Drawing Scientifically

We have continued to learn more about the wonderful bugs we share the planet with. 

We searched around our compost area and found LOTS of different invertebrates!

We watched a video that told us all about the different body parts that insects have; such as a thorax, antenna and compound eyes. 
After that we had a go at drawing insects and spiders. 

Aimee visited Totara Park recently and was very excited to find a leaf vein slug - just like the one we saw in the video! 

Incredible Invertebrates

 This term the year 3-6 students are spending time in the garden finding out what INCREDIBLE INVERTEBRATES we share the space with! 

We brainstormed what we already knew (quite a lot) and jotted down what we wanted to find out...

* WHO are the bugs living in our garden and how many of them are there?

* HOW are animals grouped? 

* HOW do bugs help us? (Ayla) 

* WHY did some bugs come to New Zealand? (Ashlee) 

* WHAT was the first bug ever on Earth? (Tyler) 

We learnt:

 - Spiders are NOT insects! 

- Invertebrates is the science name for the big group that all our garden 'bugs' belong to. 

- Without insects the planet would not be very healthy

- We have lots of different creatures in our compost...

 

  

Garden to Table Room 1 & 2

 Last week Room 1 & 2 had their last Garden to Table session for this block. 

We have had another busy '6 week block' acknowledging both Samoan language week and international language week through our cuisine!  

For Samoan language week we made: chop suey, Suafa'i - ( a kind of tapioca) and coconut macaroons. 

For international language week we 'visited' Italy, Australia and USA - risotto, pumpkin scones and choc chip cookies! 

lots of greens in the garden

coconut macaroons for Samoan language week

enjoying some excess citrus

making posies for the tables

washing up crew!

collecting browns for the compost

The favourite activities over the last few weeks have been...

*  Hunting for snails and slugs in the garden

* Measuring the temperature of the new compost system

* Practising chopping skills

* Making posies to decorate the tables with

* Learning the names of different vegetables

* Trying new food we wouldn't eat at home! 

* Planting up our own bean plant to take home 

... and, of course EATING! 

A list of recipes we have made is HERE. 

Compost in a Jar

  To introduce all the classes to our new compost system,  they have been making 'Compost Stew'

We started by talking about WHY we compost, how it benefits US and the environment. 

We all had a look at the BLACK GOLD compost we had in a jar and the compost Room 7 and Room 8 made last year. It took over 6 months but has now turned into beautiful, rich black compost. 

We read the story Compost Stew and talked about what can go into the compost. 

Everything we need in the compost can be put into these groups: 

* GREENS (to add nitrogen)

* BROWNS (to add carbon) 

* WATER

* AIR

How we made the Compost in a Jar

We had 2 jars so got into 2 teams. Then we got with a buddy, we had to collect either greens or browns in an old ice cream tub. 

We started by adding soil to the jar then we add greens and browns in layers; 

- green , soil, brown, soil and keep going like that. 

  

We didn't squish it down too much as it needs air. We then added water and a paper towel on the top which had an elastic band around it. 

In the jar there is also FBI -  Fungi, Bacteria and Insects. They are in what we took (the layers) and they will help make the compost and the level on the compost go down. 

We will leave it somewhere in class where it will get sun and each week measure the compost (height and temperature). 

I predict the compost stew made by our year 3's will make compost faster because it has more air and the pieces inside the jar were smaller. 

By Aimee. 

  

Year 5/ 6 ENVIRO Eye on Nature Trip

 On Tuesday we went on an enviro trip with Mrs Rothery and some helpful parents to the Auckland Botanical Gardens. It was so fun, we did a lot of activities. 

1) Our 1st activity was learning about bees. We learnt how to get honey from the bees. Eden and I got to wear special beekeeper clothes. They were too big for us but it was cool. It was fun trying to find the queen bee. 

The 2nd activity was learning about plants and what they could be used for. We went for a walk in a native forest. We learnt about lots of other native plants we never knew about. We saw some Totara. When we were done we went back to the place we started at and did a quick quiz. After we had a snack and then we moved on. 

The 3rd activity was food scraps. It was so fun. Some volunteers got to do a great show even if it was short. Then we played a game. It was so noisy when we played it. Thinidi won a prize. Finally we learned more about how food scraps can help us. 

The 4th (and final) activity was the AM/Auckland museum. They shared a Maori legend with us and showed us cool instruments. I played the poi. It was loud in the tent. Everybody had  cool ways to play the instruments. Sadly it started pouring and some of us got wet. When we were done with the musical instruments and activities we got on the bus and went back to school. It was an amazing day and we learnt a lot of new things. If you get an opportunity to go on an enviro trip you should because it is great fun and you learn lots of new things.

Written by Rianka

        

 

Bumblebees!

Our school is currently lucky enough to have a small BUMBLEBEE hive! 

Each class has the opportunity to go and visit the bees and learn more about them. 

Some classes have followed this up with amazing art work, others have read 

'Bumblebees Have Smelly Feet' and others have written a haiku. 

A huge THANKS to Garden to Table and NZ Bumblebee Conservation Trust for organising this project and giving us the opportunity to learn more about bumblebees.