Kia whai mātauranga tātou mō ō tātou rākau mā te reo Māori.
Learn about our trees in te reo Māori!
Join Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao – Science Learning Hub and Manaaki Whenua researcher Norm Mason as we share and discuss bilingual resources created through the collaboration of students, educators, botanists and te reo Māori experts.
In 2022 Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha worked with botanist Norm Mason to learn to describe native tree species and to communicate this information to their peers and whānau. From this work a suite of articles was developed to support kaiako and akonga to learn about rākau trees.
The articles present the fundamentals of plant biology in a way that is accessible to anyone who may have limited prior knowledge of botany. These resources are extensively illustrated with images and bilingual diagrams, including the stunning botanical illustrations of the late Audrey Eagle.
During this webinar we will introduce a simple unit plan that includes getting to know the trees in a local area through observation, discussion and the sharing of knowledge. The unit demonstrates an example of place-based learning and the Word documents (including te reo Māori-only) are available for kaiako to download and adapt as required. The key science concepts covered in the articles include:
- pollination and seed dispersal
- seeds and germination
- leaf structure and photosynthesis
- classification and identification
Make the most of having access to scientist Norm Mason, discover what worked well with the teaching and learning processes and even be ready for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with kupu Māori for our amazing rākau.
Tēnei te mihi nui ki a Mokoro Gillett (Tumuaki o Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha) rāua ko Norman Mason (Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research). Tēnā kōrua.
This session will be valuable for both primary and secondary school educators.
During the webinar we'll be live tweeting summarised points with the hashtags #SLH_webinar and #SLH_PLD on our Twitter feed.
Follow these simple steps to join our webinar:
- Join from PC, Mac, Linux, iOS or Android by clicking on the link https://waikato.zoom.us/j/359736528 and following the instructions. You can also access Zoom on your phone, just follow the prompts.
- Find the chat box located in the toolbar at the bottom of your screen. You may need to access this by clicking on ‘More’.
- Using the chat box, introduce yourself, where you teach and, if you are in a group, how many people are there.
- Set up your screen for optimal viewing. If you’re using a mobile device, you may wish to view in landscape. We recommend selecting a thumbnail view of the presenters – this way you can easily see what is being shared on the screen.
Then you can:
- watch, listen and respond via chat to the presentation and discussion
- ask questions using the chat box at any time
The Science Learning Hub team will be there to support you and answer questions.
He kōrero kōpūtahi ❘ Related content
- Ngā rākau ❘ Trees – article
- Plants – topic
- Native plant leaves – DIY classification system – activity
- Our native trees – PLD webinar
- The uniqueness of New Zealand plants – article
The articles Indigenous perspectives – giants of the forests and The Majestic Samaúma – art meets science explore indigenous connections with trees in Aotearoa and in the Amazonian rainforest.
Ngā hono ❘ Useful links
- Flora Finder – Department of Botany, University of Otago, Te Tari Huaota te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo
- Experiencing native trees in your green space – Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
- Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha – Vimeo video
- Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao Tree – Pinterest board.
