Thursday, May 31, 2012

An awesome visit from Weiss

Today we had a visit from Weiss. This was an awesome opportunity to see an animal in action. As our animal inquiries continue we are learning just how clever some animals are!

The things we do...

Look at what happened in Room 6! Boys gave up Rugby Practice and Soccer Practice to run their three way conferences at school. Now that is impressive. What a wonderful learning time we all had!

I love GERMAN SHEPARD dogs they are so cute! I have a 5year old German Shepard dog called Sasha.She is a bit of a big mouth, always barking at someone or thing.
Sasha hangs around the lawn guarding (her territory) and waits for a bird to land nearby. Then she pounces up and barks at the top of her voice trying to warn the bird to back off.
As much as we love her she eventually does drive the family CRAZY! Sometimes Sasha even thinks that she will catch the bird they like to tease her by fluttering round and around.
But she will never catch a bird unless its already dead. I still remember the first tooth that Sasha lost, I reminded her that the "dog fairy" only comes to good dogs. The next morning she received a Schmacko (her favorite dog treat). She even got to unwrap her own Christmas pressie!

A special visitor...

Excitement plus,,, Weiss came for a visit today!

Dance mat typing...

Have fun on this site to improve your keyboard skills...

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

An AMAZING night in Room 6!

What a wonderful learning celebration we had in Room 6 tonight. I was extremely proud of the way our learners set up this space for our student led conferences tonight.

What a privilege to welcome our families into class to be part of our learning journey. I am so proud of the way you all shared your learning successes and challenges. How exciting it is to work with learners who know what their next learning steps are and who than can count on for support. Congratulations to you all for your preparation and sharing tonight. I am really looking forward to sharing with more families tomorrow night!

Confirmation

Last night was Confirmation and Chelsea and Mia were ready! At the front of the church we got a pretty necklace and the boys got a badge each. Before the service the choir were singing beautiful hymns and we were standing with the alter severs and the priest waiting to go in. Each family had a row to themselves with a dove on it. When we were seated the priest started telling us about the Holy Spirit. Then we had a blessing with the laying on of the hands and said our promises. After the blessing we went up with our family and sponsor one by one. The Bishop said our saint names and we had to say something after him. We read a prayer and the confirmation was over. We cant wait till our first communion.

Netball Rep Trials....

On Saturday we had some people watching us. We are Laura, Ciara, Michaela and Anahera and we got into the REP trials 2012. I was really trying hard to get in and I did. I feel like a great netball player now. When the time comes I will try my hardest and if I get into the team I will SCREAM!!!! – Laura

I hope I get into the team because it’s a really hard team to get into. I am so excited to try out and try and get into the team! –Anahera

I can’t wait until we go to the trials. I am nervous but very pleased that I have made it in this far. I feel so excited, and hope I do well enough to play in the REP team. I may not get in because there are some very talented players trialing. I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!

-Michaela

When I found out it was really cool and I was excited. I could not wait. I am really nervous. There was a lady at netball on Saturday that is from Silverstream. I can not wait until trials and I hope to get in. I will try really hard to get into the rep team.- Ciara

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Soccer

On Sunday my soccer team and I won the 7 aside tournament. We won all of our games except the first one we lost 1-0. But in the final we bet them 1-0. I am the goalkeeper. I only let one goal through at the start. Most of the games were hard but some were easy. I learnt lots and had lots of fun too.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Unicorn

I am a gentle nice unicorn that will give you a little ride. I won't buck but I will fly very high but don't be afraid, it is safe with me. I live at the end of the rainbow and I eat gold all day long. My name is Corny and my owners are Lee-ann and Michael. They take good care of me and I am good to them. When I was a baby they got me from the start. I have been with them forever and always will. I have big white wings and a pink horn, blue eyes and I am purple with red hooves.

Now that you have met me, come and play with me...

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Life in the swamp...

"Hi my name is Riley and I live in the swamp with my friends Odin and Jenny. With Odin and Jenny I have the best time ever, everyday I rate it 10/10. This is what I do with my friends each and everyday. I play chase Jack (the Mouse) and Parry (the Paradise Duck). We also play Hide and Find. It is my FAVOURITE GAME EVER!!!!. I love it when it is time to go fishing because I usually catch the most fish but also because the fish are delicous. When we come back it is tea time so I cook the food. Jenny gets the table ready and Odin gets the water. For tea tonight we are having raw meat with over cooked vines and cooked perfect fish MY FAVOURITE! When it is bed time we get our wart hog pillows out and our Rhino skin blankets out. Once all that is out we get popcorn and a Movie ready. Tonight we are watching Dainty the bear dog vs Santana the Guinea pig. It is the best ever Movie because it is 5 star rating. I hope the Movie goes well. The Movie is sold at animated animals so sorry it will not be avalable to you if you are not a animal. After the movie we go to bed so Goodbye and Good night."

