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.

Toys for Teachers Workshop

Interested in the mechanics of movement and energy? Looking for inspiration for fun, hands-on classroom activities? Our Toys for Teachers Workshop is for you!

Taranaki educators are warmly invited to join us on Wednesday 5 September at 4.00pm for a fun, hands-on workshop that explores the science and technology of toys. Led by the Puke Ariki educators, you'll learn how to make some simple toys from everyday resources, and discuss how to use these skills in the classroom.

This workshop is part of our popular Term 3 programme Toy Creation, and is the first in a regular series of teacher workshops.

Limited places - please phone 06 759 6060 or email us to register.

Toys for Teachers
Wednesday 19 September, 4.00pm-5.00pm
Noel and Melva Yarrow Education Room, Puke Ariki North Wing

Kura Liaison Network Meeting - Wednesday 8 August

Taranaki teachers and education professionals are invited to attend the next Puke Ariki Kura Liaison Network Meeting on Wednesday 8 August at 4.00pm.

Held each term at Puke Ariki, the Kura Liaison Network meetings are a great opportunity for you to tell us what you'd like to get out of your visit to Puke Ariki, and discuss how we can work together in the future.

We're about to finalise our 2013 programme and welcome your feedback and recommendations on how we can make next year's programme our best yet!

A yummy afternoon tea will also be served...

The meeting starts at 4.00pm in the Noel and Melva Yarrow Education Room, just off the Puke Ariki Foyer. We look forward to seeing you!

Term 3 Notebook

Check out the Term 3 Notebook newsletter sent to schools last week.  The latest Notebook details the Term 3 programmes, includes photos of recent school visits, and updates schools and teachers on relevant events at Puke Ariki and Aotea Utanganui.

The Notebook is emailed to schools and teachers each term. Contact us to be added to our teacher e-database to receive regular email updates from the Education team.

Kura Liaison Network meeting - Wednesday 13 June, 4.00pm

Teachers and educational professionals are invited to attend our next Kura Liaision Network (KLN) meeting, scheduled for Wednesday 13 June.

The KLN is a group of teachers who meet each term at Puke Ariki to discuss upcoming programmes, focus areas and school needs. We value your input in how to make our Puke Ariki education programmes appealing and relevant to local schools, and welcome new members. We also provide a very yummy afternoon tea!

The meeting will begin in the Noel and Melva Yarrow Education Room (just off the Foyer) at Puke Ariki at 4.00pm. Please contact us to learn more.

Teacher feedback

We love getting feedback from teachers after their visit to Puke Ariki. We appreciate the comments we get about our programmes - what you liked, what was memorable, what could work differently, and how your students reacted.

 Teacher feedback: students were excited, involved and [the programme] stimulated their curiosity

We'd also love to feature student work inspired by your visit to us. Please email us any photos or examples of work that you'd like to share.

Here's some of our 2012 teacher feedback. Do you have anything you'd like to add from your visit?

• Excellent simple understanding for my age group. Children very engaged. Simple easy descriptions for children to use.
• Quality 'wow' factor to begin our unit. 
• All really. Lovely clear presentation. Important information clearly given, revisited.
• [Student reaction:] wonderment and awe.
• Engaged. The value of this session will be realised throughout the term. Great lead in.
• Well prepared, actively involved the students, gave students concepts about the creatures, size, life / eating adaptation.

2012 Programme

The 2012 LEOTC programme is live on the Puke Ariki website! A copy was sent to all Taranaki schools this week, and emailed to teachers on our e-database. (Don't have a copy? Email us and we'll send you one!)

The programme details all the exciting programmes available next year at Puke Ariki and Aotea Utanganui - Museum of South Taranaki, and we're already taking bookings from schools for 2012. (You can also book a class visit online - it's quick and easy, we promise!).

Hands-on activities: students get up close and personal with a garden snail during a recent 'Slimy & Legless' programme.

Teachers - don't forget to check out our supporting programmes - including museum objects for loan to schools, educator visits to school camps, special Puke Ariki teacher orientations, and professional development opportunities.

2012 programme - hot off the press

We're happy to announce that our 2012 programme will be sent to all Taranaki schools this week. What do you think of the front cover?

We'll also email the programme to teachers on our e-database. If you'd like to receive a copy in your inbox, please contact us with your details.

The programme will also be available to view on the Puke Ariki website.

Congratulations, Keri!

Our very own Puke Ariki Educator Keri Elvin has been recognised for her teaching prowess with an Exceptional Adult Educator Award from ACE (Adult Community Education) Taranaki.

Keri teaches Te Reo Maori at ACE Taranaki and was nominated for the award by two of her pupils. She says receiving the award was amazing as it was the first time she had won anything for just doing what she loves to do and it has given her a warm fuzzy feeling all over!

Nice work, Keri - we're proud of you!

Free Taranaki Wars teacher resource!

The Taranaki Wars: A Teaching Resource was produced by Puke Ariki in 2010 as part of the award winning exhibition Te Ahi Kā Roa, Te Ahi Kātoro Taranaki War 1860–2010: Our Legacy - Our Challenge .

We have copies of this resource available free for teachers and schools. Please contact us for your copy.

The Taranaki Wars: A Teaching Resource


The Taranaki Wars fought in the 1860s are a part of New Zealand’s history that everyone should be aware of. The dodgy land deals, the villains and heroes, the warriors and peace-makers. It’s all part of what happened and is retold here in this CD Rom. Discover the key figures from the past, learn about the battles, the forts, the pa sites and weapons used. Find out why the Taranaki Wars have been called ‘the never ending war’ and how the wars were a result of unrest and disappointment with the Treaty of Waitangi.

The activities on the CD Rom, in English and te reo, are aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum and unit plans and teaching guidelines are included, along with social inquiry templates. Teachers of the social sciences will find this resource a valuable complement to the units of study on the Treaty of Waitangi, Human Rights and Social Justice.

Drawing on Chroma - free sketching workshop

Calling all art students, teachers, and wannabe artists! At 6pm this Wednesday 31 August Puke Ariki is offering a free sketching workshop run by Anne Smith and Pam Dohig.

In association with the exhibition Chroma: Paintings by Pam Walker, participants will learn sketching warm-up exercises, drawing techniques and tips, and be invited to head out into Puke Ariki to sketch something that catches their eye.

Participants will need to bring along a 2B or 4B pencil and an A3 or A4 sketching pad.

Bookings essential through the i-SITE at Puke Ariki. Phone (06) 759 0897 to register.

Familiarise yourself...

We're offering an informal familiarisation tour of Puke Ariki for interested teachers on Tuesday 19 July at 2.00pm. This is a chance to learn more details about the programmes we're offering in Term 3 and 4 and to have a closer look around Puke Ariki.

Hang on a minute, I hear you squeal...that's the school holidays! Exactly! We've deliberately scheduled this during the holidays so teachers can plan their programmes to include a Puke Ariki visit in Term 3 & 4. (We'll be all done by 3pm - promise!).

Meet in the Noel & Melva Yarrow Education Room (formally the Learning Centre), just off the Museum foyer.

Want to know more? Keen to come if there's chocolate biscuits thrown in? Let us know - we'd love to see you!

Hot off the press!

Here's our Educator Keri with our new Term 3 & 4 programme, hot off the press.

These little beauties are sitting in the Puke Ariki mailbag as we speak, waiting to go out to Taranaki primary and seconday schools in today's post. A copy of the programme will also go on the website as soon as possible.

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!

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!