Park Detectives – He whatu kāhū, he tōu tīrairaka

• Biodiversity in our local spaces.
• Balanced ecosystem.
• Pollination, seed dispersal, decomposition, photosynthesis.
• Taking care of natural areas.
• Personal responsibility for action.

Students become detectives, ornithologists, entomologists and botanists as they delve deeper into the unique roles of a balanced ecosystem and the role they can play in that ecosystem.

They will employ all their detective skills to gather information in a variety of scientific ways to come to their collaborative conclusions about the interdependence of birds, bugs and trees.

Hands-on activities enable them to describe the key roles of birds, insects and trees in balanced ecosystems. Students then engage in a problem-solving process to propose action for a sustainable future.

They will take their new ideas and their Detective Notebook back to school where they can continue their discussions to problem-solve ways to encourage this balanced ecosystem in their local green spaces.

We are learning to:

• Name at least two of the birds, invertebrates, and/or trees that live in our natural green spaces.
• Explain the important role(s) that birds, invertebrates, and/or trees have in our natural environment.
• Explore and carry out appropriate investigations to develop simple explanations about how a balanced ecosystem works.
• Use a range of scientific vocabulary.
• Identify actions that can be undertaken to encourage a balanced ecosystem in our local parks and green spaces.

Using language, symbols and texts

Students will use oral, written and visual texts to interpret key terms and concepts relating to local ecosystems

Thinking

Students will use creative, critical and meta-cognitive processes to investigate how each of the roles of the ecosystem is connected and then consider the impact and wider consequences if one role is low/depleted

Managing self

Students will immerse themselves in a variety of multi-sensory and kinaesthetic experiences to create an understanding of the key parts of the ecosystem

Participating and contributing

Students are encouraged to problem-solve ways they can encourage a rich and healthy ecosystem in their own local communities

Relating to others

Students will work collaboratively and supportively to complete tasks