The kid should see this...

Have you seen this? How can you use this? How could we use this for our animal inquiries? Could we use this as a reading activity in our task board?

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

A HUGE thank you to the National Library for the books they are sending us to help with our animal inquiries. Here are some great links for you to explore. I wonder if you can start inquiring and sharing your findings...

Let's see if we can explore these sites over the next few days and share some of our new learning...

Animal Habitats

http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/

http://kids.nceas.ucsb.edu/biomes/index.html

http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0769052.html

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/ecoregions/about/habitat_types/habitats/

http://www.chiddingstone.kent.sch.uk/homework/habitats.html

http://www.kidskonnect.com/subject-index/13-animals/29-engangered-anumals.html

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/

New Zealand

http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/

http://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/Contexts/(offset)/18

http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/kids/nzbirdsanimals/

http://www.wildlife.org.nz/conservation/redlist/default.htm

Joe the rabbit

My name is Joe the rabbit. I love to roam round in the tussock where I camouflage and eat the insects and bugs. I have a friend called Rocky the cheetah, who likes to try and eat me. Lots of hunters try to kill rabbits, but we have our own weapons, big ears, a big nose and very good eyes. Those are our weapons. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t and we get out-smarted. We can also run like the wind. We dig burrows to live in. I made a very nice one that was so deep it took me a couple of days to dig. Then I put some straw in it for comfort. I have a family of four. I love them dearly. I hunt food for them to eat and we play family games like rabbit of cards. After we finish the games I send the bunnies off to bed. Then my wife stays back while I look for a new place for a hole. One night I was out and I heard a truck that had a bright light moving round and they spotted me. I stopped because I was startled. Then someone one got out and took a shot at me but fortunately it missed. I ran straight back to my hole. It was a rough adventure up the rocky hill to get to my hole. The bunnies where hungry and screaming for food. I had two options, one was stay there and listen to them scream or go find food. I chose to go find food, now it is pitch black I was scared but I knew I was doing the right thing. I found a few beetles and six ants. When I came back my bunnies were still screaming, but when I gave them some food they went quiet.

Annie the Chinese Fireball...

26th of January 1965
HI my name is Annie. Do you think my name sounds a bit cheesy? I do! So everyone must call me Anna. I look Scarlet red with goldy spikes. I live in a Lava mountain that bubbles feverously and sometimes blows and we have to get out sharpish. But don't worry about our house, its lava proof. I can't fly very well yet, I sort of rock from side to side and in strong winds I'm absolutely rubbish. Well I'm better than that Bob Bilub, Fred Fang and Alister Annoy. They are my deadly enemies!

27th January 1965
Hahaha. Fred Fang fell off the Dream cloud at Flying time. He was showing off to Nancy Nil by doing loopdeloops and boom off he goes. A rescue guy had to go get him. (Personally I thought they should have just left him because he is such a prat it is not really a loss)

28th January 1965
Today I gave my friend Seamus a free ride. She said it was like a bumpy rollercoaster. We soared around everywhere. Around town twice and down to rocky temple and the end of the woody rainbow where demon unicorns live! But we had a shrewding suspicion Bob was following us. Usually we couldn't care less but we were not supposed to be there. (Demon Unicorns are deadly)

29th January 1965
Oh O mum found out about us visiting the woody rainbow where the Demon Unicorns live. She is shouting these words " You could of been killed" And I'm saying in my head well I'm alive aren't I?

30th January 1965
Today I went to the annual bonfire that happens each year. When we got there you could smell the burnt wood. We saw loads of my school friends including the Aussie Dreamer, the Alaskan Anbly the Hungarian Horntail and the Vietnamese hopper. We went around the little market shops seeing all the things you might be able to buy. First we went into a marshmallow factory where there were bags upon bags of yummy marshmallows to buy. I brought 10 bags to store in my sweet stash.

31st January 1965
Today I got bored so I went flying for some practice I went over the white hills to a quiet place called Swamplands. Not a very impressive name. Oh well. When I lied down for a quick rest POP out of the blue jumped one dog two dogs 3 dogs! ...

Guinea Pigs

Today I am asleep in the hay. I just woke up. My owner fed me and gave me a hug and let me have a run around on the grass. It was fun and now I got away and my owners were sad and sad and sad. The next day I was sad and missing my owners so I went back to my owners.

What does this mean to you?

How will you use this to guide your behaviour?

