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Bee-Bot New Zealand Geography
Teachers Notes and Suggested Activities
The New Zealand Geography Mat can be used to learn;
 Awareness of New Zealand – regions, cities, volcanos, mountains, geothermal areas and much more…
 Control programming
 Problem solving and collaboration
 Map skills and measurement
New Zealand Regions Picture Match
1. Northland
2. Auckland
3. Waikato
4. Bay of Plenty
5. Gisborne
6. Hawke’s Bay
7. Taranaki
8. Manawatu/Wanganui
9. Wellington
10.
Tasman
11.
West Coast
12.
Canterbury
13.
Otago
14.
Southland
Bee-bot New Zealand – Regions – Teachers notes
1. Northland
Also known as Hiku-o-te-Ika, 'the Tail of the Fish (of Maui)).
Northland is located in what is often referred to by New Zealanders as the Far North, or,
because of its mild climate, The Winterless North.
Stretching from a narrowing of the peninsula close to the town of Wellsford, Northland
extends north to the tip of the North Auckland Peninsula, covering an area of
13,940 km², a little over five per cent of the country's total area.
It is bounded to the west by the Tasman Sea, and to the east by the Pacific Ocean. The
land is predominantly rolling hill country. Farming and forestry occupy over half of the
land, and are two of the region's main industries.
It is also home to New Zealand's largest tree, Tane Mahuta, who stands tall and proud in
the Waipoua Forest south of the Hokianga Harbour.
The western coast of the region is dominated by several long straight beaches, the most
famous of which is the inaccurately named 88 kilometre-long stretch of Ninety Mile
Beach in the region's far north.
The northernmost points of the North Island mainland lie at the top of Northland. These
include several points often confused in the public mind as being the country's
northernmost points: Cape Maria van Diemen, Spirits Bay, Cape Reinga, and North Cape.
The northernmost point of the North Island is actually the Surville Cliffs. Cape Reinga
and Spirits Bay do, however, have a symbolic part to play as the end of the country. In
Māori mythology, it is from here that the souls of the dead depart on their journey to
the afterlife.
2. Auckland
Also known as Tāmaki Makaurau.
Auckland is the largest and most populous urban area in the country. It has 31% of the
country's population. Auckland has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the
world. It is one of the few cities in the world to have harbours on two separate major
bodies of water.
Auckland was officially declared New Zealand's capital in 1841, and the transfer of the
administration from Russell (now Old Russell) in the Bay of Islands was completed in
1842. However, even in 1840 Port Nicholson (later Wellington) was seen as a better
choice for an administrative capital because of its proximity to the South Island and
Wellington became the capital in 1865.
Auckland is popularly known as the "City of Sails" because the harbour is often dotted
with hundreds of yachts. Viaduct Basin also hosted two America's Cup challenges (2000
Cup and 2003 Cup).
Places of interest to visit in Auckland include
:
 Harbour Bridge - connecting Central Auckland and the North Shore, an iconic
symbol of Auckland.
 Aotea Square - the hub of downtown Auckland beside Queen Street, it is the site
of crafts markets, rallies and arts festivals.
 Eden Park - the city's primary stadium and a frequent home for All Blacks rugby
union and Black Caps cricket matches. It was the location of the 2011 Rugby
World Cup final.
 Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium - a well-known aquarium and Antarctic
environment in the eastern suburb of Mission Bay, built in a set of former sewage
storage tanks, showcasing penguins, turtles, sharks, tropical fish, sting rays and
other marine creatures.
 MOTAT - Auckland's Museum for Transport and Technology, at Western Springs.
 Sky Tower - the tallest free-standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere, it is
328 m (1,076 ft) tall and has excellent panoramic views.
 Vector Arena - events centre in downtown Auckland completed in 2007. Holding
12,000 people, it is used for sports and concert events.
 Viaduct Basin - a marina and residential development in downtown Auckland, the
venue for the America's Cup regattas in 2000 and 2003.
 One Tree Hill (Maungakiekie) - a volcanic cone that dominates the skyline in the
southern, inner suburbs. It no longer has a tree on the summit (after a politically
motivated attack on the old tree).
