Category Archives: Kids

Feathers of knowledge

8 August 2012 – 4.09pm

 

Ma te huruhuru te manu ka rere, with feathers a bird may fly.
And by the sheer number of feathers that the education team received in the last few months, this bird could fly as far as Matariki!Image

 

This amazing paper feather kākahu (cloak) has been created by thousands of students from schools across Aotearoa. The kākahu will be displayed in the Discovery Centre Te Huka a Tai on Level 4 for the next few weeks. Come along and admire the work and share in the collective knowledge.

Image

The education team have been inundated with feathers from students who have been learning about Matariki. With support from Te Taura Whiri Māori Language Commission, the Te Papa Educators produced a new teacher resource to help teachers teach their students about Matariki. The lessons in the resource include an activity for students to record their new learning about Matariki onto a paper feather. Upon these feathers children drew pictures, and wrote words of wisdom that they would like to share with others about Matariki, including:

“Matariki means little eyes” and “There are over 500 stars in the Matariki cluster”.

Image

So armed with staplers, hot glue guns and even a sewing machine the Te Papa Educators sewed, glued and burnt their fingers creating the kākahu. With over 2,000 feathers they ended up with a kākahu that is 5 metres long and 1 metre wide and weighing up to 5kg!

The end result of this activity is not only a beautiful collaborative artwork, but it is also a great exercise in sharing matauranga (knowledge). It also demonstrates the many and varied communities that we reach out to through our education service.

Nō reira ka mihi ki ngā kura, ki ngā akonga, ki ngā kaiako nā rātou i tuku mai i ēnei tāonga atāhua, me te tuku mai hoki i ō rātou ake mātauranga hei koha ki te katoa.

Thank you to the schools, students and teachers for contributing in the creation of this beautiful kākahu, and for sharing their knowledge with us all.

Written by Te Papa Educator Ati Teepa
View the new Matariki Teacher Resource
Find out more about the Te Papa Education programmes

By gabby lawton | Also posted in Education, Exhibitions | Tagged , | Comments (0)

I will need words: collecting great quotes by NZ artists

30 May 2012 – 1.28pm

Recently Te Papa’s art educator Helen Lloyd and I have been working together to compile a list of some of the best quotes by well-known New Zealand artists. Quotes about art and art making. We’re interested in quotes which really get to the heart of why artists make work. Helen, being the educator, is particularly interested in quotes which could inspire children aged 5-8 years old.

Here’s an example:

“I only need black and white to say what I have to say. It is a matter of light and dark.” – Colin McCahon (told to his son William McCahon)

Colin McCahon, 'Scared', 1976, acrylic on paper. Purchased 2008, Te Papa. Reproduced courtesy of the Colin McCahon Research and Publication Trust .

Colin McCahon, ‘Scared’, 1976, acrylic on paper. Purchased 2008, Te Papa. Reproduced courtesy of the Colin McCahon Research and Publication Trust.

Can you help us?
Send us your favourite quotes New Zealand artists by commenting below. The best quote will get a free copy of either Art at Te Papa, or New Zealand Art: From Cook to Contemporary or the soon to be released 2013 Te Papa Diary, all published by Te Papa Press.

Sarah Farrar
Curator of Contemporary Art

By Sarah Farrar | Also posted in Art, Collections Online, Education | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (12)

Will you be Te Papa’s 20 millionth visitor?

15 May 2012 – 11.32am


During the month of May, we are expecting to reach the milestone of 20 million visitors since opening in 1998. We are so excited that our partners and sponsors want to celebrate this with us, and have put together a great prize package for our 20 millionth visitor.
The prize will be presented as they walk through the door, so make sure you come and visit Te Papa  during the month of May because it could be you!

The prize package includes:

  • TelstraClear vouchers to the value of $600 (inclusive of GST) that can be applied to any charges billed to a TelstraClear account.
  • HP Photosmart 7510 e-All-in-One Printer
  • Dinner at Monsoon Poon
  • A weekend at Rydges Wellington
  • Visa pressie card
  • Te Papa Fun Pack, including Te Papa Press books, Te Papa Store Vouchers and a Friends of Te Papa Membership
  • OurSpace Rides, Free tickets for a year to Platinum Visa Gallery exhibitions and a Back of House Tour of your choice

