New Zealand Geography and Kiwiana Culture Unit

Description

If you ask your students to name some of the major symbols in New Zealand or “Kiwiana” culture, most could rattle off a few: gumboots, kiwifruit, L&P, hokey pokey ice-cream, pavlova, number 8 wire… and the list goes on. Ask those same students to point to where they live on a map and the likelihood of success is less! Our New Zealand Geography and Kiwiana Culture Unit helps you to explore New Zealand’s geography and Kiwiana culture with your students.

Update: now features a fully digital set.

Your Year 5, 6, 7 and 8 students will really benefit from this unit. This resource would also be suitable as a whole class unit with scaffolding for Year 3 and 4 students.

This resource integrates reading, writing and social studies, so it can be used throughout your day. The three learning areas within the Social Studies curriculum that fit with this unit are Identity, Culture, and Organisation, Place and Environment, and Continuity and Change. You can read more about these areas here.

UPDATED January 2023

We have also provided te reo Māori labels for the New Zealand map such as North Island – Te Ika a Māui and South Island – Te Waipounamu. Additionally, the te reo place name is found on each urban area fact card, and many fact cards explain the meaning of the place name in both te reo and English. We have also included information, where appropriate, about the history of urban areas, including how the area was used by Māori in the past.

Use these activities with individuals, pairs, small groups or your entire class.

In our New Zealand Geography and Kiwiana Culture Unit you will receive:

• A Pre and Post-test for you to assess prior knowledge and new learning.

• A New Zealand Map Kiwiana puzzle
  • Nine fact cards
    • Pavlova
    • Fish and Chips
    • Feijoas
    • Kiwifruit
    • Kiwi (bird)
    • Hokey Pokey
    • Silver fern
    • Pōhutukawa
    • Jandals
  • Nine puzzle pieces with a range of activities

• New Zealand Urban Areas Fact Cards and Follow Up Activities
  • 16 fact cards based on New Zealand cities and urban areas
    • Whangarei
    • Auckland
    • Hamilton
    • Tauranga
    • Rotorua
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier and Hastings
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Wellington
    • Nelson
    • Christchurch
    • Nelson
    • Dunedin
    • Invercargill
      • These fact cards include QR codes that can be scanned to reveal further visual information about the location.
  • 16 follow up activity postcards
    • These feature cloze reading, find specific details and summarising activities, which make this resource easily differentiated.

• New Zealand Iconic Landmarks Research Skills Activities
  • 38 research skills postcards based on iconic New Zealand landmarks
    • We have included 38 of these landmarks, such as Hobbiton, the Cromwell Giant Fruit, the Auckland Harbour Bridge, and Abel Tasman National Park.
    • Students take part in independent research and share their findings on the provided postcards.
  • This activity could be used with the whole class or with early finishers.

• Eleven Māori Landmarks based on important areas to Māori
• Eleven follow up activity postcards
  • These feature cloze reading, find specific details and summarising activities, which make this resource easily differentiated.

• Two additional challenges:
  • Marketing a New Zealand landmark or tourist destination
  • Planning a New Zealand Road Trip

• Answers are provided where applicable.
• Additional web links about each urban centre.
• Tips for Use information sheets to get the most out of this resource.

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Click to see our full Kiwiana range here.