How inspired are your students to engage in future sustainability action?
How effective were the components of this kit?
Please provide 2+ examples of student voice on the kit's impact on them
It was so fun to pick up rubbish along the track. Student 2 - The Maungarei Wetlands is a protected reserve, the community try their best to keep the native animals healthy by collecting rubbish and keeping the place clean, we are all the kaitiaki of the Maungarei Wetlands. Student 3 - I hope when I grow older the Maungarei Wetlands will still be there. Please think about your actions when it comes to rubbish.
Which kit components were the most impactful and why?
The launching of the kit and it's contents was alot of fun. Before introducing the project, we talked about what each item in the kit was and when laid out together, students then guessed what our term project was going to be about. Of course there was lots of possible ideas from protecting marine animals to dancing gloves. The Sea Project became our school Inquiry for the term where each team identified a local reserve as their focus. For my team and class, we chose Manugarei wetlands, an area situated in an old quarry area near Mt Wellington (Maungarei) and a 25min walk away from our school. Students learned about the wetlands and reserves and the protection of these. They also worked in Inquiry teams and looked at the impact of rubbish in our local waterways and wetlands and possible solutions for these. Of course, the hikoi with 5 classes to Maungarei Wetffeilds was the highlight. Our students were very excited about the prospect of picking up rubbish but understood the impact of what they were doing. The students did an amazing job on the day. The follow up discussion and collating of the rubbish was so valuable and impactful for the students.
How many bags of rubbish did your class collect?
How has this kit impacted your class culture toward whenua ora (land wellness) and sustainability?
My students have a greater appreciation of their local area, in particular the Maungarei Wetlands. For many of my students who lived in the area, they were unfamiliar with the wetlands reserve and didn't know that it existed right on their doorstep. Some of these students were new to NZ and were very engaged with the concept of sustainability.
What is the legacy this kit will leave behind on your learners?
My students attend a weekly Education for Sustainability session and to have had the opportunity to venture out to our local Wetlands and see first hand, the impact of rubbish and pollution on our native flora and fauna,was very important for them. Many students believed that their action of a beach clean up, had made a huge difference. Students were talking about taking their families to visit the area in the weekends.
How high was student engagement throughout this kit?
What was the latitude and longitude of your clean up? (from Sea Cleaners poster)
36°53'27"s 174°50'10"E
What was your cleanup location type?
Reserve
Which of the following types did your class collect?
Plastic Bag, Plastic Bottles, Plastic Cups, Food Wrappers, Straws, Household Waste, Tin Cans, Toys
What was the most interesting piece of rubbish found and why?
All the usual rubbish, but a cord to either a phone or device.
