Information Signs

What does our school need to help the plants? Sign we decided!

 A small group from Ara Pakeke have been working hard on cutting, designing and painting information signs about the environment.

Winter Strawberries

What a warm winter we have had. Usually this time is a quiet time for gardening however it has been unseasonably warm. So, we started planting some seedlings and we have our fingers crossed that there won't be a frost.

Our strawberries have gone in early because if you plant them in winter, they fruit more. We are doing an experiment on three different types of strawberries (our old ones fertilised, new ones from the shop and runners). Which ones will do the best??

Term 2 Weeks 5-10

Maintaining the gardens is hard work but it's made much easier pushing a wheelbarrow - it's always a race to see who will get to steer it! We finished with a class treat of homemade vege soup. It was absolutely delicious, nutritious and totally made by the hands of the Eco Kids.

Term 2, Weeks 4-5

The paths around the garden beds were quite muddy so we collected mulch from the field to spread over the path. Having a push on the wheelbarrow was fun.

Comfrey tea making time!  Comfrey is a broad leafed plant that grows abundantly around our garden beds. It is well known for it's amazing fertilising qualities. We picked leaves and mixed it with water to soak for a few weeks. It makes a brown liquid that people call, "comfrey tea." Soon we will pour it over the strawberry garden to give it a boost.

 Check out these baths in gardens. They have little worms living inside. Worms love to eat your uncooked left over kitchen scraps. The 'worm tea' drains off down the plughole and a bucket underneath collects the tea... or you can drain in back straight into your garden. Your veges will be healthier, more resistant to disease and much tastier.

Banana and Apple Smoothie.
By Nishita Ganatra.

Ingrediants 
1 banana                                                                           
1 red apple
2-3 cups milk
3 teaspoon sugar
3 big spoons of plain youghurt

Equitment
A Bowl
Blender
Glasses
Knife

Method
1. Peel and chop the banana.
2. Cut the apple into small pieces.
3. Put the apple & banana into a bowl.
4. Put the youghurt in the bowl.
5. Pour milk in the bowl.
6. Add sugar into the bowl.
7. Blend until smooth.
8. Put it in thr frige to make it cold.
9. SAfter it is cold, pour it into glasses.
10. Enjoy!!!

Ara Pakeke Stepping Up - Making Eco Signs

The Ara Pakeke Stepping Up group have begun the measuring up and cutting of the signs. Thanks Phil for all your help!

Ara Pakeke Stepping Up

Last term the Ara Tuakana Stepping Up group created a display on New Zealand's native birds. It is in the library if you want to have a look!

This term, Ara Pakeke is having its turn in the Stepping Up group. Our goal is to inform people about areas of the school through signs. We will make signs that give information about plants and explain why some areas are out of bounds: e.g. around young trees because their roots and small branches are vulnerable to foot traffic.

We will be practising our design skills, technical skills and positive language to use on the signs.

Energy

Term 2, Week 2

Today we learned about energy. We need to turn off the lights, TV and data projector when we leave our classrooms. We also need to turn the computers off at the end of the day. As Eco Kids, we will help our class to do this every day.

If New Zealand uses lots of energy, instead of water making power (hydro power), we use coal burning stations. Coal ruins the ozone layer and makes the air polluted.

We should always turn off devices that we don't use.

Apple crumble and homemade ice cream

This week we got to devour our hard work. After chopping the apples up from the Arahoe School orchard (plus some more apples from Mrs Tuck's apple tree), we made a truly delicious crumble to go with our homemade ice cream. Great work Eco Kids of Term 1 and thank you to all our wonderful parent helpers.

The Perfect Apple Crumble Recipe by: chorazy

(38) Saved as a favourite by 308 cook(s) Easy Ready in 1 hour 30 minutes Picture by:noha I love apple crumble. Even more than apple pie. After many years of trial and error and amalgamating other recipes I think I've finally perfected it! Or to the delight of my taste buds anyway. Ingredients Serves: 8 7 large green apples 1/4 cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground) 1 cup plain flour 3/4 cup (packed) dark brown sugar 3/4 cup rolled oats 3/4 cup coconut 1 tablespoon cinnamon (ground) 2 teaspoons nutmeg (ground) 2/3 cup butter (melted) 2 teaspoons vanilla essence Preparation method Prep: 45 minutes |Cook: 45 minutes 1. APPLE MIX 2. Peel and core apples, then cut into rough 1-2cm cubes. Place apples in large saucepan and cover with water. Simmer (but don't boil) covered with lid on med-high until apples are just tender but not too soft (usually 5mins once water is simmering). Drain apples well and place in large bowl 3. Combine caster sugar and cinnamon (ensures even spread), then toss through the apples. If you like the apples to be less sweet and more tart you can omit the sugar in this step, though there may be excess juice as a result. 4. CRUMBLE MIX 5. Combine flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, coconut, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl until evenly mixed through. 6. Melt butter (do not burn or boil it) and add vanilla essence to butter, stir through. 7. Add butter mix to dry ingredients and mix well using a fork. Ensure all ingredients are moist and mixture has a crumbly texture. 8. BAKING 9. Place apple mix evenly in medium casserole dish. Spread crumble mix over top of apple. Bake at 180 degrees C for 30-40minutes, or until crumble topping is slightly browned. 10. Serve with vanilla icecream, cream, or custard and ENJOY!

 

Treat Week!

This week we made apple crumble and homemade ice cream to pat ourselves on the back ourselves for the work the Eco Kids have put into helping out the environment and learning about gardening. Ka pai team and mmmmmm yum!

Dispatching the nursery

Term 1, Week 6-8
We planted all sorts of seeds in seedling trays and took them back to our sunny classrooms to sit on the window sill. Once they grew to a good height, we planted them into the garden beds, patted them down... and now we're hoping for the best!

They are very small at the moment... but watch them grow!

Here's what we planted: cabbage, lettuce, parsnips, carrots, celery and pumpkin. Mmmm yum!

Planting seeds and digging weeds

Another beautiful Tuesday lunchtime in the garden! Today we split into two groups:

• One group planted seeds into seed trays
• The rest of us weeded and used all the muscles we had

Once our seeds have popped up as seedlings, we will distribute them amongst the classrooms to add to their vege patch.

Plant couriers

Term 1, Week 5
This week the Eco Kids delivered seedlings and seeds to all the classrooms to plant in our garden beds.

Watch the garden beds grow!

Eco Kids 2013!

Term 1, Week 4
Birds! The plentiful fruit trees that run alongside the junior rooms have provided birds with a feast... but the free feed is up. We wrapped the trees in nets (like wrapping a towel around your shoulders) and pegged them to the ground with tent pegs. Someone found a big lump of wood to knock the pegs into the ground. Nice work Eco Kids. The fruit is now reserved for children only.

 

 

Term 1, Week 3
Miss Korver brought in her hens to show the Eco Kids the benefits of keeping chickens. Did you know that tests have shown that chickens are the closest relatives known to T-Rex! Check out their reptilian comb.  

 

Term 1, Week 2
Busy Eco Kids attacked our garden beds to get rid of the weeds that grew over the Christmas break. There were lots!