Kia ora koutou
He mihi o te tau hou. 春节快乐 Happy New Year! We hope that you have had a great start to Term 1.
In this issue of Pitopito Kōrero, we are highlighting our beautiful and unique marine environment. New Zealand has a rich diversity of marine habitats, with over 15,000 known species. Scientists estimate that there may be as many as 65,000 marine species in New Zealand waters. Many of these species are not found anywhere else in the world!
Take time to connect with and take action for our oceans during Seaweek – Kaupapa Moana. This is New Zealand's annual national awareness week for the sea, taking place Saturday 3 to Sunday 11 March 2018. The theme for 2018 is "Toiora te Moana – Toiora te Tangata – Healthy Seas, Healthy People".
In this issue:
Conservation education resources to support learning about, in and for our marine environments
- Noteworthy nature competitions and events
- Conservation education programme spotlight: Marine Metre Squared
- The New Zealand Association of Environmental Education Conference: 18 - 20 April 2018, Wellington
Ngā manaakitanga,
DOC Outreach and Education team
Marine conservation education resources
Investigating Marine Reserves is an integrated curriculum teaching resource with New Zealand’s marine reserves as a real-life context for learning.
The resource links to the New Zealand Curriculum at levels 1-4, but can be adapted for use at various levels. It will be available to download for free from March 2018-
What does this education resource aim to achieve?
Overall vision:
To provide students, teachers and their communities with opportunities to grow their knowledge, skills and understandings about marine conservation, so that they can help resolve environmental challenges for the marine environment in their local area and beyond.
The exact pathways of learning and associated outcomes are up to students and teachers. Activities and suggestions in the resource enable the following learning opportunities:
Connecting to the marine environment (Te Taha Wairua)
Students can:
- Form significant personal connections to their local marine environment
- Have awareness and sensitivity about local species and environments and start to care for them
Knowledge, skills and understandings (Te Taha Hinengaro, Te Taha Tinana)
Students can:
- Grow their understandings of no-take marine reserves in New Zealand
- Recognise the role of tangata whenua in marine conservation
- Learn skills to help address marine conservation issues
Taking collective action and working with community (Te Taha Whānau)
Students can:
- Act alongside the wider community to contribute to a healthy marine environment
- Participate in active sharing with the community to celebrate success and action
Check out these goodies:
This new Guide to the New Zealand Seashore will be a great addition to any marine biodiversity study.
This marine mammals poster is just one of the amazing resources available on the DOC education website.
These seabird factsheets for levels 2 - 4 are a great way for students to explore the lives of seabirds.
Check out the Royal Albatross / Toroa resource that complements the Royal Cam in Dunedin.
The 'Explore The Gulf' poster series is usable anywhere in New Zealand and includes an augmented reality app.
Mudflat Mysteries Educational Activity Book from Mm2 in both te reo Māori & English - register for more info.
The World of Whales education kit aims to help raise awareness about whales their environment.
With the Black Petrel / Tāiko resource you can investigate the lives of these vulnerable, endemic seabirds.
Become a Water Champion with the Toyota Kiwi Guardians 'Toa Tiaki Wai' action medal.
Participate in the Seaweek LEARNZ virtual field trip
Become a Guardian of the Ocean and make a difference by taking action with this list from Blue The Film
Science Learning Hub have a dedicated Seaweek 2018 page. You can also check out their ocean topic page!
Noteworthy nature competitons and events
There are Seaweek events such as beach clean-ups, guided snorkelling days and public talks taking place around the country to excite and inspire all New Zealanders to connect with and take action for our oceans.
Find out more about Seaweek and events happening near you - http://seaweek.org.nz/
Young Ocean Explorers are running a competition to encourage more teachers to utilise their fantastic online marine videos and quizzes. There are $20,000 worth of incredible prizes for NZ teachers, classrooms, students and a school to win!
The Outlook for Someday is a sustainability film challenge for young people.
DOC is a partner of the challenge and also sponsors the Big Picture Award. This is a special award given to a winning film focusing on one or more of DOC's Big Ideas and Values. See the Big Picture Award winning films here.
The Outlook for Someday team will be running free sustainability film-making workshops nationwide in Autumn-Winter 2018. Find out more on their website - www.theoutlookforsomeday.net
Programme spotlight:
Marine Metre Squared
Marine Metre Squared (Mm2) is an easy way for anyone to survey the plants and animals living on their local seashore and a great opportunity to get citizen science into the classroom.
Mm2 is free and easy to sign up to and as a registered member you can get full access to the Mm2 database to add your data and compare with others in New Zealand. Registered members also get free access to the fantastic primary and secondary teaching and learning resources as well as North and South Island specific ‘sandy and muddy’ and ‘rocky’ shore guides available in both English and Te Reo Māori.
The New Zealand Association of Environmental Education Conference
The conference will be taking place in Wellington on the 18 - 20 April 2018 and aims to create an ecosystem of environmental educators across New Zealand in order to harvest a collaborative future. This will be facilitated through two key themes:
Celebrating and Strengthening Collaboration aimed at identifying key aspects that make collaborations successful and exploring tools that will improve collaborating between partners and the wider community, and Expanding Environmental Education which will explore the contributions made to conservation education by various individuals and organisations.
A scholarship for youth to attend the conference will be available from March, please check the website for details - http://www.nzaeeconference.nz/
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Experiencing Marine Reserves Poor Knights Annual Competition Trip 2017. Credit: Darryl Torckler
Want to access the full range of DOC education resources?
Want to further connect with DOC? Pond keeps you up-to-date with the latest conservation education resources.
