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NZC – Social Sciences Phase 3 (Years 7–8)

This page provides the draft knowledge overview and teaching sequence for Phase 3 (Years 7–8) of the Social Sciences Learning Area. This is now available for wider feedback and familiarisation. The current Social Sciences curriculum remains in effect until 1 January 2027.

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This page provides the draft Phase 3 (Years 7-8) Social Sciences Learning Area. This is now available for wider feedback and familiarisation. The current Social Sciences curriculum remains in effect until 1 January 2027 and can be found here: The New Zealand Curriculum: Social Sciences

Unuhia te rito o te harakeke kei whea te kōmako e kō?
Whakatairangitia — rere ki uta, rere ki tai;
Ui mai koe ki ahau he aha te mea nui o te ao,
Māku e kī atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata!

Nā, Meri Ngāroto, Te Aupōuri (1830s)

Remove the heart of the flax bush and where will the kōmako sing?
Proclaim it to the land, proclaim it to the sea;
Ask me, 'What is the greatest thing in the world?'
I will reply, 'It is people, people, people!'.

History

Knowledge

The facts, concepts, principles, and theories to teach.

Practices

The skills, strategies, and applications to teach.

During Year 7

During Year 8

During Year 7

During Year 8

New Zealand History

NEW ZEALAND: TE TIRITI O WAITANGI | TREATY OF WAITANGI AND 1852 CONSTITUTION ACT
 

Reasons for te Tiriti o Waitangi | the Treaty of Waitangi

  • Post-Musket War instability and Māori efforts to secure peace.
  • Declaration of Independence | He Whakaputanga 1835, received by the British Crown, influencing British policy in New Zealand.
  • Expansion of British trade and settlers in New Zealand without formal government. French threat prompting concerns from some settlers.
  • Role of the missionaries in facilitating the Treaty process.

Perspectives on and aftermath of te Tiriti o Waitangi | the Treaty of Waitangi (1840)

  • Main articles of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi | te Tiriti o Waitangi, including historical interpretations of these texts.
  • Influence of humanitarian movement shaped by religious ideas, liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty in the Treaty terms.
  • Expansion of settlement by British settlers and increasing issues around ideas of land ownership (e.g. the Wairau Incident).
  • Roles of Governors Hobson, FitzRoy, and Grey between 1840 to 1846.
  • Early cooperation in trade and relationships, alongside challenges to Māori authority and growing concerns over cultural and economic changes, including early protests, petitions to the Crown, and armed conflict such as the Northern War (1845–1846).
  • Te Ruki Kawiti was a Ngāti Hine chief who played a key role in the Northern War (1845–1846). He led Māori forces in several battles and designed the fortified pā at Ōhaeawai and Ruapekapeka.
  • Tāmati Wāka Nene was a Ngāpuhi chief who was one of the first chiefs to sign the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 and advocated for peace and positive relations between Māori and Pākehā. During the Northern War, he sided with the Crown because he believed that continued conflict would harm Māori.

The 1852 Constitution Act (passed by the House of Commons, United Kingdom)

  • Establishment of representative government through a bicameral General Assembly and six provincial councils, laying the foundations for New Zealand’s parliamentary democracy based on British constitutional traditions.
  • Transition from Crown Colony rule to local self-government, enabling settler communities to elect representatives, pass laws, and shape institutions.
  • Property-based franchise with relatively low property qualification for men (when compared to Britain at the time).
  • Exclusion of most Māori men from the political system and voting due to the property-based franchise and Māori communal landholding practices. Traditional leadership structures based on mana and whakapapa were not incorporated into colonial governance frameworks, contributing to differing understandings and reduced representation.
  • Engagement by some Māori leaders through voting, petitions, and alliances with Crown officials, reflecting strategic responses to new political frameworks.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LIBERAL ERA
 

