Explore Your Manu and Rākau

Tamariki have knowledge of significant local manu and rākau and how we can learn from their characteristics and strengths.

Our manu and rākau are part of our unique and special Aotearoa environment and connect us to this. We love that many classrooms and kura use local rākau and manu to further support our te taiao and sense of belonging. This activity seeks to explore this further - why is this rākau or manu significant for us and what can we learn from them?

We asked kaiako and teachers for rākau that were special for their classrooms, schools and kura and received these below. We've created these in two ways:

• As part of Te Whare Tapa Whā wall display, to colour and add. Print onto A3 paper to get the sizing right.
• We've also created some slides to encourage some inquiry learning and kōrero.

Rākau

Akeake and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Harakeke and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Hīnau and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kahikatea and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kōtukutuku and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kōwhai and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Mataī and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Nīkau and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Pānako and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Pōhutukawa and slides for inquiry and kōrero

Rātā and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Raupō and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Rimu and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tī Kouka and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tōtara and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tutu and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Some other ideas to guide your tamariki:

• Kōrero about what we know already about our manu or rākau
• Why would we choose this as special to us and our classroom or kura?
• What characteristics or strengths does it have that match our values and kaupapa?
• How might we apply these in our learning space?

Make your rākau bloom with praise and compliments... a fun way to bring your rākau off the wall!

Another way to use rākau in the classroom is in terms of compliments and praise - it might be specifically linked to behaviours you're trying to encourage e.g. kindness, or you could be more general and include any behaviour that supports hauora.

Ideas might be when tamariki:

• Praise and compliment one another
• Are learning new things
• Are trying new things and feeling brave enough to take risks
• Are being creative
• Or are having fun

And you know there’s heaps more!

So for this we’re thinking of the classroom, but this could also be a staffroom activity too…!

Kōrero with your tamariki about how you will use your rākau and what is it that’s enjoyable about school and supports their hauora?

You might do this while your tamariki help to colour and display this trunk (be sure to print as A3). And you'll also need to print the putiputi (pōhutukawa or rātā, depending on where you are in the motu).

Write up tamariki ideas that they can 'spot', praise and compliment during the term. Then as they (and you) notice others enjoying their learning, being a great friend, finding their flow, being creative…. whatever it is - they can take a pōhutukawa or rātā putiputi, colour this in, add it to your rākau trunk and let you and their classmate know. 

We thought this might create a really cool visual for all of the amazing things happening in the mahi you do, that contribute to your class hauora!

Let’s get that rākau blooming!

We also asked kaiako and teachers for the special manu. Again these can be used in many ways, but here's what we were thinking:

• As part of Te Whare Tapa Whā wall display, to colour and add. Print onto A3 paper to get the sizing right.
• We've also created some slides to encourage some inquiry learning and kōrero.

Manu

Amokura and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Hokioi and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kāhu and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kākā and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kākāpō and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kārearea and slides for inquiry and kōrero

Kea and the slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kererū and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kiwi and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kōkako and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Korimako and slides for inquiry and kōrero. We also have an illustrated recording of korimako as part of our Birdsong Mindfulness series.

Kororā and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kōtare and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kōtuku and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kuaka and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Mōhua and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Pūkeko and the slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Pīwakawaka and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Riroriro and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Ruru and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tāiko and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tara Iti and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tīeke and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tōrea and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tūī and slides for inquiry and kōrero. We also have an illustrated recording of tūī as part of our Birdsong Mindfulness series

Weka and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Tuatara

Native moth

Te Papa Atawhai Department of Conservation's website where you'll find:

• A library of manu recordings
• Loads of Royal Albatross information and particularly the live cam of the Dunedin colony, it can be so fun to watch throughout the seasons. During nesting time our team has been mesmerised by a chick right in front of the cam - amongst our work, we waited for its māmā or pāpā to come home!
• We also love TVNZ series Bird's Eye View too!
• And if you were wanting manu waiata we love Fatcat and Fishface and their Birdbrain album and Mr Roberelli's Where's the Piwakawaka.