Measurement in maths.

Scott and Wanwan's maths group have started an inquiry into measurement.



We have spent time measuring a variety of objects in the class with non-standard units, such as, blocks, coins, sticks, and other objects.



We have made sure that when we are measuring objects we are using things that are the same size and shape to measure with.

Our place and people of the past.

As part of inquiry into the connection people have to a place we have been looking at old photographs, maps of our area, and imagining what people that lived in Miramar in the past may have used in their everyday lives.







The students brainstormed ideas, drew pictures, and created objects out of  plasticine.

Matariki Waiata and story

This week we've been learning a new song about Matariki. Many of you have shown your talent in singing! Here is the video of the song.




Lyrics and translation: 
Waiti Waita Waipunarangi
Tupuanuku Tupuarangi Ururangi e
Koinei nga tamariki o Matariki (These are the children of Matariki)
Nga whetu e piataata i te rangi e (The bright stars that shine in the sky)
Nga whetu e piataata i te rangi e (The bright stars that shine in the sky)

Here is also a story of Matariki, can you hear out all the names of the stars?




What do you think of the story? Have you heard of different Matariki story? Feel free to leave a comment and tell us!


Here's a little more about Matariki

Turangawaewae - where we stand

We have started off our inquiry: Turangawaewae - where we stand with different activities!
One of them is exploring Miramar with map app/google map.

We are looking at maps to find out what does our land look like? Can we find our school, our homes or places we recognise.

We had discussions about what a peninsula is! Lots of interesting comments. Some thinks peninsula is a reserved land (fair enough, it's easier to keep the pests out!)

Many pointed out the airport and the golf course.

Do you know where this is? maybe you can find your house in this picture!

Some pointed out this is Worser Bay School and wondered what was happening when the picture was taken?



There were many wonderings during the process. Do you have more wonderings? leave a comment!

Significant Places from the Past!

What do you SEE, THINK, WONDER?

Our Inquiry this term is focused around the Maori concept of:

Turangawaewae - Our place/s to stand

We will be exploring the following ideas:

- Places have significance and are used for different things.

- The past is important to people.

The link above will take you to a padlet post. The picture in the background is an old one! Many years ago it was a place of significance in our community.

Can you guess:

-What it is?

-Where it might have been?

-What it was used for?

We will be spending a few weeks looking at photos from the past of places that were (or still are) significant around our peninsula.

         

        

     

Playground Inquiry - Taking Action...

As part of Inquiry we have spent a lot of time exploring our playground and creating new games we can play (with and without equipment) during break times at school. We have had so much fun working together and thinking up exciting games.

During the last week of this term we decided it was time to Take Action. We had to think of ways we could be powerful to make improvements to our playground. 

To begin with, we had to spend some time discussing our ideas as a group. It was challenging trying to agree on one idea but we tried our best to collaborate and acknowledge everybody's ideas.

Once we had decided on a way we could improve the playground we got busy writing letters and emails, making posters and videos to advertise our ideas and creating things we could put into the playground.

Here are some awesome ways we thought we could improve our playground:

- Take more care of our lunchbox rubbish and pick up any rubbish that is lying around the school.

- Build an outdoor shelter from tents and plastic so we can play outside even if its raining.

- Create instructions for new games we have made up and put them up around school for others to play.

- Have more building "stuff" we can use outdoors to make huts, forts and obstacle courses with.

- Create a bike track around the school and on top grass for wheels Wednesday.

- Have some ramps we could put out for wheels Wednesday.

- Make feeding huts for birds to shelter in.

- Have an art gallery that children can draw in and put their artwork up in.

- Collect items that can help us make an outdoor music area.

Grow Your Mind Day with Susie and Gabrielle's Base Groups

Wow! What a fabulous day we had. Our base groups had the opportunity to participate in many workshops led by parents, student leaders and teachers.

First up during the morning block we certainly grew our minds and developed new skills as we took part in Poi making with Michelle, ukulele with Sophie and Vicky, soccer and coding with our senior leaders.





After morning tea we were super lucky to have Jenny and her awesome drumming crew teach us some African Dance moves. We also took part in a sketching workshop with Gabrielle and some of us got to sew some cool monsters with Jacqui and Ainslee.



In the afternoon our wonderful student leaders ran a gymnastics, dutch and violin workshops. We also had a chance to work with Dana, who ran a workshop around the importance of looking after native plants and Shaz took a workshop that taught us how to crochet.

 

A big thank you to all the people who helped make Grow Your Mind Day possible. We had the best day filled with lots of new learning, challenges and tonnes of FUN!