Pukekura Park - Living Science

This Curious Minds project was designed to find out "What makes Pukekura Park special?". We collated information about Pukekura Park and the learning opportunities online as maps and resources. Visitors and schools can now plan trips to the Park to have fun, and instantly access information for a richer experience.

Project Overview

The Park attracts large numbers of people every year, with cultural events such as Womad with over 22,000 people, and the Festival of the Lights with over 100,000 visitors each summer. The Brooklands Zoo has over 120,000 visitors a year, and is popular with young families. There is scope for expanding science education at the Zoo and there are other Park exhibitions and talks which can link in to this project.

Engagement with science and technology was presented in a variety of ways using Geographic Information Systems, with Central School and Highlands Intermediate participation. We found out more about the Park and produced resources for specific science-based projects.

Project Report

Central School and Highlands participated in research activities in the Park, with the Central School workshop presenting an interesting range of investigations.

• The responses to the survey 'What makes Pukekura Park Special?' directed our efforts to provide relevant resources.
• Two RSNZ 'Science Teacher Leadership' teachers assisted with curriculum alignment and choice of resources.
• The selection of choices of walks through the Park; plants, features, social and historic sites.
• Specific locational information with links to sound files or documents recording historic events, people and fauna and flora information in the Friends’ magazines and Kete.
• Questionnaire for users online resources live

Resources

File:Risk Assessment and Managment Park trip.pdf for a school Park trip.

Information for teachers - about the project and how to contact the Friends of Pukekura Park

Interactive maps using online GIS with booklets to download. Lakes and Fernery guidemap and download booklet The Maranui Gully The Nature Walk.

References

• Central School Workshop report
• Central School rap celebrating Pukekura Park
• A survey of visitors to Pukekura Park "What makes Pukekura Park special?"
• A map of Pukekura Park and the significant plants.Parking, entrances, toilets, Park places and paths.
• Notable Trees of New Plymouth, 2002, Cory Smith
• Significant Plants of Pukekura Park, 2018, David Medway, New Plymouth

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