3. Waikato
Waikato translates as "flowing water" (specifically, wai = "water" and kato = "the pull of
the river current in the sea").
The region stretches from Coromandel Peninsula in the north, to the north-eastern
slopes of Mount Ruapehu in the south.
The largest city in the Waikato Region is Hamilton, with an estimated urban and rural
population of 206,400. It is home to the University of Waikato and the Waikato Institute
of Technology (Wintec).
Waikato is dominated by the river flowing through it. The upper reaches of the Waikato
River are used for hydroelectricity, helped by several large artificial lakes in the region's
south-east. The lowest and earliest-created such lake is Lake Karapiro, now developed as
a world-class rowing centre, where the world championships were held in 2010. The
river flows out of the country's largest lake, Lake Taupo.
Dairy farming has been the main agricultural activity since the late nineteenth century
and of late, the breeding of race horses has risen.
New Zealand is a geologically active country with numerous geothermal features,
including volcanoes, hot springs, geysers and volcanic lakes. Many of these features are
close together, throughout Taupo’s Volcanic Zone.
4. Bay of Plenty
The Bay of Plenty was the first part of New Zealand to be settled, by the Māori. The
name "Bay of Plenty" originated with James Cook during his 1769–70 exploration of New
Zealand, who noted the abundant resources in the area. The Māori name for the bay is
Te Moana-a-Toi ("the sea of Toi"), a reference to the ancestral explorer Toi-te-huatahi.
The coastline that runs from Waihi Beach in the west to Opape is defined as sandy coast,
while the coast from Opape to Cape Runaway is rocky shore. Sizeable harbours are
located at Tauranga, Whakatane and Ohiwa. Eight major rivers empty into the bay from
inland catchments, including Wairoa River, Kaituna, Tarawera, Rangitaiki, Whakatane,
Waioeka, Motu and Raukokore Rivers.
The bay contains numerous islands, notably the active volcano Whakaari or White Island,
which lies 50 kilometres from the North Island coast in the eastern bay.
The largest city in the Bay of Plenty region is Tauranga with an estimated urban
population of 121,500.
More recently of note, on 5 October 2011, the MV Rena ran aground on the Astrolabe
Reef off the coast of the Bay of Plenty causing a large oil spill. The spill is described as
New Zealand's worst ever environmental disaster.
The favourable climatic and growing conditions around the bay's coast make this area a
major fruit- and vegetable-growing region, with major crops including kiwifruit and
apples.
5. Gisborne
The Gisborne Region also known as 'Tairāwhiti' is located at the northern end of Poverty
Bay on the east coast. It is also referred to as the East Cape or East Coast or Eastland
region. The Māori name for Gisborne is Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.
The largest settlement is the city also named Gisborne. It is a sparsely inhabited and
isolated region, with small settlements mainly clinging to small bays along the eastern
shore. The population of the region is 46,800 with almost three quarters of those living
in the city of Gisborne. No other settlement has a population of over 1000. The largest
other settlements are the towns of Tolaga Bay and Ruatoria, each with populations of
over 800.
Gisborne is well known for being the first city to see the sun. It is also well known for
Titirangi which is a hill in Gisborne . It is also known as Kaiti Hill, but this refers to the
first ridge overlooking Poverty Bay and Gisborne. The hill is an ancestral site of the Ngati
Oneone hapū in Gisborne.
6. Hawke’s Bay
Hawke's Bay, also known as Heretaunga, is a region located on the east coast of the
North Island. The region bears the former name of what is now Hawke Bay, a large semicircular bay which extends for 100 kilometres from northeast to southwest from Mahia
Peninsula to Cape Kidnappers.
Hawke’s Bay is home to a hill with the longest place name in New Zealand, and the
longest in the world according to the 2009 Guinness Book of Records.
Taumata-whakatangihanga-koauau-o-tamatea-turi-pukakapiki-maunga-horo-nuku-pokai
-whenua-kitanatahu, located not far from Waipukurau.
