Coastguard Visit

On Wednesday a water safety volunteer came to Macandrew Bay school. She told us lots about being safe in the water and she also brought some life jackets(that Jasmine tried on ).She also brought a big suit that the coastguard people wear.It keeps them afloat so when they are going to save someone they don't get in trouble to.Hamish tried it on and it was a bit too big.We learnt about some things you should take on a boat,like flare guns, warm cloths and life jackets.For more information check out the boat safe link on the title. Solomon

Our Trip to the Portobello Marine Aquarium

Shira and Tal Come To Visit

It was great to see Shira and Tal at school when they came down from Christchurch. Tal had fun playing with the Room 2 boys. Shira drew pictures in the staffroom with some of her friends. She was very happy and so were we. We hope they can visit again soon. By Lili

Scientist Sam

On March 9th Sam Bowser the Scientist came to our school.Sam is from NewYork U.S.A. Sam told us about the food web and what sea creatures eat each other. His main focus was on a
sea creature called Foraminifera. This sea creature only has one cell, this cell can be as big as a coin and so small that you have to use a microscope to sea it . Then he told us about a very funny seal story. Sam also offered to fly our school flag in when he goes to Antarctica in October. We are very excited. We learnt heaps from Sam. He was very interesting.
By Fergus

Sports Day At Portobello School

On Tuesday the 11th of March Portobello, Broad Bay and Macandrew Bay Schools were involved in a sports day at Portobello Domain. There were heaps of fun activities including swiss ball soccer, tug of war, rippa rugby, relays and not forgetting the famous Murrays Madness.
After the first five activities we had morning tea and then went back for another five activities.
At lunch time we went up to Portobello School for a yummy sausage sizzle!
After lunch we went back to the domain but the on again, off again drizzle turned into heavier rain so it was called off.
We had an awesome sports day that was heaps of fun and we are grateful to the teachers who helped organise it and made it a success.
By Ruby and Ali

Jennie Upton Talks to Us about the Endangered Hectors Dolphin

Click on the title for the link to Jennie's wikispace
Today a lady named Jennie Upton came to speak about Hectors Dolphins. We learned that the Hectors Dolphin, only found in New Zealand, are the smallest and rarest dolphin in the world- about 1.3 metres. Jennie told us that the way to tell a Hectors Dolphin from other dolphins is the rounded dorsal fin and nose. We have been endangering the dolphins, and other marine creatures by littering, using boats and jet skies near them, putting out gill nets for fishing and many other things. Mostly because of humans, there are now only 7,111 Hectors and Maui dolphins left. 7,000 Hectors Dolphins in the South Island of New Zealand and 111 Maui Dolphins in the North Island of New Zealand. We all sent a postcard to Helen Clarke, the Prime Minister, asking her to take care of the dolpins.
-Chapin