Takahē – science capabilities

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Takahē conservation is an ideal way to explore aspects of NOS and the science capabilities.

There are notes behind each of the resources. Each note identifies which capability/capabilities the resource supports.

The notes have a list of questions, which also show up on the resource page when you are logged in. You can use these questions to probe/explore student understanding of the capability.

Consider having the questions available to students if they use the articles as background reading.

Answers to the questions are on separate notes and appear only on this page.

Takahē conservation efforts
Article

Takahē conservation efforts

These question support the capabilities Gather and interpret data, Use evidence, and Critique evidence.

  1. How did Geoffrey Orbell use observation skills when he first visited the Murchison Mountains?

  2. What did he infer as a result?

  3. What was the difference between his observation and inference?

  4. Why did this difference matter to the scientific community?

  5. How did Orbell and his team finally convince people that takahe exist?

Answers

  1. Orbell found bird footprints with the big toe bent inwards, like he'd observed in the museum. He also heard an unknown bird call.

  2. The party inferred that they had seen evidence of a takahe.

  3. The difference is that they observed footprints and calls, but did not observe an actual takahe.

  4. The scientific community requires evidence to support ideas and/or claims. Orbell had some evidence, but not enough to back his claim.

  5. The team used photographic and film images of the takahe.

Adaptation
Image

Adaptation

These questions support the capability Gather and interpret data.

  1. What do you observe in the photo?

  2. What do you infer from the photo?

  3. Which observations led to your inferences?

  4. How could you find out if your inferences are correct?

This question supports the capability Interpreting representations.

Can you match the 5 adaptations mentioned in the text to the birds in the image?

Answers

  1. Observations can include: number of birds, anything about their appearance, their tags, the visible environment.

  2. Inferences can include: they are on an offshore or mainland island (pasture grass rather than tussocks), they are mating, they are defending their territory.

  3. Answers will vary.

  4. The birds are tagged and Takahe Recovery will have hold information about the individuals including gender and where they live.

Threats to takahē
Article

Threats to takahē

These questions support the capability Interpreting representations.

Look closely at the image showing the DOC map with traps.

  1. Why do you think the traps are placed where they are?

  2. What do you notice about the contour lines?

(If you don't know what contour lines are: https://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/hiking/how-to-read-a-topographic-map2.htm)

  1. How many huts can you find?

  2. Why do you think they are in these locations?

  3. Other than all of the traps, what aspects of the Murchison Mountain location helps to protect the takahe?

Answers

  1. The traps appear to be in valleys. DOC research/observations might show that stoats tend to travel in these locations rather than the steeper areas. Valleys are easier for humans to navigate, too. Easier to lay and set traps.

  2. The lines are very close together - showing how steep the terrain is.

  3. 21 huts.

  4. The huts are along the trapping lines. They are roughly 10-20 km apart, an accessible distance for the rangers.

  5. The area is surrounded on 3 sides by Lake Te Anau. The terrain is very steep, which would have limited some human access.

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