
The Features of Plants
Levels 3 and 4

NZC Achievement Objectives

Te Mātauranga o Aotearoa
The Biological Environment: Recognise and explain the changes undergone by species (especially those of Aotearoa) over long periods of time.
Te Taiao: Ka āhukahuka, ka whakamārama i ngā panoni o ngā momo koiora (me ngā mea motuhake o Aotearoa), o neherā tae noa ki tēnei wā.

Learning Intentions

Integration Ideas
Learning Intentions are from the Ministry of Education
Integration ideas are from the Ministry of Education
Level 3
Investigate special features of common plants and describe how these help them stay alive.
Level 4
Investigate and describe special features of plants that help them survive into the next generation.
Students can investigate the special features of various parts of skeletons and plants structures and describe how these help organisms to survive and reproduce.
Coming Soon!

Related Topics
Resources

Suzy really bites into this investigation. How do apples grow? Do you know? Why don't you join Suzy and find out?
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Apples: How do apples grow?
Suzy's World
Suzy really bites into this investigation. How do apples grow? Do you know? Why don't you join Suzy and find out?

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.

Suzy is all a Buzz about this question. She thinks the answer will be really sweet! Join her and it won't bee long before you know why bees make honey!
Level
1-2
Type
Video
Bees: Why do bees make honey?
Suzy's World
Suzy is all a Buzz about this question. She thinks the answer will be really sweet! Join her and it won't bee long before you know why bees make honey!

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!).

You can’t see them, but they’re everywhere even inside Bill Nye. This is not science fiction, it’s the science of cells.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRsRxzK0_D8
Level
1-4
Type
Video
Cells
Bill Nye The Science Guy
You can’t see them, but they’re everywhere even inside Bill Nye. This is not science fiction, it’s the science of cells.
Link for video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LRsRxzK0_D8

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

Māori use kawakawa as rongoā (traditional medicine). But when scientists tested the kawakawa leaves they said there was no scientific evidence to support the plant’s medicinal properties. Chris Ryan took a closer look at the scientists’ investigations and noticed that they had not used traditional methods to prepare the kawakawa. He wondered if this might have affected their results. So Chris decided to carry out his own investigation.
Level
3
Type
Book
Connected 2015 Level 3: ‘The Science of Rongoā’
Ministry of Education NZ
Māori use kawakawa as rongoā (traditional medicine). But when scientists tested the kawakawa leaves they said there was no scientific evidence to support the plant’s medicinal properties. Chris Ryan took a closer look at the scientists’ investigations and noticed that they had not used traditional methods to prepare the kawakawa. He wondered if this might have affected their results. So Chris decided to carry out his own investigation.

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.

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.

Transfer water from one place to another using an interesting process called capillary action. Teach kids about this topic as they enjoy trying the fun water experiment.
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Escaping Water
Science Kids
Transfer water from one place to another using an interesting process called capillary action. Teach kids about this topic as they enjoy trying the fun water experiment.

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.

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.

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

Fur, Feathers, and Bark looks at the variety of forms this surface takes, including the functions of insulation and camouflage.
Level
1-4
Type
Activity Book
Fur, Feathers, and Bark: Animal and Plant Coverings
Ministry of Education NZ
Fur, Feathers, and Bark looks at the variety of forms this surface takes, including the functions of insulation and camouflage.

Test your knowledge of nature in NZ with this quiz! Looking for more of a challenge? Try General Nature Quiz 2
Level
1-4
Type
Game
General Nature Quiz 1
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Test your knowledge of nature in NZ with this quiz! Looking for more of a challenge? Try General Nature Quiz 2

Test your knowledge of nature in NZ with this quiz! Looking for something less challenging? Try General Nature Quiz 1
Level
1-4
Type
Game
General Nature Quiz 2
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Test your knowledge of nature in NZ with this quiz! Looking for something less challenging? Try General Nature Quiz 1

Your garden is full of life and ONE tree/shrub is waiting to be your friend. Get to know your
tree/shrub, learn, and recognise your friend.
Level
1-4
Type
Outdoor Activity
Get to know your trees
Whenua Iti Outdoors
Your garden is full of life and ONE tree/shrub is waiting to be your friend. Get to know your
tree/shrub, learn, and recognise your friend.

You can grow a surprise garden by collecting leaf litter, keeping it warm and moist and seeing
what grows. It’s best to start this investigation during July or August
Level
1-4
Type
Activity
Grow a Leaf Litter Garden
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
You can grow a surprise garden by collecting leaf litter, keeping it warm and moist and seeing
what grows. It’s best to start this investigation during July or August

Race to collect the reasons plants can harm health (and some examples) as you move around the game board!
Level
1-4
Type
Game
How do plants become poisonous?
Kiwi Conservation Club - Hakuturi Toa
Race to collect the reasons plants can harm health (and some examples) as you move around the game board!