Arataki Educational Program Workshop Day

Join other home educated families in a visit & educational workshops to Arataki Visitors Centre in the magnificent Waitakere Ranges.

Our program for the day consists of 3 workshop options for the different age youth as well as time to go through the centre:

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Workshop information:
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Investigating invertebrates
Amazing diversity and adaptations of invertebrates.

Did you know that 95 percent of all animals on Earth are invertebrates?

Students become scientists to meet and explore the incredible diversity of the world’s smallest creatures.

Students participate in a variety of hands-on activities including an exciting bug hunt, to learn about the role invertebrates play in our food chain and discover unique adaptations that help them to survive and thrive in their forest habitat.

Explore the rich biodiversity and history of our native forest.
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Nature Trail
A Guided walk learning about and meeting our native biodiversity, with a variety of hands-on activities along the way.

The forest is brought to life as students journey around this wondrous 'pathway to learning', their interaction with the environment is facilitated by passionate and knowledgeable rangers.

Each walk is different as we tailor programmes to suit specific learning needs. Our topics include native birds, invertebrates, adaptation, plant identification, traditional use of the forest, the legacy of logging, forest communities, stratification, forest succession, decay and recycling, pest management and the impact of humans and threats to the forest.
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Stratification in a podocarp/broadleaf forest (bio2.6)
Investigate stratification of the forest.

Bio2.6 (AS91158): Investigate a pattern in an ecological community.

Students spend the day in the forest discovering the biodiversity within the Podocarp/Broadleaf Forest at Arataki.

They will explore Gause’s Law that “no two species can occupy the same niche” by learning about how species are adapted to different abiotic factors (temperature, humidity, light intensity) and biotic factors (commensalism, mutualism, competition and predation) which determine their place and role within the forest.

Students will collect data on the abiotic conditions and biotic relationships within each strata of the forest and collaborate to build a forest profile for use back in the classroom.
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About Arataki Visitors Centre:
At the visitor centre, interactive displays, colourful stories and powerful images bring the history and ecology of the area to life.

Amidst the calls of many native birds, students learn about the European settlers who came in search of kauri. They also learn about the local iwi, Te Kawerau a Maki, whose ancestral guardians keep watch with magnificent pou throughout the building. 

Live geckos, wētā and stick insects are part of a hands-on activity space, which includes a microscopic camera to encourage students to make their own discoveries.

The many puzzles and books keep younger children happy as they lounge on a giant peripatus, surrounded by images of native flora and fauna.



IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM ARATAKI VISITORS CENTRE:
(you will be asked to agree you have read and understand with your booking)

- Experience Centre Risk Assessment: Arataki & Karamatura Valley
- Parents or supervising adults are responsible for the behaviour of youth and will have an active role to play during the programme. Your educators on the day will explain these responsibilities on the day.

- Please bring your own first aid kit and carry it at all times.  We also recommend bringing EpiPens in case of anaphylaxis, as they are not available at our Experience Centres.  Sunhats, shoes and sunscreen are a must have. Raincoats are advisable. Please advise us of any special medical/behavioural needs upon arrival.

- The Arataki Education team are limited to teaching primary and secondary school students only, which does not include pre-school children.  Due to health and safety concerns, preschool children aren’t able to observe or be part of our teaching sessions, as they often need more supervision and direction.  Adults with preschool children are more than welcome to attend our welcome in the morning, including the introduction to the Arataki pou, but will need to self-guide around the Visitors Centre and surrounding trails whilst we take students years 1+ into the forest.  All other adults will need to assist in supervising the entire group in order to keep an appropriate supervision structure or safety ratio.

- Supervision Ratios: primary age we recommend an adult to student ratio of 1:5, intermediate age 1:8, and secondary age 1:10. 

- The majority of tracks in the Waitakere Ranges are closed due to kauri dieback disease.  Please make sure all students, teachers and adults have clean shoes before arrival in the park. More Information

- The Arataki Education team and Te Kawerau ā Maki have been developing tikanga practices, that we will share with you throughout your visit.  This includes karakia at the start and end of the day, a welcoming mihi, and time for whanangatanga during morning tea.  Tūrangawaewae connects visitors to the whenua, which we encourage through introducing all groups to the tupuna (ancestors) on the Arataki pou.  We welcome any response that your group may like to give, which could include your own karakia, waiata and/or pepeha. 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT LIFE LEARNERS EVENTS:
(you will be asked to agree you have read and understand with your booking)

Check in: Life Learners crew will be at this event!
You will need to sign in your groups booking when you arrive at the event.

Group Minimums: There is a minimum amount of tickets that need to purchased on most events (set by the venue). If this event fails to reach the minimum amount of tickets booked before the last day of registration; the event will be cancelled and refunded. 

Communication and updates about Life Learners Events: updates will be emailed via the events website (Humanitix), posted on the event booking page and the Facebook Events Page. Please ensure you are keeping up to date on this information and check the event booking page the day before your event for any updates.

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Refunds, Cancellations & Transfers