In some of the beech forests of New Zealand, bright red or yellow mistletoe flowers stand out in the summer. The colour attracts native birds, which drink the nectar and pollinate the flowers at ...
In New Zealand, ferns are abundant in our landscape. They are a major part of our ecosystems. Scientists are interested in when and how our ferns arrived here – were the ancestors of our modern ...
DNA analysis is being used to refine the classification of ferns and to further define the relationships between them. In some instances, this work at the molecular level reinforces what has ...
In this activity, students plan a storyboard along the lines of television shows such as Man vs. Wild and Survivor to illustrate how humans can use ferns to survive in the bush. Note: With much ...
Continually, there are right and wrong messages about the nature of science in our classroom teaching and in popular media. In this activity, students view two video clips that highlight how ...
In this activity, students determine the contents of a ‘mystery’ box by making observations but without opening it, and parallels are drawn between this activity and aspects of the nature of ...
By comparing some features of fossilised plants with the same features of plants living today, scientists hope to be able to learn more about the effect of changing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in ...
iNaturalist logs hundreds of thousands of photos of flora, fauna and fungi. There are even sound recordings too. Each is described and geo located. iNaturalist is used by citizens and scientists ...
Myrtle rust is a serious biosecurity threat, and help is needed to monitor its spread. This citizen science project aims to gather information on the location, hosts and intensity of this fungal ...
This unit plan is designed for students in years 6-8. When someone mentions the word ‘butterfly’, what image pops into your head? Chances are it’s the monarch or the white butterfly, as these are ...
When well managed, class discussion can help students examine, evaluate and share knowledge about a subject, providing opportunities for students to think critically and creatively, consider ...
Teaching science to primary school students is not simple. Teachers need to be able to take science concepts and present them in ways that enable students to learn. The two-part science planning ...
Dave Kelly the of University of Canterbury explains why native mistletoes are declining. He also talks about the research that he and Jenny Ladley carry out in Craigieburn Forest Park in the ...
Professor Andrew Allan, Principal Scientist at Plant & Food Research, explains why warming temperatures pose a risk for the horticulture industry and why we need new techniques to breed ...
This Plant & Food Research video explains how null segregants are bred. Modern breeding technologies are able to insert new DNA into a plant to create a desirable trait. Growers then use ...
Discover a range of scientific approaches – select a label for videos and more information to support your understanding.
Sea stars have many weird and wonderful adaptations including both sexual and asexual reproduction. Click on any of the labels in this interactive to view short video clips or images to learn ...
Sea stars have many weird and wonderful adaptations - including some unusual internal systems. Click on any of the labels in this interactive to view short video clips or images to learn more.