Year 6 - Enviro School Refelctions

 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. 

Year Four Manu Moana

Today Year Four used our literacy skills to find out more about the sea birds that like in Tikapa Moana / The Hauraki Gulf.

How do we know an animal is a bird?

 "Wings and feathers" Noah

"Different beaks" Kaiya

Kanuka "Different kinds of feathers"

"Hollow skeleton" Andrew

"They are close relatives to dinosaurs" Zimon

"They lay eggs" Juliet

We split into groups and researched sea birds in general from four articles.  Each group of four presented four facts to the class.

Afterwards, we narrowed our research to focus specifically on one sea bird.  We needed to create a  fact file with their name, habitat, diet, photo and  how we can help them.

See our fact files here

Year 2's Penguin Party

Today Year 2 continued their close look at the native manu of Aotearoa by focussing on korora / penguins.

What do you already know?

"They are in the south pole mainly" Ibaad

"They like being in the water and diving in" William

"They lay eggs" Alice

"They have a orangish yellowish beak" Miabella

"Some live in dry places like sand and some live in the snow" Ethan

Juan "Blue penguins live in NZ"

"There's lots of different types" Lilly

"Penguins catch fish" Maneesha

"They live in the Antarctic" Eric

"They are rare" Kellam

"They swim" Emmelia

"It looks like they are flying in the water" Logan

"They can slide on ice on their tummy" Emile

What did you learn?

"They protect their babies"

Juan "They live to 8 years"

"They are good swimmers" Syzel

Logan "They change colours when they are moulting and all the feathers change"

"They spend most of the time in the water and come up on the land at night"

Year 4 - MANGO - SHARKS

Mango - Sharks in the Hauraki Gulf

What do we already know about sharks?

"Sharks are very important to maintain the balance of the ecosystem in the ocean." ~ Aria

"Sharks eat only meat." ~ 

"Sharks need to swim to breathe." ~ 

Mango and Te Au Maori

We learned that sharks are highly respected in Maori culture and some of their warrior moves are derived from the movement of sharks. 

E.g - certain Porakau moves are from hammerhead sharks!

We drew a shark seascape to document our before and after learning.

Year 2 - Pukeko vs Takahe

Today Year 2 investigated the similarities and differences between our local pukeko and the highly endangered takahe.

We researched, wrote notes, sketched, read and compared in a diagram.

Takahe

• Bright blue and green feathers
• Live in grasslands
• Can't fly
• Shorter legs
• Endangered

Pukeko

• Dull blue and black feathers
• Can fly
• Lives in a swamp
• Abundant populations

Year 4 - Wheke/ Octopus and Guerilla Art

 Today in EFS we learned all about a special & very unique cephalopod - WHEKE! (OCTOPUS!)

Wheke are very interesting. They have:

E waru nga weri - eight tentacles
E toru nga manawa - three hearts
E iwa nga roro - nine brains!

Wheke also has an important holistic Maori health model, where all parts represent an interconnectedness and interdependent relationship between all aspects of health.

Spiritual
Mental
Physcial
Family
Life force
Identity
Past
Emotions

We drew octopus and wrote some interesting facts, such as:

Octopus have blue blood
Octopus can play with other animals
They can camouflage 
They have no bones

Guerilla Art

We wanted to send important messages to each other and the adults about keeping our school litter-free and protecting the Hauraki Gulf.

We designed and made some guerilla art on the pavements!

Have you seen our special sidewalk art to inform others about looking after our Hauraki Gulf?

Next week it's all about misunderstood sharks. 

Professional Development - Te Ao Māori Wānanga Taiao ki Papakura High School,

 Today Ms Daniel attended Te Ao Māori Wānanga Taiao ki Papakura High School,

It was an inspiring event connecting Te Ao Maori and sustainability. 

Takeaways:

- E Tu Rakau Charitable Trust 

- Rongoa - kombutcha, foot scrub, dry the peppermint and kawakawa 

- Pou for PE

- requested House names from local iwi

- Climate Resilience Funding

- picture books from Auckland Emergency Management

- Maori musical instruments

- Te Ao Marama app

- Sandy Shore Hangi for events

E aku nui e aku rahi, nei rā te mihi matakuikui ki a koutou katoa i tae a tinana mai ki tā mātou wānanga ki te Kura Tuarua o Papakura.

 

Thank you all so much for attending our Te Ao Māori Wānanga Taiao for 2025.

We hope you enjoyed the day as much as we enjoyed hosting you.

 

A few special mentions, firstly to Ngāti Tamaoho te mana whenua, who opened our kaupapa with a karakia, pōwhiri and kōrero. Also, for your support to organise our wānanga and in particular Whaea Monique for your dedication to see our wānanga blossum. No mātou te whiwhi.

 

To our South African brother Matua Chris Matthews (Tumuaki Tuarua), Matua Simon Craggs (Tumuaki), Whaea Mardi, Whaea Rangi and all the whānau of Papakura High School, thank you for sharing your lovely kura with us and showing manaakitanga and whanaungatanga. Nei rā te mihi.

 

Ki ngā ringawera Whaea Sandie Shaw and your crew, thank you for all our kai and the hangi almost put me to sleep. Aue te reka.

 

To our tohunga, our wonderful facilitators and guest speakers, we are extremely priviledged to have you share your many taonga and passions with us. Many have already expressed how wonderful your workshops were and we are truly grateful.

 

If you would like to contact any of our facilitators or guest speakers for future opportunities here are their details below:

 

Ayla Hoeta (Maramataka) – ayla.hoeta@auckland.ac.nz

Some cool rauemi:

Maramataka Dial for Tamaki Makaurau 

Tohu framework 

Planting seeds podcast: Maramataka Ayla Hoeta

Maramataka expert Rereata Makiha on Waka Huia 

Maramataka monthly korero - the Spinoff

Mikaere Berryman-Kamp (Taonga puoro) – mikaere.bk@gmail.com

Mia King (Rongoā Māori) – mia@eturakau.org

LeRoy Paul (Taonga Tākoro) – leroy.paul@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Ngā kēmu: Tī kōuka, Hakariki (Haka o ngā Ariki), Poi Toa

Renee King (The Wonder Project for Year 5-13 ākonga) – https://wonderproject.nz/

Mana Ora Youth Resilience, Student Led Project Funding – sustainableschools@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz (powerpoint slide attached)

Hazel Meadows (Kia Rite Kia Mau) – Hazel.Meadows@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

 

We hope you enjoyed the wānanga e te whānau. It was lovely to have some of our tamariki enjoy the activities with the whānau too 😊

 

It would be greatly appreciated if you could take 5 minutes to fill in a short survey. This will help us improve future wānanga opportunities.

 

Enjoy the rest of your well deserved holiday and all the very best for Term 4.

 

Ngā manaakitanga

Anaru Hetaraka and The Sustainable Schools Team

 

 

Anaru Hetaraka | Senior Kaupapa Māori Sustainable Schools Advisor 

Environmental Services | Ngā Ratonga Taiao

Ngātiwai/Ngāi Te Rangi/Ngāti Whātua/Ngāti Hine/Ngāti Kahu/Ngāti Maniapoto

Mobile 027 308 3650

Auckland Council | Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau

Level 19, Auckland House, 135 Albert Street, Auckland