Wednesday, November 21, 2012

2013 Education Programme is AVAILABLE!

We are excited to be able to present to you our new education programme for 2013.
At Puke Ariki the new topics for the year include:
  • First Ships (Term 1)
  • Fashion Flashback (Term 2)
  • Making Music (Term 3)
  • Our Feathered Friends: New Zealand Native Birds (Term 4)

We are also offering the ANZAC unit for Term 1.

In Patea at Aotea Utanganui during Term 1 Rob will be teaching a unit called Underwater: Aquatic Creatures.
 

If you would like a hard copy of our new programme please email us at edpukeariki@npdc.govt.nz with your details.


Come on - book with us now!

Beauty and the Beast – a hands-on interactive experience that has been heaps of fun!

Students were able to rotate through a number of activities to learn, investigate, create and experience butterflies and moths.
They created their own butterfly or moth from craft materials, imagined what a butterfly might see through the technology of our ipads, investigated the differences between moths and butterflies and their role in our environment, and listened to the beating of their wings. The children were fascinated to learn about the insects' amazing defensive tactics and the different ways they use their senses.
Teachers commented on the “great balance between the information given and hands-on activities” and that the “ipads were very popular.” Children were “engaged, excited and keen.”
Looking through the ipad to imagine how 
butterflies and moths see the world.

 Spot the difference between a moth and butterfly.


A hand-made proboscis.

We were told that this unit is a fantastic stepping stone into other curriculum activities such as science (foodchains and lifecycles), research, art (symmetry, camouflage and colours) and written language.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Let's Beat It! Term 4 Programme & Teacher Workshop

We've a very special addition to our Term 4 programme at Puke Ariki.

Let's Beat It! is a new programme focusing on the sound and rhythm of drums. What makes a drum a drum? What materials are different drums made of, and what sounds can they make? Join us for a fun, hands-on programme of rhythm and beats, where students discover drums from around the world and take part in a drumming circle.




Let's Beat It! is available for all year levels, and runs for one hour 15 minutes. Contact us to book your class, or check out our other Term 4 programmes

Teachers: join us for a free, fun Let's Beat It! teacher workshop on Tuesday 30 October at 4.00pm. Experience a variety of drums created from everyday objects and natural resources, and explore the sounds and effects created when different objects are played together. Led by the Puke Ariki educators, you'll learn lots of valuable skills to take back to the classroom. Limited places: contact us to register.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Last call - Toys for Teachers workshop

Our free Toys for Teachers workshop is this Wednesday 19 September at 4.00pm, and we still have a few places available.

Contact us to register - we hope to see you there!

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Term 4: Beauty and the Beast

Our Term 4 special topic promises to be fascinating. Beauty and the Beast focuses on New Zealand butterflies and moths - what role do these creatures play in our environment? What makes them unique? How do we recognise them and how do they use their senses to their advantage?



We've already received several bookings for Term 4, and encourage you to book your class early to avoid missing out. We also have supporting loan resources for Beauty and the Beast, including two amazing butterfly cases (pictured above) for use back in the classroom.  Please contact us to learn more.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Term 3: Toy Creation

Our special topic for Term 3 has been the very enjoyable Toy Creation. We've had fantastic feedback from teachers about this programme, which asks students to consider the different energies, movements and technologies of simple toys.


Educator Keri Elvin and students create their own cotton-reel toy.

Teachers tell us that students were "very excited and involved, right from the start. Lots of talk generated" and had a "look of wonder on their faces. Enthusiasm - wonder - had them thinking".

We still  have some Toy Creation spaces left in Weeks 10 and 11 - contact us now to book your class.


What makes these toys move? How can we make them move faster? And...which one will win?!

You might also like to attend our free Toys for Teachers workshop, to be held on Wednesday 19 September at 4.00pm. Contact us for more information.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Visit to Owae Marae with Central School

Our team enjoyed a fantastic two days at Owae Marae last week, working with students from Central School in New Plymouth. We taught two of our most popular hands-on programmes: Taonga Pūoro and Model Pā.

Central School students work together to build a wharenui from kitset pieces.

Educator Nathan Hills helps students constuct a pā from sand  and model pieces.

Thanks for a wonderful couple of days, Central!