Introducing our 2020 Eco Leaders - First Task Moth Plant Attack!

Introducing our 2020 Eco Leaders - First Task Moth Plant Attack!

We're excited to represent our GreenGold Enviroschool & lead specialist projects to help create a sustainable world.

Today we met with Mrs Daniel for the first time. We learnt we'll be hosting a Howick Primary School enviro group in a fortnight and helping to launch THE MOTH PLANT COMPETITION on Wednesday 4th March.

We had time to start researching moth plant and go hunting in our edible garden for this invasive weed. Athena says it's already killed trees in her garden.

We can't wait to make teams and enter the Moth Plant Competition. Kids can win up to $1000 cash for killing weeds!

Cluster meeting

           East Auckland Enviro Schools Cluster Meeting

Our final East Auckland Enviro Schools Cluster Meeting was held at East Tamaki School.  The meeting provided an opportunity to celebrate our Enviroschools achievements with the cluster and network with local Enviroschools key teachers. 

We toured East Tamaki's Native Trail and garden areas after students had shared the journey of it's creation and how they are involved today with it's maintenance.  We also found out more about the Mayors one Million Trees project and had a go at Tree yoga!

                              Bike trail runs around the edge of the Native Trail

Enviro Cluster Meeting

On the 8th June Mrs Venville and Mrs Daniels went to an after school Enviro Cluster Meeting at Wakaaranga Primary School

We learnt about:

•  Bees and ways to get students involved 
•  It was an opportunity to reconnect/network with local Enviroschools key teachers
•  We heard how Wakaaranga have set up their hive + visited the hive with students 
•  We met local “Sweet As” bee keepers
•  We found out about Sarah’s project to make Auckland become the safest city in the world for bees
•  We explored how being beekeepers addresses global challenges. E.g. pollination and health
•  We discussed the challenges and brainstormed a variety of ways schools can be bee keepers
• Found out how and when to apply for quick response Howick Local Board funds to support your projects
• We were given 5 lemon trees grown by prisoners at Paremoremo to plant in  our school orchard 

Room 17's Autumn Harvest

Today Room 17 harvested the last summer watermelon from the edible garden. It's so cool to see all our hard work in the garden resulting in delicious, healthy things to eat. We also discovered the first autumn feijoas under the trees and collected them too.

When we cut the watermelon open, we saw it was perfectly ripe; bright pink and full of dark seeds. Delicious!!

After we had finished eating, we collected the rinds and put them in the worm bin. Next week the Greenfingers Gang will use the worm tea to fertilize our winter crops.

Mrs Daniel also collected the biggest, darkest seeds. She'll store these til spring, when we can plant them and start the cycle all over again.

Room 17 Citizen Scientists: The Hunt for Moth Plants

For our Enviro lesson with Mrs Daniel today, Room 17 went on the hunt for moth plants.

First we researched about these noxious weeds and reported back our findings.

Next we put on gloves and grabbed garden snips. Then it was time to find the moth plants.

Lucas spotted adult plants covering the neighbour's hedge. We could see the green pods filled with a 1000 seeds each. We scrambled under the hedge to snip the thick woody vines at their base.

Then we went off to our native bush walk. With our super powers of observation we spotted and pulled out over 26 young moth plants.  We made sure disposed of them into the bin rather than compost. Good job crew!!

 Have you found any moth plants? Comment below 😊 🌿✂

Next we're ging home to share the message about moth plant with our whanau, friends and neighbours. And look we're helping to spread the word online:

Room 19 Pot & Prune

Today Room19 potted up an avocado seedling. Billy recognised the giant seed straight away.

Then we did a fantastic job of pruning the Trees for Survival. Pruning them will make them bushy and strong. We needed to measure 30 cm carefully on each plant. We were amazed how the plants had grown from 2cm seedlings to 40cm plants in less than a year. Super maths skills everyone!

Room 1 & 2 Big on Birds

Did you know the number of birds in an environment is a great indicator of how healthy the ecosystem is? Birds aren't just pretty plumage and sweet songs, they pollinate, disperse seeds and keep insect populations in check.

Room 1 & 2 brainstormed the Auckland garden birds that we know. We talked about our experiences with birds.

Next we turned on our super powers of observation and went out to find evidence of birds in our school environment. We found feathers, a nest, saw some birds and found poop. We concluded we could definitely do with more birds about.

Next week we're going to research local bird species and how we can attract them into school.

Travelwise Student Leadership Day

Travelwise Student Leadership Day

Our six Travelwise Student Leaders spent a day finding out about the Travelwise programme.

The Travelwise primary school programme focuses on road safety education and fun ways to get to school. Teaching kids to be safe and encouraging them to get out of the car and be active inspires good habits for the future.  The programme equips primary schools with tools to encourage safe behaviour, sustainable travel habits, commitment to road safety and active transport.
The Travelwise Student Leaders will be working with the school’s Travelwise Lead Teacher, Auckland Transport’s Community Transport Co-ordinator and the Police to deliver the Travelwise Progamme to our students and our community.

The leaders took part in four workshops.  The first one was about ways to communicate with the school community about the issues around road safety and initiatives that could be introduced to improve the situation.  The second focused on the 'Slow Down Around Schools Programme'.  Next the teachers went to a session where they were given an overview all about the facets of the Travelwise programme while the students had a fun skills session.  The last session centred around the cycle safety programme.  It was an awesome day and we all learnt lots.  We can't wait to initiate some of the ideas.

                                               
                                   'Slow Down Around Schools Programme'

                                                         
                                                    Checking helmet safety

                                                     Cycle safety activities

Walking School Bus leadership workshop

On Tuesday Year 4, 5 and 6 students who are part of our 3 current Walking School Buses took part in a leadership workshop.  The session started with a special pizza lunch followed by a session centreing around how to role model appropriate road safety behaviours at all times.