Once a fortnight Fab5 teachers release the staff in each community for either a morning or an afternoon.

The five curriculum subjects covered are Enviro, Visual Arts, Physical Education, Drama and Music. Here’s a little insight into what our students have been learning about recently in these sessions.

Enviro

In Environmental Studies, we have been learning about traditional uses of the plants in the podacarp forest and designing signs to display around the school.

Visual Arts

In Visual Art we have been studying Henri Matisse, Frida Kahlo and Keith Haring.

Tī Kōuka learners have been weaving dream catchers and Tī Kōuka, Tōtara, Ngaio and West Melton Intermediate have created pinch pots or dishes out of clay. We have been extremely lucky to have West Melton Pottery across the road where potter Frank has generously fired and glazed hundreds of our creations in his own time! Thank you Frank, we couldn’t have done this unit without your expertise!

Physical Education

In PE the children have participated in games and fitness activities. They have been taught the basic skills in the summer sports t-ball, cricket and padder tennis. They have learnt the game of football, hockey and touch. Our next learning will involve large balls and netball.

Drama

Students have been exposed to different processes such as real and imagined actions. Juniors have done this through improvisation and visualisation. The senior children mostly through role playing.

Music

We have been making our own music-from simple patterns with rhythm sticks, notating rhythms and using technologies to create radio jingles.