The Briefing | Issue No. 9 - Bay Science - Science Curriculum Feedback NZ

Rātapu 19 o Paenga-whāwhā 2026

Bay Science has completed the first version of their organisational feedback on the draft Science curriculum (Phase 1-4). Over 700 annotations were made on the draft Science Learning Area. Details within.

Kia ora koutou

First of all, we hope that you, whanau and students have all stayed safe and well through the recent weather events.

A bit of positive news, congratulations to Jim Critchley (one of our Earth and Space Science Educator NZ Representatives) who has been made an Education Affiliate with Blue Marble Space. reach out if you fancy a classroom video call with a space scientist. Jim has also been helping to organise the Tauranga Student Space Innovation Hub - reach out to Jim here: jimc@mmc.school.nz

On the topic of space, you will have heard recent news about the Artemis programme. You can find out about all of it on the official NASA website. Tomorrow also marks the beginning of Conservation Week. You'll find heaps of events in the calendar including a Café Scientifique Tauranga evening session tomorrow with Emma Cronin.

In our last bulletin we also shared that we received over 500+ comments from our Working Group Hui (Cluster ＃1 of 2026). We've been busy... really busy, collating all of those comments into some kind of useful format. On final tally, our working group and readers submitted over 700 annotations. Our organisational-level feedback is attached below:

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BAY SCIENCE CURRICULUM FEEDBACK

NOTE: THIS FILE IS INTENDED FOR COLOUR A3 VIEWING.

Consultation on the Draft Science Curriculum - Bay Science.pdf

Download PDF • 116.75MB

Alternate link via [Google Drive Download Here]

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Ngā manaakitanga,

Bay Science

info@bayscience.nz

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      GENERAL NEWS

• Education treaty mandates: Waitangi Tribunal wraps urgent inquiry into clause repeal (Te Ao Māori News)
  

• The Fungi Hunt competition is in the Bay of Plenty is still on!
  

• [Mount Maunganui] Grow Your Sustainable Urban Garden; 8 practical sessions on Sustainable Permaculture Gardening (Facebook link)
  

• [Bay of Plenty] The Great Ōtanewainuku Kiwi Survey (GRŌKS) is coming up. Register here.
  

• [Bay of Plenty] You can now vote for your favourite School Sustainability and Resilience Fund projects! Voting closes Monday 27 April 2026. Successful projects will be announced by Friday 22 May 2025.
  

• [Bay of Plenty] Toki exhibition shares Māori knowledge (Sunlive)
  

• Research funding provides rangatahi with hands-on education about climate change (Te Ao Māori News)

      EVENT FORECAST

Our full calendar is available here. More than half of our readers are from beyond the Bay of Plenty. Let us know how we can help promote your event.

Apr 20

• [Tauranga] Various conservation week events

• [Wairarapa] Nature @ Night

• [Wellington] Climate Festival 2026

Apr 21

• [Hamilton] 'Four years in Antarctica investigating Earth’s changing climate' by Professor Gary Wilson.

• [Online] New Zealand climate policy in the 2020s: confronting long-term challenges in a short-term world (Helen Clark Foundation)

• [Hauraki-Coromandel] Conservation Week at the Cinema

• [Wellington] Thin Ice 2026 (Royal Society NZ)

Apr 22

• [Global] Earth Day

• [Tauranga] Girl Power STEAM Workshop! (STEAM-ED)

• [Auckland] CONSERVATION Game Play for Teachers and Home-school Parents (Ngā mihi NZAEE).

• [Napier] Marine Monitoring Wānanga for Teachers

Apr 23

• [Rotorua] Identifying NZ Birds

• [Online] Exploring carbon: activities for primary classrooms

• [Online] The importance of teacher knowledge: Insights from the new OECD Teacher Knowledge Survey

• [Rotorua] Ecogas site tour (now full; see details).

