Field Study Data Collection Sheet

Rangahau Taiao - Environmental Research

Site Information

Date: _________________________ Time: _____________

Weather: _________________________ Temperature: _______°C

Site Location: ________________________________________________

Site Description: _____________________________________________

Group Members: ______________________________________________

Research Question: How does biodiversity differ between sunny and shaded microhabitats?

Quadrat Sampling Data

Quadrat Size: 1m × 1m Number of Quadrats: 3 per site

Quadrat 1

Species Found Plant/Animal Type Count/Coverage Notes
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Total Species Count (Quadrat 1): _________

Quadrat 2

Species Found Plant/Animal Type Count/Coverage Notes
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Total Species Count (Quadrat 2): _________

Quadrat 3

Species Found Plant/Animal Type Count/Coverage Notes
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Total Species Count (Quadrat 3): _________

Abiotic Factor Measurements

Temperature Measurements

Air Temperature: ________°C (at ground level)

Soil Temperature: ________°C (5cm depth)

Time of measurement: _____________

Light Measurements

Light intensity: ________ lux (use light meter or phone app)

Light conditions: □ Full sun □ Partial shade □ Full shade

Canopy cover estimate: ________% (how much sky is blocked?)

Soil Conditions

Soil pH: ________ (use pH test strip)

Soil moisture: □ Very dry □ Dry □ Moist □ Wet □ Waterlogged

Soil type: □ Sandy □ Clay □ Loam □ Rocky □ Other: _______

Soil depth: ________cm (how deep can you push a stick?)

Other Environmental Factors

Wind conditions: □ Calm □ Light breeze □ Moderate □ Strong

Wind direction: ________________

Slope/topography: □ Flat □ Gentle slope □ Steep slope □ Hollow

Water sources nearby: □ None □ Puddles □ Stream □ Pond □ Other: _____

Observations & Interactions

Ecological Interactions Observed

Describe any interactions you observed between living and non-living factors:

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

Evidence of Human Impact

List any signs of human influence on this habitat:

□ Litter/rubbish □ Trampling/paths □ Planted species □ Structures

□ Mowing/maintenance □ Introduced species □ Other: _________________

Wildlife Activity

Record any animal activity you observed (even if you didn't see the animal):

□ Bird calls/songs □ Insect activity □ Animal droppings □ Tracks/trails

□ Feeding signs □ Nests/burrows □ Other: ________________________

Data Analysis (Complete after field work)

Biodiversity Calculations

Average species count: (Q1 + Q2 + Q3) ÷ 3 = _________ species per m²

Most Common Species

1. ________________________________ (found in ___ quadrats)

2. ________________________________ (found in ___ quadrats)

3. ________________________________ (found in ___ quadrats)

Unique Species (only found in one quadrat)

1. ________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________

Hypothesis & Conclusions

Original Hypothesis

I predicted that _____________ habitats would have higher biodiversity because:

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

Results Summary

My results show that:

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

This □ supports □ does not support my original hypothesis.

Scientific Explanation

I think these results occurred because:

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

iNaturalist Contributions

Citizen Science Data:

Number of species photographed: _________

Number uploaded to iNaturalist NZ: _________

Most interesting species discovered: _________________________

Species you couldn't identify: _____________________________

Te Reo Māori - Ecological Terms

📋 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