Observational Sketches
On Thursday for art, we went outside to draw trees. Our focus was observing what we could see and then drawing it. We zoned in on the tree trunk and branches.
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Term 2 Hub Newsletter
It was great to welcome the children back to school yesterday. We hope everyone had a refreshing break. This post outlines important information about the term ahead.
Morning snack and water: As part of the initiatives being put in place to increase student focus across the school, we are making some changes to eating times. The children play first and then eat back in class, at interval and lunchtime. This means their morning tea is eaten at 10:50am. If your child needs a snack before then, they can eat a fruit, vegetable or bread snack at 10am, between maths and reading. This snack must be put in their buckets at the start of the day and it needs to be a quick eat.
All children need to have a named drink (water) bottle at school, that they will keep in their bucket. It was great to see a number of children with these on Monday. We would like everyone to be organised with bottles of water by the start of week two.
Learning Conferences: We are looking forward to catching up with you all at learning conferences in week 3. As your child has different teachers for maths and reading, as well as their home-group teacher, who focuses on writing, it is tricky fitting a conference into 15 minutes. We ask you to allow 30 minutes for your Year 7 & 8 conference. This will give enough time for your child to share their learning across a range of subjects with you, and for you to touch base with your child’s home-group teacher and maths teacher, and possibly their reading teacher. If you have yet to book a learning conference, please go to www.schoolinterviews.co.nz and enter the booking code zxg6a, or give Jackie a call in the office.
Cross Country: Cross country training started on Monday. Our focus is for all children to participate to their potential and our training is designed to meet the varied abilities of our children. Please make sure your child wears suitable shoes for running. Our school cross-country is on Wednesday May 11th (next week), in the afternoon. If you are able participate on Wednesday afternoon, by helping to be a marshall, please email Tracy
Winter Sport: Winter sport begins in Week 3, Friday 20 May. We have 13 teams travelling to Hagley Park this year, which is fabulous. In the Intermediate Hub we have two football teams, two netball teams and two hockey teams. Thank you to Sonja Sintmaartensdyk, Jenni Adams and Fred Simpson for coaching/managing teams this year. Trials are being held this week to decide on teams, and then it will be straight into training. Hockey and rugby players require mouth guards and hockey and football players require shin guards. Those travelling will incur a bus charge. The bus will leave school at 12:35 (with the travelling children eating at an earlier time - no lunch orders that day!). Games will begin at 1:15 and will be at Hagley Park, apart from hockey. We have yet to be notified where we will be playing for hockey, either Spreydon Domain or Nunweek Park. We aim to be back at school by 3pm.
Basketball: We have three teams entered into basketball competitions at Pioneer Stadium, one team on Monday and two on Friday. Practices get underway at 12:30 break times this week. Games begin in week three. Both Friday teams, (the Ballers and the girls team) will be playing in a zone competition at Hillview next Monday afternoon, from 12:30. If your child is in one of these teams, and you are able to help with transport, please email Nicky.
Writing: We are underway with our first writing topic of the term. This is a persuasive piece of writing based on a dream holiday accommodation. The exemplar is posted at the end of this newsletter. Please discuss with your child their ideas for the location and features of this holiday home. They will start writing at school on Wednesday. Please ask your child to show you what they have written at the end of Thursday.
The Science and Technology Fair will showcase the children’s learning in science at the end of this term. Our science focus is on energy. We will spend the first few weeks of term immersed in learning about this broad topic. Mid-way through the term, the children will each choose a science project to work on, based on an aspect of energy. This individual project, which will include a practical component, will be worked on both at school and at home. More information will come out to guide topic choice in a few weeks.
The Kauri Choir will be ramping up their rehearsals this term. We are working towards our performance at the South Music Festival in week nine, Tuesday 28th of June. Ticketing details will be released soon. It is very important that the members of the choir are practising at home. We will be performing eleven songs, two of which are our individual pieces. All of the choir members have had a powerpoint shared with them through Google Classroom; they are able to access the lyrics and music from here. Please encourage your child to practise as much as possible. We look forward to performing for you all later in the term.
Self-defence: We are excited to have Lynda Maindonald from Self Defence NZ working with our Year 8 girls this term, on Wednesday afternoons. Lynda has been running self defence classes for our Year 8 girls for a number of years now. The girls have found these sessions to be very empowering and enjoyable.
