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| Heat and states of matter - Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.
- Matter exists in different states — solid, liquid, and gas:
- a solid is a state of matter that has a definite shape and volume (e.g. ice)
- a liquid is a state of matter that has a definite volume but no definite shape (e.g. water, milk)
- a liquid flows and takes the shape of the container it is in
- a gas is a state of matter that has neither definite shape nor definite volume
- a gas flows easily and expands to the size of the container it is in (e.g. air in a balloon)
- volume is the amount of space a solid, liquid, or gas takes up
- powders are granular solids and can flow and be poured, like liquids.
- Matter can change state if heated or cooled (melting, boiling/evaporation, freezing, condensation).
- At sea level, freshwater boils at 100°C and freezes at 0°C.
- Robert Boyle (1627–1691) established the relationship between temperature and pressure in gases, known as Boyle’s Law. He is considered one of the founders of modern chemistry.
| Mass, volume, and density - Mass is the amount of matter in an object, measured in kilograms (kg) or grams (g).
- Volume is measured in cubic metres (m³) or litres (L).
- Objects may have the same volume but different masses and vice versa.
- The relationship between mass and volume is known as density.
- The density of an object determines whether it will float or sink in another material:
- less dense materials will float on more dense materials (e.g. foam on water, oil on water, helium balloons in air, air in water)
- more dense materials will sink in less dense materials (e.g. coins in water, vinegar in oil, dishwashing liquid in water).
- The French Academy of Sciences (1790s) developed the metric system for weight, length, and volume, standardising measurements across science, industry, and education.
- Note: Floating and sinking only occurs in liquids and gases.
| | Heat and states of matter - Investigating and recording changes of state in common materials, including water, by observing, measuring, and interpreting data
- Making and testing predictions about how heating affects the physical properties of matter (e.g. chocolate melting, metal getting hot, water boiling)
| Mass, volume, and density - Comparing densities of objects based on measurements of the mass (in grams) and volume (in mL)
- Describing the density of solids and liquids using comparative language
- Making and testing predictions of whether materials float or sink in water
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Matter Interactions and Energy
| Heat - Thermal energy comes from many sources (e.g. the Sun, fire, friction, electricity).
- Thermal energy moves from warmer materials to cooler materials, not the other way around.
- Thermal energy continues to transfer between materials until they both reach the same temperature.
- Light can warm objects when it shines on them because some of the light is absorbed and is transformed into thermal energy.
- Temperature is a measure of how hot a substance is. Temperature can be measured using thermometers, usually in degrees Celsius (°C).
- Anders Celsius (1701–1744) created the Celsius temperature scale, which is widely used to measure temperature changes in physical and chemical processes.
- Note: Students at this level are not expected to know that temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of a substance.
| | Behaviour of Light
(See Year 3, Light and Sound) - Everything we see is either a light source or reflected light. For an object to be visible, light must travel from a light source to the object to the eyes. This occurs when light travels from a source directly to the eyes or when it reflects off objects and then reaches the eyes.
- When an object appears to be reflected (e.g. in a mirror or water), light has travelled from a light source to the object, then to the reflective surface, then to the eyes.
- Refraction of light occurs when light changes direction as it passes from one medium to another (e.g. from air into water).
Simple circuits - Simple circuits involve a closed loop connecting a source of electricity, wires, and a load (e.g. lightbulb, buzzer).
- Switches can open and close a circuit to control the flow of electricity.
- Electricity is conducted in a circuit through metal wires.
- Circuit diagrams represent the components of circuits using standard symbols for the battery, wires, switch, and load.
- Thomas Edison (1847–1931) developed practical electric circuits for lighting and invented the incandescent light bulb. He held over 1,000 patents and revolutionised modern technology.
| Heat - Measuring temperature using a thermometer and describing how warm or cool something is in degrees Celsius (°C)
- Applying the movement of thermal energy from warmer objects to cooler objects to everyday examples and using evidence to demonstrate how this transfer happens (e.g. ice blocks in water, food in a hot frying pan)
- Exploring how light-emitting objects also release thermal energy (e.g. LED and incandescent bulbs)
- Exploring how light is absorbed by objects made of different materials and shades, causing the objects to warm differently
| | Behaviour of light - Using diagrams to demonstrate how objects are visible to the eye
- Investigating how light travels and changes direction by reflecting (e.g. from a mirror) and refracting (e.g. water to air) by predicting, observing, recording, and interpreting data
Simple circuits - Building a basic circuit with an on/off switch
- Drawing a circuit diagram using standard symbols for the battery, switch, wires, and load
- Explaining how circuits work by transferring energy electrically and transforming it into other forms of energy
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| Contact forces and movement - A force is a push or pull that can cause an object to move, stop, change direction, or change shape.
