Social Studies
This term, our junior students are diving into a rich Social Sciences unit titled "Our Place, Our Stories – From Hokitika to the World," powered by the Manaiakalani Learn, Create, Share framework.
First, our tamariki will Learn about their tūrangawaewae (belonging) by comparing our coastal town of Hokitika with the nearby rural valley of Kōkatahi. They will explore historical photos to investigate how our town’s services have changed over time, and listen to local pūrākau (stories) to discover how the Arahura River became the home of pounamu.
Next, students will Create to process their new knowledge. They will engineer 3D models of local community services, design wax-resist maps of New Zealand’s surrounding oceans, and sculpt clay pounamu stones. They will also build digital and physical maps tracing their routes from home to school.
Finally, children will Share their learning journey. Using their developing vocabulary and structured sentences, students will publish their reflections, present their 3D town layouts to peers, and talk about our unique West Coast geography with their whānau. It promises to be a highly active, creative term of discovery!
You can easily bring our classroom geography and history lessons to life at home with these fun, simple activities:
Share Family Stories: Talk about why your family lives on the West Coast. What connects you to this land? Share your own memories of Hokitika or Kōkatahi.
Be Name Detectives: Next time you cross the Arahura River or drive down a local street, talk about the name. Look up the meanings of local Māori place names together.
Draw a Neighborhood Map: Sit down with your child and draw a simple "bird’s-eye view" map of your street or the route from your house to school. Mark key landmarks like big trees, shops, or parks.
Spot the Sea: When visiting Hokitika beach, remind your child that they are looking out at the Tasman Sea, and discuss what types of boats or birds you can see.
Science
This term, our junior students will transform into active scientists as we explore how living things survive in their environments. Through the Manaiakalani framework, our learning journey will move from deep curiosity to creative expression.
Learn: Students will begin by building their scientific vocabulary, investigating the core survival needs of New Zealand’s native species. We will read rich non-fiction texts by local authors, learning to distinguish between producers (plants making their own food) and consumers (animals hunting for survival).
Create: Armed with science facts, students will create visual and written evidence of their learning. They will map out ecosystems, craft "Before and After" environmental diagrams, and use the TIDE framework to organize their ideas into structured information reports and powerful conservation arguments.
Share: To wrap up our unit, students will step up as environmental advocates. They will design "Save Our Species" posters inspired by The Lorax and publish their scientific findings. By sharing their work through an interactive "Botanical Expo" and peer presentations, our tamariki confidently use their voices to explain why we must protect our native flora and fauna.
Want to keep the scientific discovery going at home? Here are some simple, fun ways to reinforce our classroom learning with your child:
Go on a Backyard Bio-Blitz: Head outside and spot three different organisms. Ask your child: Is this a producer (making its own food from the sun) or a consumer? * Spot the Adaptations: Look closely at a family pet or a bird in the garden. Talk about its external features. How do its claws, beak, or fur help it survive?
Be a Lorax: Look for "threats" to your local environment, like litter at the park or weeds choking native plants. Work together to clean up a small area, practicing how to protect nature.
Read and Match: Read a favorite nature story together. Have your child try to explain the "why" behind an animal's behavior using the words so or because.