Primary industries teaching resources for primary and intermediate schools
Agrication
NZ Young Farmers, with support from CORE Education and funding from the Red Meat Profit Partnership, have developed Agrication to support teachers and students to learn more about our land-based food and fibre sectors.
To put the sheep and beef sectors on the radar of primary school students, and promote careers in the sector, sheep and beef examples have been matched to general curriculum subjects, such as English, maths, and science.
Biosecurity in schools
Explore tips and resources to start a biosecurity project or activity in your school:
Exploring New Zealand Forestry
This resource is most suitable for years 5 to 10. It uses the forestry industry as an example to link to technology, science, social sciences, health, and English. The resources include:
- When and why did New Zealand forestry become so large?
- Understanding forestry – an overview
- Take the LEARNZ virtual field trip
- Health and safety in the forestry industry
Download the forestry resource sheet [PDF, 1.6 MB]
Foundation for Arable Research
The Foundation for Arable Research (FAR) school resources are all about producing food from plants – sustainably. They emphasise connections between healthy soils, invertebrates, birds, and plants that enable the production of wholesome foods in ways that minimise impacts on the environment.
Garden to table
Garden to table supports primary and intermediate schools and kura to take learning out of the classroom and into the garden and the kitchen. Throughout the year, tamariki observe the changing seasons and full food cycle and how planting, harvesting, and cooking change to reflect seasonality.
Garden to table is curriculum-linked, meaning kids are learning core subjects while getting their hands dirty in the garden and kitchen.
The story of where food comes from
The Soil, Food and Society website is a free resource for learning and teaching science. It's for years 5 to 8 students. Resources are:
- Plants are our Earth's engine (suitable for years 5 to 6)
- Our food garden (years 6 to 7)
- The chain in my lunchbox (years 7 to 8)
The Soil, Food and Society project was funded by MPI's Sustainable Farming Fund.
Understanding food safety behaviour
These resources are most suitable for years 4 to 8. They link to health, science, and social sciences. They contain classroom activities and scenarios. The resources first appeared in the teachers' magazine, starters&strategies.
Understanding food safety behaviour – resource sheet [PDF, 927 KB]
A guide to food safety on the marae – resource sheet [PDF, 1.1 MB]
Virtual field trips
Virtual field trips offer teachers and students an immersive and interactive learning opportunity without leaving the classroom. You can still use the resources after the field trips have ended.
Our primary industries
Travel to Nelson to see how some of New Zealand's primary industries are using science and technology to enhance the value of their products and stay sustainable.
Our primary industries virtual field trip – LEARNZ
Kauri dieback
Travel into kauri country in Northland and Auckland. Get connected with these taonga forest giants, and learn about the disease that's threatening their existence.
Kauri dieback virtual field trip – LEARNZ
Unpacking the apple story
Follow the journey of "the world's tastiest apples" from a Hawke's Bay orchard to the shopping baskets of consumers all around the world.
Wonder Project – Plant Challenge
The Wonder Project's mission is to get Kiwi kids really excited about a career in science, technology, engineering, and maths. We want to:
- spark wonder and curiosity from a young age
- get kids thinking about the boundless possibilities for their futures
- help them believe they can achieve amazing things.
The project includes a family of student-led programmes, each designed to knit into the school curriculum. Each activity is supported by a wonder project ambassador, an enthusiastic industry professional, to guide and inspire students throughout their learning journey.
Wood is Good
Wood is Good is a forestry and log transport programme developed for primary schools in New Zealand and funded by sector groups and MPI.
Wood is Good is a tailored array of activities, videos, publications, and demonstrations that are delivered to primary-aged students to educate them on the valuable benefits of forestry. These include environmental topics, carbon storage, climate change, wood products, and how plantation trees are grown and harvested in our country. Local log transport providers and forestry company professionals will deliver these sessions at your school and talk about what they do.
Wool in Schools
The Wool in Schools project aims to help students understand wool’s place in our lives, and how and why it is part of our future. The resources support New Zealand's curriculum teaching of year 7 and 8 students. These have a range of applications, including science, technology, mathematics, economics, history, English, and art for you to tailor to your needs. You could even create a full-on fibre factory, from Fibre to Finished Product, complete with a marketing campaign.
The Woolly Blog for teachers includes syllabus ideas, experiments, activities, and scenarios shared by teachers around the country. It’s where you can find out how wool is capturing the attention of children.
