Explore Your Manu and Rākau

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.

Kōwhai and slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Mataī 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 andslides 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?

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 the slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kārearea and slides for inquiry and kōrero

Kea and the slides for inquiry and kōrero.

Kererū and the 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 andslides 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.