Don't miss out...!

We're gearing up to meet with teachers and principals from around the New Plymouth District this coming Wednesday, for the first meeting of the 2011 Kura Liaison Network meeting. We've had a great response from schools so far, and there's still time for any other interested teachers to join us. It's your chance to meet other teachers from the district while helping the Puke Ariki team develop the best programmes possible for local schools. And did I mention there's a yummy afternoon tea? Contact us if you're keen to be involved - we look forward to meeting you!

Fabulous feedback

We've had some wonderful feedback lately from students, parents and teachers who have visited Puke Ariki for an education lesson. It's great to hear about what you enjoyed during your visit to Puke Ariki.

This week we received two lovely letters from the students of Rooms 1 and 3 at Merrilands School, who visited us for a lesson on Volcanoes.  Thomas from Room 3 sent us a picture of Mount Taranaki and said "this is our favourite volcano. We hope that it doesn't wake up!". So do we, Thomas!

We're busy finalising the exciting education programme for Terms 3 & 4. This little fellow has a starring role...what do you think it could be?

Our Term 3 & 4 programme for Puke Ariki and Aotea Utanganui will be sent to schools in early July, and will be available on the website. Watch this space!

Puke Ariki Kura Liaison Network

We're seeking school representatives to join the Puke Ariki Kura Liaison Network (formally known as the Primary Reference Committee).

The Kura Liaison Network will meet each term (refreshments provided!) and will assist in developing a close network between Puke Ariki and Taranaki schools. It will help us ensure that the service we deliver meets the needs of local schools and the New Zealand Curriculum. 

We're looking for teachers who are passionate educators and leaders, creative and innovative, specialists in their educational area, or language/kura kaupapa teachers.  

Interested? Want to know more? (Did we mention there's afternoon tea?!) Contact us now!

Frankley School visits Puke Ariki

Room 4: Puke Ariki "No Moa:

Check out this fantastic video of Room 4 from Frankley School, New Plymouth, who visited us last week for a lesson called 'No Moa'. The soundtrack is just the thing to get you moving on this cold Monday morning! We love to get feedback on class visits to Puke Ariki - thanks, Frankley School!

It's Stranger than Fiction!

Have you checked out the kooky new exhibition at Puke Ariki?

Opening on Friday 13 May, Stranger than Fiction promises to get you exercising your imagination like never before! Stranger than Fiction features the weird, wacky, and unusual items from our museum collections but asks you, the visitor, to tell us all what these oddities are by writing your own museum labels. You're encouraged to speculate about what the specimens might be, consider where the curiosities came from, or ponder how these peculiar things were used. There's only one rule: the stranger the better!

We're offering a fun, interactive education programme for Year 1-8 pupils to complement Stranger than Fiction, with fantastic feedback received so far from teachers and parents.  Please contact us if you'd like to book your class or visit the Puke Ariki website for more information about the Stranger than Fiction programme.

Check out photos of the exhibition and creative labels here.