Afternoon sports day

Marin's Poem

Poems

I love it,

When I can turn a page and start anew.

I find,

I write better poems than I ever did stories.

I think,

My words flow faster when I can write my mind.

Maybe,

I should stick to what I know.

But then!

There’s a story,

I lose my path,

I lose my way,

I’m foolish,

So many unfinished stories,

When I have finished a hundred poems.

Maybe,

I should stick to what I know,

To what I do,

I write poems.

By Marin

Wearable Arts

One of the passion inquiries in V4 and V5 is creating a unique hat. We were visited by a designer, Dianne Potter and got lots of tips.

Shaun Treeby

As part of our passion inquiries we have invited in different professionals to school to talk to us. 

Yesterday the sports group had Shaun Treeby to visit. Shaun plays for the Highlanders and the Wellington Lions.

We discovered he was taught by Bridget and Perry at primary school. He dreamed of being a firefighter when he was little. Shaun started playing rugby around the age of 11 and before that he played soccer. He loves Mexican food and likes to eat McDonalds but mostly has to eat healthy to be able to play rugby at top level. He is sponsored by Asics and Powerade and has to train everyday during the rugby season. His best try was for the Highlanders when Hosea Gear passed him the ball and he was able to create a break away try.

At the end of our interview we got to play a game of touch with Shaun.

Maths this week - Mapping and directions

Mapping Victory Park 

What you will need:

• Map of victory park 
• 3 small items to hide from home 
• List of instructions 

Your mission is this…

• You will be hiding 3 objects in Victory Park somewhere.  You will need to plan and mark on your map of Victory Park where you will hide those objects so you do not lose them.

• Using V4s door as your starting point, write a set of instructions for a buddy to find your objects.  
• You must use your knowledge of directions to map out your instructions.

• E.g. From the entrance of V4, turn right and take 7 steps forward.  Then turn WEST and walk forward 20 steps.

• Once your buddy has found your first object, they will then follow further instructions to find the second clue.

• You will need to go outside onto VP and figure out the correct amount of steps, directions and orientation so that your buddy can find your objects.

• Once your buddy has found your objects, swap with them and complete their instructions.

• Choose 2 more buddies to do this with.  Use your math book to record instructions.

Follow up game:  North, east, south west!

Workshops Week 3/4

Week 3 and 4

Class Independent Workshops

All work must be dated

Handwriting (Literacy Book) DUE Daily

1. Think about the letters you find hard to link.
2. Using the Assessing our Handwriting sheet choose what you want to be assessed on by a buddy.
3. In V4 you will find the handwriting cards. Find the letter you need to practice. 
4. Complete the practice and rule off.
5. Once completed choose a buddy of your choice to assess your handwriting by highlighting where you have completed your goal well. They also need to initial your margin.

Essential Words (Spelling Book)                                  DUE Daily

1. Each week you need to practice 6 words from your essential word list. These words need to practiced 4 times a week as part of homework.
2. If you run out of words at home get tested on the next list. On your list in the back of your spelling log highlight the words you know. Come to school the next day and in your learning portfolio highlight these words too.
3. Twice a term we are going to retest ourselves on the words we have learnt.

ON THURSDAY at 11am YOU WILL BE TESTED BY A BUDDY ON THE 6 WORDS YOU HAVE BEEN LEARNING AT HOME.

By the end of week 4 have all the essential words you have learnt retested and highlighted if correct in your learning portfolio.

Mathletics                               DUE Daily for homework

Each night and/or before school use the Mathletics modules. You can use Mathletics live to practice your basic facts.

Reading: SALT                       DUE Friday Week 3

Complete the visualisation activity about our class novel.

Holiday Postage Stamp DUE Friday Week 3

Over the holidays we often get to visit places that we do not normal get to go. Design a postage stamp to show one of the places you visited.

Your postage stamp needs to include…

1. A detailed illustration of the location visited.
2. Colours that represent the location.
3. The price of the stamp.
4. The name of the location.

Spelling Strategy DUE Friday Week 4

Complete the extra spelling work for your chosen group that is on the planning board. Do not forget to mark.

Term 4 Overview

Term 4 News

Welcome to term 4. It is going to be an exciting last term!

