We’ve so much new for term 2!
Welcome to term 2 and to the new-look Science Learning Hub Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao. Our pānui for Mei celebrates new content and a few Hub milestones.
New content: Kaitiakitanga o te moana
In Aotearoa, we have a strong connection to the sea and the diversity of marine habitats along our coastline. Marine biosecurity is key to protecting these environments.
We partnered with educator Gerd Banke to produce a suite of resources that support learning about marine biosecurity. They incorporate topics like classification, adaptation, DNA, pest detection and pest management – with an emphasis on the nature of science and mātauranga Māori. They also have strong links with literacy in English and the arts – as outlined in the article Kaitiakitanga o te moana – a context for learning.
Kaitiakitanga o te moana – planning pathways
Use this interactive to access background information and teaching resources by selecting a label.
Select here to view the full transcript and copyright information.
We’ve organised the resources into planning pathways. Each topic has ready-to-use Word documents ideal for one-off activities or as part of a larger unit and can be adapted to suit classroom needs. The topics are supported by wrap-around Hub articles and media.
The resources are not limited to marine environments – many have direct connections to terrestrial environments.
Māramatanga Māori
We have a growing number of māramatanga Māori resources that we envision will deepen understanding and further highlight mātauranga me te ao Māori. Mātauranga is knowledge, while māramatanga is the enlightenment or deeper understanding that comes from knowledge. The article Māramatanga Māori – introduction provides additional background information as well as a curation of our māramatanga Māori resources.
Our environment 2025
Our environment 2025 Tō tātou taiao is the latest report from the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ. We’ve used the New Zealand Curriculum concept of mātaioho – bringing the curriculum to life through local and national contexts – to link sections of the report to bite-sized topics for local inquiry.
Our environment 2025 – infographic
Synthesis reports like Our environment 2025 focus on the interconnectedness of all aspects of the environment to each other and to people.
Download a PDF of this infographic.
As you observe this infographic, consider these questions:
How does the infographic imply interconnectedness?
Why do you think the domains are placed where they are on the spiral/koru?
How does the infographic place this environmental system within an Aotearoa New Zealand setting?
How does the infographic use colour to help get the message across?
Source: Ministry for the Environment, Stats NZ and data providers and licensed by the Ministry for the Environment and Stats NZ for reuse under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence.
Professional development opportunities
For educators: Māori knowledge in science education: He mana ōrite, he awa whiria. Join Professor Georgina Tuari Stewart and Associate Professor Sally Birdsall, ex-school science teachers – one primary, one secondary – regarding the inclusion of Māori knowledge in the science classroom programme of teaching and learning.
12 June, 4:00–4:45 pm
Register hereFor students: Ask a scientist with Ben Kennedy. Join volcanologist and winner of the Prime Minister’s Science Communication Prize Professor Ben Kennedy for a live Q&A covering all things science, volcanoes and exploration. This one is for students! Although it is open to all, it is aimed at school years 4–8. Students will need to be supervised during this session.
15 May, 11.45 am–12.30 pm.
Register your class todayCelebrating our site refresh!
We hope you are enjoying our refreshed site. We explain some of the new functionalities in the article A fresh new look for 2025. There are also links to articles that will help you navigate and get the best from our site.
It’s been a big job! We transferred:
11,500+ resources
2,700+ glossary terms
13,000+ collections
Our website’s evolution
The Science Learning Hub has come a long way in its nearly two decades of existence. Website technology has advanced significantly, and we continue to update the Hub’s platform to reflect this. We’ve also doubled the number of resources on offer.
Slide the middle button to compare the the home page from 2014 and 2025.
We’d love to hear what you think of these changes or if we’ve missed something in our testing and tweaking. Use our feedback tool at the bottom left of all pages or contact us.
Once again, thanks to the technical team behind our site Haunt Digital.
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. We’ve added two new channels.
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
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