: Te Räpeti me te Paihamu — Possums and Rabbits
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Approach:  One to one
1.8Mb
Focus: Habitats and adaptation 
Resources: 4 pictures
He whakatau kupu: taiao = environment

Questions/instructions:

I tënei mahi, ka äta tirotiro i ngä pikitia o ëtahi kararehe e rua, ka whakaaro ai ki ngä öritenga me ngä rerekëtanga.

Whakaaturia te pikitia tuatahi me te pikitia tuarua
(te paihamu me te räpeti).

He pikitia tënei o tëtahi paihamu, he räpeti kei tënei pikitia. Äta tirohia ngä pikitia, ka whakautu ai i aku pätai.

Tukuna te äkonga kia äta tirotiro i ngä pikitia.

Äta whakaarohia kei hea te käinga o ia kararehe, ka pëhea hoki te ähua o tana noho.		 In this activity you will be looking at pictures of two animals and thinking about their similarities and differences.

Show pictures 1 & 2 (possum & rabbit).

This is a picture of a possum and this is a picture of a rabbit. I’m going to ask you some questions about these animals so have a careful look at both pictures.

Allow time.

Now think about where each animal lives and
how it lives.

% responses
1. Kei hea te käinga o te paihamu? Körero mai mö töna käinga.

Tell me about where the possum lives.
Where does it make its home?
bush/forest/trees
100
2. Kei hea te käinga o te räpeti? Körero mai mö töna käinga.

Tell me about where the rabbit lives.
Where does it make its home?
Usual habitat:
fields/hills/grass/paddocks
56
underground in holes/burrows/warrens
83
Hoatu te pikitia tuatahi ki te äkonga: Te Paihamu.
Give student picture 1: possum.

3. Äta tirohia te pikitia o te paihamu. He aha öna tino ähuatanga e ora ai ia i töna taiao?

He äwhina: Ka pëhea tënä ähuatanga o te paihamu e äwhina i a ia kia ora tonu i töna taiao?

Let’s look at the possum. What is special about this animal that helps it survive and live in its natural surroundings?

Prompt: How does that help it to survive?
Possible features:
[claws for climbing/eating; fur for warmth or camouflage; tail for balance; whiskers for sense of space; large eyes to see in dark; sharp teeth for eating]
2 or more relevant features plus good justification
21
1 relevant feature plus good justification
17
2 or more relevant features but no justification
20
1 feature, not justified
23
Hoatu te pikitia tuarua ki te äkonga: Te Räpeti.
Give student picture 2: rabbit.

4. Äta tirohia te pikitia o te räpeti. He aha öna tino ähuatanga e ora ai ia i töna taiao?

He äwhina: Ka pëhea tënä ähuatanga o te räpeti e äwhina i a ia kia ora tonu i töna taiao?

Let’s look at the rabbit.
What is special about this animal that helps it survive and live in its natural surroundings?

Prompt: How does that help it to survive?
Possible features:
[large feet and claws for digging burrows; large back legs for running fast; large ears to hear danger easily, fur for warmth and camouflage; large eyes to see in dark; big sharp front teeth for cutting/eating grass and leaves]
2 or more relevant features plus good justification
21
1 relevant feature plus good justification
31
2 or more relevant features but no justification
13
1 feature, not justified
21
Whakaaturia te pikitia tuatoru me te tuawhä
(te waewae paihamu me te waewae räpeti).

Show pictures 3 & 4 (possum feet & rabbit feet).
5. Äta tirohia ngä waewae o ngä kararehe.Ki töu whakaaro he aha e rerekë ai te waewae paihamu me te waewae räpeti?
    This time look carefully at the animals’ feet.
    Why do you think possum and rabbit feet are different?
6. He aha ngä tino ähuatanga o te waewae paihamu e ora ai ia i töna taiao?
    What is special about a possum’s feet that helps it live and survive?
7. He aha ngä tino ähuatanga o te waewae räpeti e ora ai ia i töna taiao?
    What is special about a rabbit’s feet that helps it live and survive?
Based on all three questions:
 
explains that feet have different functions
(e.g. climbing for possum, digging for rabbit)
75
Possums’ feet:
[sharp claws for feeding, climbing, defense]
mentions claws and 2–3 functions
20
mentions claws and 1 function
44
mentions claws but no function
22
Rabbits’ feet:
[large back legs for fast travel, defense and burrowing; front feet for holding food, defense and burrowing]
1 or more features with good explanation
34
1 or more features without useful explanation
42
  
Total Score:



17–20
10
13–16
24
9–12
46
5–8
18
0–4
2
Commentary:
Most students had basic knowledge about possums and rabbits but less than half could explain how the animals' features demonstrated adaptation to their lifestyle and environment.
 
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