Protect Our Moana | Iconic Games Year 5

Year 4 learners investigating marine vocabulary at an Aotearoa coastal learning station.

ENGLISH

Moana Word Detective

01 · Workshop

Let’s investigate the words for Protect Our Moana. Look for what changes, then explain what you notice.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can use subject-specific vocabulary accurately.

YOUR MISSION

Runoff is…

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Technical vocabulary is useful when it makes an explanation more exact. Define unfamiliar terms through context and use them consistently.

STEP 1Read or tap each word.
STEP 2Look closely at the word part the mission is teaching.
STEP 3Sort, build or compare the words.
STEP 4Explain the pattern in your own words.

TEACH · WORD PARTS

How base words and affixes change meaning

Before you investigate the moana words, learn the three parts you need to spot.

1 · BASE WORD

The base word carries the main meaning.

protect

protect means to keep something safe.

2 · PREFIX

A prefix goes before a base word and changes its meaning.

re-use

reuse means use again. re- means again.

3 · SUFFIX

A suffix goes after a base word. It can change the meaning or the job of the word.

protect-ion

protection names the act or result of protecting.

pollute → pollutionpollute + -ionan action becomes a noun naming the result or process

protect → protectionprotect + -ionan action becomes a noun

overfishingover- + fish + -ingover- means too much; -ing names the activity

unsafeun- + safeun- means not

Important: not every moana word has an affix. Words such as marine, habitat and ecosystem are important topic words, but you do not need to split every word into parts.

QUICK CHECK

In the word protection, what is -ion?

TOUCH · LOOK · NOTICE

Explore the moana clues

Tap the pictures, then choose a word. Decide whether it has a base word, a prefix, a suffix, or whether it is simply an important topic word.

Tap words to collect and compare them.

What pattern did you notice?Tell what changes in the word and what the change does.

YEAR 5 DEEP DIVE · REQUIRED Complete this deeper Year 5 mahi as part of the mission — not as an optional extra.

Do the main mission first, then complete this section. It is deliberately more independent than Year 4 and is part of your weekly homework workload.

CHECK THE CORE IDEA

Runoff is…

APPLY ITUse two subject-specific words from this week accurately in one or two complete sentences. USE ITDefine one of those technical words in your own words without simply repeating it. TRANSFER ITChoose a different example connected to this week. Explain how the same word skill helps you understand, spell or communicate the idea more precisely.

Complete this final Year 5 application when you are ready.

Illustrated cause-and-effect pathway showing litter moving from land through stormwater and waterways to the moana.

ENGLISH · SCIENCE

Cause & Effect: What Happens to Our Moana?

02 · Library

Read the Protect Our Moana information first. Talk the idea through, then answer one small question at a time.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can infer, justify ideas and select the strongest evidence.

YOUR MISSION

Why can litter dropped inland affect the coast?

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Inference combines what the text says with what you already know. Strong answers point to specific evidence and explain how it supports the inference.

STEP 1Read once to understand what it is mostly about.
STEP 2Read the question again and find the part that helps.
STEP 3Say your answer aloud using because, then check it against the text.
STEP 4Record a useful clue from the source.
STEP 5Explain what that clue tells you.

BUILD THE PATHWAY

Move the evidence into cause-and-effect order

The clue pictures are mixed up on purpose. Drag on a computer, or tap a card and then tap its destination on a phone or tablet.

TEACH · Read this first

Rain can wash litter from streets into stormwater drains. In many places those drains lead to streams or directly to the coast. Plastic can then travel through waterways, break into smaller pieces and affect marine habitats.

CHECK THE TEXT · Find a clue

Clue I found in the text What I think the clue tells me

YEAR 5 DEEP DIVE · REQUIRED Complete this deeper Year 5 mahi as part of the mission — not as an optional extra.

Do the main mission first, then complete this section. It is deliberately more independent than Year 4 and is part of your weekly homework workload.

