Mr Ray's Blog

A Glimpse into Child Labour

2011-11-22T19:54:00.000-08:00

In order to get the feel of what it may be like to be a child who HAS to work in difficult conditions, for long hours and for very little pay, the kids in Year 3 and 4 carried out 5 different 'child labour' activities.

The students were asked to 'put themselves into the shoes' of less fortunate children who are forced into labour, while the teachers took the role of the bossy manager in charge of quality control.

Here's a quick clip of children sorting grains of rice.

Here's one children washing clothed by hand.

From our inquiries, we've found that children how have to work are not able to go to school to get an education and a brighter, more rewarding future.

These kids are carrying water for their families. They have no shoes and have to travel a long way so they can't go to school very often.

We're looking forward to helping some less fortunate children in Cambodia and the Green Gecko Project. Help us raise money to buy them what they need to get a good education and stay off the streets.

COME TO THE ART AUCTION - 6.30pm, Friday, 2nd December.

Silent Art Auction

2011-11-22T19:33:00.000-08:00

Art Auction is Looming

COME ALONG TO SUPPORT AND CELEBRATE

Spread the word, bring your friends and family.

2nd December

Friday 6pm - 7.30pm

The artworks are varied and really looking fantasic. The art is very meaningful as all the kids have been involved and ready to hang on your wall.

Maths - Old School Style

2011-11-15T15:41:00.000-08:00

In the past 2 weeks we've been adding 2 digit numbers using the 'Old School Style' WORKING FORM. The kids have shown sound place value knowledge of hundreds, tens and ones so we were able to learn this quick was of adding.

These three boys rolled two dice, wrote down the number, rolled again and added them together. They repeated this for 5 minutes, adding the next 2-digit number they rolled to make a CUMULATIVE TOTAL.

Working together to get the correct answer.

At the end, we had mini competitions - great fun and excellent practice. WELL DONE GUYS!

Child Labout PMI

2011-11-03T19:16:00.000-07:00

Positives Minus Interesting

That's what the kids in Room 10 have had to think about when they've read different stories of children working in different conditions around the world.

Come in and check out our posters. Here's a glimpse at few posters we made using 'Pages' on the laptops.

By Eden

By Olivia

By Rosie

GREEN GECKO PROJECT : Kim Suan's Story

2011-10-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

Our Social Inquiry topic this term is about Child Labour. We will be learning that children all around the world have to do different amounts and kinds of work for many different reasons.
Many children have to work full time to help their families and miss out on education and learning but there are ways to increase their options and break the child labour cycle.

To make a difference and get involved, we will be having an art auction in Week 6 to raise money for The Green Gecko Project in Cambodia. http://www.greengeckoproject.org/

Check out this Video: The Beginning of The Green Gecko Home School in Cambodia

<p>&amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;gt;Our Social Inquiry topic this term is Child Labour. We will be learning that children all around the world have to do different amounts and kinds of work. Many children have to work full time to help their families and miss out on education and learning but there are ways to increase their options and break the child labour cycle. Check out the links on the sidebar. We will be having an art auction in Week 6 to raise money for The Green Gecko Project in Cambodia.</p>

Planet Painting for the Wearable Arts Show

2011-10-04T12:57:00.000-07:00

Over the last week, Room 10 have helped out the Senior students by creating and painting props to hang up on the stage and runway at the World of Wearablearts (WOW) Show happening this week. The kids got to research the planets and paint cooperatively using their learnt painting techniques.

The Show is set in 2100 with Astronauts looking back at an EXHAUSTED EARTH. The Astronauts are sent on a mission through time to find what needs to be done to save planet Earth from misuse and pollution.

Check them out, and come and see the show - it's amazing.

Calander Art

2011-09-12T20:52:00.000-07:00

Here's our CALANDER ART for this year. We drew and painted Eastbourne's LANDSCAPES and copied NIGEL BROWN's use of text in the boarder to show OUR RELATIONSHIP TO OUR LAND. Each child's artwork also has at least one other child's work from the classroom. The kids put a lot of themselvels into these works so would make great gifts.

Be great to get lots of orders so we can buy lots of quality learning equipment.

Check them out.

Our Report Writing Process - MADE UP DINOs

2011-09-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

Analyze other reports to SET OUR OWN SUCCESS CRITERIA.

Research, brainstorm and group ideas for our paragraphs.

Draft our paragraphs, focusing on the Success Criteria.

Self assess against the Success Criteria.

Edit, conference, revise and publish.

Come in a check out our reports on OUR MADE UP DINOSAURS - they're OUTRAGEOUS!

A Scientific look at the Age of Earth

2011-08-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

As part of our inquiry into dinosaurs the students in Room 10 rolled out a 47 metre long strip of paper which represented the 4.7 billion year old Earth (according to most Scientists) from the Big Bang to today.

Our scale was 1cm = 1 million years in time.

Students got to place key events in history

Big Bang, first oxygen, first life, first bird, first dinosaur, dinosaur extinction, first humans.

