Education Programme

Enquire now for Term 1, 2027.

Rotoroa Island offers an immersive conservation learning experience where students investigate New Zealand's unique native species, ecosystems and restoration story. Led by experienced educators, our programme for Years 5 to 8 develops students' understanding of ecology, biodiversity, food webs, adaptations and human impacts through authentic field investigations. Students collect evidence, analyse ecosystem health, and discover how restoration helps protect nature. Through meaningful conservation experiences, they build the knowledge, skills and confidence to take informed action.

Enquire by emailing education@rotoroa.org.nz

Knowledge Into Action

Students apply their understanding of ecology, biodiversity and restoration to real-world conservation. By investigating ecosystems, analysing evidence and taking meaningful action, they discover how informed decisions can help protect New Zealand's unique natural environment, because we are all part of the solution.

Learning Tailored to Your School

Flexible and easy to integrate into your curriculum, our programme aligns with your school's topics and goals, supporting your community's unique vision.

We're Here to Support You

Our experienced educators and staff work closely with you to customize and deliver a programme that meets your school's goals and vision.

Free to attend. The ferry and the day are on us.

Thursday 8 October 2026: Teachers Only Day

Teachers, come and experience Rotoroa's conservation education programme first-hand. Walk the island, meet our educators, and see exactly how a day with us helps your students investigate real ecosystems, collect environmental data, and use evidence to explain what they discover. Enquire by emailing education@rotoroa.org.nz.

Thanks to the support of our sponsors

What's involved?

This three-day programme, delivered over six weeks in Terms 1 or 4, includes an unforgettable visit to Rotoroa Island in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf.

  • Passionate Educators

    Passionate educators with in-depth knowledge of Aotearoa New Zealand’s flora and fauna, especially Rotoroa Island, who bring conservation to life through engaging stories, hands-on learning, and genuine enthusiasm.

  • Hands-on & Fun

    Step beyond the classroom and into a living conservation story. Students investigate real ecosystems, encounter native species, collect evidence, and discover how restoration is helping Aotearoa's biodiversity thrive. Through immersive, hands-on experiences, they see how science, people and action come together to protect nature.

  • Real-World Environmental Action

    Active support to help students take real-world environmental action in their community—this could include creating a poster, writing an article for the school newsletter, organising a beach clean-up, writing a poem, or starting a vegetable garden.

  • A Specialist Journal 

    Each student receives their own journal to record observations, citizen science data, and personal reflections throughout the programme. In the final workshop, they revisit their findings to analyse results, make connections, and plan their own conservation actions.

Enquire by emailing education@rotoroa.org.nz

Programme Breakdown

Pre-Visit Classroom Workshop (2.5 hours)

Prepare students for their island visit with an engaging introduction to Rotoroa Island, conservation challenges, and native wildlife. Through a variety of hands-on activities, students are split into small groups where they explore ideas, generate discussion, and share their thinking. For example, students investigate producers, consumers, and decomposers, building an understanding of how ecosystems work that can be revisited and explored further during their time on the island. They begin their field journals, recording observations and developing questions to guide their learning.

Island Field Experience (Full-Day Trip)

Students take part in a rich, curriculum-linked outdoor learning day, applying observation, investigation, and data collection skills in a real conservation setting. The day includes a guided nature walk where students record the trees they see and identify birds by sight and sound, building their observation skills. At the wetlands, they take part in hands-on science through water testing, collecting and recording data in their journals. Students enjoy lunch at the beach, followed by an afternoon exploring the rock pools, discovering marine life and understanding coastal ecosystems.

Reflection & Action Classroom Workshop (1.5 hours)

In a final session back at school, students analyse and interpret their findings, reflect on ecosystem health, and explore the positive impact of human actions on the environment. Linking to the New Zealand Curriculum strands of Science (Living World) and Nature of Science, they use evidence to explain ecological relationships. Using prepared iNaturalist slides, students explore the biodiversity in their local area to see what species are around their school and learn how citizen science contributes to conservation. They also examine eDNA data from a nearby stream to discover what organisms are present in their local waterways. Through real-life scenarios, students work in small groups to discuss, problem-solve, and identify practical, positive actions they can take to support conservation, reinforcing their learning from the island experience.

DAY 01
DAY 02
DAY 03

Years 5 to 6

Investigate Nature's Connections

Students investigate coastal, wetland and forest ecosystems to build their understanding of ecology. They identify native plants and animals, explain food webs, habitats and adaptations, and compare how different species depend on one another to survive. Through hands-on field investigations, students use their journals to collect environmental data, analyse their findings, and justify what makes a healthy ecosystem. Along the way, they discover how restoration helps protect biodiversity and learn that we are all part of the solution.

Years 7 to 8

Investigate, Analyse and Take Action

Students investigate ecological relationships to understand what makes a healthy ecosystem. Through authentic field investigations, they explain food webs, biodiversity, species adaptations and human impacts, while collecting environmental data and evidence from across Rotoroa Island. Students use their journals to analyse their findings, evaluate how restoration has helped rebuild the island's ecosystems, and justify their conclusions using evidence gathered throughout the day. By connecting with place and taking meaningful conservation action, they discover that we are all part of the solution.

What will students do during the visit to Rotoroa Island?

Students will:
  • Observe native birds such as tīeke/saddleback, pōpokotea/whitehead, and takahē, noting their behaviours, adaptations, and habitats, and recording descriptive observations and labelled notes, while recording the species they see and hear in their journals.
  • Explore plant life, including pōhutukawa, pūriri, and other native flora, describing how these support food webs.
  • Conduct simple ecological investigations, such as testing water clarity, temperature, and pH in wetlands, measuring, recording, and comparing results.
  • Discuss predator-free conservation and biosecurity, developing ideas through group discussion and recording key points and questions.
  • Connect observations to the roles species play in the ecosystem and why they are considered taonga/treasures, supported through written reflections.

New Zealand Science Curriculum connections

Our programme is designed to support the New Zealand Curriculum.
A day on Rotoroa gives students the chance to build knowledge and understanding of ecological concepts, collect and record environmental data, identify patterns, and practise the science capabilities.
Through authentic field investigations, students investigate ecosystems, explain food webs and adaptations, compare habitats and species, analyse the data they collect, evaluate the impact of restoration, and justify their conclusions with evidence.

How much does it cost?

$40 per student, which includes the ferry ticket with Explore Group NZ, plus experienced educator knowledge and facilitation.

Enquire by emailing education@rotoroa.org.nz

FAQs

View all FAQs

By taking part in the Rotoroa Island Education Programme, students will:

  • Explore and connect with Aotearoa’s unique natural environments, gaining an understanding of what conservation means in their own lives.
  • Investigate and problem-solve real environmental challenges through hands-on, inquiry-based learning.
  • Experience joy and curiosity in nature, deepening their understanding of how ecosystems function.
  • Take informed action by developing their own conservation projects that support local and community goals.
  • Engage with citizen science by exploring biodiversity and discovering how everyday observations can support conservation.

The programme runs during Term 1 and Term 4.

It is aimed at 10-14 year old students,all facilitated by at least two Rotoroa Island educators.

The cost is $40 per student, including the ferry to the island with Explore Group. We are able to offer this significantly subsidised rate thanks to the generous support of the Jenkins Foundation, Kiowa Charitable Trust, Due Drop, and Neil & Annette Plowman. This Includes the cost of the ferry, however the transport to the ferry terminal is not included.

A 1:6 ratio, adult to student is required. 

30 students are the minimum number for this trip.

Ready to Bring Your Students to Rotoroa?

Enquire now for Term 1, 2027.

Transport

Learn More

Stay Overnight

Learn More

Shop

Learn More