READ FOR EVIDENCE

Rain can wash litter from streets into stormwater drains. In many places those drains lead to streams or directly to the coast. Plastic can then travel through waterways, break into smaller pieces and affect marine habitats.

Fluency check: read the source aloud once at a natural pace, pausing where the punctuation tells you to.

CHECK THE CORE IDEA

Why can litter dropped inland affect the coast?

EVIDENCEUse one exact detail from the source as evidence. Explain what that detail helps you infer. THINK DEEPERName one conclusion the source does NOT justify, and explain why the evidence is not strong enough for it. SYNTHESISEState the most important idea in your own words, then use a second detail from the source to strengthen your explanation.

Complete this final Year 5 application when you are ready.

Year 4 learners organising evidence and writing a cause-and-effect explanation about protecting the moana.

ENGLISH

Explain the Problem: Rubbish to the Ocean

03 · Creative Studio

YOUR WRITING JOB: Explain one pathway by which pollution can move from land to the moana and one action that could interrupt that pathway.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can explain how or why something happens using a logical sequence and precise vocabulary.

YOUR MISSION

Explain one pathway by which pollution can move from land to the moana and one action that could interrupt that pathway.

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Explanations organise causes, processes or relationships. Use technical vocabulary where it adds precision and link ideas with cause-and-effect language.

STEP 1Plan where the rubbish starts and how rain or stormwater can move it.
STEP 2PARAGRAPH 1 — Explain the pathway from land to the moana.
STEP 3PARAGRAPH 2 — Explain an effect on marine life and one action that can interrupt the chain.
STEP 4Use because, therefore, as a result or so at least twice, then read it back.

PLAN WITH EVIDENCE

Build your explanation on the board

Move four evidence pictures onto the planning board. Add a short note under each one, then use your plan to write the explanation.

Four-part marine explanation planning board

Your note

CREATE · PUT IT TOGETHERPut it togetherUse your picture plan and notes. Explain how the problem travels through the environment and what can be done.

SELF-CHECK · Check your explanation

I wrote two short paragraphs.I explained the pathway from land to the moana.I explained an effect on marine life.I used cause-and-effect linking words at least twice.I included one practical action that interrupts the chain.

YEAR 5 DEEP DIVE · REQUIRED Complete this deeper Year 5 mahi as part of the mission — not as an optional extra.

Do the main mission first, then complete this section. It is deliberately more independent than Year 4 and is part of your weekly homework workload.

YOU TRY

Explain one pathway by which pollution can move from land to the moana and one action that could interrupt that pathway.

Minimum guide: 100 words. Quality matters: make the reasoning, evidence or design decision clear.

□ answers the exact task□ uses specific detail□ ideas are connected□ reread and improved

Complete this final Year 5 application when you are ready.

Year 4 learners measuring coastal research equipment using metres and centimetres.

MATHS

Marine Measurement Mission

04 · Maths Lab

Work through one maths question at a time. Your answers will be checked before the next mission unlocks.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can solve measurement problems using appropriate metric units and conversions.

YOUR MISSION

1) 2.4 m in centimetres 2) Perimeter of a 12 m by 8 m rectangle

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Choose units that match the object and convert within metric relationships when needed. Record units with every answer.

STEP 1Read the question and decide what you need to find.
STEP 2Notice the important numbers and units.
STEP 3Choose a strategy and work it out.
STEP 4Type the answer, then check that it makes sense.

TEACH · LEARN THE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

Metric measurement: millimetres, centimetres and metres

Use this guide while you work. In Aotearoa New Zealand we normally measure length with the metric system.

10 mm = 1 cmMillimetres are very small. Think: the thickness of a small object or tiny detail.

100 cm = 1 mCentimetres are useful for smaller objects. Metres are useful for longer lengths.

1,000 mm = 1 mA metre contains 100 centimetres, and each centimetre contains 10 millimetres.

1,000 m = 1 kmKilometres are used for much longer distances, such as travelling between places.

