Wednesday 16 April 2014


KORAUNUI SCHOOL                        Experiencing Marine Reserves 2014

 

 

This year Koraunui School has created a Self-Organised Learning Environment (SOLE) classroom.  It is based on the educational theories of Sugata Mitra, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).  The children work in small groups and are involved in a lot of team problem solving.  One of our sessions was based on the Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) programme from the Bait House in Island Bay.  It involves lots of practical activities (learning to snorkel and then to sew), research and then an action project.  Room Five discovered how enormous a problem plastic refuse is in our oceans.  They decided to do something about it and have made shopping bags from recycled materials.  These bags are for sale at Koraunui School.  $2.50 for a t-shirt bag and $5.00 for a tote bag. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 The student reflections attest to the success of the programme.

 

SOLE was the best term of my life.  My favourite part was when we went to Island Bay.  Hugo

 

SOLE has been an awesome experience, especially in the ocean with the EMR programme.  I have learnt so much in SOLE.  It is so much fun in SOLE.   Maraea

 

Koraunui School SOLE has been an awesome thing to me.  I love SOLE and SOLE made me love marine life and it is so cool.  Ofa

 

Koraunui SOLE has been such a cool time experiencing the ocean and being taught by Miss C.  SOLE has been really fun.  Nicky

 

SOLE this term has been a great experience for me, I learned a whole heap of new stuff.  Everything we have learnt will come in handy for the future.  SOLE has given me a great opportunity to go snorkelling for the first time.  I had an amazing time doing it.  Charlotte

 

Protect endangered species!

Stop the whaling!

Support Greenpeace!

I learnt that you should not over fish or catch endangered species.  Don’t catch orange roughie.  The sea is life!  Hunter

 

This term I was in the EMR SOLE.  We went on two snorkelling trips to Days Bay and Island Bay.  At Island Bay (in the marine reserve) we saw blue moki, butterfish, and an octopus.  The octopus was bluey purple.  Rangiatea

 

At SOLE it has been a wonderful experience.  I love going to SOLE because we get to go snorkelling.

 

 

At my school I went to the SOLE group.  I have to go after morning tea.  We have been experiencing marine reserves.  It was fun snorkelling.  Boston

 

 

I liked this SOLE because it was an amazing experience of marine reserves.  I liked learning about the marine reserves and learning about all the other creatures in the sea.  Kody

 

 

Monday 14 April 2014

Reflections of learning from marine reserves

Thanks for showing us that the best place to look for paua and sea anemones is in the seaweed because that is where they hide.  Nikau-Rawiri

Thank -you for a wonderful experience and showing us all of the interesting animals, triple fins, sea anemones, starfish and crabs.    Jonathon

I had a wonderful time experiencing the underwater with you.  There was a type of bug I didn't know.  It was called a sandhopper.  They like to dig holes under tree branches and seaweed.   Boston

Without you some of us would never have been able to have this once in a lifetime experience.  When I was snorkelling with you I saw some ENORMOUS paua.   Hunter

We had heaps of fun, especially when we jumped off the wharf.   Maddy

I enjoyed wharf jumping and snorkelling, and the fish were cool.  Ofa

You showed us all the wonderful wildlife under the sea.  Adonia

It was funny how I found a CD about the ocean.  Nicky

You are fantastic at spotting all the tiny fish, cushion sea stars, sea anemones, crabs, mussels and pretty big fish.  And don't forget all the rubbish we saw ....the knife, phone, smashed wine bottle and the crow bar.  Kairah

Thanks for helping out with the gear, keeping us together and telling us where the best spots were.  Thanks for cheering us on.  Finnan

I put my finger in a sea anemone, it was slimy!  I got to see an eleven armed starfish.  We saw a tyre, a can, a knife, a window wiper and a crow bar.  It is sad that nobody is taking care of the ocean.  Maraea

It was scary jumping off the wharf for the first time.  I was proud of myself.  Ethan

It is very sad that there is rubbish floating in the ocean.  You never know when it could kill our sea creatures.  Rangiatea