Women’s suffrage

  • New Zealand became the world’s first self-governing nation to grant women the right to vote in 1893.
  • Women’s suffrage movement and the 1893 petition led to the enfranchisement of women and the efforts of groups such as the Women’s Christian Temperance Union and Women’s Franchise Leagues.
  • Kate Sheppard was the leader of the women’s suffrage movement in New Zealand. She helped make New Zealand the first country to give women the vote in 1893.
  • Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia was the first woman to speak in the Māori Parliament, advocating for Māori women’s right to vote and participate in politics.
  • The historic Electoral Act was passed into law, followed by the 1893 election, where 109,461 women successfully enrolled to vote.
  • In other democracies, women did not begin to gain the right to vote until after World War One.
  • Women could not stand for parliament until 1919 and were not elected until 1933, 40 years after the passing of the Electoral Act.
  • Iriaka Rātana became the first Māori MP in 1949, Jenny Shipley became New Zealand’s first female Prime Minister in 1997, and Georgina Beyer became the first openly transgender MP in the world in 1999.

Other features of the Liberal Era and its limits

  • Women’s participation in temperance, education, and religious reform movements and in paid employment, shaping public discourse and community leadership beyond domestic roles.
  • Reorganisation of Crown governance during the Liberal Era, including the rise of party politics, with formation of the Liberal Party in 1891, and increased centralisation of authority following the abolition of provincial governments.
  • Universal male suffrage, introduced in 1879, applied to all men in general electorates. Māori men had already gained universal suffrage in 1867 through the creation of four Māori seats, though their representation remained limited relative to population.
  • Promotion of individual rights and social welfare under liberal reform, including access to land ownership, employment protections, and pensions, framed as universal but shaped by settler institutions and uneven in practice for Māori and other minority groups.
  • Social and industrial reforms: Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act (1894), Old-age Pensions Act (1898).
  • Different migrant groups’ contribution to New Zealand’s development. Legal and social discrimination of some groups (e.g. Chinese Poll Tax 1881).

Reasons for dominion status and its consequences (1907–1914)

  • The 1907 transition from colony to dominion and its symbolic and constitutional implications, including for Māori.

For example, consider:

  • the differing interpretations historians have of the role of the separate Māori translation of the Treaty of Waitangi and te Tiriti o Waitangi as a cause of subsequent Māori protest against British sovereignty
  • the consequences of the Treaty of Waitangi and te Tiriti o Waitangi on Māori mana (authority) and rangatiratanga (leadership) over their land and resources
  • the causes and consequences of the New Zealand Wars 1845–1872
  • the different explanations given by historians for the New Zealand Wars
  • how developments in farming, transport, and trade were historically significant for New Zealand
  • how different sources (e.g. military maps, settler soldier diaries and Māori oral histories) can each be used to help historians explain why the Waikato War started.

For example, consider:

  • the significance and consequences of the suffrage movement on society or politics
  • how the suffrage movement changed New Zealand and the world
  • how different groups supported or opposed the suffrage movement
  • what sources we can use to learn about suffrage movement
  • how societal and industrial reforms changed over the period
  • how New Zealanders reacted to gaining Dominion Status on 1907.

Global History

A STUDY OF A SIGNIFICANT REVOLUTION DURING THE LATE 18TH CENTURY
 

The French Revolution 1789-1799

The causes of the French Revolution

  • The structure of French society before the Revolution, including the roles and privileges of the First, Second, and Third Estates.
  • The financial crisis facing France in the late 18th century, including the consequences of war debt and the burden of taxation on the Third Estate.
  • The influence of Enlightenment ideas in shaping demands for political and social reform.
  • How these ideas had already influenced revolution in America and The Declaration of Independence.

How power changed hands over the course of the French Revolution

  • The events of 1789, including the Tennis Court Oath and the storming of the Bastille, as key turning points in the revolution.
  • The significance of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen 1789 as a statement of revolutionary principles.
  • The abolition of noble and clerical privileges and the execution of King Louis XVI in 1793
  • The Reign of Terror (1793-1794) as a period of political violence and instability during the revolution.
  • The rise of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799 and the end of the revolutionary period.

The consequences of the French Revolution

  • The legacy of the French Revolution in showing how Enlightenment ideas about liberty, equality, and popular sovereignty could be used to create a new kind of nation based on shared rights and citizenship rather than monarchy or empire.

