Wai challenge 2011Waikato Enviroschools

More about kowaro……Our region is home to the black mudfi sh,

scientifi c name neochanna diversa. They

live in wetlands, in pools in swamp forests

and can survive in weedy drains. They

grow to about 11 cm long and are shaped like a small stocky eel. They have a slippery skin

and are dark greenish-brown in colour. Unlike most native fi sh they survive in areas where it

almost completely dries up in summer. They survive by hiding in soil, beneath logs and debris

until water returns. They are very secretive animals and are hard to fi nd. There used be quite

a lot of them around but now they are endangered and protected. For more information visit

www.mudfi sh.org.nz or www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/fi sh/facts/mudfi sh.

Send in...why do you think Kaarl was chosen to support schools in their wai challenge? Send your answers through to Kaarl and Andrea atandrea.soanes@ew.govt.nz or post to P.O. Box 4010, Hamilton East, 3247.

Kia Ora I’m Kaarl the

kowaro. I wonder what aspect

of the water challenge your

school will explore?

How connected are you to the water/wai in your area?How connected are you to the water/wai in your area?Join Kaarl the kowaro, our local mudfi sh, and take upthe challenge.

Kowaro or mudfi sh are regarded as a taonga (treasured) species

to iwi. They are the perfect animal to help you fi nd out about

the wai in your area.

Start your journey with kowaro in 2011 Start your journey with kowaro in 2011 and take on the wai challenge to:and take on the wai challenge to:• explore the wai in your area – this may be the rivers, awa, streams, swamps or wetlands

in your area

• explore the value of water and its local use and conservation

• connect with your natural environment and community

• take action to protect/clean up or conserve water in your area

• using the ‘Awa connectedness worksheet’, record your schools exploration/thoughts and

action throughout 2011.

The wai challenge will encourage students to:

• understand the impacts and issues around water in their area

• gain knowledge and understanding of the history and traditions around water use in your

area

• explore the impacts of humans on water and the environment

• gain an understanding of where water comes from and where does it go

• identify and take actions to help make a sustainable future for the water in your area

• refl ect on what they have achieved and the impact of their actions.

What’s inside...What’s inside...• Identifying the current situation.

• Exploring alternatives.

• Taking action.

• Refl ecting on change.

• Awa connectedness resource.

• Refl ecting on our achievements.

• What have schools been doing.

• Links to NZC.

• Resources and links.

Check out our Check out our wai tool boxwai tool boxIf you would like to talk to me about

the Enviroschools programme or any

of Environment Waikato’s resources

for schools.

Email andrea.soanes@ew.govt.nz or

call Environment Waikato’s freephone

0800 800 401

Andrea SoanesRegional Enviroschools Coordinator

1

What do you know?Brainstorm ideas about the wai in our area.

• Where does it come from?

• What diff erent uses does it have?

• How does it aff ect our lives?

• What is some local history around water use and local waterways?

• Explore some of the Maori traditions and perspectives about wai in your area

• What are some environmental issues around water in your area?

What can you observe?Check out www.ew.govt.nz/waichallenge – it has interactive maps for you to identify your school and any water that is around your

district.

Group activity• List the waterways that are close to your school. You may like to put this on a visual form such as a base map or perhaps organise a

road trip to see some of the waterways in your area.

What can you learn?• Water can come in many diff erent forms – explore what these may

be.

• Below are some words that are all linked to wai but have

diff erent meanings. Find out what they are.

Who might you ask? How would you find out?wai horoi wai inu wai unu waikino wai makariri waimaori waimate

waiora waipiro waipuke waitai waitapu waiere

Explore alternativesYou have gathered this large pool of knowledge about the

wai in your area, is there anything you would change?

• Is there more we can be doing for water conservation?

• Do our streams and waterways need a helping hand to

become healthier?

• How else could it be?

• What have others done already?

• What actions could we take to make a change?

Group activityDesign a business card for a local waterway, stream, lake

or wetland – use pictures, diagrams and information to show on one side how it has

been in the past and on the other side what is like now. Be creative and design a

poster showing what you would like the waterway to be like in the future.

Identify the current situation

Identify the current situation

1

Explore alte

rnat

ives

Imagine you are a small animal

living in the water in your area –

maybe its me? Write a story or poem

about it and the challenges it has

for survival.

2

Reflect on change

Take action

You could record your action in a

‘media release’ or as an article or

TV news bulletin. Kaarl would love

to see what you are doing.

Write a story, picture or poem

about the challenge. I would

love to see them.

• What did we achieve?

• How can we monitor changes?

• How do we know we have made a diff erence?

• How will we celebrate our achievements?

• Who will we share our achievements with ?

• What didn’t go so well?

Group activityUsing the awa template on pages fi ve and six to track your journey through the wai

challenge 2011, you can download a blank one from www.ew.govt.nz/waichallenge.

Measuring changeYou can use the Enviroschools measuring change website to record information to

share with others – check it out at www.measuringchange.org.nz

How connected do you feel now tothe wai around you?

Is it the same, diff erent or do you feel like you now

have an increased awareness and are able to make a

diff erence in the world?

What action will you decide to take?• Use an action planner – visit www.ew.govt.nz/waichallenge to help

plan how you would like to create changes in your environment.

• Who will do what and when?

• What do we need to measure so we know our action is eff ective?

• Which designs work the best?

• Who will we tell what we are doing?

• Who do we need support and help from?

Action is a positive way to create change in an environment. Action can

be as big or as small as you like.

Take action

Ref

lect o

n ch

ange

4

3

Using the Enviroschools action and learning cycle, start by identifying the current situation and follow the arrows through the enquiry process.

3

Do they come from the same place?

