MAURI FRIENDS!

‘MAURI’ IS HOW YOU SAY ‘HELLO’ IN KIRIBATI.

PREPARE FOR YOUR ISLAND ADVENTURE!

  • Did you hear how Marita pronounced the name of Kiribati? Did it sound how you thought it would? How did you think it would sound?

    As you’ll soon discover, the Kiribati alphabet is a little bit different to the English alphabet.

    One of those differences is that the ‘ti’ sound is pronounced as an ‘s’.

    So even though when you look at it, you might want to say ki-ree-bah-ti - the correct way to say it is Ki-ree-bas.

    You might like to practise that together.

WHERE IS KIRIBATI?

The nation of Kiribati is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific is divided into Micronesia, Polynesia and Melanesia, and Kiribati is part of Micronesia.

As a class, use a globe, wall map or digital application such as Google Earth to find:

  • the Pacific Islands

  • Kiribati within Micronesia

  • how far away your school is from Kiribati

WHY ARE THERE HOLES IN THE ISLANDS OF KIRIBATI?

Did you notice anything interesting about the shape of the islands?

Kiribati is made up of 32 atolls, and 1 raised island.

An atoll is a ring-shaped island, that has formed on the top of an extinct volcano. The rim of the island encircles a lagoon.

The ocean that surrounds the atoll is dark blue and has waves.

The lagoon in the middle is usually bright turquoise and is a little calmer.

Watch the video below to see the difference between the Lagoon and the Ocean.

WHAT DOES KIRIBATI LOOK & SOUND LIKE?

  • Themes: We are surrounded by the ocean; All together now

    Watch the video that Marita created of her time in Kiribati. While watching the video, play the game, “See it! Hear it!”

    When you see something you recognise, put up your hand and identify what you have seen and explain the sound you think it would make.

    For example: Sand / Ocean / Lagoon / Coconut trees

    As a class, write a list using one word or short phrases to share personal memories of:

    • Being in hot and/or humid weather

    • The beach

    • Smelling fragrant flowers like a frangipani

    • Fishing

    Use a selection of the words and short phrases to create a class sensory poem that conveys the sights and sounds of being in hot weather by the ocean.

    Speak the poem together, or each take a line to say. Experiment with different voices to depict the mood and feeling of the words within the poem.

    Add movement to each line of the poem, so the poem becomes a celebration of voice and movement!

    Share your poem with a neighbouring classroom.

    CURRICULUM LINKS:

    English: AC9EFLA07 Explore the contribution of images and words to meaning in stories and informative texts

    AC9EFLA03 Understand that texts can take many forms such as signs, books and digital texts

    AC9EFLY06 Create and participate in shared editing of short written texts to record and report ideas and events using some learning vocabulary, basic sentence boundary punctuation and spelling some consonant-vowel-consonant words correctly

    Health and Physical Education: AC9HPFP03 Express and describe emotions they experience

    The Arts / Drama: AC9ADRFD01 Use play, imagination, arts knowledge, processes and/or skills to discover possibilities and develop ideas

    AC9ADRFC01 Create arts works that communicate ideas 

    AC9ADRFP01 Share their arts works with audiences

  • Themes: All together now

    Play the game ‘Marita Says’ (a Kiribati inspired version of Simon Says).

    Find a space in the room where everyone is safe to move on their spot.

    Practise being:

    • A coconut (crouch down in a round ball)

    • An atoll (standing up, make an irregular shape with your body)

    • A palm tree (stand tall and put your arms above your head like palm tree fronds blowing in the wind)

    Teacher or class member takes on the role of Marita. When they call, “Marita Says be a coconut/atoll/palm tree” everyone moves into that position.

    If they call, “Be a coconut/atoll/palm tree” (without saying Marita Says) and you move into that position, you are out!

    At the end of the game, you might like to say ‘Ti a konna’ (pronounced Sah - kor - nah) which means ‘all together’ to start the game over again.