- Forces have direction and size, and this can be represented by simple force-arrow diagrams.
- Friction is a force that opposes the relative movement of objects in contact. The type of surface changes how much friction there is between two objects.
- Speed is the distance an object travels in a given time and can be measured in kilometres per hour (km/h) or metres per second (m/s).
- Speed can be described as fast, slow, changing (increasing or decreasing), or constant.
- Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) studied the laws of friction and motion through mechanical designs and observations. His notebooks contain early insights into physics and engineering. See Technology Learning Area for further reference.
- Note: Students at this level are not expected to calculate speed. Shorthand for units of speed is not required. Focus should be on describing, comparing, and observing movement and forces using everyday language and observable features (e.g. fast, slow, constant, changing).
| Non-contact forces
(See Year 2, Materials) - Some forces need contact between two objects, but non-contact forces can act at a distance.
- Magnetic force is a non-contact force that can pull or push.
- Magnets have two poles (north and south). Opposite poles attract (north/south), and like poles repel (north/north or south/south).
- Magnets attract some metals (e.g. iron). Not all metals are attracted to magnets.
- Gravity is a non-contact force that pulls objects towards the centre of the Earth.
- Weight is the force of gravity acting on an object due to its mass.
- Note: at this level, units for mass are expected (e.g. kilogram, tonne) but not units for weight (newton, N).
- William Gilbert (1544–1603) studied magnetism and non-contact forces. He coined the term ‘electricity’.
Simple machines - Simple machines (e.g. levers, pulleys, ramps) make it easier to move objects by reducing the amount of force needed or increasing the force able to be applied.
Fluids, resistance, and buoyancy
(See Year 5, Materials) - Fluids are either liquids or gases.
- Fluids exert a pushing force, called resistance, on objects that move through them.
- Drag (air resistance) opposes the movement of objects moving through gases (e.g. parachute).
- Drag (water resistance) opposes the movement of objects moving through water (e.g. a hoe (paddle) on a waka).
- Buoyancy is an upwards force exerted by a liquid on an object (e.g. a ship).
- Buoyant force depends on the density of the fluid and the object.
- An object floats when the upward buoyant force from the liquid is equal to or greater than the object’s weight. An object will sink if the buoyant force is less than the object’s weight.
- Denser fluids exert a greater buoyant force. Saltwater is denser than fresh water, which is why objects float higher and more easily in salt water.
- Buoyancy does not explain all movement in water (e.g. flowing water can move rock and soil fragments by pushing them, not by buoyancy).
- Archimedes (c.287–212 BCE) formulated the principle of buoyancy.
- Note: Measurable quantities should be interpreted through relative comparison rather than absolute measurement.
| | Contact forces and movement - Illustrating forces using force-arrow diagrams
- Comparing the time taken and distance travelled by objects, identifying which is faster or slower
- Predicting and testing how push and pull forces of different size or direction affect the movement of objects (e.g. fish, rockets)
- Observing and describing the movement of by referring to direction and speed
- Investigating how different surfaces (e.g. sandpaper, tabletop, carpet) affect friction by predicting, testing, and explaining movement
| Non-contact forces - Predicting and explaining magnetic interactions based on pole orientation, linking predictions to observed effects and using the language of attraction and repulsion
- Comparing how non-contact forces affect the movement of objects, focusing on qualitative observations (e.g. direction, speed)
- Describing non-contact forces using force-arrow diagrams
Simple machines - Conducting practical investigations using simple machines (e.g. levers, inclined planes, pulleys), identifying patterns in how they change force or motion, and interpreting these patterns to explain their function and everyday applications
- Using models and demonstrations to explain how some mechanisms, including levers, pulleys, and gears, can change the direction of a force, reduce the effort needed, and/or increase the effect of a force
- Designing and constructing simple machines (e.g. levers, pulleys, ramps)
Fluids, resistance, and buoyancy - Testing how air and water resistance affect falling objects by:
- designing basic fair tests that control for at least one variable
- measuring the dependent variable (e.g. distance travelled, time taken)
- explaining observed effects
- Making and testing predictions about whether objects will float or sink in water, based on their properties
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| States of matter in the atmosphere (See Year 4, Materials, and Matter Interactions and Energy) - The Sun transfers thermal energy to the Earth’s surface, warming the air, water, and land during the day.
- Thermal energy from the Sun causes water to evaporate from rivers, lakes, oceans, soil, and plants.
- Water is present in the air as an invisible gas called water vapour.
- When water vapour in the air cools, it condenses into liquid droplets and forms visible clouds.
- Changes of state (evaporation, condensation, and freezing) influence the weather (e.g. rain, fog, frost, snow, types of cloud cover).
