This Term's Homework Projects

Earlier this term, the intermediate team got a homework assignment in which we had to create a plant pot using only recycled materials. Our finished product had to be weatherproof, colourful, creative, original, of any size and marketable. Kea 1 had to also use recycled soil and have a real plant planted inside. We had to include a written description of how we made it, what materials were used, and why we thought it had all the key requirements. We also had to say how we would sell them, who we would sell them to and how much we expected someone to pay for it and why.

On Tuesday 17th of August, our homework was due. They were brought in and placed in our classroom. There were a range of different styles and designs and our hard work paid off. We each had to present our plant pot to the class and talk briefly about it. The 28 plant pots are now sitting on a bench by the window so they get plenty of sunlight. A lot of people have been admiring at our marvelous products. The assignment was a great idea because our topic this term is conservation. Most people enjoyed this fun, arty project and look forward to our next art assignment.

Here are some of the best pot plants:


In week eight we received a project involving earthquakes. We had to write an explanation about earthquakes, we also had to include labelled diagrams. On a map we had to locate various New Zealand earthquakes and write a paragraph about each one. We had two weeks to finish the assignment, but also did some research in class about the Christchurch earthquake.
Go on this website to get more information about it.

We learnt that earthquakes occur when tectonic plates rub, collide or separate. Earthquakes only happen on fault lines, the place where two tectonic plates meet. The movement of these plates create seismic waves which are measured using the Richter scale. The magnitude for the earthquakes are expressed in whole numbers and decimals ranging from zero upwards. Earthquakes can cause major damage and result in falling buildings, cracked water and sewage pipes and power cuts. They can also cause ground rupture, floods, tsunamis, landslides and avalanches. It is best to be prepared just in case one strikes in your area.

The Kea Garden

Just before the end of Term 2 Kea 1 found out we would be getting plant boxes for our garden area. On the last day of term we all took home a piece of wood to decorate using paint, pebbles, poker art, carving or nearly anything else we wanted. These pieces of wood would be put onto metal poles and made into decorations. This was the start of the many things we are going to do for our new garden.

Some of the finished blocks of wood.

While our class was on holiday the first two boxes were made. They were beside the pathway and were both fairly large.

The larger boxes.

By our classroom there was a large lidded box that we were growing seeds in. It had 4 trays of seeds that grew very quickly. When they grow big enough we planned to put them in the garden along side our other plants.

The seedlings in the lidded box.

On the Wednesday 21st of August during second block, we started to move 4 cubic meters of soil from behind the Poutama Centre into the planter boxes in front and beside our classroom. This took a block for about half our class to do, as well as our teacher and some students helping out during the wet break. With this were able to fill our first two large planter boxes which were the only ones there at the time.

The truck delivering the dirt.
The pile of dirt.
Students moving the dirt.
Pouring dirt into the plant boxes.Moving dirt with a wheelbarrow.

A few days later Mrs Whitehead brought some plants to school so we could plant them. A team of about 8 went and planted them during second block and it added some colour to the dark soil.

A plant in the gardenSome plants for the garden.

About a week later some builders came and moved some benches around the other side of the path. Mrs Fowler also spoke to them about getting some more small plant boxes in between the benches and so they built another 4 small boxes for us to use. Some students who live close by brought some wheelbarrows to move more soil into them. The next week in break time we moved another lot of soil from beside the junior playground up to the small boxes.

The smaller plant boxes.

Now we have 6 plant boxes and also a frame for growing sweet peas in one of the gardens.

The Sweet Pea frame.

We all enjoy planting and working on our garden. It makes the Kea area more colourful and interesting. We hope we can do more of this sort of work in our own gardens and also at school.
It is a fun way of learning basic skills and helping the school look better. It also ties in with our 'conservation and growing' topics this term.

By Gulnoza, Ameleigh and Katelyn.