Curriculum links: Science Course examples
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SCIENCE COURSE TITLES
Title
Let’s look at Waitomo Caves
-Let's look at our local area
-Show off our features
Activity
Through experience students will see
and understand how those features
are forming.
Limestone
1. Sinkholes(Doline) & Tomo
2. Caves
3. Crystal Formations
Brief Description
Curriculum Link
Demonstrate understanding
Level 1
of the formation of surface
Science general
features in New Zealand.
Systems and cycles
Internal Process. (Cement,
AS90952
Fault, uplift, Carbonic acid,
Internal
Cave forming)
External Process.
(Deposition, weathering,
water table, Crystallisation
collapse)
Investigate geological
ESS Level 2 SCIENCE AS91189 2.3
processes in a New Zealand
Internal
Locality
Limestone(2 groups, 7 types)
Sandstone Calcareous (limey)
Mudstone
Waitomo Caves, limestone and
karst
Waitomo limestone. Uplift. Faulting.
Dissolving action Sinkholes (Doline),
and Tomo creation, Cave passage
forming. Cave calcite crystal forming.
Breakdown.
Carbonate carbon cycle
Deposition
Cave weathering
Crystal growth
Demonstrate understanding
of carbon cycling.
Level 1 AS 90953
Internal
The Oligocene Drowning
Dating the Oligocene drowning
geological event 34- 24 mya
Investigate the evidence
related to dating geological
event(s)
ESS Level 3 AS91412
Internal
Deep Cave
Investigate Organisms adaptations to
the deep cave environment
Investigate how organisms
survive in an extreme
environment
ESS AS911902.4
Internal
Carbon dioxide, Water, Carbonic acid,
Calcium Carbonate. Mineralisation/
Crystallisation processes
Balancing chemical equations AS90944-Communicating
Investigate selected chemical
reactions
Material World
The Chemistry of Limestone
Understanding of aspects of
chemical reactions
AS90947 Investigate
AS90934 Understand
Level 1 external
The uses and applications
of Limestone
The Chemistry of Industrial Processes
Making new substances
Demonstrate understanding
of the chemistry in a
technological application
AS90931
Level 1
Internal
Seasonal influences within a Cave
Analyse Waitomo Cave Glowworm
data and visit the monitoring sites
Investigate the biological
impact of an event on a New
Zealand Ecosystem
Living World
Biology
AS90951
Level 1 internal
In and out and around
Gecko
Cave Harvestmen
Otorohanga Kiwihouse
Cave visit
Mahoenui Giant Weta scientific
reserve
Demonstrate understanding
of adaption of plants or
animals to their way of life
Living World
Biology
Level 2 AS 91155
Internal
Otorohanga Kiwihouse
Demonstrate understanding
of evolutionary processes
leading to speciation
Cave vs Bush Weta
Geckos and the environment
Living World
AS91605
Biology 3.5
Limestone Walks
Karst: How to make
Adapted Resource Exploring Caves.
(L2-5) Us Geo Survey. (1997)
Cave Diagram (pg. 29)
Subject &
Strand
Possible links to Achievement
Aims and or Objectives
Earth systems
Scien
cePlane
t
Earth
and
beyo
nd
Resource Titles or descriptions
Level 2-8: Describe how natural features
Caves and Sinkholes
Let’s Visit a Cave (pg. 41)
Creating a karst Landscape, Making
a sugar cave, Sinkholes in a cup
Adventure Activities
Waitomo Walks
with Worksheets
are changed and resources affected by
natural events and human actions.
Surface geology of selected parts of New
Zealand to understanding geological
change over time
Caves and Ad Games
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Limestone Walks
Adventure Activities
Caves and Ad Games
Waitomo Walks
with Worksheets
Adapted Resource Exploring Caves.
(L2-5) Us Geo Survey. (1997)
Find a Cave (pg. 11) Map Cave
Locations (pg. 13)
What Is a Cave? (pg. 7)
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Bat shows off the Cave (pg. 15)
Follow-up Activity (pg. 19),
Colouring Page (pg. 21)
Let’s Visit a Cave (pg. 41)
Limestone Walks
Earth Cycles: Different aspects of the
cycling of matter to understanding how
those aspects work
Investigate the geological history of
planet Earth and understand that our
planet has a long past and has
undergone many changes
Earth’s processes and resources to
understanding that human activities
impacts on a cycle.
Adapted Resource Exploring Caves.