METRES → CENTIMETRES

× 100Multiply the metres by 100.

Example: 4 m = 4 × 100 = 400 cm

CENTIMETRES → METRES + CENTIMETRES

÷ 100Make groups of 100 cm. The leftover centimetres stay as cm.

Example: 370 cm = 3 groups of 100 cm + 70 cm = 3 m 70 cm

MILLIMETRES ↔ CENTIMETRES

10 ↔ 110 mm make 1 cm.

Example: 70 mm = 7 cm. 5 cm = 50 mm.

COMPARE LENGTHS

SAME UNIT FIRSTConvert both measurements to the same unit before comparing.

Example: 3 m = 300 cm, so 3 m is longer than 250 cm.

ADDING MIXED MEASUREMENTS1 m 25 cm + 30 cm

Keep the metres, then add the centimetres: 25 cm + 30 cm = 55 cm. The answer is 1 m 55 cm.

If the centimetres reach 100 or more, trade every 100 cm for another metre.

Bonus: do all countries measure the same way?

Aotearoa New Zealand uses the metric system, so centimetres, metres and kilometres are the measurements you will usually see. In the United States, people also commonly use measurements such as inches, feet and miles in everyday life. Metric measurements are still used there in areas such as science and medicine.

mmtiny lengths10 mm = 1 cm cmsmaller objects100 cm = 1 m mlonger lengths

MEASURE IT FOR REAL

Read the measurement from each picture

Each question now uses a complete measurement picture with the object and its scale already lined up. Tap the picture if you want to enlarge it, then type your measurement underneath.

QUESTION 1

2.4 m in centimetres

Look at where the end of the rope lines up on the scale.

Type your measurement

QUESTION 2

Perimeter of a 12 m by 8 m rectangle

Read the line length, then write it in metres and centimetres.

Type your measurement

YEAR 5 DEEP DIVE · REQUIRED Complete this deeper Year 5 mahi as part of the mission — not as an optional extra.

Do the main mission first, then complete this section. It is deliberately more independent than Year 4 and is part of your weekly homework workload.

CORE YEAR 5 QUESTIONS

QUESTION 12.4 m in centimetresQUESTION 2Perimeter of a 12 m by 8 m rectangle CHALLENGE 13.6 m in centimetresCHALLENGE 2Perimeter of a 14 m by 9 m rectangleCHALLENGE 32.75 km in metresCHALLENGE 41.8 L in millilitres

SHOW THE REASONINGChoose one problem above. Explain how you solved it or how you checked that your answer was reasonable.

Complete this final Year 5 application when you are ready.

Year 4 learners planning and measuring a protected Aotearoa coastal dune boundary.

MATHS

Protect the Dunes

05 · Mission Deck

This is your real-world Protect Our Moana challenge. Work out what the problem asks you to find or make.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can design, test and improve an idea against criteria.

YOUR MISSION

Propose a dune-protection layout using one measurement and one environmental reason. Explain how you would test whether it meets the goal.

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Design is iterative. Create a first solution, test it against clear criteria, identify a weakness and make an improvement.

STEP 1Read the whole challenge once.
STEP 2Find the numbers, facts or rules you need.
STEP 3Choose a useful strategy.
STEP 4Show your solution clearly enough that someone else could follow it.

DESIGN CHALLENGE · BLUEPRINT BUILDER

Build your protected dune habitat to scale

You made a rough sketch on the blueprint brief above. Now turn that draft into an accurate scaled build: every small square is 0.5 m.

YOUR DESIGN BRIEF Design site: 8 m × 5 m

The grid uses a scale of 1 square = 0.5 m. Build a 3 m × 2 m protected habitat, then surround it with a 4 m × 3 m rope enclosure. That leaves a 0.5 m buffer around the habitat. Your rope also needs one 2 m entrance.

Rope enclosure4 m × 3 m Entrance gap2 m Rope needed? m

LEARN FIRST · WHICH PLANTS GO WHERE?