Monday, May 21, 2012

World CAFE...

Inspired by Tara TJ and her class at Amesbury school in Wellington we used World CAFE to explore some of our animal concepts for our inquiries... The classroom was buzzing with talking and listening and learning... We loved that we could write, draw, doodle, create diagrams... We are now adding some of our thinking to our classroom windows...

Tomorrow we are going to try World CAFE for maths...
http://harakekehub.blogspot.co.nz/2012/04/world-cafe-maths.html?showComment=1337062778116#c2038780779108689810

Zara's gym competition...

The amazement

On Monday I walked in the class and a pile of bean bags were in the middle of the floor. There was a new round table it was black and the mountain was on the other side of the room. The couch got moved to the door. The only new thing that did not get moved was the cave, that stayed were it was. There is 11 bean bags. It was a shock that there was so many of them. It was really cool. At the computers there are gym balls. They are really cool.

DARWIN THE SEALION!!!!

Darwin the sealion (me) loves to find and make freinds with fishermen (just for the fish). I'm a NZ sealion of course (little reminder I hate non-native sealions). I was born in Otago Harbour but I cause alot of mischeif like eating tiger shark babys but I always scare the silly things off. My favourite thing to do is visiting my best freind Stomp the lion. I'm really freindly unless my little but old enemy Mortekai the moray eel is around. My hobbies include making freinds, hard out partying, earning money and travelling. I have a luxury cave on the beach for a home.

THE ADVENTURES OF DAINTY, THE ADVENTUROUS BEARDOG.

Note: a Beardog is an extinct creature.

These prehistoric mammals were the largest land carnivores to live in North America.
They feed on the three toed horse. The three toed horse is about the size of a large dog and feeds on plants and grass.

This is what they think it may have looked like:

WHOOSH! As quick as a flash Dainty pounced lightly over the soft grass in the field after her small prey. She was positive that she was going to catch her foe this time, Santana, the "EVIL" Guinea pig, who had once again been trespassing on DAINTY TERRITORY! Grr, the rascal, Dainty thought to herself as Santana once again made it over to the other side of her backyard fence and cheekily poked her small slobbery out. Dainty snarled and swished around flicking her tail at the Guinea pig, but then Dainty turned her head again and replied "You, you, um , ah....... BANANA!" The Guinea pig stopped for a moment, thinking, then cracked up laughing so hard that she fell over, but she couldn't get back up because she had a stomach full of carrots and cabbage the spoilt pig! Dainty snarled, then said to herself "Oh man, I really need to work on my comebacks!" She sighed. "Yeah ya do!" Replied a chorus of voices from behind her, as a herd of wild-beast scurried off. Dainty started back to her den, on the way she took time to watch all of the playful dogs with their energetic owners playing fetch across in the meadow. Dainty knew better than to go to other side of the fence, it wasn't safe, that was how she lost her father.... HUMANS. The evil creatures, what's their problem? What did we ever do to upset them so much! Dainty thought to herself. She felt kind of lonely. This was really how she always felt, but she knew well that she did not belong in the big city, she belonged in civilization with the other animals. Besides she would probably end up in a zoo if she were to end up amongst people since she was the last of her kind alive. Dainty carried on to her hideout, a cave hidden by a large Willow tree. The branches hung low with the leaves covering the entrance. The tree was old, and weather beaten with claw marks from Dainty who had been practicing her fighting skills. It was Autumn so the leaves formed a soft, cushiony blanket covering the dry crusty ground. Dainty peered around to see if she could spot anybody who may see her, she was often very cautious to keep herself secret. She had lately been found by Annie, Santana's owner and at a bad time too. Dainty was just about to make a meal out of the Guinea Pig when Annie yelled at Dainty, with a quick flash of the "puppy eyes" Dainty was easily forgiven. Now Annie ........................................................

GREENDOT

My name is Greendot. I live on a leaf of a tree at 2ed tree lea,f Mosgiel. I eat bugs and bark, They are my favourite foods. I have a brother called Orangedot. I go to school and my friends are the same colour as my brother except one and he is my best friend and he is green. I can change colour to yellowdot. I am 5 years of age and my brother is 11 years of age. I have a small body and a long neck. My owners keep me on a leaf of a tree in a box. My onwers are called Bridget and Brya.

Gymnast

On Sunday Zara and I had a Gymnastics Competition. I was so so nervous in my Cossack balance. I was shaking in my free routine I got 2nd. In my rope routine my rope got tangled and it was hard to do my routine but I got 2nd. In my ball routine I dropped it at the end and Mum said I could have won my ball but I got 2nd in all of my routines and I got 2nd over all and that was my day.

