Every September, the kūaka, or bar-tailed godwit, flies more than 11 600 kilometres from Alaska to New Zealand, and each March to June it flies back again. This engaging article explores its remarkable migration – its departure and arrival periods, how fast it flies, where and on what it feeds in New Zealand, and how it manages to fly for long distances without eating. The article also offers a traditional Māori perspective on kūaka.
Imagine a snake longer than a bus and big enough to swallow a cow. That was Titanoboa, one of the most ferocious predators on Earth some sixty million years ago – five million years after the dinosaurs died out.
Young Wilfred can be a rebellious godwit, but news that his family will soon embark on “the Journey” takes the wind out of his wings. After his family explain what “the Journey” is – their annual migration from Alaska to New Zealand – and a godwit elder recounts his heroic journey, Wilfred reassesses his attitude.
Every September, the kūaka, or bar-tailed godwit, flies more than 11 600 kilometres from Alaska to New Zealand, and each March to June it flies back again. This engaging article explores its remarkable migration – its departure and arrival periods, how fast it flies, where and on what it feeds in New Zealand, and how it manages to fly for long distances without eating. The article also offers a traditional Māori perspective on kūaka.
Imagine a snake longer than a bus and big enough to swallow a cow. That was Titanoboa, one of the most ferocious predators on Earth some sixty million years ago – five million years after the dinosaurs died out.
Young Wilfred can be a rebellious godwit, but news that his family will soon embark on “the Journey” takes the wind out of his wings. After his family explain what “the Journey” is – their annual migration from Alaska to New Zealand – and a godwit elder recounts his heroic journey, Wilfred reassesses his attitude.
A boy and his koro enjoy a day fishing together. When the boy reels in the biggest fish he has ever caught, enough to feed the whole family for dinner, he proudly poses for the camera with his catch. Readers will share his surprise when Koro then tells him to release the fish. By explaining that it will go on to produce more in the future, Koro shares his values and traditions about sustainability with his moko.
This article explains what happens during an asthma attack, what triggers asthma, and how people control it. To help readers connect the information to a real-life context, the article includes the example of a specific person’s experiences. Amber and the narrator describe how she manages her asthma, how other people can help, and how she is able to participate in everyday activities.
This article, about a class’s science investigation, recounts how the students compare the sea life of a “protected” marine reserve with that at an “unprotected” beach. They discover clear differences and identify the harm people do to the environment by littering. The students raise community awareness of the issue by organising a sponsored parade.
A boy and his koro enjoy a day fishing together. When the boy reels in the biggest fish he has ever caught, enough to feed the whole family for dinner, he proudly poses for the camera with his catch. Readers will share his surprise when Koro then tells him to release the fish. By explaining that it will go on to produce more in the future, Koro shares his values and traditions about sustainability with his moko.
This article explains what happens during an asthma attack, what triggers asthma, and how people control it. To help readers connect the information to a real-life context, the article includes the example of a specific person’s experiences. Amber and the narrator describe how she manages her asthma, how other people can help, and how she is able to participate in everyday activities.
This article, about a class’s science investigation, recounts how the students compare the sea life of a “protected” marine reserve with that at an “unprotected” beach. They discover clear differences and identify the harm people do to the environment by littering. The students raise community awareness of the issue by organising a sponsored parade.
Miniature dragsters were the focus of a technology challenge for a group of intermediate students. In this article, we follow the planning, construction, and testing of the students’ designs. It is all about speed. Readers will learn about the different factors students had to consider when designing and making aerodynamic cars.
This historical recount follows the efforts of Doctor John Snow to isolate the cause of a cholera epidemic in London during the nineteenth century. In his struggle to convince the establishment of his theories, he developed a “spot map”, which identified cluster patterns of cholera deaths in areas around water pumps. Although not recognised at the time, he is now considered a pioneer in the field of disease mapping.
“The White Truck” recounts the removal and isolation of a leprosy patient in Sāmoa. The story expertly engages the reader by providing clues without explicitly stating what the issue is. Students will connect with Timu and Moana and feel empathy as the events unfold.
Miniature dragsters were the focus of a technology challenge for a group of intermediate students. In this article, we follow the planning, construction, and testing of the students’ designs. It is all about speed. Readers will learn about the different factors students had to consider when designing and making aerodynamic cars.