Silhouette Art

This week we have been working on our silhouette art. First we chose to use either hot (yellow, orange, red) or cold (blue, purple, black) colours. I chose cold colours. Both included white. Then we had to choose an animal, I chose a owl. And draw it onto a piece of black paper. After that we cut it out and glued it onto our painting. I really enjoyed painting and drawing and cutting out my artwork.  I am really proud of my work.I hope that we get to do art in the future.

Cross Country

Last week on Friday, Paihia School held their annual Cross Country at Bledisloe Domain. This week Te Ngahere  had to write recounts about Cross Country. Instead of writing about the whole day, we had to just write about one part of it. I wrote about waiting for the race and running the race.  I think did well to include some descriptive language and also using paragraphs correctly. I could works on using more detailed words and interesting adjectives. This is just a draft piece of writing.

Easel.ly

This week we have been learning about online gaming and the effects it has on your mind and body. As part of it we answered a questionnaire about the gaming, it included things like do you play online games of some sort? Does your school work suffer from gaming and have you tried to limit your gaming time? Then we made an infographic showing the statistics of our class. I was amazed at the amount of people who DO play computer games.

Beeswax Wraps

Last week we learned about litterless lunches. We made beeswax wraps. We were allowed  to write on it, so I wrote hello in all sorts of different languages like Chinese (ni hao) and Italian (ciao). We made the wraps to replace the plastic glad wrap in our lunch box. Glad wrap is a example of single use plastic. The New Zealand Government has proposed a ban on single use plastics. With beeswax wraps we can just wrap up our biscuits and our sandwiches. If it gets dirty you  can just wipe it with a wet cloth. Here is how you make them: First you get a piece of cloth and cut along the edge with pinking shears to stop it from fraying. Then you can draw on it (optional). After that you have to melt a block of beeswax in a pan and soak the cloth in it until it is completely covered in wax. After that hold it by the top edges of the cloth and let the excess wax drip of onto a piece of cardboard. When it is dry (which will take about 2 minutes) it is ready to use. The reason we made them  is because we are trying to reduce the amount of rubbish/plastic in our lunches. I really enjoyed making my beeswax wrap.

This week in Te Ngahere we have been doing a reading called ‘Counting Kākahi’. We had to make a document and answer some questions about kākahi. Once we had  finished we made a DLO to share what we have learnt. I enjoyed learning about kākahi. One part of the reading was to find 25 of the most important words, I think b I did well to find them. I think I could do better at summarizing the article using some of the 25  words.

Last week we were learning about solar and lunar eclipses. I made a google presentation and I included; how a solar and lunar eclipse is created and what the difference is. I think I did well to add extra information to help describe what a lunar and solar Eclipse is. I enjoyed learning about solar and lunar Eclipses. Next time think I could do better by writing more about the phases of lunar and solar eclipses.

Term 3 Math Goals

This week we have been working on our term 3 math goals. We had to choose 2 knowledge, 2 addition and subtraction strategy and 1 algebra goal. This term I am working on stage 7 and 8. We copied our goals onto a google drawing and then decorated it with images. I hope to achieve most of my goals by the end of this term. Here are my math goals:

Kai Quiz

For the past few weeks in Te Ngahere for Te Reo Maori we have been learning the kupu (words)  for kai. We were learning to use the correct Maori kupu to ask and answer questions. We made a quiz to show what we had been learning.  I chose to do my quiz on a google form. It was hard at first but once I got the hang of it it got easier. I enjoyed sharing my quiz with my friends and testing them. What I think I could do better would be to use different types of questions in my quiz - like  multiple choice answers, write you own answer and select the correct answer, to make my quiz more interesting. I hope you enjoy! 

Tui/Kowhai Research

For the past few weeks in Te Ngahere for panui (reading) we have been researching the native and endemic species of New Zealand. In our panui groups we choose a bird, insect or tree to research. We made a presentation to show our learning, I had to include questions such as: is the Tui endemic or native, What is the Tui’s diet and where does the Tui live. Our learning intention was to make a connection between what we already know and what we have read. My group did a Tui as our first inquiry topic, and when we had finished the whole class had to share what they had learnt about their animal that they researched. I think I did well including lots of interesting facts. What I think I could do better would be to talk more clearly so that the whole class can hear. I really enjoyed learning about the Tui and also hearing about what others had learnt.

For my second presentation my group did the Kowhai tree, some questions we had to include was is the Kowhai tree endemic or native, What helps the Kowhai tree grow and what is the Kowhai trees role the the ngahere. I think my group did better for our second presentation because we spoke clearer and the information was more accurate. What I think I could do better would be to present it in a more interesting way.

Moment in time

Last week in Te Ngahere we did some descriptive writing about a moment in time. We had to

describe the forest using present tense verbs. We were focusing on using descriptive language

and the correct structure for our writing. I enjoyed just thinking about what you could see,

hear, feel and smell. I think I could improve by adding more descriptive language,

like metaphors and alliteration. This is my first draft writing.

A Moment In Time

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Birds song ringing through the trees

The forest canopy stretching far up into the bright blue sky, aged leaves fluttering to the ground at every breath of wind

The glaring sun piercing through the glade, casting a soft light upon the forest floor

Leaf skeletons emitting a gentle glow

Delicate branches sweeping the forest floor

Spongy bark clinging to tall spindly trees

A stream of light filtering through insect eaten leaves

Cicadas high pitched humming

Tui’s rumbling call echoing around

Bright red puriri berries scattered across the forest floor

Kauri trees standing tall, almost touching the sky

Manuka, their black bark peeling of

People everywhere can help preserve this beautiful scene

What Is An Ecosystem?