- Rain, snow, and hail occur when water in clouds changes state and falls to Earth.
- Rain, snow, and hail are called precipitation.
- The movement of water through different states and between the Earth’s surface and the atmosphere is called the water cycle.
- John Dalton (1766–1844) proposed the hydrological cycle and atomic theory. His work in meteorology and chemistry advanced the understanding of weather and matter.
- Note: See Social Science Learning Area — Geography strand.
| | Rocks and minerals - Soils are composed of decaying organisms, living organisms (including fungi, plants, and animals), rock particles, air, and water.
- Rocks are composed of minerals, which can be characterised by the size, shape, and colour of crystals.
- Fossils are formed when organisms are buried in sediment and, over time, minerals replace the organic material.
- James Hutton (1726–1797) formulated the Theory of the Earth, proposing that geological processes occur over vast timescales.
| States of matter in the atmosphere - Using diagrams to illustrate how water cycles between states as it moves from the surface of the Earth to the atmosphere and back again
| | Rocks and minerals - Classifying and comparing different types of soils (e.g. clay) and rocks based on observable features (e.g. fossils, crystals) and simple physical properties
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| Matariki - Matariki is a star cluster that becomes visible in the eastern morning sky during mid-winter in New Zealand.
- The visibility of Matariki in the morning sky is used as an indicator of seasonal change for many iwi.
- Puanga (Rigel) is a star that rises shortly before Matariki and is more visible in some regions. It also serves as a seasonal indicator for many iwi.
- The Matariki star cluster is known by many cultures, including as Makali‘i in Hawai‘i, Matarii in Tahiti, Subaru in Japan, and Pleiades in Greece.
- Dr Pauline Harris (1970–) revitalised Māori astronomical star lore and contributed to Indigenous science education and astrophysics.
| Earth, Moon, and Sun - The Earth, Moon, and Sun are roughly spherical.
- Earth is tilted on its axis. As the Earth orbits the Sun, this causes different parts of the Earth to be angled towards or away from the sun, receiving more or less direct sunlight. This causes seasonal change.
- Seasons are associated with changing temperatures and length of daylight through the year.
- The Moon orbits the Earth and reflects light emitted from the Sun (see Year 3, Matter Interactions and Energy).
- The Moon appears to change shape (full, crescent, quarter, gibbous) in a regular waxing and waning pattern called the lunar cycle.
- The lunar cycle occurs because the Moon orbits Earth, changing the portion of its sunlit surface that is visible from Earth depending on the relative positions of the Moon, Earth, and Sun.
- The Moon rises and sets at slightly different times and places in the sky each day, following a regular 29.5-day cycle.
- The Maramataka is the traditional Māori lunar calendar based on cycles of the moon and stars.
| The Solar System - The Earth is one of eight planets orbiting the Sun in the Solar System.
- The order of the planets from the Sun is Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars (the rocky planets) and Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune (the gaseous planets).
- The Solar System includes the Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, and comets.
- The Solar System is located within the Milky Way galaxy.
- Celestial bodies are natural objects in space and include planets, moons, stars, comets, asteroids, nebula, and galaxies.
- The Sun is a star that appears larger and brighter than others because it is closer to Earth.
- The Sun, Moon, and stars follow observable and predictable patterns that vary by location.
- Understanding of the Solar System has evolved from a geocentric to a heliocentric model.
- Accurate and detailed star charts have been created through direct human observations and instruments such as telescopes.
- Many civilisations developed sophisticated astronomical knowledge (e.g. Babylonian, Chinese, Indian, Celtic, Polynesian).
- Galileo Galilei (1564–1642) supported the heliocentric model with telescopic observations. He discovered moons of Jupiter and phases of Venus. Also demonstrated that density is a measurable property of matter and conducted experiments on falling bodies and motion.
| Matariki - Identifying annual changes in the position of Matariki and when they occur
- Recognising and predicting the positioning of major constellations in the night sky
- Relating the positioning of Matariki to seasonal and environmental patterns
| Earth, Moon, and Sun - Observing and describing seasonal changes in nature and explaining how they connect to patterns in variations of sunlight and temperature (e.g. warm summers, cool winters)
- Interpreting data on sunrise, sunset, and daylight length to identify seasonal patterns and predict changes across the year (e.g. longer summer days, shorter winter days)
- Using diagrams to show the journey light takes from the Sun to the Earth directly and via reflection from the Moon
- Using models to explain the movement of the Moon around the Earth and the Earth around the Sun
| The Solar System - Using models and simulations to investigate the relative size, spacing, and movement of celestial bodies in the Solar System
- Observing and interpreting patterns in the apparent movement of the Sun, Moon, and stars from different locations on Earth
- Communicating why changes in scientific models and improvements in technology are important for understanding the Solar System
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