Connected 2020 Level 4 – Feeling the Heat
Look inside this issue
Wildfire
The article explores wildfires. It looks at what they are, what causes them, how they affect us, and how they are affected by the climate. In the process, it gives scientific explanations of some big ideas and processes, including climate change, carbon sinks, deforestation, adaptation, and feedback loops. The article ends by suggesting ways we can work together to reduce the risk of wildfires.
Pā Tūwatawata and the New Zealand Wars
This article describes the development of pā technology in the nineteenth century, as iwi and hapū defended themselves and their land against invasion. It explains how the basic features of pā technology were adapted in response to invasion by Pākehā – utilising the rich knowledge Māori held about their land.
Foulden Maar: Fossils or Food?
This article explains the formation of Foulden Maar, the remains of an ancient lake formed by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. As layers of silica-rich mud built up over thousands of years, it provided perfect conditions for fossilising the remains of plants and animals that fell to the bottom of the lake. However, the silica also has commercial value. The article explores the perspectives of a range of stakeholders who have different opinions about the future of the maar. It prompts critical thinking and finishes with a call to social action.
Fostering Felines
This article demonstrates how students at Sir Douglas Bader Intermediate School designed a technological device to solve a community problem – how to care for the thousands of newborn kittens handed in to the SPCA each year. It encourages the reader to consider the issues, giving a model for how the same process could be applied to other problems.
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