    CURRICULUM LINKS:

    Health and Physical Education: AC0HPFM02 Experiment with different ways of moving their body safely and manipulating objects and space

    The Arts /Drama: AC9ADRFD01 Use play, imagination, arts knowledge, process and/or skills to discover possibilities and develop ideas

  • Themes: We use the things we have in reach; We are surrounded by the ocean; All together now

    To represent the 32 atolls that make up Kiribati:

    • »Look at these aerial images« of the atolls and islands of Kiribati to see how each atoll is a different shape

    • Use materials available in the classroom or brought in from home such as cellophane and tissue paper to cut the different shapes of the atolls and create the ring around each atoll

    • Given the number of atolls in Kiribati, each class member could be given an atoll to create

    • Share with your table members your choice and use of materials to create the atoll

    Display the atolls in the classroom to create a physical representation of Kiribati.

    CURRICULUM LINKS:

    Design and Technologies: AC9TDEFP01 Generate, communicate and evaluate design ideas, and use materials, equipment and steps to safely make a solution for a purpose

    The Arts / Visual Arts: AC9AVAFC01 Create arts works that communicate ideas

WHAT DOES KIRIBATI TASTE & SMELL LIKE?

  • Theme: We use the things we have in reach

    There are lots of coconut trees in Kiribati and people in Kiribati use coconuts in lots of ways including:

    • using coconut fibre to make strong string to hold together buildings and canoes

    • food and drink

    • leaves and trunks for houses and shelter

    • clothing and jewellery

    • water bottles and drinking containers

    To see a video of coconut string being made <CLICK HERE>

    Has anyone seen a coconut, a coconut tree or tasted coconut and/or coconut water, milk or cream?

    What did it look, feel or taste like?

    Depending on availability and allergies considered, look at and/or taste a coconut and its products such as:

    • a fresh coconut

    • coconut water, milk, cream or flesh

    • desiccated or flaked coconut

    Discuss the taste, texture and smell.

    Discuss how people in Kiribati might collect coconuts from the tree and break open the hard coconut shell.

    You might have seen a clue in the video above!

    CURRICULUM LINKS:

    Design and Technologies: AC9TDEFK01 Explore how familiar products, services and environments are designed by people

    Science: AC9SFU01 Observe external features of plants and animals and describe ways they can be grouped based on these features

    AC9SFU03 Recognise that objects can be composed of different materials and describe the observable properties of those materials.

  • Themes: We use the things we have in reach

    Bright and fragrant flowers are everywhere in Kiribati, making Kiribati smell and look beautiful like in these pictures which were taken when Marita visited Kiribati.

    Collect the frangipani flowers together - you might like to put them in a basket or container, as they will be used as ‘gifts’ later as you venture on the flying canoe.

    CURRICULUM LINKS:

    Science: AC9SFU01 Observe external features of plants and animals and describe ways they can be grouped based on these features

    The Arts / Visual Arts: AC9AVAFD01 Use play, imagination, arts knowledge, processes and/or skills to discover possibilities and develop ideas

    AC9AVAFC01 Create arts works that communicate ideas

EPISODE ONE:

AN ISLAND ADVENTURE!

Introduction to te katabwanin (going around the island).

Read through the learning experience below for more information on setting up the Compass Points in your room, and a template for the floral gifts for the Spirits.

WHICH WAY IS WHICH?

  • Theme: We are surrounded by ocean

    Look at a real compass or on a digital application:

    • What is it?

    • What is it used for?

    • How does it work?

    • What does “navigation” mean?

    Together or in small groups in the classroom or playground, use a compass to work out which way is north, south, east and west.

    Use an acronym such as Never Eat Soggy Weet-bix as an easy way to remember the four directions of the compass.

    Surrounded by the ocean, people in Kiribati need to be great navigators and have a clear sense of direction. Instead of using north, south, east and west, they use Lagoon side, South side, Ocean side and North side.

    Using the compass points link below, mark the Lagoon, South, Ocean and North sides of your classroom.

    CURRICULUM LINKS:

    HASS: AC9HSFS02 Sort and record information including pictorial timelines and locations on pictorial maps or models

    AC9HSFS04 Draw conclusions in response to questions

DOWNLOAD & PRINT THE COMPASS POINTS FOR YOUR ROOM
DOWNLOAD & PRINT THE TEMPLATES FOR YOUR FLORAL GIFTS

OR FEEL FREE TO CREATE YOUR OWN!

WHAT IS AN ADVENTURE AND WHO ARE YOU GOING WITH?

READY TO MOVE ON TO EPISODE TWO?

CLICK ON THE CRAB!