CTMS Science Links to the New Zealand Curriculum

At CTMS we believe that the essence of science is built on knowledge and understanding about environmental and
sustainable practices. When students make strong links between scientific knowledge and everyday decisions and action
they come to see science as a socially valuable tool exemplified in Schoolgen, Enviroschools and Sustainable Coastlines.

Vision

For all children at CTMS to have authentic learning

experiences to explore, investigate and understand
the natural, physical world and the wider universe.

Aims

 Use the immediate and wider Wellington environment to engage students in scientific thinking.
 To link the key learning areas of the New Zealand Curriculum.
 To offer a balanced programme of all the 4 strands in science over a two year timeframe. (Living World, Planet Earth and Beyond, Physical World and Material
World)
 Provide learning/communication tools to enable students to organise and convey their scientific thinking.
 To create a sustainable environment through offering opportunities for students to take action with a specific environmental/science focus.
 To work in partnership with our local and wider community providers to ensure that learning programmes meet the learning needs of the students and support
effective teaching and learning.
 To use an inquiry approach to connect with current student understanding with what they already know and what they need to know for future learning.
 To enable students to explore Maori perspectives and other cultural traditions within a science context. The learning is focused on developing an
understanding of whanaungatanga/ inter-relatedness.
 Goals for Students

 Use their current scientific knowledge and skills to problem solve and develop their scientific thinking skills.
 Have authentic and interactive experiences of their environment so they are able to take positive action to develop sustainable
practices.
 To work alongside key people and resources from the wider community enact and achieve sustainable goals.
 To use the learning/communication tools provided with to organise and convey their scientific thinking.
 Have the opportunity to explore a range of transactional texts which they will encounter when communicating their scientific ideas.

Goals for Teachers

 Develop a deeper understanding of scientific knowledge and principals and to see the connection between sustainable practices.
 Model scientific approaches to problem solving.
 Stay committed to planning and implementing the inquiry process.
 Access science activities that support challenge and develop students’ scientific thinking and understanding.
 Access key experts in the community related to the area of scientific learning to develop and inspire the implementation of science
programme/curriculum.
 Plan scientific learning school wide and work collaboratively with other staff to ensure consistency.
 Revisit scientific learning in the school to consolidate philosophies within the school
 Pass the knowledge on to future groups to ensure that our CTMS legacy is passed onto to future generations
 Self-review our science programmes annually to check for balance of the strands.