Term 3, Week 4

Maui and the Big Fish

Last week, Room 8 read the legend of Maui and the Big Fish. In this legend, Maui goes fishing with his brothers and pulls up a huge fish. His brothers decide to try and cut up the fish to share with their whanau... but this creates an uneven land. This land becomes Aotearoa New Zealand as it has lots of valleys, rivers and mountains created by the cuts of Maui's brothers. The North Island is now known as Te Ika a Maui - Maui's Fish.

To represent this story, Room 8 created pieces of artwork that shows New Zealand and our rough landscape. Our learning focus was around hot and cold colours. We used cold colours (blue, green, purple, grey) to colour in New Zealand and we created a contrasting background by using hot colours (red, orange, yellow, brown).

Check out our awesome artwork!

Term 3, Week 3

Welcome Back!

We have started Term 3 off with a bang, getting straight into our Myths and Legends inquiry unit for the term. We began our inquiry by looking at the legend of Maui and the Sun. We talked lots about this legend and retold it in our own words. Next we made sun masks out of paper plates and collage which we presented at the Week 1 assembly as our class item! Last week we focused on similarities and differences with our Oral Language development and used this to compare and contrast two different legends - Maui and the Big Fish and Maui and the Sun. We also practised similarities and differences further by comparing and contrasting two different versions of Maui and the Sun, which was more of a challenge. It was interesting to see what was similar across these legends and what aspects were completely different. Room 8 really had to think critically during this learning.

We can't wait to show everyone what else we learn and create during this inquiry!

In maths we are learning about fractions. We have started off by finding halves of objects and we are going to explore quarters and thirds of objects next, before we learn how to find a fraction of a set. We have been enjoying using materials and our mini whiteboards to support our learning in fractions. 

Finally, our Physical Education and fitness focus for the first part of the term is all around our Cross Country training. We have been learning how to stretch our muscles before and after running to prevent injury and how to pace ourselves throughout the race. 

Cross Country is on Thursday 17th August (Week 4), with the saving day on Friday 18th August. We would love to see as many supporters there as possible!!

Term 2, Week 10

Balloon Language Experience and Science

In Weeks 8 and 9 we had a focus around hot air balloons after we were visited by a real hot air balloon a few weekends ago. First we designed our own hot air balloons by looking at different types of balloons and their patterns. We had loads of fun creating these balloons with bright bold colours and patterns! After this we wrote stories imagining where in the world we would like our hot air balloons to take us to.

The next week we conducted a science experiment where we blew up a balloon by creating a reaction with baking soda and vinegar. The baking soda and vinegar fizzed up and the carbon dioxide gas that was released went into the balloon and made it blow up. It was awesome! We wrote instructions on how to do this experiment.

Term 2, Week 7 

Hot Air Balloon Rides

Over the weekend Stanley Avenue School was visited by a hot air balloon. Families came to school bright and early to watch the balloon get inflated and some lucky children (and their parents) even got to have a ride in it! 

Take a look at a few of the past and present Room 8 students taking a ride!

Term 2, Week 5

Language Experience

In Room 8 we have been focusing on developing our oral language and writing through language experiences. We aim to do one language experience each week where we make/draw/do something interesting, discuss the experience, record adjectives/describing words as a class about the experience, and then write about the experience using the exciting words we have come up with.

So far this term we have had lots of different language experiences, including drawing our own superheroes, making magic hats, making Gruffalo masks, exploring the ice in the playground on a frosty morning and just this week we made oobleck slime!

We are having so much fun with our oral language and writing!

Gruffalo Masks

Oobleck Slime

Pirate Book Week

Last week the book fair came to Stanley Ave. The theme this year was Pirates and the Room 8 children had a blast checking out all the amazing books for sale in our school library. It was fantastic to see our class getting excited about wanting to buy new books to read. 

On Friday we had our dress up day where the children (and teachers!) came to school dressed as their favourite book character or a pirate.

Look at our awesome costumes!

Checking out the book fair!

We had so much fun dressing up!

Term 2, Week 2

Magic Hats

Yesterday Room 8 students got creative and created magic hats which we will be writing about. We had lots of fun decorating our magic wizard hats with splashes of colour, sparkly pom poms and loads of glitter! Our focus was on talking about what we were doing and the special features of our hats. We had some fantastic conversations which will help us to write our stories... 

Keep a look out for our magic hats when you visit Room 8 and also for the writing that will go alongside them!

Term 1, Week 11

Making Coconut Ice With Room 3

Today we were lucky enough to have the Room 3 seniors come into Room 8 and show us how to make coconut ice! We did this as part of an Easter themed Tuakana-Teina session. We worked in small groups to complete four different Easter activities. One activity involved the junior Room 8 students teaching the senior Room 3 students how to make a 'zentangle' patterned Easter Bunny. Another activity was writing a story to go with a funny Easter Bunny picture. Our favourite part was making the coconut ice by following a recipe Room 3 has been using this term. Finally we made Easter baskets to put our coconut ice in to take home. It was loads of fun and Room 8 look forward to working with Room 3 again next term!

Room 8 would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday!

Term 2 starts on Monday 1st May. See you then!