Using Water & Atmosphere in your classroom
One of NIWA’s aims with this magazine is to contribute to science education in New Zealand. To this end we distribute Water & Atmosphere without charge to New Zealand high schools. Articles are assigned ‘Curriculum Connections’ to indicate which of the NZ NCEA Achievement or Unit Standards they can complement as a classroom resource. These links are assigned by Royal Society of New Zealand Teacher Fellows who are working during the year with NIWA scientists.
The magazine and the Curriculum Connections are also available online at www.niwa.co.nz/pubs/wa/ There you’ll find an archive of back issues beginning with September 2000 (vol. 8, no. 3). All online articles include a pdf of the printed version and the articles are indexed via the website’s search engine. The Curriculum Connections are compiled at www.niwa.co.nz/pubs/wa/resources/
Curriculum connections for this issue
| Pages | Article | Relevant NCEA Achievement Standards (AS) and Unit Standards (US) | Brief summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10–11 | Land-locked fish and lake-residence time | Biology Level 3 AS90716, US8933 Science Level 3 US8153 |
Even when their migratory path is blocked, native fish can populate inland lakes if there is sufficient water and it sticks around long enough. |
| 12–13 | Dealing to wind hazards in New Zealand | Geography Level 1 AS90202, US5083,Level 2 US5093, Level 3 AS90701, US5095 Science Level 1 US18981, Level 3 US6365 |
Describes the different types of wind hazards and a RiskScape model that looks at their combined effects. |
| 14–15 | Predicting storm events at the coast | Geography Level 1 AS90202, US5083,Level 3 AS90701 Science Level 1 US18981 |
Modelling the scale and return period of extreme storm events helps civil engineers and emergency managers prepare for the worst. |
| 16–17 | An experiment in ecosystem stress | Biology Level 1 US6299, Level 2 AS90461, AS90769, Level 3 AS90716, Level 4 US9225 Science Level 1 AS90188 |
This study tests the hypothesis that a pristine habitat is more resilient than a degraded one. |
| 18–19 | Using food webs to manage coastal resources | Biology Level 1 US6299, Level 2 AS90461, AS90769, US6309, US6312, Level 4 US9226 Science Level 3 US8153 |
Trophic models can help marine resource managers understand the ecological effects of different management decisions. |
| 20–21 | Mapping seaweeds at Dusky Sound and Stewart Island | Biology Level 1 US90164, Level 2 AS90461, AS90769, Level 3 AS90713 | Scientists have surveyed the algal species and their distribution. |
| 22–23 | How is climate linked to respiratory infections in Auckland? | Biology Level 1 AS90178, US6295 Science Level 3 US18981 |
A comparison of climate data and hospital admissions data shows the correlation of the two. |
| 24–25 | Regional contributions to past and future climate change | Geography Level 1 AS90208, Level 2 US5093, Level 3 AS90701, AS90707, US5098, US5099 Science Level 1 AS90188, Level 2 US6352, Level 3 AS90728, US6355 |
Our simple climate model shows how much of the greenhouse gases in the global budget come from a particular area. |