As with every competition, there are a few Terms and Conditions

  1. The 20 millionth person to walk through the main door of Te Papa as judged by the Te Papa visitor research team will be deemed the winner.
  2. The result is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  3. This competition is not open to Te Papa staff, contractors, or their immediate families.
  4. Winners must be available for publicity purposes. Winners grant Te Papa permission to use their names, characters, photographs, voices and likeness in connection with this promotion and for future promotion and marketing purposes and waive any claims to royalty, right or remuneration for such use.
  5. Parental permission must be given if the winner is under 18.
  6. Prizes are not transferable for cash.
  7. Te Papa will provide the prize. Te Papa reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value at any time.
  8. By accepting the prize, the prize winner accepts the terms and conditions stated above.
By Roxan Mathys | Also posted in Events, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Get stuck on art, or, stick it to the man!

1 May 2012 – 5.10pm

Here at Te Papa we passionately believe in the power of art to enrich, empower and challenge our lives and we are committed to bringing art to the widest possible audience.

Te Papa's school holiday programme visit the 'Collecting Contemporary' exhibition with Crystal Sciascia, April 2012. Photo: Te Papa

Te Papa's school holiday programme visit the 'Collecting Contemporary' exhibition with Crystal Sciascia, April 2012. Photo: Te Papa

Recently, a small group of us have teamed up to develop and trial a new project called Stick it to the man in conjunction with one of our current art exhibitions. Collecting Contemporary is an exhibition of contemporary New Zealand art works from Te Papa’s collection. It includes work in a wide range of media from video to jewellery, painting to furniture design, photography to sculpture and more.

If you come to visit the Collecting Contemporary exhibition up on Level 5 over the next few weeks, come and take a look. Feel free to pick up a clipboard and respond to four quirky questions which prompt you to make a connection between the art work and your own life. It will make you look at that art work in a whole other way!

Some of our visitors 'sticking it to the man' (aka Te Papa's boss Mike Houlihan). Photo: Te Papa

Some of our visitors 'sticking it to the man' (aka Te Papa's boss Mike Houlihan). Photo: Te Papa

Would this activity drive you crazy? Do you love it? Would you like to see us do more of this sort of thing? Leave a comment below and tell us what you think.

Want to participate?  Come along and visit the exhibition on Level 5 at Te Papa. It’s free and open seven days, 10am-6pm, with late night Thursdays till 9pm.

Want to see an online version of this activity? Let us know and we’ll see what can be arranged…

We’ll report back in a few weeks time with an update of how the project is going.

- Edy MacDonald, Lucinda Blackley and Sarah Farrar

By Lucinda Blackley | Also posted in Art, Collecting Contemporary, Exhibitions, Museums, News, Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments (0)

Students enjoying the Unveiled education workshops

20 March 2012 – 2.14pm
Students at an Unveiled workshop

Students from He Huarahi Tamariki in Te Papa’s education room, creating paper wedding fashions in the fast paced project runway style education workshop.

The Unveiled education workshops have given Secondary School Fashion and Textiles classes the opportunity to learn about the changes in wedding fashion over the last 200 years. Students have enjoyed studying and sketching the historic and contemporary garments, and they have loved the chance to view them up-close.

Following a tour of the exhibition, the students are taken to the education room for a hands-on workshop, led by our team of educators. In a Project Runway inspired challenge, the students create and model their own wedding garments by working in small design teams. The results have been impressive!

After the visit many students have written us to pass on their feedback, here are two of our favourite comments…

‘In my opinion the Unveiled exhibition was the most amazing, spectacular exhibition I have ever been to. The detail in the clothes really stunned me and I was inspired’.   Mohammad from Wellington High School.

 ‘I really enjoyed the trip, it gave me a lot of ideas for what I want to make this year. The best part was making our own outfit out of paper I had so much fun. I really liked the exhibition and want to take mum before it closes!’  Jack from Wellington High School.

The exhibition closes 22 April. There are only a few places left for teachers to book their students. If you are interested in booking please contact Andrew Watt the Education Coordinator by emailing: reservations@tepapa.govt.nz

By gabby lawton | Also posted in Education, Exhibitions, Fashion, Textiles | Tagged | Comments (1)

New Botany Display in Nature Space – informing you about topical conservation issues.

22 December 2011 – 1.48pm

If you’ve visited Te Papa recently, and especially if you’ve brought children, you may have noticed some changes in the Nature Space Discovery Centre.  Part of this area was revamped in October to highlight the plight of wildlife affected by the RENA oil spill.

