|
LEOTC
Now in its seventh year of LEOTC (Learning Experience Outside The Classroom) the Trust's environmental tutor and ranger annually teaches 2200 primary and secondary students about the unique natural heritage of the New Zealand bush. From friendly Robins, majestic Kereru and other birds to delicate ferns and giant Rata trees (including New Zealand's largest), there is much to capture the young mind and foster future generations of conservationist.
Year 1 - 3 Essential Skills
Communication Skills;
Pre-visit activities. Listen to stories / watch video about our environment / N.Z species and talk about this. Draw a picture of their favourite bird/ bug/ tree.
Visit Activities; Walk throught the forest looking for 'bugs' and shaking bushes onto cloth squares. Listen for and look for birds. catch and look at pond life. Talk about Kiwi's and Operation Nest Egg and the Bushy Park Kiwi Creche. Environmental bubbles.
Post Visit; Talk about /write about their visit. Do art work relating to their visit( mural /Collage ??)
Numeracy Skills: look at big and small trees and leaves, observe shapes and patterns of leaves. Count things.
Problem Solving Skills: Think about and discuss ways of saving our endangered native species.
Self-management and Competitive Skills: / Social and Co-operative skills: Cope with being in a forest away from 'all the comforts of home' - not eat all their food at the first break !. Learn to work as a group and to be tolerant of those who are not as observant or as fit as they are. Work with adults they do not normally work with (parents other than their own) . Show appropriate behaviour in cars/buses and to other peoples bubbles. Learn how to keep safe in a forest.
Physical Skills; Most will be challenged by walking in a forest and also have their co-ordination checked by the Environmental bubbles activity.
Attitudes and values / Nga Waiaro me nga Uara;
Will better understand how much work is involeved in protection our indigenous species. Have a better understanding of early maori and pioneers. Will realise there's more to life than cities, TV, 'playstations', etc.
Year 4 - 6 Essential Skills
Communication Skills;
Pre-visit activities. Read, talk and write about our environment/ indigenous species / extinction/ traps and poisons and the work being done at Bushy park. Do a project on one of the species found at Bushy Park. Use the web and/or a database to find the information about a species. Watch a video on predators and rare and threatened species and talk about/discuss and write what they learnt.
Visit activities: A visit to Bushy Park walking through the forest and observing will stimulate pupils to communicate competently by asking about the birds, traps, tracking tunnels and speaking to each other and adults about what they see.. It will also empower them to convey the plight of our indigenous plant species to others (visually, orally, in writing as appropriate) and help to recruit the next generation of conservation activists. The information they obtain should allow them to talk about/discuss and write about case for conservation of our indigenous plant and animal species,.
They will also be required to listen and respond the oral instructions given so they stay on task and don’t get lost. Reading signs and displays found in the Interpretation Centre and elsewhere in the reserve will also challenge their communication skills. The use of walkie talkies and computer generated graphs of predator catches will expand their technological competence.
Post visit activities. Write down an account of their day in the forest. Use voice and sound to tell a story about the environment. make a visual art work about Bushy Park (Mural/ collage/ ??) . Using email (with assistance) to contract the Bushy park Ranger to answer questions that have come up after the visit.
Numeracy Skills
Pre-visit activities. Learn about geometric shapes, graphs and interpreting statistics
Visit activities: Look for geometic shapes in the structures of plants and animals. Talk to the Ranger about his use of grap[hs and statistics.
Post visit activities. Make an art work of the natural geometric shapes , Share their experiences. Look for patterns and relationships. Collect and graph data on pests etc around their school and homes.
Information Skills
Pre-visit activities. Identify, locate, gather, store, retrieve, and process information from a range of sources (including information-retrieval and information-proccessing technologies) on Bushy Park and the plant species found there.
Visit activities: Collect data
Post visit activities. Analyse the data they have collected and discuss it with others
Problem-solving Skills
Pre-visit activities. Think about and discuss with others how to solve the problems faced by New Zealand's indigenous plant /animal species in general or on one specific species. Write an story on the changes New Zealand animals /plants have faced over the last 1000 years.
