Generating kōwhai visual data representations
Engaging Students with Infographics About Kōwhai Trees and Mātauranga Māori
In an innovative approach to inquiry learning, students are encouraged to create infographics about the kōwhai tree, blending cultural knowledge, science, and storytelling. This activity aims to help students locate and use facts about kōwhai trees, Mātauranga Māori of kōwhai, and effectively utilise their design skills.
There are numerous topics that students can explore when creating their infographics. These include the cultural significance of kōwhai in Māori tradition, the ecological role of kōwhai, scientific and botanical features of kōwhai, and Mātauranga Māori practices related to kōwhai.
To gather content and resources, educators can turn to various platforms such as Te Papa Tongarewa, Te Aka Māori-English Dictionary, the Māori Language Commission, local Iwi and Hapū resources, NZ Plant Conservation Network, Department of Conservation (DOC), Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, and more.
When designing infographics with a Mātauranga Māori focus, it's essential to respect cultural protocols, use bilingual labels, employ visual storytelling, and pose inquiry questions to stimulate deeper thinking.
Educators can find inspiration in the Science Learning Hub's "science infographics" Pinterest board, and students can create their own infographics using tools like Canva, Piktochart, Venngage, Google Slides, or PowerPoint.
This activity not only supports learning in 'Communicating in science' and 'Participating and contributing', but also develops literacy practices and helps students learn new information in a visually engaging way. The activity can work as a stand-alone lesson or as part of a wider teaching/inquiry sequence about Mātauranga Māori of kōwhai.
Chloe Stantiall, as part of the Teaching and Learning Research Initiative project, has written this article on the subject. The project was assisted by researchers Maurice M. W. Cheng and Bronwen Cowie from The University of Waikato. A recorded webinar, Exploring Mātauranga in the Classroom, discusses these resources.
Additional activities include collecting kōwhai seeds, planting kōwhai seeds, observing kōwhai, and sharing scientific understanding through poetry. By the end of this activity, students should be able to locate and use facts about kōwhai trees, Mātauranga Māori of kōwhai, and effectively utilise their design skills.
- Students can delve deeper into the topics by incorporating science and education-and-self-development aspects in their infographics, exploring the scientific features of kohawai, Mātauranga Māori practices related to kohawai, and designing skills that contribute to their personal growth.
- To enhance their understanding of kōwhai trees and Mātauranga Māori, students can engage in activities that promote both formal science education and self-development, such as writing poems to express their scientific findings, or designing infographics using tools like Canva and PowerPoint.
