OUT OF THIS WORLD FIRSY DAY BACK! 🌎🚀

Posted on 21 July, 201521 July, 2015 by Caitlyn Downing

Today was a very exciting and action-packed day. We kicked off our inquiry studies for term three by taking the children on an intergalactic journey across the universe. Unfortunately our spaceship crash landed so now the children must plan how they will explore this new and unfamiliar planet whilst building a functional society. Who knows what challenges are around each corner! Stay tuned for some very exciting updates on our inquiry throughout the term.

The children in hub 14/15 also had another very new experience that was just as nerve wrecking as space travel. Speed dating! What better way to get all your holiday goss out and get to know your hub mates better? We provided the children with a list of questions to help them on each of their two minute dates before they were rushed onto the next. Highlight - When asked what his most precious possession was one young man answered "my brother" (awwwwww!). I think he must of known I was listening! Check out this great picture of all the fun below.

Food Gathering

Posted on 13 May, 201514 May, 2015 by Susan Walsh

What did the Maori use to carry food away from the river and ponds? This was a long time before supermarkets and plastic bags. They used the harakeke that grew by the river to make kete. We were lucky to be able to learn how to make our own kete. Does this mean we'll never have to go to the supermarket again?

Thank you to Pam or showing us how to weave harakeke.

Geometry Fun

Posted on 7 May, 20157 May, 2015 by Caitlyn Downing

We have been very busy learning all about geometry for the past three weeks in team Pohutukawa. Here is a picture of some of our brilliant children designing their own 3D shapes using nothing but sticks, blutack and determination!

Gallipoli

Posted on 27 April, 20151 May, 2015 by Susan Walsh

BANG…

“Look out!”

We run across the cold soft ground, dodging bullets. My heart pounds out of my chest, while people drop dead around us.

“We better go back!”

Suddenly my life-long friend drops dead. I run back. Blood, sweat and tears fall down my ice cold cheeks. I jump back into the trench. I feel like going home, but I know I must go on.

All of a sudden a horrible stench flouts up. I vomit. It just makes it worst. I can’t take it any more. My stomach rumbles. It sounds like a earthquake.

By Hannah

The light flashes. Red. Red. Green. The ship’s door opens. In two seconds I hear gunfire. The guy in the front is shot. Luckily I was at the back. I had to trample over him.

Suddenly I look at the bombers flying overhead. “Boom!” A grenade is thrown I see a grenade is thrown again. I am right by. It deafens me! I wipe the mud on my face. Red blood fills the beach and the water. We make progress. At 5pm we take over their trenches.

I see a head get blown off. I don’t really want to get up and shoot but I have to.

By Reuben

Exploring ANZAC

Posted on 22 April, 20151 May, 2015 by Caitlyn Downing

This week in team Pohutukawa we have been exploring the importance behind celebrating ANZAC day and why we must pay our respects to those who gave their lives to protect our country many years ago. Hub 21/22 have been busy conducting an inquiry on World War 1 and have even been building their very own trenches in the classroom! In hub 14/15 we have been looking at some of the famous poetry and letters written about the soldiers' experiences on the battlefield and recreated our own. Below is one of the poems our students wrote. Enjoy!

Pointless

Have you ever wondered, for what purpose is the war?

The fighting, the killing, there should be no more!

Nothing good comes out of it, on both sides people die!

Do you really think you’re doing a favour by killing without knowing why?

If we made a compromise the ANZACs would be your friends,

but instead you choose to fight so this war must come to an end!

This stupid war is pointless, there’s no reason we should fight!

We both just want to be back home in our beds all tucked up tight.

You realise we have family back home, looking up at the starlit sky,

hoping that when we went to war it wasn't their last goodbye.

We know you have family like us and probably lots of friends,

so for them and for us, lets put down our guns, and both of us make amends.

Written by Sadie