What great excitement we had last week. 3 classes went down into the gully to release 2 Golden Bell Frogs into the gully. They were no longer tadpoles and the class had finished observing their changes. It was now time to release them into their new home, the gully. 3 eager classes of students, went down to watch their release. It was a real pleasure to pick them up, have them sit on my hand, as I walked them over to the grasses and release them.
I know we are all eager to see tadpoles in the stream next year, hear the songs of the frogs and watch them hop around.
What a marvellous sight it will be.
Tuesday, 31 May 2016
Feeding the Ducks and Birds
Thanks to 2 loaves of mouldy bread the children had a great time today. They got to break tiny pieces of bread of each slice and throw it around the gully to attract the birds and ducks. What great joy it gave them to throw the bread around. It was a pleasure to see them share it with each other and wait to see the birds arriving. Looking closely, they could see them flying around the trees, happy to be fed.
Wednesday, 25 May 2016
Writing
Writing is a fun way to get children to share their learning, ideas and to help them to encourage others to learn a new skill.
Recently in writing I have been taking children on walks around the school to help with their motivation. This week we walked around looking and exploring autumn leaves. We also walked around the school talking about native plants, exploring the parts of a plant, the purpose of a plant and looking at the differences between the plants.
During one of these lessons the children started exploring what was under their feet; sand, mud, worms, grass and how it felt. Cultural awareness came into play as I tried to encourage a boy to take off his socks. I was quickly told that in China they had to wear shoes everywhere. Once the children started to relax, they quickly enjoyed the sensations and what they felt. They started to explore all the wildlife around them.
During the inclass part of the session, the children excitedly ran up to inform me that a pukeko was wandering past the windows. This caused great delight as the pukeko has been missing from the grounds in the past few years.
Today they ran and found me and told me that they saw the pukeko today, walking past their door. Their teacher videoed it so that could write about it.
A few weeks ago, I took a class into the gully. We were checking on our tracking tunnels and exploring what we could see, hear, smell and feel. The children wrote the most brilliant pieces of writing when they got back to class. One boy was so excited about what he was writing he followed me around the class wanting to share his work. He then shared it with his mum that afternoon.
It was a huge delight to share this classes writing with the Enviroschools Co-ordinator. She was most impressed with their efforts and the variety of ways they wrote. Their work will be on display for all to see soon.
It is great to see the children getting out and exploring the natural environment as a motivation for writing. I love seeing them share what they can see and feel and using writing to encourage others to get out and explore the world.
Recently in writing I have been taking children on walks around the school to help with their motivation. This week we walked around looking and exploring autumn leaves. We also walked around the school talking about native plants, exploring the parts of a plant, the purpose of a plant and looking at the differences between the plants.
During one of these lessons the children started exploring what was under their feet; sand, mud, worms, grass and how it felt. Cultural awareness came into play as I tried to encourage a boy to take off his socks. I was quickly told that in China they had to wear shoes everywhere. Once the children started to relax, they quickly enjoyed the sensations and what they felt. They started to explore all the wildlife around them.
During the inclass part of the session, the children excitedly ran up to inform me that a pukeko was wandering past the windows. This caused great delight as the pukeko has been missing from the grounds in the past few years.
Today they ran and found me and told me that they saw the pukeko today, walking past their door. Their teacher videoed it so that could write about it.
A few weeks ago, I took a class into the gully. We were checking on our tracking tunnels and exploring what we could see, hear, smell and feel. The children wrote the most brilliant pieces of writing when they got back to class. One boy was so excited about what he was writing he followed me around the class wanting to share his work. He then shared it with his mum that afternoon.
It was a huge delight to share this classes writing with the Enviroschools Co-ordinator. She was most impressed with their efforts and the variety of ways they wrote. Their work will be on display for all to see soon.
It is great to see the children getting out and exploring the natural environment as a motivation for writing. I love seeing them share what they can see and feel and using writing to encourage others to get out and explore the world.
Tuesday, 24 May 2016
Gully Restoration
On the 12th, 13th, 16th and 17th of May all the children at school took part in the Gully Transformation Project. Each year, every child in the school plants a native plant in the Mangaiti Gully along the Shirley McKay walkway.
Every class takes part in a session on planting, the history of the school's involvement in the restoration, the types of plants we are planting and why. They also learn about what plants need to survive and the planting process.
This is a fabulous time of year and it is great to see all the staff and children involved and enjoying themselves.
This year started with a blessing over the land and plants and a karakia by the school Te Reo group.
We had guests from Trees for Survival, Enviroschools and parents all coming to take part.
The children were delighted to see and hear a range of wildlife throughout the week. A frog was caught, the cats were wondering around, the Tui and Grey Warbler were singing in the trees.
On the final day, there were 2 Tui singing in the trees around the gully. What a wonderful thank you.
The kids have been running around excited this week about the return of the Pukeko that are walking around the school grounds again. "It is working," and "It is flourishing," are their excited words.
