Forest Ecosystem Connections
Forest Ecosystem Connections · Years 7–10
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- Investigate a scientific concept or phenomenon using observation and evidence
- Apply scientific understanding to explain natural processes and systems
- Connect scientific knowledge to environmental decision-making and kaitiakitanga
- Evaluate how both mātauranga Māori and Western science contribute to understanding
Paearu Angitu · Success Criteria
- I can describe the key concept or phenomenon accurately using scientific vocabulary
- I can explain how evidence supports my scientific understanding
- I can connect scientific knowledge to at least one real-world environmental application
- I can identify where mātauranga Māori and Western science perspectives intersect or differ
🌿 Te Ngahere — The Forest
In te ao Māori, the forest (ngahere) is the domain of Tāne Mahuta — the god who separated earth and sky, and who clothed Papatūānuku with trees.
Whakataukī: "Toitū te ngahere, toitū te whenua, toitū te tangata" — If the forest stands, the land stands, the people stand.
This proverb shows how Māori understood that humans depend on healthy forests.
🔄 What is an Ecosystem?
An ecosystem is a community of living things (plants, animals, fungi, bacteria) interacting with each other AND their non-living environment (soil, water, sunlight, air).
Key idea: In an ecosystem, everything is connected. If one part changes, it affects other parts.
🌳 Layers of the NZ Forest
🦎 Key Species in NZ Forests
Kererū
Role: Seed disperser
Only bird big enough to swallow large native seeds and spread them.
Wētā
Role: Decomposer
Breaks down dead plant material, recycling nutrients.
Kiwi
Role: Soil aerator
Probes soil for insects, mixing and turning it.
Fungi
Role: Nutrient cyclers
Connect trees underground, share nutrients between them!
🕸️ A Simple Forest Food Web
TOP PREDATORS
⬇️
CONSUMERS
⬇️
PRODUCERS
⬇️
DECOMPOSERS
⚠️ Threats to Forest Ecosystems
📝 Activity 1: Connection Web
Draw arrows to show how these forest organisms are connected:
| Organism | Depends on... | Is needed by... |
|---|---|---|
| Rimu tree | ||
| Kererū | ||
| Fungi | ||
| Ruru (owl) |
📝 Activity 2: What If...?
a) What would happen if all the kererū disappeared?
b) What would happen if all the fungi and decomposers disappeared?
c) Why is it important to protect ALL parts of an ecosystem, not just the "cute" animals?
📝 Activity 3: Being a Kaitiaki
What are three ways YOU could help protect forest ecosystems?
1.
2.
3.
📚 Key Kupu
Forest, bush
Ecosystem
Connection, relationship
Guardian, protector
👩🏫 Teacher Notes
Curriculum: NZC Level 3-4 Living World — Ecology; Life processes
Field Trip Ideas: Local bush walk, ZEALANDIA, regional park with native bush
Extension: Compare NZ forest to rainforest/temperate forest ecosystems; Research one species in depth; Create a terrarium model ecosystem.
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Level 3–4: Investigate how living and physical systems work; understand relationships between organisms and their environments; collect, interpret, and evaluate scientific evidence to explain natural phenomena.
Level 3–4: Understand how human activity affects natural environments; explore the connection between ecological health and community wellbeing; recognise the role of cultural knowledge in environmental decision-making.
Tuhia ōu whakaaro · Write Your Thoughts
Reflect on your learning. What was the most important idea? What question do you still have?
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
Mātauranga Māori is a sophisticated knowledge system built through centuries of careful observation, hypothesis, testing, and refinement — the same processes that define scientific inquiry. Māori knowledge of ecology, weather patterns, seasonal change, and animal behaviour guided sustainable resource management for generations before Western science arrived in Aotearoa. Understanding science through a dual-knowledge lens — bringing mātauranga Māori and Western science into dialogue rather than hierarchy — produces richer, more contextually grounded understanding. The concept of kaitiakitanga reminds us that scientific knowledge carries obligations: understanding how natural systems work means accepting responsibility for how we treat them.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Resources already provided
This handout is designed to be used alongside other resources in the same unit. Related materials are linked in the unit planner. All content is provided — no additional preparation is required to use this handout in your classroom.
📋 Teacher Planning Snapshot
Ngā Whāinga Ako — Learning Intentions
Students will engage with this resource to build understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand's ecosystems, biodiversity, and the role of kaitiakitanga in environmental stewardship.
Ngā Paearu Angitū — Success Criteria
- ✅ Students can explain key concepts from this resource using their own words.
- ✅ Students can connect the content to real-world environmental contexts in Aotearoa.
Differentiation & Inclusion
Scaffold support: Provide sentence starters, word banks, or graphic organisers to scaffold access for students who need it. Offer entry-level and extension tasks to address a range of readiness levels.
ELL / ESOL: Pre-teach key vocabulary and provide bilingual glossaries where available. Allow students to respond in their home language first.
Inclusion: Use accessible formats — clear font, adequate whitespace, structured tasks. Neurodiverse learners benefit from chunked instructions and choice in how they demonstrate understanding.
Prior knowledge: Best used after the relevant lesson sequence. No specialist prior knowledge required for entry-level engagement.