# data[].attributes.body
A treasure trove of some very cool resources, stolen by Ruud, Megan and Robyn. Enter at your own risk - you could be gone for some time!

# data[].attributes.body
Links to life, the universe, and everything!  Parallels to other nuggets of ancient wisdom. There's always a 'disruptor' in there somewhere. That's no accident!        Māui Nukurau  might have approved of the black dog in this story,  as told by Michael Meade... then Ruud... and now you!

# data[].attributes.headline
The MOBILE APPS, websites and guides listed below can support you and your learners to identify and learn about species, record observations, connect with fellow nature-lovers, and contribute to global science knowledge. Fantastic!

# data[].attributes.subject
The MOBILE APPS, websites and guides listed below can support you and your learners to identify and learn about species, record observations, connect with fellow nature-lovers, and contribute to global science knowledge. Fantastic!

# data[].attributes.body
Mobile Apps for these websites are available through Google Play and Apple App Store.

# data[].attributes.body
An online community for backyard explorers, nature lovers, scientists and nature nerds!  Check out the Teacher's Guide to i-Naturalist
then make i-Naturalist work for you, to open up a whole new world of learning!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
iNaturalist NZ is a social network for naturalists! Record your observations of plants and animals,
share them with friends and researchers, and learn about the natural world.

# data[].attributes.body
Find out about Ahi Pepe MothNet's citizen-science origin  then download their beautiful guide to the moths of your region - in English and Te Reo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As part of our Ahi Pepe MothNet project, your school library will have a copy of the guide for your region this March - ask for it.

The Puka Whakamārama o Te Pepe Nui - Beginners' Guides to the Macro-Moths are freely available for download for personal and education purposes. They have Creative Commons BY NC ND license which means you can download them, print them and use them but you can't sell them or change them and you must credit the source (Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research).

The Puka Whakamārama o Te Pepe Nui - Beginners' Guides to the Macro-Moths are long-format booklets in either Te reo Māori or English that fold up and are designed for use by small children as well as adults in the outdoors. You can purchase them printed on high quality, water resistant card from the Ahi Pepe MothNet shop. All profits from this shop go back into the Ahi Pepe MothNet project. Please email us if would like hard copies we have a social enterprise model where we ask those who can afford to pay to pay but cost should not be a barrier to enthusiasm for moths.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As part of our Ahi Pepe MothNet project, your school library will have a copy of the guide for your region this March - ask for it. The Puka Whakamārama o Te Pepe Nui - Beginners' Guides to the Macro-Moths are freely available for download for personal and education purposes.

# data[].attributes.body
by Gavin Bishop
Explore your connections...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
Gecko Press | Award-Winning Children's Books New Zealand

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Description

Mihi / mihimihi / pepeha: introducing yourself and making connections to other people and places.
Mihi is a simple book to share with babies and talk about their whānau and place in the world. Repeating colours and shapes show the connections between waka, mountain, iwi through to mama, papa and the baby reader. This book is an introduction for children of any age to their own pepeha-and to the idea of a pepeha.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mihi / mihimihi / pepeha: introducing yourself and making connections to other people and places. Mihi is a simple book to share with babies and talk about their whānau and place in the world. Repeating colours and shapes show the connections between waka, mountain, iwi through to mama, papa and the baby reader.

# data[].attributes.body
by Marnie Anstis
"If you don't know history, you don't know anything. You're a leaf that doesn't know it's part of a tree." Simply beautiful.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
World and New Zealand history woven in to the story of a 2000-year-old tree in Opotiki.

# data[].attributes.headline
On your desktop or laptop computer:  View all the RESOURCES in a single column by grabbing and dragging the bar at the side of the column to scroll DOWN ↓                                     To view all the resource CATEGORY columns, (there are a few!) use the bottom bar to scroll ACROSS → the page.                                       If using a phone, simply swipe up, down, or across the page to view. ENJOY!

# data[].attributes.subject
On your desktop or laptop computer:  View all the RESOURCES in a single column by grabbing and dragging the bar at the side of the column to scroll DOWN ↓                                     To view all the resource CATEGORY columns, (there are a few!) use the bottom bar to scroll ACROSS → the page.                                       If using a phone, simply swipe up, down, or across the page to view. ENJOY!

# data[].attributes.body
Observe and learn about birds in your area and beyond. Simply by sharing your bird sightings, you help to inform bird conservation projects worldwide!
Great local support and NZ-based webinars to help you get started.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
eBird transforms your bird sightings into science and conservation. Plan trips, find birds, track your lists, explore range maps and bird migration-all free.

