Tourism and Conservation

Overview

Lesson 5 of 6 in Discovering the Pink and White Terraces. Students investigate how tourism affected the terraces and surrounding communities, and how people can protect natural places and cultural heritage. They use evidence to consider different perspectives and recommend responsible action.

Learning intentions

• WALT explain some effects of tourism on the Pink and White Terraces.
• WALT describe why natural and cultural heritage should be protected.
• WALT compare the perspectives of visitors, local communities, mana whenua, businesses and conservationists.
• WALT suggest responsible ways to care for heritage places.

Success criteria

• I can identify positive and negative effects of tourism.
• I can explain why the terraces were important to people and remain significant today.
• I can use evidence to support an opinion.
• I can suggest a realistic conservation action and explain who it helps.

Curriculum links

• Understand how people participate in groups and communities and how their actions affect places.
• Understand how people make decisions about access to, use of and care for natural and cultural environments.
• Develop social inquiry skills: ask questions, gather and interpret information, consider values and perspectives, and communicate conclusions.
• Develop the competencies of participating and contributing, thinking, relating to others, and communicating effectively.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 minutes – Reconnect and hook Open with the opening image and inquiry question. Show an image of the terraces before the 1886 eruption and ask: “If thousands of visitors wanted to see this place, what might be helpful and what might cause harm?” Students think, pair-share, then offer initial ideas. Remind students that the Pink and White Terraces were important natural features and places connected with Māori history and identity, and were largely buried or destroyed by the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886.

2. 5–12 minutes – Build shared knowledge Use the tourism and heritage teaching slides to explain that tourism brought visitors, guides, transport, income and wider recognition, but could also create pressure through crowding, waste, damage, disruption and unequal benefits. Clarify that conservation includes caring for the landscape, respecting Māori cultural heritage, protecting evidence and stories, and making thoughtful decisions about access. Pause for students to identify one benefit and one possible concern.

3. 12–17 minutes – Perspectives activity Display the stakeholder perspectives slide. In groups of five, students take or discuss the perspectives of a mana whenua representative, local guide or business owner, visitor, conservation worker and local resident. Ask: “What might this person value?” and “What might they worry about?” Groups record one viewpoint for each perspective on the worksheet.

4. 17–30 minutes – Evidence and decision-making Distribute the tourism and conservation inquiry worksheet. Groups read the short evidence cards and complete a table showing positive effects, negative effects and people affected. They then rank three possible actions, such as limiting visitor numbers, providing guided visits, protecting archaeological evidence, sharing Māori stories appropriately, or reducing waste. Encourage students to explain which action is fairest and why. Year 4 students may use words and labelled drawings; Years 5–6 should support claims with evidence.

5. 30–37 minutes – Group recommendations Use the recommendation task and sentence stems. Each group prepares a one-minute recommendation: “We recommend… because… This would help… A possible concern is…” Groups present to the class. List repeated ideas and disagreements on the board without judging them immediately.

6. 37–42 minutes – Class discussion Facilitate a discussion about balancing access and protection. Ask: “Should everyone be able to visit special places?” “Who should help make the rules?” and “How can visitors show manaakitanga?” Connect responses to kaitiakitanga, respectful relationships with place, and the idea that conservation decisions can involve trade-offs.

7. 42–45 minutes – Individual reflection Display the reflection prompts poster and students complete the final reflection prompt on their worksheet: “One effect of tourism is… One action that could protect the terraces and their heritage is… because…” Invite two or three students to share. Explain that the next lesson will use their recommendations to create a final response for the unit.

Resources

• the tourism and conservation lesson deck
• the tourism and conservation inquiry worksheet
• the reflection prompts poster
• Projector or interactive board
• Whiteboard and markers
• Pencils and coloured pencils
• Grouping space for six groups of five
• Optional images or maps already used in earlier unit lessons

Assessment

• Listen for students distinguishing positive and negative effects and recognising that different groups may hold different perspectives.
• Check group worksheets for evidence-based explanations, balanced thinking and a justified conservation recommendation.
• Use the final written reflection to assess each student’s understanding of tourism impacts and kaitiakitanga.

Differentiation

• Provide a word bank with terms such as tourism, visitor, heritage, conservation, kaitiakitanga, impact, evidence and perspective.
• Read the worksheet evidence aloud, pair developing readers with supportive peers, and offer sentence starters and drawing options.
• Use mixed-ability groups with clear roles such as reader, recorder, evidence finder, discussion leader and presenter.
• Extend Years 5–6 learners by asking them to identify a trade-off, explain whose voice may be missing, and propose how a decision could be reviewed over time.