In a world without Maths...

Nell: 

If we lived in a world without maths we wouldn’t know were everyone lives because were would the door NUMBERS go because numbers are maths aren’t they? 

If we lived in a world without maths we wouldn’t have food that was made because measuring is maths isn’t it? 

If we lived in a world with no maths you wouldn’t have clothes because you have to count and measure how much fabric to have. 

What would you do without maths? Measuring, counting, weighing... WHAT WOULD YOU DO I WONDER?

Henry: 

Molly:

If we lived in a world without math people wouldn’t have houses because there will be no measurements. You wouldn’t know where anyone lives. You wouldn’t know how much water to drink and there would be no liquid medicine. If you live in a world with no math you would have no clothes. People won’t have toys to play with and no one would be happy.

Prototec to help kids with Maths!

What is it? It is something that kids fill in answers online to help them with their maths. It has questions.

If your kids wants screen time,  it’s a great place to practice your maths because it will help them while they get screen time.

There are loads of questions for them to fill in and there are also levels: 2-3, 4, 5, 6 and beyond!

I need to use bravery and my brain, and loads of perseverance when on it. I need these character strengths to help me get the answers right because if I get answers wrong, I can keep trying.

Kids can practice at home as we have given you the link! This way it saves paper and native trees!!!

https://maths.prototec.co.nz/

By Stella and Zac (and Anna)

Learning about maps through discussion

We have been learning about mapping and coordinates. We have been working in a helping circle so that we can learn from each other and help each other out. We are learning about how to discuss mathematical ideas in a respectful way. 

Some of our discussion...

James and Daisy: We thought it looked like battleships.

Kate: When finding coordinates you need to crawl before you fly!

Charlotte: When finding coordinates you need to crawl before you climb.

Griffin: The map is 11 by 14 or 11 X 14. It is a multiplication grid.

Rim: The area is the inside space.

Lily: Times what is on the side and what is on top (row and column).

Hadley: This is a locating map. For example, " I want to meet my friend at (J, 8) I am at (A, 2). I need to meet up with him by following directions.

We are learning from each other!

Coordinate maps

We drew a map with squares on it (a grid). We drew pictures on it like UFOs, pigs, fences or anything you wanted. We were coordinating for example, the pig is (A, 7).

By Dylan

This is Daisy's map:

Drumming with Andreas!

 Today we started drumming lessons with Andreas. We are doing this every Wednesday leading up to the arts celebration in week 5. Andreas brings in a wonderfully varied selection of drums and the students choose an instrument and join in. They are learning about counting the beats of 4 and to come in and out of a continuous piece of music with other similar kinds of drums. We had session 1 today and everyone is off to a flying start!

Making musical instruments on Friday!

This term we have been making musical instruments for the music inquiry. I am making a box guitar that when you flip around, it is a box drum. All of the materials have to come from home. You can start doing it at home if you want to but you don't have to if you don't have time which is ok with us. We are making these amazing instruments this week ( on the 27th of July) Friday
By Megan PC

This term we are having another music inquiry. All students in Mahutonga/Matariki will take part in an exciting music show.

This Friday all students in years 4-6 will be making their own instruments. Students need to have an idea of what they’re going to make.

If students don’t think they can make their instrument in one day they are welcome to start it at home.

Please bring the materials you need for instrument on Friday, that’s this Friday.

Here are some links for homemade instruments if your child does not have an idea. Next page.

Build a band hacks

Homemade musical instruments

The Musical Brain

By Stephanie

We are making instruments to play at our music festival in term three. I am making a box drum that I can sit on and bang with my hands.

You will need your own materials otherwise you will not have anything to make and nothing to play.

If you do not know what your going to make go onto literacy links, it has lots of ideas you can make something from things in in the garbage bin and out of anything - reuse recycle and even tell other people about it.

By Molly J

We are making instruments to play at our term 3 music inquiry. I am making a box drum.

A box drum is a drum but you sit on it and tap it on the front and it makes a sound like a drum. Everyone is bringing their own materials this Friday and that is when the all the craziness starts! If you want to start making your own, you can go to worser bay literacy links and look around and you will probably find something that might interest you. Go on! You know what, just look at everything you know! We do this every year, we have a festival celebrating our term learner attribute is goal setting.

By Lily

Musical Emotional Art

This week in the seniors we have been doing emotional art. We have been listening to music and drawing what we hear. The twist was we couldn't see the screen so we didn't know what type of music we were listening to it was really fun. We are doing this because we are doing a music inquiry.
By Yasmin

We are building up to our Arts Celebration in Week 5. Today we listened to some different music and noticed how it affects us emotionally and we drew pictures in response to it. 

