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Whakanui pūtaiao

The 2021 Primary Science Week recognised the amazing mahi kairangahau Māori (researchers) are doing in the field of mātauranga pūtaiao and science.

Di Christenson and Carol Brieseman, both previous winners of the Prime Minister’s Science Teacher Prize, share their achievable, practical ideas to support the growth of mātauranga pūtaiao in your science programme. 

Thanks Di and Carol – always inspirational but also very practical.

Teacher

In this recorded webinar you will discover a range of resources you can use with your tamariki, as well as gaining insights to how Di and Carol approached incorporating these into their classrooms with respect and curiosity.

Ngā mihi nui! Wonderful mahi!!!

Teacher

Whakanui pūtaiao

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This is an edited recording of the webinar Whakanui pūtaiao.

Rights: The University of Waikato Te Whare Wananga o Waikato
Referencing Hub media

Remember you can download the video if you want.

Thank you for sharing all the wonderful mahi you are doing.  Inspiring!

Teacher

Index

TopicVideo timecode

Introducing the Science Learning Hub

00:11

Index

00:34

Introducing Di Christeson and Carol Breiseman

00:48

New Zealand Association of Primary Science Educators (NZAPSE)

04:40

What do we mean by mātauranga?

07:24

Beginning with kupu and rimurimu (seaweed)

10:13

Whakapapa, Rūaumoko, waiata and ways of knowing

11:15

Flight, Tāwhirimātea and digital technology

16:51

Construction

19:47

Self assessment example

22:35

Matariki

24:23

Ahi Pepe – MothNet

29:18

Rongoā 

34:31

The environment 

36:29

Connected journals

37:20

SLH links, keep in touch and thanks

37:49

Related content

Take the opportunity to learn about a Māori scientist working either in your rohe (local area) or in an area of science your class is passionate about. Carry out your practical work related to one of these scientists to explore the nature of science and support students to learn about and practise scientific techniques like observation.

Discover more in these recorded PLD webinars:

  • Mātauranga Māori

  • Opportunities for using te reo Māori

  • Mātauranga and the Living World

  • Te Repo – wetlands as a context for learning

  • Tame Malcolm – indigenous pest management

  • Kaitiakitanga withTame Malcolm

  • Local curriculum, mātauranga and science

  • Te Kāhui o Matariki and the environment

  • Exploring mātauranga in the classroom

The Science Learning Hub has articles about several of the Connected series that Carol has used in her classroom, including:

  • Te tapa ingoa

  • Whakaotirangi and her kete of kūmara

  • Listening to the land 

  • The science of rongoā

  • Black is back

Indigenous knowledge is increasingly valued, but to fully respect it we need to decolonise science – find out more in this article.

Di and Carol travelled to Antarctica as part of Antarctica New Zealand’s Community Engagement Programme. They tell us why Antarctica should be part of classroom teaching.

Collection of related content

The Science Learning Hub team has curated a collection of resources related to opportunities for using te reo Māori. Login to make this collection part of your private collection, just click on the copy icon. You can then add additional content, notes and make other changes. Registering an account for the Science Learning Hubs is easy and free – sign up with your email address or Google account. Look for the Sign in button at the top of each page.

Useful links

Primary Science Week is run by the New Zealand Association of Primary Science Educators. Check out their website and consider joining the association.

Enviroschools is a nationwide programme offering support to provide a healthy, peaceful and sustainable world through learning and taking action together.

Watch this Mātauranga Māori in Education, Education Hub webinar recording with Dr Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal (Marutūahu, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngā Puhi) from 2023.

Evidence supports the teaching of Indigenous knowledge alongside sciences in the classroom, read more in Amanda Black, Jason M. Tylianakis, Teach Indigenous knowledge alongside science. Science 383, 592–594 (2024). DOI:10.1126/science.adi9606

Acknowledgement

Thank you to Di Christenson and Carol Brieseman.

Glossary

Published: 17 June 2021Updated: 29 March 2022
Referencing Hub articles

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