# data[].attributes.body
This highly effective mobile bird ID tool is designed for beginning and intermediate-level bird watchers. Simply download the free Merlin App, then choose the "New Zealand" bird pack, to load information on the birds you're most likely to see here. Merlin Bird ID App can be used alone or with the New Zealand eBird App.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The New Zealand ID pack is now available to download on Merlin Bird ID. The NZ Bird Atlas team has been working on this for a wee while and are excited to finally have it at a stage for everyone to download. If you haven't got it already, the Merlin Bird ID app is available (completely FREE) on Apple and Android devices here https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/

As some of you may already know, this app has an interface with the eBird app. When you click on a species within the eBird app, you can now tap the Merlin icon and it will automatically take you to that species ID page. On this page you will find a description, photos, audio and distribution map. The app works offline so handy to have when out in a remote location out of service. It currently contains 257 species.

Also try out the photo ID with any photos of NZ birds you have on your phone. I've been blown away by how accurate it is!

Please share around with family and friends as we feel the app will be useful for birders at any level.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Merlin Bird ID app - NZ pack now available - BirdingNZ.net

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The New Zealand ID pack is now available to download on Merlin Bird ID. The NZ Bird Atlas team has been working on this for a wee while and are excited to finally have it at a stage for everyone to download.

# data[].attributes.body
Ideas for incorporating Nature into every day teaching and learning, to surround students with positive nature experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
These resources provide ideas on how nature can be incorporated into every day teaching and learning, to surround students with positive nature experiences.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The educational resource is dedicated to helping children explore their local environment throughout the seasons of the year.

Each term opens with a new approach to investigate and explore nature, and a suggested starter activity to get the ball rolling.

Starter activities are taken from DOC's 'Exploring your local environment' resource and our 'Nature Tasters' cards. Supporting activities can be found in our 'Enhancing Biodiversity' and 'Tools for environmental action' resources.

Download the resource

Example of the front side of the poster
Exploring your local environment through the seasons' poster (PDF, 1,672K)
Additional resources

Content on poster

Page 1

Term 1

Investigate and explore: Get outside and explore your local nature! Get to know your special places using DOC's teaching and learning resources.

What are the Māori names for the plants, places and animals in your local neighbourhood?

What's the inquiry question?

Starter activity: Check out 'Near, there and far' on page 9 or 'Museum of nature' on page 10 of the 'Exploring your local environment' resource.

Gathering information

Planning project action

Working with others

Reflecting, evaluating

Make your own nature journal and record your experiences outside.

What did you see? Hear? Smell? Sense?

Take photos of learning experiences and project starting points.

For specific sites, choose a photo point that all future measuring or progress photos will be taken from. This makes for easy comparisons.

Start talking and sharing ideas:

What experiences and knowledge do you already have?

What questions do you have?

What do you wonder about?

What areas in your local environment feel as though they have a strong mauri?

What about the areas where it feels weak?

Why do you think this is?

Who in your community knows about the early history of your local places?

Who used to live here?

How they live with nature?

Who looks after and makes decisions about your local natural places?

Parks, reserves and forests?

Streams and river corridors?

Estuaries and wetlands?

Coast and marine areas?

Mountains?

What did you learn?

How did you learn it?

What do you now think?

What are the next learning steps?

What do you still wonder about?

Term 2

Investigate and explore:

Choose a learning focus in your local nature.

What do you already know?

What questions do you have?

What do you wonder about?

What's the inquiry question?

Starter activity: Map your local nature or make a photostory of your green space (page 10 of 'Exploring your local environment' resource).

Gathering information

Planning project action

Working with others

Reflecting, evaluating

Collect data - what calls your local nature home?

Collect local information and share it in a New Zealand-wide survey - support the Annual Garden Bird Survey. See DOC's 'Experiencing birds in your green space' resource

What funding opportunities are available to help carry out an action project?

Analyse your data. What does it tell you?

Plan for action

What issue/opportunity do we want to address?

How can we use our new knowledge and skills to take action for our nature?

What is the outcome we want to achieve?

What does success look like?

How much will it cost?

What equipment do we need?

Do we need permission?

From who?

What do you now know?

What don't you know?

What do you need to still find out?

What information do you need?

Take photos of action learning and progress made. Label them carefully and save them somewhere safe!

Term 3

Investigate and explore:

What's different?

What's the same?

Why?

What's the inquiry question?

Starter activity: Animal observations or Observing the role of trees, then Making sense of observations (pages 7 and 8 of 'Enhancing biodiversity in your green space' resource).

Gathering information

Planning project action

Working with others

Reflecting, evaluating

Get ready to vote! Which bird will be crowned Bird of the Year this year?