People-savers course: For three Thursdays, starting next week, each homegroup will have one day focused on learning basic first aid skills with a trainer from Red Cross.
Spelling: At learning conferences, you will be given the list of Commonly Misspelt Words, with indications of which words your child still needs to learn. These words will be tested at school at least twice this term. Once the children achieve 100% they are exempt from future tests. This list of words can also be found on the spelling tab on this blog, so the children can start learning these words at home this week.
Dunedin camp photobooks: The 44 camp books that were ordered at the end of last term, arrived yesterday. If your child has not brought yours home yet, it is waiting for them to collect in the Think Tank. If you have not sent money to school, $27 will be added to your account.
Show-case evening: On the evening of Thursday June 30th, we will be holding our annual Year 5 - 8 Showcase. This is an opportunity for our performance groups to share their talent. Groups performing will include the choir, Te Whanau Mahi Tahi, the drama passion group and a group from the band. We will also be sharing outdoor education experiences.
Cashmere High Open Day: Tuesday May 24th from 4 - 6:30 is an opportunity for families to look around Cashmere High and hear the principal, Mark Wilson, speak. Mr Wilson will also be coming to one of our team huis to talk with the children and answer their questions.
Leadership Awards: We congratulate the following students who will receive leadership awards at our Celebration Assembly (9:30 - 10:00am) this Friday.
Bronze: Liam, Vita H, Olivia P and Amos
Silver: Oakley, Dominic, Lachlan, Breeze, Iluka, Conor P, Oliver, Oskar, Jessica, Zoe, Ruben, and Georgia
Silver: Oakley, Dominic, Lachlan, Breeze, Iluka, Conor P, Oliver, Oskar, Jessica, Zoe, Ruben, and Georgia
You are most welcome to attend this assembly. It follows the Welcome Assembly that starts at 9:15.
Term 2 Diary
Mon | Tues | Wed | Thurs | Fri | Sat / Sun | |
1 | 2 May | 3 | 4 Year 8 Girls’ Self defence starts | 5 | 6 Welcome assembly Our assembly | 7/8 |
2 | 9 Hockey coaching Bball Zone Tournament | 10 Canty duathlon | 11 Cross Country | 12 People Savers Forest, all day | 13 | 14/15 |
3 | 16 Hockey coaching Zone netball trials | 17 | 18 Zone CC 9 – 11:30 Year 8 Girls’ Self defence | 19 People Savers Coast, all day | 20 | 21/22 |
4 | 23 Hockey Coaching | 24 Cashmere High Open Day 4-6:30 | 25 Year 8 Girls’ Self defence | 26 People Savers Mts, all day | 27 | 28/29 |
5 | 30 Hockey coaching | 31 ICAS Science | 1 June Year 8 Girls’ Self defence | 2 | 3 | 4/5 |
6 | 6 Queens Birthday | 7 Teacher only day | 8 Hockey Festival Year 8 Girls’ Self defence | 9 | 10 | 11/12 |
7 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18/19 |
8 | 20 | 21 | 22 Canty Cross Country am | 23 Court Theatre Matariki | 24 School Disco | 25/26 |
9 | 27 | 28 South Music Festival | 29 | 30 Year 5 – 8 Showcase | 1 July | 2/3 |
10 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 / 10 |
Writing Exemplar
This writing assignment is due on Friday May 13th.
Success Criteria:
- Use personal pronouns, e.g. you, your, us
- Write in present tense
- Include strong verbs
- Organise ideas into paragraphs
- Use persuasive tools such as: repetition, rhetorical questions, quotations and / or alliteration
Do you need a break from the hustle and bustle of city living? Do you need to be surrounded by tranquility and nature? Do you need a well-deserved break? The Tree-house of Tranquility is where you need to be. Escape from the reality of your everyday life in this woodland paradise.
Welcome to your home away from home! After a brief tramp through the Waipoua forest, you will arrive at your destination. Nestled in a clearing of beech trees, kowhai and silver fern, the Tree-house of Tranquility sits proudly. The majestic kauri, that is the heart of this home, is surrounded in a glass cocoon, ensuring a comfortable stay, no matter what weather nature decides to turn on for your holiday.