The region's estimated population is 155,000. Of these, 57,800 live in the Napier district
and 74,300 lived in the Hastings district, which are the main urban areas.
On February 3, 1931, Napier and Hastings were devastated following one of New
Zealand's worst natural disaster. An earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale killed
256 people. Napier began re-building and now the city is world famous for its Art Deco
buildings and celebrates its heritage each February with the Art Deco Weekend. An
exhibition on the earthquake, its causes and impact, at the Hawke's Bay Museum and
Art Gallery is a popular destination for visitors from around the world.
7. Taranaki
Taranaki is a region in the west of the North Island. It is named for the region's main
geographical feature, Mount Taranaki. Although Māori had called the mountain Taranaki
for many centuries, Captain James Cook renamed it Egmont after the Earl of Egmont the
recently retired First Lord of the Admiralty who had encouraged his expedition. The
mountain has two alternative official names, "Mount Taranaki" and "Mount Egmont".
Mount Taranaki, or Mount Egmont—Te Maunga O Taranaki in Māori—is the dominant
feature of the region, second-tallest mountain in the North Island. Māori legend says
that Taranaki previously lived with the Tongariro, Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu mountains of
the central North Island but fled to its current location after a battle with Tongariro.
Taranaki, a near-perfect cone, last erupted in the mid-18th century. The mountain and
its immediate surrounds form Egmont National Park.
The region has an estimated population of 110,100 with just under half living in the city
of New Plymouth.
The region is exceptionally fertile, thanks to generous rainfall and the rich volcanic soil.
Dairy farming predominates, with the milk factory just outside Hawera being the second
largest in the Southern Hemisphere. There are also oil and gas deposits in the region,
both on- and off-shore. The Maui gas field off the south-west coast has provided most of
New Zealand's gas supply.
New Plymouth hosts a Festival of Lights running through December and January in
Pukekura Park. It is also host the the Te Rewa Rewa Bridge which is a pedestrian and
cycleway bridge across the Waiwhakaiho River. Its spectacular shape and setting make it
a popular landmark.
8. Manawatu and Wanganui
Manawatu-Wanganui is a region in the lower half of the North Island, around the cities
of Palmerston North and Whanganui. The region is also known as the Horizon district.
The largest city is Palmerston North, with an estimated population of 85,300 Wanganui
or Whanganui, has an estimated population of 43,200 (June 2012 estimate).
The region is defined by two significant rivers, the Whanganui and the Manawatu. The
Whanganui River, in the region's northwest, is the longest navigable river in New
Zealand. The river was extremely important to early Māori as it was the southern link in
a chain of waterways that spanned almost two-thirds of the North Island. The
Manawatu River runs across the centre of the region, from rolling hill country in the east
to the fertile Manawatu Plains in the west. This river is unusual, in that it passes from hill
country to plains through a gorge cut into much higher country, an indication that the
hills have risen since the river formed.
Although called Wanganui from 1854, the New Zealand Geographic Board
recommended that the name be changed to "Whanganui", and the government decided
in December 2009 that, while either spelling was acceptable, Crown agencies would use
the Whanganui spelling. This happened because in the local dialect, Māori pronounce
the phoneme wh as [ˀw], Until recently it was generally written as "Wanganui" and
pronounced with a w by non-speakers of Māori and a wh by those Māori speakers.
Wanganui in English translates to ‘Big Bay’ or ‘Big Harbour’.
Palmerston North, which in Māori translates to Te Papaioea, commonly referred to by
locals as Palmerston, or colloquially Palmy, is the main city of the Manawatu-Wanganui
region.
The Tararua and Ruahine ranges are noted for being windy, and an ideal location for
harnessing the power of the wind. The Tararua and Te Apiti Windfarms realise this.
The Tararua windfarm consists of 134 windmills and the Te Apiti windfarm on the brow
of a hill in the Ruahine range chain next the Manawatu River, has 55 windmills.
Palmerston North is an important base for tertiary institutions, the home campuses of
Massey University, Universal College of Learning(UCOL) and International Pacific College
are here. A large proportion of Palmerston North's population consists of students
attending these institutions or the various Papaioea Campuses of Te Wananga o
Aotearoa during the student year.
