April 2026 Newsletter
- GCSN
- Apr 11
- 3 min read
Kia ora,
Ko ia kāhore nei rapu, tē kitea
He who does not seek will not find
As Term 1 ends, we would like to take a moment to remind you of the opportunities that we offer in partnership with the Christchurch City Libraries Design and Delivery team. Read on to learn more about what’s available and how to book for Terms 2 and 3.
Also, we are planning to run the Top of the Pods competition again this year and look forward to hopefully sharing more details with you in our next newsletter.
There’s plenty more to come this year, and we’re excited to share it with you over the months ahead - so keep an eye out and stay in touch by visiting the GCSN website.
Noho ora mai rā,
The GCSN Team
GCSN x Christchurch City Libraries Programmes 2026
In partnership with the Christchurch City Libraries Design and Delivery team, we are proud to be supporting a range of PLD opportunities for ākonga and kaiako to engage with digital technologies in new and creative ways. These amazing programmes are closely aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum.
Crafting Empathy
Through their efforts to collaboratively build a village in Minecraft Education Edition, ākonga will personally experience frustration, resilience, and privilege in a safe environment. Library staff will then facilitate a conversation where students can share their experiences and explore what it means to be up standers at school and in their own lives.
Miniature Maker
Embark on a hero’s journey with our Miniature Maker workshop! Ākonga will develop a character through creative writing, design a 3D model, create a background using AI image generator and laser cut a terrain tile inspired by their story. The session includes an hour miniature painting session back at school.
Creative Design Workshop
Ākonga will learn to create a vector artwork using the software Affinity Designer. Select one specific product for ākonga to design for, such as a t-shirt, poster, laptop cover, stickers, or tote bag. Ākonga will then apply their designs to the chosen product, gaining hands-on experience with both digital design and print production techniques.
Coding Creations (Vex Robotics)
Coding Creations is a dynamic, hands-on programme using VEX Robotics and block-based coding (text based optional). Ākonga will learn key computational thinking skills by programming robots and understanding core concepts such as inputs, outputs, and automation. The programme also encourages critical discussion around the role of robotics in the future workforce.
Podcasting Essentials Ākonga will take a practical, hands-on approach to podcast creation, learning essential skills such as writing scripts for a targeted audience and using podcasting equipment and audio software. Script writing is done in small groups, as is the learning of recording and production techniques. During production, ākonga will edit mistakes, import music, and layer multiple tracks to create a polished final podcast.
Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions about what these opportunities involve, how to access them, or how they could support teaching and learning at your school/kura.
👀 Coming Soon...
Top of the Pods 2026
Keep an eye out for the 2026 Top of the Pods competition which we hope to be launching soon in collaboration with the Christchurch City Libraries and Plains Media!
We can’t wait to be back for another year, and we hope to have more information in our next issue, so stay tuned!
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