Last days in #theONE6tamatea

Our last days have been fairly relaxed!

Here is our #mannequinchallenge which we got done yesterday. It has been a mission to get this lot sitting still for 2 minutes! We finally managed to stay still and posed ... except for Sharn and Hale who felt the need to 'drop a connector' play piece as soon as the camera was on them. All good ... it is still a good one!

We also did one last 'flash mob' as part of the DANCE THEORY!

Just love how a moment of creative expression can re-invigorate the peeps to get back into it!!

Would LOVE some comments or feedback on the 'DANCE THEORY'

Term 4

Oh my goodness

I have not blogged about our classroom happenings ALL TERM!

Aaarrrggghhhhhh

I guess it shows how busy things have been. Lots has happened but the MAJOR happening this Term was CAMP.

In week 5 our Year 8 group of classes went to Mission Bay in Taupo. We were there for 5 days and 4 nights. It is always a fabulous camp with a walk each day. One of my favourite walks is the one around Lake Rotopounamu. A nice easy walk through some lovely native bush with a stop halfway at the lake to dip your feet and have a drink of water.

Manaia couldn't resist the water to cool down!

Here are some of the #ONE6ers enjoying the surroundings and posing for a photo:)

The BIG walk on Wednesday was up Tongariro to Ketetahi Springs. Having done the walk many years ago when I taught Year 8 I had not forgotten how challenging it is! Being about 18 years older than when I last did it, I found it extremely hard but was VERY grateful to Alex J. who walked with me most of the way. We made it to the top after about 3 hours and I was stuffed!

What a FAB day to be walking in this picturesque part of Aotearoa.

STUNNING!

A special collage with some of my many special peeps:)

After a week of fun we left camp on the Friday and spent an hour at the hot pools in Taupo before travelling back to Tamatea. Here are some action shots of our time at the pools.

And lastly here is a video of the boys doing their synchronized manu!

Overall a VERY successful Outdoor Education Week:)

We've moved in!

Well...if you haven't heard...

WE HAVE MOVED IN!

For me this has been over a year in the waiting! So last week we were 'camping' in the old room (we had moved most of the big furniture out) in preparation for 'the move'.

There was a purpose for the 'camping' situation. We needed to do some 'whanau re-building activities' after our end of term did not finish so well. We re-visited our one6 mantras and discussed how important they are. 

We also shared ways we can show we value each other. This was also a necessary discussion as there is too much nastiness in the world and we need to show we support and care for the people we are with 6 hours a day. We completed this learning by creating a small artwork of our hand with a word on it which showed one thing that is special or unique about us. This was arranged in a heart formation on our new wall.

So...Thursday afternoon was upon us. Before the final move I took this quick video of 'theONE6'. As an old woodwork room, it has been the most awesome room and transformed superbly into a flexible learning space for LearningMYway.  

It wasn't long before we got started on the transfer of 'the rest of the stuff'! It only took one period to get the stuff in. 

"Many hands make light work"

With the furniture in a stack in the room ... i encouraged the kids to discuss how we would design our room. 

Some were more involved than others...but those who wanted some ownership talked with myself and their peers about the best place for the furniture. This time lapse shows the beginning of this collaborative effort.

We created some 'zones' with what we had and it started feeling like a great space for learning.

Isaiah couldn't resist blessing our new space with his pukana in his usual Isaiah styles:)

Since we have moved in the kids have enjoyed using our space to spread out and investigate. Friday saw the kids chilling and playing games:)

I would like to take this opportunity to invite parents in to see us learning in this amazing new space. We are quite spoilt in that we will get to work in here on our own for the rest of the year. As of the beginning of 2017 this will be a space for 2 teachers and 50-60 learners. So i am looking forward to seeing 'theONE6ers' make the most of this amazing opportunity and get stuck in over the next 8 weeks:)

Fun with Voki

Voki ...

select an avatar ... customise it ... add a voice ... choose a background ... publish and share

A very cool digital platform for incorporating into a classroom programme for all sorts of tasks. 

The first task for the kids was to create Anastasia - our American character from The Ghosts of Tarawera - and have some fun recording 'her backstory' the kids have all written in your BEST American accent...