We found that 65cm (65 million years) from start of the time was when the Dinosaurs became extinct and just over 2 metres (225 million years) from the start was when the first dinosaurs were walking the planet (Scientists believe they lived for about 160 million years).

About 5 metres (500 million years) from 'today' was when the first life appeared in the oceans.

And only 1 millimetre (100,000 years) from the start was when the first humans are believed to have existed!!!

47 metres (4,700,000,000) from the start of our time line Scientists believe the Earth began to form after a Big Bang.

We got to discuss what life would have looked like at different times in the Earth's history and used books and our knowledge to help us draw life through the ages.

IT WAS VERY POWERFUL!!! - TRY IT AT HOME.

Gardening with the Lions

2011-08-28T19:55:00.001-07:00

Today, 10 students from Muritai School received $300 worth of gardening equipment from the Eastbourne Lions Club. They spent the afternoon eating, drinking tea and gardening with the Lions.

Not these lions!!!

These Lions

Here's a few of the tools that were donated.

They were given trowels, spades, pitch forks, a dozen pairs of gloves, seeds, vegetable plants, flowers and a seed raising kit.

Together, they weeded, composted and planted the new plants.

Here's them in action.

HUGE THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!!!

Rubbish Duty - ANTI LITTER BUGS

2011-08-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

To help Muritai School keep tidy, Room 10 was put in charge of moniotring and picking up litter around the school. From now on, each room will be able to take turns to be in charge of monitoring rubbish around the playground.

When it was Room 10's turn, the kids from made up a system where their cooperative group was in charge for one day of the week and then the class did a whole school sweep later in the week.

It was a bit scary HOW MUCH WE FOUND - 6 FULL PLASTIC BAGS OF LITTER!!!

To encourage kids to pick up their own and other people's rubbish a few children in Room 10 have made a plan.

HERE IS IT:

The class on rubbish monitoring gets to spot kids that are picking up rubbish around the school. They write their names on a piece of paper and put them in the Anti-Litter-Bug Box which will live in the office.

At Assembly, Tom and Xander will draw one person's name out of the Anti-Litter-Bug Box and let them choose a LUCKY DIP prize .

HOPEFULLY OUR SCHOOL WILL BE MORE ENJOYABLE TO BE IN!!!

Week 1

2011-08-04T21:53:00.000-07:00

What a big week in Room 10.

Here's a quick glimpse at what we've been up to so far in Term 3 - the Dinosaur Inquiry Term.

Bar graphing and converting fractions to percentages about the top 10 most deadly dinosaurs.

Researching and mind-mapping different deadly dinosaurs.

Printmaking in visual art.

Collecting seaweed for the compost - plants need a balanced diet too!

Cooperatively creating a multi-layered dinosaur print.

Statistics - Bar Graphs and Percentages

2011-07-10T17:40:00.000-07:00

In Maths for the last 2 weeks, Room 10 have learnt how to carry out their own statistical investigation. This entailed: Coming up with a suitable question to investigate, collecting data, tallying up, bar graphing and calculating percentages using calculators to show what they had found out.

Check out the children's investigations.

Rocket Testing - Round 1

2011-07-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

During this Term the Year 3 and 4 children have been learning all about flight. We have been experimenting and learning about the four forces of flight; THRUST, LIFT, WEIGHT and DRAG. To finish our unit of learning we designed our own rockets out of a plastic bottle. The plastic bottles fit perfectly on a home made rocket launcher which creates the THRUST for the rockets.

Last Friday we fired our rockets for the first time in a Scientific Fair Test. Rosie's went so far that it is still stuck 3 quarters of the way up a huge Norfolk Pine on Muritai Road. We measured it went 52 metres, but because it curved in the air and headed toward the Senior School, it could have gone a lot further if it went straight. CHECK OUT OUR MOVIE CLIPS

Next we are going to modify our rockets to try to make them fly further and more aerodynamically.

Rocket Science is coming to a DRAMATIC End

2011-06-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

After 8 weeks of learning and experimenting with the four forces of flight: thrust, lift, weight and drag, students in Year 3 and 4 are designing, creating and testing their very own rockets.

Here's one design described.

And another design...

To give the rockets the thrust they need, we are using a rocket launcher which is basically a steel tube connected to a powerful bike pump.

Here's a explanation of how we will get thrust.

Next week we will be test firing our rockets, attempting to make them fly a distance of up to 60 metres.

Science of Flight

2011-06-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

Testing Spinners

How can we make our spinner stay in the air the longest???

How can we fair test it to find out???\\

Looking for Leaves

2011-06-22T21:10:00.001-07:00

Some the of the Year 4 Gardeners (Rosa, Eden, Zoe and Rochelle ) have been inquiring into:

How do you make COMPOST?

Compost is very important in a vege garden. It is something you add to soil for plants to eat so they grow big and strong...and yummy.

They found out that some of the main ingredients in compost are:

Dry leaves, green leaves, grass clippings and food scraps.

