Mātauranga Māori constitutes concepts and principles that are richly detailed, complex, and fundamental to Māoridom. It is important to remember that the practice of these are wider and more varied than their use within the proposed NCEA Achievement Standards and supporting documentation.

We also recognise that the cultures, languages, and identities of the Pacific Islands are diverse, varied, and unique. Therefore the Pacific concepts, contexts, and principles that have been incorporated within NCEA Achievement Standards may have wide-ranging understandings and applications across and within the diversity of Pacific communities. It is not our intention to define what these concepts mean but rather offer some ways that they could be understood and applied within different subjects that kaiako and students alike can explore.

The intent of the Standard 

The purpose of the Standard is for ākonga to be able to demonstrate understanding of the effect on the Earth of interactions between the Sun and the Earth-Moon system. 

Ākonga will look at the world around them, making observations of interactions between the Sun and the Earth-Moon system. In this Standard, ākonga will explore how interactions have an effect upon the Earth, but they are not expected to look at the effect on the Sun or the Moon. For example, they may observe that the daylight hours and temperature changes are patterns that make up the different seasons in different places across the globe. This can be explained by how the Earth’s tilt relative to the Sun creates those patterns. This is a key skill in Earth and Space Science. Ākonga will be equipped to use science ideas to understand what they observe.  

Ākonga can explore how Māori, Pacific, or other Indigenous knowledges describe the interactions of the Sun and the Earth-Moon system, and their effect on Earth. They will develop analytical skills, link understanding to their own observations, and synthesise this knowledge to explain the interactions and their effect on the Earth. This will enable ākonga to engage with the world through making observations, to see how different knowledge systems can inform their understanding of the world, and to apply science ideas to explain it. 

This Standard aligns with the following items of Significant Learning: 

• investigate observable interactions between the Sun and the Earth-Moon system 
• interpret representations, critique evidence, and communicate knowledge within physics, Earth and space science contexts
• apply inquiry approaches to develop understanding of physics, Earth and space science concepts, including how mātauranga Māori can inform inquiry practice. 

Making reliable judgements  

Ākonga are being asked to make observations of interactions between the Sun and the Earth-Moon system, and to demonstrate understanding of: 

• observations of interactions
• science ideas that relate to the observations of interactions
• effect of interactions
• science ideas that explain the interactions and their effect.

Observations can be from any data or media that records or captures a quality or quantity of an interaction or observable pattern. Ākonga will describe their observations and the effect of the interactions on the Earth. They will describe science ideas that support the observations. Ākonga may include evidence from Māori, Pacific, or other Indigenous knowledge systems when demonstrating their understanding of interactions and their effect on the Earth.    

At higher levels of achievement, ākonga will explain how the interactions occur and how these interactions affect the Earth. They will link science ideas by recognising their connections with the observations. Demonstration of strong understanding involves integrating linked ideas and observations to more clearly understand the interactions and their effect on the Earth. This also involves ākonga discussing how the effect of the interactions varies on the Earth. They can look at variation over time or spatially. For example, they might discuss how the effect varies at different latitudes of the Earth, or at different times of the year. 

Collecting evidence

Ākonga should be provided with multiple opportunities and different contexts in which to make observations of interactions between the Sun and the Earth-Moon system.

Refer to the External Assessment Specifications for further information.

Possible contexts 

Possible contexts for the assessment will derive from the following interactions between the Sun and the Earth-Moon system:

• positioning of the Sun, the Earth, and the Moon relative to each other
• tilt of the Earth relative to the Sun
• orbit of the Earth around the Sun
• orbit of the Moon around the Earth
• spin of the Earth on its axis relative to the Sun.

Observable patterns are:

• tides
• day and night
• seasons
• Moon phases
• lunar eclipses
• solar eclipses
• latitudinal or temporal variation in any of the observable patterns listed above.

Standard Exclusions

This Standard has one or more exclusions, or Standards that assess the same or similar learning. These Standards are excluded against one another to prevent assessing the same learning twice. You can only use credits gained from one of these standards towards your NCEA qualification.

Find out more about the NCEA Level 1 Exclusions List.

Literacy and Numeracy Requirements