Visit activities: Observe and discuss how Bushy Park is turning back the clock for indigenous species.
Post visit activities. Write a plan for how to save one or more of our indigenous species.
Self-management and Competitive Skills
Pre-visit activities. set, evaluate, and achieve realistic personal goals; manage time effectively; show initiative, commitment, when collecting information before a visit.
Y 7 -8 Essential Skills
Communication Skills;
Pre-visit activities. Read about our indigenous species / forests/ layers in forests / epiphytes and the work being done at Bushy park. Prepare and deliver a speech to the class about one of the species found at Bushy Park. Use the web and/or a database to find the information about a species. Watch a video on a native species and write a summary of what they learnt.
Visit activities: A visit to Bushy Park walking through the forest and observing will stimulate pupils to communicate competently by listening to bird calls, speaking to each other and adults about what they hear and see. It will also empower them to convey the plight of our indigenous species to others (visually, orally, in writing as appropriate) and help to recruit the next generation of conservation activists. The information they obtain should allow them to argue the case for conservation of our indigenous species, clearly, logically and one hopes convincingly.
They will also be required to discriminate and analyse the aural instructions given so they stay on task and don’t get lost. Reading signs and displays found in the Interpretation Centre and elsewhere in the reserve will also challenge their communication skills. The use of walkie talkies and computer generated graphs of predator catches will expand their technological competence.
Post visit activities. Writing summaries and accounts of their day in the forest. Making a poster or pamphlet, slideshow about a species / Bushy park / Predators. Using email to contract the Bushy park Ranger to answer questions that have come up after the visit.
Numeracy Skills
Pre-visit activities. Learn how to estimate heights and numbers of things. Learn how to read a thermometer and measuring cylinder. Learn how to draw and analyse graphs and tables.
Visit activities: Estimate the heights and numbers of trees in a given area and then compare their estimates to actual measurements. Read thermometers to get air and soil temperatures and look for patterns - compare forest and paddock readings. Learn how the historical weather, catch and monitoring data is used to make the best use of limited time and resources. Compare invertebrate numbers at different locations in the pond.
Post visit activities. Graph the temperature measurements they made. calculate the number of trees of a given size in Bushy park using their data as the baseline.
Information Skills
Pre-visit activities. Identify, locate, gather, store, retrieve, and process information from a range of sources (including information-retrieval and information-proccessing technologies) on Bushy Park and the species found there.
Visit activities: Use a GPS to locate themselves and the location of places. Gather information on Bushy park and what it is doing.
Post visit activities. Analyse the data they have collected and present it clearly, logically, concisely, and accurately.
Problem-solving Skills
Pre-visit activities. Think about and discuss with others how to solve the problems faced by New Zealand's indigenous species in general or on one specific species. Write an essay on what would be found in your back garden if stoats, ferrets, weasels and possums had never been introduced to New Zealand.
Visit activities: Look at the Xcluder fence, traps, tracking tunnels and poison bait stations as solutions to the problem of introduced predators - identify problems in the operation of one or all of these methods and suggest solutions.
Post visit activities. Design and make their own traps /tracking tunnels and evaluate. Experiment as to which is the best bait for a pest found in their home/ school/ farm.
Self-management and Competitive Skills
Pre-visit activities. set, evaluate, and achieve realistic personal goals; manage time effectively; show initiative, commitment, when collecting information before a visit.
Visit activities: Most will not normally a visit to a forest so they will be challenged to develop constructive approaches to a physical challenge, the stress and conflict of being outside their ‘comfort zone’, and the competition that fitter members of the class offer. By having to look after their own rubbish they will take a small step towards achieving self-discipline and taking responsibility for their own actions and decisions; including avoiding getting lost or injured they will need to take some responsibility for their own health and safety, including the development of skills for protecting the body from harm and abuse; (Ie lifting feet higher while walking forest tracks and avoiding stepping on roots)
Post visit activities. If found to be unfit then organise a programme to improve their fitness. Learn more about forests and maps and locating yourself in unfamiliar environments. (map and compass work ??)
