she experiments and investigates how we can use the hidden power that's all around us, above us and buried right under our feet to give ourselves superpowers.