PROBLEM!!! We have lots of food scraps but not enough leaves or grass clippings. Where oh where could we find leaves??? ......................................... ???????

Finally, after much deliberation, these kids thought of Mark the caretaker who seems to have a lot of leaves at his disposal everyday.

So, the gardeners sat down with him in the library, joined forces and made a plan for Mark to put the leaves and any grass clippings from around the school into the food scrap bin or directly into the compost bin. Now we can make loads of compost to feed the plants.

GREAT WORK KIDS - GOOD SOLUTION!!!

2011 Year 3 and 4 Cross Country

2011-06-21T20:45:00.001-07:00

At last the Year 3s and 4s got to run their Cross Country. The kids have been training for the last 7 weeks, running laps of the school each morning with the aim to be the best runners they can be.

Mr Skilton organised an excellent and varied track. The children got to run around Bishop's Park, over the sand dunes, down the beach and back through the park past the roaring crowd. There certainly some very strong runners and everyone impressed the crowd with their efforts and perserverence.

WELL DONE TO ALL YEAR 3s and 4s FOR GIVING IT YOUR ALL!!!

Observational Drawing

2011-06-21T20:11:00.000-07:00

We've started a rountine of doing a 10 minute observational drawing once a week. First we choose an interesting object to draw, like a piece of fruit or your hand, and look hard at lines and shade you see. Then we do a 10 second continuous line - blind drawing, a 30 second blind drawing and then a 2 minute line and shade drawing. The rule of thumb is to only make lines on your page when you are looking at the object. You can look down, but only to see where your pencil is.

Paper Plane Madness

2011-06-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

The Unit on Flight is well off the ground.

Last week we formally tested our best two paper planes in the hall. To make it a FAIR TEST, we threw them:

from the same spot,
in the same direction,
with the same thrust and
at the same angle.

We tested each dart 3 times so we got a reliable result. We measured our throws using a long tape and measured to the nearest 10cm or tenth of a metre.

Lachlan took the longest throw award with a massive 12.6 metres.

Jia Wei took the most resilient scientist award; never giving up when his plane flew -1 metres. He went on to modify his dart and flew over 6 metres.

Next, we will be designing our rockets using a 2L fizzy drink bottle. We'll be using all we have learnt about aerodynamics - thrust, lift, weitght and drag.

RESILIENCE

2011-05-26T16:16:00.000-07:00

Resilience is a quality that allows someone to stay strong and keep trying when things get difficult.

As part of homework, Room 10 have been investigating people in our lives and history who have been resilient. Each morning the kids present a news report sharing how these people have been resilient.

Here's a few pictures and short video clips of our presentations.

The Resilient Anne Frank

Haere Mai

2011-05-18T21:37:00.000-07:00

Muritai recently officially welcomed new staff members and new children to the school. Here' s few clips of the Powhiri and Haka.

Enjoy...

SCIENTIFIC T Bag Rockets

2011-05-04T20:12:00.001-07:00

WE HAVE LIFT OFF!!!!

After only launching 1 out of our 6 T-Bag Rockets on Tuesday, Room 10 put their Science Hats on a tried again.

A few of the children believed a longer t-bag would make a difference...and it did!

5 out of our 6 rockets flew up to 3 metres high.

One rocket fell over and smoldered on the ground. (See video below)

We think the rocket that tipped over didn't fly because the hot air escaped out the bottom and simply burnt on the launch pad.

Callan problem solved at home by using a different type of t-bag and succeeded in launching his rocket, but was unsure how or why it flew. (See video below)

Callan's T-Bag Rocket

After changing the size of the t-bag and testing our new theory, we discussed the results and concluded that hot got trapped in the bottom of the t-bag and forced the smoldering t-bag to launch into the air.

We are learning that SCIENCE TESTING is all about only changing one thing at a time in our experiments so we can see what makes a difference.

WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE SCIENTIFIC ACTION.

Rocket Science Has Begun!

2011-05-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Science week we tried out our new Rocket Launcher.

We were expecting big things when we read the instructions and it said we needed 150 metres of space. So Mr Ray trotted down to the Rugby Club to test it out when no one was around.

It looked the part - aerodynamic, menacing and well designed.

It had clear instructions - we needed to fill the rocket 50 - 70% full of water...

...and pump, pump, pump,...

...stand back...

...then pull the trigger!

It turned out the goal posts 100 metres away was a bit ambitious. The rocket only flew about 10 to 20 metres, much to our disappointment.

This poor result required a few of the teachers to put the SCIENCE HATS on and problem solve.

What went wrong?

It turned out the pump was faulty and leaked air so the bottle couldn't get enough pressure to launch into the air far enough.

So for today's launch we upgraded and used Mr Devonport's bike pump which worked better...

...but still not as we'd hopped.The the rocket flying between 20 and 30 metres horizontally.

What next??? Heavier nose cone? Less or more water??

All in the name of Science!

It's Not Rocket Science! - Yes it is!

2011-04-28T17:04:00.000-07:00

Haere Mai.

Welcome back children to Room 10.

