Year 6 - Estuaries and Te Ao Maori

 Today Year Six explored how Maori are connected to the whenua and whakapapa back to estuaries, rivers and maunga.  We talked about how Maori have a relationship of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) rather than ownership. This strong connection is shown in the mihimihi/pepeha introductions. Tai was able to share his pepeha with us.

We revised our knowledge of Te Reo Maori terms with a quiz

Next we explored the idea of kaitiakitanga by reading Kaitiaki of the Stream We discussed the challenges Maori face preserving their estuaries and streams with issues such as bush clearance, fertiliser run off and stormwater.  Our Eco Leaders are being kaitiaki tomorrow when we go to plant 800 trees we have grown to protect waterways in Clevedon.

Estuaries traditionally were places to gather kai and offered important transpor links for waka.  To end our lesson we created paper waka and tested if they floated.

Year Four Explore Vital Seaweed

 Today we learnt seaweed gives us 70% of the oxygen we breath and is a vital building block for moana food chains.  We sketched one type of green, brown and red sea weed then created an online simulation of an ocean ecosystem.

Lastly we took part in Kelp Quiz.  Next time we're hoping to try to some sea weed and study our local sea birds.

"Ready, Steady, Go!" with Year Five

 

Year5 investigated how active travel can mitigate Climate Change and keep us healthy. We took an Auckland Transport prior knowledge quiz, then had great fun creating a giant jigsaw puzzle. It took great communication and awesome team work to solve. 

Just for fun we timed each class completing the jigsaw:

Room 1 - 6:15 

Room 3 - 5min

Room 2 - 5:12

Next we flagged the possible hazards with active travel and matched them with rules to keep us safe.

Next time there will be a new giant jigsaw and we'll be differentiating  between the health benefits and environmental benefits of active travel

Year Four look at our dolphin neighbours

 Today Year Four learnt about the three types of dolphins found in the Hauraki Gulf - the bottlenose dolphin, orca (the biggest type of dolphin) and the common dolphin.  The Maori name for dolphin is aihe. Did you know the orca is the biggest dolphin? 

We estimated and measured different types of dolphin species.  We drew a common dolphin and recorded the facts we had researched.  Lastly we played a Kahoot to review.

Room 5 helped refill the kumara beds with compost too. 

Tupuna Maunga Authority Visit

 Today, we were lucky enough to have a vist from Jenny and Kessa from the Tupuna Maunga Authority.  They came to tell us about their work restoring the maunga in Tamaki Makaurau to beautiful biodiverse forests full of birdlife.

Have you and your family signed up for the Ohuiarangi Planting Day on Sunday 16th June?  Follow this link to join in the fun Ohuiarangi Planting DayOhuiarangi Planting Day See you there!! 

Our Matariki Bumper Kumara Harvest >100

 As we move into Takurua (winter),  the Maramataka (Maori Lunar Calendar) based on matauranga (knowledge) gathered over many years, tells us that it is time to harvest the last of our kumara.

K1 & K2 had great fun digging up over ONE HUNDRED kumara from five beds.  The longest ones were a whooping 30cm!  The kumara have been laid out in The Green Room so they can cure.  

Sunnyhills School is looking forward to a MASSIVE school wide Matariki celebration. The kumara we harvested will be used in our Matariki hangis. Standby for delicious kai photos in a few weeks time.

Year 3's very own herbal tea blends

After learning about the history and cultural uses of herbs and tea around the world, Year Three created their very own herbal teas today.  

We chose from these plants in our Mara Kai:

Lemongrass

Sage leaves

Mint

Pineapple sage flowers 

Kotu Kola

Kawakawa

&SunnyHoney

Before we drank our tea we said the school's new Karakia kai. 

Ranger "We made our own tea. We used herbs from the gardens"

Milana "It tasted like mint and honey"

Constance "It tasted like lemon"

Luke " I can smell mint and honey" 

Hunter "It smells like an ice block"

Kirsten "It tasted interesting with all the flavours"

Olivia "My tea is called Olivia's Special Pineapple Sage Tea"

Matty "My tea is called Mint & Lemon Tea"

Emily "My tea is called Fun Tea"

Karuna "We grow gotu kola in India too.  We eat the leaves and make tea with it. We have it because its healthy."

Madeleine "I learnt that tea is delicious"

Albert "I learnt how to make tea out of herbs"

Ruby "I learnt how to try tea"

Zoe "Even if you don't like the plants you put in your tea it can make it yum".

Tino "We can grow herbs to make drinks"

Coby "I learnt about a plant called lemongrass. It is very hard to chew.  It smells like lemon"

Maddison "My tea tasted like cucumber and it smelt really good"

Chase "We learnt how to make really yummy tea with herbs"