Two Aeʻo searching for food. Photo courtesy of ʻAuliʻi Mahuna, HWF.
Did you know that HWF’s Hawaiʻi Island team works in classrooms around the island to educate keiki / ʻōpio on different conservation-related topics? From Waimea to Ka Lae, the HWF team coordinates with classrooms to teach curriculum covering Hawaiian Coastal Ecosystems, Marine Debris, and other important topics. Just this month, HWF was able to launch their waterbird curriculum into all three second grade classrooms at Nāʻālehu Elementary School!
Aligned to common core standards, the keiki of Nāʻālehu Elementary School learned new vocabulary words (including waterbird, endemic,
ʻAlae ʻUla. Photo courtesy of ʻAuliʻi Mahuna, HWF.
endangered, habitat, ecosystem, adaptation, diet, nest, and clutch size) and learned about four of Hawaii’s endemic and endangered waterbirds: Aeʻo (Hawaiian stilt or Himantopus mexicanus knudseni), ʻAlae Keoʻkeo (Hawaiian coot or Fulica alai), ʻAlae ʻUla (Hawaiian gallinule or Gallinula galeata sandvicensis), and the Koloa Maoli (Hawaiian duck or Anas wyvilliana). Students compared their nesting habitats, adaptations, and learned the meaning of the Hawaiian names and fun facts or moʻolelo about these feathered friends!
Perhaps the most memorable take-home of the two days spent with these sharp second graders was when they came up with solutions and ways to protect Hawaii’s native waterbirds. While many students focused on things they could do in their own lives (like use less plastic and pick up trash along the coastline), one student had an elaborate idea of creating a sieve to filter out trash before it meets the estuary. Another mentioned the importance of studying the waterbirds and getting a better understanding of what they need from us. Good ones, kiddos!
It is moments like these that remind us at HWF why we do the things we do – to inspire change and spark a love of wildlife in the keiki / ʻōpio in our communities. Mahalo for having us, Nāʻālehu Elementary School – Grade 2!
