Room+08+-+2010

**Room Eight's Action Plan for 2010**
=**Update from Last year**= Last year we have a major focus on our planter box at if you look at last year we made our Photostory on this. This year we have had an issue with the planter box 'being behind bars' or should we say fence while the new classrooms have been built.



We now moved it to a better place outside our classroom.The class is holding discussions about what they can plant - succulants have been suggested.



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=**Our Project - Signs for Native trees**= Room 8 has been looking at the native trees around the school and we found that we didn't know all their names. We discussed quite a lot about what we could do. We wanted to know:

"what is the name of the native trees?" "how will our parents and whanau know the names of the trees?" "are any of the trees poisonous" which lead to " what did Maori use them for?"

It was decided that we would show respect for tangata whenua and create signs that would include the **Maori names, botanical names and uses** (both medicinal and everyday life).

Room 8 chose three signs to make: Pohutukawa, Totara and Kowhai. These are the names of three prominent trees that the Junior school teams are named after. Our project is ongoing and we are going to find out information about other trees or plants at school and make signs for them, such as Karaka and Puriri and Harakeke. There are lots of other trees and plants as well.

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 * Problem** - We don't know the names of the trees in our school and if they are poisonous or safe to touch.
 * Solution** - Make signs for trees in our school, (to respect Tangata Whenua) names in Maori and Botanical name; and some interesting uses.
 * Action Plan** - Research, make signs,
 * Evaluation -** All the signs were made and erected. Our Pohutukawa sign went missing though and we have to think of another way to keep the signs safe.

Pohutukawa Paintings
These are some of our paintings of the Pohutukawa Tree. We researched the pohutukawa tree and found out that it is also called the New Zealand Christmas tree, because it has red blossoms that bloom around summer time and Christmas.



Kowhai Tree
We did some writing about the Kowhai tree. Here is one story written by a class member- "We care". "//A kowhai tree is at the back of Room 9 and it has yellow flowers. We have to look after the kowhai trees because ous school rule and motto is We Care. So we shouldn't break the branches of the tree and not climb the trees because we could fall down and hurt ourselves"//



Signs
We also did a draft of the Pohutukawa sign and practised our block writing. Some things we think we need to have on our signs -
 * The names of the trees in Maori and English, and also something interesting about the tree.
 * Clear block writing, so it can be seen from a distance read and can be easily.
 * A border, so it can create impact
 * Maybe an illustration or decoration on the sign which is relevant.

=Our Special Day= This is what happened on the day of placing the signs for the trees. media type="custom" key="6803523"

E toru nga mea lyrics
media type="custom" key="6803623" If you would like to listen to the song have a look at this video on youtube.[|E toru nga mea] =Our Journey...Beginning to end...= media type="custom" key="6804083" = = =Our Garden Box - 2009 - 2010.= This is the journey of our Garden box-from 2009-2010. media type="custom" key="6849185" = = = = =Earth Day 2010.= Room 8 celebrated Earth Day in June. We made wreaths in class and wore green clothing (our uniform). Some of us also had green hair for the day and green faces. Have a look at our pictures.

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