Conservation Education update- Term 3 2017
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Kia ora koutou
We hope you had a restful term break and are re-energised for Term 3.
Things are cooling down across the country, but we can still work towards conservation action! Have a look at our ‘Restoration through the seasons’ guide to see what conservation projects you could be doing at this time of year, and plan ahead for next term and 2018.
Also in this issue:
- Mātauranga Whakauka Taio Mahere Rautaki– Environment Education for Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan is launched
- Our ‘new look’ Conservation Education website and latest resources
- Upcoming teacher PD for Secondary teachers
- Conservation education programme spotlight: The Outlook for Someday
- Noteworthy nature competitions and events
Ngā manaakitanga,
DOC Outreach and Education team
Mātauranga Whakauka Taio Mahere Rautaki – Environment Education for Sustainability Strategy and Action Plan has just been launched!
Developed on behalf of government by the Department of Conservation, Ministry of the Environment and Ministry of Education, the strategy refreshes the Environmental Education strategy released in 1998 to reflect the changes in priorities and approaches that have happened in the last 20 years.
The Strategy sets out three priority areas to guide where government agencies direct their efforts over the next ten years; and sets out short term objectives to direct focus on over the first four years. Our next steps — as outlined in the strategy — are to celebrate the great practices and partnerships already underway, strengthen environmental education networks to encourage collaboration, and build capability within the environmental education sector by providing guidelines, tools and professional learning opportunities. We want communities to engage with students in environmental projects and help provide healthy learning experiences with intellectual, physical, emotional and social benefits.
Further information can be found at: http://www.doc.govt.nz/eefs
Ministers, officials and Zealandia Ambassadors - Hon Dr Nick Smith, Hon Nicky Wagner, Hon Scott Simpson and the Zealandia Youth Ambassadors, Denise Church (Zealandia), Kay Booth (DOC)
Our 'new look' Conservation Education website
We have made it easier to find online resources to support your conservation teaching and learning on our website. You can now search for resources by keyword, curriculum area, topic and/or learning level -
New Conservation Education resources
Enhancing biodiversity in your green space
Using this resource, students can:
- Come to conclusions about which plants and animals are living in their green space.
- Gain an appreciation for how plants and animals interact with each other in an ecosystem.
- Plan to enhance native biodiversity in their green space.
Tools for environmental
action
Using this resource, students can:
- Plan and carry out successful action to address an environmental issue alongside their community.
- Monitor and review their environmental action.
- Begin to understand how their action has an impact on the wider ecosystem.
These are the final two resources in the ‘IN the environment’ resource series. Using a local green space (e.g. school grounds or a local park/reserve) as a context, these resources encourage primary and intermediate students to become citizen scientists and go outdoors, explore and connect to a local environment. We have designed the series so that each resource can be used by itself, or joined together to create a comprehensive inquiry unit.
Restoration through the seasons
This poster has been designed to help teachers and students plan, implement and take action on restoration projects throughout the school year.
The Blue Project – Explore, Learn, Act
A free digital resource designed to extend the reach of marine education to classrooms around the country, so that students from Kaitaia to Bluff can experience the wonder of what lies beneath the ocean. The website uses 360-degree video to bring the marine environment to life, transporting students from their classrooms to the wonder of Kelly Tarlton's underwater experience.
Produced by SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton's, with support from the Department of Conservation’s Community Fund.
Kiwi Forever teaching resource
Kiwis for kiwi has just released a brand new edition of Kiwi Forever, a comprehensive teaching resource for primary and intermediate teachers.
Using the DOC Inquiry Cycle, the resource presents kiwi as its central theme with activities linked to Level 1-3 curriculum areas. Each of the seven chapters focuses on a different aspect of kiwi, including biology, habitats, its significance in New Zealand history, threats faced today and what we can do to protect them.
To receive your free copy, visit www.kiwisforkiwi.org/kiwiforever
Teacher professional development opportunities
Teacher PLD webinars - Whio Forever
We partnered with the Science Learning Hub earlier this year to deliver four free professional learning webinars which use the Whio Forever education resource
to model a process of student inquiry into conservation. The recorded webinars are now available to view on the Science Learning Hub website at any time –
Whio along the Hollyford Track, Fiordland National Park. Credit Gerald Bruce-Smith
Investigating alpine environments - Secondary School Education Resource for Years 9-13
This resource is designed to introduce secondary students to New Zealand’s extraordinary alpine environments, and support them to take action to help protect them. It will be available to download here from September 2017.