This Term is getting into the nitty gritty of learning - we're going deep!

Week 1 is National Science Week. We are celebrating as a whole school on Tuesday with the FIRST ROCKET LAUNCH using our new rocket launcher.

Then we are beginning a Term long SCIENCE Unit studying the FORCES OF FLIGHT.

We aim to:

Learn how an aircraft flies.
Carry out a series of scientific experiments to explore the the forces of flight.
and then use our knowledge to design, create and test our own rocket using the rocket launcher!

HERE'S SOME other HIGHLIGHTS FOR TERM 2

As part of LITERACY we will be reading and writing lots of INSTRUCTIONS and EXPLANATIONS, following and reflecting on different science experiments. There will be lots of thinking, observing, measuring and reflecting as we carry out the different science experiments.

MATHS will be about addition and subtraction, measurement and statistics. Students will need to be able to measure accurately to the nearest metre, centimetre and second in their science experiments.

During VISUAL ART we will be delving deep into the finer points of painting, studying a model artist and creating some wonderful artworks of our own.

PE for the first half of term will be DAILY Cross country training, in preparation for the BIG RACE in Week 6. Later in the term, we will be developing our ball skills - throwing and catching.

Check out the Year 3/4 WIKI on the BLOG throughout the Term for fun videos, games and information from our in class learning.

Muritai v Wellesley - Year 4 Cricket

2011-04-12T20:48:00.000-07:00

Having only narrowly been beaten by the Year 5/6 team 3 weeks ago, Muritai's Year 4 cricket team thought they were in with a good chance when they went up against Wellesley's Year 4s.

Wellesley won the toss and decided to field first. Muritai started batting strongly, playing straight and accumulating runs on a slow out field.

Straight bowling and some good catches by Wellesley saw Muritai's middle order find a bit of trouble, with several wickets which slowed the run rate.

However a last wicket partnership between Tom and Lincoln steered Muritai to a respectable total of 45. Lincoln batted beautifully, hitting fours and sixes all round the park and earned himself man of the match.

Chasing 45, Wellesley started very well, with several fours and good running.

Muritai fielded excellently, keeping the pressure on the batters causing a few run outs. A couple of drop catches ended up being the difference between winning and loosing.

Wellesley ended up scoring 57, winning by 12 runs. The kids had a great game, with lots of fair play and good sportsmanship.

Rapping up our Diegstion Inquiry

2011-04-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

A group of children from Room 10 created a RAP SONG to explain how our Digestion System work. They worked creatively and cooperatively hope to present their song to the other Year 3s and 4s.

Ready to rap.

Chewing the food.

Mixing into a squishy ball.

Down the esophagus.

And into the stomach.

Absorbed into the body and out through the intestines.

Then round and out the... (giggle, giggle)

We are beginning to plan a shared lunch for next Thursday. The food we choose to bring, has to be food that our digestive systems will thank us for.

Watch this space!

Where does food go in our body?

2011-04-03T13:53:00.000-07:00

The kids in Room 10 have been investigating what happens to food in our body. To share our learning, each cooperative group was set the task of creating a 3D MODEL of the DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.

This cooperative group stood out because they were very creative and cooperative. They created their model with a picture of a girl on the front of a box and a model of the digestive system on the inside, so when you opened it you could see what the digestive system would look like.

GREAT STUFF GIRLS!!!

HERE IT IS!

To share our learning, we also used the computers to create labeled diagrams.

Above is a great example of a labelled diagram of the Digestive System. Jia Wei used KidsPics to create this diagram all on his own. GREAT WORK JIA WEI!

A New Enviro Project at Muritai

2011-03-28T13:04:00.000-07:00

These kids have begun work on an exciting new project at Muritai School. Their aim is to grow vegetables in the school gardens and use the produce to create nibbles for an Art Auction. The money raised will be used for more gardens and garden equipment.

Yesterday, some of these Enviro leaders researched which vegetables they could grow at this time of year. They then drafted a letter to send to a local chef (Adrian Hornsby). The children asked him what recipes they could use and if he could be part of the project.

These three upcoming leaders helped begin work on a new project at Muritai School. They spear headed a team of Year 4s who are in charge of clearing the land of weeds and old plants, making room for new vegetable seedlings.

This week they will be finding keen gardeners to help dig compost into the soil so the plants have lots to eat and so the vegetables grow big and strong.

WATCH THIS SPACE!!!

What makes RICH and INTERESTING Writing?

2011-03-07T19:44:00.000-08:00

Room 10 have been analysing several different pieces of writing, tyring to figure out WHAT MAKES RICH and INTERESTING WRITING.

We found lots of different things help make writing interesting, but two things stood out for us:

SIMILES

DESCRIBING WORDS (adjectives)

SIMILES AND ADJECTIVES helped give us images when we read and helped to capture our imagination.

To practice using similes and adjectives Room 10 was set a challenge to describe Muritai's far field, pretending they just got off a space ship and landed on Earth and had never been there before. We used our senses when we explored the field and described what we saw, heard, felt and smelt to a buddy before writing a descriptive recount of what the field was like.

