Hawai'i Tech Academy - Hawaii Nature Center

Hawai`i Tech Academy

Nature Science & Art Afterschool

Starting February 28, 2025, Hawaiʻi Nature Center will offer Nature Science & Art Series as part of Hawaiʻi Tech Academy’s After School Program in Kihei. HTA students only will be eligible to enroll.

Students will explore Hawaiʻi’s geography, plants and animals with hands-on activities, games and storytelling. The program is designed to inspire curiosity about the natural world while teaching the importance of conservation and stewardship.

Hawaiʻi Nature Center on Maui seeks island’s schools, educators and volunteers to get involved. Contact Maui Program Manager Rachael Taylor to learn more. Schools and groups can support the program with a drive for items from the Maui Wish List.

Week-by-Week Overview

Week 1

Introduction to Hawaiʻi’s Geography
This week we’ll get to know each other and how our island home was formed. We’ll explore Maui’s ahupuaʻa and lay the foundation of how the environment of our backyards was created.

Week 2

Volcanoes & Lava Landscapes
Learn about Hawaiʻi’s volcanic past and present as we build on our ahupuaʻa system diagram. We’ll explore how lava creates new land and create lava rock art.

Week 3

Hawaiian Rainforests
Explore the importance of rainforests in Hawaiʻi’s ecosystem. We’ll learn how to identify native plants and create a mini rainforest this week.

Week 4

Coastal Ecosystems & Beaches
Understand Hawaiʻi’s beaches and tide pools. Students build a mini loko iʻa model and explore how fresh and saltwater mix.

Week 5

Hawaiʻi’s Birds
Discover Hawaiʻi’s unique birds. Learn about endemic bird species including their unique signature bird calls.

Week 6

Marine Life & Coral Reefs
Dive into Hawaiʻi’s coral reefs and marine species. Create coral poly diagrams and explore the importance of reef systems.

Week 7

Invasive vs. Native Species
Learn the difference between native, introduced and invasive plants/animals. We’ll create “wanted” posters for some of our island’s most notorious invasives.

Week 8

Hawaiian Legends & Conservation
Explore Hawaiian legends about nature and conservation. Create your own story about preserving Maui’s natural treasures.

Week 9

Water Systems & Watersheds
Understand how water moves through Hawaiʻi’s eco-systems. We’ll build a small working ʻauwai system to discover how irrigation systems work.

Week 10

Life in the Hawaiian Sky: Water Cycle & Weather
Explore how Hawaiʻi’s unique weather patterns and water cycle sustain the island’s ecosystems. Create your own cloud and learn to identify different weather systems.

Week 11

Becoming an Island Protector
Empower yourself to become a protector of our island home. We’ll wrap up our unit and our newly learned kuleana and present our work to parents and teachers.