Motukura - Island School

Work in progress, expect frequent changes. Help and feedback is welcome. See discussion page.

Quarantine island - Kamau Taurua

“a cradle of possibility”

Motukura - Island School

A haven to connect people with the land and sea 

The Island ‘Community’ live throughout Aotearoa, some make it to the Island most months for open days, others once or twice a year; some not at all.

People are drawn to the Island, to help with projects, to talk, to dream, to have fun, and to consider the serious issues of our time.

The Motukura learning kaupapa is based around the community's values of:

• Sustainability, ecological and historic restoration, social justice and treasuring diversity

Education Programmes

Our education programmes are designed for multi ages, skills and abilities

They can be self directed or undertaken with our education facilitators

Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and Te Takanga o Te Wā

Aims:

• To learn how our histories have shaped our present day lives.

Work in progress, expect frequent changes. Help and feedback is welcome. See discussion page.

Biodiversity Monitoring

Aims:

• To gather indicators and data to report on the changes of biodiversity on the Island
• To participate in scientific processes that can be transferred to own setting
• To make changes in own environment that improves biodiversity

How:

• By trapping pests (rats and mice) to see if this has an impact on the island's flora and fauna

Who:

• Children, students, scientists and volunteers

Taetae - Arrival (group)

• Wharf - jetty, gatepost, welcome, waiata
• Motukura - backdoor, kitchen, lounge

Intro

• Health and safety
• Wharepaku - composting or sneaky wees behind trees
• Wai and kai - picnic etc
• Who we are and what we would like out of the day

Goals

• To share the community's values of sustainability, ecological and historic restoration, social justice and diversity
• By working together to gather indicators of biodiversity change on the Island
• Gathering skills and knowledge to take action for the environment in our own communities
• Using the tuakana teina approach to learning

Brainstorm

• What is biodiversity?
  • Plants, birds, insects, seaweeds, shells,
• What indicators?
  • Holes in leaves/ground, bird heard/seen
• How do we record them?
  • Photos/drawings from Quarantine book
• Invasive species
  • Rats, mice, weeds, seaweeds other...
• Why trap?
  • increased biodiversity, give native species a greater chance of survival
• Trap/poison use demo
  • Humane, NZ laws, care of self/others

• Tracking tunnels
  • Ink pads, peanut butter, cardboard
• Chew cards
  • Coreflute and peanut butter
• Seedling quadrants
  • Hoop, harakeke, 1m squares
• Bird count
  • Binoculars, charts,
• Moth and invertebrate count

Collecting data:

• Photos and drawings - marked spot, off track
  • Card, paper, pencils/charcoal
  • Pen paper and spreadsheet

Island Stations

Guided map indicating localities - questions and information

• Stile...sea spray plantings - rocks, cage
• Trakka tunnel - laminated tracking card
• Monitoring area - harakeke quadrats
• Under the ngaio, down by the sea,

was clump of harakeke and ....

• Cave
• 2 trees
• Totara
• Pylon seat
• MQ
• Chapel

Natural history table

• Artefacts from nature and history
  • Able to withstand handling and being lost

Drama in the Married Quarters

• Kamau taurua artefacts - fire stick,
• Drawn from a hat, persons who had contact with the island
  • Name, age, profession, family members
    • Research around 40 individuals - details kept secret at this stage.
• Who are you, where are you from, why are you here
  • Voice, accent, mannerisms
    • Introduce yourself to your neighbour - ask each other questions
• Artefacts passed around
  • Bottle,

Living dinosaurs detective agency

• Using powers of deduction establish whether either the moa or tuatara ever lived on the island

Island Stories

• Hinetoa and Pukunui taniwha, tuatara, cave
• Writers' workshops and retreats

Pioneers

• Why emigrate
• Getting to the ships
• Last suppers
• Getting on board
• Departing
• Stowaways
• Captains
• Sailors
• Bay of Biscay
• Vermin
• Berths
• Dirt and grime
• Tropics
• Dead horse ceremony
• Crossing the line
• Shipboard activities
• Children
• Animals
• Fish, whales, sharks
• Birds
• Food and water
• Close quarters
• Fights
• Fire and accidents
• Deaths
• Caste
• Shipping
• Doctors
• Yellow flag
• Speed and roaring forties
• Tenerife, South Africa, Australia
• Anticipation
• Arrival

Island values

1. Sustainability
   • Learning to live smarter and reduce our impact on the environment
2. Ecological Restoration
   • Renewing and restoring the islands damaged ecosystems and habitats
3. Historic Restoration
   • Preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, artefacts and landscapes
4. Community
   • Working together to improve the island in a sustainable and ecologically just manner
5. Social justice
   • Promoting equity and fairness
6. Wellness
   • Connecting with nature; taking time to observe and reflect
   • Respecting ourselves, each other and our planet
   • Combining traditional wisdoms with new understandings

NZ Curriculum Links

Education For Sustainability - EFS

Education for sustainability is about learning to think and act in ways that will safeguard the future well-being of people and our planet

Students can explore EFS through a variety of learning context covering most learning areas

Includes learning about:

   the environment – water, land, ecosystems, energy, waste, urban living, transportation
   the interactions between the natural environment and human activities, and the consequences of these
   the choices and actions we can take to prevent, reduce, or change harmful activities to the environment

Key Competencies

• Relating to others
• Managing self
• Participating and contributing
• Thinking
• Using languages, symbols and text

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