Aspects of sustainability – teacher resource

The New Zealand Curriculum guide for senior secondary schools discusses education for sustainability – learning to think and act in ways that safeguard the wellbeing of people and the planet ...

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ARTICLE

Measuring biodegradability

In nature, different materials biodegrade at different rates. If you throw your apple core into the bushes along with a steel toy car, your apple core will have disappeared in a few months and ...

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ARTICLE

Waves as energy transfer

‘Wave’ is a common term for a number of different ways in which energy is transferred: In electromagnetic waves, energy is transferred through vibrations of electric and magnetic fields. In sound ...

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INTERACTIVE

The electromagnetic spectrum

This interactive looks at the electromagnetic spectrum. To use this interactive, move your mouse or finger over any of the labelled boxes and select to obtain more information. Select here for a ...

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ARTICLE

Energy sources through time – timeline

Use this timeline to explore how humans have relied on fossil fuels in the past and how we are looking for, and using, new energy sources. 200,000 BC – Fire used Records of the first controlled ...

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INTERACTIVE

Sea star adaptations – ventral view

Sea stars have many weird and wonderful adaptations - including some unusual internal systems. Click on any of the labels in this interactive to view short video clips or images to learn more.

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ARTICLE

Solar cars

Solar cars are powered by electricity through the use of solar energy. Solar panels are attached to the surface (generally, the top) of the vehicle. Photovoltaic (PV) cells convert the Sun's ...

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ARTICLE

How harmful are microplastics?

Microplastics are very small plastic particles generally less than 5 mm in size. There are significant levels of microplastics polluting the ocean, freshwater and land, and research is showing ...

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ARTICLE

Non-renewable energy sources

Energy comes from many sources, and to describe these sources we use two terms: renewable and non-renewable. Non-renewable energy resources cannot be replaced – once they are used up, they will ...

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INTERACTIVE

Sea star adaptations – dorsal view

Sea stars have many weird and wonderful adaptations including both sexual and asexual reproduction. Click on any of the labels in this interactive to view short video clips or images to learn ...

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ARTICLE

Using solar energy

Solar energy is transformed into other energy forms for our use on Earth – energy for food (chemical energy), electrical energy and heat energy. Food Solar energy (sunlight) is crucial for our ...

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ARTICLE

Plastics and recycling

Plastic is an amazing material. It has changed the way we store and carry food, drinks and other items. Plastic is lightweight and resists breaking when dropped. Older people may remember when ...

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VIDEO

Oil formation

This animated video demonstrates the formation of hydrocarbons over millions of years in the depths of the Earth. Oil and gas forms in sedimentary ocean basins. Dead plankton (organic plant and ...

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VIDEO

Mussels are filter feeders

Mussels (including green-lipped mussels) are filter feeders – they process large volumes of the water they live in to obtain food. Filter feeding is a method of eating that is used by diverse ...

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ARTICLE

Deforestation

In pre-human times, almost all of New Zealand was covered in forest, with the exception of high mountain areas. Māori settlers began to clear forest, and by the time the first Europeans arrived ...

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TEACHER PLD

Seaweek resources

Seaweek is New Zealand’s annual national week about the sea. It is coordinated by the Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC) and includes a wide range of events ...

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ARTICLE

Habitats, food webs and adaptations

Riley and Steve Hathaway want to change the way young people think and act towards the ocean. Their vision is to “Inspire kids to enjoy and care for the world’s oceans”. Rights: The University of ...

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ARTICLE

Renewable energy sources

Renewable energy is fuel that comes from a source that can be replenished in a short amount of time. This includes solar, wind, water, geothermal power and bioenergy. While renewable energy ...

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ACTIVITY

Making a food web

In this activity, students construct a food web using string to show connections between species. By the end of this activity, students should be able to: describe relationships between ...

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ARTICLE

Bioplastics

Bioplastics are plastic materials that are derived from biological materials. Currently, petrochemical-based plastics make up 99% of the plastics market. However, production of bioplastics is ...

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ARTICLE

Skateboards made out of harakeke?

Professor Kim Pickering from the School of Engineering at the University of Waikato was the winner of the 2008 KuDo^sAward for Environmental Science, sponsored by Environment Waikato. Kim’s ...

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ARTICLE

Farming and environmental pollution

New Zealand has had a reputation for being ‘clean and green’ – a country of environmental beauty. Compared to many countries in the world, this is true. However, it’s becoming apparent that New ...

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ARTICLE

Rivers and Us – a context for learning

Rivers and Us is a Waikato Regional Council (WRC) initiative to help teachers, students and communities investigate the water in their local area. It explores how people use water and the effects ...

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INTERACTIVE

Learning about the water cycle

Discover information and hands-on activities about the water cycle.

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