Wetlands Reflections

22 May 2009

The second session at the wetlands started with a review of the hazards and safety plan we set up to refresh our memories and get us on the right track for our activity.

We made our way to the shade house to check on the seedlings that were potted up last year. The growth amazed us. They had at least trebled in size and looked as though they were good healthy titoki specimens.

The next task was to get stuck into some weeding. To make it a bit more exciting and fun, there was a competition to see which group could get the longest and fattest dock root.
The Toitoi group won the longest root competition and the Hebes won the fattest competition.

Our last task was to plant some maire trees in the newly cleared ground amongst the grasses and other sheltering plants.

Environmental Education at Mapua Wetlands


May 8th was our first visit to the Mapua Wetlands for 2009. Most of us had been part of the Environmental Education programme last year so we were excited about going again because we had great memories of the activities carried out to help preserve and restore this wonderful habitat. The students who were new to the project were looking forward to finding out what it was all about.

Janet and David, our educators, met us and told us they were glad so many students had come back and welcomed the new students.
The session was an orientation and review session setting the scene for safety and knowing our way around the different areas within the wetland. We were amazed at how much the plants had grown. Some of the paths were overgrown and we had to bend down and push our way through the branches.
The first activity was to ensure we were aware of the hazards and dangers and more importantly how to minimise or eliminate the dangers by working out what to do or wear to be safe. For example we need to walk carefully over the plank bridge leading to the Golden Triangle, wear gloves when handling compost to avoid infections.
The second activity was an orienteering competition. Each group had to follow clues to find letters that made up the name of a plant in the wetland. The Hebe Team won the race.
We are thankful that Janet and David are giving us this opportunity and we are looking forward to the rest of the programme.

Mapua School goes Mad!

The hair styles at Mapua School on Friday 1st May were weird, wacky and gooey! And that was just the teachers! The students were colourful, creative and gelled with style. Take a peek at the animoto movie to see what we mean.

Try-athalon and Swimming Sports

On your marks! Get set! Go!
Cars race to the pools like V8 super car racers, but only short cuts help with speed limits.
We are there, age groups split us from our friends. The first swimmers nerves are bubbling, but first, rules are explained over the loudspeaker.
The swimmers line up. 'BANG!'
They're off and the winners sure were fast.

Hayden Squance lines up for the 12 and overs finals, ready to get some points for his house colour!

Better hope there aren't any sharks in there. They would think the swimmers are very fast dolphins.

Kynan





Take your marks..... Go!
The crowd cheers with enthusiasm, they're neck and neck, who's going to be first? Mapua school started off Term One by working off some energy!
The long running course, the tiring bike ride, the freezing swimming laps and the sprint to the finish! This is what creates a challenging tryathlon! The students of Mapua School definitely strived to be all they could be on this succeeding day!
In each age group they had a distance of running swimming and biking to challenge themselves. Every single child set their personal goals to achieve ran with competitive skill!
Now, who's getting these certificates?

Eden

Literacy Quiz 2009

What is the name of the man that demanded a baby?
Rumplestiltskin.

People were trying out for a literacy quiz that could get them to represent Mapua to compete against Nelson and Malborough Disrict schools. It was a very difficult task at school when we did tests to select the top four that could go to Nelson Intermediate. Lucky for me I sneaked through and was with the other three finalists, Nikau, Lucy S and Jessica.
At Nelson Intermediate School Mr Wayne Mills, the Quizmaster, gave us sets of category questions which we had to answer to get points. Every team got to choose a category that they could get double points on. In the end 3rd place was awarded to Waimea Intermediate 2, 2nd place was St Joseph's School and Fairhall School won it.

It was a new and challenging experience and I was glad to be a part of it.

Sam

Underway for 2009!

To keep the amount of written work recording school events manageable, the web events entries will be written by the school's magazine team. The articles will be collated for the annual school magazine issued in December.

We hope you enjoy the articles that will be appearing here as and when time allows.

Teressa
Editor - Mapua Magazine and Website