Pages

Friday 22 November 2013

Manaiakalani Film Festival



I really enjoy watching the Manaiakalani films from other schools.  I enjoyed it and  it helped me learn about some important things.  I also loved watching the movies  in the theatre at Sylvia Park, on the Extreme Screen!  Some of the movies were quite entertaining and funny.  We made a movie about positive commenting.  We got the idea from watching Mrs Yollis’ video on her class blog.  My favourite part in our movie was when I was talking about being positive.  When we were practising for the movie, it was a bit challenging but when I learnt my words off by heart I was pretty ok.    



Wednesday 20 November 2013

Information table on native flowers



ENGLISH NAME
MAORI NAME
PICTURE
Kowhai
Kowhai
*
Pohutukawa
Pohutukawa
*
Rata
Rata
*
Clematis
Puawhananga
*
Kaka Beak
Kowhai ngutu-kaka
*
Puriri
Puriri
*
Titoki
Titoki
*
Mistletoe
Roeroe
*
Karaka

*
Green Hooded Orchid

*
Manuka

*
Toetoe

*
NZ Flax

*
Koromiko

*
Mountain Buttercup

*

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Information table about native birds


Information table
COMMON NAME
MAORI NAME
PICTURE
INTERESTING FACTS
Takahe
Moho
*
  • • An endemic bird, meaning it is only found in New Zealand.
  • • Numbers about 200, making it an endangered bird.
  • • Looks like a big, beautiful, overweight pukeko
  • • It can’t fly, so is at the mercy of hunters, dogs and stoats.
  • • Rescued from near extinction and now living on pest free islands.
Pukeko
Swamp hen
*
  • The pukeko is a native of New Zealand and is also known as the Swamp Hen.
  • Despite being clumsy in flight pukeko can fly long distances and are good swimmers, especially considering they don’t have webbed feet.
  • They have a loud explosive call described as a "raucous high-pitched screech, with a subdued musical tuk-tuk".       
Harrier
Kahu
*
  • Harrier, any of about 11 species of hawks of the subfamily Circinae (family Accipitridae).
  • They are plain-looking, long-legged, and long-tailed birds of slender build that cruise low over meadows and marshes looking for mice, snakes, frogs, small birds, and insects.
  • Harriers are about 50 cm (20 inches) long.
Fantail
Piwakawaka
*
  • Fantails are found almost everywhere in New Zealand. The only place they can’t be found is in Central Otago and Inland Marlborough, because it’s too frosty.
  • Fantails will usually be seen alone or in pairs during summer, but will often form flocks during the winter.
  • Fantails occasionally eat fruit, insects and berries, but they mostly eat insects.
  • Fantails are very good at catching insects in the air and they can change direction very quickly when they are flying.
Tui
Parson’s bird
*
  • An unique bird for New Zealand.
  • Belongs to honeyeaters family which means they feed mainly on nectar from flowers of native plants.
  • Sometimes they eat insects too.
  • Can fly large distance.
  • It’s an important pollinator of most native trees.
  • A variety of native trees and shrubs can be planted to provide a year-round food supply for tūī, but plants need to be carefully selected so there are flowers and fruit at different times.
Bellbird
Korimako
*
  • Bellbirds are generalist feeders; they eat nectar, fruit and insects, with insects being particularly important to females and chicks during the breeding season.
  • They often feed in tree canopies but do come down to feed on flax and native fuchsia nectar.
  • As nectar-feeders or honeyeaters as scientists call them, bellbirds are important pollinators of many native plant species, such as mistletoe, fuchsia and kowhai.
NZ Pigeon
Kukupa
*
  • The Kereru is a native of New Zealand and our only endemic pigeon.
  • It also goes by the names of Native Wood Pigeon, Kukupa, or Kuku and the
     
  • Kereru are frequently found in the Kowhai trees, as this is one of their favourite foods.
Morepork
Ruru
*
  • Morepork nest in tree cavities, in clumps of epiphytes or among rocks and roots.
  • The female can lay up to three eggs, but generally two, usually between September and November.
  • The female alone incubates the eggs for about 20 to 30 days during which time the male brings in food for her.
  • Once the chicks hatch, the female stays mainly on the nest until the owlets are fully feathered.
  • They fledge around 37-42 days.
  • Depending on food supply often only one chick survives and the other may be eaten
Kingfisher
Kotare
*
  • Though relatively widespread across central and southern England, the kingfisher is somewhat elusive and is therefore rarely seen.
  • Kingfishers are not limited to rivers and can be found on coasts and marshes.
  • While it is considered an iconic British bird the kingfisher can actually be found in the African Savannah, throughout Europe and Asia as far East as Japan.
  • Though famous for perching on branches, the kingfisher can also hover just above the water before diving in for its prey.
Kaka
Kaka
*
  • Like coyotes, crows and humans, keas can learn and create new solutions to whatever problems they encounter
  • Kea have a high-pitched ‘kee-aa’ call, often heard in flight. They also have a variety of quieter whistling calls.
  • A group of kea is called a ‘circus of kea’ – how fitting.
Parakeet
Kakariki
*
  • Basic color of a parakeet is green but they have been bred in many different colors.

  • When frightened, a parakeet will fly towards the light so he can hit a window, it is better to prevent it by putting curtains in windows.

  • When frightened, a parakeet will fly towards the light so he can hit a window, it is better to prevent it by putting curtains in windows.
Robin
Toutouwai
*
  • Robins have an average life span of 1 year and 2 months, but many live about five or six years.
  • As of February 2001, the longest-living banded wild robin ever recorded had survived 13 years and 11 months, according to the Bird Banding Laboratory at the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.
  • In captivity, robins have survived longer than 17 years.
Royal Albatross
Toroa
*
  • There are two species of royal albatross, southern and northern. The southern is slightly larger than the northern.
  • At sea it can be distinguished from the northern by its white upper-wings with black edges and tips, whereas the upper-wings of the northern are completely black.
  • Both species have a black cutting edge to their upper mandible, which sets them apart from adults of the closely related wandering albatross.
Kiwi
Tane
*
  • The kiwi is the smallest living member of the ratite family, a group of flightless birds which includes rheas, ostriches, emu and the extinct NZ moa. It lives in burrows in the ground and is largely nocturnal.

  • It is the only known bird to have external nostrils at the end of its bill and one of the few to have a highly developed sense of smell. A kiwi literally sniffs out its food.

  • Kiwis are unique in that they have no tail, and stubby, two inch wings that are usually covered by their coarse, bristly, hair-like feathers. These wings are pretty much useless.
Kakapo
Kakapo
*
  • The kakapo is the world's only flightless parrot and is also unusual in being nocturnal.

  • The kakapo is also the world's heaviest parrot.

  • The male kakapo produces a strange 'boom' call to attract potential mates, which can be heard up to 5 kilometres away.