Olympic Flame Facts

Click on the image above to read what we have written about the Olympic Flame.
What did you learn by reading our information?


We can't wait to see how the cauldron will be
lit at the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony.


Keep coming back to visit us to find more information 
that we will have learnt about the 
2012 Summer Olympic Games

Learning a lesson from The Lorax

Please click on the cover page to read our Lorax stories

Listen or sing along to our favourite song at the moment

Results of our NZ Flag Debate

The NZ Flag Debate

For over a decade there has been a debate in NZ on whether or not New Zealand should change their flag to represent who they are.

Room 3 decided to see whether there is a huge opinion for change or whether people are still proud of the flag we fly today.

We came up with this idea because some of the flags of the countries in the RWC 2011 have easily identifiable flags like Japan, Canada, USA, Argentina, Wales and South Africa.

Should NZ have a flag that represents who we are and is easily identified around the world?

Arguments for the silver fern

The NZ flag is too similar to the Australian flag.

It is easily identified as a symbol or emblem of New Zealand.

New Zealanders’ are very proud of it.

Arguments for the NZ flag

The national flag has represented NZ for over 150 years.

The national flag represents New Zealand's history of the country as a part of the British Empire and location in the southern hemisphere.

Generations of New Zealanders have fought and died under it.

http://www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/flags

http://www.flaginstitute.org/pdfs/John%20Moody.pdf

http://www.flythefern.co.nz/

http://www.know-britain.com/general/union_jack.html

The results of our survey

We stopped the poll at 200 votes.

52% preferred the present NZ flag

48% preferred the silver fern flag.

What does this tell us?

We think New Zealand is not quite ready for a flag change.

After some discussion the children in Room 3 think we should just have two flags to represent New Zealand!

I like the New Zealand flag because...

I  like  the  blue flag because it has meaning it is part of New Zealand. There is also a Maori flag it is black and red and white. The countries that can see the Southern Cross are in the Southern Hemisphere. Two countries in the Southern Hemisphere are Australia and NZ.  By Aryaan


I chose the blue flag because I like stars and it has meaning. It has red inside the stars and it has white
around the stars. The stars represent the Southern Cross. By Tiffanny


I like the NZ flag because the blue colour is cool and I live in NZ. I like the blue flag because the blue means truth and loyalty and it is the ocean colour. by kairyn.


I like the blue flag because the white bit means peace and honesty and the stars represent the southern cross. The Union Jack means the British rule. There are four stars that are red. The red means hardiness bravery, strength, and valour. Blue represents the ocean. By Aum

I like the blue flag because there is four stars and it has a blue colour which means truth and loyality. The red colour means strength and bravery. The white colour means peace and honesty. The stars represent the Southern Cross. The countries in the southern hemisphere can see it. The Union Jack means we belong to the commonwealth. By Dykie


I like the New Zealand flag because I was born in NZ and the flag has meaning. It is what NZ means and blue means vigilance, that means paying attention, truth and loyalty, perseverance and justice. Did you know that only Southern Cross countries can see the stars. By Orlando


I like the blue flag. I like the NZ flag because it has the Union Jack on it. The Union Jack means we belong to the Commonwealth. The white means peace and honesty. Red is for bravery and strength. The NZ flag has four stars. By Kevin


I like the blue flag because it's got the Southern Cross on it. Blue stands for truth and loyalty and perseverance. That means don't stop, don't give up. By Mallika


I like the NZ flag because I like red stars. The blue flag is cool. I was born in NZ. The NZ flag has four stars on it. But I like the All Black flag too. By Alvin

I like the silver fern flag because...

