Algebra - Visual Literacy

We have been working through Algebra Puzzles. We know that accepting challenges and sticking with a problem helps the brain to grow. We have been making our own puzzles!

We came up with a co-constructed success criteria:

Include 4 or 5 pictures
The puzzle needs a good starting point
Make the puzzle 4 or 5 lines
It needs to include some numbers
We need to remember to do the multiplication first

It needs to be simple and clear

We are producing quality work!

Bug Algebra by Kyran

Ocean Algebra by Violet

Why puzzles in Maths?

1. They develop Critical Thinking skills so that you can problem solve in different situations

2. It exercises the brain. Practising these types of puzzles helps the brain to make connections. It helps your brain get used to focusing on a single problem.

3. It will help you to be a more successful Mathematician. You will be able to apply logic to work out Maths problems successfully.

Sarah Flannery, at age of 16, won the Young Scientist of the Year award in Ireland.

This is Sarah talking about Maths and the role her parents played in her own amazing achievements.
“My parents definitely let me see that mathematics was this beautiful subject. I think a lot of people never even hear those two words in the same sentence. So they gave that to me, and they gave me, through these different puzzles, where even I thought I couldn't start out on them, they showed me, no, you have lots of tools, and techniques, and ways to visualise, and get started, and you can do it.”

Ocean Algebra by Alice

Art Supplies Algebra by Olive

Frog Algebra by Henry

Plant Algebra by Kyran

Playtime Algebra by Raife

Sky Algebra by Marcia

Locky's Football Algebra

Whakapapa Inquiry

 With the start of the new term, so starts a new Inquiry. Whilst we will continue to delve into Moana Mana throughout the year, it will bubble next to our new focus of Whakapapa, Identity, Origin and Culture.

The Big Questions that will drive our inquiry are:

• Who we are?
• Where we come from?
• What makes us unique?
• How does our culture influence us?
• Who belongs within our Whānau?

We started with a 3 sessions unpacking the central themes within this unit in Philosophy 4 Children sessions. Here are some examples of what was discussed.

Where we come from?

What is culture?

From this point, we went a step further and tried to encapsulate our understanding of what we had been discussing and represent it in an artistic form. The results were really interesting certain images and ideas came to the fore. Names, Family, Interests, Gender Identity, Part of the Earth, Flags, Respect for Others were all common themes that the children used to 

You can find some of the final products below, or come in and have a closer look in the classroom with your child.

Worser Bay Cross Country

We were all so proud of all of our students who ran the Worser Bay Cross Country. Lots of Perseverance, Resilience and Grit. Students set goals and experienced positive Accomplishment. 

Rézi: The year fours jogged down onto the beach, eager to start the race. I was watching from on top of the grass. ‘Go!’ shouted John as they set off running at full speed. I started to cheer, as they had just run past me and their first place, ran through the funnel winning the race. My stomach suddenly burst into butterflies as John called us down to the beach to line up, and start the race. ‘Ready, set….. Go!’ shouted John as I quickly thought over my plan. I was going to try jog at the start, and when everybody would be tired, I could try to sprint to the end. It backfired though because at the start I actually realised it wouldn’t work cause everybody sprinted and I knew I would end up last if I tried my plan, so I tried sprinting as well. BAD IDEA. I was exhausted by the time I got halfway through the 2nd lap, and from there I felt blood or something like that in my mouth, and my heart felt like it was going to burst. I overtook my friend, but then she overtook me and thats how it went for a little while. We finally arrived at the funnel, and in the end my friend was in front of me and as I crossed the finish, I counted what place I came and I was sixth girl in year five!

Jack: I was on the starting line “321 go!” I was off! we had to run to the big rock at the end of the beach and around a cone then run to the sand dunes. up and over I went. I was so excited I was in first place. I went for loads of high fives as I was going past. I was still in first. I was at least 5 meters away from the finish. My friend was catching up but I kept the lead yay! I came in first place. Next was the year 5's after that was done, I went to congratulate the winner…

Archie: YAAAAY!!! That was the sound of the year 4’s finishing their race. Next up was the year 5’s…I went over to congratulate the winner. Then we had to wait for the other year 4's to finish. The year 5 race is to the big rock at the end of the beach, and then start going back. When you get to the halfway point, you go up a pathway in the dune, then across the grass, then you do the same thing again.
“Can all the year 5’s come over here now?” yelled John.
This was it. This was the moment I had been waiting for!
“Okay” said John, “line up on the starting line! On your marks, Get set, GO!
We were off! I was about fourth to last, but that was only because technically everyone was sprinting, well I was just setting a reasonably fast pace. We were nearly at the rock, (Jeffery). I sped around the cone next to Jeffrey in third place, (so far). Then we raced up the dunes, and sped across the grass. Then suddenly…We were on our second lap! We jogged down to Jeffery, and then I was in first place. We sped up the dune, (for the second time) raced across the grass (for the second time), then we were on the last stretch! Me and my friend were neck and neck, Then for the last 10 metres, gave it my best... I sprinted and won the race in first place!