Social and Co-operative Skills
Pre-visit activities. Work in groups to draw up a set of rules fo a Reserve for rare /endangered species and then discuss any differences between groups. arrive at a consensus.
Visit activities: Learn how early maori used the forest and discuss the rules they had and how they enforced them. Work as a group while on the visit with all members taking responsibility for the groups actions and the well being of the forest environment. Travel with people they don’t usually travel with and work co-operatively to collect information for the after visit project/s.
Post visit activities. Share what they have learn with the class and work on a group project /poster/ pamphlet/ collage.
Physical Skills
Pre-visit activities. Go for walks + do P.E. exercises to improve personal fitness.
Visit activities: Walk through the forest and along tracks - evaluate own fitness and that of those around you. Discuss how lack of fitness reduces that amount you get to see and do. Try to make giant soap bubbles and see who has the necessary locomotor, and manipulative skills.
Post visit activities. Evaluate their overall fitness and if necessary alter diet and exercise done to improve things to ensure good health into old age.
Work and Study Skills
Pre-visit activities. Pupils to form groups that will work effectively
Visit activities: Learn about their environment, the work people do in the forest and how they can help our indigenous species as well as learning about the Homestead and farm so as to take increasing responsibility for their own learning and work; develop the desire and skills to continue learning throughout life; make career choices on the basis of realistic information.
Post visit activities. Learn more about conservation and our cultural heritage's.
Attitudes and Values Nga Waiaro me nga Uara
Pre-visit activities. Investigate / collect information on how our ancestors ( of two or three cultures) viewed the forest and the things that lived in it
Visit activities: Collect data on Maori and pioneer use of forest plants (food / medicines / spiritual). Learn / experience the conservation values. and encourage positive attitudes towards the environment. Students will encouraged to examine the context and implications of their own values and those of others, and the values on which our current social structures are based. by coming face to face with nature.
Post visit activities: See if the class has a consensus on its attitude to conservation and the value each person places the continued survival of our threatened indigenous species.
Y 9 - 10 Essential Skills
Communication Skills;
Pre-visit activities. Read about our indigenous species / forests/ layers in forests / epiphytes and the work being done at Bushy park. Prepare and deliver a speech to the class about one of the species found at Bushy Park. Use the web and/or a database to find the information about a species. Watch a video on a native species and write a summary of what they learnt.
Visit activities: A visit to Bushy Park walking through the forest and observing will stimulate pupils to communicate competently by listening to bird calls, speaking to each other and adults about what they hear and see. It will also empower them to convey the plight of our indigenous species to others (visually, orally, in writing as appropriate) and help to recruit the next generation of conservation activists. The information they obtain should allow them to argue the case for conservation of our indigenous species, clearly, logically and one hopes convincingly. Also chance to develop sketching skills when doing plants work.
They will also be required to discriminate and analyse the aural instructions given so they stay on task and don’t get lost. Reading signs and displays found in the Interpretation Centre and elsewhere in the reserve will also challenge their communication skills. The use of walkie talkies and computer generated graphs of predator catches will expand their technological competence.
Post visit activities. Writing summaries and accounts of their day in the forest. Making a poster or pamphlet, slideshow about a species / Bushy park / Predators. Using email to contract the Bushy park Ranger to answer questions that have come up after the visit.
Numeracy Skills
Pre-visit activities. Learn how to estimate heights and numbers of things. Learn how to read a thermometer and measuring cylinder. Learn how to draw and analyse graphs and tables.
Visit activities: Estimate the heights and numbers of trees in a given area and then compare their estimates to actual measurements. Read thermometers to get air and soil temperatures and look for patterns - compare forest and paddock readings. Learn how the historical weather, catch and monitoring data is used to make the best use of limited time and resources. Compare invertebrate numbers at different locations in the pond.
Post visit activities. Graph the temperature measurements they made. calculate the number of trees of a given size in Bushy park using their data as the baseline.
Information Skills
Pre-visit activities. Identify, locate, gather, store, retrieve, and process information from a range of sources (including information-retrieval and information-proccessing technologies) on Bushy Park and the species found there.
