Already we are well into Term 2. We have been busy with our New Zealand: Then and Now Unit.
To learn about our country we are spending each week researching and finding information about different aspects of New Zealand. To begin we found lots of information about Anzac Day, what it meant to us as a country, soldiers who went to war and those people who stayed behind. It made us appreciate what we have got.
Last week we read stories and books written by New Zealand Authors. Our research was finding out about an author, then sharing the information with others. In the slide show you will see Laura really enjoyed learning about Lynley Dodd. This week is about the Native Bush which will help us understand why it is important to us as New Zealanders.
Next week we are going to Otorohanga,the Kiwiana Town so before hand we will discover what kiwiana means.
Each week one group is cooking a New Zealand dish. So far we have had Anzac biscuits, beautiful meringues with kiwi fruit. I wonder what is next.
With Guide Dog week coming up we were lucky enough to have a visit from Guide Dog Trainee Gill and Trainer Wendy. He was a lovely dog and we learnt how much it costs to train a dog,how long it takes and what work they have to do. We had a gold coin collection to help train a dog. Good luck Gill.
On March 15 we attended the Small Schools Cluster Swimming Sports at Katikati. It was a beautiful day with everyone prepared to swim their best. It was great to see many children attempting two or three length events. As a school we won the Year 5 AND Year6 relay. Our swimmers were Patrick, Savannah, Lys and Freddie.
On the Friday a group of 15 Year 5 and 6 children attended the North Cluster Swimming Sports with Mr Arnold. Once again many children swam their best and we have 5 children go through to the WBOP sports on Friday 26 March. Good luck Savannah and Patrick.
Our camp was really great. There were 84 students and 13 adults which meant meal time was busy and noisy but what meals!
Driving down in the bus was great until we had to do the Te Wairoa Walk. As it was drizzling, it meant we had to wear coats which some of us didn’t have and as a result we got wet.We saw the stream where they get water from for the pump bottles. It was very blue and cold.
On arrival at camp we quickly found our dorms then moved outside to have lunch. The first activity was the team challenge which provided challenges for everyone. It set the tone for camp which was full of personal and team challenges each day. In our activity groups we did Go Karting, BMXing, Flying Fox,Climbing Tower and Rock Wall, Lake Walk and dingy rowing,Kayaking,Air Rifles and Archery, Treasure Hunt and Confidence course. Each activity provided some excitement from crashing the go kart to seeing Mrs Webster ride a bike.
The best was last, The Burma Trail in the dark. Such screams and laughter could be heard all around the camp.
The final day gave us the Water Top Town Competition, great one Mr Arnold for being the “face” to throw the sponges at.
Reaching school at 2.30 meant we could go home and catch up on sleep after a really cool camp.
Thank you all the parents who came to make the camp the Best.
Our year began with a newly painted classroom which makes it feel bigger and brighter. With our 30 classmembers we are enjoying the air conditioning which was also installed during the holidays. Thank you BOT for everything.
Our syndicate welcomed Mr Arnold into Room 4. Lets hope he will do the Burma Trail with us.We also have Mrs Dunton working each morning teaching and encouraging children from each class. This helps reduce the numbers for important subjects.
The year will be busy starting in a week of us off to camp at Lake Whakamaru Christian Camp.
Late last term Year 6 completed the Science Fair. We had to research and test using variables,and fair tests for our topic. We were then judged on the outcome and display of the work. Robyn and Katie won third place behind Nicole ,Phoebe and Ruben.
For Conservation week, Omokoroa No.1 School did a variety of environmentally friendly things.
Throughout the week everyone kissed glad wrap goodbye and welcomed reusable containers to their lunchbox.
On Tuesday Year 3 and 4 got on the bus, and went to Puketoki Reserve.
Collin talked to us about pests and how they ruin our native bush.
We did the a bushwalk and found ourselves at a HUGE Rimu tree along with disgusting Weta’s.
Wednesday was the day where our class FINALLY got to eat lunch in the native bush.
Who needs a lazyboy when trees make perfectly good seats?
Then, my favourite day of the whole thing…ART DAY!!!
After Jump Jam, Year 5 -8 got a whole day of art!
There were many different things to do.
And we were all re-using things.
My sand jars and sun-catcher didn’t turn out as planned but it was really fun and I bet the trees would have loved it!
And our last day we went to Huharua Harbour Park and planted more trees and weeded.
It was really cool being able to name them with Georgie as well.
And all the fun things that happened were all environmentally-friendly so try to be nice not only to people, but our environment…
One world, ONE CHANCE!!!!
As part of Conservation Week we were lucky enough to have the Zero Waste programme at our school. All the Year 5 and 6 group made worm farms. It was fun, as we learnt it was some thing that helps the environment and we can do it ourselves.
To complete our unit we were given $60 from Foodstuffs to buy food for a healthy lunch.
As a class we decided to buy things needed to make sushi,healthy pizzas, fruit kebabs and some nibbles.
What a lunch we created and the board games we played as we waited for the food to cook made a great end to the term.
