In this recorded professional learning session, Lyn Rogers and Andrea Soanes explore resources and ideas to support your students in taking action for conservation. They model a process of student inquiry in conservation, focusing on how to support students to put what they have learned through a process of inquiry into action.
This session will be valuable for both primary and secondary school teachers.
Watching the recorded webinar creates an opportunity to engage with some ideas and resources from the Science Learning Hub and the Department of Conservation. Lyn and Andrea discuss how these ideas can be used to foster students’ inquiry skills and apply their knowledge through action.
Thank you for all the amazing sharing and ideas, they certainly will be shared with learners and staff.
Teacher
The PowerPoint and recorded webinar provide ideas and information that will support teachers of any year level to:
- enhance students’ understanding about conservation
- engage students in a conservation inquiry
- support students to development their action competence.
Good to see the inquiry laid bare, reminding me of the variety of ways to stimulate students.
Teacher
Watch the video (above) of this professional development session (we recommend downloading it) and also see below the index and the PowerPoint presentation.
| Topic | PPT slide number(s) | Video timecode |
| Welcome | 1 | 00:00 |
| Webinar purpose | 2 | 00:44 |
| Environmental education for sustainability and conservation for the environment | 3 | 01:30 |
| Examples of action for the environment | 4–5 | 03:48 |
| Curriculum connections | 6 | 06:53 |
| Useful resources supporting action | 7–8 | 09:24 |
| Conservation inquiry summary | 9–12 | 12:02 |
| What have we learned about whio? | 13 | 14:10 |
| Actions to save the whio | 14–15 | 14:59 |
| Graphic organisers supporting students to plan and take action | 16–21 | 17:27 |
| Inspiration for action | 22 | 25:56 |
| What next? – Useful links | 23 | 28:13 |
Nature of science
This session supports teachers to help foster their students’ inquiry skills in a conservation context. Students are encouraged to work like scientists, making evidence-based conclusions and applying that knowledge to plan and undertake appropriate conservation action – participating and contributing in science.
Related content
Examples of related articles on the Science Learning Hub include Who’s who in the duck world?, Introducing New Zealand ducks, Fantastic whio feathers, Conserving native birds – introduction and Conserving native birds – writer’s insight.
There are also several teacher PLD sessions related to this topic: Diving into inquiry with whio, Why learn about whio?, Inquiry outside the classroom, Bird conservation and literacy and SLH and conservation.
Planning pathways using conservation resources provides a selection of pathways for educators who want to support students with conservation learning and action.
Rivers and Us – a context for learning is an initiative to help teachers, students and communities investigate water quality in their local area, with the aim of taking action.
Hiwa-i-te-rangi, a whetū in the Matariki cluster, encourages us to be aspirational in our solutions to environmental challenges. Learn about each whetū and its association with wellbeing, the environment and action in the article Environment Aotearoa 2022 – introduction.
Take the next step in looking after the birdlife of Aotearoa – you’ll find helpful information and ao Māori perspectives in this article.
Activity ideas
Some activities on the Science Learning Hub related to whio and other New Zealand ducks that you may wish to explore include Whio feathers – what are they for?, Which duck is which?, Mixing and matching ducks, Duck dominoes, Ethics in bird conservation, Eliciting prior knowledge and Ethics in conservation science.
Useful links
The Whio Forever project, created in partnership between the Department of Conservation and Genesis Energy, has developed a range of resources to support student inquiry about whio. The Department of Conservation has also produced a range of other resources that can be used to support students in conservation inquiry. Examples of films made as actions for sustainability, including conservation, can be seen on the The Outlook for Someday website.
Acknowledgement
The Whio Forever resource has been created in partnership between the Department of Conservation and Genesis Energy.
