YEAR 2 - NZ NATIVE BIRDS - WHIO

In the run up to the globally renowned Bird Of The Year Competition, Year 2 are learning about one of our fascinating NZ native birds... 

Today we focused on The WHIO!

Whio are also known as our Little Blue Duck. Have you seen them on the $10 note?

They are only found in fast flowing river rapids with crystal clear waters, trees, plants and loads of stones.

Unfortunately whio are hunted by stoats and are now endangered. 

Firstly we researched and sketched and then we wrote the facts we had learned. Afterwards we played a board game to see what threatens the whio.

Last of all we read the Little Blue Duck book.

Next time we'll learn about the Pukeko vs Takahe. Until then can you go on a walk with your family to spot pukeko down by the Wakaaranga Creek?

Year 3 Research Extraordinary Earthworms

 

Today we buddy read and researched all about earthworms.

What did we learn?

Hugo "The North Auckland worm can grow up to 1.3metres long"

Rosemary "The grey worm is the most common"

Isabelle "Earth worms can breathe through their skin"

"Tiger worms prefer to live in compost heaps and worm farms" Leleya

Austin "Casts are worm poo.  Some people collect them to upgrade the soil"

We went to the worm compost to get the soil ready for planting kumera next week. 

Step 1: Get leaf compost

Step 2: Take food scrap compost

Step 3: Get WORM WEE!! 

Once we were ready we took our compost mix to the garden beds and scattered MILLIONS of microbes into the garden beds. 

We noticed: 

The worms wriggled straight into the earth to get away from the sun. 

There was a lot of plastic that couldn't decompose. 

There were so many worms! 

See you next term Year 3, when we can see the kai that is growing in the garden beds we have just fed. 

Room 2 - The Wednesday Challenge

 

Today Room 2 couldn't compost because of the hail, so we learnt about the Wednesday Challenge instead.

Firstly, two Year five students came and did a presentation about the Wednesday Challenge. Esther reminded us that on Wednesdays at Wakaaranga we try to walk, bike, scooter or park and walk further to school. It's good for our bodies and good for the environment 

Each class log their results each Wednesday.  We compete against other classes and other schools for prizes. Room 2 is 22nd out of 24.  Can we help to improve their ranking?

Tomorrow there is a spot prize for someone in Room 2, who walks, bikes, scooters or parks and strolls to school.  Who will be the winner?

After our presentation we created 'Walking School Bus' posters. Well done Room 2.  Hopefully we can compost the Mara Kai next time.

Year 2 BUSY BEEEES

 

Room 11 and 10 are learning about bees and what they do in winter. 

Beatrice the Bee shared some interesting information with us.

What did we learn from Beatrice the bee in winter?

Emelia - The older bees huddle around the younger bees to keep them warm and protect them to stay strong in the cold.

Cooper - They hibernate

Emile - At under 10deg they have to hibernate

Joan - They only leave the hive to go to the toilet! 

Lily - They hibernate together like a cluster of grapes

Nico - It reaches 32deg inside the hive in winter!

We investigated our winter mara and what the Waka bees were up to. 

There are not many flowers in the winter, but we saw some kowhai, camelias and a few other flowers. 

When we went to check the hives, it was only 9deg. We only saw a few bees in the entrance. The rest must be hibernating in their huddle.

We recorded what we learnt in our Bee books. 

Afterwards we spent mindful time creating mandala. 

Year Three Create a Call for Action

 

Year Three warmed up with a wiggle dance and then we brainstormed wiggly animals with our buddies:

"Blood worm" Nolan

"Cobra, worm, electric eel, Indian tapir and a sea snake" Luke

Sanulya "Jellyfish & octopus"

Today of course we are focussing on our wiggly friends the earth worms.  Our super hero composters!

We want to spread the word about how they help nutrients to the soil.  We have been working on posters to promote them.

Our posters need to stand out and be colourful.  They need to have a clear message.

"They eat our food scraps and make compost for the plants" Eden

"The plants give us food" Riley

"They give us oxygen" Leo

"They give us paper" Ryan

"They give us shelter" Holly

Check out our amazing mahi outside the school library and in Piwakawaka.

Year 5 & 6 AUCKLAND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT VISIT

Hazel and Johnny visited us from the Auckland Council to teach us how to be prepared for possible Auckland emergencies. 

We learned about different disasters and their associated Atua. 

WHIRO - sickness, pandemic

TĀWHIRIMĀTEA - floods, storms 

TANGAROA - tsunamis

RŪAUMOKO - earthquakes

MAHUIKA - fire 

We must show manaakitanga, rangatira tanga, manawaroa, oho and ako when we are in community and emergencies. 

Each tamariki received a book, magnet and action plan to share with their whanau. 

Year Five Plan a Change Campaign

How could we activate more Waka Whanau to use active travel on Wednesday?

Esther "Posters with simple and big font.  In and out of classrooms.  Say win prizes to get them more engaged"

Scarlett "Go around classes and say there's lots of prizes to the little kids and then they'll be convinced"

"Close off the drop off bays, so they have to park further away" Ava

Aleyna "Give out flyers for the parents"

"Dress up as cartoon characters and walk with them to get them to walk every day" Aniha

"Make a persuasive poster with one side still using cars and one side if we didn't" Rufaro

"Make flyers and stick them around where the Junior parents can see them" Mina

Mia "Present a play at one of the Junior assemblies where parents can come"

"Have a mufti day if they active travel to school" Ebony

"Make a speech at assembly" Taylor

Caeden "When they walk to school they get house points"

"Make a video" Jacob

"A sticker chart in the class.  When you complete you get a game" Madi, Abby, Ruby, Nakita

"If you walk you get hot chocolate" Ben

"If you walk you get 20 house points" Zoe

Year Six Create Acts of Kindness

 

As well as finishing our habitat dioramas today, Year Six worked with Claire from The Youth Project.  We were thinking about how we can be kind to the environment and our community.

Kindness has three aspects:

Friendliness

Generosity

Consideration

We discussed how we can be kind:

Smile at people.

If your friend is sad cheer them up.

Give presents.

Give respect.

Give a wave.

Give old clothes and toys.

Give time to play or help.

Give compliments.

To share our learning and promote kindness and connection in the community we created a crafty bunch of flowers and thoughtful card.  Our flowers and cards are going to go to local elderly folks to brighten their day.

Thank you to The Youth Project and their sponsor Dalton Electrical for a wonderful experience.