NZ Curriculum · Year 1 Science · Primary

Year 1 Science Lesson Plan & Curriculum Map

A full-year Year 1 science lesson plan for the New Zealand Curriculum (Science learning area). 96 lessons across the school year from February to December, set out week by week for 1, 2, 3 or 4 lessons a week, covering needs of living things, daily and seasonal changes, push and pull forces and science in society and inquiry skills.

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Year 1 Science learning map

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1 day/week · steady pace2–3 days/week · guided practice

February · Needs of living things

Year 1 Science — February Lesson Plan

New Zealand Curriculum · Science

Week	1 Day/Week	2 Day/Week	3 Day/Week	4 Day/Week
February 1st week (Science)	Needs vs Wants 1. What a living thing NEEDS to survive	Needs vs Wants 1. What a living thing NEEDS to survive 2. What is just a WANT, not a need	Needs vs Wants 1. What a living thing NEEDS to survive 2. What is just a WANT, not a need 3. Practice: sorting things into needs and wants	Needs vs Wants 1. What a living thing NEEDS to survive 2. What is just a WANT, not a need 3. Practice: sorting things into needs and wants Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need air
February 2nd week (Science)	Needs vs Wants 1. What is just a WANT, not a need	Needs vs Wants 1. Practice: sorting things into needs and wants Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need air	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need air 2. Why living things need water 3. Why living things need food	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need water 2. Why living things need food 3. Why living things need shelter Going on an Observation Walk 1. Observing plants and animals in a real outdoor space (e.g. the schoolyard)
February 3rd week (Science)	Needs vs Wants 1. Practice: sorting things into needs and wants	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need water 2. Why living things need food	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need shelter Going on an Observation Walk 1. Observing plants and animals in a real outdoor space (e.g. the schoolyard) 2. Recording what you see	Going on an Observation Walk 1. Recording what you see 2. Thinking of a question about what plants or animals need Needs of Pets 1. What a pet needs to stay healthy and happy 2. Practice: describing the needs of a real or chosen pet
February 4th week (Science)	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need air	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need shelter Going on an Observation Walk 1. Observing plants and animals in a real outdoor space (e.g. the schoolyard)	Going on an Observation Walk 1. Thinking of a question about what plants or animals need Needs of Pets 1. What a pet needs to stay healthy and happy 2. Practice: describing the needs of a real or chosen pet	Needs of Farm & Wild Animals 1. What a farm animal needs 2. What a wild animal needs 3. Comparing the needs of a pet, a farm animal and a wild animal Needs of Plants 1. What a plant needs to grow

