Festival flower blooms

Matahui School creates a sustainable sunflower.

Read the full article on the front page of Katikati Advertiser, Thursday September 16 2021 below.

Bursting into spring is giant sunflower – not quite the plant species – but a creative one made of upcycled plastics and reuseable materials, that will be displaying during Katikati’s Festival of Arts in October.

Matathui School’s giant yellow sunflower is one of 111 large wooden sunflowers that have been distributed to preschools and schools in the area, to be decorated for the Festival of Art, hosted every two years by Katikati Open-Air Art.

Festival organiser Jacqui Knight says is was a real gift to see the sunflower from Matahui School, iwth all the Covid uncertainty about what events can and cannot be run at the upcoming festival.

“I think it is absolutely amazing, I don’t know here people get their ideas from, this one is fantastic!”

“I can not wait to see the others too.”

Designed to reflect the bright community spirit that surrounds Katikati, the Matahui School community has been working as a team – staff, students, parents and community members – on the giant sunflower. The students played an active role planning the project aimed at utilising reusable materials and upcycling plastics.

Principal Mary Woods says the focus on upcycling was thought to be the best use of plastic, as no further resources are required to process or recycle the plastic, it goes directly into another use – the ultimate in reducing consumption.

“It’s incredible the things that can be created out of a plastic bottle, can or glass container if you put your mind to it.”

The students reached out to the community for donations towards the sunflower which was painted before lockdown. They took their investigation of sunflowers a step further by examining them in great detail, up close, to find and develop the aesthetic and design.

During the lockdown “MrsB”, Kathryn Burtenshaw, teachers of the year 7 and 8 class worked on the project while communicating remotely with the students about here parts were glued on. Each piece was strategically placed to add character to the sunflower.

Students and families from Kauri Point village donated an array of plastic items, some from children’s toy boxes, and adults delved into their plastic recycling. Mrs B often found packages of plastic bits in her letterbox during alert level 4, a contactless delivery from community members.

“Every time the students see the flower they try to hunt down and identify where their donated piece is glued.”

“it’s almost like a Where’s Wally activity – one can spend hours looking at all the parts of the flower, so many different items have been collected and used.”

Mary says it has been a huge community project bring people together. “It represents more that just an art project. It shines a brightness on our community as we move forward into spring and summer.

“A time of colour, vibrancy, abundance, fresh food and good health.”

The sunflower will join others, soon to be on display at the Katikati library showcasing the talented work of our local children.

Chris Steel, Katikati Advertiser.

Year Seven and Eight students celebrate a great term at Matahui

What a wonderful term Team Kauri, the Year Seven and Eight students have had at Matahui School.

The students have been learning to build and learn within a team and advance their ability as leaders. This has been achieved through an amazing array of outdoor activities including two camps, and skill building activities such as swimming, a deep-water confidence day and kayak skill development at Waimarino.

We have studied of the life of William Shakespeare and written a short biography. Following this we traveled with the Year Five and Six students to Auckland to see ‘A Comedy of Errors’ at the Pop-up Globe Theatre.

Other E.O.T.C. experiences have included our infamous boat day and a whole school beach education day.

In the classroom we have focused our mathematics on number and algebra. There are several budding mathematicians! We have buddy read a book called ‘A race to the pole’, a chance for our accomplished readers to share with and support their peers. This book was also part of our inquiry this term which has focused on the motivation to discover and explore. The high standard of presentations that concluded the inquiry are well worth visiting the classroom to see.

Innovation and Invention Alive at Matahui

Room 6 Matahui Year Seven and Eight students have been developing their Term Two Inquiry which focuses on Innovation and Invention. As a part of this they have been receiving additional support from parents who are highly skilled in Technology and Invention. Darren Bruning and Simon McDonald are two such parents and their skills and experience have raised the bar with the students learning.

Darren has been visiting each week to show the students the first steps in computer programming. The students have been totally absorbed with the complexity and challenge associated with a learning area which will be an important part of their future.

 

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In the photos above Connor, Alex, Blake and Olly follow a wiring diagram to prepare their electronic hardware.

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The completed breadboard and Arduino board ready for connection to the computer.

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The computer programming study has generated a lot of interest including a visit from the Bay of Plenty Times. To read their article and learn more about the students learning follow the following link:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503343&objectid=11643968

Matahui Year 7/8 Seniors Soft Materials Technology

 

 

What an asset to have someone with the experience of Kate Bruning come and teach the Year 7/8 students about soft materials technology. The class have enjoyed working in a medium that many of them are not familiar, producing some wonderful cutlery bags. They are now working on cushions with hand stitched Kiwiana symbols.

 

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Before you are considered competent on the sewing machine you have to get your license!

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Here we are preparing and sewing our cutlery bags!

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In the photos above we are choosing our our Kiwiana silhouettes and preparing our blankets for hand sewing. Watch this space for photos of the finished products.

 

 

Year 7/8 Tarawera Leadership Camp

 

 

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It is hard with a few pictures and words to describe the wonderful learning that takes place at any of the four major outdoor camps that Matahui School Year 7/8 Students partake in each year. The Tarawera Camp is no exception. At Tarawera we look to strengthen the students leadership, cooperative teamwork skills and self confidence through an array fun experiential challenges. These photos give a glimpse of some of these practical, life changing experiences.

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Camping

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Challenging

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Achieving

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Bonding

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Celebrating success

A big thank you to the camp and class parents who through their support made this another successful and exhilarating learning experience for our students.

Matahui visit the Science Roadshow

posted in: Class Blogs, Kauri yrs 7,8 | 0

 

Science Roadshow

On Friday the 8th of August, students from year 5,6,7 and 8 from Matahui School, Katikati visited the Fonterra Science Roadshow. The roadshow was a combination of: presentations, during which the people presenting the show did some explosive tests, and some interesting and informative ‘hands on’ experiments. In their “Extra for Experts” competition, Grace from Room 5 won and earned herself a science pen. Jessica Dallas.

 

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