🧠BRAIN BUILDING🧠

 In Kakapo class we have been learning all about the brain.  Today we got into groups.  Each group was given a different part of the brain to focus on.  Cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, amygdala and the temporal/occipital lobes.

Each group had to read through and choose the information that related to 'their' part of the brain.  After identifying this information the groups dicussed which information was important.  They conducted further research to answer any questions they had or anything that they may not have understood.

THEN... Mrs Cutler gave each group playdough. Each group had a different colour.  The task was to use the playdough to create their part of the brain into a 3D model.  For this each group had to collaborate further to check position, scale and to join them up to build our brain.

CHANGE of plans 🌎

In Kakapo we have decided that its not good enough to just KNOW about the problems facing our world...WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION!

After reading one of the texts (Down the Drain) on our contracts this week our discussion turned to sustainable practices.  Small choices that we can make that could help the world overall. This led us to talk about the packaging we have in our lunchboxes and the products we buy in the supermarket.  By choosing products in glass bottles instead of plastic, compostable boxes instead of plastic wrappings and bags is a small step but one that could convince companies to make changes.

We talked about the local businesses we knew that used paper straws, cardboard takeaway containers or paper bags.  We are choosing to support those businesses over others that use a lot of plastic.

One example Mrs Cutler asked us about was McDonalds.  What did we notice about their packaging? McDonalds is a major company with restuarants all over the country and they dont use paper straws.  So what can we do about this?

We are investigating ways to promote the businesses using sustainable products and practices and encouraging other people to support these businesses as well.  We hope that this is a positive way to get other businesses to change their practices too.  We are writing persuasive letters to McDonalds main office in NZ to ask them to consider a change in their packaging.

This is a little different than some of the learning we had planned to do this week, but that happens! It is ok, we are leading our own learning.

WATCH THIS SPACE - KAKAPO IS TAKING ACTION!  MORE UPDATES TO COME!

Kakapo Confessions

We read William Carlos Williams poem "This is Just to Say" about him admitting, and apologising for eating plums without asking. We discussed what it means to admit or confess something.

Kakapo kids brainstormed their confessions and ideas.

Using a similar format to Williams poem, children wrote their own poems.  We spent a lot of time re-working our writing to ensure we had interesting words that created a picture for the reader.  For example - rather than using 'yummy' to describe a chocolate, 'gooey' was used.

When it came to publishing our poems the criteria was to use a background image that related to their confession. The font had to be readable - so we had to think about the background picture.  Can the words be seen with a different colour, or was a bolder font or highlighting needed?

Children worked on a shared document to publish their poems.  There was a few challenges around this (such as accidental deletion of slides) but these were ironed out quickly luckily.

We really enjoyed reading each others poems.  We have given each other feedback and have reflected on things we may change if we did this task again.

You can read the poems by checking out the individual blogs.  We'd love to hear what you think so please leave a comment!

Fair and Equal

It is Social Justice Week this week and we have been learning about being FAIR and being EQUAL.
We discussed what we thought each of these words meant.  Tui thought that the words basically meant the same thing.

Each child was given an 'ailment'.  The ailments ranged from a ache, a cough or sore tummy to a broken leg or cut head.  The children had to discuss who was worse off.

After this discussion the children came to the 'Doctor' for treatment.  Each child was given a piece of paper that they were not allowed to look at until everyone had seen the 'Doctor'.  The treatments were revealed..... everyone received a band-aid!  There was much discussion about this!

"How will a band-aid fix my runny nose?"
"A band-aid isn't going to help my broken leg!"
"Yay! I need a band-aid for the cut on my hand!"

We discussed this further as a class.  Was receiving a band-aid fair? or equal?
The penny dropped and the difference between fair and equal was clear!

Fair is when everyone gets what they need or deserve
Equal is when everyone gets the same regardless of need.

Check out the Tui Class individual blogs to see more!

🌏 Google Earth 🌏

Following on from our landmark learning - today Tui had a go on Google Earth!

It was so fun looking at the landmarks we have been learning about and seeing it in "real" life! 

We had great discussions and people shared information about the landmark they researched. While we were looking at the Eiffel Tower, Lily told us that there are two elevators in the 'legs' of the tower.  Raidon shared that the Taj Mahal is referred to as the worlds biggest onion.  Looking at the Pyramids of Giza started lots of chat around how the pyramids were built so large and accurately and without technology or machinery!  We talked about pharaohs, mummies and tomb raiders.  