(L2-5) Us Geo Survey. (1997)
Interacting systems
Level 3-4: Investigate the water cycle and
its effect on climate, landforms, and life
Investigate the Interdependence of those
parts and processes
Adventure Activities
Caves and Ad Games
Waitomo Walks
with Worksheets
Water and Cave Sculptures (pg. 43)
Follow-up Discussion and
Demonstration (pg. 45) Colouring
Page (pg. 47)
Water Creates a Cave (pg. 49)
Adventure Activities
Caves and Ad Games
Waitomo Walks
with Worksheets
Adapted Resource Exploring Caves.
(L2-5) Us Geo Survey. (1997)
Adapting to the Dark — Bats and
People (pg. 37)
Joni Adapts to the Dark (pg. 39)
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Adventure Activities
Caves and Ad Games
Adapted Resource Exploring Caves.
(L2-5) Us Geo Survey. (1997)
Science- Living world
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Life processes
Understand the processes of life and
appreciate the diversity of living things.
Levels 1-2: Recognise that all living things
have certain requirements so they can stay
alive.
Level 3-4: Recognise that there are life
processes common to all living things and
that these occur in different ways.
Ecology
Waitomo Walks
with Worksheets
Adapting to the Dark — Bats and
People (pg 37)
Joni Adapts to the Dark (pg 39)
Let’s Visit a Cave (pg 41)
Understand how living things interact
with each other and with the non-living
environment
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Evolution Levels 1-4
Levels 1-2: Recognise that living things are
suited to their particular habitat.
Level 3-4: Explain how living things are
suited to their particular habitat and how
they respond to environmental changes,
both natural and human-induced.
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Fossils and Subfossils Make your
own Fossil castings, Fossil
Footprints, GNS Finding Fossils
Adventure Activities
Level 1-2: Recognise that there are lots of
different living things in the world and that
they can be grouped in different ways.
Explain how we know that some living
things from the past are now extinct.
Level 3-4: Begin to group plants, animals,
and other living things into science-based
classifications.
Appreciate that some living things in NZ are
quite different from living things in other
areas of the world.
Caves and Ad Games
Chemistry of limestone
Limestone
What is dissolving
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Limestone
A living sedimentary Rock
Limestone
A Dissolving rock
Experiments with Carbon Dioxide,
Limewater test for CO2 ,What
dissolves in what, Where did they
go, Thirst quencher, Coffee break,
Observe dissolve salt and Dissolve
the class
Creating graded beds, Classy
Conglomerate rock, To make the
best concrete
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Properties and changes of matter
Material world
Limestone
Level 1, 2, & 3
Observe, describe, and compare physical
and chemical properties of common
materials and changes that occur when
materials are mixed, heated, or cooled.
Limestone
Chemistry and society
Industrial: uses of and
applications
Levels 1-2: Find out about the uses of
common materials and relate these to their
Dissolving Rock, Testing Rocks for
limestone content, Purity of
limestone
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Chemical reactions of limestone,
Heating limestone, Adding Water to
lime
Resource Titles or descriptions
Limestone Walks
observed properties.
Level 3-4: Relate the observed,
characteristic chemical and physical
properties of a range of different materials
technological uses and natural processes.
Subject
and
Strand
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Understanding about science
Limestone Walks
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Limestone Walks
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Science - Nature of Science
Adventure Activities
Caves and Ad Games
Waitomo Discovery Centre Visit
Possible links to
Achievement Aims and
or Objectives
Levels 1-2: Appreciate that scientists ask
questions about our world that lead to
investigations and that an openmindedness is important because there
may be more than one explanation
Level 3-4: Identify ways in which scientists
work together and provide evidence to
support their ideas
Communicating in science
Level 5-6: Use a wider range of Science
vocabulary, symbols, and conventions
Investigating in science
Carry out science investigations using a
variety of approaches
Participating and contributing
Levels 1-2: Explore and act on issues
and questions that link their science
learning to their daily living
Level 3-4: Use their growing science
knowledge when considering issues of
concern to them
SCIENCE CAPABILITIES
Gather & interpret data
Learners make careful observations and differentiate between observation and inference.
Use evidence
Science is evidence based
Scientific theories are based on evidence collected by making observations in the natural, physical world. These theories are supported,
modified or replaced as new evidence appears. The search for evidence in science occurs through an inquiry process that blends human
curiosity, imagination, logic and serendipity. It is strongly influenced by the ideas which people currently hold.
Enquiry into finding evidence to support questions. What is Limestone, how it forms, how it is exposed. Then the process of
weathering and erosion over time to form our landscape of Rocks, sinkholes, caves and speleothems.
Critique evidence
Not all questions can be answered by science.
Interpret representations
Scientists use simplified theories or models to describe the way the natural, physical world works. They use these models or theories to make
predictions, test these predictions through experimentation and observation and use their results to revise and improve the models.
Engage with science
Gather and present information about the origins and history of major natural features of the local landscape.