One of NIWA’s aims with this magazine is to contribute to science education in New Zealand. To this end we distribute Water & Atmosphere without charge to New Zealand high schools. Articles are assigned ‘Curriculum Connections’ to indicate which of the NZ NCEA Achievement or Unit Standards they can complement as a classroom resource. These links are assigned by Royal Society of New Zealand Teacher Fellows who are working during the year with NIWA scientists.
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The magazine and the Curriculum Connections are also available online at www.niwa.co.nz/pubs/wa/ There you’ll find an archive of back issues beginning with September 2000 (vol. 8, no. 3). All online articles include a pdf of the printed version and the articles are indexed via the website’s search engine. The Curriculum Connections are compiled at www.niwa.co.nz/pubs/wa/resources/
Curriculum connections for this issue
| Pages | Article | Relevant NCEA Achievement Standards (AS) and Unit Standards (US) | Brief summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-11 | From emissions to exposure: are our transport choices making us ill? | Geography Level 1 AS90207, Level 2 AS90336, Level 3 AS90706 Science Level 2 US6352, Level 3 US6355 | New research is tracking exposure to vehicle emissions for people in cars, buses, trains, and city streets. |
| 12-13 | Natural purification of groundwater | Biology Level 2 US6309, US6310, AS90714,Level 3 AS90713 Environmental Sustainability Level 2 AS90814 Science Level 3 AS90728 | Aquifer-dwelling crustaceans play an important role keeping bacterial contamination in check. |
| 14-17 | Ecodiagnostics: biomarkers of shellfish health in urban estuaries | Biology Level 2 US6308, US6312, AS90461, AS90769, Level 3 US8933 Environmental Sustainability Level 2 AS90811 | Biomarkers in cockles are revealing exposure to chemical and metal contamination. |
| 18-19 |
Harnessing the power of sunlight and nanoparticles to combat biofouling |
Biology Level 3 US6320, AS90714 Chemistry Level 3 US6340 |
The search for nontoxic coatings to combat marine fouling is finding the answer in nanotechnology. |
| 20-21 | Biology Level 2 US6309, Level 3 AS90713 Chemistry Level 3 US6340 Environmental Sustainability Level 2 AS90814 | Surveys are filling in the knowledge gaps about how commercially important fish species depend on different vulnerable habitats. | |
| 22-23 | Improving projections of Antarctic ozone recovery | Calculus Level 3 AS90635 Chemistry Level 3 US6340 Statistics and Modelling Level 3 AS90641 | Scientists are incorporating atmospheric chemistry into global climate models to focus on the future of the Antarctic ozone hole. |
| 24-25 | Linking the world’s oceans: the Antarctic Circumpolar Current | Biology Level 3 US6319, US90714 Environmental Sustainability Level 2 AS90811, AS90814 Geography Level 3 US5098, US5099, AS90701 Science Level 3 US6355, US21613, AS90728 | New measurements of the ACC are helping to detect changes due to global warming. |