Let us go on a tour of your holiday retreat. Starting outside, you will find a babbling stream flowing over a bed of rounded pebbles. This peaceful stream fills a refreshing swimming hole, the perfect place to cool off after a bushwalk or awaken you from an afternoon doze. For those of adventurous spirit, the swimming hole can be entered via a water-slide that wraps itself around the cylindrical exterior of the Tree-house of Tranquility. Staying outside, you will notice the large flat rocks that surround the swimming hole, nestled within the moss and fern that edge the pool. These sunbaked rocks are a perfect place to lie back and view the many shades of green that make up this beautiful forest. Or if you would prefer a more cushioning seat, make your way inside the House of Tranquility and venture up to the third floor.
On the third floor of the Tree-house of Tranquility, you will find the sky-walk bridge. This bridge leads you beyond the glass exterior, to a floating circular deck, furnished with luxurious cushions that surround a deep piled rug. From this vantage point you can lie back with an engrossing novel, selected from our extensive Tree-house of Tranquility library, or simply enjoy the birdsong of the forest from the chorus of tui, bellbird and kaka.
Inside the Tree-house of Tranquility, five floors of luxurious living await your discovery. Two levels are devoted to sleeping zones, one specifically designed for the young at heart. Giant leaf-like hammocks, accessed via climbing steps carved into the bark of the mighty kauri, will ensure your off-spring enjoy a peaceful sleep. Baskets brimming with forest themed toys, such as remote controlled weta, will entertain your children for hours. Climbing on the travelator, that winds its way around and up the inside wall of the glass cocoon, you will find: a rustic themed kitchen and living room with all the modern conveniences, an entertainment floor, where the glass exterior of the Tree-house of Tranquility will be transformed into a 3D movie screen and finally, a sky top observation deck where you can relax, perched at the top of the forest canopy.
Week 11 Team Whanau Koru Blog
We wish you all a very happy restful holiday with the little ones. No doubt they will be more than ready for a break after one term at school.
Announcement:
We are thrilled to announce that Andrea Swanson will join Team Koru in Term 2. Rowena will be teaching 3 days a week and Andrea will release her for 2 days a week on Thursday and Friday. This is so Rowe can continue her work as Mutukaroa Co-ordinator. Andrea has many years teaching experience including teaching New Entrants last year at Beckenham. Many families will know Andrea already as she worked in Team Koru last year.
Drink Bottles
Next term it would be great if all the children remembered to bring a named drink bottle to school daily. Please encourage your children to put these in the tray provided as part of their morning routine.
Picnic
Thanks to all of you who made it to the picnic yesterday. The children had a lovely time on the adventure playground and were so excited to see you. It was a nice informal way to get together. A trip or trips out in the future are definitely on the cards.
The Three Legged Cat by Margaret Mahy
Tom the tabby cat dreamed of seeing the world, but he had only three legs. Mrs. Gimble was a boring widow that wished Tom would just sit still. Mrs. Gimble's brother Danny loves to travel the world, but his trusty hat is getting old and it isn't as warm. It is only by chance that all three get their wishes. Danny mistakes a sleeping Tom for his fuzzy hat and takes off to travel the world. His new "hat" is very warm and Mrs. Gimble's new "cat" is very still. Tom finally gets to see the world. The funny story of chance shows that anything can happen.
The visuals in the story aide the reader in making guesses as to what will happen next. The first page shows Tom all curled up sleeping. A few pages later, the reader gets to see Danny's hat, that looks a lot like Tom. When Danny visits Mrs. Gimble, he takes off his hat and there is an orange fluffy ball on the top of his chair. This makes the reader question whether or not the fuzzy item is a hat or a cat. On Danny's way out, the illustrator reveals Tom's face on Danny's head. On the following page, Tom is awake and his peg leg is showing. This type of crazy situation would make kids laugh a lot.
The characters in this book are very realistic. Mrs. Gimble is a grumpy lady who enjoys the comfort of her home and cares very much about what others think of her. Danny on the other hand is a wanderer. He loves to travel and has no permanent address. The illustrator makes the differences in their personalities very clear through their clothing. Mrs. Gimble wears conservative pink clothing that blends in with the rest of her house, which is also pink. The similarity of her clothing choices and house decorations show her narrow-mindedness. Danny's clothes contrast Mrs. Gimbles house well, with bold colours like red, black and blue. His vest and choice of hat show his love for travel as they look like they belong in a different culture. This story uses funny characters to introduce different types of people to children in an appropriate way.