Since term 1 we have been working on our ‘What Is An Ecosystem’ explanation writing. Our learning intentions was to  use the correct structure for an explanation. It had to have an identifying statement, a set of paragraphs explaining what I am talking about and a summary statement. In our explanation we had to include what lives in an ecosystem, how an ecosystem works explain what producers, consumers and decomposers are and the role of each one. I think I did well to include all aspect of an ecosystem and  explain them so that other people can understand what I am saying.

What Is An Ecosystem?

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In an ecosystem there are two classes living (organic) and nonliving inorganic). Producers, consumers and decomposers are all living. Nonliving material includes Rock, sand and water. Ecosystems are very fragile; each part of an ecosystem has a specific job. If any part of an ecosystem gets damaged it tips the balance and the whole ecosystem is affected.

Inorganic matter is the base of all ecosystems. Every living thing depends on non-living matter like water, sand and rock.

Inorganic matter includes: rock, sand, water, sunlight and oxygen. Sand provides shelter for many small fish and other marine creatures. Rocks are are essential to most filter feeders like mussels, anemones and sea snails so that they have something to hold onto when the tide goes out.

Producers are organisms that generate their own food by using photosynthesis, a process that turns sunlight and nutrients into food. ALL plants are producers and ALL producers are plants.

There are different types of consumers, primary and secondary. Primary consumers are herbivores and eat plants. Secondary consumers are carnivores and eat other consumers. There are are also omnivores and they eat a mixture of producers and other consumers.

Mussels, pipi’s, cockles, sea snails, sea anemones, barnacles, starfish and sea worms are all filter feeders they eat plankton drifting in the water. Shellfish usually have little feelers that catch the plankton as it floats past. Sea anemones have sticky arm and the plankton gets stuck to them. When the tide goes out all of the filter feeders close up so that they do not dry out. Other filter feeders hide under rocks or in rock pools.

Decomposers break down dead matter. Animals called scavengers eat dead matter as well but there is one difference, decomposers break down dead matter using chemicals and scavengers actively eat their food. Scavengers eat dead matter.

We have an food chain, zooplankton (consumer) eats phytoplankton (producer), Krill (consumer) eats zooplankton and baleen whales (consumer) eats krill. But . . . then  the climate changes and it gets to cold for the krill and the population starts to dwindle. This causes chaos, because there is not enough krill to keep the plankton numbers down and when there is too much plankton in the water it becomes cloudy and it messes up the fishes visibility and then they can’t hunt properly. And there is also not enough krill for the whales to eat and they starve.

This ecosystem is very fragile and got damaged just because of one minor(ish) change. Strong ecosystems can withstand the change and rebalance themselves.

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Kiatiakitanga o Te Moana

Last term it Te Ngahere for reading we did Kaitiakitanga o Te Moana. Our learning intention was WALT: make connections between different things we read or view to create new learning. What I enjoyed was relating what I already knew to what I learnt to make a new understanding. What I think could do better would be to re-read the text to get more information.

Kiatiakitanga o Te Moana

Last term it Te Ngahere for reading we did Kaitiakitanga o Te Moana. Our learning intention was WALT: make connections between different things we read or view to create new learning. What I enjoyed was relating what I already knew to what I learnt to make a new understanding. What I think could do better would be to re-read the text to get more information.

Pepeha

For the last few weeks we have been learning to write and say our pepeha. We made our visual pepeha, the purpose of this was to introduce ourselves and our whanau also to learn the meaning of the tikanga behind it. I really enjoyed learning and remembering my pepeha of by heart and presenting it. What I found hard was pronouncing the words! I also helped others so that they could learn to say their pepeha too. Over all I really enjoyed this activity.

Ecosystems Animation

Last term Te Ngahere made animations about food chains. First we had to research about a food chain and then we made an animation to show how it works. Our learning intention was to create a animation to explain how a food chain works. My animation was about how a whale gets its food. What I  enjoyed was researching about food chains. Once everyone was finished their animations we watched everyone's animations and ate popcorn. Here is my animation.

Metaphors

For the past week in Te Ngahere we have been working on elaborating our  metaphor poems. Our WALT: was to use language features to paint a picture in the readers head. Mostly I just had to find better words to make my poem more exciting and interesting to read. I enjoyed finding new and more interesting words. I really like my finished copy. I hope you like my new and  improved poem.

Astin is . . . 

 Astin is a Dolphin, smart and intelligent 

Astin is a Kauri tree, tall and determined 

Astin is a Bee, busy and helpful

Astin is the color blue, peacemaking and gentle 

 Astin is a star, luminous and dazzling

Metaphors

Last week in Te Ngahere we started learning how to write metaphors and use them in our writing. We had to write a poem using metaphors to describe ourselves. We were not allowed to use the words because and I. Our poem had to have five metaphors. I really enjoyed comparing myself with things that I like. I think I did well at using metaphors but next time I need to use more interesting describing words. I think I can do a lot better next time. This is my first draft.  

 Astin is . . . 

 Astin is a star, shiny and bright 

Astin is an elephant, remembers everything 

Astin is a tree that never stops growing 

Astin is a book, every day a new chapter 

Astin is a apple tree, each fruit is a new idea