2016

Spotswood Primary Enviroday

                 2016 - What an amazing introduction to Enviroschools in North Taranaki!

It has been a privilege working with so many passionate students, teachers, principals, whānau and community groups this year. Your hard work and dedication to this important kaupapa is inspiring -thank you!!!

Kia tau ngā manaakitanga ki runga i koutou katoa. Have a great holiday and a Merry Christmas.

Rachael Ruakere
Enviroschools North Taranaki Facilitator.

So proud of our Enviroschools - Kei runga noa atu Moturoa!!

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/84199022/moturoa-school-celebrates-20-years-of-conservation-planting

Moturoa eco - building imagineers

We have been wondering about and getting ideas to build our own eco classroom.

We went to Hamilton to visit Hukanui School, Rhode Street School, Gold beads Montessori and then we went to Hamilton gardens.

We saw wine bottles, pumice and broken concrete and polystyrene floors! There were portholes in the floor so we could see what they looked like inside.  They had swales and an old bike that they pedalled to pump the water up to the tap!

They had windows in the wall that were wood slats that opened on the inside and outside that could be used to let air into the classroom. There were special slats so that the sun would be blocked out in summer but shine in during winter because of the angle.

We learnt lots on our trip and got lots of ideas for building our own eco-classroom.

We have been doing lots of learning around energy, Donna our facilitator brought in a light machine that helped us to decide what types of bulbs we should use.  The light would go on for ages with an eco bulb and was easy to spin it.  You didn't really have to try - you just had to push it.  For the non-eco bulbs it was really hard to push - you had to put lots of energy into it to make it keep on going.

    

Zoe wrote to the board - 7 drafts later after lots of sessions of feedback from the class we have been told we can continue our investigations!

By Tapeka, Zoe, Sadhbh and Nevaeh

Art murals

We started by getting a huge piece of wood and some containers of paint, and brushes. We got a subject to paint each. My groups subject was tuatara. Each group got pictures of their subject.

Everyone had a go doing observational drawings of their subject on paper.  We had help from teachers to paint the outline, their was lots of year sixes to do the careful parts, and the younger kids did the background. Our group painted a brown tuatara. My friend Isis was in another group and they got all the light colours, painting a green lizard.  There was also a komokomoko lizard.  It took as a week to finish the paintings. Once they were painted we hung them up on the outside of the wall by the carpark for visitors to see and learn about lizards.  By Claudia

Compost bins and worms

We have left over grass clippings from the lawns that we put in the compost. It would better if we put up a sign about to say that it is the compost so people don't think its messy.

The worm compost is kept in Room Kowhai (Rachel's class) so it can be looked after. Only certain foods go in the worm compost. We can't put in onion, garlic, milk or sugar. And maybe no banana peels.

By Ella

Vege garden and fruit orchard

  We grew seedlings given to us by a local business - Bunnings. Everyone in the whole school was involved. The parents were invited to come and help themselves to the free plants. We grew the vegetable plants just to be different to other schools. We cooked apple and rhubarb pie (with a side of ice cream!) It was delicious. Another class, grew spring onions. They took them home to make chicken noodle soup.

We have a group of parents who come to school to help weed our gardens. I call them the "Busy Bees."

By Claudia

Enviro Plan

The Enviro Group got together to make a plan of things we wanted to achieve during the year. It included what plants we wanted to put in the garden and orchard, projects around the school such as the tyre swing, a pond, and a treehouse. It also included projects relating to existing environmental things such as re-establishing the worm farm, doing a waste audit, and labeling our trees and gardens.

By Isis.

Welcome to Moturoa School!

Welcome to Moturoa School who will be participating in the blog project. They have had a significant staff turnover in the last few years and are adamant to retain the school's strong environmental focus.  This year Motoroa are undertaking whole school Enviroschools training - we're looking forward to your contributions!