Ready Set Go with Year Five

 Today in our Ready Set Go Unit Year Five were exploring how active travel is good for the environment.  We began by discussing the definitions for:

• fossil fuels

• exhaust emissions 

• air pollution 

• greenhouse gases

• Climate change

The tamariki had impressive prior knowledge! 

Next, we read information carefully and answered comprehension questions to deepen our understanding of climate change, its causes, its effects, and all the actions we can take to mitigate it.

Lastly we watched two quick videos from Nasa Kids to consolidate our learning.

Next time we are looking forward to creating our ideal world and planning a change campaign. 

Powering towns sustainably

 Today Year 5 collaborated to solve the problem of how to power a hypothetical town sustainably. We had to research how other actual towns did this and which way was best suited.

Year 5 Explore Energy

Today we began our sustainable energy topic.  We looked at what energy is, its many forms and how it transforms. 

Humans love all our clever uses for energy but going forward we need to ensure we create it sustainably.  

Just for fun we got into groups to experiment with our own energy transformation.  The challenge - How are we going to lift the feather without touching it? 

The answer was by rubbing the balloon on our hair to create static electricity and then hovering it above the feather. Next time we have EfS we'll be looking at how we generate electricity in NZ.

Rooms 14 & 21 Mulch Our Lizard Lounge

 After we had learned about types of energy and how it transforms, Rooms 14 & 21 mulched the Lizard Lounge.  The mulch will trap in the moisture and feed the lizard-friendly plants.

Next time we have EfS we will be looking at how New Zealand generates electrical energy sustainably.

Our Sustainable Energy Future

 Now we know about the challenges of climate change, caused by humans burning carbon for their transport, manufacturing and energy needs, it's time to look at what our sustainable future might hold. Check out this video:

Year 5's have been learning about new energy pathways, in which communities can create electricity with solar panels and then store, share or sell back their excess energy.  They explored how electric and hybrid cars are better for the environment than petrol and diesel vehicles.  

We investigated an EV and watched the Tesla lightshow.  EV's aren't just cheaper to run and more sustainable; they're fun too.

Where's the engine???

Year Rima Discovering Sustainable Energy

 I wonder the year 5 classes are doing in the photos above?

After looking at how we can be sustainable with our waste, Year Rima are now looking at how we can use energy sustainably. First we explored types of energy and how they transform.  Next we generated static electricity with balloons.

Well done everyone who walked, biked or scootered to school.  That's a sustainable choice!

Next we'll look at how electricity is generated in Aotearoa and create our own circuits.