🌊 Part 1: Characteristics of Living Things

1. List the seven characteristics that define living things:

2. Circle whether each item is LIVING or NON-LIVING:

Kōwhai tree:

Living

Non-living

Rock from the beach:

Living

Non-living

Tui bird:

Living

Non-living

Seawater:

Living

Non-living

Pōhutukawa flower:

Living

Non-living

🐚 Part 2: Cultural Connections and Vocabulary

3. Match the Māori terms with their meanings:

1. Whenua

2. Tipuna

3. Kaitiakitanga

4. Whakapapa

A. Guardianship and protection

B. Genealogy and connections

C. Land and earth

D. Ancestors

4. How do Māori and Pacific peoples view their relationship with living things? Explain in your own words:

🌿 Part 3: Classification Practice

5. Group the following New Zealand living things into categories. Check all that apply for each organism:

Kākāpō (flightless parrot):

Vertebrate

Invertebrate

Can fly

Cannot fly

Native to NZ

Wētā (large insect):

Vertebrate

Invertebrate

Has 6 legs

Has 8 legs

Native to NZ

6. Create your own classification system for these marine organisms. Draw lines to group them and explain your criteria:

Organisms: Kina (sea urchin), Pāua (abalone), Kōura (crayfish), Kahawai (fish), Kelp seaweed

My classification criteria:

🏝️ Part 4: Moana Connections and Reflection

7. Fill in the blanks about living things and cultural connections:

In the movie Moana, the ocean is portrayed as a __________ character that helps guide Moana. This reflects how many Pacific cultures view the natural world as having __________ and deserving of __________. The concept of __________ means that people have a responsibility to care for and protect living things and their environments.

8. How does understanding your own cultural background influence the way you think about living things and the environment?

9. Choose one New Zealand native species and explain how traditional Māori knowledge and modern science can work together to protect it:

Species chosen: _________________________

10. Reflection: "How does understanding where we come from change how we think about living things?"