Activity 3: Concluding the Journey

Sadly, the Summer Learning Journey has now come to an end. It is time to reflect on everything that you have learned about the environment and, particularly, about how you can protect and preserve it.

On your blog please tell us:

1. What is one thing that you learned from participating in the Summer Learning Journey programme this year?
2. What is one thing that surprised you?
3. What is one thing that concerned or upset you?
4. What is one thing that you (or your family) can do, moving forward, to help protect our natural environment?

Answers:

1. I learnt about different species alive, endangered and extinct.

2. That you could adopt animals like giraffes and pandas.

3. The fact that people need to protect wildlife reserves from poachers and hunters.

4. To stop using plastic as much.

Activity 2: Adoption Day

Not only can you help the planet by reducing, reusing and recycling, you can also help to save animals and plants by ‘adopting’ them. To ‘adopt’ an animal through the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), you need to visit their adopt a species page, read through the list of animals and choose one.

With the WWF, you don’t actually adopt the animal and bring it home! It’s a symbolic adoption. In this case you pay a fee ($55.00) and the money is used to provide food and care for your chosen animal. Visit the WWF site and take a look at the animals who are available for adoption. Choose your ‘top three’ animals from the website.

On your blog, list the three animals that you have chosen and then compare and contrast them. How are they similar? How are they different? At the bottom of your post, tell us which of the three animals you would most like to adopt..

The three animals that I would want to adopt are the Pygmy Rabbit, a Macaw and a Panda.

They're similar because they are all warm climate animals, so if they were in New Zealand they'd be able to cope with the heat.

They're different because they eat different things and live in different habitats.

The one that I'd most likely adopt is the pygmy rabbit because it costs less to take care of and is less of a mess to clean up after.

Activity 1: Environment Day - Beat Plastic Pollution

Every year we celebrate World Environment Day in June. On World Environment Day we do what we can to protect our planet. This year the focus is on reducing the use of plastic bags and water bottles. Watch this Environment Day video to learn more about it!

What could you and your family do to protect the planet?

On your blog tell us three things that you could do to help save the planet.

Three things that I could do to help save the planet are to stop using plastic bags as much or at all, pick up rubbish lying around, and recycle recyclable items.

Activity 3: Restricted Access

While much of our programme has focused on New Zealand, it is important that we also consider the environment in other places as well. One of the most unusual and spectacular sites to visit outside of New Zealand is called Machu Picchu. It is an ancient city that was built high up in the mountains in the country of Peru in South America. You have to take a train and/or walk through a series of mountains and valleys to reach it.

    

Over the past few decades millions of tourists have made the trek to Machu Picchu. Unfortunately, this has damaged the area and the local government has decided to restrict the number of visitors to the site each year. This decision has upset a lot of tourists who really want to see Machu Picchu but aren’t allowed to go.

On your blog, tell us what you think about the government’s decision to restrict the number of tourists able to visit this special site. Is it fair? Be sure to tell us why you feel the way that you do.

I think that the government's decision is a good one because I'd prefer not be able to visit the Machu Picchu once than never being able to visit it because of damage. I also think that restricting people's access to the structure might make people treasure their trip more, and make them think twice about damaging, littering or doing anything that they're not supposed to.

Activity 2: The Plastic Pledge

Over the past few decades some of New Zealand’s beaches have become dumping grounds for waste and rubbish. Almost 80% of this waste is made up of plastic items. Yikes!

Some companies in New Zealand have heard about the problem and agreed to cut down on their use of plastic. Countdown supermarkets, for example, have announced that they will stop giving out plastic bags to customers.  What do you think of this idea? What do your friends and family think? Is it a good idea or not?

For this activity, please ask one member of your family and/or a friend what they think about Countdown’s decision to go ‘plastic bag free.’

On your blog, tell us what they think about Countdown’s decision to stop using plastic bags

I asked my brother Daniel and he said that it was a good idea to stop plastic bags from flying everywhere and choking sea creatures and animals, and my Mum said that it's a start for stopping or getting rid of pollution.

Activity 1: Campaigning for Conservation

New Zealand is home to so many beautiful, unique and, sometimes, endangered animals and habitats. The Forest & Bird organisation is working really hard to protect vulnerable animals and places in NZ. They are doing everything that they can to raise money and to raise awareness so that everyone knows about these issues. These are called ‘campaigns.’ Check out the Forest & Bird campaigns site to learn more about them.

