Montessori Blenheim ignites intellectual interest and allows children to perpetuate curiosity and propel forward to further explore all the natural wonders of our world. Through the prepared environment, kaiārahi offer authentic opportunities for children to connect to their environment. To foster a love and appreciation of their surroundings and support a deeper understanding of the 'big ideas' that underpin all life on earth.
Our term two Sustainable Action Ideas newsletter explores the Enviroschools Guiding Principle of Respect for the Diversity of People and Cultures. It highlights some up coming awareness dates that support this guiding principle as well as shares ideas to celebrate other cultures in your school or centre. There are also a number of workshops happening this term. Click here to access our online Padlets to view this newsletter and previous ones....
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An Enviroschools Action Fund makes the Wairau Valley school Enviro Teams dream a reality last year. The plan was to create a native corridor for native birds. The team researched what type of plants native birds like and also discussed the flowering times of different native plants to provide food through out the year. It was a great practical activity and the students really enjoyed mucking in. ...
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The Enviro Team at Witherlea School were excited to be granted with an Enviroschools Action Fund for the expansion of their School Ngahere. They used the money to purchase a variety of native trees, climbers and shrubs to add to the expansion of their School Ngahere. Originally they had two separate forests divided by a flying fox. When the flying fox came down they were left with a large gravel area. They filled in this gravel area with soil and purchased native plants with the Action Fund. The children chose plants and trees that would attract native birds and a variety of insects. A big thank you from the Enviro Team! ...
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Our term one Sustainable Action Ideas newsletter explores the Enviroschools Guiding Principle of Respect for the Diversity of People and Cultures. It highlights some of the changes we have made to the delivery of the programme as well as some ideas for taking action. On page four you will also find this terms PLD opportunities and awareness dates. Click here to access our online Padlets to view this newsletter and previous ones....
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Initially organised for the beginning of the year to kick start our focus on Sustainable Communities, it was great to finally see this workshop take place in term 4. Tamanuitera shone, though Tawhirimatea made his presence known, and we were able to start in the Kids Edible Gardens of Blenheim School talking about some of the companion plants we could see growing and nibbling on the new leaves of the prolific broad beans. Identify Getting down to the nitty gritty we identified what a Sustainable Community could look like. We found that in building a Sustainable Community we are also building our hauora as we connect with nature and foster relationships with people around us. Explore Kids...
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Under the warm rays of Tamanuitera| the sun the tamariki| children at Springlands Kindergarten gather together ready for their weekly hikoi| walk to McKendry Park. A place that they have become very familiar with and comfortable to explore, discover and play. As they pass through the kura| school grounds they wave and say hello to past students before arriving at the large open space. The park is spotted with multiple plum trees and a gentle stream running down one side. Identify Recognising the importance of connecting with nature and the benefits it offers, the kaiako at Springlands Kindergarten decided that they wanted to find a way to integrate more of this into their programme. They identified...
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This term our Sustainable Action Ideas newsletter explores ways to get outdoors and ideas for a sustainable Christmas. Click here to access our online Padlets to view this newsletter and previous ones....
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When we started out on our Enviroschool journey in 2013, it started out with wanting tamariki | children and whānau | families to have a sense of belonging here at Renwick Kindergarten. We never envisioned what we would learn, create and change along the way. Our decision to weave the Enviroschools guiding principles into the fabric of our Kindergarten saw us gain Bronze in June 2014; Silver in December 2016 and GreenGold in February 2019. Bringing in water to water the trees Identifying the current situation: As part of our mission towards Silver, our practice and thinking evolved. From promoting sustainability within our own Kindergarten, our eyes looked towards the horizon to...
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The students at Richmond View School became Botanists this term as they explored the classification of native plants on the Taylor Awa. People have always given names to things that they see, including plants and animals. So, of course most of us turn to names as the first form of classification. It was a scientist, Linnaeus, that first developed a hierarchal naming structure (of 7 parts no less). This conveyed information about what a living thing was and also its closest relatives. Earlier this term, if you happened to be walking your dog down the Taylor Awa, you may have come across Richmond View School students studying the Tui to Town plantings. Their inquiry for...
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