Pirongia Forest Park field trip

Introduction

Field Trip | Levels 3-8: Southwest of Hamilton at Mt Pirongia, students can take a closer look at volcanic geology, forest microclimates and investigate the health of forest trees in this teaching resource.

Highlights

Published: 2001

Pirongia Forest Park is close to Hamilton city, and is best known for its most widely recognised landmark, Mt Pirongia (959 metres). The park consists of four separate blocks of land, including Mt Karioi, close to Raglan.

In this field trip, students can take a closer look at volcanic geology, forest microclimates and investigate the health of forest trees. 

View the resource

This kit provides site location maps, pre- and post-visit activities for your outdoor education experience and includes safety considerations and background reading for teachers. Curriculum links are provided and a series of teacher’s study sheets covering a range of topics.

Contents

  • Locations of teacher resource kits
  • Location of Pirongia Forest Park
  • Using this resource
  • Organisation of outdoor safety
  • Pirongia Forest Park facilities and organisation
  • Pirongia Forest Park - conservation management
  • Teachers' background reading
  • Statement about curriculum links
  • General study topics
  • 6 teacher study sheets
  • Other references and resources

About the resource

Learning areas

  • Science
  • Social sciences
  • Health and PE

Learning outcomes 

Primary:

  • Students will investigate the ecosystem of the native forest.
  • Students will research and explore the systems responsible for the landforms at Pirongia Mountain (volcanoes, faulting, tectonics)
  • Students will investigate changing climatic conditions outside and inside the forest and what effects the difference can have on forest health.
  • Students will investigate the health of the forest using several forest monitoring techniques.

Secondary: 

  • Students will gain knowledge of stratification microclimate differences
  • Students will investigate traditional medicines from the forest
  • Students will research foliage coverage in a forest

Links to curriculum 

Primary:

  • Science: Living world: Ecology, Evolution
  • Nature of sciences: Investigating in science
  • Planet earth and beyond: Earth systems
  • Social sciences: Continuity and change
  • Health and PE: Personal health and physical development
  • Technology
  • Art
  • English

Secondary: 

  • Science: Living world: Ecology
  • Science: Planet earth and beyond: Earth systems

Topics

  • Forest and green spaces

Publication information

ISBN 0-478-22046-4

Contact

Kirikiriroa / Hamilton Office
Phone:   +64 7 858 1000
Fax:   +64 4 471 1117
Email:   hamilton@doc.govt.nz
Address:   Level 4
73 Rostrevor Street
Hamilton 3204
Postal Address:   Private Bag 3072
Hamilton 3240
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