You can contact LEARNZ, part of CORE Education, at:
Postal Address:
PO Box 13 678,
Christchurch 8141,
New Zealand
Ambassador Spiky
Kia ora,
Ko Ngapuhi te iwi. Ko Pokaka te maunga. Ko Wairoa te awa. No Kerikeri ahau. Ko Kerikeri Primary School tāku Kura. Ko Tauhou tāku ruma. Ko Spiky tāku ingoa.
I am a part of a bi-lingual class at Kerikeri Primary School. I like to travel and have dreams of going overseas to learn about other parts of the world. I especially like exploring forest floors and finding out about the flora and fauna of our world.
Mā te wā,
Spiky
Monday 21 May
Kia ora,
It was such a spectacular day to be travelling today. Cool, crisp and clear conditions made for great views from the plane.
We managed to head out for a wander in the Port Hills before heading into the centre of Christchurch to have a look at how it has changed since the 2011 earthquakes. It was incredible to see some damaged buildings still standing.
Tomorrow we are going to ride in a self-driving car so I won’t need to get my driver’s licence after all.
See you then,
Spiky
Tuesday 22 May
Tuataras can be slow to accept change because we live for so long but today I got a glimpse of how different the future might be with the use of self-driving vehicles. Just think how much less traffic there would be.
We also had a look around an aeroplane and found out how they navigate. Planes use radio signals, GPS, and aeronautical charts. Tomorrow I am going to launch a drone. I can’t wait!
See you in the morning,
Spiky.
Wednesday 23 May
Kia ora,
Everyone was complaining about the cold today, but it didn’t bother me. Tuataras like cold weather, the hail wasn’t that nice though! We started the day at the Awarua Satellite Ground Station where they talk to satellites and track where they are. We also learned about how pine trees can become weeds and spread causing all sorts of problems. Drones can be used to find out where they are so they can be removed.
I helped launch a drone and it was so much fun. We are off to Dunedin for the final day of our field trip, so I’ll see you there.
Spiky.
Thursday 24 May
Kia ora,
We spent the final day of our field trip in Dunedin where we met surveyors from the University of Otago School of Surveying. These guys are experts in measuring and they use lots of cool tools to make measurements. I found out how property boundaries are surveyed so people know how much land they own.
The last stop on our Techy Tour was out at Karitane, north of Dunedin where surveyors have helped map a wetland on someone’s property, so it can always be protected, even if they sell the land. It has been a fantastic trip. I will miss the other ambassadors, but I can’t wait to get home.
See you soon,
Spiky.
Spiky is looking forward to the Land, Sky and Space field trip. Image: LEARNZ.
Spiky enjoys exploring Christchurch city. Image: LEARNZ.
Spiky finds the camera and laser sensor on the Ohmio Hop self-driving car which help it to 'see'. Image: LEARNZ.
Spiky looks inside the cockpit at the technology that planes use to navigate. Image: LEARNZ.
Spiky explores the Awarua Satellite Ground Station where information from satellites is received. Image: LEARNZ.
Spiky enjoys the views out over Karitane north of Dunedin. Image: LEARNZ.