• [Tauranga] Tauranga Green Drinks (Sustainability Options)

Apr 24

• [Nationwide] Draft Curriculum Feedback Due

• [Nationwide] RAMP Review Due

Apr 26

• [Nationwide] City Nature Challenge 2026

• [Ōhiwa Headland] Introduction to Pest Animal Control

Apr 28

• [Ōpōtiki] Freshwater Conservation

Apr 28

• [Te Puke] Agritech Seminar: Land in Transition

• [Hauraki-Coromandel] Local voices for Nature Night Talk 2

Apr 30

• [Reminder] BioLive ChemEd Call for Workshops Close

• [Online] Ki Tua: Māori and Space Science

• [Tauranga] Tauranga Student Space Innovation Hub – First Session

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CONFERENCE WATCHLIST

• 2026 NZ Bird Conference (May 30 - Jun 1)

  
  

• Science Communicators of Aotearoa NZ Conference (Jun 24-26)
  

• ASERA 2026 (Australasian Science Education Research Association) takes place in Brisbane (30 June - 3 July).

  
  

• UpliftEd by Aotearoa Educators Collective (July 8-9)
  

• NZ International Science Festival (15-19 July)

  
  

• NZ Plant Conservation Network conference (Oct 12-15)

  
  

• New Zealand Association of Environmental Education Conference (5 - 7 October Tāmaki Makaurau).

  
  

• Chem-Ed Biolive by SCENZ and BEANZ (Nov 18-20)

      RESOURCES & EXPERIENCES

The following have been added to our Experiences page and Resources directory. Our Resources directory only saves items which are free and which do not require a login.

• The Globe Program has shared their favourite GLOBE Observer Activities for Families.
  

• Unified Geologic Map of the Moon | For the first time, the entire lunar surface has been completely mapped and uniformly classified by scientists from the USGS Astrogeology Science Center, in collaboration with NASA and the Lunar Planetary Institute.
  

• Five Copernicus apps transforming climate and atmosphere insights (for senior students).
  

• The SEAQUESTproject (EU) has released a new curriculum for teachers which covers concepts on ocean conservation, seagrass biology, ocean literacy and the importance of protecting ecosystems.
  

• Live Whakatāne River Multi-View Cam (Coastguard Whakatāne)
  

• NZ Andy (YouTube) explores New Zealand's deadliest plants
  

• Exploring plankton with your students | Science in School
  

• World Ocean Day (June 8 2026) Resources; A variety of printables, postables and guides are available for free.
  

• Developed in Australia and used by councils to support communities facing climate risks, The Adaptation Game has now been brought to Tāmaki Makaurau with support from Auckland Council and community partners (Auckland Climate Action).
  

  
  

      RANGATAHI OPPORTUNITIES

• [Nationwide] SPCA Animal Guardians of Aotearoa Drawing Competition - win one of five prize packs valued at $100. Teach kids to imagine themselves as animal guardians. Link in SPCA newsletter.
  

• [Auckland] MPHS Community Trust are running a free 4-week nature learning program. Email pts-community@mphs.org.nz to book a spot. (Source)
  

• [Bay of Plenty] Applications for the 2026 Youth Panel are open until Monday 27 April 2026.
  

• [International] The Youth Empowerment Forum (YEF) 2026 in Switzerland returns for its second edition—larger, more ambitious, and more globally representative than ever before. (Center for Global Dialogue and Leadership)
  

• The First Annual World Ocean Day Poster Competition
  

• [Not super-science-related, but still very wholesome for readers who are also parents]: Chores for Paws is a fundraiser where tamaraki complete chores to raise money towards training new guide dogs.

  
  

      KAIAKO OPPORTUNITIES

• MoE is looking for EOIs to join the Disability Voices Group for curriculum. More info.
  

• A list of grants to support travel/fees/accommodation for ChemEd Biolive is now available.
  

• [Online] Science is Cool Unconference is a free virtual event for teachers.
  

• Ngā Herenga Course is a short online course on the history of Aotearoa New Zealand. Explore the political connections between the Crown and iwi Māori, and how these relationships have moulded our culture, politics and society (University of Canterbury)
  

• [Probably more for the policymakers]: Online Course - Integrating Health and Well-being into Education Sector Planning (UNESCO IIEP)
  

Reminders

• Dates and locations for the Maurice Wilkins Centre Biology Teacher Professional Development Day 2026 have been announced. More details to come.

      EDUCATION ASSOCIATION UPDATES

This month's updates are available here. New changes for the week are below.