Here's a few of our first drafts:

The Field

I wandered through the gate at Muritai School on the field I saw towering trees blinding me like beautiful emeralds shining down on me and seagulls with breasts as white as snow. Cars and buses roared like lions. Cicadas were creaking like doors in an old mansion. The sun was as red as fire. A mixture of happiness and excitement shot through me.

Written by Alexander

The Field at Muritai

I wandered through the far field. I saw a tree with dribbly blood, a dead cockroach on a thick green branch. I hear a roaring cicada like lions, I saw a blue flag waving to me.

Written by Jia Wei

Reading and Mind Mapping

2011-03-02T19:29:00.001-08:00

A big part of reading this term is to FIND and RECORD SPECIFIC INFORMATION from non-fiction texts. We are also learning to create MIND MAPS to record the main ideas in a logical and useful way.

This week we read an article about the world's rarest bird: the Kakapo. We identified what the main ideas in the article were and then wrote short notes for each main idea on our Mind Maps.

We decided as a class to inquire into WHY the Kakapo is so rare.

We found some interesting information!

We then went on to read an article about some other rare animals at Wellington Zoo and attempted to find out WHY these animals were endangered.
Here's some clips of Room 10 working in buddies and recording their ideas on Mind Maps.

A Budding Artist from Room 10

2011-03-01T19:27:00.000-08:00

Check out a talented young artists work and the steps they took to produce something brilliant.

Picasso Art - Drawing

2011-02-22T18:12:00.000-08:00

Our next step is to mix shades of colour and paint our still life artworks.

Learning with Modern Technology

2011-02-21T18:45:00.000-08:00

A big part of learning these days is using computers and other technology.

Room 10 were set with the task of creating a P0RTFOLIO COVER PAGE using the computer programme COMIC LIFE. They had design a poster with specific titles and images that showed their unique interests.

Each child had to learn how to search the internet for pictures, copy and paste images and save their work onto the school's server. A tough task, but they showed how savvy this generation is when it comes to computers.

WELL DONE ROOM 10.

Below you can see three great examples of our portfolio covers.

A Caring and Cooperative Class

2011-02-09T18:05:00.000-08:00

THE CHILDREN IN ROOM 10 are VERY CARING and COOPERATIVE

A great way to learn is in cooperative groups.

This allows chidlren to share ideas in a safe environment, learn from others with different abilities and have the chance to take on leadership roles

In the photos you will see groups of 3 or 4 children analysing good examples of writing, highlighting what they like the most and explaining why.

You will also see shared writing.

Our 6 cooperative groups wrote a short story or recount about their first day at school pretending they were a frightened five year old on their first day, standing at the doorway of their new classroom.

Below is the short story that was nominated as the most interesting to read:

We were attempting to use the features we liked in writing we analysed.

Written by Rochelle, Zoe, Lachlan and Rosa.

My First Day at School

I wobbled to the doorway, I froze. The children stared at me, some looking excited, some amazed! The next second, the teacher invited me to a free desk. I crept forward slowly, scared. I got asked to stand up the front and introduce myself to the whole class.
“H-Hello,” I stammered. “My name is D-Daisy.”

The teacher asked me to come and sit down on the mat. “Hello class,” the teacher said. “Today we will be adding numbers to make higher numbers.” Suddenly, I felf a tap on my shoulder. It was Poppy, one of the youngest children. “Would you like to play with me?”
A sudden burst of comfort shot through me. “Sure,” I said in a relieved voice. School was so much fun.

Driftwood, stone and seaweed scultpures

2010-12-05T18:08:00.000-08:00

EOTC WEEK HAS BEGUN

Today the Year 3s and 4s kicked off 'Education outside the classroom' week with cooperative sculptures at the beach.

CHECK OUT THE WINNERS - who get a small edible prize

Year 3 - Winner

Dylan and Tim

Year 3 - 2nd Place

Andrew, Ben and Paige

Year 4 - Winner

Monty, Mathieson and Euan

Year 4 - Second place

Amy, Willow and Georgia

Most creative Winner

Lucy, McKenzie and Ella - Sushi Shop

Mini Carnival for the Orphans

2010-11-28T18:35:00.000-08:00

This Thursday is the MINI CARVIVAL

The Year 3 and 4 classes have been busy cooperatively planning a stall or a game to make money for some the Orphans in Nepal. In groups of 3 or 4, the kids had to come up with an idea that would raise money at a mini carnival for the Senior kids of the school.

They:

Brainstormed ideas.
Did some critical thinking.
Changed and revised their ideas so their ideas were possible and effective.
Made posters using the laptops to try and LURE the Senior kids.

Cooperative planning and poster making

Potato Garden continued...

2010-11-28T18:10:00.000-08:00

This was 6 weeks ago...

We planted potato seed inside tyres stacked 2 high...

This is today!!

Ahhhh... they're sprouting out of control...