Alternatively, teachers can choose to cover the American Revolution (1775–1783)

EUROPEAN IMPERIAL EXPANSION c.1750–1914 WITH CASE STUDY

Chronological and geographical context
 

  • Timeline of the emergence of European empires from the 15th century (Portugal and Spain, which were maritime empires) to the 19th century (Britain, France, and the Netherlands, which were industrialised empires).
  • European empires had global reach by the late 1800s: colonies and protectorates spanning New Zealand, Canada, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Islands.
  • European empires had significant and long-lasting consequences for those countries that were colonised.

Causes of European countries’ imperial expansion c.1750–1914 (including a case study of motivations for British colonial expansion in one region)

  • Sought access to new markets, raw materials, and secure trade routes.
  • Aimed to outmanoeuvre rival powers and control key global communication lines.
  • Motivated by missionary work, civilising ideals, and national prestige.
  • Imposed formal rule where settlers, companies, or missionaries had created informal control, often in response to unrest.
  • Technological advances in navigation (compass, charts), military power (rifled weaponry, steam warships), and communication (telegraph).

Case study: British expansion

Teachers should explore British colonial expansion in a region where European settlers did not dominate land or politics. The case study should highlight the complex motivations behind establishing formal colonial rule in a non-settler context.

Example case study: British expansion in India (c.1750–1914)
Initial commercial interests and indirect control

  • The British East India Company (EIC) began as a trading enterprise, establishing posts in Calcutta, Bombay, and Madras.
  • The decline of the Mughal Empire created opportunities for British influence through treaties, alliances, and military victories (e.g. Battle of Plassey, 1757).
  • The EIC aimed to secure trade routes, access raw materials, and outcompete European rivals, especially the French.

Expansion through conflict and diplomacy

  • The EIC expanded its territory via wars with Indian powers (e.g. Marathas, Mysore) and strategic alliances with local rulers.
  • By the early 1800s, large parts of India were under Company control, though many princely states retained nominal autonomy.

Collapse of Company rule and shift to Crown control

  • The 1857 Indian Rebellion revealed deep resentment toward Company rule and led to its dissolution.
  • In 1858, the British government took direct control, establishing the British Raj.
  • Strategic concerns (e.g. Russian expansion in Central Asia) and administrative inefficiencies prompted reforms.

Formalisation of imperial rule

  • The British introduced railways, telegraphs, and legal systems to consolidate control and integrate India into the imperial economy.
  • In 1876, Queen Victoria was declared Empress of India, symbolising formal imperial authority.
  • Queen Victoria ruled from 1837 to 1901 with limited political power in a constitutional monarchy. Her reign saw the growth of the British Empire and gradual changes in voting rights.
  • By 1914, India was governed as a mix of directly ruled provinces and semi-autonomous princely states.

For example, consider:

  • why people in France sought to change their systems of government
  • how power changed hands over the course of the French Revolution
  • the consequences of changing power during the French Revolution
  • the significance of the French Revolution in shaping ideas about government and society.

For example, consider:

  • the reasons for European imperial expansion
  • the causes of the Indian Rebellion
  • why Britain created protectorates in East Africa or the British Raj in India
  • the sources we can use to understand motivations for British rule in East Africa or India
  • how far different groups supported or opposed the creation of British protectorates in East Africa
  • the different explanations given by historians for European expansion
  • expansion to New Zealand.

THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION c.1760–1840
 

The causes of the Industrial Revolution: economic and social conditions in Britain in the late 18th century

  • Agricultural improvement, availability of energy resources, established patterns of local and overseas trade, and stable political and financial conditions.

Technological change

  • Mechanisation of textile production through inventions (e.g. spinning jenny, power loom).
  • Use of steam engines to power machinery and pumps in industrial settings.
  • Advancements in medicine and surgery (e.g. Joseph Lister and the development of antiseptic).

