Science Programmes
LEOTC service supported by
Caves Amaze, Glorious Glowworms, Cave Critters and Fossils, Caves unique features.
Activities, Experiments, Walks, Caves & Adventure Games (Detailed Caves and Karst activities. Also Pre and post visit Learning
for Programme outline and costs for: Caves Amaze programme, Glorious Glowworms programme, Caves and Crystals Programme.
The Living World: Study cave creatures like glowworms, cave weta and bats, view moa skeletons and rare fossils at the Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre. See rare and endangered kiwi, tuatara, falcon and other native fauna at the Otorohanga Kiwi House & Native Bird Park.
- Interactive lessons within the Kiwi House and surrounding environment developed to meet your group’s specific learning outcomes.
- Sample Teaching Units and Resource Kits available.
- Programming and booking for all activities and accommodation in the area including maps, gear lists and risk management analysis.
How about a trip to the Mahoenui Giant Weta Scientific Reserve.
Otorohanga Kiwihouse
Help understand how to save the North Island Brown Kiwi.
See active North Island Brown Kiwi
Like and learn about recent breeding success and kiwihouse success – view and click here Kiwihouse facebook fan club
- You can visit the Otorohanga Kiwihouse for JUST $3.
- –Animal Encounters (Interactions), Discoveries
- –Meet the keepers (10.30am, 11.00am, 12,00pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm)
- –Kiwi Conservation -props, videos, kiwi breeding, predators.
Cost to schools: $3 Students $3.00 each adult. Teachers free.
Senior Geography/Earth Science: Take a guided tour of the Waitomo Glowworm Cave, Aranui Cave or the beautiful Ruakuri Cave for an in-depth look at the world below us, or take a bushwalk over the Waipa Fault. Then visit the Waitomo Caves Discovery Centre to learn more about caves, limestone, speleothems and the interaction between plate tectonics, water, CO2 and limestone in this environment.
Science NCEA
Level 1. Let’s look at Waitomo Caves -Let’s look at our local area -Show off our features
Demonstrate understanding: The formation of surface features in NZ.
Through experience students will see and understand how those features are forming.
Key words Level 1 NCEA Science general Systems and cycles AS90952 Internal Limestone. Sinkholes(Doline) & Tomo. Caves. Crystal Formations
Level 2. Waitomo Karst Country Caves and limestone.
Investigate geological processes in a NZ Locality
Key Words ESS Level 2 SCIENCE AS91189 2.3 Internal Waitomo limestone. Uplift. Faulting. Dissolving action. Sinkholes (Doline), and Tomo creation, Cave passage forming. Cave calcite crystal forming. Breakdown.
Primary curriculum resources activities & links and/ or
Examples of material scope with Waitomo Education:
New resources: Caves Amaze, Glorious Glowworms, Cave Critters and Fossils, Caves unique features.
Fresh and Topical: research and events.
Make Crystals:
Wild eyes – Nature Missions – Be a Crystal Magician.
Grow your own crystal. Create a seed crystal and grow a HUGE crystal challenge.
Grow your own crystal activity and competition
Growing crystals is a great way to understand the Material world in science. Learn how to video
Make Caves:
Wild eyes – Nature Missions – Try a DIY cave.
Take a virtual tour into one of the biggest caves in the world.
Fly a drone within one of the world’s big dolines.
Virtual Cave learning and activity
Learn about Cave Critters:
Wild eyes – Nature Missions – Fake a Giant Moa Discovery.
The Gooey Details Behind a Glow Worm’s Starry Night Illusions: Article.
Glowworm 360 Virtual Reality viewing National Geographic
These-carnivorous-worms-catch-bugs-by-mimicking-the-night-sky
NZ post Glow in the dark NZ Glowworm Stamp collection 2016
The Glowing Spider Bug. “The Glowworm” is helping us sleep?
New Glowing Millipede Found; Shows How Bioluminescence Evolved
Bioluminescence living lights (National Geographic Classroom) lessons
Bioluminescence more resources
Enquire for detailed resources to support student inquiry learning . (A Google Drive Link to many resources and supporting programme ideas)
Click here for : Fact sheets about Otorohanga Kiwihouse Fauna.
Click here for Captive Breeding – understanding how it works. (Naked Science 2 min audio talk)
DOC collection of animal themed teaching resources, activities and field trips.
Key topics for a visit to Otorohanga kiwihouse: A bird in the hand, Meet the locals class activities, The reptiles, Whio forever resources.
Also link: Field trips Ruakuri caves and bush, Field trips Pureora Forest, Field trips The big friendly giants
Take action. Kiwi Guardian Conservation task at home, or school.
How can LEOTC visit help my students Click here for a ministry of education case study of visit to Waitomo
LEARNZ Waitomo November 2014 Caves Critters Karst programme
Books to help support learning:
Great school journal and connected series books. Often with Teacher support notes.
Building science concepts books Waitomo caves education. -support science learning about Caves.
Building science concepts books otorohanga kiwihouse education – support science learning about Kiwi.
Info series all about, , Supporting Science; Glowworms, bats, Support Kiwi
Waitomo Ed Books Support Social Sciences
For a collection of other Web resources for Learning about Caves, Limestone and Karst environments.
Trip to the coast Students can study an example of a Northern NZ Sandy and Muddy Shore Guide and Northern NZ rocky shores guide.
Call (07) 878 7642 or send us an email at to make a booking with the Waitomo Education Centre.
Or just get in touch to find out how we can link your Y1 to Y13 classroom programme to the many options available in this area
