Farewell Room 16

Room 16, I have loved being your teacher this year. I wish you all the best for next year. Keep talking, questioning and learning. Ka kite ano. 

These are just a few of the things that came to mind when I reflected back on our year together (click on it to see it more clearly):

Last full day of school, 2014

There were so many exciting things happening today; whole school talent show, shared lunch and finding out the new classes for next year.

A couple of Room 16 students asked Ms Langton to play the violin which they danced. It was hard not to tap along to the music!



Then all of us got up to sing our a capella version of Do Re Mi. We were all very proud of ourselves. 




Then it was back to class to get ready for our shared lunch. We all made a salad sandwich with lettice from Room 14's garden - thank you Room 14. 

We said a karakia before we ate, starting with savoury food then moving onto sweet stuff. We had so much food. This is the shared lunch before eating:

This is the shared lunch after eating:

Thank you to everyone for contributing and making this a very special lunchtime.

Raglan!

Sorry for the delay in these photos!

This was Room 13 and 16's great day out to Raglan. We hired a bus to take us to Ngaruanui Beach and work with Danielle and Catherine from Te Kauri Lodge. After a fun couple of hours playing and working together in a sand building competition, we drove down to the harbour for hot chips before a quick play on the new playground. It was an amazing and exhausting day. Thank you so much to our many parent helpers who made this trip happen. This was paid for by the money we raised from our sponsored walk!

Sounds Amazing! Exhibition at the Waikato Museum

We had a fantastic day at the Sounds Amazing! Exhibition at the Waikato Museum. It was another free experience using the money we raised from our sponsored walk. 

We had all enjoyed listening to Ms Langton play her cello and violin for us in class and we now excited to learn more about how those sounds were made. 

Room 16 - can you talk through the photos in the slideshow and explain what we were learning about sound? 




After the Sounds Amazing! Exhibition we got to make our own sound makers - Lizard Catchers used by Māori many years ago. Then we had a quick visit to the Never a Dull Moment! Hamilton Stories exhibition. 

What a great day!

Room 16's Giant Pumpkin II

Room 16 had a big shock this week. Our giant pumpkin seedling, that had been lovingly planted and watered by our class, had gone! We noticed just before lunch so Jack and Ms Jones went to investigate and found it nearby. It has been pulled out and thrown to the side. 

Lucky for us, there was a spare seedling in the office. So with a heavy heart, we said goodbye to our old giant pumpkin and welcomed our new pumpkin into Room 16.

We will be keeping an extra close watch on Giant Pumpkin II to make sure it is safe and has enough water. 

Giant Pumpkin II is not a catchy name, so if anyone has any great suggestions please let us know! 

Shopping Trolley - how much can it hold?

We needed to use our basic facts to work out what fruit and vegetables we could put into our trolley that only holds 10kgs in total. 

8kgs = okay, still room for 2kgs more 

10kgs = full 

10kgs = full 

9kgs = almost full, only 1kg left

Mass or Weight?

In Room 16 we have been looking at mass and weight. We learnt that it is best to use the word mass as weight changes. For example if you weigh 50kgs on Earth you would weigh 1350kgs on the sun due to gravity but your shape or mass would still be the same. 

Checking boxes and containers to see how many grams of food they contain
We had three different items to order from biggest to smallest mass or biggest to smallest number

 Each group had to bring their items to the mat and order them 

The ice cream cones had the lowest mass, 70g (even though it was a big box) and the sugar and yogurts had the biggest mass, 1kg. 

1kg = 1000g because kilo = thousand

Static electricity experiement

As part of our Metals and Magnets unit, we looked into static electricity. Once everyone had had a go with the different materials (balloons, plastic rulers), we had a class discussion. 

This resulted is us realising that static electricity will only pick up light things, to which Anika H said that she was able to lift the heavy A1 sugar paper that was being held on the whiteboard with a magnet strip. So out came the balloon again and she was right.

We had another class discussion on how this could happen as the paper is heavy? See our thinking below. Then we used a magnet to test out some of the thinking and decide if it was true or false. 

Great hands on learning, great discussion and great opportunity to test our new knowledge.     

 

Why did the balloon lift the paper on the whiteboard but not on the floor?

Darryl: The whiteboard is magnetic and the magnet goes through the paper and it lifts the paper up from the whiteboard. Then it sticks to the balloon. FALSE

David: The balloon couldn’t lift up the paper on the floor because the floor does not have iron in it. FALSE

Deysharn: The floor isn’t magnetic. TRUE

Ella: The balloon has lots of magnetic stuff in it but the floor doesn’t. The whiteboard has iron in it. FALSE

Mia: It is hanging up on the whiteboard. On the floor it can’t go up because it is lying flat on the ground.

