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Learning Activities for KIWI Outdoors in Aotearoa

The activities in this resource come from the 'Kiwi Outdoors' manual put together by the Hillary Commission in 1995. EONZ has made this into an online version so the activities can continue to be used to enhance all areas of the curriculum. Use them for; units of work within a class; outdoor education units or programmes; environmental units or programmes; school camps or however you see fit. They are a great way to give our tamariki more connection to nature and the outdoors in our own backyards.

EONZ wishes to acknowledge Sport NZ (formally the Hillary Commission), the individuals who worked on the manual and the originators of the activities. 

 

 

Activity Name and Link

Type

Learning Area

Task

AB-IC

Level 1-4

Alphabetical search and record

Science, English          

Find an object for each letter of the alphabet.

Be like a……..

Level 1-4

Role Playing

Health and Physical Education, Arts, English. 

To role play an animal, plant, object from nature.

Billy Nilly

Level 3-4

Group problem solving

Health and Physical Education, English

To move a billy of water along a string obstacle course without spilling any.

Blackout Trail

Level 1-4

Observation and communication

Health and Physical Education, Language and Mathematics

To use all senses except sight to explore an unknown route then describe it.

Bottoms up

Level 3-4

Group problem solving

Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education

To coordinate movement and effort to achieve success.

Bridge Building

Level 4

Group problem solving

 

Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education, Technology

To build a safe rope bridge.

 

Bush Housie

Level 1-4

Bush Housie recording sheet

Observation game

 

Science, social sciences and language

To match objects in the environment to given criteria.

Constructions

Level 1-4

Construction

Arts, Technology

 

To construct an object from available materials.

Design and Build

Level 3-4

Group construction problem

Arts, Technology

To design and build a useful object from collected material.

Down on fun farm

Level 1-4

A group listening experience

 

Health and Physical Education, Language

To form sub-groups by listening to sounds.

Down Under

Level 3-4

Exploring and coping with fear

 

Language, Social Sciences

To explore a strange and perhaps frightening place.

Drained

Level 2-4

Health unit

Technology, Language,Maths, Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education

To study and gain some understanding of a waste disposal system.

Evaporation

Level 1-4

Science activity

Science, Maths

 

To map the evaporation of a pool of water.

Feel this

Level 2-4

Search and record

Language, Science, Arts

To find objects of a given texture.

Fern Frolic

Level 2-4

Observation, recording and classification

Science, Maths

To carry out a study of ferns.

Finding direction from the stars

Level 3-4

Survival Skills

Maths, Science, Health and Physical Education

To find north using the stars.

Finding direction from the sun

Level 2-4

Survival Skills

Maths, Science, Health and Physical Education

To find north using the sun.

Get and Set

Level 1-4

Collect and classify

Science, Maths

Collect objects from the area and classify them.

How high is it

Level 4

Height estimation

Maths, Science

To estimate the height of objects using different methods.

How old am I

Level 2-4

Observing and classifying

Maths, Science, Language

To classify objects in the environment by age.

How wide is it

Level 4

Distance estimation

Maths, Science

To estimate an inaccessible distance.

Human Cameras

Level 1-4

Observation test

Language, Science, Arts

To find out what detail can be taken in from a 1 to 3 second viewing.

It’s a dogs show

Level 3-4

A practical problem solving communication exercise

Health and Physical Education

To guide blindfolded “sheep”into a pen without using the voice.

Knotty Problem

Level 3-4

Group problem solving

Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education

To untie a human knot without breaking the line.

Loads of Rubbish

Level 2-4

Loads of rubbish activity sheet

Environmental care

Health and Physical Education, Maths and Science

To clean up an untidy area and classify the rubbish collected.

Magic Potion

Level 3-4

Tag game

Physical Education

To find the other teams magic potion and get it back to their own territory.

Make like a tree

Level 1-4

Group role play

Science, Arts

 

To construct a tree by role-playing its various parts and to understand their functions. 

Manu Taratahi

Level 3-4

Construction

Technology, Social Sciences, Arts, Science

To make and fly a Manu Taratahi (traditional Māori kite).

Masks

Level 1-4

Art and craft activity

Arts, Language, Health and Physical Education

To make a mask then use it in a story/play/dance.

Mother Bird

Level 1-2

Tag game

Health and Physical Education, Science

To run from one point to another without being caught.

Night Train

Level 3-4

A communication exercise

Health and Physical Education

To direct a blindfolded group along a set course.

