Curriculum context

The Science learning area assessments were administered in Term 3 of 2024.  In 2024, the New Zealand Curriculum (2007) remained in place for science. As such, it provided the basis for the Curriculum Insights science learning area study.

Purpose of the Insight

This insight draws on a selection of tasks from the 2024 Curriculum Insights and Progress Study (Curriculum Insights), many of which were presented in one-to-one interviews between teacher researchers and students. In these interviews students were asked about practical investigations involving animal behaviour and ecology. Their responses reveal how their science inquiry practices progress across Years 3, 6 and 8. The insight offers ways teachers can support students’ learning to further develop their skills in observation and questioning, using and critiquing evidence, and revising their working theories by considering new evidence.

Overview

The Insight is divided into four sections:

1. What are science inquiry practices and why are they important?
2. How often do teachers provide opportunities for students to learn and use science inquiry practices at school?
3. What does the data tell us about how Years 3, 6 and 8 students develop observation, inference, and questioning skills to use and critique evidence in science contexts?
4. What does this mean for our teaching practice?

The insight concludes with a list of useful resources to further explore science inquiry practices in primary classrooms.

Insight

In science, students need frequent opportunities to ask open questions, gather data through observation and investigation, and use evidence, reasoning, and critical thinking to develop explanations and solutions. These practices help students build reliable knowledge through science inquiry.

More information is available on the website of the Curriculum Insights and Progress Study.