Ngā mihi o te wā Spring is in the air, the days are getting longer and the weather warmer! It's a great time to get outside and enjoy nature in the outdoor classroom! In this issue of Pitopito Kōrero, we will be highlighting some of the amazing citizen science opportunities available for school students, 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 Citizen science is a branch of science that involves data being collected by many different citizens (including students) in their own communities. It is used to gather extensive data, enhance public understanding of science, and strengthen links between professional scientists and citizens. Citizen science enables students to participate in the scientific community and contribute to increasing our knowledge about New Zealand biodiversity. There are lots of great examples suitable for NZ students. Check out this spreadsheet created by Victoria University which highlights citizen science projects suitable for NZ school students. Visit the pond website for a list of citizen science projects suitable for NZ school students. iNaturalistNZiNaturalistNZ is a well known citizen science hub where you can record what you see in nature, get help from the scientific community to identify your observations and learn about the natural world. Or, if you have a smartphone, tablet or iPad, you can download the iNaturalist app through Google Play or the App Store. While learning outdoors, students can take photos of plants and animals and upload their observations onto the website or app. Teachers will need to register at iNaturalist.nz before you can enter observations. youtube.com – instructional video on how to use the Marine Metre SquaredMarine Metre Squared is an easy way for anyone to survey the plants and animals living on their local seashore. The NZ Marine Studies Centre, University of Otago, is encouraging everyone to participate in long term monitoring of their marine environment. Anyone can take part – individuals, families, schools and community groups and it can be used on different types of shorelines - sandy, rocky and muddy! Take a moment to join the Marine Meter Squared project – it's easy and free. Ahi Pepe - MothNetAhi Pepe MothNet is a citizen science project that aims to engage teachers, students and whānau with moths, and through the moths to nature and science. As part of Ahi Pepe MothNet, a set of resources have been developed to help you integrate the MothNet programme into your class. The units are available in either te reo Māori or English and contain the vocabulary you’ll need to talk about moths, pollination and food webs. Myrtle Rust ReporterThe Myrtle Rust Reporter app is designed to record observations of common host plants (e.g. Pōhutukawa, Rata, Bottlebrush) that may be susceptible to myrtle rust and then monitoring them periodically for signs of the disease.The app can then be used for reporting potential infestations of myrtle rust. Myrtle rust is a serious biosecurity threat to NZ and we need everyone's help to protect our natural and productive environments. You can download the Myrtle Rust Reporter app through Google Play or the App Store. Using Citizen Science - An Example of Success!Using a cellphone to photograph an insect and upload to iNaturalistNZ. Credit: Dianne Christenson Case Study: Using citizen science to develop kaitiakitanga amongst our tamariki. Dianne Christenson At Koraunui School we have been using iNaturalistNZ to support our school action projects. We have used iNaturalist for several projects. These have included our school BioBlitz, trapping and tracking predators and identifying marine species when participating in the Marine Metre Squared project. We are attempting to identify the biodiversity that exists in our valley in order to encourage our students to become kaitiaki and strong advocates for our native species. We survey our school grounds, Horoeka Reserve and any other areas where we find things of interest. It is interesting to look on the website and see that staff and families are using the app outside of school - when they go on holiday! The site is easy for children to use. Initially they would record their finds as “a plant” but over time have became more skillful in their identifications. To date we have made 521 observations and 147 species have been identified. Finding and identifying a starfish while taking part in the Marine Metre Squared project. Credit: Dianne Christenson An example of an observation submitted to iNaturalistNZ earlier this year. Credit: Dianne Christenson. The Kererū has been crowned Bird of the YearWith a whoosh-whoosh, the kererū, also known as the kūkū, kūkūpa, or wood pigeon, has swooped to glory for Bird of the Year (Te Manu Rongonui o Te Tau) 2018. While the kererū population is classed as stable overall, it is in danger of becoming locally extinct in some areas where there has not been sustained predator control. The fate of many forests is linked to that of the kererū, as it's the only native bird big enough to swallow and disperse the large fruit of karaka, miro, tawa and taraire. Has Bird of the Year inspired you to experience birds in your green space? Check out the resources belowFollowing the citizen science theme - The Garden Bird Survey resources from Landcare Research include lots of activities and resources to help identify and record birds found across NZ and can be adapted to suit any area in New Zealand. Birds are important indicators of the health of New Zealand’s environment, and to help discover and learn more about NZ garden birds, Landcare Research needs as many people as possible to participate in this citizen science project. If your survey is during the NZ Garden Bird Survey week (usually late June / early July) you can participate in the official survey and enter your data onto the website. If your survey is outside of the official dates then you can still use the survey method but analyse your data separately. Book the NZ Garden Bird Survey into your 2019 Calendar now! Experiencing birds in your green spaceInquiry unit | Outdoor activities | Levels: 1-4: Use this resource to experience birds in your school grounds or another local green space. Learning outcomesUsing this resource students will:
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Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR)Te Kura Moana – School of the Ocean Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) is a national programme of experiential learning about marine conservation. EMR engages schools and communities by providing the equipment and expertise for a hands-on learning experience in the ocean. The full EMR programme involves investigating marine biodiversity and local marine environments before venturing to a fully-protected marine reserve. After this experience, students are able to compare unprotected and protected areas and are then supported to put their knowledge into ACTION within the community. EMR provides a coordinator to lead in water experiences, the programme reinforces simple concepts such as the uniqueness of our marine biodiversity and provides an active focus on conservation of these environments through education and action. Our local issue focus and ratio requirements mean that adult involvement is a guaranteed by-product of participation. EMR also provides once off snorkelling experiences as part of school camps and on request from groups, along with our Community Guided Snorkel events throughout NZ. Kia Kaha te Reo TaiaoDeveloped for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori and Conservation Week - these downloadable posters and booklet include te reo Māori and English words and phrases about the environment. Learning levels
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