Term Three 2025
Our website continues to be updated with new teaching resources, stories and professional learning resources. This post is a snapshot of the content that has been added recently.
Click on the green text or titles below to visit the pages.
NZAEE Spotlights
Exploring Biodiversity through Statistics Investigations
We are excited to be working with Annelies Judson, a children's writer and trained teacher with a passion for maths and science, to bring you a series of Spotlights that highlight rich, authentic environmental contexts for teaching the new maths and statistics curriculum from Yrs 0 - 8. This first article is packed full of activity ideas and resources with a focus on taking action as part of the statistical inquiry process.
Te Waka a Māui: A Climate Education Journey
Written by climate change education facilitator Will Stovall in Te Tauihu | Top of the South Island. Will shares his journey working with a range of schools over the last few years, including lessons learned as a facilitator and the impact on students who have been involved, with a clear positive shift in feelings of hope for the future.
Nature Connection for Aotearoa Educators
We continue to update and added more content to this Spotlight, which provides an introduction and overview for educators to explore and strengthen nature connection, both personally and with your students. Webinar recordings from our Nature Connection series have been added to this page.
New Teaching Resources
Comic: The future of our beech forests
From Predator Free NZ, illustrator Andrew James explains Manaaki Whenua research on how climate change might affect rat populations in New Zealand’s beech forests.
Drive it Down! – a context for learning
Science Learning Hub resources produced with GNS as part of a pilot programme with Meadowbank School in Tāmaki Makaurau. Focused on reducing carbon emissions through active transport.
Backyard biodiversity | Manaakitanga te taiao
“Making backyards happy places for us and nature”. This website from Manaaki Whenua has engaging graphics and information about veges, flowers, trees, compost and more.
Report: State of NZ Garden Birds 2024 | Te Āhua o ngā Manu o te Kāri i Aotearoa
The annual survey happened over the school holidays, but you can look at last year’s results which were published recently and use them to help inform projects in your school.
NZ Natural Hazards Teaching Resource
Designed in collaboration with schools, this new website is intended as a one-stop shop of engaging and fun activities that help students learn about NZ’s main natural hazards. It’s broken down by age and hazard, to make it easy for teachers to pick appropriate activities.
Kaupapa Māori Resources
The links below are for a series of resources under the main kaupapa of 'Te Mana Whenua'. They can be found on Te Kauwhata and are primarily for Māori medium contexts (TMOA). There are no English translations and they come as Google slides, with downloadable student workbooks and supporting videos:
Professional Learning Resources
NZAEE Webinar Recording: Nature Connection in Primary and Intermediate
Watch the recording of our June webinar with Enviroschools Waikato, featuring an amazing range of stories, tips and resources from the teachers and Enviroschools facilitators who joined us.
Research: Catching the Wave - Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Educators’ Perceptions of Environmental and Sustainability Education Practices.
White, P.J., Birdsall, S., Sack, F. (2025)
Climate stressors are impacting our primary schools
Rachel Bolstad, NZCER, published July 7th. If your school has been significantly impacted by climate stressors like flooding, heatwaves, loss of roads or bridges limiting school access, Rachel would be keen to hear from you. Email: rachel.bolstad@nzcer.org.nz
Slowing the Sun by Nadine Hura
"Seeking to understand climate change in relation to whenua and people, she asks: how should we respond to what has been lost? Her many-sided essays explore environmental degradation, social disconnection and Indigenous reclamation, insisting that any meaningful response must be grounded in Te Tiriti and anti-colonialism."
Education Gazette June Issue
The Gazette is now online only, and the latest issue was focused on stories about te taiao and STEM learning. Keep an eye out for the next issue too, with a focus on maths and an article contributed by NZAE and Enviroschools.
City to Farm: How leftovers are giving back to the land, RNZ Country Life episode featuring Hibiscus Coast Zero Waste and Wainui School.
How to save the world with wonder, article by children's author Sonya Wilson published on The Spinoff, with info about her new book 'The Secret Green'.
Te Papa Panel Talk: Kōrero Matariki – Te hauora o te kai
Recording of event exploring parakore and kai sovereignty with Pounamu Skelton and Francene Wineti.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, Live at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
“Robin Wall Kimmerer's internationally bestselling books, Braiding Sweetgrass and Gathering Moss, not only teach us about the biology of different organisms, but show us other ways of living in the world. It is through celebrating our reciprocal relationship with nature that we can awaken our ecological consciousness, and better protect our planet's gifts.”
The Mini Forest: Rewilding using the Miyawaki method
Canadian documentary (20 mins) with links to nature connection and backyard rewilding.
Visit our Events page to find upcoming teacher PLD opportunities including webinars and workshops around the motu.
