Spending time out in the bush reserve with the Ponga (Year 2) class we focused mainly on noticing and learning all about ferns. The 1st March after looking closely at some silver fern (Ponga) and wheki ponga fronds we set off to the reserve with Mrs Rodway - and we found so many different ferns. We had to use our eyes to spot the differences, becoming botanists as we learnt that there are over 200 types of ferns in NZ. We wondered how many were in the reserve? As well as the leaves of ferns being called fronds, we also learnt that the seeds are called spores. Great words to use. The 15th March Mrs Mac and the class were on a mission - for each student to find 3 leaves (not picked, but instead from the forest floor) - all different kinds and all different colours. As we wandered the class also shared their knowledge of ferns with Mrs Mac - and we discovered and made neuron connections as we shared. When we didn’t know we looked at a great book “Which Native Fern?” by Andrew Crowe, being introduced and using a KEY to work out which of the 200 species of fern it could be. Great learning for us all. Back in class the students grouped their leaves - by shape and colour and other ways - thinking about what might fit and not fit as the case may be. This made us all look very closely at the leaves. On the 29th March it was another opportunity to have the children/ tamariki share with Miss Nieborg their learning about ferns from the past visits to the bush. Their growing and developing knowledge was shared and grew even bigger today with great noticing of more types of ferns. We used our book again today to identify and name more ferns, and learnt how we can post pictures to iNaturalist to get other experts to help us. We saw a hanging spleenwort, a fern climbing a tree, and many other of the ferns found in the Otatara reserve. There was lots of scientific thinking and noticing as we compared fronds, where spores are found on the plant, and the feel and shapes of the ferns. Some fern fronds (pressed) from the Southland Community Nursery were left with the class for comparing and learning. The 12th of April our focus shifted away from ferns to other aspects of the bush world in the reserve. We met some other Otatara School classroom trees including tī kōuka/cabbage tree, mānuka, horopito, tarata and tōtara starting our noticing and comparing different tree species. We looked and described the bark and leaves and there were some great descriptive words used to distinguish between different species. We then explored the reserve finding something really interesting to sketch and coming up with three descriptive words to go with our drawings. Such great noticing and recording like a scientist!
Bronwyn
Posted: 12 April 2022
Learning and noticing in the bush with this class began on the 1st March and I heard all about how Mrs Seager and Mrs Healey have been looking at the broadleaf plants growing around the school grounds and what they are using to identify this plant - the leaves being the main focus. After the class showed me the broadleaf plants around school and told me how they identify these, we talked about akapuka, kapuka and the scientific names of these 2 different species. Then we visited the reserve, spotting not only broadleaf but other NZ natives, and blackberries. We talked about seeds and the different dispersal methods of plant seeds. The next session on the 15th March we focused on the conditions that kapuka likes to grow in. We walked through the bush spotting a number of smaller plants and the occasional bigger plant. We tried to estimate the height of this bigger kapuka tree. We noted the forest canopy layer and the forest floor - noting that in the areas where it was darker (and more forest canopy) there were lots of ferns on the forest floor. Once we were heading out towards the blackberry area and golf area along the edge of the reserve we found lots and lots of kapuka - and they were huge! Noticing where the kapuka grew largest we built our knowledge of this plant working out that it likes open canopy areas and light to grow. It doesn’t do so well in darker mature forest areas. We also noticed a black soot on the leaves of some of the plants. We also learnt about the sycamore tree - and looked at all the dead trees in one section of the reserve - all sycamores that have been controlled/killed. We also noticed all the seedling sycamores all around! The 29th March we recapped what we know about kapuka and where it lives. Then using the leaf bingo cards the class met and identified a number of other NZ native trees, using their knowledge and expertise in kapuka identification to compare different species. It was great to see the scientific thinking at the forefront. The Pittosporum species - tarata and kōhūhū tested their identification techniques - but once the elusive tarata was spotted the differences between it and its close relation kōhūhū were easy to spot! We spotted lots of berries and seed pods today - mingimingi, tōtara, kōhūhū and tarata, noticing where the seeds were - some in berries, or on the outside of berries, and others in seed pods. Looking more closely at the kapuka berries that are changing colour with the season we talked about kapuka as a food source (in times of food shortages) and how else this tree was used - in medicine for skin and timber uses. Great looking today at all that was around them. We ended the term on 12th April looking at the different seed types (pods, fluffy, hard coated, sticky) and looking closely and testing we worked out how these seeds would be dispersed, extending on their classroom learning about seed dispersal.