We need to build the stacks higher...Let's get some more tyres.

Ready to build up so we can have more potato chips.

Stars for Starship Hospital competition

2010-11-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

The finalists of the Year 3/4 STARS for STARSHIP competition.

Tomas Pajo from Room 10 - congratulations!!!

These fantasitc stars will be sent away to decorate the STARSHIP HOSPITAL and to go in the running for prizes.

The New Potato Garden

2010-11-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

Step One: Collecting tyres from the local mechanic.

Step Two: Stock Piling

Step Three: Setting out the tyres to grow the potatoes in.

Step Four: Fill the tyres with compost and soil,

place 2 seed potoatoes and cover with 5cm of soil.

Step Five: Wait......Oh, sprouts!!!

To be continued...

Thursday = School Athletics

2010-11-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

As Year 3s, the children in Room 10 will compete in the SCHOOL ATHLETICS this Thursday 11th November at Petone Rec.

What time? 9.45am to 2.30pm.

Representing Room 10 in the class relay is

Macey, Helena, Tomas and Jake.

We hope to see lots of family and supporters to help make it a real community event and a memorable day for the kids.

Tectonic Plate Sculpture

2010-10-18T19:46:00.000-07:00

"In my sculpture of tectonic plates, it is making a mountain and an earthquake.  It is like India and Asia (making Mt Everest), it is like a snail slowly forming a mountain, maybe even a volcano."

Sculptured and written by Ben

Rich Poetry

2010-10-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

Waves crashing –

It is eagles repeatedly screaming,
energetically, breathing non – stop

CRASH. BASH. CRIMP. TICKER.
It is an army charging closer and closer
towards the sad and salty shore.

SMASH. MASH.
People are squelching
in the energetic watery waves.

By Helena

Study of Nepal and Poetry begins

2010-10-13T21:57:00.000-07:00

Room 10 have begun their Term 4 inquiry into Nepal. Check out the Year 3/4 Wiki. Because Nepal is prone to earthquakes, as is New Zealand, we chose to learn about Plate Tectonics and how the world moves and is put together.

We have also begun to read and write poetry. Here are a few poems that we wrote today inspired by out inquiry into Plate Tectonics. We are learning to use a variety of language features to give the reader rich images (and hopefully make them cry).

What language features can you spot?

Tectonic plates – 
Like a swirling, slimy, slivering snail

like waves coming near you when you're going to shake away with the sandy shells.

CRASH!  The plates crash like cars crashing into each other.

It is tiny insects running towards each other when a big tornado soaks them up

once there in the middle together.

By Mia

Tectonic plates – 
Like an angry three horned tyrannosaurus 
Crashing at someone, 
Slipping and sliding.

It is a whirling, twirling ice cream machine, 

going crazy.

Like a whale gliding 

across the ocean

By Georgia

CONSERVATION WEEK

2010-09-29T14:59:00.000-07:00

Room 10 celebrated the recent Conservation Week in a variety of ways:

Carrot Harvesting

Carrot Taste Testing

Garden Carrots vs Supermarket Carrots

...hmmm...which is best?

Garden Carrots Win! *Just!

Maths Treasure Hunt - NESW

Beach Clean with our Big Buddies

Fort Building on the Beach

Celebration of the North West Wind

Royal NZ Ballet visits Muritai

2010-09-08T01:32:00.000-07:00

Today, a dozen or more athletes from the Royal New Zealand Ballet danced in front of the kids at Muritai. They demonstrated how they warmed up and how they learnt and practiced different routines. They then performed a series of different styles of ballet dances.

Simply amazing!

2010-08-26T21:22:00.000-07:00

Room 10 are quickly becoming little artists.

Today they sketched the landscapes from the beaches of Eastbourne, taking a close interest in the lines they saw that the hills made. They then planned which areas would be lighter or darker and which hills they wanted to be bright and stand out. Once back in the classroom, the little chiddlers transferred their lovely line onto equally lovely card and used different painting techniques to create different colours and effects on their artworks.

Here they are.

The Process of a Painter

2010-08-26T20:05:00.000-07:00

Connor's Landscape drawing and Painting

Wacky Animal Inquiry - Information Reports

2010-08-23T21:10:00.000-07:00

In Room 10 we are continuing to develop our research skills.

Here you can see children reading and finding specific information, taking notes, writing paragraphs of information and creating Information Reports in the form of posters or pamphlets.

Top-Hat Making for the Production

2010-08-23T20:40:00.000-07:00

Pyramid Maths

2010-08-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

When the Cat's away, the Mice will play.

While the Year 4s were away, the Year 3s had a play. The kids in Room 10 for maths made a pyramid and learnt more about ARRAYS and MULTIPLICATION.

We started with a 9 X 9 base, then added an 8 X 8 layer, followed by 7 X 7, until finally we placed a single block on top.

We talked about squaring numbers and tried to remember some of them.

Mummification Information Report Writing.

2010-08-10T02:42:00.000-07:00

Room 10 are researching all sorts of stuff about Ancient Egypt.