• ACEC

  • You may be aware that consultation on the refreshed Year 0-10 school curriculum closes at 5pm Friday 24 April.*

    
    

    ACEC has compiled some suggested guidance on a possible submission you might like to make. File attached below:

    
    

ACEC submission guidance on curriculum 2026.pdf

Download PDF • 233KB

• AEC

  • Setting the Record Straight; A response to the Minister of Education’s comments on NewstalkZB

  • More details are now available for UpliftED 2026.

  • More like a Manifesto than a Curriculum (Open Access, Springer Nature Link)

  • AIMHI Principals – Request for Urgent Review of New ERO Reporting Format (AEC Substack)

  • The Elephant in the Classroom (Trevor Bills)

  • The Reality of Curriculum Change in the Classroom (Becca Thomas)

  • Reflecting on teachers’ experiences of curriculum-making (Rosemary Hipkins)

  • Let's prepare teenagers for their future, not our past (AEC NZ)

  • AEC joins the curriculum pushback (Lynda Stuart)

  • School Briefs - Urgent Waitangi Tribunal case, A rouge press release, and curriculum consultation

• BEANZ

  • BioLive ChemEd event information is now live.

  • BEANZ has published their Term 1 2026 newsletter. Highlights include:

    • A nomination form to join the BEANZ executive (closes April 30th)

    • Announcement of the BEANZ 2026 AGM (June 6th) which will be taking place online via Zoom; time to be advised.

    • An article about Aotearoa's biodiversity, language, human impacts and solutions for the future. "It is knowledge such as mātauranga, developed over centuries in Aotearoa and over millennia in other Indigenous cultures, alongside established conservation tools, that

      is needed to tackle Aotearoa’s ongoing biodiversity crisis."

    • An updated list of regional BEANZ contacts across Aotearoa.

• ESSENZ

  • Reminder: following from Term 1, ESSENZ also has a range of webinars scheduled for Term 2.

    
    

• HATA

  • HATA have reviewed the draft Science curriculum and included proposed changes. This was shared with members on April 7th, as well as with the Ministry of Education.
    

• NZAEE

  • NZAEE's Term 2 newsletter is now available (you can sign up to receive these here). Highlights include:

    • A range of Term Two seasonal learning opportunities and updated collections:

      • Ngahuru | Autumn Seasonal Activities

      • Rākau | Trees in our Learning Spaces

      • Matariki, Environment and Wellbeing

      • Nature Connection for Aotearoa Educators

    • Curriculum collections are also available (see more resources here):

      • Exploring Biodiversity through Statistics Investigations 

      • Compost Calculations: Algebra and Measurement in Action 

      • Geometry in the Garden 

      • Measuring the Mighty: Maths Adventures in Kauri Education 

      • Nature Books: Storytelling, Curiosity & Empathy (primary and intermediate level)

      • English Curriculum for Te Taiao (secondary level)

    • Webinar recordings from Term 1:

    • Analysing the Draft Curriculum with an Environmental Education Lens

    • Sustainability Education in Secondary Schools

    • Growing Spaces of Belonging

  • Tentative dates June 3rd (Wed) OR 10th (Tues) from 4 - 5pm Reviewing the Yr 11 - 13 Draft Curriculum with an EE Lens

  • [Via Facebook]: This is the original Mātaitipu Vision for Young People, as written by young people that was included in the 2023 Te Mātaiaho draft.

    THIS VISION HAS BEEN REPLACED in the 2025 version that is out for consultation until April 24th. Please take a few minutes to watch the video and acknowledge the contribution and generosity of the rangatahi involved with this work. We can still honour their mahi by advocating for a curriculum that reflects this aspirational vision. Please submit your feedback on the draft curriculum framework before the consultation closes.

    We have created a guidance document to help you submit. It includes a comparison of the 2023 vision with the current 2025 draft, so you can clearly see what has changed and been removed.

  • TĀTAIAO, the NZAEE Conference 2026, is taking place in Tāmaki Makaurau from October 5-7.
    

• NZAPSE

  • Primary Science Week returns this year from May 4th-May 10th. This year's theme "Catch that carbon!" will feature a live Q&A with a scientist (hosted by Science Alive and Science Learning Hub), resources, competetitions and prizes. Ask a Scientist takes place May 6th, 11:45am - 12:30pm (register here). The Science Learning Hub has also organised a webinar on the 23rd of April which explores carbon activities in primary classrooms.
    