Passion Inquiry

This term each child’s inquiry will be driven by a passion of their choice!  We have brainstormed as a class what our umbrella topics will be and here is what we have come up with:

How do architects design new structures?

In this passion inquiry you will learn about how architects plan and design new buildings. You will then use what you have found out to plan a building of your choice.

What is your favourite sport?

In this passion inquiry you will be able to choose your favourite sport/club to investigate the history and a key player who has played for the club.

How do you make a music video?

In this passion inquiry we are going to make a music video to your favourite kiwi kids song.

How do you take an excellent photo?

In this passion inquiry we are going to learn about different techniques to be able take excellent photos of things that you are passionate about.

How can you create something that is wearable but looks wild?

In this passion inquiry we are going to be creating hats that represent something from the wild.

How do you create an excellent animation?

In this passion inquiry we are going to learn about how to make flip book animations. We will then use this understanding to create some stop motion animations on the iPads. 

Children will select one topic they can explore this term.  It would be great to hear from any parents who have any expertise in any of these topics!

Literacy

We are going to continue learning our essential words as part of our homework. The children will also have spelling strategy workshops in class time that will teach them about how words are constructed. 

Our writing programme is going to be in response to our passion inquiries and students writing needs.

Math

This term we will be revisiting all areas of maths with an emphasis on using standard written form to solve a variety of mathematical operations.  We will also be learning about tessellation's, reading maps and timetables.

P.E.

Athletics begins this term.  Whole School Athletics is scheduled for Wednesday 22 with a p/p date of  Thurs 23rd at Wakefield Park. 

Children will be learning a a range of skills and techniques for different types of sports.  These include High jump, Quoits, Vortex, Long jump and sprinting.

Commonwealth Games

Yesterday we had heaps of fun completing in the Commonwealth Games. 

Thanks R7 for joining us.

Thank you Karin for the beautiful photos

Holiday Learning

Holiday Learning

School Fair Help

School Fair

Saturday 1st November

11am to 2pm

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

V4 and V5 have been asked to organise and run a couple of games on the bottom court for the school fair. Our games are Hook a Duck and Funny Dunny.

Hook a Duck

Hook a Duck is a game where you need to fish out a duck from a small pool. Do not fear these are rubber duckies. You will be equipped with a fishing rod to hook the duck with. If you manage to hook a duck you will be rewarded with a prize.

Funny Dunny

Use the funny dunny to test you throwing and aiming ability. You will be given 3 dunny rolls to throw into the dunny. If you succeed you will be rewarded with a prize.

The children are needing some support on the day to make the games possible. They are needing help with setting up, packing and the running of the game. If you and your child are able to support the running of the game could you please indicate when you are able to help on the school return form.

Thanks,

V4, V5, Bridget and Jarryd

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

School Fair Help

Please return to school by Thursday 25th September

I ________________________________________ and my child ___________________________ are able to help with the running of games on the bottom court. Yes/No

We can help by (Please Tick)

• Sourcing the equipment needed for the game on the day of the fair 
• Setting up the game before the fair starts
• Running a game between 11am to 11.30am
• Running a game between 11.30am to 12.00pm
• Running a game between 12.00pm to 12.30pm
• Running a game between 12.30pm to 1.00pm
• Running a game between 1.00pm to 1.30pm
• Running a game between 1.30pm to 2.00pm
• Packing down a game at the end of the fair

Signed ____________________________________

eMail _______________________________________________________________________

Phone ____________________________________

Workshops Week 8 and 9

Week 8 and 9

Class Independent Workshops

All work must be dated

Hugo Reading Activity           DUE Tuesday Week 9

1. Finish your reading activity about Hugo ready to share on Tuesday

Handwriting (Literacy Book) DUE Daily

1. Think about the letters you find hard to link.
2. Using the Assessing our Handwriting sheet choose what you want to be assessed on by a buddy.
3. In V4 you will find the handwriting cards. Find the letter you need to practice. 
4. Complete the practice and rule off.
5. Once completed choose a buddy of your choice to assess your handwriting by highlighting where you have completed your goal well. They also need to initial your margin.

Basic Facts Grid (Back of small math book) DUE Daily

1. In V5 you will find the basic facts practice grid.
2. Complete the grid in the back of your little math book. 
3. You can mark it by using a calculator, SMART multiplier or the back of your literacy book. 
4. If you want to time yourself use the clock app on an iPad. Record the time next to your grid.