Societal change

  • Increase in factory, mining, and domestic labour with long working hours and hazardous conditions.
  • The Poor Law Amendment Act 1834.
  • Increased access to basic education, as demand for a literate and skilled workforce led to reforms and wider school provision.
  • Rapid expansion of towns through urbanisation and overcrowding.
  • Marked increases in real incomes and access to goods and services due to rising employment, mass production, and growing consumer markets.

Economic change

  • Increased production of textiles and manufactured goods for domestic use and export.
  • Development of new transport infrastructure, including canals and turnpike roads.
  • Expansion of global trade networks connecting Britain with Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
  • Rising demand for slave-produced goods like cotton, tobacco, and sugar through the triangular trade that developed into the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
  • The Transatlantic Slave Trade was a major part of global trade during European expansion and the Industrial Revolution. Millions of West African people were forcibly taken across the Atlantic Ocean via the Middle Passage to work on plantations in the Americas. Goods produced by these enslaved people were exported to Europe. European ships then carried manufactured goods to West Africa to trade for more enslaved people.
  • Overall growth in global economic activity and wider access to manufactured goods, though prosperity remained unevenly distributed.

Political change

  • The industrial middle class gained influence, securing voting rights for middle-class men in 1832 and advocating for greater political representation.
  • Working-class communities organised protests over poor conditions and lack of representation, leading to the 1867 and 1884 Reform Acts, which extended voting rights to urban and rural working-class men.
  • These movements also supported abolition, contributing to the end of the Transatlantic Slave Trade in 1807 and slavery in 1833.

For example, consider:

  • the causes of the Industrial Revolution
  • the consequences of the Industrial Revolution on society or technology or politics
  • how the Industrial Revolution changed Britain and the world
  • what sources we can use to learn about the Industrial Revolution
  • what different types of sources can reveal about children’s experiences in textile mills (e.g. factory inspection reports, diary entries from child workers, cartoons and newspaper illustrations).

Civics and Society

Knowledge

The facts, concepts, principles, and theories to teach.

Practices

The skills, strategies, and applications to teach.

During Year 7

During Year 8

During Year 7

During Year 8

DEMOCRACY AND GOVERNMENT
 

Representative democracy in New Zealand

  • Foundations of modern democracy, including influences from Ancient Greece and the Enlightenment.
  • Universal adult suffrage and secret ballot held every three years.
  • Mixed Member Proportional (MMP) voting system: electorate votes for local MPs and party votes for proportional representation.
  • Central government system allowing for a percentage of seats to be Māori seats.
  • Separate electorate seats in Parliament for electors registered on the Māori roll as a distinctive feature of New Zealand’s democracy.

Citizen participation beyond voting

  • Citizens engage in democracy through:
    • petitions, protests, and social media advocacy
    • attending hui, public meetings, and consultations 
    • joining youth councils, school boards, and community committees
    • volunteering and supporting awareness campaigns.
  • Pressure groups influence decision-makers outside of elections.
  • Types of pressure groups, including cause groups (e.g. environmental, human rights) and economic interest groups (e.g. trade unions, business associations).
  • Methods (including lobbying, public campaigns, submissions, and media engagement) and how these groups shape public debate and policy direction.
  • Distinctive contributions of wahine Māori (e.g. Meri Te Tai Mangakāhia, Te Puea Hērangi, the Māori Women’s Welfare League, Te Kōhanga Reo, Dame Whina Cooper, Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan, Georgina Beyer).
  • Dame Whina Cooper (1895–1994) was a respected Māori leader and advocate for Māori rights, often referred to as the ‘Mother of the Nation’. Best known for leading the 1975 Land March and founding the Māori Women’s Welfare League.
  • Minority community responses through:
    • petitioning the Crown (e.g. 1901 Chinese anti-opium petition, 1947 petition for refugee Chinese women and children to remain in New Zealand)
    • advocacy and support (e.g. CCS Disability Action, IHC)
    • activism (e.g. Disabled Persons Assembly and Deaf community’s lobbying for recognition of New Zealand Sign Language as an official language).