Gathering tools and resources

Do you have everything you need to take action?

It's time to take action!

Don't forget to think about and implement good health and safety practices.

Students can also plan and participate in this mahi.

Invite others to join you and share the learning and the fun!

Share your planning, progress and action - go on, tell others about it!

Think about what they could do to help?

School newsletter / webpage / Facebook

Local paper

Blog

Local decision-makers.

Reflect and evaluate your action project success

What worked well? What didn't?

What would you do differently next time?

Where you successful?

How do you know?

Who helped you? Why? How?

What advice do you have for people doing a similar project?

What still needs to happen?

What maintenance needs to be planned and carried out?

Who will help to maintain your project?

What's next?

Term 4

Investigate and explore:

What's different?

What's the same?

Why?

What's the inquiry question?

Starter activity: Photo competition. Get outside and take the most interesting photo of nature. Write a sentence to describe it.

Gathering information

Planning project action

Working with others

Reflecting, evaluating

Measuring progress/success

What have you achieved?

Collect and record the data

How many? How much?

Compare the data from the beginning. What's different?

What are your recommendations for next steps?

Who could you share this with to hand over knowledge and opportunities for future action?

Who can continue this project next year? Grow it or develop it?

Don't forget to say 'thank you!'

People love to be recognised for their contribution... and they'll be more likely to want to help next time if you remember to say thank you.

Share your skills and nature knowledge.

Teach others what you know.

Celebrate your year of learning in nature.

Who will/could/might continue this work next year?

Talk to them now and get them interested.

Handover the knowledge and ideas you have built up.

What needs to be looked after over the summer holidays?

Page 2

Summer/Autumn - term 1

Water plants

Collect seed

Explore local places - what lives there?

Collect real and useful data about your place:

map your biodiversity - what native plants live in your place?

which insects and birds are interacting with your plants (eg bees pollinating flowers)?

track local animals in tracking tunnels - who lives in your backyard?

count bird calls

Autumn/Winter - term 2

Draw a planting plan:

what/where are you going to plant?

how big do things grow?

are some plants better suited to wet/dry/windy places than others?

consider sunlight and soil conditions.

Tell people what you're going to do. Ask for parent helpers. Book your planting days into the school calendar and newsletters

Plan/prepare a new planting site

Propagate new plants - take cuttings, sow seed

Use your school compost/worm wees to feed your new plants

Clean and prepare tools

Keep exploring your local places - what's happening out there?

Garden Bird Survey (usually end of June)

Winter/Spring - term 3

Plant while the ground is wet and digging is easy. The new plants will also have plenty of water to help them settle in

Mulch around your plants to give them some space from weeds that may grow too close and block out the sun

Plan a pest animal trapping programme

Build traps and/or tracking tunnels

Build insect shelters

Join The Great Kereru Count! (end of September)

Weed around new plants

Spring/Summer- term 4

Weed - release the plants from surrounding weeds

Mulch new plantings and water if it is a very dry season

Animals and insects are also on the move and enjoying the warmer weather, monitor their movements

Trap pest animals

Think ahead to next year ... what kind of planting do you want plants for?

weaving plants

habitat and food for birds, invertebrates and lizards

plants to prevent erosion

medicinal plants

amenities planting

Order plants for next year so they have time to grow to a good size.

Share your stories.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The educational resource is dedicated to helping children explore their local environment throughout the seasons of the year. Each term opens with a new approach to investigate and explore nature, and a suggested starter activity to get the ball rolling. Starter activities are taken from DOC's 'Exploring your local environment' resource and our 'Nature Tasters' cards.

# data[].attributes.body
The language of Nature!

# data[].attributes.headline
Exploring, discovering and protecting your local outdoor environments

# data[].attributes.subject
Exploring, discovering and protecting your local outdoor environments

# data[].attributes.body
NZ Curriculum-linked, Inquiry-friendly teaching resources which support experiencing and acting for your local green spaces.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The series includes a range of teaching and learning ideas from stand-alone authentic experiences to a comprehensive integrated inquiry unit. The resources have been designed so that they can be used by themselves, or joined together to create a unit of work.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The series includes a range of teaching and learning ideas from stand-alone authentic experiences to a comprehensive integrated inquiry unit. The resources have been designed so that they can be used by themselves, or joined together to create a unit of work.

# data[].attributes.body
"Recipe cards" for having fun while learning in Nature!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Join in volunteering, training, teaching, activities and projects, have your say on issues, and apply for permits and funding.