Essential Words (Spelling Book)                                  DUE Daily for homework

1. Each week you need to practice 6 words from your essential word list. These words need to practiced 4 times a week as part of homework.
2. If you run out of words at home get tested on the next list. On your list in the back of your spelling log highlight the words you know. Come to school the next day and in your learning portfolio highlight these words too.
3. Twice a term we are going to retest ourselves on the words we have learnt.

Mathletics                               DUE Daily for homework

Each night and/or before school use the Mathletics modules. You can use Mathletics live to practice your basic facts.

Good Friends                 DUE Wednesday Week 10

We have been learning about what makes good friends. 

Using Keith Haring’s people as a model design your own best friend. In the background write your own key statements that make a good friend.

Good Friends

We are been talking about what good friends do. Here are our thoughts.

Good Friends…

1. Play together and include everyone in their games/activities
2. Are supportive of friends and making sure all friends feel good
3. Are trustworthy and will not talk behind friends backs
4. Help out friends when in sticky situations and do not take sides
5. Talk to the friend who they have an issue with and stay out of things that do not concern them
6. Listen to issue/s are prepared to make changes and forgive
7. Are friendly
8. Do not ask you to drop other friends
9. Keeps their old friends but are able to make new friends
10. Let their old friends play with other friends too
11. Are equal and do not expect to be the leader/boss
12. Are friends with people they like rather than if they are popular

Eskine Un-Dead By Cooper

Erskine Un-Dead!

By Cooper

Every day Jimbob walks past Erskine college, the haunted school. With it’s twisted ivy and rickety iron gates. But today he notices a hatch in the ground, with strange yummy smells faintly emiting.

Without relising what has happened Jimbob rips open the door and finds himself face to face with ...    

     A ZOMBIE EATING JELLY DOUGHNUTS!

“Sup kid, want one?”.

“Ye-yes pl-please”.

As he takes the first bite his vision goes dark and all he can here is: “I must take you to the rest”.

Once Jimbob regained contiosnes, a sighn reads: Evil Zombie army. And before me is an army of zombies (my mind flashes back to a sieries of horror movies). The strange behavior of the undead was odd, but one thing was for sure, these soulless corpses loved doughnuts! Voices in the back of my head were commanding me to wake up, and for a moment I thought heavan’s gate was opening to me. But as all seemed lost I relised it was not heavan’s gate but the gate to Erskine!

Back at home Mum asks, “would you like a doughnut?”

Class Must Do Week 7/8

Week 7 and 8

Class Independent Workshops

All work must be dated

Reading iPad Activity           DUE Now

1. Finish your reading activity on the iPads.

Handwriting (Literacy Book) DUE Daily

1. Think about the letters you find hard to link.
2. Using the Assessing our Handwriting sheet choose what you want to be assessed on by a buddy.
3. In V4 you will find the handwriting cards. Find the letter you need to practice. 
4. Complete the practice and rule off.
5. Once completed choose a buddy of your choice to assess your handwriting by highlighting where you have completed your goal well. They also need to initial your margin.

Basic Facts Grid (Back of small math book) DUE Daily

1. In V5 you will find the basic facts practice grid.
2. Complete the grid in the back of your little math book. 
3. You can mark it by using a calculator, SMART multiplier or the back of your literacy book. 
4. If you want to time yourself use the clock app on an iPad. Record the time next to your grid.

Essential Words (Spelling Book)                                  DUE Daily for homework

1. Each week you need to practice 6 words from your essential word list. These words need to practiced 4 times a week as part of homework.
2. If you run out of words at home get tested on the next list. On your list in the back of your spelling log highlight the words you know. Come to school the next day and in your learning portfolio highlight these words too.
3. Twice a term we are going to retest ourselves on the words we have learnt.

Mathletics                               DUE Daily for homework

Each night and/or before school use the Mathletics modules. You can use Mathletics live to practice your basic facts.

Buddytime with M13

Today V4 and M13 had a lovely time creating mini buddies.

We had to use newspaper and tape to create a buddy half our height who could stand by itself.

Art Day With Emma

Independent Workshops Week 3 and 4

Term 3 Week 3 and 4

Martha Stewart Pop up books

How to make pop-up books!

Give it a go!  Follow these easy to manage steps to learn how to make 4 different pop-ups.