After we looked at the landmarks we knew about we brainstormed other places in the world we might like to look at on Google Earth.  From here, Tui kids went and had a look at Google Earth themselves.  They had a play with the different tools and looked at other places like the Great Wall of China, Times Square, Big Ben and Buckingham Palace.

We are opening our eyes to the big wide world and thinking about the places we might like to see in person one day 😀

Check out the Tui kids individual blogs to read about the places they looked at on Google Earth.

What in the world would you like to see? 🌏

World Famous

This week one of the literacy contract activities was for the Tui kids to pick a world famous landmark and create an information poster. 

There was the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building, Leaning tower of Pisa, Statue of Liberty, Colosseum, Pyramids of Giza, Sydney Opera House and the Taj Mahal.  The children were challenged to pick a landmark that they didn't already know a lot about.

We needed to research our landmark, asking questions about it that start with Who? What? Why? Where? When? Which? and How?.
Together we created some success criteria for our posters. 
Tui decided that the posters needed:

• facts (not opinions) 
• history of the landmark 
• Picture/images
• Visually appealing to catch the readers interest

Everyone decided that they would like to create a digital poster, so we set up a shared slide doc.  Everyone took a slide for their poster.  Check out the individual blogs for more later in the week!

Take Note! 💰

Tui class have been learning about NOTEworthy people in NZ. We started with the people on our NZ money.  

Sir Edmund Hillary, Kate Sheppard, Queen Elizabeth, Apirana Ngata & Ernest Rutherford.

We read, researched and wrote autobiographies before looking at how the landmarks and birds on the notes also relate to the person.  Through our literacy contracts we got into groups and researched each note and created a wall display showing our learning, pictures and quotes.

We began to ask questions about other NOTEworthy New Zealanders.  We did a bus-stop activity with several other NZers - from Jean Batten to Whina Cooper.  We were brimming with knowledge and questions.

NOW Tui class are designing their own $200 note.  They are choosing their own NOTEworthy person, landmark and bird.  Once they have designed their note they are writing to explain the reason they chose who and what they chose. 

Keep an eye out on the individual blogs to see their amazing creative $200 note designs!

The Call of Abraham and Sarah

Today Tui class were learning about Abraham and Sarah from the book of Genesis. 

Abram and Sarai lived in Haran.  They had been married many years and had no children. One day God said he wanted them to move to a new land and that he would make their family a new nation of people.  Abram and Sarai trusted God.  After travelling for a long time with all of their belongings, their animals and servants they finally arrived in the new land of Canaan.  God said that he would give this land to them both and all of their descendants. Together, Abram and Sarai wondered how this promise would come true because without children there are no descendants!

Many years passed and still there were no children for Abram and Sarai.  Abram told God how disappointed he was.  God told him to go outside and look at the night sky.  God said "count the stars if you can, you will have as many descendants as there are stars in the sky".  He said that Sarai would give birth to a son whom they would name Isaac.  God also gave them new names - Abraham and Sarah. 

One day, three visitors arrived at Abraham and Sarah's tent.  The visitors were welcomed and given food and drink.  Afterwards the men talked to Abraham and said they would be back when Sarah had given birth to their son.  Sarah overhead this and was laughing.  The men asked Abraham why Sarah was laughing saying "is anything too hard for God?"  It was then that Abraham and Sarah realised their visitors were special messengers from God.  Nine months later God's promise was fulfilled when they became parents to Isaac. 

Tui class have retold this story through animation.  Look out for their creations on their individual blogs!  

Monsters vs Aliens

This morning Tui class had a mystery activity to complete.

1. Children were put into pairs

2. Pairs were split, one person to one side of the room, the second  person to the other.

3. The class were told their activity was a surprise so they had to stay on their side of the room and ensure their backs were to their buddies and their work was hidden.

Have I given you a hint about what the lesson is about?  The children were a little scared as to what was going on but excited too!

4. I took each group outside separately and gave instructions.  They were designing a creature however they liked, using whatever colours, shapes and sizes they wanted.  They had to think about what features they would want included.  One group was told to draw an alien, the other told to draw a monster.

5. The groups went and created their assigned creature.

Then.... 

6. Once the pictures were finished, children were told they had to write a title "How to draw my..." 

7. Children then had to write instructions on how to draw their creature.  They had to think about how they drew it.  Instructions would need to be clear and detailed.  

How would we know we had been successful? 

8. After we had completed our instructions, the pairs were reunited and swapped books.  Each person was given a new piece of paper.  Following their buddies instructions they drew the creature.

9. Once completed, the buddies presented their pictures.  Did they look the same as the original creation? 

Why? Why Not? 

