Using our glossary
Science has its own language. Some words – like ‘gene’ – are completely new. Other words – like ‘energy’ – are novel uses of familiar words. Words can also be labels for broader concepts – like ‘ecosystem’ or ‘reproduction’.
The language of science
Science terms attempt to explain natural phenomena and are created as new knowledge comes to light. Other terms reflect social and cultural traditions that underpin the interactions between science and society.
Content vocabulary is an important aspect of science knowledge and understanding. If students are unable to master the meanings of key terms, it is unlikely they will be able to master the underlying concepts. Explicit and direct instruction of content vocabulary is a key component of science education.
Effective learners do not treat the word as an isolated piece of information, but rather as a part that enables them to develop a complete understanding of the content they are learning.
The Hub has more than 2,700 glossary terms. There are multiple ways to access and use the site’s glossary.
Glossary term pop-up
Hovering over an underlined word will produce a pop-up box with the glossary definition.
Glossary terms within context
Effective pedagogy suggests that students learn content vocabulary while experiencing or doing science, rather than frontloading a topic by asking students to memorise vocabulary prior to introducing a topic.
Glossary terms within individual Hub resources are underlined – hover over the word, and a pop-up definition will appear. This enables users to read and process the terms within meaningful contexts.
To print the glossary terms linked to a particular resource from the site, first select the Glossary button on the right and then select print. This will print (or you can use your device’s print functions to save as a PDF) the terms and their definitions.
There are also additional targeted ways for users to engage with the glossary.
Glossary tab for individual resources
There’s a glossary button to the right of the title of most resources. Clicking this button will provide a list of all glossary terms and definitions in the resource. The terms appear in alphabetical order.
Users can download the glossary terms found in a resource. Click the ‘Select all’ button to obtain the full list. Alternatively, you can select terms to build your own vocabulary list. Simply click the box next to the term(s) you want to use, then scroll to the top of the page and click on ‘Download item(s)’.
Glossary terms within a resource
Clicking the glossary button at the top right, for example in the The gravity well – a physics analogy article, provides a list of every glossary term that appears within that resource. Users can download all or some of the terms and/or add them to one of their collections.
Both the ‘Download all’ and ‘Download selected items’ lists are converted to .docx files. This format enables educators to edit the text to simplify the language, include additional information, add a quiz or activity questions and upload to Google Classroom.
You can also use these options to add glossary terms to a collection – explained below.
If you click on a glossary term, you will be taken to that glossary term in our Glossary section. If you click on it by accident, just use your browser's back arrow to return to the resource.
Using the glossary as a science dictionary
You can access the full glossary by using the glossary link in the website’s header.
Once you are in the full glossary, use the search function or browse by letter or symbol. Users can select items from across the glossary letter filters and search results to create bespoke glossary lists for download or to add to collections.
Adding glossary terms to collections
Hub users who are signed in can add glossary terms to their collections.
If you are using the site glossary, click on the bookmark icon. A ‘Save to collection’ option will appear as a pop up. If you are using the glossary as part of a resource
If you are using the resource’s glossary and want to add a single term, select the term and use the + add item to a collection button. You can add multiple terms by selecting several boxes and clicking on the ‘+ Add items to a collection’. The article Creating collections explains how to sign in and create and share collections.
There are numerous ways to use the collections tool to promote content vocabulary knowledge. Teachers can create vocabulary lists to share with a class rather than use printed lists – students are welcome to create their own profiles on the Hub too. Share the vocabulary collection link with students or ask students to create their own collections. You can add notes with questions about the terms or links to resources in which the terms appear.
Glossary terms in collections
It’s easy to add glossary terms to collections. This is a useful way to create content vocabulary lists for students to use and share.
Kupu in reo Māori
Our glossary contains a selection of kupu Māori. For support with te reo Māori, visit Paekupu – an online glossary (Māori to English or English to Māori) for science and other learning areas. (This link is also at the top of our full glossary.)
Need more help?
If you require more help using the glossary and its associated functions, please just ask the team – enquiries@sciencelearn.org.nz.
Nature of Science
The New Zealand Curriculum’s ‘Communicating in science’ strand promotes the building of scientific language across all levels, resulting in students’ use of accepted science vocabulary, symbols and conventions.
Related content
These resources outline a suite of key terms for different contexts that may be helpful. They can be used alongside the glossary to further scaffold learning.
We have several kuputaka:
Glossary of kupu Māori mō te ara o Hinekirikiri
Many of our Hub topics have accompanying alternative conceptions articles that highlight content vocabulary that often causes confusion – many of the terms fall into the ‘novel use of a known word’ category.
The article Literacy through science has strategies for building content vocabulary.
The literacy through science topic has helpful webinars for primary and secondary teachers. Use the filters for this topic to find specific articles and activities.
Useful links
Paekupu is an online Māori to English or English to Māori glossary. It covers six subjects – science, mathematics, literacy, visual art, music and performing arts.
Primary Connections has hints for creating class glossaries to support student understanding and new vocabulary use.
Teacher Magazine's Practical tips for primary science provides guidance on developing students' scientific vocabulary.
The Victoria State Government education website has suggestions on introducing scientific language.
There are equity issues to consider when introducing science content vocabulary. This article from STEM teaching tools looks at issues, considerations and recommended actions.