Core democratic values

  • Equality before the law and protection of minority rights.
  • Civic responsibilities, including informed voting, public debate, petitioning, and respectful protest.
  • Enabling peaceful conflict resolution through democratic decision-making instead of violence or force.
  • Role of media in informing citizens and holding power to account.
  • Informed citizenship through critical thinking, media literacy, and understanding diverse perspectives.
  • Freedom of expression to support open debate and informed decision-making.
  • Respectful dialogue across political divides, through civil discourse, to support democratic participation.
  • Ongoing citizen engagement through submissions, hui attendance, and community advocacy.

GOVERNMENT STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS
 

  • Types of government include parliamentary democracy (e.g. New Zealand), monarchy (e.g. Tonga), dictatorship (e.g. North Korea), and federal democracy (e.g. Australia, United States).

Constitutions and constitutional models

  • A constitution sets out the rules for how a country is governed.
  • New Zealand’s constitution is uncodified, meaning its rules are not written down in one place.
  • The constitution is a mix of important laws (like the Constitution Act), ideas passed down over time, and decisions made by judges to guide how the country is run.
  • New Zealand’s constitution is flexible; most parts can be changed by a simple Act of Parliament.
  • Comparison with United States and United Kingdom.

Structure of New Zealand’s government

  • New Zealand has three branches of government, a system that provides checks and balances through separation of powers:
    • the Legislature makes laws. It includes the House of Representatives and the Governor-General, who is the representative of the British Monarch (the head of state).
    • the Executive decides policy and proposes laws. It includes ministers and government departments.
    • the Judiciary interprets and enforces laws and rights. It includes all court judges.
  • what makes New Zealand a representative democracy by communicating this idea (e.g. by writing an essay)
  • the importance of freedom of speech and recognition and inclusion of diverse perspectives, by engaging in dialogue
  • how the pros and cons of MMP can be debated
  • how a range of perspectives represented by lobbying and special interest groups related to government policy can be examined
  • how to participate in a simulated electoral process, forming political parties, campaigning, and voting through a secret ballot
  • the features of a successful example of citizen-initiated change
  • the importance of active citizens in New Zealand (individuals and groups) and discuss how they have contributed to New Zealand’s bicultural and multicultural society (e.g. revitalisation of te reo Māori, kōhanga reo movement, formalising te reo Māori place names).
  • how different trustworthy news sources be collected and evaluated, considering how they represent different perspectives and how they influence how people become informed and active citizens.
  • how case studies can be used to explain the importance of equality before the law and the protection of minority rights in a democracy
  • how information can be collected about participating in civic life through informed voting, respectful protest, public debate, and community engagement
  • how information (e.g. media articles, research papers) can be collected about how the executive, legislature, and judiciary in New Zealand’s government can provide checks and balances through the separation of powers
  • the key components of New Zealand’s uncodified constitution (e.g. statutes, common law, and conventions).

Geography

Knowledge

The facts, concepts, principles, and theories to teach.

Practices

The skills, strategies, and applications to teach.

During Year 7

During Year 8

During Year 7

During Year 8

RIVERS AND GLACIATION 


River systems and the water cycle

  • Location of major river systems and glacial landscapes:
    • major rivers of the world include the Amazon, Nile, Mississippi, Yangtze, Ganges, Volga, Mekong, and Danube
    • major rivers in New Zealand include the Waikato, Whanganui, Rangitīkei, Wairoa, Clutha, Taieri, and Rakaia.
  • Continuous movement of water between Earth’s surface and atmosphere.
  • Water cycle processes, including evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.
  • Solar heat driving evaporation from the Earth’s surface.

River processes and landforms

  • Erosion by rivers through attrition, abrasion, hydraulic action, and corrosion.
  • Changes in river shape and flow from source to mouth.
  • Formation of V-shaped valleys and waterfalls in the upper course.
  • Transportation of material by traction, saltation, suspension, and solution.
  • Deposition of material forming braided rivers.
  • Creation of meanders, levees, and flood plains.