Every class takes part in a session on planting, the history of the school's involvement in the restoration, the types of plants we are planting and why. They also learn about what plants need to survive and the planting process.
This is a fabulous time of year and it is great to see all the staff and children involved and enjoying themselves.
This year started with a blessing over the land and plants and a karakia by the school Te Reo group.
We had guests from Trees for Survival, Enviroschools and parents all coming to take part.
The children were delighted to see and hear a range of wildlife throughout the week. A frog was caught, the cats were wondering around, the Tui and Grey Warbler were singing in the trees.
On the final day, there were 2 Tui singing in the trees around the gully. What a wonderful thank you.
The kids have been running around excited this week about the return of the Pukeko that are walking around the school grounds again. "It is working," and "It is flourishing," are their excited words.
Monday, 23 May 2016
Bat Tour
On Friday 13th of May, I took a class, with another teacher, on a family Bat Tour evening. The class had been studying bats and are making Bat Houses for the school, a local gully, the council and a family that generously donated some Gum stumps for us to make 2 of the Bat Houses out of.
The tour started with some very eager children ready and waiting at a Hammond Park. Robyn was our guide for the evening and she was brilliant. We walked along the boardwalk listening to the Tui and other birds singing in the native trees surrounding the boardwalk.
When we reached our destination, the children had their Bat Detectors out and were picking up the frequency of the bats straight away. The detectors were set to 40h. One of the girls had her cellphone out busily rushing from one detector to the next to record the time, detector and bat sound.
This evening also created great delight for both teachers and parents. Robyn answered all the questions the children wanted to ask and we all learnt some new facts.
On the walk back to the carpark we were shown a path that was covered in the biggest glow worms I had ever seen. The children's eyes, had adjusted to the dark, they were astounded to be surrounded by so many glow worms at all different levels along the path. This led to a wondering... "What conditions are needed for glow worms to be in an area?"
Our future investigating will be in our own gully to see if we have the Long Tailed Bat and Glow Worms residing in it.
Our Bat Tour was hosted by Robyn Irving from Taste of Te Kauri Bat Tours - Hammond Park. I would really recommend this tour. Robyn was patient and knowledgeable. She ensured their were enough Bat Detectors to ensure that all the children and adults could hear and participate in the experience. I would recommend that all school groups get to enjoy this experience.
You can also have Bat Tours with the Hamilton Museum. http://waikatomuseum.co.nz/exhibitions-and-events/view/2145882547
The tour started with some very eager children ready and waiting at a Hammond Park. Robyn was our guide for the evening and she was brilliant. We walked along the boardwalk listening to the Tui and other birds singing in the native trees surrounding the boardwalk.
When we reached our destination, the children had their Bat Detectors out and were picking up the frequency of the bats straight away. The detectors were set to 40h. One of the girls had her cellphone out busily rushing from one detector to the next to record the time, detector and bat sound.
This evening also created great delight for both teachers and parents. Robyn answered all the questions the children wanted to ask and we all learnt some new facts.
On the walk back to the carpark we were shown a path that was covered in the biggest glow worms I had ever seen. The children's eyes, had adjusted to the dark, they were astounded to be surrounded by so many glow worms at all different levels along the path. This led to a wondering... "What conditions are needed for glow worms to be in an area?"
Our future investigating will be in our own gully to see if we have the Long Tailed Bat and Glow Worms residing in it.
Our Bat Tour was hosted by Robyn Irving from Taste of Te Kauri Bat Tours - Hammond Park. I would really recommend this tour. Robyn was patient and knowledgeable. She ensured their were enough Bat Detectors to ensure that all the children and adults could hear and participate in the experience. I would recommend that all school groups get to enjoy this experience.
You can also have Bat Tours with the Hamilton Museum. http://waikatomuseum.co.nz/exhibitions-and-events/view/2145882547
Friday, 13 May 2016
Hi,
I have been a teacher for over 19 years. I have taught in a range of primary schools across New Zealand. Over the past 3 years I have been teaching children to plant native seedlings to help restore the gully at school.
In 2015 the first whole school gully plant out was held.
The success of the gully planting is able to be read about on the following 2 websites.
https://waikatoenviroschools.com/2015/08/20/rototuna-primary-school-takes-over-local-gully/
http://www.tfsnz.org.nz/rototuna-takes-over-local-gully-and-tatuanui-project-flourishes/
Berny
I have been a teacher for over 19 years. I have taught in a range of primary schools across New Zealand. Over the past 3 years I have been teaching children to plant native seedlings to help restore the gully at school.
In 2015 the first whole school gully plant out was held.
The success of the gully planting is able to be read about on the following 2 websites.
https://waikatoenviroschools.com/2015/08/20/rototuna-primary-school-takes-over-local-gully/
http://www.tfsnz.org.nz/rototuna-takes-over-local-gully-and-tatuanui-project-flourishes/
Berny
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