Track your schools journey on the Awa Track your schools journey on the Awa

What is the history of the wai in our area?

What do we know about the steams/rivers or wetlands in

our area?

Who can we ask to

the wai around us?

How do we know we are making a

?

How connected are we now to the wai in

our area? How do we show it?

What actions can we take to help make a sustainable future?

ExploreWhere does it come from

and where does it go? What happens to it in

between?

Explore the traditions andMaori perspectives

about wai in your area

What are some of the issues around wai in

your area?

What might be living in these ecosystems?

How does your local environment change

Download your blank awa connectedness worksheet from www.ew.govt.nz/waichallenge or ask your Enviroschools facilitator for a copy.

4 5

6

Com

petition

Throughout the wai tool box you

will see ideas and activities to send

to Kaarl. We would love to see these

pieces of your work. All names will

go into a draw for a prize at the

end of the year.

What have schools been doing?What have schools been doing?

7

Values• Excellence –

overcoming challenges and

aiming high

• Innovation, inquiry and curiosity – fi nding

out more and exploring alternatives for change

• Diversity

• Community and participation -for the common

good

• Ecological sustainability – care and

responsibility for the environment

• Integrity – honest, responsible and

accountable

www.ew.govt.nz/waichallengeFor achievement statements for levels

2-4, that could be used as a focus for

this education for sustainability context.

www.emap.rsnz.orgNational Waterways Project – excellent

site – unit planners, Pollution Detective

join ups, links to resources, stories,

monthly newsletter. Brilliant!

www.gw.govt.nz/take-action-for-waterTake Action for Water – games and

activities relating to streams and water,

photo gallery.

www.waterlink.org.nz/water4me/index.htmlJoin Pakura and learn about waterways,

wetlandsand & water use! Ex internet

resources relating to all areas of water.

Healthy water theme in the Enviroschools kit

www.tki.org.nz/r/environ_ed/primary_unitsStrive in Streamsville – unit for L2-4 on

streams and waterways – great activities.

www.niwa.co.nzNational Institute of Water & Atmosphere

– estuaries resource kit, beach cam.

www.niwa.co.nz/education-and-training/schools/resources/ipyCD’s based on ‘No 8 Wired’. Student

worksheets – foresty and streams, dairy

impacts, weeds, sustainable farming.

www.boprc.govt.nz/residents/teachers/waiora-healthy-water.aspxWaiora – healthy water integrated unit for

L2-4. Downloadable activity cards, bug ID

sheet, teaching activities.

www.waicare.org.nzAuckland-based water action group –

scrapbook and manuals – fi eld booklets,

data gathering sheets, taking action ideas.

Resources and linksResources and linkswww.ew.govt.nz/streamsenseStream sense water quality and catchment

unit for years 9-13. Stream equipment

available to hire from us.

www.hamilton.co.nzHamilton City Council’s website – water

booklet and also look here for the fi sh on

drains resource.

www.biodiversity.govt.nz/kidsUp the Creek – learn how fresh water

supports life by visiting this bilingual

online resource by the Department of

Conservation.

www.emap.rsnz.orgVisit the EMAP website for classroom

resources, and if doing waterways work

it is highly recommended that you sign

up for the National Waterways Project

database. They also have wonderful

biodiversity cards available for free which

are fantastic!

Linking the wai challenge to the NZC

Key competencies• Thinking

• Using language, symbols and

texts

• Managing self

• Relating to others

• Participating and contributing

For a more detailed description

visit www.ew.govt.nz/

waichallenge

Education for sustainability (EFS) –

participation and actionDevelop a sense of responsibility through

participation and action as individuals

(and small groups) to address the issues and

eff ects of water quality in the community.

Make choices about possible actions

and justify these choices.

VisionEFS provides

opportunities for

our young people to

become confi dent,

connected, actively

involved lifelong

learners.

PrinciplesEFS places students at

the centre of teaching and

learning.

• It challenges and engages them.

• It is forward looking – allowing

students to explore alternatives

and take action for the future.

• It is an inclusive pedagogy that

affi rms New Zealand’s

unique identity.

How connected do you feel now to the wai around you?Kaarl would love your feedback!

Classroom units at your fi ngertips!Classroom units at your fi ngertips!Don’t spend hours planning your classroom unit – save time and energy by using ours! You’ll be fulfi lling the curriculum and providing environmental education at the same time!

Environment Waikato has units on streams, rivers and coasts. For more information, check outwww.ew.govt.nz/forschools.

Rivers and us• This is a water focused unit for years 4-8.• It looks at the impact of humans on our waterways and the many diverse ways

that we use water.• This is a cross-curricula unit that initially focuses on people and their interaction

with their local waterways. It then looks at human eff ects on your local river or stream.

Coasts and us• This is a resource unit for years 4-8.• It looks at the eff ect of humans on the coastal areas of our region.• Take a trip to your local coastal area and put your classroom work into outdoor

environmental education.

Stream sense• This is a water quality catchment monitoring programme for years 9-13.• This programme encourages schools to become involved in ongoing monitoring

of their local waterway and use the data gathered to solve problems about water quality.

Soils and us• This is a soils-focused unit designed for years 4-8.• It looks at the relationship between people and our region’s soil resources.• Soils form the foundation for life on earth. Along with air and water, soil is one of

the most precious natural resources on earth.• Find out more about soil, how it is formed, its structure and how we depend on it.

Enviroschools newsletters• Newsletters include information on funding, resources, events and profi les on

schools.• Check out www.ew.govt.nz/forschools/enviroschoolsnewsletter.

For more information, please contact:Andrea Soanes – Schools Programme Coordinator on 0800 800 401 or email andrea.soanes@ew.govt.nz.