These talented young kids researched, took notes and wrote superbly detailed information reports to explain HOW MUMMIES ARE MADE. They wrote them with paragraphs that linked to each other, rich topic words, detail to support the reader, variety of sentence starters and a plethora of punctuation.

They recored their information reports for you to enjoy and be amazed.

Mummification...continued.

2010-08-09T23:34:00.000-07:00

Mummification - How is a Mummy made?

2010-08-09T00:08:00.000-07:00

Jake, Riley and Emma: The winners of the COOPERATIVE SILENT PLAY to show HOW A MUMMY IS MADE.

Cooperative learning is a big part of today's curriculum. The children learn cooperative skills in different learning contexts. This context was within our Inquiry into Ancient Egypt.

Check out the winning Silent Play.

Year 3 KapaHAKA

2010-08-08T23:40:00.000-07:00

The Year 3 boys and girls presented some of their learnings from their weekly Kapahaka sessions with Mr. Chadwick.

The girls sang and used the rakau sticks, backed by the boys who did themselves proud when they finished it with their Ka Mate Haka.

The inquiry of Ancient Egypt has begun in Room 10

2010-07-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

The guessing game...

What's under there?

What do you know about Ancient Egypt? Kids in Room 10 had to rove the room and guess what the six partially hidden pictures were about. They then made a list of what they knew, and what they wanted to know about Ancient Egypt.

Our six topics of Ancient Egypt

Now that our minds are going and we want to know more...In reading and writing we are improving our research skills and learning to write information reports.

MUMMY RESEARCH - Taking notes from the internet.

Riley's notes

Science Testing - Puddles

2010-06-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

McKenzie, Tomas and Andrew wanted to find out... Which liquid would make the biggest puddle.

They found out Oil made the smallest puddle. All the other liquids they tested made puddles twice the size. Excellent Fair Testing you three.

SCIENCE - FAIR TESTING

2010-06-07T22:43:00.000-07:00

In science, we are inquiring into how solids, liquid and gases can change.

As part of our inquiry, we have decided to test five different liquids. Cooking oil, sea water, tap water, white vinegar and milk. In our first investigation we are trying to answer: Which liquid evaporates the quickest?

To do this we got some of each liquid in five different containers and planned to measure the liquids level each week.

As a whole class we learnt about fair tests and why we need to make the test fair. To test these fairly we thought we needed to :

Have the same size containers.
Have the same amount of liquid.
Measure the same each time.

We now want to answer these questions in our next Science Investigations:

Which liquid makes the biggest puddle?
Which liquid will boil first?
Which liquids will freeze?
Which liquid will boil first?
Which liquids has the coldest/hottest 'little lumps' (molecules).

Landscape Painting - Pencarrow Head

2010-06-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

Hi.  During this term we have been learning different painting techniques such as: feathering, pointillism, scraping and water wash.  We have also been experimenting with primary colours; seeing what colours and shades we could make.   

Here's a couple of Landscape Paintings that we did of Pencarrow Head. We used our different techniques, colour mixing skills and our understanding of shade to make our paintings look 3 dimensional. 

Come in and check them all out.

BALLOON MAGIC

2010-05-19T21:14:00.000-07:00

Science Experiements begin in Room 10

We've begun to look closely at solids, liquids and gases. We've learnt that everything is made up of tiny little lumps called MOLECULES. During the next 5 weeks we will be experimenting with ways to upset these little lumps and change SOLIDS to LIQUIDS, LIQUIDS to GAS and vice versa.

Our first experiment was quite exciting; we inflated up a balloon using vinegar and baking soda. The baking soda reacted with the vinegar, releasing carbon dioxide into the balloon.
HERE WE ARE.

Exciting Sentences - Interesting Adjectives, Adverbs and Connectives

2010-05-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

In writing, we've been learning to make our sentences really exciting for the reader.

The kids in room ten had to change short simple sentences into amazingly descriptive and exciting sentences.

Here's what we started with:

Maui sat fishing. The sun sped across the sky.

And here's a few examples of our exciting sentences.

Sadly, Magical Maui sat fishing, meanwhile the lavery sun raced across the clear sky. By Thomas D

Powerful angry Maui impatiently sat fishing. The flaming, boiling, hot sun quickly raced across the clear, blue sky. By Emma

Maui angrily sat fishing, with his angry brothers, Maui did not have a lot of fish. He looked up at the clear, blue sky. He saw the fiery sun quickly race across. By Luke

Buddy Conferencing with Room 22

2010-05-12T21:49:00.000-07:00

A huge part of writing is EDITING. Editing for punctuation, editing for spelling, editing for grammar...editing, editing, editing (says the teacher)...and it is a hard one to master.

So we called in some EXPERTS. Our buddy class from Room 22 came to give us a helping hand to edit our Maui and the Sun stories we have written. Thanks so much Room 22.

Painting - Abstract Art

2010-04-27T16:27:00.000-07:00

In writing, Room 10 have been learning about VERBS and ADVERBS and how they can make our writing more interesting. We have also beginning to look at different painting techniques in art.

