Otatara School - Akapuka Class Term 1 2022
Learning and noticing in the bush with this class began on the 1st March and I heard all about how Mrs Seager and Mrs Healey have been looking at the broadleaf plants growing around the school grounds and what they are using to identify this plant - the leaves being the main focus. After the class showed me the broadleaf plants around school and told me how they identify these, we talked about akapuka, kapuka and the scientific names of these 2 different species. Then we visited the reserve, spotting not only broadleaf but other NZ natives, and blackberries. We talked about seeds and the different dispersal methods of plant seeds. The next session on the 15th March we focused on the conditions that kapuka likes to grow in. We walked through the bush spotting a number of smaller plants and the occasional bigger plant. We tried to estimate the height of this bigger kapuka tree. We noted the forest canopy layer and the forest floor - noting that in the areas where it was darker (and more forest canopy) there were lots of ferns on the forest floor. Once we were heading out towards the blackberry area and golf area along the edge of the reserve we found lots and lots of kapuka - and they were huge! Noticing where the kapuka grew largest we built our knowledge of this plant working out that it likes open canopy areas and light to grow. It doesn’t do so well in darker mature forest areas. We also noticed a black soot on the leaves of some of the plants. We also learnt about the sycamore tree - and looked at all the dead trees in one section of the reserve - all sycamores that have been controlled/killed. We also noticed all the seedling sycamores all around! The 29th March we recapped what we know about kapuka and where it lives. Then using the leaf bingo cards the class met and identified a number of other NZ native trees, using their knowledge and expertise in kapuka identification to compare different species. It was great to see the scientific thinking at the forefront. The Pittosporum species - tarata and kōhūhū tested their identification techniques - but once the elusive tarata was spotted the differences between it and its close relation kōhūhū were easy to spot! We spotted lots of berries and seed pods today - mingimingi, tōtara, kōhūhū and tarata, noticing where the seeds were - some in berries, or on the outside of berries, and others in seed pods. Looking more closely at the kapuka berries that are changing colour with the season we talked about kapuka as a food source (in times of food shortages) and how else this tree was used - in medicine for skin and timber uses. Great looking today at all that was around them. We ended the term on 12th April looking at the different seed types (pods, fluffy, hard coated, sticky) and looking closely and testing we worked out how these seeds would be dispersed, extending on their classroom learning about seed dispersal.
It was great to learn alongside this class as they inquired and came up with working theories about their natural world.
Bronwyn
Posted: 12 April 2022