I like the black flag because it is black and white. White means peace and honesty. The silver fern comes from the leaf of the New Zealand fern. By Zana

I like the silver fern flag because it has been done beautifully and I like how it has been curved. I like how it has All Blacks at the bottom of it. By Bradie

I like the black flag because I like the Silver Fern. The silver is on one side of the leaf green and other side is silver.The silver fern is worn on the All Black rugby jersey. I love the All Blacks. By Joshua

I like the black flag because I like the silver fern. The silver fern leaf has one green and one silver side. There are 190 different silver fern plants. The silver fern comes from the leaf of the New Zealand fern. Ponga is the Maori name. The All Blacks uniform and other sports uniforms have the silver fern on them. New Zealand is proud of the silver fern. By Sienna

I like the black flag because it has meaning. The silver fern symbol comes from the leaf of the NZ fern. The silver fern is a plant and one side of the leaf is green and the other side is silver. Ponga is the Maori name. There are a lot of different ferns. The silver fern is a national symbol that represents New Zealanders. By Jacey

I like the black flag because it has New Zealand printed on it. It has a silver fern on it. There are 109 types of ferns in NZ. The All Blacks wear the silver fern on their All Black jersey. That makes them proud. By Rohan

I like the black flag because it has a silver fern on it and it is different to Australia's flag. Their flag is like ours but it has 6 white stars on it. By Neeve

Students blown away with landscape

Here are the results of the working bee led by Botany Life Community Trust.

We can't thank them enough for their hard work, generosity and community spirit.

ROOM 3 LOVE IT!!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU

Community Project 2011 - Walkthrough from BotanyLife Community Church on Vimeo.

We wrote letters to the Botany Life Community Trust to thank them.

Dear BotanyLife Community Church

I like how you made the gardens look nice at our school. From Zana

I like the maze because it is fun and I like walking around in the maze and I wanted to get to the middle. Thank you for making the maze. From Dykie

Thank you for building the sandpit and the maze. I really like it because the maze is very long and I got to the middle before someone else got to the middle. The sandpit is awesome! From Aum

Thank you for your help with building the garden. I like the sand. From Alex

Thank you for helping in the secret garden. I liked the maze and the sandpit most of all. From Krishant

Thank you for helping to plant our flowers in our corner. My favourite part is the sandpit. What is your favourite part? Did you help each other to work on all the things in the secret garden? From Benny

Thank you for the work. We are so lucky. From Mallika

I see... I think.... I wonder....

I see a caterpillar spinning a cocoon around him. He will turn into a butterfly that drinks nectar. I think the caterpillar is going to be a butterfly soon. The caterpillar grows wings inside the cocoon. I wonder how the butterfly flies to the flower to have a drink? By Krishant


I see a caterpillar change into a chrysalis. A chrysalis turns into a butterfly. I think the caterpillar will turn into a beautiful butterfly. I wonder why he is yellow, black and white? By Tiffanny


I see a caterpillar hanging onto a branch. I can see the caterpillar turning into a cocoon and I see some green things on the chrysalis. I think the caterpillar is ready to almost pop out of the chrysalis. I wonder how butterflies drink nectar from flowers? By Benny


I see the caterpillar spinning a chrysalis. I think it's going to be slow. I wonder when it's going to come out? By Rohan


I see the caterpillar turning into a J shape. I think the caterpillar comes out after two weeks. I wonder how the caterpillar comes out of the chrysalis? By Gina 

Room Ten at Wairakei School in Christchurch

Room 3 were so worried for the people in Christchurch after the earthquake. We were especially worried for all the children. 
Last week we wrote some comments and questions to some very brave Year 1/2 'Super Kids' from Wairakei School in Christchurch.

On Monday we received a great surprise! 
The children replied to our questions. 

Check out  Room 10's blog at.....

Room 10 Wairakei School

Here are our shared questions and answers

We Can Write

We read the big book 'I Can Write'
by Fiona Lovett Davis with photos by Dean Zillwood. 

The book shows children having fun with different ways of 
writing at home and at school.  

We brainstormed lots of different ways that we could write.

Can you read what we wrote using our hats, our shoes and our bodies?

It says....

Hi from 

Room 

3

On Friday we went outside to write letters and numbers with chalk and water. 
We were learning to write and form our letters and numbers correctly. 
We could paint over the letters and numbers with water and practise writing our own. 
Then we had a turn with the chalk. 
Can you see how good we are at forming our letters and numbers?