Careers with STEM: Indigenous Teacher Resource - NZ version

CAREERS withSTEM

2022

™

TEACHER RESOURCE

FLIP FMOĀRORI TE REEO V RSION

Years 7-10

Incorporating First Nations content and careers in a contemporary curriculum

Teacher magazine - Te Marautanga o Aotearoa CAREERSWITHSTEM.COM

contents

section 1 | kaiako guide Working together with respect Conservation Creativity Astronomy

4 5 6 7

section 2 | kaiako activity ideas Conservation Creativity Astronomy

8 8 8

section 3 | Ākonga activities Conservation Creativity Astronomy

9 9 10

links to helpful resources

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section 1 | kaiako guide genous is the Careers with STEM: Instdiudent career first Indigenous-onlye young Indigenous guide, launched to inspir aland to pursue

d New Ze students in Australia an l rs. You can see the digita ree ca d STEM courses an N_STEM. magazine here: bit.ly/F The magazine celebrates and showcases the science, technology, en gineering and maths that busts stereotypes ab out who works in STEM and what those jobs loo k like, while providing an Indigenous-first and inc lusive viewpoint of STEM .

introduction

Cover by Eli Taueki, Ariki Creative

Acknowledgement of country We acknowledge the rights and ownership of the traditional owners of the land and pay our respects to Indigenous elders past, present and emerging.

About this Guide Indigenous Knowledge and knowledge systems are complex and interdisciplinary and connected to local country. This resource is intended as a tool to utilise the Careers with STEM: Indigenous magazine in classrooms. There are many great resources to start exploring Indigenous science — this is not intended to be an overarching resource but links to the key themes of creativity, conservation and sustainability covered in the magazine and aims to inspire and engage teachers to explore First Nations STEM concepts further and to find new ways to use the magazine in class. This guide specifically focusses on learnings in the areas of conservation, creativity and astronomy.

This resource was produced by CORE Education and Refraction Media, publishers of Careers with STEM, with the support of Google. www.core-ed.org CareerswithSTEM.com

Ariki Creative is a kaupapa Māori creative agency established in 2007. The team specialises in multimedia design that harnesses the heritage of their tūpuna.

The cover concept has puhoro, koru and subtle weaving patterns.

This all comes together to represent the journey and growth of the akonga (student) with all their whānau and tūpuna backing them with support so they can go and achieve their dreams. It also uses the theme of space and stars, using the puhoro, koru and traditional designs to represent your whakapapa and roots: understanding where you come from in order to move forward and achieve your aspirations.

Arikicreative.com Interested in digital careers?

Check out Te Ara Waihiko Te Ara Waihiko is a discovery platform designed to inspire, connect and support Māori into pathways for digital careers in New Zealand. https://waihiko.io

Careers with STEM Teacher Resource |

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section 1 | kaiako guide

Working together with respect If you aim to bring a Māori worldview to STEM learning, it is vital to develop a relationship with the mana whenua — people with territorial rights, knowledge and authority over the area. Without this relationship, any learnings can only be realised conceptually. There is no particular unified Māori worldview. Each area will have its own stories, language, whakataukī (proverbs or sayings) and understandings of the environment. These aspects don’t always map directly onto a different area, thus local knowledge is incredibly important.

Whakataukī can reveal how resources, places and environments are felt about and utilised. When we inhabit an environment, we inhabit the language of that particular environment. Whakataukī often express lessons and understandings gained via lived experiences over many generations. The words and language are specific to that area.

Be careful when you’re exploring traditional arts and crafts. Make sure you consult mana whenua for the tikanga (correct procedure) around harvesting materials and the narratives associated with different materials and activities. Link with your school community for mums, dads and whānau who might be willing to share their knowledge and expertise. Be aware of cultural fatigue, though. Good relationships are important first. Skilled people are constantly being hit up to share their knowledge.

Relationships are reciprocal. Find out what’s happening at your local marae, and offer to help. For example, a marae may be trying to develop community māra kai (gardens for food). By working together you can help mana whenua, but you also have the gardens as a context for stories, knowledge and exploration in Science, Technology and Health.

All the following activities have been designed for students at Levels 4 and 5 of the New Zealand Curriculum, and Taumata 4 and Taumata 5 in Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

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section 1 | kaiako guide

Conservation Kia maumahara ki te moa — remember the moa.

This is an important whakataukī (proverb or saying) that is familiar all over Aotearoa. It’s about learning from past mistakes, closely observing and deeply understanding the environment before we take from it. The moa had a 75 year breeding cycle, and couldn’t breed fast enough to resist the pressure of hunting by early Māori. Kia maumahara ki te moa reminds us to live in harmony with our environment, acknowledging the imbalances we create when we take.

In the Māori world, we don’t own the environment, it owns us! We are no more or less important than any other part — like walking trees on the land. Learning the narratives of the land unlocks the notion of a shared breath with the environment. The trees breathe out what we breathe in. We are all interdependent.