• NZASE

  • [RNZ] Association mulls compulsory science for Year 11 students; NZASE president Jayatheeswaran Vijayakumar says Year 11 students could benefit from compulsory science lessons.

  • NZASE has joined He Rau Ringa.
    

• SCENZ

  • BioLive ChemEd details are now live.

  • $500 travel grants are available to attend Biolive ChemEd. Priority will be given to early-career teachers, sole teachers, or those in isolated kura. Apply by emailing suzanne.scourfield@wghs.school.nz (closes 1st June, notififcation 10th June).
    

I mōhio rānei koe? | Did you know?

• Across the ditch, the immediate-past president of the Australian Science Teachers Association, Margaret Shepherd, has unpacked what science teaching looks like in classrooms. Margaret also talks about the issues of syllabus creep and misrepresentations of explicit teaching. Listen to the podcast here.

  
  

      SCIENCE CURRICULUM

• Additional annual plans are now available (i.e not just Science).

• Curriculum and Assessment Roadshow for Leaders (register here)

Reminders:

• Phase 5 of the science curriculum will be released in May-June; this has been included in our science curriculum timeline. Bay Science will be regularly updating this timeline as new information becomes available.

  
  

• Feedback on the draft science curriculum Y0-10 is due on April 24th.
  

• Science Learning Kits from MoE are also available with the opportunity for feedback.
  

• A public change.org poll is live to extend the consultation period on the draft curriculum.
  

      NCEA & ASSESSMENT

• A new exemplar for Science Level 1 AS91920 (S1.1 Science Informed Response) has been published on the NZQA website.
  

  
  

      PIVOTAL PERSPECTIVES

Readings and talks which may be relevant to us; commentaries and research relevant to science education and curriculum reform.

• Evidence informed policy? The Australian Education Research Organisation's borrowed knowledge-rich curriculum dispositif (Patricia Thomson).
  

• A reduction in the science curriculum is welcome (Royal Society of Chemistry)
  

• Facts, but not those facts: some implications of excluding Indigenous knowledges (Springer Nature Link)
  

• Teachers’ Union Calls for Halt to Curriculum Rollout Over Treaty Concerns (Waatea News)
  

• A step in the right direction or a missed opportunity for a radical redesign? The RSC’s Laura Daly looks at the curriculum review and how far it has yet to go (Royal Society of Chemistry)
  

• UNESCO's 2026 Global Education and Monitoring Report on access and equity is now available online.
  

• [YouTube] The World's First Indigenous Data Standard: IEEE 2890-2025 Provenance of Indigenous Peoples’ Data
  

• Can we educate our way out of the climate crisis?' by Professor Chris Eames (University of Waikato YouTube)
  

• Without big changes, this is what the environment will look like in 2050 (UN Environment Programme)

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Should Education for Sustainability be a subject at Year 12 and Year 13?

• 0%Yes
• 0%No
• 0%Not sure

Findings from previous informal polls

• 56% of readers are not trialling or implementing the draft science curriculum, in Term 1 2026
  

• 88% of readers would like General Science to be a subject in Year 12 and 13
  

• 84% of readers have major concerns about the draft science learning area
  

• 69% of readers think that the pace of the science curriculum changes feels too fast 
  

• 94% of readers think that the Nature of Science should be explicitly taught in the science curriculum 
  

• 83% of readers do not think that draft science curriculum adequately prepares students for a world shaped by AI, climate change and global uncertainty.
  

• 67% of readers believe the science curriculum refresh process is not working well.
  

• 77% of readers believe the draft science curriculum provides very little opportunity for student agency and action.
  

• 80% of readers feel there is far too much content in the draft science curriculum. 13% say there is slightly too much.
  

• 85% of readers think that the science curriculum should teach students how science works, including how scientists and the wider science system operate

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The Briefing is Bay Science’s weekly email newsletter for anyone interested in the latest developments in science education. Subscribe below to receive each edition.

Bay Science is a noticeboard for science education news and events across Aotearoa New Zealand, helping educators and community members across the country. If your organisation has a kaupapa, event, or opportunity to share with the science education community, we’d love to share it.