What have you learnt about planting and growing?

What is your question? Research here. 

Zero Waste Movie

Z will be holding their annual Safety Day in late November, an event that brings 600 Z staff and friends together to share lessons about their company’s values and changes they can make in their lives to benefit people and the planet. They are aiming to make this a Zero Waste event this year, and will use the day to inspire their staff and guests to continue to reduce their waste.

They asked us to share what we have been doing at school to reduce waste. They came in to make a short 3 minute movie. Some of our students were interviewed to find out what they think about environmental issues.

Violeta: We gave advice to the people filming us today. The advice was about not using plastic. We also asked them why would some people just throw plastic in the rubbish bin? They asked us what we do at school to reduce our rubbish. We take our rubbish home. We reuse, reduce, recyle and refuse! They should change the wrapping of the food in the supermarket.

Jupiter: We told them what we have been doing to try and stop plastic pollution and what we are passionate about.

Leola: We told them what we do at home with plastic and what we do with it. We recycle and we reuse it a lot. Sometimes we make things to reuse rubbish. We are really creative and try and reuse things. We told them that getting rid of plastic would be a good idea. If I had a time machine, I would go back when plastic was invented and tell the King not to accept the invention.

Greta: We filmed in pairs. We talked to the interviwers about plastic bags. We shouldn’t get them! We need to not use them as much as we can. They are not good for the environment and kill animals- not just the sea animals. We said something together at the end.

Edward: We told them about plastic pollution and global heating- the blanket made of gas on the earth that stops sun rays getting out. This causes global heating and it will eventually explode the earth.

Hadley: We had to think of something to say at the end. My idea was, “Save the World!”

Liam: So many people are chopping down trees as well. We breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. The trees do the opposite. If we destroy trees then there will be less oxygen for us to breathe in.

Plants need soil to grow! Or do they?

Today we discussed this statement, "Plants need soil to grow!" Our learners said whether they agree or disagree with this.

Blaze: Soil makes the plants grow.

Caspian: I disagree because drift wood plants and cacti don’t need soil to grow.

Izar: I agree because plants need nutrients and there are nutrients in the soil.

Edward: I disagree because upside down plants

Theo: I agree that plants need soil to grow because there are nutrients in the soil.

Lily Ji: If it isn’t in the soil, it won’t grow.

Wil: I agree because plants need soil to grow.

Eva: I agree because it helps the plants to grow fast and the plants need room for the roots to sprout.

Kate:Plants need soil to grow. I agree because it helps the plants because it has lots of nutrients. You also need sun.

Dylan: I disagree because cactus can grow in sand. So some plants need sand instead.

Reuben: I agree- you need soil for the roots.

Georgina: Plants need soil to grow because it is good for them.

Molly: I agree because they need space for the roots and roots and they also need sun and rain. How else would they grow.

Jasmine: I agree because they need soil for the roots to go deep into the ground. Plants need soil to grow.

We have put some information together for students to research:
Planting and Growing

Talia explains how to grow a little garden

Our Inquiry is about change. This term we are focussing on planting and growing. In this clip, Talia explains how to grow a little garden. 

Planting

We are planting at the moment and we are finding a lot of worms in our garden. We are having fun and are going to do some more next week. Thank you Phil (Dylan's dad) for helping us in the garden. By Lily S

Our ideas for the new Children's Garden at the Botanical Gardens

Today we had a visit from Anneke and Ally from Wellington Botanical Gardens. They showed us different plants. We learnt lots about different plants and their uses. They were keen to get our ideas for the new children's garden in the Wellington Botanical Gardens. 

"The garden will be a learning space where children will:

• learn traditional plant skills and uses
• find out about the medicinal properties of native plants
• work with plants important to other cultures.

Wellington Botanic Garden will maintain the Children's Garden, and provide an educator to work with school groups and visitors.”

You can read more on the website: http://childrensgarden.org.nz/

Here are some of our ideas for the children's garden:

Thank you Anneke and Ally for talking to us. We are enjoying our growing inquiry! Also a big thank you to Sophie (Matilda's mum) for arranging this for us. 

We're Jamming!

Yesterday we made jam as part of our inquiry. We made blueberry jam.  Scott was going wild in the kitchen. This is our "creating" part of the inquiry. We're looking forward to celebrating and sharing our learning. 

