
Plantae Kingdom
Levels 3 and 4

NZC Achievement Objectives

Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa
The Organism: Make detailed scientific classifications of some organisms.
Te Rauropi: Ka whakarōpū whāiti ā-pūtaiao i ētahi rauropi.

Learning Intentions

Integration Ideas
Learning Intentions are from the Ministry of Education
Integration ideas are from the Ministry of Education
Level 3
Within broad groups of plants, students can identify closely related species on the basis of leaves, overall shape, branching patterns, height, fruit, flowers, seeds, and roots.
Students can use personal observation and library research to explain where and how New Zealand plants live.
Level 4
Students can explore and classify closely related plants on the basis of easily observable features.
Coming Soon!

Related Topics
Resources

He puka ārahi ngāwari mō ngā kararehe me ngā tipu e kitea noatia ki ngā ākau pōhatuhatu o Aotearoa ki te Raki.
Level
1-4
Type
Te Reo Māori
Aotearoa Ki Te Raki Puka Ārahi Mō Te Ākau Pōhatuhatu
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
He puka ārahi ngāwari mō ngā kararehe me ngā tipu e kitea noatia ki ngā ākau pōhatuhatu o Aotearoa ki te Raki.

He puka ārahi ngāwari mō ngā kararehe me ngā tipu e kitea noatia ki ngā tapātai one o Aotearoa ki te Raki.
Level
1-4
Type
Te Reo Māori
Aotearoa Ki Te Raki: Puka Ārahi mō te Tapātai One
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
He puka ārahi ngāwari mō ngā kararehe me ngā tipu e kitea noatia ki ngā tapātai one o Aotearoa ki te Raki.

Let’s delve into the realm of the Atua Tāne Mahuta and find out who’s living in
your yard. Let’s find out what they eat and what their tracks look like.
Level
1-4
Type
Outdoor Activity
Backyard Tracker
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Let’s delve into the realm of the Atua Tāne Mahuta and find out who’s living in
your yard. Let’s find out what they eat and what their tracks look like.

Can you cross off a line, a diagonal, or even the whole board, by finding each of these NZ tree species?
Level
1-4
Type
Outdoor Activity
Bark Bingo!
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Can you cross off a line, a diagonal, or even the whole board, by finding each of these NZ tree species?

Look for the following on the beach. Remember not to collect anything that is alive, just describe it.
Level
1-4
Type
Outdoor Activity
Beach Scavenger Hunt
New Zealand Marine Studies Centre
Look for the following on the beach. Remember not to collect anything that is alive, just describe it.

Talking to Dr Cate Macinnis-Ng from Te Punaha Matatini, Dr Michelle Dickinson will cover the basics of plant biology in vascular plants, carry out a hands-on experiment and talk about how plants cope with drought.
Level
3-4
Type
Video
Botany: BREAKING IT DOWN Episode 7
Nanogirl
Talking to Dr Cate Macinnis-Ng from Te Punaha Matatini, Dr Michelle Dickinson will cover the basics of plant biology in vascular plants, carry out a hands-on experiment and talk about how plants cope with drought.

Build a tree is a fun way to demonstrate how a tree functions. This activity is suitable for both small and large groups of students (and adults!).
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Build a tree
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Build a tree is a fun way to demonstrate how a tree functions. This activity is suitable for both small and large groups of students (and adults!).

Climate is the average weather of a given area over a long period of time. This includes seasonal temperatures, rain, sunshine, and large weather events such as storms.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Climate Change
Kids Greening Taupō
Climate is the average weather of a given area over a long period of time. This includes seasonal temperatures, rain, sunshine, and large weather events such as storms.

Find he rākau toa - a mighty tree - in your backyard, your school grounds, your neighbourhood, or in your wider region
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Compare a rākau with the giant kauri Tāne Mahuta
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Find he rākau toa - a mighty tree - in your backyard, your school grounds, your neighbourhood, or in your wider region

In “Catch My Drift”, students learn about phytoplankton, the key producers in the ocean. Phytoplankton play a similar role to land plants, producing the carbohydrates and oxygen that marine consumers depend on. Phytoplankton also play an important role in the carbon cycle.
Level
4
Type
Book
Connected 2012 Level 4: ‘Catch My Drift’
Ministry of Education NZ
In “Catch My Drift”, students learn about phytoplankton, the key producers in the ocean. Phytoplankton play a similar role to land plants, producing the carbohydrates and oxygen that marine consumers depend on. Phytoplankton also play an important role in the carbon cycle.

