Education and Engagement
Programmes
Our experienced team develop custom written education programmes for year 1-13 that create a unique ākonga experience. Learning takes place through appropriately themed programmes that use the zoo as the ‘classroom’. We can work with all themes and learning areas of the curriculum, including those based around the Key Competencies, Values and Principles. Our dedicated educators will support your study area and can accommodate a wide range of ngā ākonga needs and abilities.
Sample Programmes
Below is just a small example of the programmes we run. Please note this list is not exhaustive; we have dozens of programmes already developed! If your focus is on something different, just contact our team who will be very happy to discuss your needs and create a unique day to suit your learning outcomes.
To enquire about booking a visit or programme options please complete a booking form.
ākonga will observe a variety of native and exotic animal species and discover what makes them so unique in our world. They will discuss how humans can have positive and negative impacts on the natural world and learn how the concept of Tiakitanga can help protect living things and the environment.
Science - Living World
Life Processes
L1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive.
Ecology
L 1-2: Recognize that living things are suited to their particular habitat
L 3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced
L5: Investigate the interdependence of living things (including humans) in an ecosystem.
Evolution
L1-2: Explain how we know that some that some living things from the past are now extinct.
L3-4: Explore how groups of living things we have in the world have changed over a long period of time and appreciate that some living things in New Zealand are quite different from living things in other areas of the world.
Nature of Science
Understanding about Science, Investigating in Science, Communicating in Science, Participating and Contributing.
Aotearoa NZ Histories
Whakapapa me te whanaungatanga/Culture and Identity
Y1-3: Māori are the tangata whenua. They were the first people of this land and have stories about their origins and arrival.
Tūrangawaewae me te kaitiakitanga /Place and Environment
Y 1-3: Tangata whenua are deeply connected to the local area. Naming places was key to establishing and maintaining mana and tūrangawaewae.
Y7-8: Māori cared for and transformed te taiao, and expressed the connection to place by naming the land and its features.
Y9-10: Settlers transformed and later cared for the natural world, and renamed places and features to reflect their own cultural origins. Widespread public awareness and collective action about damage to the environment become most strongly evident in the late twentieth century.
TUrangawaewae - Years 1-8
Tūrangawaewae is one of the most well-known and powerful Māori concepts that connects people to places. Ākonga will think about what it would have been like to be early arrivals in Aotearoa, and learn how different cultures’ tools and technolgies helped them to adapt to the new environments they encountered. They will learn how the natural and human world is interconnected and share ideas on how we can all play a part in being kaitiaki of livings things and the environment.
*Unfortunately our website capabilities don't allow macrons in headings. We apologise for this affecting the name of this programme.
Aotearoa NZ Histories
Tūrangawaewae me te kaitiakitanga/Place and Environment
Y1-3: Tangata whenua are deeply connected to the local area. Naming places was key to establishing and maintain mana and tūrangawaewae.
Y4-6: People adapted their technologies and tools to the new environment of Aotearoa New Zealand
Y7-8: Māori cared for and transformed te taiao, and expressed their connection to place by naming the land and its features.
Social Sciences
L1: Understand how places in New Zealand are significant for individuals and groups.
L2: Understand how places influence people and people influence places.
L3: Understand how early Polynesian and British migrants to New Zealand have continuing significance for tangata whenua and communities.
Science – Living World
Ecology
L1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat.
L3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habit and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human induced.
ADAPTATIONS - YEARS 1-11
ākonga will observe a wide range of animals from around the world and learn about their behavioural, structural and physiological adaptations, that help them survive in their particular habitat. ākonga will learn how changing habitats are causing problems for animals who are unable to adapt quickly enough to survive.
Science – Living World
Evolution
L1-2: Recognise that there are lots of different living things in the world and that they can be grouped in different ways.
L3-4: Begin to group plants, animals and other living things into science based classifications.
Life Processes
L1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive.
L3-4: Recognise that there are life processes common to all living things and that these occur in different ways.
L5: identify the key structural features and functions involved in the life processes of plants and animals.
Ecology
L1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat.
L3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environmental changes, both natural and human-induced.
L5: Investigate the interdependence of living things (including humans) in an ecosystem.
L6: Investigate the impact of natural events and human actions on a NZ ecosystem.
