This workshop will explore what rongoa is including karakia, waiata, sound and energy and how it applies to our modern world. Appropriate tikanga will be explored, accompanied with waiata and karakia. We will make a lip balm and look at New Zealand native trees and how we can use them to enhance our health, along with other rongoa practices for good health.
Most schools have a collection of rocks, but it often becomes jumbled and hard to use. How can the jumbled be turned into something of use and embedded in your learning? In this workshop, Dr Sam Hampton provides advice, directions and hands-on examples of how to get the most out of your rock collection. You are encouraged to bring along your own schools’ collection to work through within the workshop.
The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation. Understand the global and local significance of glaciers through this interactive workshop. Our glaciers are disappearing due to climate change and receding glaciers are a major cause of sea level rise. Loss of glacial ice also threatens our water supplies and local communities. Discover what’s unique about New Zealand’s glaciers and the landscapes they shape. Model glacial recession and uncover the importance of these giant rivers of ice.
What do you know about our endemic Canterbury butterflies? This workshop will take you on a crash course on our local butterflies and to provide you with the know-how to create habitats, identify and scientifically pin our gorgeous Lepidoptera. Learn how to get your students involved in the B5 Project and become kaitiaki of their school grounds and the wider community. Connect with butterfly experts both in Canterbury and nationally to help protect our taonga species.
Learn everything you need to know to successfully grow Kumara in Canterbury. Once thought to be unsuitable for the region, Sandi has proven otherwise and will take you on a journey through the history of this iconic kiwi plant. Participants will learn all the techniques needed to give their students a unique hands on experience of witnesses the full life cycle of the plant from starting slips to harvesting the mature crop.
An exciting, hands-on workshop that brings the art of a bioblitz to life. Participants will learn how to organize and conduct a bioblitz, with a special focus on catching and observing the incredible variety of critters that take to the skies. From delicate insects to dazzling winged wonders, you’ll uncover the secrets of the flying world. Perfect for educators, students, and nature enthusiasts, this workshop promises to inspire curiosity and a deeper appreciation for the creatures that share our skies.
We get to space with rockets and we can explore science concepts to do with rockets through water rockets.
In this workshop we will take you through a few experiments you can do with your students to explore physics and how rockets work.
Many schools have water rocket launches available so these are a fun and accessible way of getting closer to space. Water rockets are suitable for all ages from year 1 through to year 13, with many of the concepts applicable to ESS and Physics.
Part of a series of immersive workshops based on the theme “Science in the Kitchen’, combining exploration, observation, and discussion to bring Nature of Science concepts to life.
Transform everyday kitchen recipes into captivating science lessons for biology and chemistry classrooms.
Featured Workshop: How the Cookie Crumbles Learn how to turn a simple cookie recipe into a dynamic science lab.
Highlights: Conduct hands-on investigations focusing on the scientific method. Takeaways: Practical ways to explore the nature of science and foster curiosity through culinary experiments.
This workshop involves learning about traditional weaving, the tikanga and reasons for these, as well as exploring some hands-on weaving experiences. The workshop will also include appropriate karakia and waiata.
Join Marie Haley, a seventh generation descendant of the first French settlers to Akaroa. Marie’s family was involved in many key events in the formation of the South Islands and nations history eg the French purchase and first sighting the British flag. Marie is a natural storyteller, historian and ecologist whose decades of study can showcase the big ideas of the Aotearoa NZ History Curriculum. Learn why Akaroa is now considered the South Islands Waitangi, with five important historic sites that tell “a narrative richer than Waitangi” (H. Evison). Join Marie who will cover topics such as Polynesian navigation, musket wars, imperial rivalry, British intervention, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the land purchases.
New Zealand/Aotearoa is the envy of many countries, being the only country in the world with a quota-managed fisheries resource for all commercial species. In the long term, how sustainable is commercial and recreational fishing in this country? We will look at Commercial Fish harvesting and the controls and strategies employed to do the job efficiently. How does this compare with Aquaculture? Is aquaculture going to be the answer to supplying consumer demand for seafood? Where will we end up? How will climate change affect the marine environment and the way it works? What effects will be seen on species we are used to having in our waters. Includes a Mussel dissection and a demonstration of mussel water filtering? Includes a mussel dissection and a demonstration of mussel water filtering.
Explore the fascinating relationship between plants and their environment with Ruud Kleinpaste in his workshop, “How to Murder Your Plants More Slowly.” Perfect for schools with gardens or access to natural plant areas, this session dives into the challenges plants face from pests and diseases. Learn how these factors influence plant health and discover practical strategies to slow their impact. With Ruud’s signature wit and expertise, this workshop offers valuable insights for educators and students alike, fostering a deeper understanding of plant care and sustainable gardening practices.
Foster a deeper connection to nature and promote practical learning outside the classroom, while fostering an understanding of where food comes from and the importance of sustainability. This workshop will equip you with the tools and knowledge you need to guide your students in creating sustainable, hands on garden projects. Learn plan the layout of your space, how to select the right plants, and how to heal your soil life
Engage your students through sharing and creating video. See how you and your ākonga can film, edit and share stories through video without the need for specialised equipment. Discover how to plan, record and edit your own meaningful content. Explore the use of third-party content and how to utilise this without breaching copyright. See how to employ different techniques to extend the quality of your visual and audio recordings and inspire your students to embrace the art of videography.
Sue Greenwood and Nikki Wallace-Bell from E5 Art and Clay will guide participants in exploring the beauty and design of mandalas found in nature. Using natural and repurposed objects, attendees will create their own interpretations of these radial patterns. This workshop is ideal for educators who value nature’s influence in art and design. Participants will leave with fresh ideas for mural projects, artwork, or nature play areas.
This workshop will examine the atmospheric column on Venus, Earth and Mars and how energy is moved around the atmospheres of these planets and the impact this has on the surface. We will also look at the movement of energy in the Sun and how this radiates out to the planets. The workshop will cover concepts such as pressure, heat transfer, the electromagnetic spectrum and gravity. It will be mainly based inside but we will observe the Sun through a Solar Telescope and make observations of sunspots and other prominent solar features. We will also look at an experiment to measure total solar flux (depending on the weather).
