"What now for the Rena?", Connected – Getting the Message, level 2, December 2016
13 December 2016
This article canvasses the differing points of view on whether the wreck of the Rena should be salvaged or left on the Astrolabe Reef/Ōtāiti. It reveals the complexity of the advice and views that the Bay of Plenty Regional Council had to take into consideration before making its decision.
Students could also explore the materials that ships are made from and the effect these may have on the sea.
Discussion questions could include:
- Does New Zealand keep track of all of its shipwrecks?
- How have materials changed in the shipbuilding industry?
- What technologies are used nowadays in ship building? (Where students have access to a port nearby, it maybe possible to discuss this with marine engineers who work on ships.)
You can find the article and the support materials here: Literacy Online, Instructional series search, "What now for the Rena?"
Other useful resources
Hundreds of shipwrecks pose environmental threat to Canada’s coasts
7 Technologies That Can Change The Future of Shipbuilding
Indicators of progression for discussion starters
| Component | Indicator | Level |
| Characteristics of technology |
| 2 |
| Technological products |
| 2 |