Science - Nature of Science
Understanding about Science, Investigating in Science, Communicating in Science.
THE ROLE OF MODERN ZOOS - YEARS 1-13
Through observing animals in captivity, ākonga will learn how animals are cared for to ensure their well-being and the efforts made to prevent their extinction. They will learn about the many different roles within the zoo that are important for animal care, including behind the scenes aspects such as habitat design, enrichment, research, and breeding programmes. They will consider and discuss ideas on what zoos might look like in the future and how they can play an important role in connecting people with nature.
Science – Living World
Life Processes
L1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive.
Ecology
L1-2: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat.
L3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environment changes, both natural and human induced.
Evolution
L1-2: Explain how we know that some living things from the past are now extinct.
Social Sciences
L1: Understand how places in NZ are significant for individuals and groups.
L2: Understand how places influence people and people influence places.
L3: Understand how people view and use places differently.
L4: Understand how exploration and innovation create opportunities and challenges for people, places and environments.
YEAR 11
Psychology
Demonstrate understanding of psychological approaches – behaviourism (classical conditioning – learning by association) (operant conditioning – learning by reinforcement).
YEAR 12
Tourism
Visitor Experience
Audience
Careers in wildlife parks/aquariums
Ecotourism
Sustainable tourism
YEAR 13
Tourism
Visitor Experience
Audience
Careers in wildlife parks/aquariums
Ecotourism
Sustainable tourism
COMMUNITIES AND ROLES - YEARS 1-10
ākonga will observe a variety of animals living in different communities and learn how these communities are structured to ensure the survival of group members. Just like animals, we (humans), too, develop certain roles and skills to help us navigate through life and solve problems, and today you will learn about some of the wise lifestyle choices you can make to help prevent wildlife from becoming endangered.
Science - Living World
Evolution
L1-2: Recognise that there are lots of different living things in the world and that they can be grouped in different ways.
Ecology
L3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond the environmental changes, both natural and human-induced.
Health and Physical Education - Relationships with Other People
Identity, sensitivity and respect
L2: Describe how individuals and groups share characteristics and are also unique.
Relationships
L4: Identify the effects of changing situations, roles and responsibilities on relationships and describe appropriate responses.
Health & Physical Education - Healthy Communities & Environments
Rights, responsibilities and laws; people and the environment
L1: Take individual and collective action to contribute to environments that can be enjoyed by all.
Social Sciences
L2: Understand that people have social, cultural and economic roles, rights and responsibilities.
L4: Understand how people participate individually and collectively in response to community challenges.
L5: Understand how people’s management of resources impacts on environmental and social sustainability.
Aotearoa NZ Histories
Whakapapa me te whanaungatanga/Culture and Identity
Y1-3: People in our area have come from a variety of places and some retain connections to those places.
KAIMAWHAIWHAI (FOOD WEBS) - YEARS 1-8
Through observing native and exotic wildlife, ākonga will discuss the sources of energy and energy flow from one organism to another in a food web. They will learn and identify species at different trophic levels in a food web, and discuss how they are all interconnected. ākonga will consider how species might be affected if the flow of food (energy) changes, and how this could impact the whole ecosystem.
Science – Living World
Life Processes
L1-2: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements to stay alive.
Ecology
L1-2: Recognise that all living things are suited to the environment.
L3-4: Explain how living things are suited to their particular habitat and how they respond to environment changes, both natural and human induced.
L5: Investigate the interdependence of living things (including humans) in an eco-system.
Evolution
L1-2: Recognise that there are lots of different living things in the world and they can be grouped in different ways.
The Nature of Science
Understanding about science, investigating in science, communicating in science, participating and contributing.
HUMAN EVOLUTION - YEAR 13
L3 Biology AS 91606
Developed to specifically support achievement standard AS 91606, this programme covers the human journey over the last six million years.
Through first hand experience of a large collection of primate skulls ākonga will become familiar with their key identifying features. By applying their observations to living primates and using the skills gained to examine hominin skulls, ākonga will gain an understanding of the trends in human evolution.
Enduring Understanding:
Through observing and interacting with animals and resources, ākonga will understand that:
- There are several key features which can be identified on all primates,
- These features can be interpreted to explain an animals behaviour,
- The way in which these features change over time in hominins is a key aspect of human evolutiuon.