At Manurewa Intermediate School, 71 students in Years 7–8 explored this question through a cross-curricular STEM project that wove together science, digital storytelling and indigenous pattern-making.
The result? A vibrant, student-led journey into the hidden systems that shape our world.
Science meets storytelling
Instead of ending their project with lab reports, the students turned experiments on convection, density and energy transfer into something extraordinary. They wove their
discoveries into visual art, using traditional Māori patterns to express the hidden forces that shape weather, tectonic activity and the world around us.
This creative approach helped students connect abstract science to real-world meaning. One student shared, “I liked seeing traditional patterns being used to explain the world around us. It definitely helped me remember the concept.”
Digital tools, cultural lenses
With support from digital learning specialist Ray Singh, students documented their learning through photography, video and podcasting. This multi-modal storytelling gave the students new ways to express understanding and the teachers new ways to assess it.
Deputy Principal Callum Baird noted that connecting scientific concepts with indigenous patterns “opened up new ways of thinking about the world and how knowledge can be expressed and shared.”
Impact and outcomes
Student engagement was especially high in the creative and storytelling components. Surveyed students reported increased confidence in:
- Science: 80%
- Maths: 76%
- Digital technology: 68%
Teachers also saw the potential to extend this approach across other subjects. Plans are already underway to expand the project school-wide in Term 3, including a performance by sand artist Marcus Winter and a gifted-and-talented “Breakout Buzz” week exploring radio waves and indigenous design.
A model for integrated learning
This project taught science in a way that challenged traditional methods and offered a more creative approach. By blending mātauranga Māori, digital media and hands-on experimentation, Manurewa Intermediate created a model for culturally grounded, interdisciplinary STEM learning.
Why this matters beyond one school
If you are a parent, consider asking whether your child’s school is offering this kind of inquiry-based learning. It sparks confidence, curiosity and cultural connection.
If you are a business owner, COMET has many schools eager for industry partners to bring real-world challenges into the classroom.
And if you are a politician or someone shaping the future of education in Aotearoa, imagine the potential for New Zealand to lead the world in purpose-driven, inquiry-based learning that prepares every young person for a rapidly changing future.
2025 WeSTEM Project Showcase out now! #
Explore the full range of student-led STEM projects in the newly published 2025 WeSTEM Project Showcase.
From food sovereignty to digital storytelling, these case studies highlight how young people across west Auckland and beyond are using STEM to solve real-world challenges in their communities.