Imagine, that you have been hired by Forest & Bird New Zealand to work on one of their campaigns. It is your job to come up with a catchy slogan for the campaign. A slogan is a short phrase or sentence that is used to advertise something. Check out examples of common slogans and logos below.

 

On your blog, tell us which campaign you have chosen to support and provide us with a slogan for that campaign.

The campaign that I chose to make a slogan for is the kauri die back campaign, I'm not sure if my slogan is any good but I gave it a try anyway.

"Fight back the die back"

Activity 3: The Power of Ten

Sir David Attenborough is a famous TV presenter from England who loves nature and the natural world. He has spent his career filming documentaries about the planet and working hard to protect it. In a recent interview, Sir David was asked to reflect on all that he had learned and to imagine that he had suddenly been given the power to save 10 animals and/or plants from extinction (disappearing forever).

After thinking about the question, he listed these 10 species (animals/plants):

1. Black Lion Tamarin (pictured to the right)

2. Sumatran Rhino

3. Solenodon

4. Olm Salamander

5. Spatuletail Hummingbird

6. Darwin’s Frog

7. Sunda pangolin

8. Priam’s Birding Butterfly

9. Northern Quoll

10. Venus’s Flower Basket

Let’s imagine that you had the same power and that you could save 10 species (animals or plants) from extinction. Who would you save? If I had the choice I would probably save animals like the elephant, white tiger and rhinoceros because they are unique and have lived for centuries on earth. I would also like to save some of my favourite flowers including hydrangeas and calla lily flowers. What about you?

On your blog, list 10 species (animals or plants) that you would protect from extinction. For each one, give a reason as to why you think it is important to protect.

1. Bengal Tigers because there are less than 2,500 of them left.

2. The Western Black Rhinoceros because they went extinct years ago.

3. The Kakapo because it's native to New Zealand.

4. The Dodo because I've always wanted to see what they looked like when they were alive.

5. The Kokako because they are native to New Zealand.

6. Black Robins because there are only a few of them left.

7. The Sumatran Elephant because there are only 2,400 - 2,800 of them left.

8. The Giant Panda because pandas are losing their habitats.

9. Polar bears because global warming is melting Antarctica.

10. Narwhales because they're my favourite sea creatures.

Activity 2: Protecting the Most Vulnerable - Fact or Fiction?

Here in New Zealand we have a native dolphin, the Māui Dolphin, that is on the verge of extinction (disappearing forever). As of this year, there are only 63 Māui dolphins left and people predict that they will be extinct by 2033. Environmentalists and activists, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), are working hard to save the dolphin because it is such a special and unique animal. To learn more about the Māui Dolphin, please follow this link. If you would like to sign a petition from the WWF encouraging the New Zealand government to take action to save the Maui Dolphin, please follow this link.

Once you have learned more about this unique dolphin, it is time for you to share your learning with us.

On your blog, post three facts that you learned about the Māui Dolphin. Then, using your imagination, create three more statements about Māui dolphins that are not true (i.e. false). Please don’t tell us which of your statements about Māui Dolphins are true and which are false. It will be the job of the students and staff who read your blog to figure it out.

My facts:

1. The Maui dolphin is the smallest dolphin in the world.

2. There are only 63 Maui dolphins left.

3. Maui dolphins eat babies.

4. Maui dolphins use sonar.

5. Maui dolphins are vegetarian.

6. Maui dolphins have water fights.

Activity 1: Predator Free 2050 – A Call to Arms

There is currently a huge drive to get rid of all predators from New Zealand. Predators are animals that, in some way, damage our natural environment. Many organisations are working hard to accomplish this goal.

Click on the links below to watch videos about three of the current projects operating to make New Zealand ‘Predator Free by 2050.’

Predator Free Video #1: Cacophony Project

Predator Free Video #2: Taranaki Mounga Project

Predator Free Video #3: Zero Invasive Predators (ZIP)

On your blog, tell us which one of the videos you liked the best and why..

The video that I liked most was the first one because it's about a guy who invents traps that use sound and food to help get rid of predators.

Activity 3: A House is Not a Home

New Zealand is home to some unique wildlife that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. While we work very hard to protect our natural habitats so, too, do people living and working in other countries. One of the oldest international wildlife conservation organisations is called ‘Fauna & Flora International’ (FFI). They support a number of projects around the world, including those working to protect Lansan trees in the Caribbean, fruit forests in Tajikistan, and national reserves in Mozambique. Read about each of these projects and choose the one that interests you the most.

On your blog, tell us which project you find most interesting and why..