You can listen again at home: 

Sorrow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miLV0o4AhE4
Jaws: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9QTSyLwd4w
Pride? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miLV0o4AhE4
Humour? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__OSyznVDOY
Metallica: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD-E-LDc384

Bach :https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2j-frfK-yg

Swim Sports 2018

Today we did our annual Swim Sports at Kilbirnie Aquatic Centre. Those who wanted to, competed in 50 or 25 metre events. Others had fun races and a play in one of the other pools. Thanks to all the parents who came along and helped, or supported the students. We could not do this without you!

I did swimming sports and had a choice of four races one freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. I did freestyle backstroke and breaststroke and WON all of them!! I was very proud of myself. I was doing the competitive races not the fun races. When we won one of the races we were handed a stick to take to someone if you came second or third you also get handed a stick it was very fun.
By Molly

Yesterday was swim sports, there was a competitive group and a non-competitive group. In the non-competitive group we were doing non-competitive races like water sprinting, throne, water wheelbarrow and a couple of other silly races.
By Emelia

We did swimming sports. Yay! The categories to enter were Freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly!!
...And for the non competitive kids they could do some funky challenges like barrel swimming,barrel swimming is where you get a partner and one of you are the arms and one of you are the legs and work together to get to the end and back. Our favourite was water running!!! It was so hard but so fun maybe it would be easier with water joggers but it wouldn't be as much fun so much splishing, splashing, giggling and fun!!!
It was the best day of the year!!!
By Griffin and Ruby

Stair climbing for the Child Cancer Foundation!

This weekend Stephanie and her team the Stephanie H Superstars are running up the the tallest building in Wellington to raise money for Child Cancer foundation. On her team is teacher Anna and teacher James!!!!

You can donate to CCF by following this link, or even better you can join our team and run with us! Steph is looking for more students to run with her. It is on Saturday from 3pm - 6pm in the Magestic Centre on Willis Street. Let Anna, Cath Peebles or Steph know if you are keen to run with us!

Help Stephanie's Superstars! make a difference

Whanau Day with Ximena and John

After a wonderful morning starting at the beach and watching the sunrise, we had a whānau group rotation. There were many activities like weaving, dance, art and making Māori musical instruments.

Here are some people making Porititi and Koauau.

Matariki Celebrations: Weaving Stars with Shona and Nic

Today we worked in whanau groups and worked with different people across the school. We worked with different teachers too at different times of the day.

Nic and Shona Activities

We brainstormed the names of the stars and what each star is kaitiaki of. We were blown away by what the students already knew about the different stars.

We sang the Matariki song: 

Nga Tamariki O Matariki

Waitī, Waitā, Waipunarangi,

Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Ururangi e

Koinei ngā tamariki o Matariki

(These are the children of Matariki)

Ngā whetū e pīataata i te rangi e

(The bright stars that shine in the sky)

Ngā whetū e pīataata i te rangi e

(The bright stars that shine in the sky)

We worked with buddies to weave stars. We used wool and paper plates. We knew it would be tricky so we discussed what Character Strengths we could use to overcome these challenges. Some of the ideas were judgement, perspective, kindness, bravery, perseverance and zest.

We watched the beautiful story of the Seven Stars of Matariki read by the author, Toni Rolleston-Cummins:

Matariki Celebrations

Matariki on the Beach

Today we went down to the beach at 7:00 am to celebrate Matariki. When we were at the beach we gathered round the fire and SHOUTED our maori haka and sung a song. After we listened to some people talk to us about Matariki and the maori history.

After all that we walked up the very, very steep hill to get to school. Once we were at the top of the hill at we all ate our breakfast/ kai that we had packed (mostly everybody had croissants) in Tautoru or Mahutonga. Then we all split into our whanau groups and had a brilliant day.

By Nell

Matariki Celebrations

This morning we went to the beach at 7:00 in the morning. We sang songs by a bonfire and did the haka. We were celebrating Matariki!

After that, John did a quick speech about Matariki, then we all had a walk up and down the beach to remember our ancestors that had passed away.

When we got to school, we went into our classrooms and shared breakfast with each other. Later…The bell rang. Anna said that we all had to go into Tautoru and listen to some speeches. John introduced some people that had come to talk about our ancestors like Kupe and talk about other things like the seven stars.

Dean & Xavier are some experts and knew a lot about Miramar. They told us about Kupe and how he followed the giant octopus whēke. They also talked about kupe climbing some rocks but damaged his penis. Everyone laughed. They told us about what their job is. Their job is to look at different places in New Zealand, which we imagine is pretty cool. They talked about different areas around here. We liked the idea of doing this as a job.

It was the best beach celebration that we had ever had. 

By Evan and Angus