A dune has different planting zones

The plants nearest the sea need to cope with wind, salt and moving sand. More sheltered plants belong further back. Use this guide before you build.

1 · FRONT / OPEN SANDMost exposed to wind, salt and moving sand

Pīngao

Spinifex

These are strong dune-building plants. Their roots and runners help trap sand and hold the front of the dune together.

2 · BACK / SHELTERED DUNEMore stable and protected

Harakeke

Coastal shrub

Sand coprosma

Harakeke and shrubs prefer a more stable position. Place them behind the front-dune plants, beside protected edges, or near the boardwalk.

3 · ADD HABITAT VARIETYUse room carefully and keep access clear

Pōhuehue

Toetoe

These can add shelter and variety to the restored area. Do not cover the entrance or block the boardwalk.

Remember: 🌊 Sea → pīngao + spinifex → harakeke + shrubs → sheltered land

Quick check Which TWO plants are the best choices for the exposed, sandy front dune?

Choose two plants, then check your thinking.

□ 2 m entrance □ rope fence □ boardwalk □ protection sign □ at least 3 plant areas □ protected habitat

BUILD TO SCALE

0 m1 square = 0.5 m8 m →

Perimeter of the 4 m × 3 m rope enclosure m Rope after the 2 m entrance gap m

Choose your 2 m entrance first, then build your sanctuary. Explain one design choice Why did you put something where you did? How does it help protect the dunes or guide people safely?

YEAR 5 DEEP DIVE · REQUIRED Complete this deeper Year 5 mahi as part of the mission — not as an optional extra.

Do the main mission first, then complete this section. It is deliberately more independent than Year 4 and is part of your weekly homework workload.

YOU TRY

Propose a dune-protection layout using one measurement and one environmental reason. Explain how you would test whether it meets the goal.

Minimum guide: 70 words. Quality matters: make the reasoning, evidence or design decision clear.

□ answers the exact task□ uses specific detail□ ideas are connected□ reread and improved

Complete this final Year 5 application when you are ready.

A thriving Aotearoa rocky reef and kelp forest ready for the Reef Rescue mission.

SCIENCE

Game Break

06 · Arcade

HOW TO PLAY

Reef Rescue has three missions: steer the Kaitiaki ROV to collect rubbish, defend the reef by matching each threat with the right action, then return marine life to the habitat where it belongs. Complete all three levels to finish the Game Break.

ICONIC ARCADE · TERM 2 · WEEK 4

Reef Rescue

Play first · themed challenge · touch friendly

Polluted Aotearoa rocky reef that needs a clean-up

LEVEL 1 · CLEAN-UP DIVE Steer the Kaitiaki ROV through the reef and collect all 8 pieces of rubbish. 0 / 8 collected

Drag the ROV · use the joystick · or tap rubbish

3 LEVEL REEF MISSION Can you bring this reef back to life?

Clean the rubbish, defend the reef from new threats, then rebuild the habitat.

Press Start Reef Rescue to begin.

Choose a challenge to begin.

YEAR 5 DEEP DIVE · REQUIRED Finish the game, then prove the learning in the final rounds.

Do the main mission first, then complete this section. It is deliberately more independent than Year 4 and is part of your weekly homework workload.

YEAR 5 GAME CHECK

Finish the game first, then use the learning from this week to clear these three final rounds.

2.4 m?

Runoff can carry litter…

Perimeter 12 × 8 rectangle?

Complete this final Year 5 application when you are ready.

How did Week 4 feel?

07 · Clubhouse

This part is about your own learning. There are no right or wrong feelings.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

Reflect on independence, challenge level and the next useful Year 5 practice step.

YOUR MISSION

Which cause-and-effect link was most important to your solution?

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Choose what feels true for you, then write one thing you understand better now.

STEP 1Choose how the week felt.
STEP 2Write one thing you understand better now.

How did this week feel?

There are no right or wrong answers. Choose what feels true for you.

One thing I understand better now is…