DescriptionOne of the Sharing Our Stories series by Oratia Books, which encourage children to find out about centuries of history and unique environments.Within the framework of The New Zealand Curriculum, The Tunnel in Our Backyard supports several principles, notably: Cultural Diversity and Future Focus (especially sustainability), plus elements under the Treaty of Waitangi (for example, the opportunity to acquire knowledge of te reo Mäori me ngä tikanga (te reo Mäori and tikanga Mäori). Of the five key competencies that the Curriculum endorses, this book links closely to Using Language, Symbols and Texts, Thinking, Participating and Contributing, and Relating to Others. It also lends itself well to recognising New Zealand’s Official Languages and the learning areas of Learning Languages, Arts, Science and Social Sciences. From 2023, Aotearoa New Zealand’s histories and Te Takanga o Te Wä will be taught in all schools and kura. The Tunnel in Our Backyard is an excellent resource encouraging a ‘sense of place’ and can be a template for schools in other areas to stimulate their local curriculum learningMeet the Kiwi authorMalcolm Paterson belongs to Ngāti Whātua iwi, which he represents in heritage and environmental matters. He is the author of four Sharing our Stories books. Malcolm lives with his family in Te Atatū, Auckland.