Here is Isaiah's 'Samoan Anastasia'

#NZreadaloud6TGoT

We are into our 4th Week of #NZreadaloud6TGoT.
Our story The Ghosts of Tarawera by Sue Copsey has provided us with MANY opportunities for learner driven inquiries.
What are the Pink and White Terraces?
What is a 'fumerole'?
Who was Guide Sophia?
What is the Buried Village?
What is the Taupo Volcanic Zone?
What are igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks?
What does a volcanologist do?
What is a seismograph?
What is 'paranormal activity'?


Our language wall is getting full ... learning about personification and similes in context helps our kids understand how they impact the reader and why they are powerful to use in their own writing.

Open Evening saw the kids dressing up as their favourite characters from the story. What fun we had sharing our passion for #NZreadaloud with our community as they came and visited our room. The kids from Room 11 created this amazing mural for the night with the kids photos across the bottom in character!

Thanks to Miss Kersley and Mr Tavendale and a group of kids, we even had a 'volcanic zone' in our room for the night ... the dry ice and vinegar and baking soda worked a treat to create some atmosphere.

It has provided opportunities for collaborative learning ... with kids across New Zealand AND the author. This Storify includes nearly 600 tweets from our chat yesterday. Such a wonderful chance to ask Sue Copsey some questions and to have some discussion with other kids about what they are thinking.

This is the last #NZreadaloud for the year as during Term 4 we participate in The Global Read Aloud. I have already connected with a class in Canada, a class in Wisconsin and a class in NZ for this collaborative learning experience. The #GRA16 starts in early October.

Writing a back story!

Over the last couple of weeks we have been learning about how to write a 'back story' for a character in a story. This idea came from our visit from Des Hunt and we thought we would have a go writing Anastasia's back story.

The kids really got into it and have written some detailed back stories. Here are two for you to read...


Sup, I’m Anastacia, by the way before you get it wrong, it’s pronounced ‘star’ cia not ‘stay’ cia. Because I’m a STAR. Geddit. I’m from Los Angeles, I went to a private school there. Despite all those kids being spoilt by their rich parents I still had all the latest fashion, way before them. Ha, to have them call “me” spoilt, they were just jealous. I was born into a regular family as the only child in 2003, I grew up with a lot of pets. I have my pony, Stella. My cat Skip, and my pet rabbits Diamond, Fluffy, and Coco. Luckily they are being looked after by our family butler back in L.A, but I still miss them. Anyway, most of our holidays are to either places around America, but this is the first time I have left the country for a trip. I expected it to be like one of those tropical islands like on tv and the internet, but I didn’t expect to be visiting a volcano spotted island with hair ruining steam and pools of weird bubbling mud. But in some ways, it felt better to meet some friends and visit type of place that was new. Tropical countries are always talked about online, but not countries like this. VIsiting a new place was good, and I enjoyed it more than I expected.

That’s what made my first holiday away from America the best I will ever have.

By Jack

Hello my name is Anastasia and i was born in L.A. I am a 11 year old girl and recently moved to New Zealand for my dad's career. My mother chose my name Anastasia Paige Rae, she said that I would suit it. At first my father disagreed with her but he had Gabriella Leigh Duff and I didn't want that so my father agreed.

I am really talkative mum says my voice is like a broken record. My mum’s  a teacher at my school I reckon it’s a bit awkward having my mum teach at the same school as where I am.

My Father works as a movie director so that’s how I can see movies before they even come out.

At school I am the leader of my crew, All my friends adore me, I am all the teacher’s favourite well that’s what I think. When I first came to school I thought I was going to be a loner but then I made a lot of friends, I have even made a Best friend named Beckie. We hang out everyday and since then we became best friends. She asked me if I wanted to go on a trip with her and her family in Rotorua. I was a bit scared to say no but my Mom said just go it will be fun. So I went, When we arrived I stepped out the car and the smell “Pewww” it stinks like a dead seal. After awhile we got back in the car and drove to the cabin. We have arrived Beckie’s Mom had said. It was a big suprise me thinking it will be a condo like they are in L.A but not even. I asked for the Wifi password and the worst response i could have gotten, I got it. Beckie's mum had said “Sorry darling we don’t have internet here” I froze i almost had a tear drop coming out of my eye.   

By Grace

OUR LANGUAGE WALL IS LOOKING GOOD TOO...