The enthusiastic learners in the Junior Syndicate have been learning about placenames in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and the meanings behind these placenames.

Recently, the wonderful writers in the Room 12 & 13 hub enjoyed exploring the legend of Te Ika a Maui, The Fish of Maui. We listened to the legend and we did some noticing about the shape of Aotearoa, New Zealand. The observant thinkers in our Hub noticed that the North Island does look like a big fish, so we really could understand the name Te Ika a Maui for the North Island. The children also noticed that the South Island does look like a waka, so we could undersand why the name Te Waka a Maui is sometimes used for Te Wai Pounamu/The South Island. 

The super writers then wrote about the legend of Te Ika a Maui.

Once upon a time Maui went fishing. He got a big fish. It looked like the North Island. It looked like a fish. The South Island looked like a waka. 

- Lily

One day Maui went fishing.  He got a big fish.  It looked like the North Island.

- Scarlett

One day Maui went fishing and he got a big fish. Maui was smart. His brothers were not nice. New Zealand was the fish.

- Ben

One day Maui went fishing. He got a big fish. It looked like an island. Maui is smart.

- Georgia

One day Maui went fishing.  He got a big fish. It looked like the North Island. Maui had four brothers.  They like the water and fish.

- Iyla-Rose