Camp is nearly done.
Just when we thought the days couldn't get any better, they did.
We spent this morning at Carisbrook School, in friendly competition and creative expression. Firstly the competition. The basketball was fiercely fought and deservedly won by Carisbrook. Next up was touch, where Beckenham dominated. The decider was the softball, and yes we were victorious. The trophy will be coming back with us to Christchurch. Carisbrook were fabulous hosts and it was awesome seeing the children interact so positively with each other. The real bonus of the morning was the Brophy Ariel Silks programme which is running at Carisbrook. Jenny very kindly offered to run a session for our children (and some adults) and they absolutely loved it! The morning wrapped up with a delicious lunch provided by Carisbrook.
Waving enthusiastic thanks to the children and staff at Carisbrook, we climbed aboard our buses and headed into town. Our next destination was the long awaited Cadbury's visit, which lived up to everyone's expectations. With chocolate lining our tummies, we went on to explore the beautiful railway station and sports museum. Our final visit was to the Otago Early Settler's Museum. By this stage, we were all pretty bushed, but the interactive nature of the museum had everyone buzzing again. It has been a lovely evening here in Dunedin, so we headed off back to the beach for some more fun in the sandhills to wrap up the afternoon. Yet again, our wonderful parents put on a fabulous spread for dinner, then we settled down to be entertained at our camp concert. We laughed, we wowed and some of us even cried; what a talented bunch we have in Te Whānau Kauri!
That's it, we are nearly done. What an awesome week it has been. A huge thanks to all our fabulous parents. We have loved spending the week with you and have hugely appreciated the contribution you have made, especially in the catering dept. Tomorrow we head to Oamaru to experience the steam punk culture and have fish and chips for lunch. We should be back in Christchurch by 5ish, but will send a more accurate time through to you once we leave Oamaru.
We spent this morning at Carisbrook School, in friendly competition and creative expression. Firstly the competition. The basketball was fiercely fought and deservedly won by Carisbrook. Next up was touch, where Beckenham dominated. The decider was the softball, and yes we were victorious. The trophy will be coming back with us to Christchurch. Carisbrook were fabulous hosts and it was awesome seeing the children interact so positively with each other. The real bonus of the morning was the Brophy Ariel Silks programme which is running at Carisbrook. Jenny very kindly offered to run a session for our children (and some adults) and they absolutely loved it! The morning wrapped up with a delicious lunch provided by Carisbrook.
Waving enthusiastic thanks to the children and staff at Carisbrook, we climbed aboard our buses and headed into town. Our next destination was the long awaited Cadbury's visit, which lived up to everyone's expectations. With chocolate lining our tummies, we went on to explore the beautiful railway station and sports museum. Our final visit was to the Otago Early Settler's Museum. By this stage, we were all pretty bushed, but the interactive nature of the museum had everyone buzzing again. It has been a lovely evening here in Dunedin, so we headed off back to the beach for some more fun in the sandhills to wrap up the afternoon. Yet again, our wonderful parents put on a fabulous spread for dinner, then we settled down to be entertained at our camp concert. We laughed, we wowed and some of us even cried; what a talented bunch we have in Te Whānau Kauri!
That's it, we are nearly done. What an awesome week it has been. A huge thanks to all our fabulous parents. We have loved spending the week with you and have hugely appreciated the contribution you have made, especially in the catering dept. Tomorrow we head to Oamaru to experience the steam punk culture and have fish and chips for lunch. We should be back in Christchurch by 5ish, but will send a more accurate time through to you once we leave Oamaru.
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| Friendships forged over the chessboard. |
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| Giving our all on the basketball court. |
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| Victorious in the touch. |
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| Sandy showing us her graceful side. |
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| What flexibility! |
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| Thanks for the delicious lunch Carisbrook! |
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| Admiring the beautiful railway station. |
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| Chocolate filled tummies. |
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| Experiencing life in the 'olden days'. |
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| Leaping for joy in the sand dunes. |
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| Jarred shared his sign language talent with us all. |
Koru Newsletter, Term 1 Week 10, 2016
Koru Picnic on Thursday
Join us for our Koru picnic on Thursday 14th at 12.00. We will have a play on the adventure playground in the park and then eat on picnic rugs. If raining, we will have an inside picnic, fun activities and story session. Parents, Grandparents or other whānau are welcome. BYO packed lunch. Children can bring normal lunch-box lunches.