# data[].attributes.headline
Te Wao Nui a Tāne - Selected Songs - Kit -1999

# data[].attributes.subject
Te Wao Nui a Tāne - Selected Songs - Kit -1999

# data[].attributes.body
by Hirini Melbourne, Deirdre Gardiner
Getting to know the ngahere through art and music...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Report submitted. Thank you for your feedback.

The information you provide will be submitted to your institution and may be used to contact you for the purpose of troubleshooting the problem you report.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Report submitted. Thank you for your feedback. The information you provide will be submitted to your institution and may be used to contact you for the purpose of troubleshooting the problem you report.

# data[].attributes.headline
Conservation activities to do with children

# data[].attributes.subject
Conservation activities to do with children

# data[].attributes.body
Get outdoors and have fun!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Find conservation activities you can do with children.

# data[].attributes.body
by Dee Pignéguy
Remember what Ruud was saying about there being no right angles in Nature? It's in here...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Home / Children's Book / Exploring Nature's Pattern Magic (paperback)

$24.99

Author: Dee Pignéguy | Children's Non-Fiction | 210mm x 280mm | Landscape Paperback | 32 Pages | ISBN: 978-0-473-32356-1
Award Winning New Book

We are pleased to announce that Exploring Nature's Pattern Magicis one of seven winners in
the non-fiction section of the Storylines Notable Book Awards. And also made the list of 50 Best
Books for kids in the NZ Listener.

"Exploring Nature's Pattern Magic is a stunning montage of bright natural colours with photos from tiny swan plant seeds to helix spirals on snails. Nature is brimming with shapes and patterns that all have purpose." Desna, School Librarian (Christchurch, NZ)

Award Winning Book

Exploring Nature's Pattern Magic is one of seven winners in the non-fiction section of the Storylines Notable Book Awards. It also made the list of 50 Best Books for kids in the NZ Listener.

"Exploring Nature's Pattern Magic is a cool book that will help you open your eyes and identify the Patterns of Life" - Ruud Klienpaste (the bug man)

Related products

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Exploring Nature's Pattern Magic (paperback) | Urban Remedy NZ - Acupunture Clinic

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Author: Dee Pignéguy | Children's Non-Fiction | 210mm x 280mm | Landscape Paperback | 32 Pages | ISBN: 978-0-473-32356-1 Award Winning New Book We are pleased to announce that Exploring Nature's Pattern Magic is one of seven winners in the non-fiction section of the Storylines Notable Book Awards.

# data[].attributes.body
A fun, creative way of getting to know the trees around you.

# data[].attributes.headline
Ha! even I can do it... so that must be easy...

# data[].attributes.subject
Ha! even I can do it... so that must be easy...

# data[].attributes.body
Thank you Robyn and Megan!!!

# data[].attributes.headline
One of my Favourite "Challenges" - it's basically my modern version of the "Lesson Plan"

# data[].attributes.subject
One of my Favourite "Challenges" - it's basically my modern version of the "Lesson Plan"

# data[].attributes.headline
just in case you get "stuck" and need some up-lifting.

# data[].attributes.subject
just in case you get "stuck" and need some up-lifting.

# data[].attributes.body
This always works for me; Paul Hawken has been my favourite author and orator for the past decade or more

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
You are brilliant and the Earth is Hiring

# data[].attributes.body
A DIY tracking activity for all ages

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Are there rats in your garden tracking instructions.pdf

# data[].attributes.body
Observe a small creature you find during your explorations. Spend some time just hanging out together and getting to know each other! Create a Pepeha, on behalf of your new invertebrate friend...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Te Aitanga Pepeke - Pepeha template.docx

# data[].attributes.headline
Predator-Free NZ - Hands-On Outdoor Activities

# data[].attributes.subject
Predator-Free NZ - Hands-On Outdoor Activities

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We've collected some great activities to help restore our native species, including planning and implementing restoration projects, making chew cards, tracking tunnels, houses for animals and footprint mysteries to solve.

1. Exploring, experiencing and enhancing the outdoors

Be a Nature Ninja - use your ninja nature senses to find your way around your backyard or local park.Super turbo your wild eyes by turning your smartphone into a microscope camera. iNaturalistNZ is a citizen science hub where you can record what you see in nature, get help from the scientific community to identify your observations and learn about the natural world.

2. Discover what's in your backyard or playground

Wild Eyes have great video instructions on being a Backyard Spy:

Chew cards are a great way to see who is nibbling in your garden or playground. They are basically corflute filled with a tasty lure like peanut butter, and are really easy to make. You can follow our guidelines on how to make them. When you see bite marks in your chew cards, use Landcare Research's guide to identify who has been biting!

