Curriculum

NZ Curriculum icon.

All LEARNZ field trips are closely linked to the New Zealand curriculum, in particular science, social studies and geography. They can also be used by other subject teachers.

Key concepts

adding value, business, Canterbury, catchment, changing values, climate, climate change, consequences of consumption, conservation, dam, dams, drilling, drinking water, earth processes, economy, electricity, electric generation, environment, environmental impacts, extraction, farm, feed crops, fresh water, fresh water environments, future focus, gadgets, human impacts, hydro, infrastructure, innovation, lakes, land management, land use, managing resources, pasture, pasture management, perspectives, plant biology, plants, potable water, productivity, recording, resource management, resource management and use, resource use, rivers, science, scientific research, social and environmental impacts, soil, soils, solar power, Southern Alps, statistics, sustainability, sustainable resource management, technological change, technological innovation, technology

The New Zealand Curriculum - NZC

Key Competencies

LEARNZ virtual field trips contribute to the development of all five key competencies:

Key Competencies	Examples of Related Field Trip Components
Thinking	Constructing questions to put to experts during web conferences.
Using language, symbols and texts	Interpreting and making meaning of a variety of language and symbols in the background pages and throughout the web site.
Managing self	Numerous content-related activities provide students with chances to engage with the material and create their own interpretation of the content.
Relating to others	Videos connect students with a range of expert opinions. Students listen actively when seeking answers to video questions.
Participating and contributing	LEARNZ Virtual Field Trips are an ideal medium for group-based topic inquiry. They also enable students to transfer new learning into the context of their own communities where they are encouraged to take action.

(See page 12-13 NZC 2007)

Values

The Water field trip encourages, models and explores these values:

innovation, inquiry and curiosity
ecological sustainability
community and participation

(see page 10 NZC 2007).

E-learning and pedagogy

The Water field trip directly involves learning that is supported by information and communication technology (ICT).

In particular, the trip will:

Assist the making of connections by enabling students to enter and explore new learning environments, overcoming barriers of distance and time.
Facilitate shared learning by enabling students to join or create communities of learners that extend well beyond the classroom.
Enhance opportunities to learn by offering students virtual experiences and tools that save them time, allowing them to take their learning further (Page 36 NZC 2007).

Social Science

Strand

Achievement Aims

Background Pages

Social Studies

Continuity and Change

Level 2: Understand how time and change affect people's lives
Level 4: Understand that events have causes and effects

Place and Environment

Level 2: Understand how places influence people and people influence places
Level 3: Understand how people view and use places differently

Economic World

Level 3: Understand how people make decisions about access to and use of resources
Level 4: Understand how producers and consumers exercise their rights and meet their responsibilities

People and Water
Water as a Precious Resource
What is Irrigation?
Irrigation in New Zealand
How Irrigation Works
An Asset for New Zealand

Science


Strand	Achievement Aims	Background Pages
Living World	Ecology Levels 1-2: Recognise that all 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.	Water as a Precious Resource What is Irrigation? An Asset for New Zealand
Planet Earth and Beyond	Interacting systems Level 1-2: Describe how natural features are changed and resources affected by natural events and human actions. Level 3-4: Investigate the water cycle and its effect on climate, landforms and life. Earth systems Level 1-2: Explore and describe natural features and resources. Level 3-4: Appreciate that water, air, rocks and solids, as well as life forms make up our planet and recognise that these are also Earth's resources.	Water as a Precious Resource The Water Cycle What is Irrigation? Irrigation in New Zealand An Asset for New Zealand

Technology


Strand	Achievement Aims	Background Pages
Nature of Technology	Characteristics of technologicaly Level 2: Understand that technology both reflects and changes society and the environment and increases people’s capability. Level 3: Understand how society and environments impact on and are influenced by technology in historical and contemporary contexts and that technological knowledge is validated by successful function. Level 4: Understand how technological development expands human possibilities and how technology draws on knowledge from a wide range of disciplines.	What is Irrigation? Irrigation in New Zealand How Irrigation Works An Asset for New Zealand Changing Technologies
Technological Knowledge	Technological systems Level 2: Understand that there are relationships between the inputs, controlled transformations, and outputs occurring within technological systems. Level 3: Understand that technological systems are represented by symbolic language tools and understand the role played by the “black box” in technological systems. Level 4: Understand how technological systems employ control to allow for the transformation of inputs to outputs.	What is Irrigation? Irrigation in New Zealand How Irrigation Works An Asset for New Zealand Changing Technologies

Mathematics

Strand

Achievement Aims

Background Pages

Statistics

Statistical literacy

Level 2: Compare statements with the features of simple data displays from statistical investigations or probability activities undertaken by others.
Level 3: Evaluate the effectiveness of different displays in representing the findings of a statistical investigation or probability activity undertaken by others.
Level 4: Evaluate statements made by others about the findings of statistical investigations and probability activities.

People and Water
Water as a Precious Resource
The Water Cycle
Irrigation in New Zealand
An Asset for New Zealand

English

The selected processes and strategies indicators used in the table below are from Level three of the NZC but aim to cover indicators from levels two to four.


Strand	Processes and strategies indicators	Example of related field trip component
Speaking, writing and presenting	uses an increasing understanding of the connections between oral, written, and visual language when creating texts creates a range of texts by integrating sources of information and processing strategies with increasing confidence	making the connection between web conferences, background pages, videos, and own discussion when generating written responses assimilate information from web conferences, background pages, and videos to create a range of texts
Listening, reading and viewing	selects and reads for enjoyment and personal fulfilment recognises connections between oral, written, and visual language integrates sources of information and prior knowledge confidently to make sense of increasingly varied and complex texts thinks critically about texts with increasing understanding and confidence	printed copies of background pages could be part of classroom library making links between web conferences, background pages, and videos Web conferences, web conference chat pod, videos, and diaries can be used to make sense of background pages and Diaries and generate questions to put to experts for further clarification