Melons reading group: Kamokamo Lanterns for Matariki

You will need:

• Kamokamo
  
• Dish-brush
• Sharp knife
• Rod of bamboo or something similar
• Piece of strong string
• Candle
• Lighter
• Adult helper

Method:

Because Kamokamo is a summer vegetable in Aotearoa, you will need to keep them in a cool and dry place until Matariki in the winter time.  

1. First clean the fuzzy mold off with a dish brush.
2. Cut holes like windows with a knife.  You may need your adult helper to help you with this part.
3. Thirdly, leave it in the sun to dry out
4. Tie the lantern onto a rod of bamboo using a long and strong piece of string.
5. Put a tea light candle inside the kamokamo lantern and light it up!

This is like a Halloween lantern for Matariki.  

Are you aware that kamokamo is from the pumpkin family?

Jayden persuades us to celebrate Matariki

Dear Ms Hansell,

Do you think we should celebrate Matariki at school?  I think we should.

Firstly it is important to the Maori culture to have their own new year celebration, and we don't actually have that many celebrations to celebrate in New Zealand. 

Secondly it brings a fresh new start to the New Zealand culture.

Finally it will be great to celebrate all these things together because we will be able to get to know people better.

You can see from the evidence that we should celebrate Matariki at school.

From Jayden

Mehi persuades us to celebrate Matariki

Dear Ms Hansell,

Why should we have a Matariki celebration in our school?

My first reason is because it is a formal and traditional celebration.  Plus it is the Maori new year and I did not know that until Miss Hansell told me. 

My second reason is that it is an important celebration to the Maori culture.  It brings a fresh start to the NZ culture.

My third reason is it brings a time to learn about what happened in the past.  The people can realise their mistakes and make their future better.

This is why we should have a Matariki celebration in our school.

From Mehi

Darwin persuades us to celebrate Matariki

Dear Ms Hansell,

Do you think we should celebrate Matariki to celebrate the Maori people at Tamaki Primary School? I think we should, because it is a formal and traditional celebration for Maori.

My second reason is that it brings a fresh start for the New Zealand culture. It brings new growth and new light.

My third reason is that it is important to the Maori culture to have their own new year celebration.

I believe we should celebrate Matariki at Tamaki Primary School so we can make our Maori community happy.

From Darwin

Why We Should Celebrate Matariki - By Mavis

Dear Ms Hansell

Would your heart feel traditional if we celebrated Matariki?

The reason why I want to celebrate Matariki is because it is a formal and traditional celebration. This is good because we can learn about the history of Matariki.

My second resaon is that it is the Maori new year and it is important to the Maori culture to have their own new year celebration.

My third reason is that it brings a fresh start to the New Zealand culture. It brings new growth and new light.

I really think we should celebrate Matariki. Don't you?

From Mavis.

'The Big Smash' - A Narrative by Jayden and Muatau

'The Accident' - A Narrative by Darwin and Sam

Wrybills at Risk - Information Report by Mavis and Jayden

As strange as it may seem the word 'wry' means bent, and the word 'bill' means beak. That is why this bird is know as the Wrybill (bent-beak). Some people may not know that wrybills are the only birds that have a beak that is bent to the right.

Did you know wrybills eat larvae and insect eggs found under stones? They use their bent beaks to find their food and dig it up.

Have you heard wrybills are endangered species? They only live in the south island of New Zealand. There are less than 5000 wrybills left.

As strange as it may seem, the wrybills' predators include ferrets, weasels and wild cats.

Wrybills at Risk - Information Report by Darwin and Sam

Did you know that the eggs laid by wrybills look like stones? If the eggs get too hot in the sun, they will cook.

Wrybills eat larvae found under stones. Did you know they find and eat insects using their beaks?

They live in the south island of New Zealand. They can be found in wide, strong river beds.

Wrybills have white, grey and black feathers. Wrybill eggs look like stones and become camoflaged in the riverbeds. When they hatch, wrybills look like fluffy chicks.

Are you aware wrybill beaks are bent to the right?

By Darwin and Sam