Learning Objective: Separate ecosystem evidence from locally authorised guidance, then identify living and non-living components at the selected site.
Warm-up (Whakawhanaungatanga)
- Sort three statements about the site into observation, inference, and unknown.
- Name the approved local source, or record “local guidance not yet supplied”. Do not ask learners to disclose whānau knowledge.
Concept Build
- Introduce ecosystem terms: organism, habitat, abiotic/biotic, interactions.
- Use local names, histories, or mahinga kai knowledge only when the kura supplies an approved source.
Field Preparation
- Distribute Field Journal and Survey Checklist.
- Confirm access, safety, privacy, and any locally supplied tikanga. Do not require a learner to lead karakia or perform cultural knowledge.
Success Criteria
- Distinguish ecosystem evidence from local guidance that requires an authorised source.
- Identify at least 5 components and 3 interactions in the selected ecosystem.
Next: Lesson 2 – Food Webs
Curriculum alignment
"Biotic factors include living or once-living organisms in the ecosystem."
"Ecosystems are composed of biotic and abiotic factors, which interact with each other and are important to the survival of organisms."