Term Two; Wrapping it Up. What a Amazing Term We Have Had!

We have had a great term getting really stuck into learning, Reading and Writing and Maths and so much more. Developing our ideas about what makes a good city has been a constant, discussing how decisions are made and by whom and then down to the nitty gritty of designing and building our houses; it's all been a great learning adventure.

Our students are developing incredible knowledge about our local marine environments including types of more commonly found plankton. Using the microscopes and varoious identification tools has been challenging and we are also beginning to gather baseline data of these species; data which we will be able to use for comparison in subsequent visits and for years to come. These are some of the 'Alien' species we found.

As usual, lots of PosEd. in this case thinking about positive self talk. How we manage that internal monologue is so important as we approach challenges. Below are some of the comic strips we have been developing with our Survivor groups.

And, Wynton Rufer has been in to coach us in Football. So much fun, so much mud! He was very complimentary about how we got stuck into it.

Letters to The Mayor! Making Wellington Even Better!!

We have been thinking about what makes a good city from a kid's point of view. It has been heartening to see that most students like Wellington and think it already is a city with many positive qualities. But, as with most things, there is room for improvement. Finding out about how the democratic process works has inspired us to share our thoughts with our Local Government. We have met Regional Councillor Yadana Saw on a few occasions and she has encouraged student participation in decision making, inviting us to make submissions to the Regional Council Long Term Environmental Plan. Issues of concern for kids include safety, entertainment, transport and the environment. We have been writing letters to communicate these ideas and try to persuade the decision makers to take our us seriously.

Building The City:

We launched our building project on Wednesday, making architectural drawings to plan our ideas and then getting stuck into building. Stuck in literally because there was a whole lot of glue flying! After the planning and the drawing we had to purchace materials from 'The Shop', making decisions about how best to spend their funds.

Everyone was in The Flow, challenged but immersed in learning. We are looking forward to seeing the buildings and houses laid out on our city plan. Exciting! Watch this space for developments.

Mind Maps: Preparing and Planning Persuasive Writing

We have been thinking about ethical problems as part of our Inquiry, We are Explorers of the World of Ideas. The question, Is it wrong to eat animals? has made us really think and has produced some passionate arguments. Persuading the reader that your point of view is the correct one requires more than using the loudest voice. We have been unpacking the features of a powerful argument. Using passionate voice, empahatic language and logical points as well as the occasional sprinkling of facts are all useful techniques. We have used Mind Maps to organise our thinking and plan the writing. This is an example in which the author, Ewan demonstrates that he is ready to write.

Great illustrations too Ewan!

Moanamana: Trialling the new Moanamana App

Over the last few weeks we have been spending time at the Worser Bay Boat Club learning the tools for collecting Marine Science data. This, in preparation for entering into the new Marine Research data base on the Moanamana App. Now data we collect at the beach will be stored in the same place and we will be able to make comparisons with other group's data, analyisng differences and similarities over time and in different conditions. Following this approach we will build base line data for further comparisons. It is truly a wonderland when you start to look at Plankton under the microscope. There are so many questions about the species we are seeing but we are beginning to be able to navigate our way around this using other Apps like inaturalist.

Last week we launched the Waka Hourua as well as doing the Science and this week some of us sailed the Optimists, a good name for a boats used by Worser Bay kids! It was great to see our kids so confident in the water.

Perspective Paintings

We have been learning about vanishing points when drawing landscapes with perspective. Everything in the frame disappears at the same angle, to the same point. Perspective is a sophisticated concept to grasp but our students had a good go at using the ideas in these art works. Also evident are healthy dashes of Creativity!

Eastern Zones Cross Country

Today, 23 of our Year 4-6 students headed to Scot's College for the Eastern Zones Cross Country Competition. The competition was a fantastic opportunity for our kids to put weeks of training into action. Many had even been spotted out on the Scot's course over the weekend, getting in some extra practice!

The event showcased Positive Education in motion! Our kids showed Resilience as they tackled the hill and pushed through tiredness, and experienced the joy of Positive Accomplishment as they crossed the finish line. Participation in events like these support both physical wellbing and mental strength, two key pillars of Positive Health. Well done to all runners for showing up, giving it their best and supporting each other, we are proud of you!