Unusual reading spots!

During the holidays, Tokoeka had a holiday challenge to have a photo taken of themselves reading in an unusual spot.  All of these tamariki earned extra play all day tomorrow.  Tino pai!

Angie on the firetruck:

 Jack at Rocktopia  in Tauranga.  He scaled up here with his book tucked into his belt!:

Josh reading at Hangdog (he was reading the sign next to his hand because he wasn't allowed to take his book up):

Kayla reading with a cold friend:

I wonder if Keesha is reading Gulliver's Travels?:

Riley reading at the top of Baldwin Street, Dunedin (steepest street in the world!):

Furry visitors

This morning, Jack bought his puppies Bella and Baxter in for a visit.  

"They were cute and adorable" - Shakira

"They were a fluffy ball of excitement" - Josh

"They were cute and slobbery" - Chelsea

Thank you, Jack, Catherine and Emmet!

Poi with Jamie

We are so lucky that Jamie from Orongomai Marae is coming in each week to help us to make poi.  We learnt about the historical uses of poi, which includes them being weapons.  Today we were getting our poi prepared to start plaiting the taura (cord).

Hetiheti

We have been doing a mini-inquiry about hetiheti (hedgehogs).  We know lots of different characteristics about hetiheti, their habitat, and their diet.  We recreated a realistic habitat, and put our hedgehogs and their favourite foods into their hedgerow - each hetiheti is covered in facts so please pop in and see it!

Manaaki Whenua bird survey

This morning, we completed the New Zealand Garden Bird Survey.  This was organised by Manaaki Whenua (you can do it at home, too.  Here is the information you need).

Birds act as 'backyard barometers' - telling us about the health of the environment we live in. We should be listening.  From the Manaaki Whenua website.

"I was excited to see the Rosellas because they're so colourful" - Riley S.

"I was excited to see the birds that weren't on the list, like the falcon" - Angie

"I was excited to see the new birds that I haven't seen before" - Julz

"It was so cool to see all the different colours of the birds" - Regan

"I was really stoked that I got to see a kingfisher" - Alita

"I was really excited to see new birds that I hadn't seen before, especially the chaffinches" - Jack

"It was really cool to see all the rosellas fly past" - birthday boy Riley

"It was amazing to see all the rosellas just on the playground when we walked out there" - Merle

"It was really cool to get close to a Tūi" - Hunter

"It was so cool to listen to the different birds tweeting and singing" - Shakira

"I was really excited to see different types of birds" - Jess

"It was really cool to see one of the chaffinches" - Mya

"It was really nice to see all the birds and seeing them fly past" - Toby

"We had to sit down and be quiet instead of walking around" - Maia

"We had to sit down in the same spot or they just fly away.  I was really excited to see the birds close up and landing on the ground" - Keesha

"When you sat down, you got to see heaps of birds come past" - birthday boy Luke