adaptation
Article
Toroa – our giants of the skies
Of the world’s 22 species of albatross, nearly half can be found in Aotearoa. These include the wandering or snowy albatross (Diomedea exulans). Its wingspan of...
Article
Ngā tohe tū mā ō tātou manu
He tohu te whakarerekētanga o te korihi a ngā manu kāore e tika ana tētahi āhuatanga mō te tangata whenua i te Waitākere. He māuiui ngā...
Article
Ngā urutaunga me te tautohunga manu
E whakapae ana kei te āhua 209 ngā momo manu whakawhānau i Aotearoa. Me pēhea tātou e mōhio he aha ngā momo manu e mātaitia ana...
Article
Bird adaptations and identification
It is estimated there are currently 209 breeding bird species in Aotearoa New Zealand. How can we tell what bird species we are observing? All living...
Teacher PLD
The science of superbugs – teaching antimicrobial resistance awareness in Aotearoa
In this recorded professional learning session, Dr Siouxsie Wiles, Associate Professor of Molecular Medicine and Pathology answers key questions about antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR has been...
Article
Huia, the Bird of the Century
The huia (Heteralocha acutirostris) was a majestic bird with vibrant orange wattles, shiny black feathers and white-tipped tail feathers. Unfortunately, this bird is extinct, with the...
Activity
Labelling a cockle/tuangi
The New Zealand cockle, also known as tuaki or tuangi, is endemic to Aotearoa New Zealand’s coastal areas. They are filter feeders and are well adapted...
Article
Sniffing out bee disease
American foulbrood (AFB) is a highly infectious disease that infects bee larvae. It costs the beekeeping industry millions of dollars a year and threatens the role...
Article
How did ancient moa survive the ice age – and what can they teach us about modern climate change?
One of New Zealand’s iconic moa species was almost wiped out during the last ice age according to recently published research. DNA from ancient eastern moa...
Article
Extremophilic microorganisms
What are extremophilic microorganisms? Let’s start by looking closer at microorganisms. All the organisms we know about on Earth are either cellular (by far the majority)...
Article
Raʻui: Giving it back to the gods
This Connected article takes a Pacific worldview and describes how the people of the Cook Islands have attempted to manage and protect their marine resources with...
Article
Life in Aotearoa New Zealand
This Connected article, written by Matt Boucher, looks at why our wildlife is so distinct and how the species developed and adapted to their current state....
Article
Ruminant digestion
Ruminants are mammals with specialised digestive systems that use fermentation processes to gain nutrients from plant material. Cattle, sheep, deer, goats and camels are all ruminants....
Teacher PLD
Vision 20/20
Join Karen Parker from Tahuna Normal Intermediate School and Greta Dromgool from the Science Learning Hub in a session which will introduce you to Vision 20/20,...
Activity
Explore a cow's digestive system
Cows are ruminants – mammals with specialised digestive systems that use fermentation processes to gain nutrients from plant material. Cattle, sheep, horses, deer, goats and camels...
Teacher PLD
Te Repo – wetlands as a context for learning
In this recorded professional learning session, Greta Dromgool shares the mahi from a collaboration between Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research and Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao – The...
Teacher PLD
All about insects
In this webinar, join Greta Dromgool as she introduces Tom Saunders and Chrissie Painting – two of Aotearoa New Zealand’s amazing entomologists. Delve into the fascinating...
Article
Super Insects
In Spring 2020 Countdown developed a fantastic collection of insect cards and an album full of amazing facts and activities all about insects found in Aotearoa...
Activity
Poetry with Fred the Thread – upper primary
Poetry with Fred the Thread – upper primary is a ready-to-use cross-curricular teaching resource. It uses a humorous poem read by author and scientist Dr Robert...
Article
Insects – physical characteristics
Insects can be large – like the 130 mm wingspan of the kapokapowai/bush giant dragonfly – or tiny – like the 2 mm namu/West Coast blackfly....
Article
Catch my drift
In the Connected article Catch my drift, students learn about phytoplankton – tiny floating organisms that form the base of the marine food web. The article...
Article
The buzz of bees
The ‘Buzz of bees’ is a Connected journal devoted entirely to bees. Each article has diagrams and illustrations that offer opportunities for students to develop the...
Article
Mast years
What is a mast? You might be forgiven for thinking it had more to do with ships than conservation! The term comes from the ancient English...
Article
Parasitoid wasp life cycle
Introduced wasps cause all sort of problems for people and native species, but did you know we have native wasps in New Zealand? What is a...