Making rewena paraoa and butter

We have been learning about what life was like for Maori and early European pioneers in New Zealand over 200 years ago. Life was a lot harder then. New Zealand was no paradise. There were no towns or roads, and hardly any shops. It was mostly just bush and huts. Many settlers arrived with almost nothing. Everything had to be done by hand and there weren't many tools to help. Foods like butter and bread had to made by hand. We enjoyed making rewena bread using a 'potato bug' and churning cream in to butter to put on it - it was YUM!

Harakeke - weaving flowers

We have been learning about customs that make Maori culture unique and special. We have learnt about the tikanga of flax weaving, and the protocols of harvesting flax. Flax was very important to Maori and was used to weave kete (bags), ropes, sails, clothes and fishing lines. 

We found the process of weaving to be a real lesson in perseverance - it's a lot harder than it looks! 

 And finally..... success!

Cricket Skills Sessions

We've been enjoying cricket sessions with Sid from Auckland cricket. We've been learning learning catching, passing and bowling skills. 

Abigail's Home Learning

Abigail learnt about the art of Warren Pohatu, a local artist and author. She has produced this beautiful picture using pastels which follows the style of Warren's artworks.

Aniela's Home-learning: The Summerland Values Monsters

Excellence in the Arts: Check out the fantastic powerpoint Aniela created. Watch how her values monsters learn to use the Summerland values!

Camp Bentzon 2014

We had an awesome time at Camp Bentzon. We got to do heaps of activities like bushcraft, kayaking, yachting, raft building, a confidence course and freaky night-time burma trail.  It was an amazing experience - we had a blast