Marcia: “Go!!!” John shouted. I ran as fast as I could then I paced myself, getting ready for the end….
Half way there I shout in my mind as I dodge the rocks racing towards me. I finally make it to Jeffry (The rock) then I run round the cone and turn back running closer and closer to the sand dunes. I get up the sand dunes onto the grass and down back on the sand. Yes! I’m on my 2nd lap but just as I get halfway, spit gets stuck in my throat I try to cough it out but I couldn't do it so I had to stop and walk the next few metres. I didn't get it out but I felt better. When I got back onto the grass, I knew I had to keep going then I made back onto the sand and once I did my friend sprinted and went all out. I did the same, but I did not go as fast as he did and then I made it to the end and I came 4TH GIRL IN YEAR 5!

Amelia: Cross country was really fun. On your marks, go! and we were off. "Come on Amelia, you can do it, run like the wind. Go Amelia." I said to myself "remember your goal. Go, go, go." I had just gone around the cone at the end of the beach. My friend passed me. 

"Come on, you can do this. Go, go, go." Screamed Nicola. My friend passed me. I sank back to 3. Boom! I was in 2nd again. We were  side by side. Everybody was rooting for us. I had just finished lap 1. In the end, I got second. 

Mind Maps for Moanamana

Mind Maps are a great way to organise our thinking, a tool for identifying and memorising connections and  they show what we know about a subject. We have been using mind maps as a way to summarise and organise all of our learning for Moanamana.  We have been impressed with the quality of the work, much of it done collaboratively. 

It is interesting to see how knowledge can be constructed when we work together. 

Mind map and artwork!

The next step is to make a mind map about a chosen subject and to use this as a tool for planning a report. Some of the topics we are exploring are, Human Impacts on the Intertidal Zone, The Life Cycle and Reproduction of Spotties,  The Hermit Crab, Marine Reserves and many more. We are conducting research so that we can write using the 'voice of the expert' about our topic. 

Tramp With Year 6 Crew and Parents.

 Last week a group of about 30 of us braved the wet weather and launched ourselves into the hills.  The Orongorongo Valley has been a popular destination for Wellington trampers for years and we could see why.   The tramp follows a pretty gentle incline for just over 6 kilometres into the river valley.  A further 1.6 kilometres up the valley lies Turere Lodge our destination.  The hut sits on a bluff above the river, a spectacular view of the surrounding hills, in this case cloud and mist covered. 

Damp and Happy!

Torrential rain kept us indoors. According to the kids, some of the highlights of their overnight stay were: 

"Playing boardgames".  Maggie

"Playing games, sharing dinner, bonding and getting to know people" Nikita

"Playing in the river bed on the way back when I found that dead goat" Oscar

"Arriving at the hut, getting dry" Lucca

"The walk in, in the rain, it was so wet and soooo cool. I loved it!" Zen.

Crossing that bridge!

Our Learner Attribute for the term is 'I am Connected' and this tramp was all about that.  I am connected to the environment and the natural world, te taiao, I am connected to my friends and their families, I am connected to our school community, te hapori, and I am connected to my feelings. 

Feeling awe and feeling connected. 

                                             

                                             

At the river.

The team ready to leave Turere.

Misty valley.

One strange guy stayed in a tent. An alien?

On the swing bridge.

Cross Country Training

We have been ramping up our Cross Country training and working on our Positive Health. We are getting ready for our school event next Thursday. We have set training goals. 

Regular exercise has lots of health benefits for ākonga, such as:

• improving fitness
• providing an opportunity build and enhance Positive Relationships
• increasing concentration
• improving learning focus
• enhancing Positive Accomplishment
• building a stronger heart, bones and healthier muscles
• encouraging healthy growth and development
• improving posture and balance
• enhancing Positive Emotions
• encouraging a better night's sleep

The Flow

We have been thinking and learning about when we are in the flow. 

Flow By Charlotte

What is the flow? 

The flow is when you are really focused and ideas just come to you.  I am in the flow in the flow when I’m doing writing or art and maths sometimes. I get in the flow when I am writing poetry. You can get in the flow by being focused and not getting distracted by other people. You can get in the flow by only focusing on the one thing you are doing so that you're not multitasking.