If you would like support in any of these subject areas, I am happy to share my wide knowledge and experience.
Marine life
What would it be like to live in the Ocean? Who are the animals that cope in this watery world, and how do they do it? Using a range of colourful characters, we can explore the shoreline without getting too wet, or do we! Predation is a big issue for many creatures, so there are many ways critters use to avoid being something else’s dinner! Try the Survivor game and see how you fare!
Traditional Māori Fishing
Natural curiosity led me to research and try out many traditional Māori fishing methods, including mātau (bone hooks), nets, fish traps and fishing spears. I will demonstrate that we can all learn and be inspired by traditional fishing methods, and the principles of kaitiakitanga.
Seafood preparation and preservation are also discussed along with a demonstration of fire lighting using traditional methods.
Looking back in time
Aotearoa/NZ is biologically the oldest place on this planet. A Dinosaur museum! Our native plants, insects, frogs, birds, lizards and many other creatures are the oldest in existence. Our native frogs make no noise because they are derived from the very first frogs to ever to evolve, and with only one species, they didn’t need to differentiate using sounds! In other countries Tuatara are known only as fossils, they still live here! It is an amazing heritage that dates back millions of years.
The whole story is linked very closely to the Geology of NZ, Gondwanaland, the ice ages, sea level changes, volcanic activity, fault lines and of course fossils!
The first Polynesians' Journey
When did the first Polynesians arrive and what inspired them to search for Aotearoa? What cues did the Polynesians use before they set off to find Aotearoa? How did they prepare for such a voyage, navigate and survive during the trip? What did they find when they got here? The answers to most of these questions are hidden, but clues have been left along the way, some coming from unlikely sources. One can only marvel at these remarkable navigators.
Navigating your way back home
I have long had an interest in traditional watercraft. And what is more traditional than wanting to know where you are, especially if you want to return home! Navigation is often shrouded in mystery, from early Polynesian methods to those used by Tasman and Cook, even those used today. We can contrast the relative merits of a variety of methods.
Apply for funding
I am part of “Field-based STEM”, which supports schools in PLD all over New Zealand, providing ‘specialist’ science / technology facilitators. Schools can apply for PLD funding from the Ministry of Education, and once PLD hours are allocated any work done in the school has no additional costs!