Otatara School - Tōtara Class Term 1 2022
It has been a term of close observing, noticing aspects of the bush reserve, and the seasonal changes occurring in this habitat. The 1st March we set off to the reserve - and the students showed me what an observant bunch they are. We found both a tōtara fruit and cone - from the female and male trees respectively. What great spotting. We also noticed the different birds living in the reserve seeing or hearing tui, kererū, bellbird and pīwakawaka. There was also lots of blackberry eating!
15th March our hikoi through the bush focused on meeting some of the other trees that classrooms are named at Otatara School. As well as finding tōtara (including fruit with the seed on the outside) we found mataī, wheki ponga, mānuka, kapuka, horopito, kahikatea, kōtukutuku, pōkākā and tarata, comparing the leaves and other characteristics of these NZ natives. We spotted kererū dive bombing and ate some more blackberries - noting that the seeds of these berries are on the inside. We also spotted other seeds - kōhūhū, grasses, flax and heaps of sycamore seeds on one tree - just like helicopters.
29th March and Mrs Scarlett had kahikatea and pōkākā seeds that she had found at her place. After identifying the pōkākā there was discussion around tōtara and kahikatea fruit looking similar with the seed on the outside. That is because these 2 species (as well as miro, mataī and rimu) are all from the same podocarp plant family. Then it was looking eyes on to spot different seeds in the reserve. We didn’t make it very far as the noticing was exceptional. We spotted lots of seeds today - either as part of a berry or in a seed pod. Seeds discovered today included kōwhai, flax, tī kōuka/cabbage tree, mānuka, toetoe, mingimingi, tōtara, kōhūhū, Astelia, Hebe, tarata and even the seeds of non-natives and pest plants (like blackberry, sycamore and ragwort!).
12 April it was off to the reserve, continuing to use our observation skills out in nature. Building on last week we kept our eyes open for seeds and the find of the term were some miro berries low enough on the tree for us to see! Amazing. We also learnt that ferns have spores (not seeds). We also did find some fungi but did expect to find some more. We noticed that the season has changed from summer to autumn.
Bronwyn
Posted: 12 April 2022