Build a tracking tunnel to encourage kids to use their detective skills to track down predators like rats, stoats and mice. Wild eyes has an engaging video for kids on how to make their own, and DOC and Kiwi Conservation Club also have guides on making tracking tunnels.

Once you have some tracks in your tunnel, it's time for some detection work to identify your good guys and villains. Check out this guide to identify footprints. Pest Detective is another online tool that helps people in New Zealand identify the presence of predators.

Be part of the NZ Garden Bird Survey - birds are important indicators of the health of New Zealand's environment and to help us discover and learn more about NZ garden birds, participate in this citizen science project.

Be involved in the Great Kereru Count which is NZ's biggest citizen science project to help gather information on the abundance and distribution of the New Zealand pigeon - also known as kererū, kūkū or kūkupa.

3. Trapping

4. Help with housing

Create a lizard friendly garden (as seen below) in your school grounds or backyard. Providing plenty of small or tiny hiding holes will create a safe home for our protected mokomoko. Once they move in, chances are you'll have them forever. Don't forget to claim your Kiwi Guardian activity medal.

Create a lizard friendly garden

Build a ruru nest box in your garden to help out our native owl. It gives them a place to nest safely, away from introduced predators.

Make a bug house! There are so many different ways to help insects feel at home in your garden. Check out some of these ideas and then try designing your own 'bug house':

5. Activities for bird lovers

Watch the Wildeyes video below to find out how to build a bird feeder and see who comes to dine.

Find your 'inner bird' with Landcare Research Ltd. Choose from 16 designs, then cut and colour, or simply cut, to make your own bird mask. Line up your felts and crayons and see how well you can match the colours of real birds in these colour-in designs. Or go all-out fantastical and create a pink-striped Tui!

Line up your felts and crayons and see how well you can match the colours of real birds in colour-in designs from Landcare Research. Or go all-out fantastical and create a pink striped tui!

6. Plant native trees and shrubs

Habitat creation is an essential way to help our native species thrive. Planted areas provide a space for wildlife to feed, shelter and breed, as well as a corridor to other habitats, allowing them to move about freely.

A DOC guide on what to plant to provide food and shelter for our native birds.

Plant like a Ninja! Watch this Trees that Count video and learn how to plant a tree.

Check out our other resources in the schools section.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
We've collected some great activities to help restore our native species, including planning and implementing restoration projects, making chew cards, tracking tunnels, houses for animals and footprint mysteries to solve. Be a Nature Ninja - use your ninja nature senses to find your way around your backyard or local park.Super turbo your wild eyes by turning your smartphone into a microscope camera.

# data[].attributes.headline
“You are brilliant, and the earth is hiring…”

# data[].attributes.subject
“You are brilliant, and the earth is hiring…”

# data[].attributes.body
Nature-literate teachers are our hope-spot for the planet!
Access our shared Dropbox Folder  You are brilliant and the Earth is hiring…
to upload your own photos and videos from our White Pine Bush 2021 Evening to Remember and to check out what others have shared with the group. Share your inspirations in the sub-folder "What I did on Monday!" (...Megan has already started!)

# data[].attributes.headline
Hineraukatauri, the Bagmoth, the Kōkako, and Entoloma Hochstetteri

# data[].attributes.subject
Hineraukatauri, the Bagmoth, the Kōkako, and Entoloma Hochstetteri

# data[].attributes.body
Contexts from White Pine Bush...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Hineraukatauri, the Bagmoth, the Kōkakoand Entoloma Hochstetteri.docx

# data[].attributes.body
Jerome Kavanagh shares whakapapa, stories and understandings about the Pūtōrino, a cocoon-shaped taonga pūoro (Māori musical instrument), unique to Aotearoa. The shape of the Pūtōrino is inspired by the native Raukatauri, or Common Bagmoth. The pūrakau (legend) of Raukatauri begins at 11.14 on this video:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Introduction to Taonga Puoro: Pūtōrino ā Raukatauri

# data[].attributes.body
This  ancient oral history of Ngāti Kahungungu contains mātauranga which may record evidence of climate change and biodiversity shifts!  For example: Tumatakuru (aka Matagouri, or "Wild Irishman") is mentioned here as a threat to watch out for, signalling the possibility that in earlier times this thorny plant  may have been more common in the Kahungungu takiwā than it is today.
Although found as far north as Kāpiti island on the west coast of the North Island, iNaturalist  currently lists the range of this plant as being no further north in the Kahugungu takiwā than Castlepoint on the east coast.  Even acknowledging how well travelled early Māori were, it seems unlikely they'd reference a relatively unknown hazard in such a widely-known oriori....

# data[].attributes.body
by Hirini Melbourne
Here are the lyrics to the song we sang on Saturday night ...