Independent Workshops Week 2 and 3

Term 3 Week 2 and 3

Term 3 News

Term 3 News

Welcome to term 3. It is going to be an exciting term. 

Starting this term, Pohutukawa Syndicate is participating in several key educational innovations. 

Modern Learning Environment Approach in V4/V5

V4 and V5 are picking up the Ministry of Education’s challenge to implement a modern learning environment. 

These environments align better with what we know about children, their learning and the New Zealand Curriculum. V4 and V5 will be utilising both classrooms and the skills of both teachers. Students in these classes will be able to move between the two rooms as the participate in the learning programme.   

The programme emphasises the important curriculum key competency of ‘managing self’. We are encouraging children to take greater control of their learning to ensure learning is more personal and relevant. 

We will be running a Wednesday to Tuesday week so we can include the Friday programme more naturally into our learning programme.  Those children not involved in extension programmes can continue on with their normal class programme.  

We have conveniently merged our two blogs together so the children can go to one place to access their workshops and for them to share what is happening in the classroom. 
The new address for our blog is v4-v5learners.blogspot.co.nz

Please take the time to pop in during the week and see our learning programme in action. The children are wildly enthusiastic and we have been pleased to note their application and thoughtful decision making. 

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) V6

V6 students have been given a unique challenge in term 3. Reflecting the vision of the Board of Trustees, Island Bay School will shortly invite all Year 5/6 students to bring a digital device to school to use for learning. We are currently planning for this to occur and developing information about this for parents. We will start our BYOD invitation (optional) in V6 in week 4. V6 parents should look out for the BYOD invitation home shortly. 

Inquiry

Our shared inquiry asks the question ‘How can we bring books to life?’. We are studying many different kinds of books and considering ways we can be innovative to make books even more exciting.

Deep Understandings

Innovative ideas can be made real by using a design process

Books come in many forms; they are not just text on a page. 

In addition, the children are also going to be involved in a passion inquiry focused on a personal topic of interest. In this inquiry they will be asked to create a question, plan their research and implement it.

Literacy

We are going to continue learning our essential words as part of our homework. The children will also have spelling strategy workshops in class time that will teach them about how words are constructed. 

Our writing programme is going to be linked into our class inquiry. We are going to learn about books and how to write different types of stories and text that can be turned into books. We will use our reading sessions to learning about the reading comprehension strategies of inferring, analysing and synthesising. We will also study different text types that will help us write excellent books.

Math

This term our number focus is going to be multiplication, division, fractions, ratios and proportions. In strand we are going to learn about perimeter, area, volume, reading different kinds of maps and creating nets of shapes. Children need to continue to learn their basic facts at home.

P.E.

On Tuesday 29th our we have our school swimming sports. We will also have a focus of touch rugby and netball. We are also using the beep run to increase our fitness for camp.

Snow Camp 

20th to 22nd August

Team Pohutukawa is going on snow camp week 5 of this term. Over the next few weeks we need to start to collect in our camp fees. In the next week your children will be sent home a note with how much their camp fee will be.

Personal Gear - individual check

Could the bolded items please be brought to school on Tuesday 5th August. We need to see this gear as part of our Risk Assessment Management Systems. We will have the Risk Assessment Management Systems available to you next term to view.

Warm sleeping bag
Plastic/metal bowl, plate, cup, fork, spoon, knife, tea towel (the children are going to be responsible for looking after and washing their own dishes, could you please help your child to name them)
Toothbrush, toothpaste, small soap, sunblock, lip balm
Towel and togs (We will go to the hot pools in Tokaanu if the mountain is closed)
Waterproof jacket (to use in the snow)
Waterproof pants (to use in the snow)
Waterproof gloves (to use in the snow)
Sunglasses or Goggles
1 trackpants
1 pair of extra long pants
Pjs
2 warm jerseys (Polar fleece and wool are best)

1 warm long socks (These will be warn on the mountain)
Polyprop/Thermal top and leggings
Beanie
2 long sleeve tops
Undies

Socks
1 pair of sturdy walking shoes
1 pair of camp shoes
Small day pack
2 water bottles

V5 Art with Gretchen

Caleb F Writing

The Important Life of a Toilet

A nuclear bomb drops onto my stomach. I try to reject this everytime this happens but I'm just to powerless.I belong to a family who decided a long time ago to (not) treat me with care.

