Homeschool → New Zealand → Year 1 → Science

Year 1 science

In Foundation, children use their senses to explore the world around them. They notice what living things need, describe what everyday objects are made of, watch how the weather and seasons change their day, and play with how objects move. Learning is hands-on, talk-rich and full of questions.

Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.

Biological sciences

Living things and their needsFull lesson · 30 minChildren discover that plants, animals and people are living things that need food, water and air to stay alive and grow.

Chemical sciences

What things are made ofTopic outlineChildren explore everyday materials such as wood, plastic, metal and fabric, and describe how they look and feel.

Earth and space sciences

Weather and seasonsTopic outlineChildren observe daily weather and talk about how hot, cold, wet or windy days change what we wear and do across Australia's seasons.

Physical sciences

How things moveFull lesson · 30 minChildren test how objects of different shapes and sizes roll, slide, bounce and spin, using a simple ramp.

Science inquiry

Using our senses to observeTopic outlineChildren use sight, hearing, touch, smell and (when safe) taste to describe objects, and share what they notice with drawings and talk.

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Curriculum notes

Australian Curriculum v9.0. Topics are organised around the Australian Curriculum v9.0 Science strands and sub-strands. This is an independent learning resource; it is not endorsed by ACARA and has not been mapped to individual content descriptions.

These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to New Zealand year levels by age (NZ Year 1 is the first year of school). They are not yet mapped to The New Zealand Curriculum, so check them against your own learning programme.