Wild Aotearoa: Ranger Rescue | Iconic Games Year 5

Young rangers investigating leaves, feathers, field samples and wildlife clues at an open-air native bush field station.

ENGLISH · SCIENCE

Ranger Classification Lab

01 · Field Station

Let’s investigate the words for Wild Aotearoa: Ranger Rescue. Look for what changes, then explain what you notice.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can use subject-specific vocabulary accurately.

YOUR MISSION

Biodiversity refers to…

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.

PRACTISE · Try the words

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

Biodiversity refers to…

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.

A New Zealand bush observation trail with binoculars, field notes, animal signs and native wildlife clues.

ENGLISH · SCIENCE

Ranger Field Report

02 · Bush Track

Read the Wild Aotearoa: Ranger Rescue information first. Talk the idea through, then answer one small question at a time.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can combine ideas from several details or sources into a new conclusion.

YOUR MISSION

Which conclusion is best supported?

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Synthesising is more than copying. Select the most relevant ideas, connect them and state the overall meaning in your own words.

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.

TEACH · Read this first

Survey 1 recorded 18 tūī, 7 kererū and 3 geckos. Survey 2, completed after new native planting, recorded 24 tūī, 10 kererū and 5 geckos. Rangers also found fewer signs of browsing damage, but the surveys alone cannot prove the planting caused every change.

CHECK THE TEXT · Find a clue

A clue from the text is called evidence.

Clue I found in the textWhat 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

Survey 1 recorded 18 tūī, 7 kererū and 3 geckos. Survey 2, completed after new native planting, recorded 24 tūī, 10 kererū and 5 geckos. Rangers also found fewer signs of browsing damage, but the surveys alone cannot prove the planting caused every change.

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

CHECK THE CORE IDEA

Which conclusion is best supported?

EVIDENCECombine two different details from the source into one new conclusion in your own words. THINK DEEPERExplain how each detail contributes to that conclusion instead of simply copying the source. 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.

Young rangers preparing a wildlife field report at a bush-side ranger station overlooking native forest and waterways.

ENGLISH · SCIENCE

Write the Ranger Report

03 · Ranger Base

YOUR WRITING JOB: Write a ranger report that summarises two data changes, states one cautious conclusion and recommends one next action.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can write an informative report that groups related ideas and uses evidence.

YOUR MISSION

Write a ranger report that summarises two data changes, states one cautious conclusion and recommends one next action.

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Reports use a clear focus, grouped information and accurate vocabulary. Select evidence that supports the purpose and avoid irrelevant detail.

STEP 1Introduce what you are writing about.
STEP 2Give your first important idea.
STEP 3Add another useful detail, reason or example.
STEP 4Finish so the reader understands your message.

NEED TO GET YOUR IDEAS READY?

Choose any way that helps. These are optional — you can always do the whole mission on screen.

ON SCREEN — use the planning boxes below.PEN & PAPER — if you want to, draw or jot your ideas first.SAY IT OUT LOUD — explain your idea to yourself before writing.TALK IT THROUGH — if someone is available, you can talk with a friend, sibling, whānau member or adult.

PRACTISE · Plan it one step at a time

STEP 1Who will read this, and why?STEP 2My opening / first ideaSTEP 3Important detail or reasonSTEP 4How I will finish

CREATE · PUT IT TOGETHERPut it togetherUse the ideas from your plan, paper, or what you said out loud. You can change them as you write.

SELF-CHECK · Check your work

I stayed on the mission topic.I wrote enough complete ideas for this task.I included the facts, reasons, steps or details the mission asked for.I used my own words.I read it back and it makes sense.

This checklist helps you check your work. You do not have to tick every box to submit — the mission check looks at the work you created.

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

Write a ranger report that summarises two data changes, states one cautious conclusion and recommends one next action.

Minimum guide: 120 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.

Young rangers counting native birds and wildlife around a clear Aotearoa wetland habitat.

MATHS

Wildlife Count Lab

04 · Wetland Survey

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

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can interpret and compare data, describe patterns and justify conclusions.

YOUR MISSION

1) Increase in tūī from 18 to 24 2) Total animals in Survey 2: 24+10+5

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

Read scales carefully, compare categories or time points and distinguish the data from your explanation of why a pattern might exist.

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.

PRACTISE & SOLVE · One question at a time

Read → choose a strategy → work it out → check your answer. Correct answers stay correct if another question needs another go.

QUESTION 1Increase in tūī from 18 to 24QUESTION 2Total animals in Survey 2: 24+10+5

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 1Increase in tūī from 18 to 24QUESTION 2Total animals in Survey 2: 24+10+5 CHALLENGE 1Grouped results: 0–4 has 6 values; 5–9 has 9 values; 10–14 has 4 values. Which interval has the greatest frequency?CHALLENGE 2Year 5 soccer = 12, Year 5 netball = 8, Year 6 soccer = 9, Year 6 netball = 11. Which paired category has the highest count?CHALLENGE 3A clustered bar graph shows 14 walkers and 19 cyclists. How many more cyclists are there?CHALLENGE 4A table records 7, 11 and 9 observations in three groups. What is the total frequency?

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.

A split habitat restoration scene showing damaged land changing into healthy native bush and clean water.

SCIENCE

Ranger Rescue: Restore the Habitat

05 · Habitat Zone

This is your real-world Wild Aotearoa: Ranger Rescue challenge. Work out what the problem asks you to find or make.

WHAT AM I LEARNING?

I can use evidence to recommend an action.

YOUR MISSION

Recommend one habitat-restoration action using the field evidence. Explain what result you would monitor next.

TEACH · LEARN THE IDEA

A recommendation should link evidence to a decision. State the evidence, explain what it means, then justify the action you propose.

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.

CREATE · What do I need to solve?

Recommend one habitat-restoration action using the field evidence. Explain what result you would monitor next.

Choose a way to show your thinking. There can be more than one good strategy.

Ways to think away from the screen

PEN & PAPER — show your working there if it helps.

SAY IT OUT LOUD — explain what you need to find.

TALK IT THROUGH — if someone is available, you can discuss your strategy.

My solution

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

Recommend one habitat-restoration action using the field evidence. Explain what result you would monitor next.

Minimum guide: 90 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.

SCIENCE

Biosecurity Patrol

06 · Biosecurity Zone

GAME BREAK

Patrol the reserve for invasive pests. Tap possums, stoats, rabbits and feral cats, but protect native tūī, kererū, geckos and wētā. Reach the ranger target before time runs out.

BIOSECURITY ALERT

Protect the native bush

Tap pests. Leave native wildlife alone. Take your time, spot the pests, and build your score before the patrol timer runs out.

PESTSpossum · stoat · rabbit · feral cat PROTECTtūī · kererū · gecko · wētā

SCORE0

TIME45s

STREAK0

A New Zealand bush biosecurity patrol zone with logs, fern cover, rocks and hiding places.

Press START PATROL when you're ready.

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.

18 to 24 increase?

Biodiversity?

Survey 2 total?

Complete this final Year 5 application when you are ready.

Week 4 Check In

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

How did you keep your conclusion cautious while still making a useful recommendation?

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…