Visit activities: Use a GPS to locate themselves and the location of places. Gather information on Bushy park and what it is doing. Use of satellites to collect data (Globe + Earthsat)
Post visit activities. Analyse the data they have collected and present it clearly, logically, concisely, and accurately.
Problem-solving Skills
Pre-visit activities. Think about and discuss with others how to solve the problems faced by New Zealand's indigenous species in general or on one specific species. Write an essay on what would be found in your back garden if stoats, ferrets, weasels and possums had never been introduced to New Zealand.
Visit activities: Look at the Xcluder fence, traps, tracking tunnels and poison bait stations as solutions to the problem of introduced predators - identify problems in the operation of one or all of these methods and suggest solutions. Management and monitoring of reintroduced species - Robin, Kiwi, Saddleback.
Post visit activities. Design and make their own traps /tracking tunnels and evaluate. Experiment as to which is the best bait for a pest found in their home/ school/ farm.
Self-management and Competitive Skills
Pre-visit activities. set, evaluate, and achieve realistic personal goals; manage time effectively; show initiative, commitment, when collecting information before a visit.
Visit activities: Most will not normally a visit to a forest so they will be challenged to develop constructive approaches to a physical challenge, the stress and conflict of being outside their ‘comfort zone’, and the competition that fitter members of the class offer. By having to look after their own rubbish they will take a small step towards achieving self-discipline and taking responsibility for their own actions and decisions; including avoiding getting lost or injured they will need to take some responsibility for their own health and safety, including the development of skills for protecting the body from harm and abuse; (Ie lifting feet higher while walking forest tracks and avoiding stepping on roots)
Post visit activities. If found to be unfit then organise a programme to improve their fitness. Learn more about forests and maps and locating yourself in unfamiliar environments. (map and compass work ??)
Social and Co-operative Skills
Pre-visit activities. Work in groups to draw up a set of rules fo a Reserve for rare /endangered species and then discuss any differences between groups. arrive at a consensus.
Visit activities: Learn how early maori used the forest and discuss the rules they had and how they enforced them. Work as a group while on the visit with all members taking responsibility for the groups actions and the well being of the forest environment. Travel with people they don’t usually travel with and work co-operatively to collect information for the after visit project/s.
Post visit activities. Share what they have learn with the class and work on a group project /poster/ pamphlet/ collage.
Physical Skills
Pre-visit activities. Go for walks + do P.E. exercises to improve personal fitness.
Visit activities: Walk through the forest and along tracks - evaluate own fitness and that of those around you. Discuss how lack of fitness reduces that amount you get to see and do. Try to make giant soap bubbles and see who has the necessary locomotor, and manipulative skills.
Post visit activities. Evaluate their overall fitness and if necessary alter diet and exercise done to improve things to ensure good health into old age.
Work and Study Skills
Pre-visit activities. Pupils to form groups that will work effectively
Visit activities: Learn about their environment, the work people do in the forest and how they can help our indigenous species as well as learning about the Homestead and farm so as to take increasing responsibility for their own learning and work; develop the desire and skills to continue learning throughout life; make career choices on the basis of realistic information.
Post visit activities. Learn more about conservation and our cultural heritage's.
Attitudes and Values Nga Waiaro me nga Uara
Pre-visit activities. Investigate / collect information on how our ancestors ( of two or three cultures) viewed the forest and the things that lived in it
Visit activities: Collect data on Maori and pioneer use of forest plants (food / medicines / spiritual). Learn / experience the conservation values. and encourage positive attitudes towards the environment. Students will encouraged to examine the context and implications of their own values and those of others, and the values on which our current social structures are based. by coming face to face with nature.
Post visit activities: See if the class has a consensus on its attitude to conservation and the value each person places the continued survival of our threatened indigenous species.
Contact: Terry O'Connor Teacher/Ranger, Phone/fax 06 345 67897, email; terryoc@xtra.co.nz
Admission /gate fee: Year 1 -8 $1.00 , Year 9 -13 $2.00 , Adults $3.00 per head
|
