This term our school wide inquiry question is “How do nations pay tribute to the past?” As part of this inquiry Room 16 did an historical walk of our local area to learn the history of Glen Eden. Here is a recount of the trip by Madelyn Penning of Room 16

Happiness, excitement and doubts going around Room 16 at 9:00 am. We were leaving for our approximately 6.5km walk around the cemetery. Out of the gate that sits beside the bird walk, across the small breezy road, through the park that was given the name “Ceramco'', down Glendale Road that's straight long and beautiful, up the never-ending steep hill, across the dark and chipped road and around the short corner under the buildings for a rest.

The class sat down on the rackety wooden benches while looking at the art on the stony wall. Up we got to cross another road, but this one was colossal and dangerous. After we crossed we went around the corner to the Waikumete Cemetery. We took heaps of photos then the sexton (the caretaker and cremater of the cemetery) told some really intriguing information about the old graves and the Spanish Flu. Everyone found that looking at all the different types of graves and different deaths was very interesting. We split into our groups and went around answering and completing questions. Around twelve we met up again at the ANZAC section of the cemetery to walk back to school. I would love to do that again and I'm pretty sure everyone loved it.

Madelyn Penning Room 16