So, we created an ABSTRACT ARTWORK by flicking, hurling, throwing, dribbling, dripping paint (VERBS - what we did). Some kids did this carefully, others did it ruthlessly, violently, artistically, slowly or quickly (ADVERBS - how we did it).

CHECK IT OUT!

World Maths Day

2010-04-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

Check out the Year Threes working cooperatively to solve problems during World Maths Day. There were 17 hands on problems for the children to explore and figure out in only one hour...Lots of thinking!

Last Day of Term 1

2010-03-31T17:38:00.000-07:00

Here's a glimpse of the LAST DAY OF TERM 1, 2010 in Room 10.

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday kids. See you next Term; ready to get stuck into learning. From Mr. Ray.

2010-03-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

In reading and writing we are beginning to find out how stories are written and how they are put together. We found that most authors write their stories using a common structure. (Character, setting, problem, action and outcome).

To help us learn how stories are written and structured, Room 10 made freeze frames to recreate the classic myth - How Maui Slowed the Sun. We were trying to make EFFECTIVE and DRAMATIC FREEZE FRAMES, so we though it would be a good idea to:

Use facial expressions,
Use large body movements, and...
Have different heights.

CHECK THEM OUT!

2010-03-17T21:11:00.000-07:00

The Chilly Year 3 and 4 Swimming Sports

2010-03-14T19:02:00.000-07:00

In Room 10 we have been using our senses to collect information and then write an interesting description of a place. We have been learning to use interesting describing words and a variety of sentence starters to make our writing more enjoyable for the reader. CHECK THEM OUT!

Chicken Nugget Library - By Tomas

Today I was surprised because we were going to the library. When we got there I felt sandpapery tables. Suddenly, I smelt cheesy chicken nuggets. The I felt hard number plates.

Our Library - By Suzanne

In the library, the pretty pretty library, I suddenly heard noisy, chatty, screaming children who were like elephants. The tables felt hard like a tree. On the wall there were beautiful pictures.

The Letter Library – By Macey

All of a sudden, I found myself in the library, I saw some mightly snapping sharks hanging on the ceiling, and then ever so slightly, all of a sudden I heard tremendous noisy feet coming in. While that was happening I fell over and landed on the most silkiest thing I had ever felt; it was a very lovely silky bean bag.

Then suddenly I felt like going to the library corner, I smelt this little box, it had this very oily smell; I was sure it was some nugget creams. My favourite thing in the library is the books. I especially like the cool chapter ones the best!

The Field at Muritai - By Maya

Yesterday I explored the field. I saw towering trees that were blowing like the wind and croaking cicadas living in them. Suddenly a cicada fell to ground. It smelt of a fearsome and rotting, fishy, smelly, black rat. It was sad. After that I felt rough leaves, when suddenly I heard this weird sound - it was an echoing, barking dog. Then I felt smooth wind through my hair, I felt like a great bird.

The Far Field at Muritai - By Pra-Wa

I rushed to the field and I hear an echoing barking dog next the towering trees. Then I look up to the sky – croaky flying cicadas was singing in the sky. I smelt a fresh sea breeze around the trees, it smelt like seaweed. Also I felt bumpy hard ground. It made me laugh.

2010-03-01T20:21:00.000-08:00

The kids in Room 10 have been learning to throw and catch better. We have been practicing our skills when we play T-Ball. Milly seems to be an exceptionally big hitter (two home runs!).

2010-02-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

In Room 10 we have been learning to draw 'what we see, not what we THINK is in front of us'. We are concentrating on line and shade and are producing some really WICKED still life art - there could be some wonderful artists around Eastbourne in the future.

CHECK THEM OUT!

Donkey Pooh!

2010-02-17T15:05:00.000-08:00

Room 10 and Room 22 have buddied up and will be working together throughout the year. They will be working on a variety of different projects, such as; designing and painting a garden post and creating a vegetable garden at the back of Room 22.

Here are a few photos of a couple of kids from Room 10 and Room 22 digging in the donkey pooh so when we plant our vegetables they'll have something to eat. Glad I'm not a vegetable!

Room 10's BFG freeze frames

2010-02-08T16:17:00.000-08:00

We have begun reading Roald Dahl's novel: The BFG. The kids in room 10 identified the most important moments of the story so far. They then worked together in their cooperative groups to create a freeze frame for one of the moments.

See if you can tell who is who.

Haere Mai

2010-01-31T16:46:00.000-08:00

Welcome everyone to Room 10 for 2010.
Room 10 has a new teacher this year!

Thankfully this is not him; this is his nephew.

Unfortunately (for the kids) this is not him either.

This is him!
Hi my name name is Hayden Ray and I have been teaching children for almost four years. I'm looking forward to setting up a classroom where children are inquisitive and feel engaged in their own learning. I imagine a classroom environment where children are respectful of others and feel safe to be their best selves.

Keep a weekly eye on our blog to see some of the things that the children get in to.