Year Four Begin Our Kumara

Today Year Four worked to plant our kumara for the 2025 harvest. At the beginning of the term we learnt about the importance of kumara to Maori and how it was brought to Aotearoa. The kumara we put in water during our lesson then  has now sprounted with red stems, heart shaped leaves and white roots, so they were ready to plant out.  We watched this video to learn the tikanga of kumara planting: 

Room 5 helped to turn the compost and move it into the kumara beds.  We also harvested the last of the broadbeans to clear space. We'll dry out the pods and collect the seeds to plant next takurua/winter. We planted some kumara tipu in the beds.  The broadbeans help to put nitrogen in the soil, so we'll see if those tipu grow stronger than the other beds.

Unfortunately for Room 4 it was pouring with rain, so we spent our time recording instructions for how to grow kumara at home. Check out their mahi her How to Grow Kumara by Room 4 Just before lunch the sun came out so we managed to sneak out and plant a few kumara tipu.

Room 6 helped to weed the Fordyce entrance and then planted the last of the kumara tipu. We'll done!

We can't wait for next year to see how our kumara have grown. 

Year Ones Go Crazy for Kale

We began our lesson with this waita and talked about things that grow.

Charlotte "A flower grows"

Harry "Sharks grow"

Primlada "Babies grow.  I like babies because my neighnbours have babies"

Bjorn "Trees"

Next we went to the Mara Kai / Edible Gardens to see all the beautiful spring flowers we have grown for the Sunny Honeybees.  We picked kale to turn into kale chips in the hall kitchen.

What did the kale need to grow?

Isla "Water and sun"

Violet "And some soil and give it nutrients"

While the kale was roasting with salt and oil we created beautiful spring flower placemats.

Talia "It was salty and crunchy"

Zoey "It was crunchy and green"

Thiweyn "There were yellow and white and orange flowers and purple"

Jake "I saw bumble bees  and a white butterfly"

Colt "I saw a flower."

Year 3 - Seagulls Are Special Too

Today Year 3 learnt about seagulls in New Zealand.  They aren't often appreciated as they're a familiar scavenger at the beach, but did you know the red billed and black billed gulls are in decline? You can listen to this to find out more Concerning Decline a RNZ interview We found out lack of food, litter, loss of habitats and pest predators are a problem.

We researched the three types of gulls found in New Zealand and sketched them.

Then we read Celia Seagull and the Plastic Sea 

We discovered plastic litter threatens our sea birds, so we went on a litter hunt.  Sadly most of the litter was plastic wrappers from lunchboxes. We can help by packing a litter free lunch.  How many litterfree lunches did Year 3 have?

Room 7 had 9 litterferee lunches

Room 8 had ELEVEN litterfree lunches YAY

Room 18 had 6

To reward the extra effort of packing a litterfree lunch we had a prize draw for each class. Congratulations to Matty, Luka & Chase. 

Kia Rite Kia Mau with Auckland Emergency Management

 

Today Year 6 were lucky enough to meet with Matua Taipu & Whaea Rebecca from Civil Defense. We completed the Kia Rite Kia Mau program based on Atua Maori.  

During the 90 minutes we learnt about the Maori God's that personify natural disasters. 

Next we thought about the values that would be important in an emergency situation. 

Then we played a matching game to help us realise how we can be prepared.

Lastly, we practised our responses to disaster situations as they happen.

At the conclusion, the tamariki were amazed to get a fabulous goodie bag full of resources. Please spend some time with your Whanau coming up with a plan for when disaster strikes. 

To find out more visit  https://www.aucklandemergencymanagement.org.nz/

Nga mihi nui Matua Taipu and Whaea Rebecca!! We're looking forward to seeing again next week with our Year Fives.