Week One, Term 2 in Te Kinga

 Our ANZAC experience...

On the first day back to school this term, the students in Te Kinga spent some time learning about the experiences of our troops who were sent to Gallipoli. This is how the day unfolded...

The students were promised an awesome adventure at the 'recruitment office'. Once they signed on, 'Commander Courage' took them outside for some basic training (marching). It took a while to learn to march in time and listen carefully to the commands. 

 Once the 'soldiers' were prepared, Captain Nic told them about their assignment and they marched all the way to the railway bridge by the lake! They had to stay down and move silently along the beach front until they got to the 'cove' where they would make their way up the Velenski Track to set up camp. BUT the enemy knew they were there and attacked them from the hill above the beach! A lot of soldiers were injured at this time...

The medics used basic resources to help these soldiers. Everyone helped to get them safely up to the base - it was hard work carrying them up-hill over muddy and slippery ground!

The soldiers then split into 2 groups - girls vs boys. Each group had to built a trench in the bush and try to gain possession of the enemy's 'secret weapon' (a tennis ball) from the enemy trench. The soldiers wore rippa rugby bands and rips - if you were 'ripped' you had to stand still until your medic put your rip back on. The girls were victorious! 

After the battles were over, the soldiers were asked to camouflage themselves and hide in their trenches...

Out of sight

In sight

Some camouflage techniques...

After a bite to eat, we headed back to school (where the soldiers turned into students again). We had some discussions about the actual events of Gallipoli using photographs...

We were then full of ideas and feelings for writing poems about the events at Gallipoli ... watch this space! 

An awesome end to Term One!

 Jacks Mill School - Helping out in our Community

In the last weeks of Term One, a team of Te Kinga students helped to clean up the area and statuettes at the Jacks Mill School historical site. This was to help prepare for the opening of a new artists creative/retreat centre. The site located nearby at Kōtuku - and it is a really interesting place (well worth a visit!). 

Lake Creatures...

On one of the many sunny afternoons we've had, we ventured down to the lake and found these creatures living in the water - do you know what they are?

End of Term Lake Day...

On the last day of term, we set out to the Arnold River beach area of the lake. One of the important things we learn in Te Kinga is to light, build and extinguish fires safely. This is an important survival skill AND it a fire is a great place to cook on - especially when it comes to baked potatoes and marshmallow easter eggs (yes try this one!). We also went into the bush to check our traps and found some very interesting forest creatures - we are so lucky to live in the beautiful and unique Te Tai Poutini! 

Just who is the photo-bomber?!

What do these two creatures have in common?

Andrew our student-teacher lends a hand! 

Check out that rainbow!

A BUSY TERM ONE!

Cricket Skills with Ethan...

We had a great session with Ethan who is the regional Cricket Development Officer. We had some great fun in our warm-up games and learnt an excellent game called Cricket Rounders...

PALS training in Greymouth...

A group of Te Kinga students had the day in Greymouth with Sport Canterbury, learning how to be Physical Activity Leaders (PALS). They learnt some new games to teach other children, how to make games fair for everyone and how to moderate games so everyone can play. Our PALS leaders can put their skills to use in the playground and at Ka Pai time!

Statistics and The Census

This term we have studied Statistics for our Maths topic. We have looked at chance and invented some games of chance for others to play. We have also been conducting surveys, learning how to display and interpret data, plus learning about the census. We had a special visit from Latham who explained why it is important for people to take part in the census and then we went for a visit to the Census Caravan! 

Midland Line Athletics

We recently had the Midland Line Athletics Competition - and half of our class qualified for the Westland competition coming up next week - GO TE KINGA! It was a stunning day at ANZAC park in Greymouth...

BUSH WALKS

We love our natural environment so we try to get out and enjoy it as much as possible. We have traps to check in the bush but on this walk we didn't catch anything! We are planning to study aspects of the bush throughout the year in 2023. 

A visit from the Canterbury Rams...

Our school just loves basketball and we have over half the school in the Monday night Greymouth Schools Competition. A visit from the Canterbury Rams players was a real treat for us...

There are a few more exciting things happening towards the end of the Term One - keep watching this space!