My Animal

Once upon a time, at the end of the rainbow, there was a unicorn called Sparky. She had white fur and her mane and tail was blue. She was eating rainbow flakes in a bowl made out of gold. Sparky has a great personality and she is always nice to her friends. After she had finished eating she jumped of the rainbow and went down to the grass below to meet up with her friends. Her best friend is Quinch. Quinch is a ginger cat. When she found Quinch, he hopped on her back. "Ready for the ride?" asked Sparky. "I sure am" replied Quinch. Sparky flew into the air with Quinch on her back holding on to her mane. "Wahoo" yelled Quinch. Sparky flew over the forest. "It looks beautiful from above" said Sparky. Sparky loved flying. She had the wind through her fur and a big smile on her face. After a while of flying Sparky got tired and she wanted to have a rest. She landed on the ground with Quinch still on her back. " Lets go to my house" said Quinch. "Sure" answered Sparky. Quinch lead Sparky to a beautiful white cottage in the middle of the forest. " Who do you live with Quinch?". " My Mum who is ginger like me, my Dad who is black and white and my sister who is black and white". replied Quinch. When they walked in the door Quinchs sister came running to the door. " Quinchy your home" she yelled. " Sparky this is my sister Mable" said Quinch " she is two years old". " Hey Mable, im Sparky" said Sparky " I'm your brother's best friend ". Mable then ran away into her room. Quinch went to say hi to his Mum. When he found her he said " Mum this is my friend Sparky". " Is she 10 like you ?" his Mum asked. " Yes Mum she is and she is very nice because she lets me ride on her back". " That great Quinch" said his Mum " Now go and play". Sparky and Quinch went to Quinchs room at the end of the hall.

The final installment from Laura...

When we woke up on Friday morning the lights turned on and we all had to go upstairs and have a breakfast. Our breakfast was so yummy. We had corn flakes or ricies. I had ricies. After we had our breakfast we got dressed and packed up our sleeping bag and things. We brushed our teeth and lined up ready to go to the butterfly house to see the beautiful butterflies. When we got into the butterfly house it was so hot but we knew it was worth sweating for. There was lots of pretty little butterflies flying around. We were all taking photos and videos of butterflies landing on us. There were turtles in the pond and fish too. Then someone spotted a massive moth flying around. After a while we went back to discovery world for our last play for the trip. Next we got our bags and got in the car a traveled to Moana Pool. When we got there Mrs Far handed out our lunches. We were all excited to hop in the pool but first we had to get into our togs. When we were in our togs we jumped into the pool and it felt so good to be in the water. My friends and I went straight to the hydroslides. We had to walk up a steep ramp and it went round and round. We finally got to the top and lined up and I went on the fast one and someone pushed me down but it was still fun. I was swirling and twirling round to the corners to I finally land in the pool down the bottom. After going down the hydroslides about 10 times I went back into the wave pool to relax and rest my legs from running up the long ramp. Then I saw that the diving boards were open so I went there. I jumped really high and did a massive bomb. It was really fun but then the bigger diving board was open. I didn't jump of that one. It wasn't that I was scared it was that I had sore legs. Plus I have done it before. I did a forward flip of it the other time. I think it is 3 metres high so it isn't that big. After that I went on the hydroslide a few more times then I got changed because my hands were getting all wrinkly. I waited until the rest of us were out then we went to the meeting room to have our lunch. Everyone was so hungry and it was great to have our lunch. After our lunch we got into some groups and we had to say "thank you" to the adults in some way. Janaya and I did a song and after we had done everyone clapped. After all the acts we went back to school. When I got to school my mum was waiting so I went straight home instead of staying for the last hour of school.

So that is the end of my great adventure.

My life as a cat

In the bush a wild cat called Fluffy is hiding up a tree . There is a bird under the branch that Fluffy is on and he gets ready to pounce but the bird flys away. Fluffy is very sad and he goes to his best firend Bob the wild cat's tree, to see if he had a bird to spare. Bob had not even one bird. So they set off hunting together. Fluffy climbed a tree and he found a nest and Bob found a rabbit hole and they had a feast.

Bean Bags...

Today in room 6 Mrs K had been shopping for new bean bags! There were 4 yellow ones, 1 big blue one, 3 blue ones and 3 red ones. It was amazing! Mrs K said that 16 of us could fit on all of the bean bags because there would be 4 people on the big blue one and one person on the other colour bean bags!
I thought it was a great idea because at reading time we could all sit on them and at EEKK time and read to each other! They were very comfy like a fluffy feathery pillow!
I love the bean bags becuase they are great to work with!