I found the national reserves in Mozambique interesting because although the reserve is actually 4.2 million hectares, the real reserve (the one they protect) is only 586,800 hectares.

Activity 2: A Protective Plant

There are concerns about the water quality of some of the rivers, streams and oceans in and around New Zealand. Some people have suggested that we plant flowers and plants on the banks of our most polluted rivers to stop the spread of the pollution. Apparently, the plants can act as filters, absorbing some of the chemicals (pollutants) that are moving across the land, on their way to the river.

Planting can be a lot of fun! Have you ever planted a garden? Aronui and I are going to make our very own edible garden this year. We are going to plant a number of veggies, fruits and herbs, including mint, coriander, parsley, lemongrass, onions, tomatoes, beans, zucchinis, kumara and strawberries. Yum! If you could plant an edible garden what would you plant in it?

On your blog list 10 veggies, fruits, or herbs that you would plant in your garden.

1. Cucumber.

2. Tomatoes.

4. Apples.

5. Peaches.

6. Lettuce.

7. Cabbage.

8. Onions.

9. Mushrooms.

10. Pickles.

Activity 1: A Flying Fox

New Zealand has some of the most beautiful forests in the world. Both New Zealanders and tourists, alike, enjoy walking through these forests. Unfortunately, constantly walking through forests can damage the plants and animals (flora and fauna) that live there. In an attempt to protect the local flora and fauna, an eco-tourism company in Rotorua came up with an idea. The Rotorua Canopy Tours Company designed a series of ziplines that sit above the forest canopy (top). People can ‘zip’ from one section of the forest to another, looking down on the beautiful natural areas below. To see what ziplining looks like, check out this video.

I have tried ziplining and I really enjoyed it, however, I must admit that I was pretty scared to try it at first. How would you feel if you had the chance to go ziplining in Rotorua?

On your blog, tell us how you would feel about going ziplining in Rotorua. Try to use some descriptive words (adjectives) and action words (verbs) in your post!.

I think I would do alright at ziplining but I'm not a heights person so I might just be terrified for the whole trip, the one part that I think I'd like is the high speeds that I'd been going at and unless they advise against it I'd want to spin around and hold my arms out.

Activity 3: The Sky in Shanghai

One day I would really like to travel to China. It is a country with a rich history, vibrant cities, tasty food, and fascinating architecture   (buildings). Unfortunately, some of the largest Chinese cities have high rates of air pollution. The air pollution in Beijing, one of the largest cities in China, can get so bad that roads are closed, flights are cancelled and events are postponed while they wait for the smog in the air to clear. The terrible pollution is also having fatal (deadly) effects as, approximately, 1.1 million people in China died last year from air pollution-related causes. The Chinese government is very concerned and they have introduced a number of strategies (ideas) to reduce the pollution levels. Imagine that you were asked to travel to Beijing. How would you feel?

On your blog, write a poem that describes your feelings about travelling to Beijing, China..

The stinky smell, brings merry hell to my nose. The thick smog in the air slowly creeps beneath my hair. People wear masks even to complete the simplest of tasks. New ideas are made to stop this bane.

Activity 2: Guardians of the Sea

One of the largest rivers in New Zealand is called the Waikato River. It is found in the central part of the North Island of New Zealand. The river (awa) was given the name ‘Waikato’ (meaning flowing water) by a group of men and women from the Tainui iwi who, legend has it, travelled down the Waikato years ago and settled in the area. According to Māori legend, the Waikato River has hundreds of taniwha (mythical water spirits) living in it, guarding the sea.

Unfortunately, the Waikato River has become polluted in recent years and is, sometimes, closed to the public. This is very upsetting for many people, especially for those who believe that taniwha live in the river. Please click here to read about taniwha and watch this short video about taniwha.

Once you have finished learning about taniwha go to your blog.

On your blog tell us whether, or not, you believe that taniwha exist. Be sure to explain to us why you feel this way.

I don't believe that taniwha exist because there has been no evidence of them living (or ever being alive) and nobody has actually seen one. Of course, people are entitled to their own beliefs because like Maori people the Ancient Greeks believed in things like the Minotaur, kraken-like sea creatures and sirens.

Activity 1: World of Wearable (WOW) Art

If we want to protect our natural world, we must be thoughtful about what we make, how we make it and how we dispose of it (throw it away). At the moment, the waste in New Zealand is separated into two main categories: 1. Recycled items (eg. bottles, cans, paper) and, 2. Non-recycled items (rubbish). Most of the rubbish is collected by rubbish trucks and taken to a rubbish tip (landfill) where it is dumped and never used again. Much of the recycled material is to taken to a place where it is sorted, separated and sent out to be used again.