Katelyn: On the board it is easier for the balloon to get it but on the floor it is not that easy.

Ella: On the whiteboard it is light because it is hanging up. On the floor it is heavy because it is lying flat. 

Odd or even?

We have been looking at odd and even numbers in Room 16. 

Did you know that if a number ends in 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8 then it is an even number. This means every digit has a buddy and no one is left out. But if a number ends in 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9 then it is an odd number. This means that one digit is left out as it has no buddy.

We made predictions, solved the problems in buddies using blocks and came up with conclusions about what happens when you add an even number with an even number. 

 (Can you spot the not so delibrate mistake by Whaea Eve? Room 16 noticed it straight away!)

We did it again for odd plus odd. 

Then odd plus even or even plus odd and it will always give you then same answer, no matter which way you add it. In fact, in Room 16 we try to add from the biggest number. 

This can help us to make predictions when adding big numbers together. So if we solve this problem: 26 + 48, and get the answer 73 then we must have got it wrong as an even number plus an even number = an even number. So we know to go back and check out workings out as we MUST have made a mistake (answer is 74 in case you were wondering!). 

The magic of Raglan sand

The Connected Film Festival

On Thursday many of us were lucky enough to go to the first ever Connected Film Festival at Southwell School. We watched movies made by students from schools all around the Waikato. Hamilton East School had four movies in the festival. 

We hope you enjoy this movie of our Film Festival journey! 

Clay

This week we have been working with clay. 

On Wednesday we had a practise session trying to make pinch pots. 

On Friday we tried to make taonga pots. First we rolled the clay into six long even worms and then made the extra long worm that we then turned into a spiral for the base (bottom) of our pot. 

The other clay worms were then put one on top of each other and any cracks or holes were filled in. 

It was hard work and sometimes the clay didn't do what we wanted it to! But we all had fun and enjoyed the experience. 

Meet our Buddy CJ

We are taking part in Buddy Day this year. This week we have been talking through ways to decide on who our buddy is. We decided on a secret vote to determine if Buddy would be a boy or girl but the results were equal. So Ella suggested we put all the votes back in and pick one and that would be the decider. Everyone agreed it was fair and that is how our buddy became a boy. 

On the back of the piece of paper students had put the name they wanted our buddy to be. Out of the boy votes there were four options; Nick, CJ, Roxy and (tbc - Whaea Eve has forgotten and needs to ask the class!). We named each corner of the room one of those names and showed our preferred name by standing in that corner. CJ won hands down!

To decide on CJ's story, who he is and what he likes doing, we all wrote the answers to the following questions:
Who does CJ live with?
What does CJ like to do at school?
What does CJ not like to do at school?
What does CJ like to do at home?
What does CJ not like to do at home?

Whaea Eve then pulled our names from our lolly pop name jar and that person's writing became CJ's story.

CJ lives with his mum and dad.

At school CJ likes to play soccer with his friends.

At school CJ does not like doing handwriting.

At home CJ likes to play in the garden.

At home CJ does not like making his bed.

We all designed CJ's look; t-shirt, pants (trousers), shoes and hair / face. To decide on what our real CJ's look would be, we put our named lolly pop stick on the design we liked best for each part of CJ.

Zahaad designed the most popular t-shirt.

Anika H designed the most popular pants / trousers.

Elias designed the most popular shoes.

Nirmal designed the most popular hair / face. 

Next week we will be making our buddy following these designs and showing CJ around our school. 

Brave - Room 16's music video

In Room 16 we love dancing to the song Brave by Sara Bareilles. We also think it has a really great message - to be who you are and be brave. 

We when heard about the Connected Film Festival we decided to make our own Hamilton East School music video - although the original music video is pretty good too! 

After brainstorming all the things that can be scary at school, we looked at what someone could do in that situation to be brave. We picked three of the ideas and made it into three seperate storylines, mixed in with words that hurt us slowing turning into words that make us strong. 

We hope you enjoy it and that it inspires you to be brave!

Operetta Diary

We loved performing in the Operetta last week. Everyday we spent 10minutes writing a diary entry on our Operetta experience. Everyone in Room 16 picked their best day to share on the blog. We hope you enjoy them.

As soon as I heard the chainsaw music I stepped onto the stage excitedly. I cut the flower bit by bit and the tress I cut in half as soon as I walked off the stage. I walked back on the stage. I played a guitar with my chainsaw. 

Darryl

I was waiting in Room 13 eating McDonalds. I had a drink and a cheeseburger and chips. It was yum. We had cookies and popcorn with icing sugar. It was so delicious. I got in my costume. I was a Fat Cat.

