Best for
Week 4 when students are ready to compare scientific climate evidence with Māori observations of seasonal and environmental change.
Science + mātauranga Māori • Years 7-10 • Unit 9 Week 4 observation inquiry
Unit 9 Week 4 Traditional Climate Indicators
Use this worksheet to record ngā tohu o te taiao, compare them with scientific data, and explain how long-term environmental observation can support climate understanding and prediction.
Free tohu-comparison task, premium local-knowledge version
This version is ready to teach immediately. Te Wānanga becomes useful when you want iwi- or hapū-specific examples, local maramataka links, or a version shaped around your rohe.
- Generate a more visual or more academic comparison scaffold.
- Swap in local species, flowering patterns, or waterways.
- Save a localised Unit 9 knowledge-bridging pack in My Kete.
Kaiako planning snapshot
- Use length: 30-40 minutes.
- Grouping: Pairs or small groups for comparison talk, individual reflection.
- Prep: Bring one or two local examples of flowering, bird movement, tides, or weather signals if possible.
- Teaching move: Ask students what each indicator reveals about patterns over time, not just whether they have “seen it before”.
- Support / stretch: Provide a pre-filled indicator example for support; ask students to evaluate reliability and limitations for stretch.
Resources already provided
- Indicator comparison table
- Scientific-data connection prompts
- Mātauranga reflection questions
- Ethical-use guidance
- Teacher-only curriculum companion
This rebuild turns the blank worksheet into a real comparison task between observation systems and environmental evidence.
Ngā Whāinga Ako / Learning Intentions
- We are learning how ngā tohu o te taiao can signal seasonal or environmental change.
- We are learning how long-term observation supports climate understanding.
- We are learning to compare scientific evidence and mātauranga Māori respectfully.
Paearu Angitu / Success Criteria
- I can identify at least two traditional climate indicators and what they suggest.
- I can compare those indicators with a scientific source or dataset.
- I can explain how the two knowledge systems can work together.
Curriculum integration / Te Mātaiaho alignment
The companion page makes the science fit explicit around using ngā tohu o te taiao to monitor ecosystem health and understand environmental patterns over time.
Indicators come from long relationships with place
Ngā tohu o te taiao are not random signs. They come from noticing repeated patterns in plants, animals, weather, and waterways across many seasons and generations.
Through a mātauranga Māori lens, the task asks how whakapapa, kaitiakitanga, and close observation help people understand environmental change.
1. Record the indicators
List tohu that could help people notice changing seasons, weather, or ecosystem conditions.
| Indicator | What is observed? | What might it signal? | Scientific connection |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant / flowering sign | |||
| Bird or animal behaviour | |||
| Sky, wind, or water pattern |
2. Compare knowledge systems
Where do they agree?
What does the scientific data confirm or support?
What extra insight appears?
What does mātauranga Māori notice that a graph or measurement might miss?
3. Use respectfully
Write a short note about how students should work with traditional knowledge respectfully in a school inquiry.
4. Final reflection
Why is it stronger to study climate change with both scientific data and mātauranga Māori rather than only one of them?
Ngā Whāinga Akoranga · Learning Intentions
- We are learning to use evidence from multiple sources to understand environmental change.
- We are learning to connect scientific data with mātauranga Māori observations of the taiao.
- We are learning to make informed, evidence-based decisions about environmental care.
Hononga Marautanga · Curriculum Alignment
Science — Planet Earth and Beyond
Level 3–4: investigate how the Earth's climate has changed over time; understand how human activity affects ecosystems and atmospheric systems; use evidence to evaluate claims about climate impacts on local environments and communities.
Social Sciences — Ecological Sustainability
Level 3–4: understand that environmental changes have consequences for communities and future generations; develop the ability to evaluate responses to environmental challenges and propose informed, responsible action.
Aronga Mātauranga Māori
Ngā tohu o te taiao — the signs of the natural world — formed the basis of traditional Māori climate forecasting long before atmospheric science was formalised. The flowering of kōwhai indicated the start of the planting season; the migration of certain birds marked seasonal shifts; the behaviour of kahawai schools and the temperature of ocean currents informed fishing decisions. These indicators were not metaphors — they were empirical observations, tested and refined across generations, and carried in maramataka as operational knowledge.
What you are exploring in this handout is the epistemological question that underlies all of climate science: how do we know what the environment is doing, and how reliable is our knowledge? Mātauranga Māori answers this with place-specific, multi-generational observation. Western science answers it with instrumentation and statistical modelling. Both systems have strengths and limitations. The most robust environmental decisions draw on both.
Ngā Rauemi Tautoko · Support Materials
Resources already provided:
- This handout — complete during Weeks 4–5 of the climate inquiry
- Traditional Climate Indicators (unit-9-week4-traditional-climate-indicators.html) — mātauranga Māori lens on environmental change signals
- Local Climate Impacts Worksheet (unit-9-week4-local-climate-impacts-worksheet.html) — evidence-based local impact analysis
- Integrated Forecasting (unit-9-week5-integrated-forecasting.html) — synthesis task combining scientific and mātauranga knowledge
- Probability Modeling (unit-9-week5-probability-modeling.html) — quantitative forecasting methods
- Prediction Accuracy Analysis (unit-9-week5-prediction-accuracy-analysis.html) — evaluate how accurate environmental forecasts were