Sustainability, kai and local learning
Our pānui for Mei features Kiwi Kai – a virtual farm and free Garden Bird Survey PLD. Both offer authentic, local cross-curricular learning opportunities.
New content – Kiwi Kai virtual farm
Kiwi Kai is a virtual farm that enables ākonga to explore the relationships between a healthy environment, healthy kai, healthy people and communities. Kiwi Kai reflects the environmental and cultural uniqueness of Aotearoa New Zealand – weaving mātauranga Māori and science throughout the simulation. During play, ākonga encounter quests in each habitat they visit – making choices, using the evidence available.
Navigating the Kiwi Kai online learning tool
This interactive provides a quick start guide with key information to get started playing and facilitating Kiwi Kai’s virtual farm.
We recommend starting with the Quick start guide.
Select here to view the full transcript and copyright information.
Kiwi Kai comes with wrap-around resources to support teaching and learning. An introductory article features the big ideas that underpin the virtual experience and includes an interactive quick start guide. Deepen understanding with the following articles:
Use Kiwi Kai as a contextual springboard for older students to investigate issues and innovative solutions regarding farming’s environmental impacts and greenhouse gas emissions.
Free PLD webinar – The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey
Sustainability, kai and local learning also feature in Aotearoa New Zealand’s longest running citizen science project. The Garden Bird Survey takes place in late June as this is when some of our native forest birds come to our gardens, looking for food and shelter.
Join Greta and experts from Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research to find out why the survey is important, how to access loads of free digital resources – and discover just how easy it can be to make our birds count!.
Find out more about our free PLD webinar: Te Tatauranga o ngā Manu Māra o Aotearoa – The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey
Date: Thursday 8 June
Time: 4:00–4:45 pm
For educators working in years 3–8, the ready-to-use cross-curricular Birds in my backyard teaching resource is an easy way to introduce and incorporate the Garden Bird Survey into your programme. It’s available as a Word document – customise it to meet learner needs.
Te Tatauranga o ngā Manu Māra o Aotearoa – The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey
Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research runs an annual survey of garden birds. The data collected from citizen scientists helps researchers understand how birds are coping with environmental challenges
Some things to think about
Keep these on your planning radar:
Matariki and Environment Aotearoa 2022 – collection that uses Te kāhui o Matariki to explore whetū and their domains
The Great Kiwi Earthworm Survey – citizen science project that runs from June to September
Night skies – citizen science projects ideal for winter months
Use the filters on our Events page – see events coming up in the next month or just the ones in your area.
If there’s other planning that you’d like help with, please get in touch! See below for contacts via social media or email.
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Noho ora mai
Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao
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