properties of matter

Stalactites and stalagmites are geological formations that occur when water dissolves limestone and other minerals. The mineral-rich water seeps through cracks and into a cave. In...

Antibiotic medicines have been an important development for human health, and they’re credited with improving the average human lifespan. While important for human and animal health,...

We use chemicals every day, and they’re all around us. We know different chemicals come in different forms and that they will behave differently in different...

Did you know there are over 30,000 chemicals approved for use across Aotearoa New Zealand? Who approves and regulates the use of these chemicals? How do...

Around 3,500 years ago the earliest ancestors of many Pacific people and Māori – the people provisionally named Lapita – appeared in Oceania. Records of the...

This Connected article by Ken Benn, looks at a class investigation into why they lost the boat float competition. It starts when student Meihanna asks “How...

This set of activities enables students to directly observe how everyday objects behave in water and to investigate the factors that determine whether an object will...

An object floats when the weight force (gravity) on the object is balanced by the support force (upwards push or upthrust) of the water on the...

Floating and sinking may appear to be quite simple concepts. Something floats or it doesn’t – correct? What does floating mean? Does it have to sit...

Floating and sinking provides opportunities for students to observe how everyday objects behave in water and to investigate the factors that determine whether an object will...

This activity supports students to use their senses to closely observe and identify a range of properties in order to classify items for different purposes. The...

This Connected article describes the processes and practices used when planning, designing and building a large indoor sports centre. It outlines the science and technology behind...

Science is about discovery, curiosity and observation. Two key outcomes of any activity can simply be enjoyment and the conversations that arise from the experience. Take...

Several basic science concepts are needed to understand shadows. The New Zealand Ministry of Education’s Building Science Concepts (BSC) series presents sets of interlinking concepts that...

The late 19th and early 20th centuries shared some of the same environmental issues that also concern us today: air and water pollution, power generation from...

Large snow events in most parts of New Zealand are uncommon. However, if you are in the South Island or the central North Island, this citizen...

In this set of investigations, students explore objects made from materials that are transparent, translucent and opaque and the effect this has on their shadows. The...

Take a look around you. Everything you see has come from the natural world. This level 4 Connected article focuses on the importance of recycling so...

Every New Zealander generates about 735 kilograms of waste per year – an amount that has increased approximately 20% over the last 3 years. Most waste...

Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. A useful way to start thinking about matter is to think about the different materials, or substances,...

At the Science Learning Hub, we know teaching chemistry can feel a bit overwhelming. In this recorded professional learning session, Greta Dromgool takes you step by...

In 2017, Flight Plastics (now called Pact Packaging) closed the recycling loop by opening New Zealand’s first PET wash and recycling plant. PET plastics (plastic products...

In this activity, students play an active game to sort plastic items into three categories: reuse, recycle and rubbish. It is an ideal introductory activity for...

In 2017, Lower Hutt business Flight Plastics opened New Zealand’s first PET plastic wash and recycling plant. Flight Plastics turns the recycled plastic into RPET flakes...