Makarewa Year 6 students spent a day and a half exploring Arrowtown's history during their annual school camp. Students experienced Miss Gray's classroom, were locked up in the Old Gaol, compared life in the 1800s with life today, examined artefacts, panned for gold as well as exploring the Chinese village. Here they learnt about the life of the Chinese - the small one roomed huts they lived in, the clothes they wore and the food they ate.

We hope you enjoyed your visit to us and look forward to hearing about it on this blog!

THANKS SO MUCH ST GERARD'S SCHOOL IN ALEXANDRA FOR BEING GREAT 1880s CHILDREN!

This Thursday & Friday saw St Gerard's students face a series of activities all to do with life in the 1880s...

The Year 5-8s had to complete a series of challenges including making butter, ragmats, hand washing clothes in the river and even digging a LONG DROP! They also visited the Chinese village and learnt about the hardships these miners faced during their time on the goldfields.

The Year 1-4s participated in a class with the new 'Miss Gray'! Most students were very well behaved and now we all know what happens to those who misbehave.....! Students also visited Saint Mary MacKillop's cottage and played schoolyard games from the 1800s.

Thanks for the blog post already Room 4 - hope more of you will write comments soon!

Yesterday, Makarora school students discovered the life of early Maori in the Lakes District through the 'hands on artefacts' timeline activity. Students learnt how Maori travelled inland to hunt and gather supplies, spearing Moa and native birds and searching for treasured Pounamu. Makarora students carefully examined (with thier white gloves on) a pōhā a bag made from blades of rimurapa (bull kelp). Maori used a pōhā on hnting trips to store food, as food preserved inside a pōhā can be kept safely for up to two to three years.

Students also experienced life as a child in the 1880s surviving Miss Gray's classroom and cane... making ragmats and butter which they sampled it on pikelets!  They saw how the Chinese miners lived and explored the Chinese village. The day ended with a 'lock-up' in the old gaol!!

Makarora School we hope you enjoyed your visit to the Lakes District Museum - what was your favourite part?? post us a blog!!

Hello! Riverton Primary Year 4, 5, and 6!! Hope you had a great school camp and a fun time @ the Lakes District Museum! Post a blog telling us (and others!!) what you liked the best about your visit to us? Was is the 'new' Miss Gray'?? Panning for gold...? What was the worst part? What else might you like to do if you came back?? Looking forward to hearing from you : )