10. Reflection time! Were we successful? Why? Why not? What would we change? What might have worked better if we were to do it again? Are instructions important? Why? 

This was a fun activity with some awesome learning.  Check out some of our examples below!

   

Reflecting... 💭

We are always reflecting on our learning in Tui class. At the end of each day we chat about something we found interesting, something new we discovered, something we found challenging or an act of kindness we saw.... Last week we stepped this up by creating our own digital weekly review ..."A Peek at the Week". The prompts for the week go up on Monday so that the children have these in mind as the week goes by.

Tui kids are able to get creative on Google Draw with their weekly review. We then share these reflections to our blogs.

Reflection is important, it helps us to set new goals and think about ourselves, our progress, and challenges in our learning. It also really helps us when our big people ask how our day was!! We can share more than just... "gooooooooooooood"

G.R.E.A.T

Today is Marcellin Day.  Marcellin is the name of one of our whanau groups and he is also a saint.
We celebrate Marcellin Day by giving service.
This morning at Mass, Father discussed what it means to give service and be 'great'.
He gave us an acronym to help us to remember how to be great.

G - Generous.
Be generous with your time, be generous with your words, be generous with your kindness and service.

R - Reliable.
Be the kind of person people can rely upon.  When you say or offer something, follow through.  Keep your word. Make sure people can trust that you will be there for them.

E - Encourage.
Encourage others, be supportive, be kind, give put ups and affirmation.

A - Accepting.
Accept others without judgement.  Be respectful of differences. Understand that we all have different opinions and ideas, we all are individual and unique and that's OK!

T - Thankful.
Be grateful for all that you have.  Acknowledge what you have and thank all who have contributed to it.

We had some amazing discussion in class after Mass about how to be GREAT.  Tui kids completed an activity in their Faith Journals to remind them 😇

It's that time of year again...

Speeches!

In Tui class we have been busy integrating oral language and persuasive writing into our literacy contracts.  We have had chatting cards, using drama with our shared reading, using expression and projection.... 
There were 37 English topics and 18 Te Reo topics to choose from.  
This week Mrs Cutler is listening to speeches in class.  Everyone has made her judging job hard! The speech topics were varied and props were used appropriately.  Tui class were supportive and encouraging of everyone.  Speeches are not a favourite for everyone but each and every student still stood up and gave it a good go!
Three finalists get chosen to go through to the PCS Speech Competition.  It was a super hard choice, but everyone can be super proud of themselves for the hard work and effort they put in to their presentations. 

🌟Matariki 🌟

Matariki is a cluster of seven stars within the Taurus constellation (it is really made up of several hundred stars but we can only see seven with the naked eye). In New Zealand it is also known as the Maori New Year.  The word Matariki translates as 'little eyes' (mata riki) or 'eyes of God' (Mata ariki).

We have speeches coming up so we have been learning about persuasive writing.  We decided a great topic would be "Matariki should have its on public holiday". Once we decided our position we started brainstorming.  Everyone had the same opinon that we SHOULD have a public holiday for Matariki.  We feel that Matariki is an important celebration that is unique to NZ.  We thought that people should have the time to get up to view Matariki, share stories and food, dance and celebrate together. We celebrate many holidays that are not as relevant to NZ like Guy Fawkes so why not have another day for Matariki.

We have published our letters and are sending them on to try and persuade the government to our way of thinking! Watch this space 😋

Ancient but earthquake proof!

We read a story called "Ancient but Earthquake Proof" which was about the Parthenon in Athens, Greece.  The Parthenon was built over 2500 years ago and while it has some walls and carvings missing it is still an impressive structure.  

We were amazed that the ancient builders were able to create such a building using only their brains and their two hands.  The Parthenon was created using a strong foundation, pedestals and then the columns which were made of blocks stacked on top of each other, just like our spine.   Inside the columns are iron rods surrounded by lead (to stop the rods rusting and to absorb force and vibrations).  The Parthenon is a strong yet flexible structure able to withstand earthquakes.  

Modern builders tried to preserve the Parthenon by inserting more iron rods into the columns...only they didn't add lead so the rods have become weakened meaning the columns are now cracking.  

We answered comprehension questions and then used a venn diagram to compare the Parthenon with New Zealand Parliament building (The Beehive in Wellington). 

Then we tried to build our own flexible structures thinking about what we learned using only marshmallows and toothpicks.

"Our structure had a big foundation base, and we used the toothpicks as rails and rods like the Parthenon"  - AL

"To make ours strong we used extra toothpicks and we had cross beams.  Ours was the tallest" - QS