Observation Snap

Level 1-4

Observe and Collect

Science, Health and Physical Education

To collect a set of memorised objects.

Overcrowded Island

Level 1-4

Group problem solving

Social Sciences, Health and Physical Education

To get as many people as possible inside a hoop.

Photo Finish

Level 2-4

Story making and photography

Language, Arts, Technology

To tell a story illustrated by photographs.

Playground Housie

Level 1-4

Playground Housie recording sheet

Observation game

Science, Social Sciences, Language

To find different objects according to given adjectives.

Pole Weave

Level 3-4

Group Problem Solving

Health and Physical Education, Social Sciences

To change groups from one end of a pole to the other without touching the ground.

Possum Hunt

Level 3-4

Night Hunt

Health and Physical Education, Science

To move through an area in the dark without being spotted.

Put a Ring Around It

Level 1-4

Observation and Data

Science, Maths

To find what exists in a small defined space.

Radioactive Waste

Level 3-4

Practical Problem Solving

Language, Health and Physical Education

To move an object by team effort.

Rainbows

Level 1-4

Colour Matching

Arts, Science

To find an object which matches each colour on a colour chat.

Reef Fish

Level 2-4

Tag Game

Science, Health and Physical Education

To use the sense of hearing to play a tag game.

Save Our…….

Level 4.

Identifying an issue and expressing a point of view           

Science, Language

To investigate and debate an environmental issue

Seed Search

Level 2-4

Seed Search recording sheet

Search and record

Science

To find examples of given types of seeds.

Shades

Level 1-4

Colour and Shade

Arts, Language

To find objects with several shades of the same colour then put them in order from darkest to lightest.

Shadow Compass

Level 1-4

Data gathering in science - finding direction

Maths, Science, Language

To determine north and south using a shadow stick.

Shape Search

Level 1-4

Shape Search recording sheet

Shape matching search

Maths, Arts

To find objects which match given shapes.

Shape Up

Level 2-4

Group problem solving

Health and Physical Education, Language, Maths.

To form given shapes with a long rope

Shapes by degrees

Level 3-4

Compass activity

Health and Physical Education, Maths

 

To complete simple miniature compass courses

Shelter Building

Level 2-4

Group construction problem

Health and Physical Education, Arts, Social Sciences

To make a secure shelter without damaging the environment.

Sound Track

Listening, recording and storytelling

Language, Technology

 

To record sounds and use them in a story.

Spider and the Fly

Level 3-4

Creative drama

Science, Arts, Language

To act out an interaction in the environment.

Spilly Billy

Level 2-4

Group problem solving

Health and Physical Education, Language

To fill a bucket from a source at a distance, keeping within the given rules.

Stalk the Treasure

Level 4

Compass activity

Maths, Health and Physical Education

To make a simple compass course for a partner to follow.

Star Trek

Level 3-4

Compass activity

Maths, Health and Physical Education

To complete a compass course.

Steps and Stairs

Level 1-4

Group study

Maths, Health and Physical Education, Language, Science, Social Sciences

To carry out the task on the cards.

Street Search

Level 3-4

Finding and recording

Mathematics, Health and Physical Education, Language, Social Sciences

To identify given features of the immediate school environment.

Stretchered

Level 3-4

Group problem solving

Health and Physical Education, Language, Technology.

To improvise a stretcher and carry someone on it.

String Along

Level 3-4

Observing creative writing

Language, Science

To write a story using natural objects as prompts.

Taniwha Swamp

Level 3-4

Practical problem solving experience

Language, Health and Physical Education

To move a group across an area without touching the ground.

Tarzan’s Troupe

Level 4

Group problem solving

Health and Physical Education, Language

To transfer the group and water across a “danger” area.

Teddy Bears Picnic

Level 1-2

Imaginative fun activity

Science, Health and Physical Education

To have fun while exploring a chosen environment.

Traffic Surveys

Level 3-4

Data collection

Maths, Social Sciences

To survey and record a chosen factor/s of traffic.

Tree Friends

Level 2-4

Observation without using the sense of sight

Science, Health and Physical Education

To explore a tree while blindfolded and then try to identify it by sight.

What Am I

Level 1-4

Information gathering by questioning

Science, Language

To identify a word pinned on your back by questioning.

Who cares

Level 2-4

Who cares game sheet

Environmental ‘snakes and ladders’

Social Science, Language

To get through the ‘snakes and ladders’ type game first.