| Gifted and Talented Events |
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Gifted Awareness Week 14 - 20 June 2010 is Gifted Awareness Week 67.38 KbSpecialty Lunches Term One Speciality Lunches Our students had the wonderful learning opportunity to be able to see glass art being made at our specialty lunch this week. Lisa-Jane Harvey from the BORN TO BEAD studio visited our school and gave the students a new appreciation for glass art. Her studio is responsible for the production of the Cancer Beads. Thank you Lisa-Jane for taking the time out of your busy schedule to visit our school. Thank you Mrs de Groot for all your organisation - the students loved it! Glass Art Specialty Lunch Meet a Metre 2010 (click here to go to the website) 16 children from Year 4 have nominated themselves to be part of the Meet a Metre project for this year. The Year 5 & 6 children from 2009 will be continuing in Terms 2 and 3. This is a New Zealand International Science Festival and Department of Conservation interactive online project offered to year 1 to 10 students throughout New Zealand. This ten-week project takes place during Term 1, 2010. The aim of Meet a Metre is to promote good science and the 2010 New Zealand International Science Festival. The project also gives young scientists a unique chance to connect to DOC scientists. Enhanced biodiversity/ecology, increased native flora and fauna, reduced exotic flora and fauna and an increased public awareness/appreciation of the local natural values are also aims. Additional aims could be the attraction of birds to the area, a study of the history of the area and weed control. This is a project that will immerse students in a real and practical opportunity which, while simple, will teach them correct scientific methods and terminology. The brief Students will: Audit life forms (flora, fauna, fungi) within a metre section of their school grounds Collate and present their findings Formulate a plan to enhance the area Create a new plan in response to feedback given by DOC experts Monitor results Students will be encouraged to recognise changes over periods of time. Meet a Metre Scientist Task Timeline 2010 1 First we had to write a letter, email or meet with Mrs de Groot to apply to be on the Meet a Metre team. Then we had to research a scientist over the weekend. When we came back to school we sorted ourselves into groups and called each group after a scientist. We took a photo of each year group. 2 Our first expedition: The Worm Hunt 1. Bottom of the bank where the oak tree has just been cut down - clay soil, no worms 2. Friendship Garden. Dry soil. No worms. 3. On a dirt pile next to Room 22 Butterfly Garden - dark, moist soil - 7 worms 4. Veggie Garden, Room 29. Moist soil. 2 worms, a piece of plastic 5. Nature Walk. Dry adn hard to dig, no worms, 1 slater, 1 centipede 6. Back fence line. Dry soil, clay, ants, no worms. 7. Behind the sandpit. Sandy soil - 2 worms, orange seeds 8. Butterfly Garden. Very dry, nothing except dry soild and fine roots. 3 We were divided into groups and each group had a quadrat to look after. Mr Want and Mr Botha helped with the quadrat wood work. Then we took them and put the quadrats around the school. We are behind the Junior classes this year. 4 Sub soil testing: We used our sub soil tester and pushed it into the soil. We took samples from each quadrat and then analysed it. Some people found worms, grass grubs and some people found nothing. 5 Quadrat Enhancement Plans Each group has made a plan to enhance the quadrats. We have submitted these to our expert conservationists and are waiting for feedback. (see this website link) Week 7 Term 2 This week we are starting to decide what to do to enhance our quadrats. We have a few questions to ask the scientists. We have talked about the scientific method. One of the teacher aides was talking to us and she told us that lime can break down clay. Interview Today, Friday, we interviewed Mr Want the caretaker. We asked him lots of questions about what he used around the school to fertilise the grounds and how often. He did this. He talked to us about watering the grounds, fertlising, mulching and weedkillers that he used. Our last task was to start our Enhancement Plans in our quadrat groups. We talked about the scientific method and looked at our research, formed questions and an hypothesis and started discussing what we might do. Week 8 The Meet a Metre Scientists have given all of our quadrat enhancement plans feedback. Have a look at the Meet a Metre website to see what we're up to. |
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| Last Updated ( Tuesday, 15 June 2010 ) |