In our classrooms, we can find ways to explore our relationships with the whenua (land), moana (seas, lakes), and awa (rivers).

• In what ways do we need to give back to keep the balance?

• How did local people interact with the land?

• How did Māori utilise their surroundings and the ngahere (bush)?

• How was the water cared for?

Find the local narratives, learn the whakataukī and understand the different ways that the land, the sea and the water are talked about by mana whenua. This is key to respectful and authentic exploration.

Read the Careers with STEM: Indigenous article ‘The Business of Sustainability’ on p16. It’s about Jason Mika’s work to conserve and protect the ocean: bit.ly/3KdyCcd

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section 1 | kaiako guide

Creativity Poia te kākano, kia tupu ai — nurture the seed, in order for it to grow.

Creativity in the Māori world is about freeing our children to head in whatever direction they need to. To bring creativity out, we provide environments that nurture the child. In the māra (garden), when a seed is planted we don’t see it again.

We create the conditions that let the seed grow and become itself — a different type of being from the one we planted.

As kaiako (teachers) we need to be comfortable with a certain lack of control over the final outcomes of our learners.

The concept of Te Pō refers to darkness and the infinite state of potential. Our minds spend time in Te Pō allowing ideas and thoughts to influence us. From there we may move to Te Whei Ao, the world of dim light, where we start to see the faint outlines of our ideas. We may settle on an idea or solution and start to develop it. We then move to Te Ao Mārama, the world of light, where we work and realise our ideas.

It is normal to move back and forth between the light and the dark many times, seeking inspiration and refining our thoughts until our idea is complete. This is similar to the cycle of night, twilight and daylight. We need both the darkness and the light to be creative. We can’t live constantly in the light.

• How can we take our students out of the confines of classrooms, with their prescribed learning intentions, into a living, breathing world of limitless possibilities?

• How do we allow our students time to sit in the wonderment of discovery?

• How can we provide a safe environment for students to express themselves?

• Can students contribute to the collective through their own self expression?

• How can students find and expose the narratives and stories in their chosen medium?

Read the Careers with STEM: Indigenous article ‘Creating Meaningful Design’ about Hori Te Ariki Mataki’s creative digital business, Ariki Creative: bit.ly/3vDurCD and Aleisha Amoia’s journey to work as a software developer at Catalyst IT (p8 and on CareerswithSTEM.com).

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section 1 | kaiako guide

Astronomy Tuia te rangi, tuia te moana, tuia te whenua — observe the sky, observe the ocean, observe the land.

For many across Aotearoa, whetū (stars) are referred to as tīpuna (ancestors). We have an intimate relationship with the stars and the stories associated with them. The stars are a physical manifestation of the heavens and the knowledge that comes from the heavens. Our tīpuna interpreted this knowledge to gain understanding of their environment. The stars guided our ancestors on their epic voyages around the Pacific. It is vitally important to take time to sit and observe the sky.

Local knowledge ascribes different narratives to the night sky in different places around Aotearoa. Find the local stories and follow those, rather than relying on generic resources.

Maramataka is the traditional calendar that tracked lunar cycles, tides and their effects on the environment.

It’s an interesting topic to explore, and unfamiliar to many. There are a lot of resources on the internet, but they don’t necessarily apply in your area. It’s a good idea to check local understandings before you plan learning experiences based on maramataka.

Matariki, the celebration of the star cluster of Matariki appearing in the winter sky, is fast being adopted Aotearoa-wide.

It’s our first Indigenous public holiday. Many schools are currently interested in exploring Matariki, as well as traditional understandings of the night sky.

• What are the local customs and traditions associated with Matariki?

• How will you ensure that you are telling the stories specific to your area?

• Are you able to connect with marae in your area to support their Matariki events?

Read the ‘STEM + Space’ section of the Careers with STEM: Indigenous magazine on p12, including the profiles on astrophysicist Pauline Harris and fifth generation Māori astronomer, Professor Rangi Matamua: bit.ly/3vaEqit

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section 2 | kaiako activity ideas

Creativity NZC/TMoA 1 • Design a whare (building) for your school. It should be useful as a teaching space, as a space for students to gather and as a space for the school to connect with the wider community.

• Create a digital model of it and identify the features you’ve included to enhance the physical, spiritual, family and mental wellbeing of others (use the four taha from Te Whare Tapa Whā).

• Get some feedback from your stakeholders and show how you have adjusted your design to take it into account.

(Technology, Health & PE, The Arts)

Conservation NZC/TMoA 1 • Create a digital map of places that were significant to local people in the past.

• Compare that to how they’re used now.

• How could we change our use of these places to preserve them as taonga (treasures)?

(Science, Technology, Social Sciences)

NZC/TMoA 2 • Investigate some traditional ways that food was processed and stored such as containers made from harakeke (flax), and pōhā (kelp bags).

• What was their environmental impact?

• What properties do the materials have that are beneficial for storing food?

• Compare their environmental impact to current ways of packaging and storing food.

• Is there a way to use some traditional technology to reduce the amount of plastic waste in landfills?

