Connecting with Ngahere Through Matariki at Rapaura School
In the lead up to Matariki, Angela and Ramona visited each class at Rapaura School to explore their ngahere through the whetū Tupuārangi.
Identifying the importance of the ngahere
Tupuārangi is the star associated with trees, birds, fruits, and all that grows above ground within the domain of Tāne Mahuta. Together, they reflected on why healthy ngahere are important not only for nature, but also for people. They discovered the many benefits forests provide for our community and wildlife.
A highlight of the sessions was heading into the school ngahere to get to know the trees that grow there. Tamariki interviewed a leaf, taking a close look at its shape, size, texture, and arrangement before using identification guides to discover the name of the tree they had met. This simple activity encouraged students to slow down, observe carefully, and form a connection with the plants around them.
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- Students hard at work interviewing a tree in their ngahere
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- Students using the books to identify their tree
There was plenty of laughter when children learned a surprisingly effective way to estimate the height of a tree by bending over and looking between their legs. Armed with their new technique, children couldn’t wait to compare the heights of different trees throughout the ngahere.
How tall is the tree?
Younger tamariki expressed their hopes for the future by creating collages from natural materials showing what they would like their ngahere to look like in years to come. Older rangitahi took part in a relay game, where they worked in teams to find hidden red cards identifying threats to the ngahere. They then match them with green cards describing possible solutions. The activity explored threats such as pests, weeds, habitat loss, and rubbish. It then identified simple practical actions children can take to help restore and protect our ngahere.
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- Identifying the solutions to help the ngahere
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- A collage of natural materials to show what they would like their ngahere to look like in years to come.
The learning didn’t stop at their school ngahere…
The whole school and their whanau participated in a native tree planting at Thomsons Ford Road organised by Junior Landcare, Wairau Nature Network, and Enviroschools. By helping establish new native plants, they made a meaningful contribution to the future health of Marlborough’s environment and showed kaitiakitanga in action.
See Planting for Future Generations at Thompsons Ford to read more about the planting day https://www.enviroschoolsmarlborough.co.nz/planting-for-future-generations-at-thomsons-ford-road/