 This month, I have been working with Melanie Dash, Nature Space Supervisor, along with conservation, mount making, writing, interpretation, and installation staff to present a small Botany display.  This display is located opposite the RENA display in Nature Space on level 2.  Melanie and I have also sought images and advice from the Department of Conservation, Ngā Manu Trust, Auckland Council, and MAF.

New Display, Nature Space Discovery Centre, Level 2, Te Papa; Photo: Antony Kusabs, Te Papa.

New Display, Nature Space Discovery Centre, Level 2, Te Papa; Photo: Antony Kusabs, Te Papa.

 The display features one unusual fungus (Cordyceps robertsii) and two plant species, kauri (Agathis australis), and “flower of the underworld” (Dactylanthus taylorii).  The aim with the botany items, as with the RENA display, is to foster interest in current conservation issues.

 Kauri is one of New Zealand’s most notable tree species, but kauri forests in Northland, Great Barrier Island, and West Auckland are being infected by a soil borne fungus.  The fungus causes disease in kauri which excrete resin from their trunks, defoliate, and often die.  We can all help limit the spread of this disease by learning more about kauri dieback.

 Dactylanthus is the perfect plant to highlight conservation issues in New Zealand.  It’s current conservation status of ‘serious decline’ is due to habitat destruction, herbivory from possums and loss of pollinators (short-tailed bat) through predation.  In other words, a combination of the main causes of biodiversity decline in New Zealand.  The Department of Conservation is a good source of information on this species.

To find out more about the unusual fungus I mentioned, you’ll have to come to Te Papa.

By Antony Kusabs | Also posted in Plants | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

New display about the Bay of Plenty oil spill

21 November 2011 – 1.55pm

A few weeks ago, we have created a new display in NatureSpace, our Discovery Centre on Level 2. The subject of the display is the Rena Oil Spill off the coast of Tauranga.

This display has gone in to create interest, and inform the public about this event. This is truly a significant disaster on a huge scale. What many don’t realize is just how massive the effects of this oil spill are and how long this will continue to affect the marine environment in the area, that is, probably many decades.

Several local species are at risk of becoming extinct. The display hopes to give a bit of perspective to people by showing that it is not only the birds seen on the news, but the whole ecosystem that is being impacted. Many smaller organisms like plankton, shellfish and crabs/crays will be wiped out from the area and will continue to be affected for many years to come. Marine plants like seaweed will also be wiped out. Many fish will die, but hopefully many will also flee when they sense the chemicals in the water. Marine mammals like seals, dolphins and whales will also be impacted by this spill as the toxic oil will poison them and their food supply.

Display about the Rena oil spill in NatureSpace. Photograph by Raymond Thorley. Te Papa

Display about the Rena oil spill in NatureSpace. Photograph by Raymond Thorley. Te Papa

Reefs are like the rainforests of the marine world. Astrolabe reef was a popular diving reef where divers were treated to a great array of marine life. Reefs support such abundant life that incidents like oil spills or reef destruction have more devastating effects than would be caused in ecosystems supporting less life.

 The display cases are just a small sample of the life that is being killed in the region. The signage informs a little about what is going on and provides some of the statistics from Te Papa’s own workers who are there helping to identify the species that are being found. There is also a screen opposite the display showing a slideshow with some of the work that is going on. Just be aware that it is quite graphic.

The display is planned for 3 months initially, with regular updates. We, the hosts, are also a source of information, so please ask us your questions when you come have a look!

This is a new step for NatureSpace and we are in unchartered territory. We hope that this is going to be popular and pave the way for future displays that reflect what is happening in the natural world. We will gladly accept any feedback you have, so please do let us know in the comments below, at mail@tepapa.govt.nz, or in person when you come and visit!

More about our Discovery Centres
Things for kids at Te Papa

By the NatureSpace team

By Te Papa | Also posted in Bay of Plenty oil spill, Biodiversity, Birds, Disasters, Fish | Comments (0)

Hey Museum kids… meet Kahu the Kea!

30 September 2011 – 3.22pm
Kahu meets the kids from Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Kahu meets the kids from Tai Tamariki Kindergarten

Kahu the Kea is making his big debut tomorrow at Te Papa. He’ll be emerging from his secret nest behind Te Papa’s Kids Store at 2pm Saturday and Sunday. Your kids will love Kahu!