Glacial processes and landforms

  • Formation of glaciers from compacted snow.
  • Downhill movement of glaciers due to gravity.
  • Erosion of rock by plucking and abrasion.
  • Transportation and deposition of material during glacial retreat.
  • Creation of U-shaped valleys and fjords from rising sea levels.

Human interaction with rivers and glaciers

  • Creation of deep harbours, barriers to movement, and tourism landscapes.

Case study of rivers and glacier

  • Location of the river and the glacier.
  • Landforms created by river and glacial processes.
  • Impacts of the landscapes on people.
  • Impacts of people on the landscapes.

POPULATION GROWTH


Global population growth and change

  • Global population determined by natural increase (birth rate minus death rate).
  • The Demographic Transition Model describes the historical shift from high to low birth and death rates.
  • Population change varies across countries, often linked to economic development.
  • Historically, both birth and death rates were high. Now this is mostly seen in pre-industrial societies.
  • Falling global death rates due to a range of factors (including access to health care, changing work and living conditions, environmental factors, conflict) has led to rapid population growth.

Birth rates and influencing factors

  • Lower birth rates in high-income countries due to lifestyle choices and work commitments.
  • Women’s education, career opportunities, family planning, and living costs linked to lower birth rates.
  • Population decline in some countries where birth rate is lower than death rate.

Population structure

  • Youthful populations and ageing populations each bring benefits and challenges.

Migration to New Zealand

  • New Zealand’s current demographics are the result of multiple waves of migration, which are influenced by economic opportunities, immigration policies, and global events.
  • Migration affects population demographics and structure, and this changes over time.
  • Migrant communities often settled in specific regions or suburbs based on work, housing, and cultural connections.
  • Source countries of migrants coming to New Zealand have been affected by loss of skilled workers and gain of remittances.

Case study of population structure

  • One country with a youthful population and one with an ageing population.
  • Location of each country.
  • Demographic characteristics.
  • Causes of demographic change.
  • Impacts on society and economy.
  • Responses to manage demographic change.
  • how to interpret maps and aerial photographs to identify different river landforms
  • the formation of landforms using diagrams
  • how a river changes from source to mouth
  • how to collect and present primary or secondary data on a river at different points of its course and analyse it to understand how the river’s characteristics have changed
  • how to identify glacial landforms on maps and photographs
  • the formation of glacial landforms using diagrams
  • how sources of information, such as maps and numerical data, can be interpreted to analyse the impact of landforms created by rivers and glaciers.
  • how natural increase and growth rates can be calculated
  • the Demographic Transition Model can be critiqued
  • how population pyramids can be interpreted
  • theories of population growth can be critiqued
  • how population control policies can be evaluated.

GEOLOGY, TECTONICS, AND EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS

Geology
 

  • Rocks can be weathered by chemical, mechanical, and biological processes: 
    • chemical: carbonation, hydrolysis, and oxidation
    • mechanical: freeze thaw, thermal expansion, and salt weathering
    • biological: the action of plants and animals.
  • Different types of rock erode at different rates or weather in different ways.
  • Soil is formed from weathered rock and decayed organic matter.

Tectonics

  • A combination of erosion and weathering processes creates distinctive landscapes.
  • On average, tectonic plates move at a rate of around 2 cm a year
  • Over time, the movement of the Earth’s plates has created and reformed continents.
  • Tectonic plates can be made of oceanic or continental crust:
    • oceanic crust is thinner but denser. It can be subducted into the Earth’s mantle. The Earth’s plates move due to the subduction of dense oceanic crust.
    • continental crust is thicker but less dense. It is pushed up away from the mantle.
  • On a convergent boundary, plates are pushed into each other, forming mountains and, if there is oceanic crust, volcanoes and ocean trenches.
  • On a divergent boundary, plates are moved away from each other.

Extreme environments

  • Climate is influenced by latitude, altitude, and distance from bodies of water.
  • Climate shapes the type of ecosystem found in each location.

Human adaptation to extreme environments

  • Use of Indigenous knowledge and technologies for sustainable land use, housing, clothing, transport, and urban planning.
  • Strategies to access food, water, fuel, and shelter.
  • Economic development adapted to environmental conditions.