In the meantime, register to attend a free teacher PD workshop about the resource and how to get the most from a school field trip to Tongariro National Park –
- Wellington - GNS Science
Thursday 14 September 2017, 4.15 pm – 5.30 pm
- Tongariro National Park - Hillary Outdoors, Tongariro
Wednesday 20 September 2017, 4.15 pm – 5.30 pm
- Hamilton – Rototuna High Schools
Thursday 21 September 2017, 4.15 pm – 5.30 pm
For more information and to register, visit www.doc.govt.nz/education-alpine
Mount Ngauruhoe, Tongariro National Park. Credit: Alan Cressler
Programme spotlight
The Outlook for Someday
For 10 years The Outlook for Someday film challenge has helped grow a generation of sustainability storytellers. The challenge gives young New Zealanders a voice and enables them to raise awareness about conservation issues, and empowers them to share their ideas for conservation action.
For anyone aged up to 24 the annual challenge is to make a sustainability-related film of any genre, filmed with any camera and any length up to 5 minutes.
The prize package for each of the 20 winning films includes a commitment that it will be entered into at least one international film festival the following year. So far in 2017, three of the winning films from 2016 have gone on to win further awards and another six have been nominated at film festivals in New Zealand and overseas.
Someday film-making workshops are now taking place throughout New Zealand, including Kaupapa Māori workshops and Pasifika-focused workshops. The one-day and two-day workshops run from 9am to 4.30pm on weekdays for young people from school years 7 to 13 (aged 11 to 18) as well as teachers and youth workers.
To register for a workshop near you, visit - www.theoutlookforsomeday.net/workshops
DOC sponsors the competition’s ‘Big Picture Award’ - a special award for a winning film focusing on one or more of DOC's big ideas and values.
2016 Big Picture Award winner – Dog Island Motu Piu (Sarah Ridsdale, 15 years old)
Dog Island Motu Piu is a claymation about two young tuatara (named Tua and Tara) learning from their grandfather about how Peter Ridsdale (Sarah’s uncle) founded the Dog Island Motu Piu Charitable Trust to preserve and promote the conservation of the island.
Sarah’s film exemplifies the importance of community groups working throughout the country to restore and protect our natural environments and historic places. It encapsulates DOC’s Big Picture values of manaaki and aroha.
View Sarah’s film here
To enter the film challenge, visit - http://www.theoutlookforsomeday.net/about/film-challenge
The entry deadline is 8 September 2017.
Award winner Sarah Ridsdale (middle right) with Anita Anderson (DOC) (right) and special guests Frankie Adams (left) and Katie Wolfe (middle left). Credit: The Outlook for Someday
Noteworthy Nature competitions and events
World Ranger Day – Live Q & A with rangers for schools
Monday 31 July 2017, 11am
To celebrate World Ranger Day on the 31st of July 2017, we want to let students know what it’s like to be a DOC ranger. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us to educate young people on DOC’s work and to perhaps inspire future DOC rangers!
To do this, we will be hosting a Facebook LIVE Q & A session with DOC rangers on our Facebook page. You’ll be able to tune in to the live video stream from your classroom (using a computer or phone, all you need is wifi!), and your students will have the chance to ask DOC rangers questions about what their job is like, live!
How you can take part:
- Submit your questions and register your name and school here: www.doc.govt.nz/worldrangerday
- Follow our World Ranger Day webpage for up to date information on the live stream.
- On 31 July at 11am, log into Facebook in your classroom, and head to the DOC Facebook page: www.facebook.com/docgovtnz.
- Rangers will answer as many questions as they can, but if they run out of time before they get to your question we will try to get you a response as quickly as we can after the stream has finished.
If you aren’t able to tune in to the live stream, don’t worry – you won’t miss out! You’ll also be able to find and watch the video on the DOC Facebook page afterwards.
Ranger monitoring kiwi population on conservation land. Credit: One Shot/G Mitchell-Anyon
Habitat Heroes Competition
Entry deadline- 29 September 2017
The Habitat Heroes competition encourages young people to explore a local natural environment and think about how they can make a difference.
Up for grabs will be six cash prizes to contribute to the conservation action project identified in the entry. There will be prizes for each of the following categories:
- Explore your local green space
- Explore your local marine space
- Explore your local stream
Visit www.doc.govt.nz/habitatheroes to register and for more information.
Great Kiwi Morning Tea
October 2017
Spring isn’t far away and with it comes Save Kiwi Month and the Great Kiwi Morning Tea. It’s going to be bigger and better than ever this year, with special guest Kuwi the Kiwi joining the event. Get your school involved by holding a morning tea, bake sale, mufti day, coin trail, or other fundraising activity to help raise money to protect kiwi. The official date for the Great Kiwi Morning Tea is Friday 27th October, but you can hold your event whenever is convenient for you.
Visit www.kiwisforkiwi.org/gkmt to register and for more information
Kiwi biscuits galore! Credit: Pete Anderson, Chelsea School
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