Find out how Māori concepts can inform animal ethics with our latest suite of resources – supported by free PLD. Read how diagrams promote literacy, numeracy and science learning.

Māori concepts for animal ethics

Discover our new resources, authored by Professor Georgina Tuari Stewart and Dr Sally Birdsall, that explore animal ethics with a kaupapa Māori approach.

A Māori worldview sees all animals as related to humans through shared whakapapa and therefore being ethically significant and worthy of respect from humans. The article Māori concepts for animal ethics – introduction curates the numerous resources created in this collaboration.

• Theories of animal ethics – article

• The Three Rs of animal ethics – article

• Māori ethical ideas – article

• Māori concepts for animal ethics – interactive image map

We profile six Māori practitioners who work with live animals and the impact mātauranga Māori has on their mahi. We’ve captured some of their thoughts in inspirational videos.

• Dr Kimiora Hēnare – profile article and videos

• Dr Leilani Walker – profile article and videos

• Professor Eloise Jillings – profile article and videos

• Hilton Collier – profile article

• Te Winiwini Kingi – profile article

• Rauhina Scott-Fyfe – profile article

Bilingual and reo Māori versions of the materials are available as PDFs. Te reo versions are designed to support teaching and learning of pūtaiao in Māori medium classrooms.

• Ngā Kararehe o Aotearoa, He Mātauranga, he Matatika | A combined resource of scientist profiles, knowledge of animals, animal ethics and teacher support material

• Ngā kaikōrero tokoono | Profiles of Māori scientists who work with animals 

• Ngā huatau Māori mō ngā matatika kararehe me ngā pānga ki ngā Wh e Toru | Māori perspectives of animal ethics and the Three R’s 

• Te kupu taka, ngā rauemi mō te akomanga me ngā kupu aratohu mā te Kaiako | Teacher guidance, glossary and crossword activity

• Pukapuka ākonga – Te mātauranga Māori mō ngā kararehe

• Pukapuka ākonga – Ngā Kararehe o Aotearoa, He Mātauranga, he Matatika 

• Pukapuka ākonga – Ngā kaikōrero tokoono

• Pukapuka ākonga – Ngā huatau Māori mō ngā matatika kararehe me ngā pānga ki ngā Wh e Toru 

Student activities encourage ākonga to engage in research and debate as they tackle ethical issues. 

• Animal ethics – creating texts

• Feral cats and conservation – role-play

• Roaming cats – diamond ranking

• Roaming cats – draw the line

• Should cats be allowed to roam freely?

• The Three Rs of animal ethics – crossword puzzles

Free Professional Learning

Māori concepts for animal ethics

Join us in a free webinar as authors Georgina and Sally introduce these resources and how you might use them in the classroom.

Date: 24 October, 4:00–4:45 pm

This is the second of two webinars featuring our collaborations with Pauline and Sally. Watch the first webinar – Animals of Aotearoa – and find the associated resources in the article Māori knowledge of animals.

Climate change education

Interested in climate change education? We have a webinar series coming up in collaboration with NZASE and featuring an expert on climate change education – Dr Chris Eames.

Save the dates (update links added since this original publication):  

• 19 November – Understanding the basics of climate change 

• 27 November – Exploring climate change education in secondary schools

• 28 November – Exploring climate change education in primary schools

More information coming soon.

Incorporating literacy and numeracy

Science and pūtaiao offer authentic literacy and numeracy learning opportunities. For example, the student activity Reading graphs in science is a comprehension exercise in both language and science literacies.

Tuna sandwich

See more

On average, only 10% of the energy from an organism is transferred to its consumer. This means that a top-level consumer, such as a tuna, is supported by millions of primary producers from the base of the food web or trophic pyramid.

Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato

Referencing Hub media

We’ve curated graphs and diagrams so they are easy to find. Check out our new Bilingual and reo Māori infographics and diagrams collection and the Science infographics and Daily diagram Pinterest boards. There’s also much more on offer in Literacy through science and Measurement topics. Use the filters to narrow your search. 

Some things to think about

Keep these upcoming events on your planning radar and check out the related content for ideas on how to incorporate wrap-around learning with your ākonga. 

• New Zealand Shakeout ❘ Whakahaumaru Aotearoa 2024 – slip some science into our national earthquake drill and tsunami hīkoi.  

• The Great Matuku Muster – spring is the perfect season to monitor matuku-hūrepo (Australasian bittern). 

• Save the Kiwi Week – help save our national icon whilst learning more about these taonga species. 

• Recycling Week – join in New Zealand’s largest national campaign for education on recycling and waste minimisation.

Follow us 

We offer added value through our social media. Contact us about creating collections or boards tailored to your needs. We can help foster connections between the education and science communities.  

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/nzsciencelearn

• Pinterest: nz.pinterest.com/nzsciencelearn

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/sciencelearninghubnz

Your feedback

We hope you enjoy using the Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao in your teaching and would love to hear from you. Your comments, ideas and feedback can be emailed to enquiries@sciencelearn.org.nz.

Noho ora mai 

Science Learning Hub – Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao