Quest # 1

A young boy, named Kahu (Kahurangi) was walking through the forest with his spear. He,
along with his friends Nikau and Kauri, were hunting for Moa. They had set up some traps
and snares in an effort to capture one and were keen to see if their traps had been successful.
Suddenly, they noticed a noise coming from the direction of one of the traps. Excitedly, they
began to run. As Kahu was running, he tripped over a root. A sharp, stinging pain shot
through his leg as he crashed into the ground. His friends turned around at the sound of his
cry of pain and rushed to his side. Blood gushed out of a large cut on his knee. In horror,
Kauri looked at Nikau, and cried “What should we do?”
Action Needed: Students find a remedy for Kahu and apply it. Provide the name, a picture,
information on how the plant helps, and information on how to apply it.

Quest # 2
Kahu is taken home, the cut in his leg remedied. He asked his mom if he could once again
participate in activities that he wanted.
Action Needed: Find out what the regular activities of a 12-year-old Maori boy would have
been. Have him engage in those activities. Give a description of at least one of those
activities and provide supporting pictures.

Quest # 3
Kahu took it easy for a few days before he began to be active once again. He went fishing,
hunting, and continued with his regular activities. One morning, Kahu woke up and found his
leg to be very sore. Pus was oozing out of the cut on his leg and angry red stripes led away
from it. His mom took one look at it before quickly running to find help.
Action Needed: Who within a Maori tribe would have knowledge to help Kahu? Write at
least 250 words explaining what his role is within the tribe.

Quest # 4
Kahu’s mom and the knowledgeable tribe member come running. They are prepared to help
Kahu. Kahu’s mom cries, “What could have caused this?”
Action Needed: Find a detailed answer for Kahu’s mom so you can help ease her worry.
Why did Kahu have pus oozing out of the cut on his leg and have red stripes that led away
from it? What might have caused this? Explain what is happening in Kahu’s leg.

Quest # 5
Kahu, his mom, and the person who helped, have come up with a solution to help Kahu.
Action Needed: Do you know what that solution is? Find out before moving on to the next
quest.
 Quest # 6
Kahu has a newfound appreciation for plants. He is amazed by everything that they can do.
Because he is Maori, he has a Maori belief about how things came to be. He asks his father
how the world began.
Action Needed: What is the Maori Creation story? Compare it to the Creation Story we
find in Genesis 1. Then compare it to evolution.

Quest # 7
Kahu is excited about plants. Although he loves hunting, he has now decided that he wants to
begin growing plants. However, Kahu doesn’t know where to start. He goes to his
grandmother and asks her about plants. His grandmother, informs him about five different
types of plants. According to Kahu’s grandmother. These different types of plants have
certain characteristics of living things. However, Kahu’s grandmother is forgetting some
things and needs your help.
Action Needed: Find out what the characteristics of living things are. Then determine
the five different groups of plants. Which group of plants would be most useful for
Kahu to grow? Why?

Quest # 8
Now that Kahu knows a bit more about plants, he is ready to start planting.
Action Needed: Find out if Kahu can grow the plants himself. How would it work? What
would he need to grow the plants? Write out all the steps necessary for successfully
growing his crop.

Quest # 9
Congratulations! You have successfully planted your first crop! However, some sort of plant
disease has affecting your plants!
Action Needed: Find out which plant disease is affecting your crop and find a way to get
rid of it.

Quest # 10
Phew! You have saved the crop from being completely wiped out! Your plants are fully
grown and ready to harvest.
Action Needed: Determine what the plants can be used for. Then determine what the
different uses for various other plants are. List at least 10 different types of plants and what
their uses are. Hint: Use the textbook to find some of your answers!
For Quest 11, each team got a different message. Some of the poems
needed to be discussed with the students (i.e. the poem by Joseph
B. Strauss).

Quest # 11
Kahu, relieved after having completed a successfully harvest, went for a walk along the
beach. As he was walking, he found a bottle lying on the beach. In this bottle was a poem.
The Cootamundra wattle the commonest of trees
They sucker all around the place and multiply like bees
In scrubland and steep gullies, in paddocks brown and bare
And in urban parks and gardens, you see them everywhere.

- Francis Duggan

Action Needed: Find out where the message has come from. Determine what the culture of
that country is like, how they use plants, and why they use plants differently.

Quest # 11
Kahu, relieved after having completed a successfully harvest, went for a walk along the
beach. As he was walking, he found a bottle lying on the beach. In this bottle was a poem.
Out here
Out here on the tundra,
Snow whispers.

It blows along,
Crawls above the ice pack
Under the aurora
& pelts me
Like cold tiny needles.

It speaks in silent tones,

Reminding me of this fight,
Then trails away
Quickly
Into the frozen night.

- Jonny Angel

Action Needed: Find out where the message has come from. Determine what the culture of
that country is like, how they use plants, and why they use plants differently.
 Quest # 11
Kahu, relieved after having completed a successfully harvest, went for a walk along the
beach. As he was walking, he found a bottle lying on the beach. In this bottle was a poem.
I saw tulips grow in the sunlight of spring
They were touched, softly by sunbeams
Enjoying the temperature rising
Gently woken from their dreams
Fully exposed to light
Tell me, what doesn’t grow in sunlight so bright?
Tulips do grow, in spring and after the winter snow
Slowly, into a tapestry so beau
From the coastline near the sea,
To the borders of this country
Flowering,
Colouring,
Inspiring,
Moving
And just waving
In the breeze of spring
Fields and fields of tulips,
So amazing.

- Harm Jagerman

Action Needed: Find out where the message has come from. Determine what the culture of
that country is like, how they use plants, and why they use plants differently.
 Quest # 11
Kahu, relieved after having completed a successfully harvest, went for a walk along the
beach. As he was walking, he found a bottle lying on the beach. In this bottle was a poem.
Drinking up the clouds
It spews out cherry blossoms
Yoshino Mountain.

Wind blows
They scatter and it dies
Fallen petals

Petals falling
Unable to resist
The moonlight

Sakura, sakura
They fall in the dreams
Of sleeping beauty

- Yosa Buson

Action Needed: Find out where the message has come from. Determine what the culture of
that country is like, how they use plants, and why they use plants differently.
 Quest # 11
Kahu, relieved after having completed a successfully harvest, went for a walk along the
beach. As he was walking, he found a bottle lying on the beach. In this bottle was a poem.
Here, sown by the Creator’s hand,
In serried ranks, the Redwoods stand;
No other clime is honoured so,
No other lands their glory know

The greatest of Earth’s living forms,

Tall conquerors that laugh at storms;
Their challenge still unanswered rings,
Through fifty centuries of kings.

The nations that with them were young,

Rich empires, with their forts far-flung,
Lie buried now- their splendour gone;
But these proud monarchs still live on.

So shall they live, when ends our day,

When our crude citadels decay;
For brief the years allotted man,
But infinite perennials’ span.

This is their temple, vaulted high,

And here we pause with reverent eye,
With silent tongue and awe-struck soul;
For here we sense life’s proper goal;

To be like these, straight, true and fine,

To make our world, like theirs, a shrine;
Sink down, Oh traveller, on your knees,
God stands before you in these trees.

- Joseph B. Strauss

Action Needed: Find out where the message has come from. Determine what the culture of
that country is like, how they use plants, and why they use plants differently.

Quest # 12
Kahu is excited! The whole tribe is talking nervously amongst themselves as there have been
sightings of white people. Kahu is also excited but wonders about what might happen now.
Action Needed: Find out how the arrival of white people in New Zealand might affect the
flora and fauna of New Zealand. Find at least 2 examples.