About
How it worksTauhou randomly pairs reductants and oxidants together to generate redox exemplars suitable for NCEA Level 2 Chemistry, AS91167 (3 Credits, Internal). There are no fancy tricks other than a bit of HTML, CSS and Javascript.
The intention of this resource is to:
- Provide a sandbox environment to empower students to overcome any anxieties and uncertainties they may hold around this particular assessment,
- Demonstrate that while a question may vary in appearance, its suggested responses do not change that much,
- Empower teachers to create and modify their own assessments,
- Encourage kaiako to reflect on how NCEA’s narrower assessment focus compares with the broader, lifeworthy purpose of science education — particularly in light of growing Anthropocene-era priorities — and to support positive changes to the science education system in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Encourage other teachers to join Empower KEA to create and share resources as a means of addressing the inequities in education,
At the time of writing, Lian Soh is in his 9th year of science and chemistry teaching and 14th year working in science education. He has a background in chemistry, computer science and all the technical and creative aspects of instructional design - especially content creation. Lian is also a regional representative for the New Zealand Association of Science Educators, Secondary Chemistry Educators NZ in the Bay of Plenty and Community Support for Empower KEA. Lian has also established Bay Science, an independent teachers association for science educators in the Bay of Plenty.
In 2023, Lian was also nominated and named a Kudos Finalist in the Science Educator and University of Waikato Vision Mātauranga award categories. In 2025 he co-presented a knowledge-systems webinar with Rosemary Hipkins and Pauline Waiti hosted by the Science Learning Hub.
Tauhou - Silvereye / WaxeyeTauhou arrived in Aotearoa New Zealand in 1832. It was likely swept here by a storm during a migratory flight. By 1856, Tauhou became established and Aotearoa became its home.
Unlike many other species, Tauhou blends relatively harmoniously with our ecosystem; it does not compete aggressively with native birds and aids pollination. Tauhou feeds on aphids and other insects which plague our orchards, though they may fancy more than a bite of the orchardists' produce themselves.
As an apparently self-introduced bird, it is protected as a native in Aotearoa and teaches us an important lesson: newcomers can integrate without causing harm. We can learn a lot from the stories of our native wildlife like the Tauhou. In this instance, as guests we can learn to live harmoniously with the species and people who were here long before us.
"Tauhou" roughly translates to "stranger" or "newcomer".
Students and kaiako might also be interested in Tara Iti.
LicensingTauhou © 2025 by Lian Soh - Pāpāmoa College Science Department (a Ministry of Education New Zealand school) is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
The background image of a Tauhou has been licensed via Adobe Stock and must not be re-used or modified.
The story of the Tauhou above is not a traditional pūrakau; however, it is a short and sweet story with valuable dispositions.