The idea of reusing materials was taken to a whole new level by a woman named Dame Suzie Moncrieff who, thirty years ago, created an event in New Zealand called the ‘World of WearableArt’ (WOW). WOW takes place in Wellington (and in other cities) every year. Artists from around the world create outfits made entirely from recycled materials.

Let’s imagine that you were invited to this year’s WOW awards and you were able to interview the creator.

On your blog, list five interview questions that you would like to ask Dame Suzie Moncrieff.

1. Where did you get your inspiration from?

2. Where did you get all the rubbish from?

3. When did you think of doing this kind of thing?

4. What dresses or outfits are you going to make next?

5. How many outfits have you made from recycling?

Activity 3: Let It Rain

Over the past few decades, we have seen an increase in the amount of rain that falls here in New Zealand. We are lucky, however, that most of the rain that falls is regular rainwater and not polluted acid rain. Acid rain is rain that has bad chemicals (pollutants) in it. When acid rain hits the ground it can enter the water system, killing plants and animals. Click here to learn more about acid rain.

Let’s imagine that New Zealand was hit by a massive acid rain storm. Acidic rain fell for three days and three nights. When the rain fell, you stayed inside with your friends and family. When it stopped, however, you and your family decided to go for a walk outside. You opened the door and...

On your blog, write a short story about what happened when you opened the door and walked outside after the acid rain storm. To earn full points, you must write a story that is 8 – 10 sentences long.

I opened the door to see a desolate wasteland, every living plant in a 50km radius was completely dead. The huge avacado tree next to my house was rotting and smelly, my Mum's strawberries had turned yellow and tilted completely sideways. After looking around the house for a while it was confirmed that none of the plants, weeds or even the grass had survived the rain. When we walked into the street we saw that other people were emerging from their houses because they too had notice the sudden stop of the rain. After walking down to the park we saw that all the huge old trees had split and some had even fallen over, revealing a black gooey essence inside the hollow trunk. Minutes later everybody either popped their head out of their window or stepped outside to see what had happened. We then walked back home and on the way we saw a few bugs poke their heads out of their little holes, curiously looking side to side. -1 week later- Everything except for a few dead trees was replaced and now live goes on as it did before, but the smell is still around.

Activity 2: Changing Climates

Over the past decade, the climate in New Zealand (and around the world) has been changing. In fact, the climate has been getting warmer and warmer. While many of us like warm weather, climate change is not good news. Higher temperatures can cause glaciers to melt (leading to flooding) and increase the amount of rain that falls.

Here in New Zealand, we have noticed the change. In fact, we sometimes have torrential (huge) rain storms causing flooding, landslides and road closures. When it starts to rain really hard, Aronui and I usually hide out in our lounge and play games like Yahtzee, Monopoly and Uno. If it rains all day, we will also spend some time reading, watching movies and baking.

What about you? What do you like to do on a rainy day?  

On your blog, tell us about five things that you like to do when it is too rainy to go outside.

1. Go on my computer.

2. Watch TV.

3. Read.

4. Sleep.

5. Play board games.

Activity 1: Persistent Pollution

In 2016, the World Health Organisation announced that Timaru, a small town in the South Island of New Zealand, had the highest recorded levels of air pollution in New Zealand. Some of this pollution was caused by natural events (eg. fires) but most of it was produced (made) by humans.

Watch this short video on air pollution. It will tell you more about natural and human causes of pollution.

On your blog, share three new things that you learned about air pollution from this video

1.Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the atmosphere.

2.There are different types of human made air pollution.

3.Climate change increases Smog, Mold, and Pollen.

Activity 3: Crazy, Cool Clouds

Have you ever looked up into the sky and seen a cloud that had a really cool shape? I certainly have, and so have dozens of other people. Take a look at the three pictures of crazy, cool cloud formations below.

From left to right: Picture 1, Picture 2, Picture 3

Clouds are formed when small drops of water stick together. To learn more about clouds and how they are formed, you can watch this cool video. Once you have learned about clouds, please choose your favourite cloud picture.

On your blog, tell us what you see in the photo. What shape(s) do you see? Be sure to tell us which picture (1, 2 or 3) you have chosen and describe what you see in lots of detail!.

I see a rabbit jumping away or upwards, a kangaroo ready to box and a rabbit shaped chocolate.