A holiday Project for Studio Two:

Look at the site:
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/

You are looking for:  20 Amazing Bee Facts or you can type '20 amazing bee facts' into google.

And prepare a presentation to show the class our first day back after the holidays and you will BEE very pleased you did.

Hazel

Libby's Mum brought their Kunekune pig, Hazel ,to school so we could see her. She is so cute and has a lot to say for herself. She was exhausted after her busy day visiting children so she slept through assembly  like a baby while Libby's Mum held her.

Kunekune History

The Kunekune is a unique New Zealand breed of pig. Unfortunately, the origin of the breed is somewhat uncertain, as there is a lack of documented information on its introduction and early population numbers. Early records did not differentiate the Kunekune from other pigs such as the Captain Cooker and other breeds and crossbreeds kept by the Maori people.

The general consensus is that the Kunekune were probably brought to New Zealand in the 1800's by whalers operating in New Zealand waters, and were traded with the Maoris. Pigs with similar characteristics occur in Asia, South America, and the Polynesian Islands, but the resemblance is slight and suggestive only of a possible common ancestry.

The history of the breed is one of a close association with the Maori people, and in the early 1900's were usually only found associated with Maori settlements. In early times the Kunekune were prized for their placid nature and their tendency not to roam, as they have always been a domesticated pig. They were also valued for the quantity of meat and fat, the fat being used for preserving food.

In the late 1970's the breed was 'rediscovered' and at that time it was estimated that there were only about 50 purebred Kunekunes left in New Zealand. From purebred base stock of only 6 sows and 3 boars in 1978, the Kunekune now numbers in the thousands. It is due to the enthusiasm and dedication of people like Michael Willis and John Simister that the breed was saved from extinction.

Nowadays, the Kunekune has found its niche as a pet pig. Its unique appearance, placid nature, and small round size that made it unacceptable in a commercial environment has enabled this special breed to find its place in modern New Zealand life.

We went to the Canaan Honey farm to find out the answers to our last questions in our inquiry. Mr and Mrs Brandon told us a lot about bees and honey. It was very interesting watching how the honey is extracted and it tasted delicious. We could also watch the bees working in a glass hive. We enjoyed our visit.

Geordie's poem

The Frost

Creeping over the grass and the trees

Goes the frost bringing its icy cold sheet of ice.

The frost creeps over the morning dew.

Winter is when the frost comes out to go to work.

To frost over the grass.

The frost only comes home from work if it sees the sun.

The sun melts all the ice it can see on the grass

And when the sun knows he has melted ice,

The sun says to himself, “I am a great melter of ice.” 

By Geordie

Red Puppy Day

For homework this week we made Red Puppy Bikkies for Red Puppy Bikkie day to raise funds to train guide dogs.

Christchurch needs 1200 guide dogs now. We thought this was a really good cause and we had really good fun baking and selling our cookies. We sold them to the pre school, the staff at school, parents and all of our 36 students and we made $129.  That's a lot of money and it was a lot of fun.