It was great to learn alongside this class as they inquired and came up with working theories about their natural world.
Bronwyn
Posted: 12 April 2022
It has been a term of close observing, noticing aspects of the bush reserve, and the seasonal changes occurring in this habitat. The 1st March we set off to the reserve - and the students showed me what an observant bunch they are. We found both a tōtara fruit and cone - from the female and male trees respectively. What great spotting. We also noticed the different birds living in the reserve seeing or hearing tui, kererū, bellbird and pīwakawaka. There was also lots of blackberry eating!
15th March our hikoi through the bush focused on meeting some of the other trees that classrooms are named at Otatara School. As well as finding tōtara (including fruit with the seed on the outside) we found mataī, wheki ponga, mānuka, kapuka, horopito, kahikatea, kōtukutuku, pōkākā and tarata, comparing the leaves and other characteristics of these NZ natives. We spotted kererū dive bombing and ate some more blackberries - noting that the seeds of these berries are on the inside. We also spotted other seeds - kōhūhū, grasses, flax and heaps of sycamore seeds on one tree - just like helicopters.
29th March and Mrs Scarlett had kahikatea and pōkākā seeds that she had found at her place. After identifying the pōkākā there was discussion around tōtara and kahikatea fruit looking similar with the seed on the outside. That is because these 2 species (as well as miro, mataī and rimu) are all from the same podocarp plant family. Then it was looking eyes on to spot different seeds in the reserve. We didn’t make it very far as the noticing was exceptional. We spotted lots of seeds today - either as part of a berry or in a seed pod. Seeds discovered today included kōwhai, flax, tī kōuka/cabbage tree, mānuka, toetoe, mingimingi, tōtara, kōhūhū, Astelia, Hebe, tarata and even the seeds of non-natives and pest plants (like blackberry, sycamore and ragwort!).
12 April it was off to the reserve, continuing to use our observation skills out in nature. Building on last week we kept our eyes open for seeds and the find of the term were some miro berries low enough on the tree for us to see! Amazing. We also learnt that ferns have spores (not seeds). We also did find some fungi but did expect to find some more. We noticed that the season has changed from summer to autumn.
Bronwyn
Posted: 12 April 2022
It has been my absolute pleasure to head out weekly with the New Entrant class of Otatara School during term 1 of this year. The Horopito class and Ms Williams had started exploring their local environment looking at horopito, blackberries, fungi and wild flowers. 1st March it was great to join them and see their already growing knowledge of their class plant - the spicy leaf! (aka pepper tree or Horopito). Interspersed with running, playing and swinging I heard about the spicy leaf, we noticed bugs under the logs and tree rounds and heard and spotted birds.
8th March we focused on observing - looking around us to notice all that there is to spot! We walked to the grass area where we talked about deciduous and evergreen trees (a lot of NZ natives are evergreen) and worked out what season it is! The children noticed ferns - so we compared the ferns growing around the edge of the forest versus in the forest - where many more were found. We spotted the horopito again! We then did lots of running - using our observation skills to see and run to something white, black, yellow, blue, brown, orange and green! What fun!
15th March we headed out with Mrs Werder and Mrs Filmer. Today we met the tōtara tree, noting it was prickly and spikey, and learnt about the canopy of the forest (it’s like an umbrella). We got to the hut and noticed that green-leaved trees and branches had been added to the built structure - oh no! “If it’s green, don’t be mean” was discussed, building on our knowledge not to pick any of the vegetation in the reserve. We stood listening and spotting lots of birds - tui, pīwakawaka and kererū. So much to notice with our expert noticing skills which are improving every week. I used my bird caller again and everyone in the class had a turn, as they had shown me on previous visits how responsible they are. Great turn taking tamariki. We sounded like a group of pīwakawaka as we grouped in the hut and tried making our own bird noise with wet kissy lips and the knuckles of our fist. After a run in the grass area, it was then off to the bush kindy place, on the way showing Mrs Werder the Horopito tree - the spicy tree! It was great to see perseverance, taking responsibility, turn taking, and looking after each other evident as the students swung, climbed, balanced and played. We looked under some logs again, finding hoppers, spiders, beetles and wetas. A great session spotting spikey trees (tōtara) and spicy trees (horopito) all the way back to class.