Why I do not know. Let me tell you.Everyday I have to live with a waterfall of abominable yellow substance disposing  from something I do not know.Plus most of the time piles of nuclear bombs squeezing out of two fury peaches.But there is one of my possessors that I really can't stand.Juston Fenton is my very arch enemy he functions out three metre long bombs and two hour long yellow waterfalls.The others are at least better than him.there just like miniature mutants Deborah Fenton,Caleb Fenton and Ruby Fenton 

At least the bombs dropped on me disintegrate.Unlike grass where your trampled and mushed.You get bombs dropped that never disintegrate same with the yellow stuff.I't makes me feel better thinking about this.Next time Juston walks in ill try to be more grateful.But I stand by my word toilets are a very important item in a human life and should be treated with care.

By Caleb F

James F Writing

The Story of the Speakers 

The noise is now deafening it is so booming  next door is shouting. " Turn that off." In a gruff voice this catastrophic noise would wake any community. Suddenly,he gives up trying to help  my owners are the worst. I have two crazy bubbling parents and one jumping 6 year old child. My owners are always bad tempered,argues and is always unfair to one another.So that is that my owner is Neil Davidson.

My owner tortures me on a everyday bases is to play loud preposterous music my that my next door despises. Music from a speakers point of view. It's a bunch of language that i could not under stand . This language is a filmier sound. My owner never stops with the catastrophic music. 

I suppose I could have been a boom box,satellite dish.                                       I could have at least  accusingly  I get turned of.My owner is exceedingly sleepy. So now it's the best time of day " shut down." I think to my self as I close my connection.   

By James F

James P Writing

Who am I 

My owner Jim-Bob  stabs me with the permanent marker " OW do you even care about me?" I grumble. It feels like boiling squid ink scaring my skin and like match melting it.

I am not able to read my my Mum taught me the alphabet, so I try look down but it just looks    like little swiggles  man he is horrible at writing and he writes NOTHING like the other I think, I think he writes P-L-E-A-S-E okay I'm going good  G-I-V-E  M-E  M-O-R-E   C-A-K-E, I wish my creator gave me the abilities to read, day after day I get really ANNOYED of him stabbing me, I say to Eddie the eraser "whenever 

Jim-Bob writes something and when he is not looking use your magical powers to rub it out" I whisper to him "OK" he replies, my silver edges start to curve into a smilie. The next day Jim-Bob try's to write I am as funny as a monkey, When he turns his back my friend Eddie the eraser instantly rubs it out. As he turns back his face goes all crinkly and it looks like a volcano is about to erupt!

Well the next time he uses a permanent marker I'll try think to myself life isn't so bad because I could of been born a light or a pillow or a toilet (that would of been a horrible Life!)

                                                        

  By James Picken 

                 

Class Independent Workshops

Term 3 Week 1:2

What Am I?

My round self all alone sitting in the middle of my medium sized class. But at 9:00 it's a different story. Everyone comes down stamping all over my tummy, then sitting down and farting all over my face! Why do they think this is ok? It is not. After what felt like an hour, they finally get off stamping all over me again then sitting at their desks. But that's not the end. There is one person called Jeffrey. Do you know what he does? One time he was sitting down and some yellow liquid trickled down his leg and leaked through my stitches. Now he's my archenemy.

Every day when he sprints across my tummy I lift up my corner to trip him up, it always works. He is arch enemies with me too. He gets me back by eating his lunch while sitting on me. His lunch contains: very sticky honey sandwiches, jelly, yoghurt and orange juice. With these he spreads them out all over me he takes the lid off the yoghurt, it goes everywhere and he just rubs it in. The honey from the sandwiches drips and it's sticky. The orange juice is terrible, he can hardly drink out of a bottle so it drips and it stains. 

Well I guess it's better than being a toilet, a tissue or a diaper that would be REALLY bad, but some people should really be more careful with furniture.  

By Noah

Celebration of Learning

Te Whanau o nga Pohutukawa  

Celebration of Learning

Come and see what we have been 

learning about in our last inquiry. 

Thursday 3rd July

2.00pm in the School Hall

Art with Gretchen. The water cycle and city scapes! Well done V5, they look amazing. Jarryd