Case study of adaptation

  • Two contrasting environments.
  • Location of each environment.
  • Ways people adapt to climate and landscape.
  • Economic and cultural responses to environmental challenges.

HAZARD MANAGEMENT

Characteristics of hazards

  • Global locations affected by different natural hazards.
  • Events become hazards when they pose a risk to life or property.
  • Direct impacts of a hazard are immediate losses, such as deaths, injuries, and physical damage to property and infrastructure.
  • Indirect impacts are longer-term consequences, like economic disruption, loss of services, unemployment, and health issues that arise from the initial event.

Tropical storms/cyclones

  • Formation of tropical storms over warm oceans with low pressure systems.
  • Prediction of storm tracks with increasing accuracy.
  • Tropical storms include strong winds, heavy rain, and storm surges.
  • Preparation for tropical storms through building design and evacuation planning.

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

  • Earthquake formation through tectonic plate movement.
  • Earthquake timing and strength not predictable but manageable through planning.
  • Earthquakes are unpredictable and can be measured to identify intensity and location.
  • Prediction of volcanic eruptions through monitoring tremors, land distortion, and temperature changes.
  • Management of eruptions through lava diversion, cooling, and evacuation.

Factors affecting hazard management

  • Influence of development level, technology access, public attitudes, and hazard type on management strategies.

Responses to natural hazards

  • Support from New Zealand to Pacific neighbours after natural hazards occur.
  • Financial aid and humanitarian assistance provided by individuals and communities.

Case study of hazard management

  • Location of a tropical storm and a tectonic event.
  • Causes of the hazards.
  • Direct and indirect effects of the hazards.
  • Evaluation of how the hazards were managed.
  • how rocks can be identified by their characteristics
  • Interpreting geological maps and linking them to landforms seen on the surface
  • Using diagrams to demonstrate the formation of tectonic landforms
  • Interpreting diagrams of soil horizons in contrasting locations
  • Explaining the global location of biomes
  • Interpreting graphs, photographs, and numerical data on contrasting environments.
  • Interpreting diagrams that show the tracks of tropical storms
  • Interpreting weather maps that show the formation and movement of tropical storms
  • Identifying any correlation between levels of economic development and preparedness for hazards.
  • Interpreting and evaluating hazard management maps
  • Conduct a case study

Economic Activity

Knowledge

The facts, concepts, principles, and theories to teach.

Practices

The skills, strategies, and applications to teach.

During Year 7

During Year 8

During Year 7

During Year 8

Financial Education

MAKING FINANCIAL DECISIONS

  • People make financial decisions based on their needs and wants and on a variety of influences (e.g. values, personal circumstances, friends, peers, advertising).
  • People can’t afford everything they need or want so have to make trade-offs and informed financial decisions.
  • Personal budgets help people prioritise spending and make informed money decisions.
  • People use various strategies to make informed money decisions (e.g. gathering information and comparing prices to consider value for money, budgeting, recording expenses, setting savings goals, considering which product best meets their wants, considering the ethics of the product).
  • People earn money in different ways (income, borrowing, lending, gifts).
  • People’s budgets look different from one another and can change over time, such as at different stages of their lives and with different responsibilities (e.g. dependants).
  • New Zealand’s currency (New Zealand Dollar/NZD) has value in relation to other currencies. The value of the NZD can change in relation to other currencies (e.g. AUD, USD, EUR).

PERSONAL FINANCE

Borrowing and interest

  • When you borrow money, you usually pay interest. The total amount a person repays can be much more than the initial cost of what someone is buying.

Payment methods and financial decisions

  • There are advantages and disadvantages to using different forms of payment (e.g. cash, debit cards, credit cards). People consider these factors when making payments:
    • interest rate on credit card
    • payment options with the provider.

Credit and debt

  • Credit means borrowing money that must be paid back later, often with extra cost (interest).
  • Debt is money a person owes when they use credit.
  • People might use credit to buy things they need or want now and pay for them over time (e.g. car, house, expanding a business).