We Get There Together!
Over the last fortnight, we have been more collaborative across both classes. As well as our daily Maths sessions, we work together in reading too. Students have been showing great self-management as they move to different rooms to work with different teachers. The collaboration means that children get to work at their exact point of learning. They are getting to know and make friends with different children too!
In our wellbeing sessions, we talk about our key Kete values of 'getting there together' and 'showing we care'. We've practised this by pairing children from room 10 and 11, and working on our phonics pictures and songs.
Reading next week
On Wednesday and Thursday, we will be working through letter sound and word assessments with the children. On these days, your child will bring home a book they have read previously. Enjoy reading this with them. You may also like to practise reading your first 30 words and letter sounds (flash cards provided by Rowena during Mutukaroa interviews).
Parent Helpers
We are looking for parent helpers who can assist with putting reading books away, making resources and games. If you are able to help out, please talk to Amanda, Rowena or Charlotte. Thanks to those who have already volunteered to parent help!
Have Fun Reading with Dr Suess!
Join us for our Koru picnic on Thursday 14th at 12.00. We will have a play on the adventure playground in the park and then eat on picnic rugs. If raining, we will have an inside picnic, fun activities and story session. Parents, Grandparents or other whānau are welcome. BYO packed lunch. Children can bring normal lunch-box lunches.
We Get There Together!
Over the last fortnight, we have been more collaborative across both classes. As well as our daily Maths sessions, we work together in reading too. Students have been showing great self-management as they move to different rooms to work with different teachers. The collaboration means that children get to work at their exact point of learning. They are getting to know and make friends with different children too!
In our wellbeing sessions, we talk about our key Kete values of 'getting there together' and 'showing we care'. We've practised this by pairing children from room 10 and 11, and working on our phonics pictures and songs.
Reading next week
On Wednesday and Thursday, we will be working through letter sound and word assessments with the children. On these days, your child will bring home a book they have read previously. Enjoy reading this with them. You may also like to practise reading your first 30 words and letter sounds (flash cards provided by Rowena during Mutukaroa interviews).
Parent Helpers
We are looking for parent helpers who can assist with putting reading books away, making resources and games. If you are able to help out, please talk to Amanda, Rowena or Charlotte. Thanks to those who have already volunteered to parent help!
Have Fun Reading with Dr Suess!
“If you never did you should.
These things are fun and fun is good”
These things are fun and fun is good”
~ Dr. Seuss
One sunny day, while swimming in a pool, my husband and I overheard a lady proclaiming to the world that Dr. Seuss’ books were absurd and should not be read to children. Her reason: incorrect use of the English language. Oh lady, you’ve really missed the whole point, haven’t you?! Here are five reasons you should love Dr. Seuss, including his absurdity:
1. Great for Beginning Readers and Mastering Phonics
A child who is learning to read is learning to connect the sounds that go with letters so that he can then put them together to make words … which then become sentences. Repeating sounds frequently, help a child master this skill. Dr. Seuss is the master of repetitive sounds and engaging stories, while using limited vocabulary—an ideal combination for a beginning reader. A good example: Hop on Pop.
2. Great Read-Aloud Books
Thanks to his clever rhyming, Dr. Seuss’ books sound great when they are read aloud. Did you know that reading to an infant helps with brain development, speech skills, and bonding between parent and child? There are a lot of Dr. Seuss books available in board book format (Bright and Early, Board Books), which are the perfect size and durability for little hands and curious mouths. Example: Put me in the Zoo
3. Great for Reluctant Readers
Sometimes the hardest part of reading is getting your child to read. I think you would be hard pressed to find a child that would not be entertained by the sheer absurdity of Dr. Seuss’s wacky plots and zany characters. Example: I Wish that I Had Duck Feet. Sometimes a little fun and excitement is all that is needed to get kids reading.
4. Great for Teaching Life’s Lessons
With enchanting worlds and wonderful creatures, both familiar and unfamiliar, Dr. Seuss teaches readers many admirable life lessons. Example: The Lorax is a great book for teaching children the importance of taking responsibility for the earth.