March · Needs of living things

Year 1 Science — March Lesson Plan

New Zealand Curriculum · Science

Week	1 Day/Week	2 Day/Week	3 Day/Week	4 Day/Week
March 1st week (Science)	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need water	Going on an Observation Walk 1. Recording what you see 2. Thinking of a question about what plants or animals need	Needs of Farm & Wild Animals 1. What a farm animal needs 2. What a wild animal needs 3. Comparing the needs of a pet, a farm animal and a wild animal	Needs of Plants 1. Practice: explaining how a plant gets what it needs from where it lives How a Place Meets an Animal's Needs 1. Looking at a real habitat and finding where an animal gets its air, water, food and shelter 2. Practice: matching a habitat feature to the need it meets How a Place Meets a Plant's Needs 1. Looking at a real habitat and finding where a plant gets its air, water and other needs
March 2nd week (Science)	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need food	Needs of Pets 1. What a pet needs to stay healthy and happy 2. Practice: describing the needs of a real or chosen pet	Needs of Plants 1. What a plant needs to grow 2. Practice: explaining how a plant gets what it needs from where it lives How a Place Meets an Animal's Needs 1. Looking at a real habitat and finding where an animal gets its air, water, food and shelter	How a Place Meets a Plant's Needs 1. Practice: matching a habitat feature to the need it meets Planning Our Habitat Diorama 1. Choosing a plant or animal and its habitat 2. Planning a diorama (a small model) that shows how the habitat meets its needs Making, Sharing & Term 1 Assessment 1. Making the habitat diorama
March 3rd week (Science)	Air, Water, Food & Shelter 1. Why living things need shelter	Needs of Farm & Wild Animals 1. What a farm animal needs 2. What a wild animal needs	How a Place Meets an Animal's Needs 1. Practice: matching a habitat feature to the need it meets How a Place Meets a Plant's Needs 1. Looking at a real habitat and finding where a plant gets its air, water and other needs 2. Practice: matching a habitat feature to the need it meets	Making, Sharing & Term 1 Assessment 1. Sharing it with the class and explaining how it shows the needs being met 2. Term 1 assessment: needs of living things topic test 3. Feedback session What Happens Every Day 1. Things that happen every day (like day turning to night)
March 4th week (Science)	Going on an Observation Walk 1. Observing plants and animals in a real outdoor space (e.g. the schoolyard)	Needs of Farm & Wild Animals 1. Comparing the needs of a pet, a farm animal and a wild animal Needs of Plants 1. What a plant needs to grow	Planning Our Habitat Diorama 1. Choosing a plant or animal and its habitat 2. Planning a diorama (a small model) that shows how the habitat meets its needs Making, Sharing & Term 1 Assessment 1. Making the habitat diorama	What Happens Every Day 1. Practice: naming a daily change you notice Day & Night 1. What day looks like 2. What night looks like 3. How our daily life is different in the day compared to the night

April · Needs of living things

Year 1 Science — April Lesson Plan

New Zealand Curriculum · Science

Week	1 Day/Week	2 Day/Week	3 Day/Week	4 Day/Week
April 1st week (Science)	Going on an Observation Walk 1. Recording what you see	Needs of Plants 1. Practice: explaining how a plant gets what it needs from where it lives How a Place Meets an Animal's Needs 1. Looking at a real habitat and finding where an animal gets its air, water, food and shelter	Making, Sharing & Term 1 Assessment 1. Sharing it with the class and explaining how it shows the needs being met 2. Term 1 assessment: needs of living things topic test 3. Feedback session	The 4 Seasons 1. Naming the 4 seasons 2. Practice: naming what season it is right now What Changes in Summer & Winter 1. What's different about summer (weather, clothes, activities) 2. What's different about winter (weather, clothes, activities)
April 2nd week (Science)	Going on an Observation Walk 1. Thinking of a question about what plants or animals need	How a Place Meets an Animal's Needs 1. Practice: matching a habitat feature to the need it meets How a Place Meets a Plant's Needs 1. Looking at a real habitat and finding where a plant gets its air, water and other needs	What Happens Every Day 1. Things that happen every day (like day turning to night) 2. Practice: naming a daily change you notice Day & Night 1. What day looks like	What Changes in Spring & Autumn 1. What's different about spring 2. What's different about autumn How Seasonal Changes Affect Our Everyday Life 1. How we dress differently in different seasons 2. How our activities change with the seasons

The learning framework

Anatomy of a focused lesson

Each session moves from a clear focus to guided practice and a quick check for understanding.

10 minutes

Wonder and notice

Begin with something your child can see, hear or touch at home or outside, and turn it into a simple science question.

25 minutes

Explore and try it

Explain the idea with pictures and everyday objects, then observe, sort or test something together and talk about what happened.

10 minutes

Show what you know

Finish with a quick explain-it-back or drawing task that shows what has stuck and what to come back to.

Student learning toolkit

Resources for Year 1 Science

Concept lessons

Clear, visual lessons on each New Zealand Curriculum science topic.

Practice activities

Short questions and checks matched to each week’s focus.

Science inquiry

Observation, investigation and recording skills built up through the year.

Progress notes

A clear record of what your child has mastered and what comes next.

Free first lesson

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