Anzac Poster Competition

On 25 April 1915, eight months into the First World War, Allied soldiers landed on the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula. Every year we remember this important day in New Zealand's history. A day which helped New Zealand to define itself as a nation.

This year the New Zealand Defence Force is running Operation ANZAC Spirit 2012, a design competition for Year 7 & 8 students.Click here to find out more.

Chocolate Fish Challenge

Who among us can resist a challenge? Especially when the prize is a quintessentially New Zealand chocolate fish!
Some of the students in the GATE programme are resisting the opportunity to reflect on their learning through their blogs so I decided a little encouragement (AKA bribery and corruption) might just do the trick. Katie was today's lucky chocolate fish spot prize blogger. Who will be next? All you need to do is reflect on your learning or encourage your friends and family to comment on your reflections and it could be you!
Comment now on KIDBLOG.

Bug Lunch

Did you know that different insects have very different mouths depending on what they eat? Some insects chew, some suck and some lap. You can watch several insects at work through the links below, but watch out....when you are an insect you need to keep your eyes open or you might BE lunch!

House fly

Wart-biter Cricket

Bullet Ant

Monarch Butterfly

From Slum Dweller to Brain Surgeon: The Amazing Story of Dr Ben Carsen

Wow! On Tuesday Team 4 were fortunate enough to get the opportunity to hear the inspirational story of Dr Ben Carsen. Ben Carsen was raised by his mother in poverty in inner-city Detroit but against the odds became a gifted neurosurgeon at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and was the first surgeon in the world to successfully separate siamese twins conjoined at the back of the head. He has been in New Zealand sharing not only his incredible story, but his beliefs about how to achieve success and reach your goals.  Follow the links below to hear more from this inspiring man.

The Ben Carsen Story in 5 Minutes

Inspiring Words From Ben Carsen

For the full story watch "Gifted Hands: The Ben Carsen Story."

Watch excerpts from the movie below.

 

Intriguing Insects

With summer here the crickets and cicadas are singing up a storm. A small group of children are working to find out about the insects around us. Below there are several links to some short videos explaining the life cycles of different types of insects.
 The Life Cycle of a Butterfly
The Amazing Life Cycle of a Cicada
The Life of a Praying Mantis
Once you have watched the video clips see if you can complete the Metamorphosis Quiz to reveal a close up picture of one member of our intriguing insect world.