| Strand | Key Ideas | Outcomes | |||
| earth and space | Students investigate through fieldwork and research the central importance of the earth's role in sustaining life and how changes impact on life; and understands the interactions of the atmosphere, the oceans and the earth's surface. | 2.1 | 3.1 Describes the characteristics that sustain life on the earth and changes to these characteristics and their impact over time. | 4.1 Identifies and investigates changes, both natural and human induced, on the earth and suggests ideas which encourage the preservation of the natural environment for all living things | 5.1 |
| Students select and use observational instruments and digital and electronic technologies to develop their understandings about structures and events in the universe. They appraise and share opinions about the ethics of space exploration | 2.2 | 3.2 Describes various components of the solar system and the effects of these on our every day lives. | 4.2 Investigates and analyses astronomical features and changes as seen from earth and debates the ways scientists examine and explain these. | 5.2 | |
| energy systems | Students collect data about and critique their own patterns of energy use in terms of it's environmental impact | 2.3 | 3.3 Investigates and reports on patterns of energy use in the home school and other places | 4.3 Investigates ways of obtaining, transferring and using energy( including from sustainable energy sources and from fossil fuels) for particular purposes | 5.3 |
| Students use the concepts of force, energy and transfer of energy to investigate and explain phenomena and changing patterns of events in the natural world. | 2.4 | 3.4 Uses the idea of force to describe and explain different ways of transferring energy | 4.4 Plans and evaluates investigations that focus on the transfer and transformation of energy. | 5.4 | |
| life systems | Students develop a shared understanding of the characteristics and behaviour of living things and how they are interrelated and interdependent. They appreciate and report on the place of humans in the earth's ecology, and develop their understanding of, explore future possibilities tor, and act to contribute to, sustainable environments. | 2.5 | 3.5 Explains the interrelationships between systems within living things, and between living thins in ecological systems. They relate these ideas to the health of individuals and to threats to the sustainability of ecological systems | 4.5 Investigates and explains the functioning of living systems from the microscopic to the macroscopic. | 5.5 |
| Students examine the ways in which organisms grow, reproduce and change over generations. They engage with and appreciate different positions on ethical issues such as those associated with ecological sustainability and gene technologies. | 2.6 | 3.6 Identifies, analyses and communicates confidently the similarities and differences in the ways that living things reproduce and considers the ethics of related issues. | 4.6 Explores how living things have changed over geological time and delates the value of species diversity and the ethics of human intervention. | 5.6 | |
| matter | Students communicate understandings about the properties and personal uses of materials. They research future availability of earth materials for human use, and explore possible sustainable alternatives to current patterns of use. | 2.7 | 3.7 Describes the structure of some common materials, and explains how materials are used for different purposes, and understands their impact on the environment | 4.7 Compares properties of materials before and after physical or chemical change by planning, conducting, evaluating and communicating an investigation. | 5.7 |
| Students pose questions to investigate ways in which physical and chemical processes can be altered in order to achieve desirable outcomes, such as food preservation. | 2.8 | 3.8 Uses the changes in properties and uses of materials in product life cycles | 4.8 Recognises and describes conditions that influence reactions or change in materials. | 5.7 | |