Kahu’s on  Facebook too. And if you Like him  you can go in to win a $200 prize pack from the Kids store.
Win with Kahu on Facebook

Kahu also has a bookclub – sign up to the bookclub and find out Kahu’s top picks for kids books. There’ll  be special offers for educational books, toys and gifts from time to time.
http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/kahu/

It’d be great to see you this weekend – it has been fun watching how little kids are mesmerised by this cheeky parrot. At his rehersal yesterday, a wee fella couldn’t help himself and just ran up and gave Kahu a huge hug. It was gorgeous to watch!

By lucyhoffman | Also posted in Birds, Events | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

More kids at Te Papa for Matariki

5 May 2011 – 3.36pm
Students from Petone Central School in the Starlab.

Students from Petone Central School in the Starlab.

June is a busy month at Te Papa – it’s Matariki. And this year it’s going to be especially busy for the Education team!

Our Term 2 Education programmes are fully booked this year with over 2500 students attending our Matariki education programme alone. This number includes:

  • 916 students who will visit us because of the Matariki Education Fund of $10,000. The fund was established to bring students to Te Papa to experience our Starlab and learn more about Matariki. The funding has come from The Crown Forestry Rental Trust and from money raised at the Matariki Gala last year.
  • 56 classes of students over 14 days who will be attending our Outreach programme whereby we take our Starlab into the community and teach them about Matariki. We have also developed a relationship with Newlands Community Centre, where we will be for 5 days, delivering our Matariki education programme.

A notable highlight is that there is so much demand for our Matariki education programme this year, we will be extending our traditional Matariki season from just Term 2 to include Term 3 as well so we can cater for all the schools who would otherwise miss out!

This is a real bonus for us and a symbol of the huge impact we are making in the wider education community.

Riria Hotere
Senior Māori Programme Developer
Te Papa Education | Te Ipu Kāhurangi

Find out more about  Matariki at Te Papa 9-26 June, 2011

Matariki Festival at Te Papa

Education resources

Ngā rauemi ipurangi 

By Te Papa | Also posted in Māori | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Why I love Christchurch

7 September 2010 – 12.33pm
When I got to work this morning, this was waiting for me:
Why I love Christchurch by Hikairoa from South New Brighton School

Why I love Christchurch by Hikairoa from South New Brighton

A few weeks back, we asked pupils from some of the schools in New Zealand to send us a postcard telling them why they love their town for our Conservation Week display. This year the theme is We Love You, New Zealand. One of the participating schools is Chirstchurch’s South New Brighton School, and here is a sample of what they sent. The postcards we got back were most likely sent at the end of last week, certainly before Christchurch was shaken by an earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale. Here are some more cards:

Why I love Christchurch, by Jireh of South New Brighton School

Why I love Christchurch, by Jireh of South New Brighton School

 Well, we love Christchurch too. We love Christchurch for all the reasons you’re reading, and because they’re tough. In the middle of the devastation, there’s still the resolve to keep going. Every day, I’ve been seeing pictures of buildings that aren’t usable any more. There’s pictures of roads and bridges that have been thrown around like cardboard. But there just aren’t any pictures of people giving up. And there aren’t any pictures from the rest of New Zealand of people shrugging their shoulders and saying anything about how that’s too tough and too bad.

The pukeko is why Yasmin loves Christchurch

The pukeko is why Yasmin loves Christchurch

Matthew loves the plants of Christchurch

Matthew loves the plants of Christchurch

So, a big thank you to the children and teachers of South New Brighton School.  These postcards show that every place has tiny little treasures and things that everyone loves. Maybe inside this there’s a little Cantabrian kickstart and a reason to keep the faith and keep moving. 
Because of this, we’re going to make our own project bigger. The bottom two pictures on this page are the front and back of a postcard that you can download and print out. Then you can stick both sides together, slap on a stamp  and send them to us at this address:
Discovery Centres
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
PO Box 467
Wellington 6140
Tell us what you love about your town. We’ll put them on display in NatureSpace from September 12 onwards, and a pin in the map for every town we get a reply from.  And right now seems to be a really good time for Aotearoa to show some aroha.
This is the back of the postcard - right click to save

This is the back of the postcard - right click to savethis is the front of the postcard - right click to save

This is the front of the postcard - right click to save

This is the front of the postcard - right click to save

By discoverymike | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (1)
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 309 other followers