Year 3 Explore Why We Keep Chickens

 

Year 3 have been looking at the important job fungus, bacteria and invertebrates do to break down our waste and return it to the earth so we can grow more food.  

Did you know we keep chickens at Wakaaranga? And did you know the reason we keep chickens is that they do the same job as fungus, bacteria and invertebrates?  That's right, we feed the hens food scraps and they give us fertilizer for the gardens and eggs to eat.

We did a fun scavenger hunt to find out some fascinating facts about chickens.  Did you know they can recognise 100 faces?

Growing with Year 0

 Year 0 had their first Education for Sustainability lesson today. 

We passed around a seed to look at. What is a seed?

"They help things grow" Ronni

Reza "Seeds grow"

Olivia "We have to plant them in pots or a garden"

Aaron "My dad loves bonzais"

Mia "We have to put them in the dirt"

Celine "They need water and sun"

We visited the Mara Kai (food garden). We saw the flowers and vegetables growing.  We tried sour sorrel, spicy rocket and silverbeet.

Afterwards we took some weeds to the compost and saw the bees and white blossoms on the apple trees. The chickens had laid an egg!

Next we read a Fredge story about growing kai. Do you like the Fredge we drew?

Next time we're looking forward to more mahi in the mara!

Year Five Food for Thought

 Over the last two days in EFS, Year Five have working with Naomi from Food for Thought.  They have identified the parts of a healthy meal and  learnt how to read food labels so we can make healthy choices when buying products.

In between sessions we promoted The Wednesday Challenge with Year One by sharing the Travelwise picture books we had made.

They are looking forward to visiting PaknSave next week to put their learning into action.

Later that day...

To finish off our previous projects, we shared our "walk to school booklets" with year 1s and 2s. 

We read the books and did some role play on correct road rules. 

Year Three Helping to Create an Eco Friendly Carnival

 

We're excited for Carnival this Friday!

What are we looking forwards to?

Eveline "Noodles* and rides"

Alton "Chocolate trailer*"

Margoh "Food stalls* and toilet toss game*"

Ryder "Hamster wheel and the tea cups"

Hiraya "Looking forward to Snot Man*"

"I'm looking forward to face painting" Rosemary

"Bouncy Castle"

"Bungy Trampoline"

Rock Climbing

Popsicles*

Sushi*

Cake Stall*

Sausage Sizzle

Juice*

Cotton Candy

Mini donut

Ferris wheel

Prizes*

Fizzy Drinks

Police and fire truck

BUT there is can be a problem with Carnival when you are an Enviroschool.  It can make a LOT OF WASTE.  

*These stalls create waste 

We decided to create posters to promote the carnival and promote being environmentally friendly at carnival.

We needed to include theses main ideas:

WAKAARANGA CARNIVAL

4:40pm - 7:30pm

THIS FRIDAY

We also wanted to include environmentally friendly messages like:

Pick up litter

Keep our carnival clean and green

Bring your own bag

Bring a drink bottle

Please use the right bin

We wanted to make our posters fun and colourful.

Look out for them around school!

Spending Our $500 Wednesday Challenge Winnings

 Last Friday we were presented with $500 for our awesome involvement in The Wednesday Challenge.  

The Travelwise Leaders began to think about I we could spend it:

- planting trees in the nature walk

- plant signs

- butterfly garden

- sculpture garden

- bird feeders and bird bath

- 

Year Six - Creating Fun Resources for Our Enviroschool

 We want to create fun learning experiences for Wakaaranga tamariki to teach them about being part of an Enviroschool.

In groups we have come up with scavenger hunts, picture book, online quizzes, fitness games, a play, a jigsaw, online games, and songs.

We can't wait to present our ideas and put them into action.

Anastasia made a jigsaw puzzle with a colouring activity and short story. 

Xiao Dao made a wordsearch

Keeva's group made a rubbish sorting PE game

Isaac made an Enviro Minecraft World

Luke created an online rubbish sorting game. 

Next time we are going to finish our activities, reflect and share. 

Check out Ana's Enviro song: https://suno.com/song/cdfe1b29-7992-4b60-8eba-ae527bc1a471?sh=rqoJUSvvRffmv38o 

Jayden's Environmental Monopoly: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1jQ4-kfs20zedIea41XW3ou8ROMMjR9ITDrOl7GMeIJg/edit?usp=sharing 

Shelden's Team created a scavenger hunt: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Fs8RGSZ0TaNJ9bGmevCthm5miOivq3JCsZzI2MdPrik/edit?usp=sharing

At the end of our 3rd session random groups shared their projects.  There were:

- A Blooket Quiz

- A fitness game

- A scavenger hunt

- A board game

- A playscript

- A song

- A Kahoot

- An activity book

- A Minecraft world

Well done Year 6 so creative & great team work!!

Xiao Dao's story

Here is a puppet show created by Ellie and Chloe all about bees.

Bradley, Joshua, Jaden and Tom made a song all about walking to school:

https://suno.com/s/z8w5kmQUJE5bGkZO 

Luke created and coded a game on scratch all about litter and the correct bin to use:

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/1243510698/

Year 6 - Enviro School Reflections

 Year Six want to pass on a fun learning acitivity for future Waka kids to remind them about what makes our kura a Greengold Enviroschool.

First of all we got thinking:

What have I loved and enjoyed learning during my time at Wakaaranga and being in Enviro classes?

REFLECTIONS

We shared slideshows and collaged our favourite memories over the years in EFS.

What PLACES make us an Enviro School?

• Beehive
• Chickens
• Nature walk
• Sensory garden
• Compost
• Veggie garden
• Worm farms
• Lizard lounge
• Enviro classroom

What PRACTISES make us an Enviro School?

• Planting kai
• Eating kai
• Harvesting eggs, honey, veggies
• Litter-free lunchboxes

We reviewed our Enviroschools journey 2020 - 2025  on the Enviroblog and found the activities we enjoyed the most:

We wondered how can we teach future generations about our school and EFS...

Examples: 

Scavenger Hunt, Kahoot (quizzes), ONline games, jig saw puzzle, cut and paste activity, colouring in and labelling, sketching, dioramas, crossword puzzles, word searches, vidoes, plays, a song, poster, picture book, pamphlet, board game, 

Success Criteria

• Brainstorm ideas for a fun engaging learning activity to teach Waka kids about how, why, where and what makes us an Enviroschool

• Record the WWWWH

• Record the resources you will need

• Research content

• Check your idea with the teacher

Next time we are going to work on our learning activities.