Tane Mahuta - The Giant Kauri Tree of Waipoua Forest

Questions we would like answered:

• When was this tree first discovered?
• Who planted it?
• How tall is it?
• Why is it so famous?
• How old is this tree?
• How fat is its trunk?
• What patterns can you see on its bark?
• How big is this tree?
• Is it a spiritual place for Maori and if it is, how?
• Was it alive when dinosaurs lived?
• When was it planted?
• Has anyone ever climbed this tree?
• Are people allowed to climb it?
• How many leaves are on it?!
• Who owns Tane Mahuta?
• How much does it weigh?
• What do its roots look like?
• How big is a Kauri seed?
• What is the colour of the leaves?
• Is Tane Mahuta bigger than the Auckland Sky Tower?

Room 30's Tiki Tour of New Zealand

This term for inquiry learning, we are learning about People and Places. Our big idea is:

Where someone lives influences how they live.

This week we are looking at Cape Reinga and have learnt a lot about how it is such a special place in New Zealand.

Here are some things we have learnt so far about Cape Reinga:

• It is at the very tip of New Zealand.
• A lighthouse is a landmark on this landform.
• The Tasman Sea is on the west and the Pacific Ocean is on the East.
• It is a spiritual place for Maori.
• Maori believe that when their people die, their spirits travel to Cape Reinga before they pass on to their heaven - this is just what some people believe, it is not necessarily what we believe!
• There is a Pohutukawa tree on the headland and it is believed to be 800 years old and has never bloomed.
• Lots of tourists visit Cape Reinga.
• There is a post that shows lots of main cities around the world and in what direction they are.

Next stop on our tiki tour of New Zealand...Tane Mahuta - the Giant Kauri Tree of Waipoua Forest. Visit us soon to learn more about this place!

Bloggers: Mrs Guy and all of Room 30