Te Unua senior educator Suzanne Spencer said they had been working with students at Windsor North school to deliver the first of the museum’s education units.
"The kids were just so excited. They absolutely loved the opportunity to get up close with the specimen trays and see lots of things they typically don't get to see in real life."
About 60 students across four classrooms within the Windsor North syndicate experienced the Kaitiakitaka unit, categorising creatures like mammals and reptiles.
"Even just getting out the magnifying glasses really brought their previous learning to life, that’s the beauty of what Te Unua will bring."
Windsor North school deputy principal Jan Forde said the programme aided in students’ learning, especially since it focused their discoveries to specific year-level content.
She said the programme was a "valuable resource", and she appreciated the work of Ms Spencer.
"We have really appreciated the opportunity to engage with the outreach programme, to support learning across so many curriculum areas," Ms Forde said.
The first stage of the educational unit would be followed with further learning about plant life, what they need to live and thrive, classifying parts of plants, and more.
"There is a huge amount of work that goes on in the background to develop every unit within an educational programme to enhance the foundations they have already begun build," Ms Spencer said.
She joined the team at Te Unua at the start of this year, coming with a decade’s worth of experience in primary education.
Equipped with a master’s degree in contemporary education, a postgraduate certificate in teaching English and personal experience at small rural schools, she understood the impact of this programme.
"I went to Ryal Bush primary school, we had about 23 kids in the whole school ... coming into the museum classroom is still a real core memory for me."
She was excited to be reintroducing museum education to a new generation of young people.
"Our museums play an integral in making learning real."
The education programme at Southland’s new museum would be created with a range of ages and audiences in mind.
She said museums played a vital role in education, particularly in engaging those who might not connect with traditional learning.
