Recently our year 9 students engaged in project-based learning activities over three days. Each project was a collaboration between two learning areas and students were placed into projects based on two preferences of their choosing. Our students really enjoyed the opportunity to be outside of the classroom and engaged in local authentic learning activities. Projects included:

Paddock to Plate
Students visited a local farm and then had visits from local growers to learn about how food is produced. Chefs from The Monarch Café then came and gave a cooking demonstration using local ingredients before students created their own recipes and researched the food production process (from paddock to plate) and created presentations alongside the dishes they then created and presented on wooden platters they had made themselves.

The Amazing Race: Mission Possible
Beginning with a visit to Auckland Museum to research artifacts from across Te Moana Nui – a – Kiwa, students listened to a lecture on Taonga from Ngati Tamaoho, and enjoyed playing cultural games in the Auckland Domain. Returning to school students used their learning from the museum, alongside sessions from language experts to create an ‘Amazing Race’ where they created challenges based on pacific languages and cultural artefacts before running them for their classmates.

Creating Welcoming Spaces
Students participated in a range of projects including creating a large scale mural on the pathway and buildings alongside our John St carpark based on mathematical principles, creating origami art installations , clay tiles of Pi and pattern design using geometry.

Becoming a Ninja Warrior
Participating in a range of physical activities, students learned principles of projectile motion and exercise physiology and how to effectively move themselves and other objects as projectiles. This culminated in a visit to Franklin Gymsports, where students took part in a ninja warrior course to challenge themselves and put their learning into practice.