Protecting our estuaries

Introduction

Use this resource to learn about, explore and protect our unique estuarine environments.

This resource is an integrated curriculum teaching resource using New Zealand’s estuaries as a real-life context for learning. It is based on the New Zealand Curriculum at levels 1–4 (years 1–8) but can be adapted for use at various levels.

It contains teaching and learning material to support a unit of work grounded in Environmental Education for Sustainability (EEfS)/conservation education themes. It incorporates aspects of Te Ao Māori (a Māori world view). The unit is based on an integrated, inquiry learning process, including science, social science, the arts and technology objectives alongside literacy and numeracy learning.

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Entire resource: Protecting our estuaries education resource (ZIP, 43,149K)

Download individual sections

    Introduction and example unit

    Introduction and example unit (PDF, 3,470K)

    Find out how this resource is structured and how you could incorporate it into your school curriculum.
    introducing estuaries

    Introducing estuaries (PDF, 2,340K)

    What is an estuary?

    Activity 1
    Importance of estuaries

    Importance of estuaries (PDF, 2,350K)

    Identify why estuaries are important for people, animals, plants and the wider environment.

    Activity 2
    Estuaries as habitats

    Estuaries as habitats (PDF, 4,390K)

    What kinds of habitats make up an estuary?

    Activity 3
    Life in an estuary

    Life in an estuary (PDF, 7,210K)

    What’s life like in an estuary for animals, plants and other living things?

    Activity 4
    Experimenting with water

    Experimenting with water (PDF, 4,130K)

    Investigate how water moves in an estuary and how salt water and fresh water mix.

    Activity 5
    Estuaries for everyone

    Estuaries for everyone (PDF, 4,250K)

    How do people view and use estuaries in your community?

    Activity 6
    Estuaries and Te Ao Māori

    Estuaries and Te Ao Māori (PDF, 4,857K)

    Why are estuaries important for Māori?

    Activity 7
    Healthy estuaries

    Healthy estuaries (PDF, 4,886K)

    Find out how we can tell if an estuary is healthy

    Activity 8
    Visiting estuaries

    Visiting estuaries (PDF, 5,544K)

    What can we experience at our local estuary and what data can we collect there?

    Activity 9
    The current status of your estuary

    The current status of your estuary (PDF, 4,515K)

    What can we conclude about our estuary and how can we share our findings?

    Activity 10
    The future of our estuaries

    The future of our estuaries (PDF, 4,557K)

    Let's apply our learning to create a positive future for our local estuary

    Activity 11
    Environmental action for our estuaries

    Environmental action for our estuaries (PDF, 5,121K)

    How can you address an issue to make a positive difference for your estuary?

    Activity 12
    Visiting harbours and estuaries

    Appendices: Visiting sites and glossary (PDF, 6,619K)

    Information to help plan your educational visit to a local estuary, and a list of key terms and definitions used throughout this resource.

    Appendices

    Learning Objectives

    To provide students, teachers and their communities with opportunities to grow their knowledge, skills and understandings about estuaries, so that they can help resolve environmental challenges for in their local coastal areas and beyond. 

    The exact pathways of learning and associated outcomes are up to students and teachers. Activities and suggestions in the resource enable the following learning opportunities:  

    Connecting to estuaries (Te Taha Wairua)

    Students can:

    • form significant personal connections to their local estuaries  
    • have awareness and sensitivity about local species and environments and start to care for them.

    Knowledge, skills and understandings (Te Taha Hinengaro, Te Taha Tinana) 

    Students can:  

    • grow their understandings of estuaries in New Zealand 
    • recognise the role of tangata whenua in estuary management and use 
    • learn skills to help address issues for estuaries.

    Taking collective action and working with community (Te Taha Whānau) 

    Students can:  

    • act alongside the wider community to contribute to healthy estuaries and marine environments 
    • participate in active sharing with the community to celebrate success and action.
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