Nature treasures

E ngā ihi, e ngā wehi tēnei ka tākina ake te mauri, e ora ai te mauri, e tau ai te mauri. Whano, whano tū mai te mauri, haumie, hui taiki e.
Acknowledgment to those, I lead with presence, my presence lives, my presences is calm.

This karakia acknowledges the atua that have provided these taonga for us to take and create treasures for ourselves and others.

Nature treasures activity card (PDF, 1,071K)

Activity – Gather nature treasures

Go outside and gather a range of nature treasures – leaves, stones, sticks, nuts, seeds and flowers.

Take a container to collect treasures in.

You could also carry a rubbish bag to collect any litter you find along the way.

Maybe try collecting based on a theme, for example:

• Autumn
• Number – only 10 items
• Size – only tiny or only long items
• Weight – only heavy or only light items
• Texture

Make your creation

Create a picture, sculpture, mandala or a treasure selection.

Depending on what it is, you could gift your creation to someone special, or display it in class.

Curriculum Links

English

• Which one word best describes each of your treasures. Collate all of your nature words into a class word bank.
• Write descriptive sentences and/or stories to describe the treasures and where you found them. Use your senses to describe how they feel, smell and sound.
• Write similes and metaphors to describe your treasures.
• Create signs to display alongside your treasures. Include common, Māori and scientific names for your treasures.

Science – living world

• Examine your classmate’s treasures.
  • What can the treasures tell you about the biodiversity (variety of life) in your school grounds?
  • How many different leaves/insects/birds/plants/trees have you found?
  • Discuss what you know about your school grounds from the collection of objects (Which plants are native/food/rongoā/introduced? What animals/birds/insects live in or use these plants? Which trees are deciduous or evergreen?).
• Sketch and label pictures of your treasures.
  • Categorise your treasures according to characteristics (eg natural or man-made, living and non-living). This could lead onto class discussions about what things are made from, what comes from nature, natural resources.
  • Watch The Big Picture with Ruud Kleinpaste video to prompt these discussions and further research.

Mathematics and statistics – geometry and measurement

• Sort your treasures by size, colour, shape, texture, weight.
• Measure the smallest and largest, lightest and heaviest treasures. What units of measure are best to use?

Health and physical education

Go on a hikoi (walk) and explore your local community for different nature treasures.

• Working with some friends, use your bodies to replicate one of your nature treasures. Can you organise your bodies to look like a leaf or flower?

The arts

• Create art with treasures you have found.
• Create musical instruments using your treasures and make music.

He taonga taiao

E ngā ihi, e ngā wehi tēnei ka tākina ake te mauri, e ora ai te mauri, e tau ai te mauri. Whano, whano tū mai te mauri, haumie, hui taiki e.

He karakia tēnei hei mihi ki ngā atua o te taiao, nā rātau ngā taonga i wherawhera hei rāweke mā mātau.

He taonga taiao (PDF, 1,065K)

Kohia Ētahi Taonga o Te Taiao Hei Hanga i Tētahi Tūmomo Taonga Kaimanawa

Haere ki waho ka kohikohi i ētahi tūmomo taonga o te taiao, he rau, he kōtatu, he rākau, he nati, he kākano, he putiputi rānei.

Kawea he ipu hei pupuri i ēnei taonga.

Kawea he pēke kirihau hei kohikohi i ngā rāpihi. ka kitea e koe i tāu haerenga.

Pea me kohia ngā taonga e pā ana ki tētahi horopaki. (te ngahuru) ngā tau (kia 10 pea ngā taonga) te rahi (he iti pea, he roa rānei) te taumaha (kia taumaha, kaua rānei) te kakano (kia angiangi pea).

Mahia tāu taonga kaimanawa

Hangaia he pikitia, he whaiaro, he mekameka, he taonga kaimanawa.

Ka taea e koe ki te tuku hei taonga mō tētahi atu, hei whakairi ki te kainga, hei whakairi ki te rūma ako.

Ka Tūhono ki Te Marautanga   

Reo

• He aha tētahi kupu hei whakamārama i ngā taonga i kimihia e koe.
• Tuhia he rerenga, he pūrākau hei whakamārama tāu i kimi ai, i kimihia kīhea. Whakamahia ngā tūmomo rongo, ā-pā, ā-kakara, ā-oro ki te whakamārama ake.
• Tuhia he kupu whakarite mō ngā taonga.
• Hangaia he tohu hei whakairi ki te taha o ōu taonga. Whakamahia he īngoa Māori, he īngoa pūtaiao hoki.

Science – living world

• Toro atu ki te titiro ki ngā taonga o tōu hoa ako.
  • Mā te titiro ki tāu taonga, he aha ngā korero mō te taiao o roto i tōu kura?
  • Ēhea ngā tūmomo rau, ngārara, manu, rākau, rerekē ka kitea?
  • Matapakihia āu whakaaro mō te taiao o tōu kura mā te titiro ki ngā kohikohinga taonga. (he aha ngā momo mea taketake, ngā kai, ngā Rongoa, ngā mea, ngā mea whakauruhia? He aha ngā kararehe, manu, ngārara noho ai, kai ai i ngā rākau? Ko tēhea ngā rākau whakahekeheke, matawhakauri rānai?
• Tāngia, whakaīngoatia ngā pikitia o ōu taonga.
  • Whakariterite i ōu taonga ki ōna āhuatanga (taketake, nā te tangata i hanga, he ora, he mate rānei). Hei matapaki mā te akomanga i ngā mea ka hangaia, ngā mea o te taiao, o te ao Māori.
  • Mātakihia tēnei hei matapaki, hei whanake i te rangahau.

Pangarau

• Wherawhera i āu taonga mā ngā rōpu, tae, āhua, hanga, taumaha, kakano hoki.
• Ine i te rerekētanga mai te taonga iti, ki te taonga rahi, mai te taonga iti te taumaha, ki tērā e nui ake te taumaha. He aha te waeine pai hei ine i ēnei?

Hauora

• Tuhia ēnei whakaaro ki tāu pukapuka taiao.
• Haere ki te hikoi ka torotoro atu ki tāu ake hāpori, me ngā tūmomo taonga rerekē.

Ngā toi

• Hangaia he toi me ngā taonga i kimihia e koe.
• Hangaia he taonga pūoro me ngā taonga.