Kaitiaki group visit Shakespeare Bay
Picton School’s Kaitiaki Group visited the Shakespeare Bay estuary for NZAEE Seaweek.
Picton School’s Kaitiaki group were invited by Port Marlborough in conjunction with Cawthron Institute to visit the Shakespeare Bay estuary as a focus for NZAEE Seaweek in March. The Kaitiaki group were smaller in stature and younger in age than usual as the group’s senior students were away on camp. However, their levels of excitement and enthusiasm were just as high!
The Kaitiaki group and Cawthron scientists, smiling in the rain!
Despite the rainy day, scientists from Cawthron had set up a range of activities to help the group study the estuary. Anika, Dana and Robyn each took a group of students to search the estuary for cool creatures, slimy seaweed, beautiful birds and slippery snails. They found mud snails, top shells, whelks, seagrasses and more!
Dana demonstrated how to take a mud sample and search through it to find any critters living below the surface. Anika spoke about why the estuary is important to Māori and taught tamariki the Māori kupu for the creatures they found.
The group would like to thank Port Marlborough and Cawthron Institute for the chance to experience some hands-on science in this special local place. For their next steps, they plan to return to do a beach clean-up in the area.
