For Educators

A lush green landscape with layered tropical foliage and soft natural light filtering through the canopy

Classroom-ready lesson plans and resources grounded in the culture and environment of Mānoa. Materials are organized by grade level, from early childhood through upper elementary, and draw on place-based learning at four key sites across the ahupuaʻa.

Classroom: 0–8

Resources designed for early childhood and elementary learners. Each lesson plan connects keiki to a specific site in the Mānoa area through hands-on activities, storytelling, and observation.

Ka Papa Loʻi ʻO Kānewai — Explore the loʻi kalo and learn about laulima and the poʻowai.
Lyon Arboretum — Discover ʻōlelo noʻeau (Hawaiian proverbs) among the gardens and trails.
Mānoa Heritage Center — Visit Kūkaʻōʻō Heiau and the Native Hawaiian Plant Garden.
Waikīkī Aquarium — Engage in a family scavenger hunt exploring marine life.

Classroom: 4th & 5th Grade

Lesson plans tailored for upper elementary students, encouraging deeper inquiry into Hawaiian culture, ecology, and the relationship between land and people.

Lyon Arboretum — Investigate native and introduced plants through guided observation.
Mānoa Heritage Center — Study the history of Mānoa Valley and its cultural sites.
Ka Papa Loʻi ʻO Kānewai (Lesson Plan) — A structured lesson on kalo cultivation and community cooperation.
Waikīkī Aquarium — Investigate coastal ecosystems and marine biodiversity.

Pilot Site Visits

Each pilot visit was documented with keiki-centered tours, storytelling, and hands-on activities. These experiences inform the lesson plans available above.

People working together in a taro patch, hands in the soil among broad green kalo leaves

Ka Papa Loʻi ʻO Kānewai

Keiki learned about laulima — many hands working together — while visiting the loʻi and the poʻowai stream source.

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A historic stone heiau structure surrounded by dry grasses and open sky

Mānoa Heritage Center

Children toured Kūkaʻōʻō Heiau and the Native Hawaiian Plant Garden while hearing stories of Mānoa Valley.

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A shimmering school of small silver fish swimming together in clear blue water

Waikīkī Aquarium

ʻOhana groups explored exhibits through a scavenger hunt, discovering animals and fish of the Hawaiian waters.

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A pale yellow flower with a red and orange center surrounded by green leaves and seed pods in soft natural light

Lyon Arboretum

Families captured their experience on camera while engaging with ʻōlelo noʻeau throughout the arboretum.

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Downloadable Materials

PDF foldouts are available for all four pilot sites, along with additional research and references for deeper learning.

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