By Pippa

Perfect Pizzas...

Today we carried on with our raising agent pizza dough experiment. We made one pizza base with yeast in it and one with four eggs in it. This was the pizza base with yeast in it. The dough looked puffy and white.

This is a cup of yeast. It looked like little seeds in water! We had to wait five minutes for it to get puffy and frothy.

The pizza dough with eggs in it looked yellowish and bubbly. It had little green herbs in it (oregano).

When the egg pizza base was in the oven it looked like a bubbly volcano. It wasn't as yellow as before.

We got to taste test our pizza bases. Most people liked the pizza base with yeast in it. It was nice and soft. We discovered the pizza with yeast rose the highest. The one with no raising agent rose the least.

By Clem

Which Pizza will rise the most?

Shona and Susie's base groups have been learning and wondering about raising agents. We found out that raising agents make food rise. The four raising agents we have been talking about are eggs, yeast, baking powder and baking soda.

Today we experimented which pizza base would rise the most. We made two pizzas one with baking powder and one without.

Mitchell thought the pizza base with baking powder would rise the most.

Leola was curious to see which pizza rises the most.

In a big bowl we had:
- flour
- 1 tablespoon oil
- baking powder
- salt
- water

In the little bowl we had:
- flour
- salt
- 1 cup oil
- water

Then we had to put them both in the oven. We had to flatten it down with a rolling pin, a spoon or our hands.

We think the pizza needs to bake for around 30 minutes. We think it will be ready to eat when it looks stiff, a little burnt, golden brown, tan, maybe black around the edges, a little hard, crunchy or smooth.

We took a vote...24 people thought the pizza with baking powder would rise the most. 2 people thought the one with no baking powder would rise higher.

Exciting opportunity for students interested in environmental issues!

Our students gardening today

Hi Parents and Students in Tautoru,

Z are holding an annual Safety Day in late November. They would like us to help them to understand more about reducing waste...

Message from Emily Watt, "This is an event that brings 600 Z staff and friends together to share lessons about our company’s values and changes we can make in our lives to benefit people and the planet.

We’re aiming to make our event a Zero Waste event this year, and use the day to inspire our staff and guests to continue to reduce their waste. We’ve been looking for an inspiring speaker/s to help get the message across, and wondered if some of your students would be able to help? As a Zero Waste school, and champions of the plastic bag free peninsula, we can’t think of better ambassadors and educators for our guests!"

Students will create a short, fun video (made by a professional company) with the students explaining the importance of recycling and how to do it and urging people to do better."

If you would like to be part of the video and are passionate about recycling and environmental issues, then please apply to be part of this event.

Please write to Nicola and explain:

1. Why you would like to be part of this?

2. What environmental issues are you passionate about?

3. What skills can you bring?

Applications need to be in by Tuesday 25th October.

Many thanks,

Nicola

Gardening Inquiry

The Year Threes have been learning about planting. We will be planting gardens down at bottom grass. They have been measuring, persevering and using teamwork.

First we went into groups and decided to come up with what they wanted to plant in their little piece of garden.

Next we told the teachers what we wanted to plant in our garden.

We also made a grid and tried to fit everything in our pieces of land.

Then we had to tell our teachers what the size of our garden was.

Today we did some weeding and started to flatten the soil...

By Rim and Liam

Continuing learning at home...

We are really excited that our students are continuing their learning at home. We share learning on the blog, seesaw and the newsletter so that these learning conversations continue at home. This has helped us to have deeper conversations with our students at school. Just amazing!

Blakey (the sheep) and his friend have been growing plants at home. They are preparing for our growing/ planting Inquiry.

These students went home and made a healthy cake for an athlete after writing a recipe for a healthy snack.

And some more healthy snacks below... 

... And we love the rollerific marathon balls!

Please keep asking questions and talking about your learning at home! 

Jam and Preserving

We are wondering about jam... Please go home and see what the use by date is on your jam or other preserves. 

Healthy Snacks by Tommy

Today we tasted chocolate, up and go, museli bars, seaweed and jellybeans. We had to write what could be inside the treats. We did this for our inquiry about change. We want to make a snack that will be good for athletes to keep them energised. 

By Tommy