Design Your Dream Ecosystem
Design Your Dream Ecosystem · Years 9–11
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
Whakataukī | Proverb
"Toitū te marae a Tāne, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te iwi"
If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive.
This whakataukī reminds us that human wellbeing depends on healthy ecosystems. Our tīpuna understood the balance of nature - how forests, rivers, and oceans sustain all life. As kaitiaki, we must protect and restore our taiao. Designing your ideal ecosystem helps you think like a kaitiaki!
🌏 Design Your Dream Ecosystem
Level 4 (Years 8-9) | Science / Environmental Studies
📋 Learning Objectives:
- Design a balanced, functional ecosystem
- Include producers, consumers, and decomposers
- Show energy flow through food chains/webs
- Consider climate, geography, and biodiversity
- Apply kaitiakitanga principles to ecosystem design
✅ Ecosystem Design Checklist
Your ecosystem MUST include all of these:
🎨 Your Ecosystem Poster
(Energy source)
(Draw plants here)
(Draw animals)
(Fungi, bacteria)
🔗 Draw Your Food Chains
Food Chain #1:
Food Chain #2:
📋 Ecosystem Information Card
Ecosystem Name:
Location/Climate:
Temperature Range:
Unique Features (What makes your ecosystem special?):
Threats to Your Ecosystem:
How to Protect It (Kaitiakitanga Actions):
🎨 Design Your Ecosystem Poster
Use colors, labels, arrows, and illustrations to bring your ecosystem to life!
📝 Species List
List all organisms in your ecosystem and their roles:
| Organism Name | Role (Producer/Consumer/Decomposer) | Diet Type |
|---|---|---|
🌟 Extension Challenge
Climate Change Impact: How would your ecosystem be affected by climate change? What adaptations would organisms need?
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.