The future of our kauri forests is at risk from a disease called kauri dieback. Combating the spread of this threat requires expertise from both Western science and mātauranga Māori and calls on everyone to get involved.
Level
4
Type
Book
Connected 2017 Level 4: ‘Kauri Dieback’
Ministry of Education NZ
The future of our kauri forests is at risk from a disease called kauri dieback. Combating the spread of this threat requires expertise from both Western science and mātauranga Māori and calls on everyone to get involved.

This article explores how early Māori went about naming and grouping the plants and animals they found around them. It explains what this process reveals about Māori ways of viewing the world and the framework provided by whakapapa. It prompts comparisons with the Linnaean system for naming and grouping organisms and describes an example of Māori and Pākehā working together and drawing on knowledge from both systems.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2020 Level 3: ‘Te Tapa Ingoa’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article explores how early Māori went about naming and grouping the plants and animals they found around them. It explains what this process reveals about Māori ways of viewing the world and the framework provided by whakapapa. It prompts comparisons with the Linnaean system for naming and grouping organisms and describes an example of Māori and Pākehā working together and drawing on knowledge from both systems.

This article examines how different processes combine to affect the balance of carbon in the atmosphere. It explains that the increased level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is having a huge effect on climate – an effect that can be reduced, as carbon is finite. Carbon sinks, in the form of forests, the ocean, and soils, could help to balance the carbon levels in the atmosphere. However, each form has its own complications. The article concludes that human use of fossil fuels needs to be reduced to protect the carbon sinks around us.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2020 Level 3: ‘Trees, Seas, and Soil’
Ministry of Education NZ
This article examines how different processes combine to affect the balance of carbon in the atmosphere. It explains that the increased level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is having a huge effect on climate – an effect that can be reduced, as carbon is finite. Carbon sinks, in the form of forests, the ocean, and soils, could help to balance the carbon levels in the atmosphere. However, each form has its own complications. The article concludes that human use of fossil fuels needs to be reduced to protect the carbon sinks around us.

Some animals are suited to live in the desert and other animals are suited for a forest home… In this unit, explore the structural features and adaptations that help an animal survive in its environment.
Level
3
Type
Unit
Desert Survivors
Primary Connections
Some animals are suited to live in the desert and other animals are suited for a forest home… In this unit, explore the structural features and adaptations that help an animal survive in its environment.

Plants play a very important role in our local environment, and across Aotearoa, connecting many different organism together. Learn how to use a hula hoop as a quadrat, make some new discoveries where you live, and monitor changes over time.
Level
1-4
Type
Outdoor Activity
Discovering plant life
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Plants play a very important role in our local environment, and across Aotearoa, connecting many different organism together. Learn how to use a hula hoop as a quadrat, make some new discoveries where you live, and monitor changes over time.

For tune – go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3WvxrStQ_0
Level
1-4
Type
Te Reo Māori
E tū Kahikatea waiata!
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
For tune – go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3WvxrStQ_0

This resource provides ideas and learning experiences to enhance the native and endemic biodiversity in your green space.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Enhancing biodiversity in your green space
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
This resource provides ideas and learning experiences to enhance the native and endemic biodiversity in your green space.

Use this resource to experience native trees in your school grounds or another local green space.
Level
1-4
Type
Unit
Experiencing native trees in your green space
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
Use this resource to experience native trees in your school grounds or another local green space.

See what variety can you find in flora (plants) and fauna (animals). Can you find something different to go in each box that matches the description?
Level
1-4
Type
Outdoor Activity
Explore your local environment Scavenger Hunt
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
See what variety can you find in flora (plants) and fauna (animals). Can you find something different to go in each box that matches the description?

In this episode of Ranger Kōrero – the big picture, ranger Dave explores the meaning of biodiversity in Aotearoa and how we all fit into that picture.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Exploring biodiversity
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
In this episode of Ranger Kōrero – the big picture, ranger Dave explores the meaning of biodiversity in Aotearoa and how we all fit into that picture.

In this episode of Ranger Kōrero – the big picture, ranger Aroha explores the meaning of conservation in Aotearoa and what that means for us and our taonga species.
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Exploring conservation
Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai
In this episode of Ranger Kōrero – the big picture, ranger Aroha explores the meaning of conservation in Aotearoa and what that means for us and our taonga species.

Stop and smell the “Flowers” episode — it’s sweet.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMBLXIyqmWE
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Flowers
Bill Nye The Science Guy
Stop and smell the “Flowers” episode — it’s sweet.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMBLXIyqmWE

“Wood” you like to learn more about forests? Then watch this episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTl-ahesO7M
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Forests
Bill Nye The Science Guy
“Wood” you like to learn more about forests? Then watch this episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTl-ahesO7M