He aha hoki tērā rākau? ❘ What kind of tree is that?

This article provides an introduction to the topic as delivered to students at Te Wharekura o Te Rau Aroha and provides an example unit plan.

He maha ngā momo rākau rerekē kei roto i ngō tātou ngahere

Me pēwhea tātou e tautuhi ana i tēnā rākau, i tēnā rākau?

There are many different tree species in our forests

How can we tell them apart?

Mā te whakawhanaungatanga tātou e whai mōhio

Mā te whakawhanaungatanga anake e taea ai e tātou te tautuhi i ngā rākau, arā, i ō tātou whanaunga, i roto i te rohe nei.

Nō reira, me haere tātou ki te ngahere kite ai, pā ai, whakarongo ai, wānanga anō ai.

Kia whakawhanaunga tātou i ngō tātou whanaunga.

Mā reira, ka waihanga koutou i ō koutou ake whakaaro mō te tautuhi i ngā momo rākau. Ka mutu, ka āwhina hoki ōu whakaaro ki ētahi atu o ngā rangatahi o Ngāti Hauā ki ngā mahi tautuhi rākau.

Nā konā, ka taea e koutou te whāngai ki ngō koutou hoa wharekura i ngā mātauranga mō te tautuhi rākau e hāngai ana ki a rātou.

Getting to know our forests

Only through familiarity will we be able to identify the trees within our forests – our fellow children of Tāne.

Therefore, we need to go in to the forest, look, touch, listen and discuss.

In this way, you will generate your own ideas about how to identify different tree species. Your ideas will help other rangatahi of Ngati Hauā to identify native trees too.

Te mahere: Wāhanga tuatahi

Ka haere tātou ki te ngahere ki Waharoa.

Ka mahi takirua tātou.

Me whiriwhiri e ia rōpū tētehi momo rākau rerekē i ngērā atu.

Ka whai wā ahau ki te wānanga tahi me ia rōpū e pā ana ki ngā āhuatanga motuhake o tō rāua rākau.

Ka tuhituhi, ka hopu kōrero rānei ia rōpū mō ngō rāua whakaaro me tā tātou e kōrerorero ai.

Unit plan: Part one

We will visit the forest at Waharoa together.

You will work in pairs.

Each pair will choose a different tree species to study.

I will find time to talk with each pair about the distinctive characteristics of their chosen species.

Each group will record their thoughts and ideas as well as key points from our discussions.

Te mahere: Wāhanga tuarua

Ka whakarite ia rōpū i ngā tohutohu e tautuhi ai i tā rāua rākau.

Ka āwhinatia koutou e mātou ko ngō koutou kaiako, kia kimi ai koutou i ngā mātauranga mō tō koutou rākau ki roto i ngā pukapuka, ki runga rānei i te ipurangi.

Mā ia rōpū ngā rātou momo ara e whiriwhiri hei whakaari i ā rāua tohutohu ki ngō rāua hoa karaehe.

Ka whakarite tonu ia rōpū i ngā rāua tohutohu i muri i tēnei karaehe.

Unit plan: Part two

Each group will prepare instructions for identifying their chosen tree species.

The teachers and I will help them search for information about their chosen tree species in plant identification guides and on the internet.

Each group will need to decide what medium they want to use to present their identification instructions to their schoolmates.

After this class, each group will work on presenting the identification instructions.

Te mahere: Wāhanga tuatoru

Ka whakaarihia e ia rōpū ngā rāua tohutohu ki tētehi atu akomanga i tō rāua wharekura.

Ka pātai atu ahau ki te akomanga rā, kia mohio ai ahau mēnā kua mau i a rātou ngētehi mātauranga mō te tautuhi rākau.

Mehemea kua whakawhānui hoki ō rātou mōhiotanga i ngā koutou tohutohu, kua tutuki pai tā tātou mahi!

Unit plan: Part three

Each group will present their instructions to another class within their school.

I will ask the class what they have learned about identifying native trees.

Helping your schoolmates to learn is a sign we have successfully completed our mahi!

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This resource is available as a te reo Māori only Word document file for kura to adapt as required.