Animal Adaptations - Thursday 1 December 2016

Today the Middle School were very fortunate to have Mr Raynor from
Auckland Museum came to talk about Animal Adaptations.

We saw a Moa leg and it's predator the Haast Eagle - skull and claw.  The Moa and Haast Eagle are now extinct.

Thank you for coming to talk to us Mr Raynor!!!

He bought a mount of a little spotted kiwi.  Our national bird can  still become extinct if we do not look after their habitats and eliminate their predators.

Some of the predators we introduced to NZ are Mice, Rats, Stoats,  and Cats.  These animals often kill our native birds.

Our Inquiry

It is our second to last day if Term 2.  We are finishing up our inquiry on Janine and Charles Williams.  We are recording the process we used to paint our birds.

Sunnyhills Rooms 20 and 16 visit to Bairds Mainfreight Primary School Otara

On Thursday last week our class and Room 20 visited Room 8 BMP school in Otara to look at their Charles and Janine Williams inspired artwork.  We had a great time learning about how our big buddies created their art.   We got to see a powerpoint presentation and lots of pictures of their art work.

Room 20 and 16's Art Journey has begun and can't wait to see our finished art hopefully near the end of the term.

Explaining How 1st July

This morning Mrs Driver came to Room 16 to see our Nga Manu paintings that are inspired by Janine and Charles Williams.  Andreas and Joshua explained all the steps we took to paint our manu.  We have worked on our art all term as part of our Eye on the World NZ artists.

Our Term 2 Art Journey 2016 Part 2

This afternoon Room's 16 and 20 got together in the music room.  We practised doing our pencil sketches of our house birds.  We are all getting better and better.

Next we will be inquiring about our backgrounds.

Visit to Bairds Mainfreight Primary School 19 May 2016

On Thursday 19 May 2016 nine Room 16 children, Aden (Lauren's Dad), Whaea and some Room 20, Mrs Trembath and Mrs Venville visited Room 8 Bairds Mainfreight Primary School.  Room 8 are a Year 5 class and were excellent hosts.  We all wished we had more time to spend with each other.  We went to see Room 8's wonderful art work that was created for their Arts Unit focusing on New Zealand Artists, Charles and Janine Williams.

Room 20 and 16 have chosen to focus on Charles and Janine Williams art as part of our Syndicate Term 2 Art Inquiry.

The lucky room 16 children were: Rajeev, Lauren, Stella, Sophie, Sanajan, Leo, Kobi, Sebastian and Ian.

                                         Stella and Sebastian with their big Room 8 buddies

                                                       Mrs Bedford and Room 8 BMPS

                                                                         Sophie

                                                                      Our questions

                                          Sophie and Rajeev with their big Room 8 buddies

We learnt how Room 8 created their pieces of art.  We had prepared questions to ask so that when we started our own art work we knew how to do it.

Since the trip we have written to Room 8 and thanked them for having us and quality commented on the art work and the Power Point Presentation that they presented to us.

Room 16 are now practicing sketching our house birds; Tui, Kea, Hoiho and Takahe.

Mrs Bedford has emailed Whaea:

Hi Tearani!

Thanks for organising the visit and for the very lovely letters (which I just received and will share with the class on Monday). 

It was such a neat buzz to have another school visit ours. Your children we just gorgeous! It was a great idea to buddy them up and let them chat together. 

Schools really should be interacting with each other in this way more often. Thank you for inspiring me to look for more ways I can connect with other schools in the future. 

I'm sure our paths will cross again, and I am really looking forward to seeing the art your children come up with. 

All the best!

Hi Everyone

I am so so proud of the all the children of  Room 16 who have learnt their mihi and karakia so early in the term!  The children have done so well that some were chosen to tautoko(help or support) other classes in the school both in the morning and end of school to help their classes learn the karakia..

A big thank you to the following children:

Andreas and Sanajan

Rajeev and Ian

Lily and Sophie

Stella and Lauren

He Karakia Timata

E te atua

Manakitia tenei hui

Awhinatia matou

I roto i o matou mahi

Ki te Wairua tapu

To matou Ariki

Amene

(a loose translation of this karakia is that we ae asking for blessings, help and support in our work (learning) for the day)

He Karakia Whakamutuenga

Kia tau kia tatou katoa

Te atawhai o to tatou

Ariki

A ihu Karaiti

Me te aroha o te Atua

Me te whiwhinga tahi tanga

Ki te Wairua Tapu

Amene

(a loose translation or purpose of this karakia is that we are giving thanks for the blessings,love and support that we have received and bring closure to our day/work (learning))

Well done Lily, Sophie, Andreas, Sanajan, Lauren, Stella, Rajeev and Ian.  Whaea is so proud of you!!!

Whaea Tearani

Morning Routine

In the morning when we arrive in our classroom we write up our communications diary, sharpen our pencils to get ready for our learning and day.  "Well done" says Tane the Taniwha and Whaea.  "We are so proud of you all!"

Tane the Taniwha loves good manners!

Tane the Taniwha came to visit Room 16.

Tane just loves good manners!  We told him we do really good manners like "sharing, saying please and thank you, helping others and lots more" says Joshua.  We made shiny new scales for Tane.  Whaea thought that Tane and his new scales would be great for our classroom treaty.  Here we are with Tane.

Tane promised to come back and visit us again soon when we do other exciting things in Room 16.

1st Day!!!

Kia ora everyone,

We have just had a 1st day back at school and I am hoping it was an exciting day for all - I know it was for me!

We learnt a new song, went to a Haka powhiri to welcome our new principal and new teacher to Sunnyhills School, had a class photo and launched our Daily 5 Literacy programme!  A very busy day indeed!

We begin swimming tomorrow.  We have our trip to the Millenium Pools in March.  All in all we have a very exciting term ahead.

I have inserted a photo from this mornings' Haka Powhiri.

I wonder who will be the first student to view our blog and leave a comment?

Have a great week!

Whaea Tearani

Welcome Back!!!!! After an amazing summer break filled with sunshine.

To all Room 16 Students 2016.......I hope you all had a most relaxing break and are looking forward to an exciting year ahead.

Whaea Tearani

Welcome Back!!!!! After an amazing summer break filled with sunshine.

To all Room 16 Students 2016.......I hope you all had a most relaxing break and are looking forward to an exciting year ahead.

Whaea Tearani

Kia Ora Everyone

Can't wait to start next Tuesday!  We are going to have fun this year!

Some important stuff:

Swimming for R16 starts on Wednesday.  Please remember your togs and towels.

There will be a hakapowhiri for our new principal Justine Driver and Joanne Burge - welcome to Sunnyhills.

Watch this space for our 1st day Room 16 2016 Class Photograph.

Will keep you all posted

Tearani