Following Instructions

After reading and playing with string we had to order the instructions to show other how to make string for string games. Then we had to add the instructions to make our favourite shape, the parachute, diamonds, teacup and saucer...


You need: Scissors and a ball of string.
Cut a piece of string that is about 120 cm long
Tie a knot with the two ends of the string together.
Put the ends of the string together.
Put the string over your thumbs.
The tuck your pinkies into the string too.
Using your middle finger tuck it into the string on the other hand,
Do this with each middle finger. 
Tuck your thumbs under the third string
The bottom string on your thumbs lift over the top one.
Release your pinkies from the string.

Pink Shirt Day

It was an interesting Day Dressing Up.  We even did Buddy Reading with our Juniors.

Coding - Through Writing

We had a great day creating a code to write secret messages.

After reading Stefania's Dancing Slippers the children had to leave a secret message for her Dad who had left for war.

After deciding which number to start the alphabet e.g.

A   B   C  D  E   F   G  H  I   J   K   L  M  N  O  P  Q  R...
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 1

or A=5 of A=26 (children were working in pairs who had the same code)

We wrote a message then change it into code (this is called encrypting).


It was tricky after we had worked out our message to write the number code making sure the numbers were readable and had space. - Marlie

Working out the secret message was hard to start with especially when number could be 1 and 9 or 19. - Dan

Once I knew half of the message the rest was easier to work out. Demitrious

Coding - Through Math

STEM - Catapults

Then the challenge was to modify the catapult to make it better. Aim straight instead of straight up. (Although this was handy so people didn't get pieces flying in their face)

One part I found tricky was adding the rubber band that twisted around all the craft sticks. - Malakai

was trying to get my catapult to aim straight, more horizontal than vertical so I tried lifting the base of the catapult so it was raised off the table. It still went high with a more horizontal momentum. - Akram

I wanted to aim more accurately so I added more sticks to increase the torque of the spring. It ended up with more power to fling in the object in a vertical direction. - Dante

Heating up the plastic spoon I was able to change the shape of the bucket. Now the object flies in a more horizontal arc. - Paul

We had a lot of fun making a catapult. It was even better when we could change it up I added two buckets. - Josh

Anti-Bullying Pohutukawa Whanau Meeting

(Chorus)
Don't be a bully when you walk through that door.
Don't be a bully…...we don't need that no more
DON’T BE A BULLY

(RAP)
Hey Bullies Listen Up.
Stop Walking Around Thinking Your So Tough.
Walking Around Slapping People On The Head,
It's Time To Make A Stand Yea You Know What I Said.
If You Wanna Stop The Bullying Then You Gotta Make A Change Doesn’t Matter If Your Different Cause We’re All The Same.

Mother's Day Cards

Creating Safe Passwords

We are learning to use trickier passwords so people can't work them out.

We had to pick a sentence like The roof of the class is white 19.
The pass word would now be Tr0tciW19.

We had fun coming up with sentences we could remember.

STEM - Straw Aeroplanes

Today our challenge was to make a straw plane. When we first heard this idea we thought we had to make a plane with wings and a tail and it was tricky to understand how it would fly. Then we watched the video.

I like that this strange shape truly flew. I thought it was completely made up and would fail. - Kingston

Making it from a picture was tricky because we had to guess the size of the two circles. I could see that one was smaller than the other, some people didn't notice this and their planes didn't like flying. - Tawhirimatea

Attaching the straws was easy, but making sure they were spread around the circle was tricky as I didn't want to bend the cardboard circles. - Puna

My plane didn't like flying it kept on breaking. I think my fingers ruined the cello-tape and stopped it sticking. - Iroam

New Toothbrushes

Thank you for my new toothbrush. I enjoy using it as it helps to keep my teeth clean. - Moala

It was neat to great a new brush, because my other one was all worn out. Thank you very much.  D

Writing - Keeping the story rolling.

Passage from a child who usually copies the teacher's example, this was done by herself. Way to go!

I looked out my window, I saw a hopping bunny in my backyard. She was putting eggs out. When the bunny left I walked outside and there was eggs everywhere.

We had just finished recapping beginning a story and how it briefly needs who (I and bunny), where (backyard) and what (putting out eggs).

Wonderings Term 2 - Coding/Electronics

We are asking lots of questions this term having been in the HTML of Blogger and on games we have started to why how it all works. Watch as we share on our blogs what we learn and discover.

Bikes Skills Day 2

Kiwican - Working Together

ANZAC Soldier Try Outs

I would not like to be a soldier it is hard work trying to keep up with everyone. - Anahera.

I had fun playing soldiers, but I wouldn't want to be one. It would be scary not knowing if you were going to make it home. - Janaya.

Duffy Role Model Assembly

Matua Denzel Thank you for coming to our school as our Duffy Role Model.

Term 1 Reflection - Milo and Bikkies

ANZAC

WAR

fearless, brave

digging, screaming, running

wounds, helmets, friends, family

forgiving, loving, celebrating

safe, food

HOME

We are learning about ANZAC and what the soldiers went through. After listening to a piece of war sounds we wrote a diamante poem then tried to use collage to depict our feelings of war. We used dye to create the background and newspaper to create a dark dreary foreground.

Bike Skills Day 1

This is our third year participating with Counties Manukau Bikes Programme.

We had a lot of fun and very absolutely knackered at the end of the half day.

This year we learnt the Bike alphabet
       A for Checking air in your tyres.
       B for Checking your brakes front and back.
       C for Checking your chain - is it on properly (visual check) and is it looked after, touch what               colour is your finger black good, brown means it is rusty.
       D for Checking your direction, stand with your legs either side of your front tyre and check handlebars move in the same direction as the front tyre.

I liked riding the different bikes (BMX and mountain). I learnt how to pedal tap which helps me go slow and control the bike. - Dan

I like playing games of the bikes because we could race and practise breaking and indicating with our hands. - Marlie



We didn't forget the helmet check
1. Check for the safety sticker
2. Check for cracks in the outer and inner shell

Place helmet of if these two are good.

3. Check 2 fingers only from brow to helmet

4. Check 4 fingers (shape of straps around ears so not too loose

5. Check 2 fingers under chin when bottom strap is done up so helmet is not too loose or too tight.

I like the bikes program because we get lots of time to practise what we learnt. The helmet and bike checks are great, I use them at home too. - Chad

It was great because I learnt how to check my helmet and bike at home. - Ja Seng

We practised using our arms to signal when turning left and right, looking over our shoulders to check it is safe before we move further into traffic or turn a corner.

Always stand on the left of your bike before getting on, we would hate for you to be in the wrong place and get hurt. 

We played lots of games to practise these skills. We can wait for Jessie and Kyle to come back next week.

I have now done this program for 3 years. Each year I have gotten better and I now know how to check my bike at home. I enjoy practising the skills like gliding and riding with one hand in games, it makes learning new skills fun. - Kingston

I liked this bikes program it was fun. I learnt new tricks like back pedalling, pedal tap and looking behind us to check for danger. - Moala

Train Thank you cards

We had a great time at Glenbrook Railways and wanted to share our thanks to everyone who help to get us there.