We can help create healthy environments for native birds

This term Basecamp have been learning through the transdisciplinary theme of: "How we share the Planet"

An inquiry into the rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and with other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.

Using the central idea of ‘We can help create healthy environments for native birds’ we have been exploring the concepts:

• A healthy environment is essential for a thriving native bird population. (Form)

• It is our responsibility to care for and improve our environment. (Responsibility)

• Native birds are an important part of the local ecosystem. (Connection)

We launched our new Inquiry with a surprise delivery! A box marked FRAGILE was delivered to the class and Basecamp were so excited to find out what was inside. We found many clues as to what our new Inquiry might be about such as bird nests, a bag of plastic rubbish and some beautiful native bird toys - a Piwakawaka, a Tui and Kiwi.

Basecamp were full of ideas about why rubbish would be in our special delivery box and quite outraged too!

Over the next few sessions we visited the beautiful Hilltop reserve to look and listen for birds, researched some of our native birds and have been finding out many facts about our beautiful native kiwi. We will continue to research more about our native birds habitats and discover ways that we can actually make a difference to their environments.

Basecamp are full of knowledge, ideas, wonderings and enthusiasm about this Inquiry and we have been so excited that many children are continuing their learning at home and making connections with the wider world. Our Inquiry learning has even prompted some ‘action’ and some children have used their initiative to go and pick up litter in their local areas to protect our native birds! Ka pai Basecamp.