22nd March: Today we took Ms Williams back to the hut and showed her how the hut had been added to, using green vegetation - “if it’s green don’t be mean” - and how important it is for everyone to be kaitiaki in the reserve as the reserve is for everyone to enjoy. We also showed her our knuckle/lips bird noises and had another turn on the bird squeaker, meeting some of my friends (the toy korimako/bellbird, pīwakawaka, kererū and tui) and listening to the songs they sing and discussing some of their characterstics like beaks. And so exciting … we were joined by a pīwakawaka and two kererū. One kererū was preening and a feather floated down to us - a treasure/taonga for their classroom nature table. We read some of “Whose beak is that” and left this and “Whose feet are those?” with the class to read more about bird beaks and feet. We noticed the wet on the grass, learning that it is dew, not rain, and that you often see this in Autumn/Ngahuru. We looked for bugs and learnt that the hill is a sand dune. Great observation in the ngahere today.
The 29th March and after heading towards bush kindy the past few weeks, it was off in a different direction today into the Otatara Reserve, with our looking eyes turned on to find some more NZ native trees. Horopito and tōtara are well known now, and today we discovered some more Otatara School class trees - kapuka, mānuka, kōtukutuku, kahikatea, tī kōuka and kōwhai. Using the “find a leaf” cards we looked closely at the pictures and matched them to leaves in nature - looking at leaf size, shape and colour. We also noticed lots of berries on different plants - including on the mingimingi. Meeting the kahikatea was great as this is going to be their new class tree once they move classroom following renovations. We had pīwakawaka and kererū join us and we heard tui and bellbirds. Another great session in the bush.
5th April and it was off around the boundary of school with the reserve - so much to see in this small area. We did a treasure hunt looking for seeds. We found so many different seeds today - either as part of a berry or in a seed pod. Lots of rattling to see if there were seeds inside pods. Seeds discovered today included flax, mingimingi, tōtara, kōhūhū (so sticky), kōwhai and acorns. We learnt that seeds have a hard shell and on the inside is enough food for a plant to grow. We used our bodies to roll into a seed shape and then imagined our roots growing down into the ground, and shoots growing up - turning our bodies into seedlings (small plants). We saw that some seeds are big and others are small, and some can be blown by the wind, or eaten by birds and pooped out elsewhere in the forest to grow.
12th April we went into the bush with our birds, and found material to build them a nest. We looked at the real nest and noted it had twigs and mud. How clever birds are to build a nest just with a beak and legs! The class heard how different birds build different types of nest - the kererū makes a very simple messy nest of sticks and hopes for the best, while other birds like the pīwakawaka weave immaculate homes to lay their eggs and raise the baby chicks. We also talked about birds that are nocturnal. Birds not only have different beaks and different feet, but they build different types of nests and live in different places (or habitats). It was then back to school to name a plant the class had noticed growing outside the library - we had to use the iNaturalist app to help us! To finish of the term we learnt the words and actions to a native bird song - lots of fun! A great group of learners.
Bronwyn
Posted: 12 April 2022
The Kōwhai class of year 1’s started the term bush visits on 8th March by first coming up with great ways to look after ourselves, our classmates and the environment of the reserve when we go bush. It was great to see this put into practise as we wandered, seeing lots of interesting things in the reserve. We used our senses of sight, hearing and feel to immerse ourselves in what lives in the reserve. Great descriptive words were contributed as we felt the different leaves and bark of the forest, sparking some ideas for future class writing. Keeping silent led to an interest in what lives in the forest. On the 22nd March we headed to the bush with our nature journals and hula hoops! Finding an area of forest floor we drew what we noticed from within our hula hoop circle, taking close notice of the lines, spots and other patterns in nature. Some great observations made. We tried to make the link between the “kiwi who saved the forest” story and birds all living in different layers of the forest, to the different plants that we find in different layers of the forest. We learnt and sang the “kiwi bird” song with actions. Then we sat in a porowhita/circle of our own and listened for the forest sounds - lots of birds. We used the bird squeaker and learnt to make bird sounds using our knuckles and wet lips. On the 5th April and it was off to do a treasure hunt looking for seeds. We found so many different seeds today. Seeds discovered today included flax, mingimingi, tōtara, kōhūhū (so sticky), blackberries, toetoe, kōwhai and acorns. We learnt that seeds have a hard shell (a bit like a helmet) and on the inside is enough food for a plant to grow. We used our bodies to roll into a seed shape and then imagined our roots growing down into the ground, and shoots growing up - turning our bodies into seedlings (small plants). We saw that some seeds are big and others are small, and some can be blown by the wind, or eaten by birds and pooped out elsewhere in the forest to grow.
Bronwyn
Posted: 11 April 2022