9. Wellington
Wellington goes by three names. Te Whanga-nui-a-Tara refers to Wellington Harbour
and means "the great harbour of Tara". Pōneke is a transliteration of Port Nick, short for
Port Nicholson (the city's central marae, the community supporting it and its kapa haka
have the pseudo-tribal name of Ngāti Pōneke). Te Upoko-o-te-Ika-a-Māui, meaning The
Head of the Fish of Māui (often shortened to Te Upoko-o-te-Ika), a traditional name for
the southernmost part of the North Island, derives from the legend of the fishing up of
the island by the demi-god Māui.
Wellington became capital of New Zealand in 1865, the third capital of New Zealand
after Russell and Auckland.
The Wellington Region has a total population of 490,100 (June 2012 estimate), and the
Wellington urban area contains 99% of that population.
Wellington is New Zealand's political centre, housing Parliament, the head offices of all
Government Ministries and Departments and the bulk of the foreign diplomatic missions
in New Zealand.
The city is notorious for its southerly blasts in winter, and is generally very windy all year
round with a high rainfall.
Filmmakers Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor turned the eastern suburb of
Miramar into a film-making, post-production and special effects infrastructure, giving
rise to the moniker 'Wellywood'. Recent films shot partly or wholly in Wellington include
the Lord of The Rings trilogy, King Kong and Avatar.
10.Tasman/Nelson/Marlborough
Tasman District is a large area at the top western side of the South Island of New
Zealand.
The landscape is diverse, from large mountainous areas to valleys and plains, and is
sliced by such major rivers as the Buller River, Motueka, Aorere, Takaka and Wairoa
River. The limestone-rich area around Mount Owen and Mount Arthur is notable for its
extensive cave networks, among them New Zealand's deepest caves at Ellis Basin and
Nettlebed. There is abundant bush and bird life, golden sand beaches, the unique 40kilometre sands of Farewell Spit, and good fishing in the bays and rivers. These assets
make the district a popular destination for tourists.
Tasman is home to three national parks: Abel Tasman National Park (New Zealand's
smallest at 225.41 km²), Nelson Lakes National Park (1,017.53 km²) and Kahurangi
National Park (4,520 km²).
The June 2012 estimated population is 46,500 with Nelson being the largest area with
106,000 and Marlborough having 45,700.
Nelson was established in 1841, it is the second-oldest settled city in New Zealand and
the oldest in the South Island.
Nelson is well known to be the cycling centre of New Zealand. The Heaphy Track is the
place to be for winter mountain biking. It is also a paradise for kayaking and is the
Creative Arts Capital of New Zealand. Port Nelson is the biggest fishing port in
Australasia.
Marlborough is one of New Zealand's most innovative, vibrant and successful regional
economies. The region is showing the way in areas as diverse as tourism and
aeronautical engineering, wine production and marine farming. Marlborough is known
for its dry climate and the picturesque Marlborough Sounds.
11.West Coast
The West Coast in Māori: 'Te Tai Poutini' is located on the west coast of the South Island,
and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. It is
made up of three districts: Buller, Grey and Westland. The main towns are Westport,
Greymouth and Hokitika.
The land is very scenic, with wild coastlines, mountains, and a lot of native bush, much
of it native rain forest. Scenic areas include the Haast Pass, Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers,
the Pancake Rocks at Punakaiki and the Heaphy Track.
West Coast has been well mined for pounamu or greenstone by the Māori, then Gold
and Coal by the early settlers. Timber has also long been a major industry in the region.
The estimated population in June 2012 is 32,900, sparsely populated compared to the
rest of New Zealand, largely due to the mountainous geography.
The West Coast is also notable for being the only New Zealand nesting place of the
White Heron or Kotuku, which nests near the Okarito Lagoon and can be visited from
tours operating out of the small farming township of Whataroa. This rare bird appears
on the New Zealand $2 coin.
12.Canterbury
The region of Canterbury (in Māori: Waitaha) is mainly made up of the Canterbury Plains
and the surrounding mountains. It is New Zealand’s largest Region by area, a whopping
45,346 km².
