What’s On Our Plates?

What’s On Our Plates? is a set of multimedia learning modules designed to enable anyone to explore Aotearoa New Zealand’s active plate boundary online, including the Alpine Fault and Hikurangi subduction zone.

There are currently three What’s On Our Plates? learning modules, with more coming soon.

The first three modules have been aligned to Level 4-6 Achievement Objectives from the Science Learning Area of the New Zealand Curriculum and are accompanied by a Teacher Guide to support their use in the classroom. Each module comes with a downloadable and printable activity sheet and finishes with a quiz to test students learning. Answers to the activity sheets are included in the Teacher Guide.

Please note: The What’s On Our Plates? learning modules are best viewed on a desktop, laptop or tablet, they are not suitable for viewing on mobile phones or small screens. We recommend using Google Chrome, the maps will not work in Internet Explorer.

Watch this space!

Take a tour of Aotearoa New Zealand’s plate boundary, starting with the earth’s structure, tectonic plates, the Pacific Ring of Fire. Then explore where the Australian and Pacific plates meet.

Dive to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean to learn about the features of the Hikurangi Trench in 3D. Then come back to the surface and find out about the geo-science underway to unlock the secrets of the Hikurangi subduction zone.

Take a tour along the Alpine Fault, Aotearoa New Zealand’s on-land plate boundary and one of the longest natural straight lines in the world! Find out how it was discovered and learn what science can tell us about Alpine Fault earthquakes.

Watch this space!

The What’s On Our Plates? Teacher Guide summarises the learning modules, shows you how to navigate through StoryMaps, details how the modules align to the New Zealand Curriculum and provides some technical tips to get you started.