Learning for Sustainability

Year 0-1 Zero Waste Inquiry

The year 0-1 tamariki in Hārewa team decided that tackling the waste and rubbish in our school was an excellent idea. These tamariki are the youngest in our school and this is something they encounter every day in their school lives. It was something that they could connect with and take action on themselves, with kaiako support. Tamariki identified the problem and learned about what happens with our rubbish. This learning was consolidated with a trip to Wastebusters where Anna and Damian showed us what happens to unwanted items that are donated, what can and cannot be recycled and took the tamariki through the recycling centre. It was very important to the children to see the next step of where our rubbish goes as they could really now connect with the idea that it doesn't just go away. From here, tamariki began their own projects such as monitoring rubbish and food waste in their own classroom bins, reusing things to make art work instead of sending them to the bin, and setting up 'rubbish monitor' teams that would go out each day and check the playground for rubbish. The tamariki felt empowered to work in this way as they were very connected to the problem they had identified.

K2 Garden Makeover

AIR QUALITY

2020 Ako student were involved with NIWA to monitor the air quality of Cromwell during winter. Due to COVID they were unable to begin the inquiry until after winter but they did monitor the air quality within the classrooms and made some interesting findings.