The population of Canterbury region is 558,800 (June 2012 estimate)making it the
largest region in the South Island and the second largest region in New Zealand by
population.
Like much of the Canterbury-Otago tussock grasslands the Canterbury Plains have been
highly modified since human settlement and now support a large agricultural industry.
The amount of dairy farming is increasing which means an increase in the demand for
water. Water use is now becoming a contentious issue in Canterbury. Lowland rivers and
streams are generally polluted and some of the aquifers are running dangerously low
Christchurch is the major city in the Canterbury Region with an estimated population of
348,400 and is New Zealand's second-largest city and the gateway to the South Island.
Bordered by hills and the Pacific Ocean, it is situated on the edge of the Canterbury
Plains that stretch to the Southern Alps.
The Central City and some eastern suburbs suffered from two major earthquakes in
2010 and 2011 but the city as a whole continues to operate and Christchurch is still a
great place to live.
Canterbury is home to some of the best Rugby players in the world with the name
Canterbury and Crusaders being synonymous with winning.
13.Otago
The population of Otago is 211,300 from the June 2012 estimate. About 55.7 percent of
the population resides in the Dunedin urban area—the region’s main city and the
country’s sixth largest urban area. For historical and geographical reasons, Dunedin is
usually regarded as one of New Zealand's four main centres. Unlike other southern
centres, Dunedin’s population has not declined since the 1970s due to the presence of
the University of Otago especially its medical school which attracts students from all
over New Zealand and overseas.
Otago began to grow rapidly when gold discoveries at Clyde and on the Arrow River
round Arrowtown led to a boom, and Otago became for a short while, the cultural and
economic centre of New Zealand. New Zealand's first daily newspaper, the Otago Daily
Times, originally edited by Julius Vogel, was born at this time.
Otago has been well represented with Queenstown , a large town and tourist area on
the edge of Lake Wakatipu, becoming a mecca for holdiday makers and the Moeraki
Boulders, just South of Oamaru, are geological marvels, exposed by erosion of
sedimentary rocks laid down from 65 to 13 million years ago. These spherical rocks are
internationally scientifically significant and are a popular tourist attraction.
14.Southland
Southland's two principal urban settlements are the city of Invercargill and the town of
Gore. Southland covers an area of 28,681 square kilometres. In the June 2012 estimate
it had a population of 94,900, making it one of New Zealand's most sparsely populated
areas. The sizable western part Fiordland is almost empty of permanent human
inhabitation.
The region is home to two national parks: Fiordland National Park and Rakiura National
Park. Southland also includes Stewart Island, 85% of which is covered by Rakiura
National Park.
Southland contains the nation’s largest hydroelectric power station at Manapouri which
is owned by Meridian Energy and powers the Tiwai Point Aluminium Smelter.
Bluff is a town and seaport in the Southland region. It is the southern-most town in New
Zealand. Bluff harbour is also home to the Foveaux Strait oyster fleet. Bluff oysters are
renowned for their succulence and flavour, and are considered a delicacy nationwide.
Suggested Activities:
Bee-Bot Does New Zealand
Send Bee-Bot on a trip around New Zealand:
This can be an activity where the children are divided into groups or a split class, or may be
used as an activity on a task board where the children complete the activity as individuals.
1. Shuffle the question cards.
2. A student will take the top card and turn it over.
3. Read the question and if in a group discuss it or as an individual decide where
Bee-Bot might be.
4. When an answer is decided. Programme Bee-Bot to get there.
5. Answers may be checked by printing out the teachers notes or saving them as a
PDF format and sending them to ipads/tablets or emails for the children to read.
Matching Pairs
Match the pairs of question cards and clue cards.
1. Spread the question and the clue cards face down.
2. Match the Clue cards and the question cards.
3. Send Bee-bot to that region with the picture in it.
What Region am I?
1. Share the region picture cards out between a group of children, but do not show
anybody else.
2. Take it in turns to give descriptions of the region they have whilst the others listen
and try to identify the correct region.