Y9 Science: Ecology in Aotearoa

🌱 Assessment Rubric: Restoration Proposal

Te Anga Aromatawai - Mahere Whakaora Taiao

"Ka mua, ka muri - Walking backwards into the future"

Learning from the past to restore our future

Student Name

Project Site

Date

Class

🌿 Restoration through a Māori Lens

Effective restoration in Aotearoa integrates both Western science and mātauranga Māori. Students should consider: What did this place look like before human impact? What species belong here? How can we work with nature rather than against it? The concept of whakapapa reminds us that all living things are connected - restoration of one species supports many others.

Criteria	Excellence (4)	Merit (3)	Achieved (2)	Not Yet (1)
Site Analysis Te Tātari Wāhi	Comprehensive current state assessment Historical ecology researched All threats identified and analysed Biodiversity audit thorough	Good site assessment Some historical context Key threats identified Good biodiversity survey	Basic site description Limited historical info Some threats mentioned Basic species list	Incomplete assessment No historical context Threats not identified No biodiversity data
Restoration Goals Ngā Whāinga	SMART goals clearly articulated Short and long-term goals balanced Ecologically realistic outcomes Connected to broader conservation	Clear, achievable goals Mix of timeframes Realistic outcomes Some broader connections	Goals present but vague Limited timeframe thinking Somewhat realistic Limited connections	No clear goals No timeframes Unrealistic expectations Isolated thinking
Action Plan Te Mahere Mahi	Detailed, sequenced actions Methods scientifically justified Native species choices appropriate Contingencies planned	Clear action sequence Methods explained Good species selection Some backup planning	Basic action list Some methods noted Reasonable species choices Limited planning depth	No clear actions Methods not explained Poor species choices No planning evident
Resource Planning Te Whakamahere Rauemi	Detailed, realistic budget Multiple funding sources explored Community partnerships identified Volunteer needs planned	Reasonable budget estimate Some funding ideas Community involvement noted Volunteer roles mentioned	Basic cost awareness Limited funding thought Some community mention Vague volunteer plans	No budget consideration No funding plan No community links No volunteer planning
Monitoring Plan Te Mahere Aroturuki	Comprehensive monitoring methods Clear success indicators Data collection planned Adaptive management approach	Good monitoring plan Success measures defined Data collection outlined Some flexibility built in	Basic monitoring ideas Some success measures Limited data planning Rigid approach	No monitoring plan No success measures No data collection No adaptability
Kaitiakitanga Guardianship & Culture	Deep integration of kaitiakitanga Mātauranga Māori respected Long-term guardianship planned Intergenerational thinking evident	Good kaitiakitanga understanding Māori perspectives included Sustainability considered Future focus present	Basic kaitiakitanga mention Some cultural awareness Limited sustainability Short-term focus	No kaitiakitanga evident No cultural awareness No sustainability No future thinking

📊 Score Summary

Site Analysis	_____ / 4
Restoration Goals	_____ / 4
Action Plan	_____ / 4
Resource Planning	_____ / 4
Monitoring Plan	_____ / 4
Kaitiakitanga	_____ / 4

Total: / 24 Grade:

Grade boundaries: Excellence (21-24) | Merit (16-20) | Achieved (10-15) | Not Achieved (6-9)

💬 Teacher Feedback

Strengths:

Areas for Growth:

Next Steps:

📚 Paired Resources

Restoration Proposal Template - Student planning document
Kaitiakitanga Commitment Template - Personal action plan

📋 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. 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.

Curriculum alignment

Ecosystems — Knowledge: Indigenous knowledge systems, such as mātauranga Māori, are often founded on long-term observations of environmental patterns. For example, ngā tohu o te taiao can be used to …
Chemical Reactions — Knowledge: Chemical reactions, including combustion and acid-base reactions, play key roles in both living systems (e.g. digestion) and non-living systems (e.g. engines).
Ecosystems — Knowledge: Marama Muru-Lanning (Contemporary) explores mātauranga Māori as environmental knowledge, linking Indigenous perspectives to ecological science.
Ecosystems — Practices: Interpreting data (e.g. graphs, maps) to evaluate how human activity (e.g. agriculture, resource extraction) influences ecosystem stability and biodiversity
Ecosystems — Knowledge: Human activity can alter environments faster than some species can adapt, leading to biodiversity loss.