Ngā mihi o te wā We hope you had a restful term break. National Primary Science Week is fast approaching! The theme this year is Eco Champions – Science in Action, which is all about taking environmental action, or showcasing environmental action projects you have already been involved in. In this issue of Pitopito Kōrero, we highlight resources to support taking environmental action in your local environment, as well as-
Please don't hesitate to contact us if you require any advice, or have any feedback about this newsletter or our resources. We would love to hear from you! Ngā manaakitanga, DOC Outreach and Education team National Primary Science Week 14-18 May 2018What is your school doing to become Eco Champions? Why not showcase what you already do or get involved in your area? This is what Primary Science Week in 2018 is all about. For more information and to register, visit - https://nzapse.nzase.org.nz/primary-science-week/ Action ideas and links to supporting resources:
Why is environmental action important? Why should students be involved in environmental action? Action develops the NZ Curriculum principles, vision, key competencies and learning objectives of multiple subject areas. It promotes the development of students into knowledgeable, actively involved, empowered future citizens. Why participate in environmental action? The Tools for environmental action resource can support students with-
Hilltop School students clearing weeds. Credit: Anna Elwarth Upcoming teacher professional development opportunities We have partnered with the Science Learning Hub to deliver four free, interactive teacher PD webinars on the ‘in the environment’ resource series- 1. Eco explorers – Thursday 3 May, 4:00-4:45pm 2. Our native trees – Thursday 17 May, 4:00-4:45pm 3. Pest detectives – Thursday 24 May, 4:00-4:45pm 4. Eco Champions – Thursday 20 September, 4:00-4:45pm Join as a group in the staff room or from the comfort of home. All the webinars will be recorded and made available on the Science Learning Hub and DOC websites to be viewed at any time. New Conservation Education resourcesInvestigating marine reserves The resource includes site visit notes to support educators plan field trips to-
Conservation Dogs Programme education resource Te Reo and Mātauranga Māori online resources New conservation education resource launch: Te Whio mo ake tonu atuTuesday 24th April on Mounga Taranaki - the sun shone, the camphouse was full, great kōrero flowed and the connection making was plentiful. Why? A wānanga to introduce the set of new resources, Te Whio mo ake tonu atu. These resources, written and developed by Taranaki iwi teachers complement the Whio Forever education resources, and are written for Māori medium education settings (i.e. kura and rumaki reo). Although the resources were specifically developed for Taranaki, and uses Taranaki kupu, karakia and mātauranga, they can be used more widely by English medium schools in Taranaki and bykura in other parts of the country. For example, kōrero at the wānanga highlighted the usefulness of he ripanga kupu (a glossary), and how English medium schools could use the glossary to build on their students te reo Māori language skills. One of the Taranaki phrases in the resource, noninga kumu (roughly translated as ‘rubbing your buttocks on the earth’) alludes to the action of knowing a place so well that you have literally sat in the earth and have a connection to it. The resource includes a teacher guide, posters and presentations. The posters will be available here online this week. Some questions to help you unpack the resource for your local context:
Noteworthy nature competitionsKākāpō t-shirt design competition The Kākāpō Recovery Programme is joining FLOAT (For Love of All Things) to create a new kākāpō t-shirt to raise money and increase awareness about kākāpō. There are plenty of prizes up for grabs, including Kākāpō Recovery adoption packages for the winner and school with the most entries! Check out the Kākāpō Recovery education resource to learn about this amazing bird and for some design inspiration!
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Sinbad. Credit: Jake Osborne |