Pukeko

The New Zealand Pukeko.

It's scientific name is Porphyrio Porphyrio Melanous.Meaning 'purple purple black' but it is more blue than purle.

If you ask any visitor to New Zealand what bird they remember most

will be more than sure that their answer will be 'The Pukeko'!

Defence and Behavior:

It is a tough bird and seems very capable of fighting off attacks. The predators (mammals) arrived with humans over the past few hundred years. Strangely, Pukeko have thrived in an environment where the introduced predators such as cats, rats and stoats, are present (Brunin and Jamieson, 1995). They have been known to group together and shriek loudly to successfully defend nests during attacks by harrier hawks. They can often be heard in the night protecting their nests. They do not always overcome these predators and sometimes abandon the nest site. Pukeko live in groups of 3-12 indiviuals.

Solar Energy

The word solar stems from the Roman word for the god of the sun, Sol. Therefore, the word solar refers to the Sun and “solar power” is power from the Sun.
When we say something is solar powered, we mean that the energy it uses for power came directly from solar energy or sunlight energy. The sun provides Earth with 2 major forms of energy, heat and light. Some solar powered systems utilize the heat energy for heating while others transform the light energy into electrical energy (electricity).
There are many practical applications for solar power that are in use today. Passive solar home designs utilize heat energy. By slanting windows in a house and facing them to the south you can control the heat energy that enters the house. During the winter when the Sun is low in the sky it shines into the window to warm and illuminate the house. During the summer when the Sun is high in the sky the slant of the windows keeps the sunshine out so that the house stays cooler.
There are vehicles that run on solar power. Some have PV panels as a direct power source that convert light energy into electricity to power their motors. Since those cars will not run when the sun is not available it is more practical to have a car powered by batteries that can be recharged with solar energy.
In countries and locations where traditional power sources are not available it is more economical to power a house with solar energy. To these people, solar is not an alternative energy; it is their primary energy source.

By Brenda Borg,

Yr 6 A

Paper Saver!

Our class did this activity about saving paper together with Year 4 and Year 5 classes. We were first shown a powerpoint presentation about the process of paper-making, from cutting trees to producing paper ready for use. Then a discussion followed were we gave some ideas as to how we can save paper. We suggested that we could use both sides of a page, use brown paper to cover books (brown paper being made from recycled paper), buying eco-friendly paper or recycled paper, saving unused pages from a copybook for sketching or rough work and many others. Finally we made some posters with slogans for saving paper.

Almaha: Through the eyes of a falcon

On Monday 25th February 2008, our class, together with the other Year 6 and Year 7 classes, attended an activity about the Saker Falcon of Almaha, a region in the Arabian Desert. The activity was held at St. James Cavalier in Valletta. First, we were given a very interesting talk about raptors by a Birdlife member. After the talk we watched a video called: "Almaha: through the eyes of a falcon". The video was about the reintroduction of some Saker Falcons in the desert by a Sheik. The Sheik breeds the falcons and chooses some of them to be released into the wild. This with the hope that this species of falcon starts to breed again in the wild. After a short break, we had a craft session whereas the children made models of falcons from kite paper and decorated them with colourful designs.

All in all it was a very interesting experience for the children and also for us teachers who had the opportunity to learn about falcons and the beauty of these magnificent birds.

Mr. Paul A. Rapa

Teacher

Polar Bears

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native to the Arctic. Polar bears are the world's largest land carnivores, with most adult males weighing 300–600 kg , adult females are about half the size of males. Its fur is hollow and translucent, but usually appears as white or cream colored, thus providing the animal with effective camouflage. Its skin is actually black in color. Its thick blubber and fur insulate it against the cold. The bear has a short tail and small ears that help reduce heat loss, as well as a relatively small head and long, tapered body to streamline it for swimming.

Ernie

One Playful and Friendly GuyErnie is the member of the Bert-and-Ernie team who is full of surprises. He is friendly and happy-go-lucky and loves to joke with his buddy-ol'-pal Bert. Ernie loves to sing in the tub and play with his Rubber Duckie.


Birthday- January 28 Favorite Song- Rubber Duckie" Best Friend-Bert Quote- "Hey, Bert ol' buddy? Are you asleep?" Likes- Playing tricks on Bert; eating Bert's pizza; taking baths with Rubber ducky Dislikes- When it's his turn to clean up; when Bert won't play
by Eric

The Blue Rock Trush ( Il-Merill)

It is also known as Blue Rock Thrush. The Blue Rock Thrush is Malta’s national bird, so it is protected by law (it cannot be shot or caught) The Blue Rock Thrush is found in areas which contain cliffs (eg. Dingli), but it has also been spotted in cities. In the past some pairs used to nest in the Valletta bastions. It is a residential bird. The cock is blue in colour, while the hens and the youngsters are greyish brown. This Thrush is 20cm long. The cock has a very melodious song. The breeding season starts in the end of February and stops at the beginning of April. The pair builds a nest of grass and twigs in a hole in a cliff. The hen lays about 5 greyish eggs, which hatch after about 2 weeks. The chicks start flying 17 days from hatching. The Blue Rock Thrush eats insects, lizards and fruit.