Elias

We had our last Operetta. Whaea Eve was a chainsaw. Ms Jones and Miss M were in the Operetta. I think that they were amazing singing in the Operetta. It was funny too.

Anika H

It was funny when Ms Jones pretended to be the Queen of England. She had a funny little yellow  dog. Queen Jones didn’t look like the real queen but she still was pretty.

Mia

Haka Hiva girls

Once I went on the stage there were lights at the back of me. Then the giants came on the stage and made the musicians go off the stage. Then we sang the Billionaire song.

David

For our last Operetta Whaea Eve was a chainsaw and Ms Jones was the Queen. Miss M was a car but Ms Jones crashed into Miss M.

Kayden

When I stepped on the stage I was so scared then I started to be okay. The lights were green and blue like water. The lights were so bright in my eyes. At the end you have to dance off the stage with music.

Ryan

I wanted to be a giant because they have a big long voice and they sing loud.

Xzavier 

Chainsaw Gang

When we do the Operetta tonight it is going to be the coolest day in my whole world because we will be having some popcorn as well. We will be going to Room 13’s class so we can get changed into our clothes altogether. When we get into the chainsaw we have to wait. 

Juvil

The Operetta was fun. We had to wait a long time. The glow in the dark people were cool. Then the pacific Haka Hiva people went on the stage to dance. It was interesting. I liked the Haka.

Tyler

Before I got on the stage I was scared, nervous. But I kept on saying I had to go on, I had to go on, so I proudly danced on to the music. So once I was on stage I sat down and played my instrument. When I got off the stage I heard that we had to do the finale but I hated the finale. But I had to do it so I raced up the hill. When I got up the Room 13 I put down my instrument then I ran back down and did the finale.

Jack

At the Operetta it was fun. My favourite was when Ms Jones was on the stage. It was so funny that I couldn’t stop laughing and all the audience were laughing. I loved the Operetta.

Subair

Cars

At the Operetta the lights were shining. I wanted to do it cool. Whaea Eve was wearing blue when the lights were on. When Whaea Eve dashed on the stage the giants were screaming on the stage. We were in danger. The magical garden got chopped down. Then we put our chainsaws away.

Deysharn

The Operetta was good. When I heard the Operetta singing one bit was funny. I liked the funny bit. The funny bit was when Ayman and Hussain did Kapa Haka.

Ahmed

When it was the last Operetta, my mum was there and she watched us on the stage. It was Haka Hiva’s turn and I was in the Haka Hive group. My mum’s friend was videoing us. When we shook our hips everyone clapped even my mum. Then it was the end and I went to Room 16.

Caylee

I drove the car on the stage. I felt nervous. We sang the songs.

Zahaad

Fat Cats and Musicians

I was a little bit scared. I heard the music. I got a shock. I was dancing to the music. I was flapping my arms when I saw the giants. We were singing, “We want to be Billionaires”.  

Anika C

Last night we had popcorn and a biscuit too. There were lots of people. I watched my mum taking pictures.

Quartez

When I stomped on stage I felt scared. I could see a big crowd of people. In the crowd I could see my baby sister, my brother, my dad and my step-mum. I could hear my brother call out my name. I felt excited inside but scared outside. My heart was beating really fast like a rocket.

Kaya

Last night it was our last Operetta. There was a big crowd. Ms Jones was the Queen! When she came on the stage everyone laughed. When the cars came on Miss M and Ms Jones were cars, ha! Ms Jones told Miss M off because she bumped into her, ha ha and Whaea Eve was a chainsaw.

Katelyn

Garden

The Operetta was really cool. There was a really bright spotlight on the actors. When I was on stage I felt nervous. I thought I was gonna make a mistake but luckily I didn’t. Some of the actors forgot what they had to say. The best part I liked was the Kapa Haka group. The girls singing were fantastic. It was my best part. But my best best part was Room 16 and Room 13’s performance.

Xuan

It was funny when Ms Jones was pretending to be the queen. Everyone was laughing. It was funny when Whaea Eve was a chainsaw too. It was funny too when Miss M was a car.

Cruz

We danced in the hall. It was fun. I like dancing. I felt happy. I felt nervous and scared. Going into the dark was scary.

Nirmal

I heard the music so I danced onto the stage. I felt nervous then I felt happy. Then the giants stomped onto the stage. I was scared. I could feel the stage shaking. Then the chainsaws cut the garden. Then the cars came on then I giants came back on the stage. The giants were hot and thirsty. Then the garden came back to life. Then we danced down the stage and then it was done.

Tulasi