(Science, Technology)

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NZC/TMoA 2 • What makes you a good tīpuna (ancestor)?

• Find an artefact, taonga (treasure), or feature in the environment that’s still in use from the time of an ancestor. Tell its story. How can we leave a legacy that’s still useful or beautiful generations later?

• Create something to encourage others to be a good ancestor such as an artwork, documentary, musical composition or dance.

(Technology, Social Sciences, The Arts)

Astronomy NZC/TMoA 1 • Carry out a research project into maramataka (the lunar/tidal calendar).

• Find out from mana whenua about the maramataka in your specific area.

How did local people track the cycle — even if they couldn’t see the moon?

• What activities were carried out on particular days, and what activities were avoided? What physical signs were expected in the environment on particular days?

• Design a calendar or calculator to track the maramataka for your area.

(Science, Social Sciences)

NZC/TMoA 2 • Find out the names given to constellations of stars in your area.

• Recreate a portion of the night sky using black card and LEDs for stars.

• Use a physical computing board (e.g. Micro Bit or Arduino) and some buttons or switches to selectively light up four different constellations that would have been recognised by one of your ancestors.

(Science, Technology)

section 3 | Ākonga activities

Conservation Talk to people from your local marae and find which issue in your local environment is causing the most concern for them. Learn about the issue:

Creativity • Find a local landmark such as a maunga (mountain), awa (river) or other feature that is important to your area or your school.

• What is the history of the issue, and how was the affected area used in the past?

• What is the effect on plants and animals from the way the area has changed?

• When did the problem start and why?

• Why is it still an issue?

• What needs to be done to fix the problem and restore the balance?

• Gather a team and create a display for visitors in your school’s reception area — it can be permanent or temporary. Share the stories and history of your chosen feature. Your display needs to be fun and interesting for visitors to browse, robust enough for people to interact with, and quiet enough that it doesn’t annoy people who work nearby.

Develop and test a resource to help people to understand the issue, and offer some suggestions about how to help. Your resource could be a physical solution like a leaflet, or a digital solution such as an app.

• How can you use audio, video, painting, sculpture and photography to engage people and encourage them to spend time looking at it?

It should have some images that identify the issue, as well as some advice for people to follow. What can we do to restore the balance? How can we stop it from spreading or affecting other areas? How can we protect our environment to stop things getting worse?

• Your school may have display units you can use for mounting information and artworks. Video is possible with a wallmounted screen attached to a Raspberry Pi or similar small computer. Micro Bits or other single board processors can be used to trigger LEDs, sounds and other interactive elements. Use your imagination!

(Technology, Social Sciences, The Arts)

Talk to your local council, library or information centre. Is there a way to share your solution with others and raise awareness?

(Science, Social Sciences, Technology)

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section 3 | Ākonga activities

key:

Astronomy Plan, write, shoot and edit a small documentary about Matariki. Interview some key local people who are able to explain how Matariki was marked in the past, and how it is marked now. You can use another constellation if Matariki isn’t especially significant in your area. Your documentary should be about five minutes long.

Share the stories of the Matariki stars and the story of ‘Te Waka o Rangi’ (which may be known by a different name in your area). Explain how to find Matariki for people who don’t know. Use some animations, drawings, or photographs to accompany your stories and explanations.

Music can add atmosphere and sets the mood. Think carefully about how music could enhance your documentary.

Consider how you will share your documentary. If you upload it to a video sharing service like YouTube or Vimeo, how can it then be found and used by people in your area?

Here are some hints and tips for creating your documentary: • Mobile phones have great cameras. Hold your phone in landscape mode when you’re shooting video. Maximise light on your subject by positioning them near a window or outside. You want the light shining onto them, rather than behind them.

Avoid direct sunlight, or they might end up squinting.

• Sound is important. Your school may have microphones that can plug into a mobile phone.

If you can’t find a microphone, find a quiet place to do your interviews and sit close.

• Get permission before including anything created by other people. This includes images, video snippets or music. Don’t be scared to ask for permission — people are often happy for you to use what they have created, especially if you attribute it to them and it’s not for commercial use.

• Get permission before you share the video online. If you plan to interview children, get permission from their parents. Warn anyone appearing in your documentary that you plan to share the video on the internet before you post it.

• It’s more interesting to shoot your own photos, create your own music or build your own animation sequences rather than using someone else’s. If you don’t have the skills, do you have any super-talented friends who can help?

(Technology, English, Social Sciences)

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Program

Website

links to helpful resources SUnplugged C csunplugged.org/mi ORE Education C core-ed.org I ndicators of progression Technology (NZC) bit.ly/3HCvhln āori Astronomy M bit.ly/3vEjfG0 opyright for cultural C items bit.ly/3KgnHhY ūhoro STEM P Academy www.puhoro.org.nz Pūtātara – A sustainability and global citizenship toolkit for teachers bit.ly/3sF9vcv T angata Beats – A songwriting & performing competition for high school students bit.ly/3CaRBSb