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Below are conversation ideas from the mats to start your minds thinking, then continue with your own creative ideas
and topics.
Endemic Birds
The birds on this mat come from a range of habitats across New Zealand. What other ones live in each habitat?
Our varied environment and many offshore islands have meant many types of bird have adapted to different homes here. For example, there are 36 species of shag worldwide, 12 are found in NZ and 8 of them are endemic to NZ
(relevant TeAra page). Discuss the fragile hold on survival many of our native bird species have – Kiwi, Kokako, Takahe (once declared extinct but subsequently rediscovered) - and those that have become extinct recently (Huia in 1907, and Moa the tallest bird to ever live). The NZ Falcon pictured is our last surviving native bird of prey. What is your favourite
bird and why? See www.nzbirds.com for a comprehensive list of New Zealand birds and their characteristics.
NZ Territory and Exclusive Economic Zone
New Zealand's rich variety of fish species and vast EEZ area mean our fishing industry is very important to our people now, as it always has been. Early Maori settlements were on the coast as they relied heavily on food from the sea. It was the whale and seal trade that brought the first Europeans to live on our shores. Much of our EEZ is in very deep waters beyond the continental shelf. Most fishing activity is restricted to the shelf waters which are much more productive. Despite the seabed lying 100s, or even 1000s of metres below the sea-surface, sea-bed topography has been inferred from satellite measurements of variations in the sea-surface height. The additional gravity that is associated with undersea mountains, continental shelves and the like attract water towards them. This causes the sea-surface to rise (by as much as 100 m!) above the height that it would otherwise attain (link to relevant NOAA-page). Discuss what produce from the sea we eat, export and even farm today (mussels, salmon, oysters). The paua shell statue outside the factory at Riverton reminds us of other byproducts of seafood – shell for jewellery. In the future, we may farm marine species for pharmaceutically active compounds.
New Zealand Geography
Our EEZ also contains energy resources, with rigs off the coast of Taranaki harvesting gas. Another key source of energy in New Zealand is raw water. Many of our rivers contain hydrodams to produce electricity. The Clyde Dam, pictured on the Geological Features mat, is one of our largest and most recently built hydroelectricity dams. I well remember the politics and physical construction of this dam – the gorge and property now under water, and the huge civil works in road reconstruction, etc. What other energy resources do we use to produce electricity (geothermal, coal, wind and sun, for example)?
The Clutha River is our largest river, but the longest is the Waikato. It contains eight hydroelectricity dams. What river is closest to you? Can you find it on the map? Trace the course of some of these rivers. Maybe you'd prefer to discuss beaches: which ones do you visit, where are they on the map, which ocean or sea are you looking at from the beach, what do you do there? What receational activities do New Zealanders enjoy in and on the water? There are so many possibilities. Try to imagine what it would be like to sail over waves in the wind, or kayak down rushing rivers, or dive amongst fish, or water ski across a lake. The themes could be discussed with mountain recreation activities.
For an entirely different feeling, think of caving. Aotearoa has three main caving areas, with deep challenging caves for the experienced and more easily accessible underground grottos for anyone to have a look. They are Waitomo in the North Island, plus Takaka and Mt Arthur areas of the upper South Island. While discussing different feelings in our natural environment you could move on to NZ's worst natural disaster and other earthquakes. Describe earthquakes you've felt, where you were and what happened. There have been many significant quakes in NZ over time, Wairarapa, Murchison, Edgecumbe to name a few. Our people have suffered from other forms of natural disaster including flooding, cyclones and tsunami. What else can you describe? For further information see: www.TeAra.govt.nz/EarthSeaAndSky/NaturalHazardsAndDisasters
Town Sculptures featured on the icon map highlight some of our primary industries in New Zealand. Why is each industry is suited to its region, and what other areas of the country support the same industry? What other primary industries contribute to the needs of our people and export revenue? Grapes and the wine industry come to mind. Discuss other statues you know of around the country. There are many of significant people, for example.
The Birthplace of our People world map uses birthplace statistics from the 2006 census. It may seem unusual but three people claim to have been born in the Antarctica. Others come from almost every nation of the world. Think of the cultural diversity in our country and use this map to find the countries from which families of your children's classmates have come. Discuss where your ancestors came from and why. Which section of the largest pie graph do you fit into, and who do you know that is represented in other sections? Much discussion could be had around the origins of various aspects of our culture: foods, dress, music, vocabulary, to name a few. Why not look at the meal in front of you and chat about which parts of the world the various foods on your plate come from? We have the South Americans to thank for feijoas, Pacific Islanders for mango, French for soft cheeses, etc. Think about which foods we now grow in New Zealand, and which are routinely imported, (bananas, for example).
Much of the information for Chatmats has come from the online encyclopedia of New Zealand, Te Ara. It is full of well laid out information about our country.
