Māori@Marshland

This term Pukeko have been working on their Pepeha. We have created a visual Pepeha incorporates their mountain and river. In our hub we have created two different types. Boyce and Sim created a textured artwork with pastel and dye. Calvert and Smith created a sketch with pastel and dye. Students are at their beginning stages of learning their pepeha. They will continue to learn and practice their Pepeha next term. 

In the mornings, we start the day with a Karakia, kupu (word) and whakatauki (proverb). This karakia is a great way for the students to focus on setting themselves up for the day with the right mind-set for learning. The kupu is changed every week and is based around a sentence. This term is based on asking what the weather is like. The proverb changes twice a term and is based on learning aspects.

Every two weeks, the senior students in the school have an opportunity to earn house points by completing a M ā ori quiz. The quiz questions the students on their te reo knowledge. Students are allowed to use the web to solve the questions. This is often used in class for a fast finisher or added as an added extra for homework.

By Carolyn Davies Toroa have been looking that the Maori concept of Kaitiakitanga. This has tied in nicely to our inquiry into plastics and the need for everyone to do their bit for the environment, and to make a change for the better. We have looked at how plastic as a resource has taken over some of the more natural resources we once used. The concept of Kaitiakitanga is about  guardianship and protection of the land. We have completed art work with oil pastels  around this, and are moving into Matariki, and the stories of Rangi and Papa, the original Kaitiaki, and their sons, again, tying in with what we have learned about Kaitiakitanga.  This will culminate in the students creating some shadow puppets out of card, creating their own representation of the story of Matariki as a shadow puppet show, and sharing it with each other, and in assembly. We will endeavour video a couple so we can upload these to the blog too :o)