MAURI FRIENDS!

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

AN ISLAND ADVENTURE!

CAN YOU SAY KI-REE-BAS?

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 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.

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 arms out in front of you)
- Palm Tree (stand tall and put your arms above your head like palm tree fronds blowing in the wind)
When “Marita Says be a coconut/atoll/palm tree” is called, move into that position
When “Be a coconut/atoll/palm tree” is called 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:
The Arts / Drama
AC9ADR6D01 Explore ways to combine the elements of drama to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning in improvisations, devised drama and/or scripted drama

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, in smaller groups or individually use a globe… 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
the latitude and longitude of 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.

Like Australia, Kiribati was also colonised by the British. Conduct an inquiry investigating:
- the history of Kiribati’s British colonisation.
- impact the colonisation had on Kiribati culture.
- how the colonisation of Kiribati differs or is similar to the colonisation of Australia.
CURRICULUM LINKS:
HASS
5 AC9HS5K02 The impact of the development of British colonies in Australia on the lives of the First Nations Australians, the colonists and convicts, and on the natural environment
AC9HS5S01 Develop questions to investigate people, events, developments, places and systems
AC9HS5S02 Locate, collect and organise information and data from primary and secondary sources in a range of formats
AC9HS5S03 Evaluate information and data in a range of formats to identify and describe patterns and trends, or to infer relationships
AC9HS5S05 Develop evidence-based conclusions
AC9HS5S07 Present descriptions and explanations, drawing ideas, findings and viewpoints from sources, and using relevant terms and conventions
6 AC9HS6K05 Australia’s interconnections with other countries and how these change people and places
AC9HS6S01 Develop questions to investigate people, events, developments, places and systems
AC9HS6S02 Locate, collect and organise information and data from primary and secondary sources in a range of formats
AC9HS6S03 Evaluate information and data in a range of formats to identify and describe patterns and trends, or to infer relationships
AC9HS6S05 Develop evidence-based conclusions
AC9HS6S07 Present descriptions and explanations, drawing ideas, findings and viewpoints from sources, and using relevant terms and conventions

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 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
3 AC9E3LY06 Plan, create, edit and publish imaginative, informative and persuasive written and multi-modal texts, using visual features, appropriate form and layout, with ideas groups in simple paragraphs, mostly correct tense, topic-specific vocabulary and correct spelling of most high-frequency and phonetically regular words
AC9E3LY08 Write words using joined letters that are clearly formed and consistent in size
AC9E3LY07 Plan, create, rehearse and deliver short oral and/or multimodal presentations to inform, express opinions or tell stories, using a clear structure, details to elaborate ideas, topic-specific and precise vocabulary, visual features, and appropriate tone, pace, pitch and volume
4 AC9E4LY06 Plan, create, edit and publish written and multimodal imaginative, informative and persuasive texts, using visual features, relevant linked ideas, complex sentences, appropriate tense, synonyms, and antonyms, correct spelling of multisyllabic words and simple punctuation
AC9E4LY08 Write words using clearly formed joined letters with developing fluency and automaticity
AC9E4LY07 Plan, create, rehearse and deliver structured oral and/or multimodal presentations to report on a topic, tell a story, recount events or present an argument using subjective and objective language, complex sentences, visual features, tone, pace, pitch and volume
The Arts / Drama
AC9DR4D01 Use the elements of drama to explore and develop ideas for dramatic action in improvisations and/or devised drama
AC9DR4C01 Improvise and/or devise and shape drama using the elements of drama to communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning
AC9DR4P01 Perform improvised and/or devised drama in informal settings

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:
HASS
6 AC9HS6K04 The geographical diversity of location of places in the Asia region, and its location in relation to Australia
Technologies
AC9TDE4P03 Select and use materials, components, tools, equipment and techniques to safely make designed solutions
The Arts / Visual Arts
Use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to plan and create artworks that communicate ideas, perspectives and/or meaning

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:
Technologies
AC9TDE6K03 Explain how and why food and fibre are produced in managed environments
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.
- Can you identify any of the flowers?
- Using the provided templates of the fangipani flowers ‍and the Visual Arts materials available to you, make informed decisions about how you colour the flowers. Or you may like to use other Visual Arts processes to make representations of frangipani flowers.
Once completed:
- Document your choice and use of visual arts materials to create your flower and share with the class
- Gather the 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:
Visual Art
AC9AVA6D01 Experiment with, document and reflect on ways to use a range of visual conventions, visual art processes, and materials
AC9AVA6C01Use visual conventions, visual arts processes and materials to plan and create artworks that communicate ideas, perspective and/or meaning
AC9AVA6P01 Select and present documentation of visual arts practice, and display artworks in informal and/or formal settings.

EPISODE ONE:

AN ISLAND ADVENTURE!

Introduction to te katabwanin

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. (Link to video)
Using the compass points link below, mark the Lagoon, South, Ocean and North sides of your classroom.
CURRICULUM LINKS:
HASS
6 AC9HS6K05 Australia’s interconnections with other countries and how these change people and places