Financial consequences of debt

  • It is important for people’s financial security and wellbeing to:
    • make informed money decisions to minimise debt and avoid unfavourable or unmanageable debt, including repayment conditions
    • meet any obligations on any outstanding debt (e.g. regular payments).

Inflation and economic impact

  • Inflation is the general increase in prices over time, which means money buys less than it did before. Inflation affects the cost of living, savings, and income.

Consumer rights and responsibilities

  • Consumers in New Zealand have rights and responsibilities (e.g. those specified in the Consumer Guarantees Act). Consumer protection laws help create fair and transparent markets by holding businesses accountable for the products and services they offer.
  • Making a personal budget that includes personal expenditure and earnings
  • Identifying reasons for how and why people’s budgets can differ and change over time
  • Using digital tools to find and interpret information about the current value of the NZD in relation to another global currency (e.g. AUD, USD)
  • Identifying situations where people or organisations may borrow money and consider factors affecting debt manageability (e.g. interest, repayment rates, purpose of debt).
  • Analysing everyday scenarios regarding consumer rights and responsibilities (e.g. faulty products, misleading advertising, or refund requests) and identifying appropriate actions or outcomes

NEW ZEALAND’S ECONOMY

Structure and measurement of New Zealand’s economy

  • The size of New Zealand’s economy can be measured using Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the total value of all goods and services produced in a year. GDP per capita is an economic indicator that measures the total economic output per person in a country.

  • The economy is made up of different sectors:
    • the primary sector involves getting raw materials, such as fishing, farming, and mining
    • the secondary sector involves manufacturing goods
    • the tertiary sector involves providing services, such as retail, education, and healthcare.

Economic change and development pattern

  • The size of agriculture, manufacturing, and tertiary sectors have changed significantly over time.
  • These changes follow a pattern of economic growth from largely agricultural to a growth in manufacturing and then to a growth in the tertiary sector. The latter two stages coincide with increasing urbanisation of a population.

Natural resources and geographic advantage

  • New Zealand has a large array of natural resources including fertile land for farming, forests for wood, fish stocks, and minerals.
  • New Zealand produces a range of agricultural goods due to its climate and arable farmland.
  • Export income is generated by selling goods internationally and attracting overseas visitors (tourism).

 

NEW ZEALAND’S ECONOMY

New Zealand budget and role of government

Taxation and public services

  • Tax is money collected by the government from people and organisations to fund public services (e.g. schools, hospitals, roads). Tax systems are important for maintaining a functioning society and supporting collective needs (e.g. housing, water).

Government revenue and spending

  • The government collects taxation revenue each year. The exact amount changes with the level and type of economic activity.
  • The government budget is spent on many things, but in general, that budget is spent on:
    • social security and welfare (e.g. superannuation, jobseeker support, emergency benefits, accommodation assistance, family support payments)
    • health (e.g. hospitals, other health support)
    • education (e.g. schools, universities)
    • transport and communications (e.g. roads, rail, other infrastructure).
  • The exact expenditures are decided by the government, so they change over time.

Unemployment and labour force

  • The unemployment rate is the percentage of people in the labour force who are actively seeking employment but do not currently have a job.
  • The labour force includes all people who are either employed or unemployed. This excludes those who are not actively seeking work, such as retirees, students, or those unable to work.
  • Recording data to show economic sectors using appropriate data visualisations
  • Analysing how the makeup of New Zealand’s economy has changed over time
  • Comparing the GDP and GDP per capita of New Zealand to USA, China, EU, Australia; less developed countries, such as Malaysia and Papua New Guinea; and city states, like Singapore
  • Exploring the impact of GDP and GDP per capita on people’s well-being and inequality.
  • Using appropriate data visualisations to summarise government expenditure.
  • Calculating how prices (e.g. of 1 litre of milk) have increased over time.
  • Analysing a government budget by identifying key areas of spending and revenue.
  • Identifying how budget decisions reflect government priorities and how they can impact individuals, communities, and the wider economy.
  • Analysing how the unemployment rate has changed over time

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