BALLOONS IN THE CAR

Well fro Maths Weeks Mrs Mac posed the problem off how many blown up balloons would fit in Mr Devine's car.

Room 8 were quite serious about this math's challenge. We found out we had no real idea about how many balloons might fit. the idea of trying balloons on a similar car seemed like a good way to estimate, rather than just guess, the amount that could fit in Mr Devine's car. So Mr Cooper suggested we try his car. It wouldn't be a very good trial if all the rubbish in his car took up space for the balloons.  Wow 26 helpers cleaned his car in no time, two car-seats removed and all.

We checked with Mrs Mac about the size of the balloons and then used the balloon she approved of as a 'master' balloon. We soon learnt that the shape of the balloons meant we wouldn't fill all of the car, there would be lots of gaps.

The balloon pump didn't work that well, so we just huffed and we puffed. After lots of balloon failures we ended up with 80 balloons filling the back of Mr Cooper's car.  People had made a 'best guess' before filling Mr Cooper's car. After filling his car people were allowed to alter their estimate for Mr Devine's car. The end result was 167 BALLOONS. WOW........ a number of people came very close to that number.

We learnt:

• Balloons aren't good for stacking neatly
• Filling a car with balloons on a windy day if difficult
• Countdowns balloons were expensive at $4.40 for 40, whilst Pak n Save were $6 for 100 and better quality
• Most of us underestimated how many balloons would fit in the car at the beginning
• We learnt more about the volume of 3D shapes
• We need to have a 'master balloon size' in order to ensure the activity had some sense of fairness

MATHS WEEK IS NEARLY UPON US

It starts on the 11th of August and goes till the 15th. Click the link on the side of the blog under 'Maths Sites' to join in the fun.

HANGI

Towards the end of this term we have the school Hangi again.

Are you able to tell me the order in which the Hangi is made and why is it made in those steps? This fun online game gives you the chance to test your knowledge. Just click on the link under 'Inquiry' to the right of this page.

DAILY MATHS CHALLENGE

In our daily challenge we have sometimes been having difficulty in naming the shapes each day. On the Maths Links, on the right hand side of the blog, I have attached a great link that explains the 2D shapes we are likely to see. You can also find information on 3D shapes as well.

GREAT WAY TO COMPLETE A BOOK REPORT

Today in class the Year 4's are reading a great book called Paper Bag Princess, as part of our puberty lessons. The ideas in the book however are in our everyday society, including our class. This person has shown a novel way of doing a book report on this book. Later on this year we may look at doing similar reports on simple, but meaningful children's stories. Start thinking of some stories with special messages in them that may be good for a report. Prezi is free software you can find online.

CAN YOU CONTROL THE TURTLE?

End of term is coming and I thought we might do some work on direction and co-ordinates. See if you can control the turtle to get him to his pond. Click the link on the right hand side under 'Maths Links'

MAGNATISM

Well today was the last of the Science Activation Activities that we had to do. We were able to play around with the new magnetic kit that had just arrived at school. Playing with the metals shavings making different patterns was popular as was dealing with the magnets repelling each other.

SCIENCE

Today we looked at heat. We found there were a number of ways heat could be made. We looked at  human, mechanical or electrical means of creating heat today. Sanding a block of wood or using a rubber quickly both meant we created friction and things got hot pretty quickly. The girls tried out the hairdryer (and so did some of the boys.....I think they have used one before). The lamp also got hot pretty quickly if it was left on for a while. The skateboard wheels couldn't be kept going long enough or fast enough to make any real heat. Air going into the airbed made the valve on the pump hot if you were able to pump hard and fast enough.

 

SCIENCE

We have started some of our science samplers this week. We were able to try out electricity, testing whether objects were insulators or conductors, using a circuit we had made up. In other activities we worked with a number of examples of friction to see how friction affected the movement of various objects. We were also able to see how various forces worked in different ways to create movement. Those we have to look forward to include studying, heat light and sound.

AT WHAT STAGE OF OUR LEARNING ARE WE?

Recently we have been looking at 'what is learning?' and "what makes a good learner?'. As part of this we have in Room 8 decided upon some definitions for the various stages we could be at when talking about a skill we have learnt or are learning. Think of a skill you have and then try rating yourself using these.

TOPICS IN TERM 2

We as teachers have recently had time to start looking at our possible topics for next term. These topics are going to largely affect what you as student will do next term. On the Inquiry Link to the side is a link to some science sites. Have a look at some of these, complete the activities and games. Early next term you will get to experience one lesson in each of these areas. As a class we will then have to decide which area we might investigate further.

INQUIRY PROJECT

Finally Room 8 of 2012 have achieved the first part of their goal. Having visited Muritai School (Thank you Mr Bird for letting us come) we decided we wanted to put up some murals making the school more 'child friendly' and showing some of the history of Wainuiomata Primary. Room 8 also decided we wanted to create our own 'class sign' in order to show some of the things that meant something to us in their class. It is our hope that other classes will see these murals and then want to complete artworks and room signs of their own. 

The photos below are of the artworks that were finally put up this week. We hope to have a official unveiling ceremony in the coming few weeks to say thank you to the huge number of people, all of whom were former students and/or parents of Wainui Primary, who were involved in getting these completed.  Courtney (Mural designer/artist), Olivia (Room 8 Sign artist), Michelle (parent helping supervise student artists) Mrs Burdon, Lisa and Robyn (who got us to Muritai, Eastbourne and the old Woodhatton School), Hannah W, DJ and Hannah H (former students at school on work experience who helped touch up various parts of the murals)

A big 'thank you' must go out to Dan Totty and staff at the MMS Group who donated time and materials to ensure the artworks were graffiti proofed at no cost to Room 8.

HOMELEARNING and Basic Facts Results

Last week were the best results for Home-Learning completed and Basic Facts tests passed in Room 8 this year.  Our goal is to get better each week.

So what are you going to do to help improve our results? Use you Green Thinking Hat to come up with some ways to help yourself and others improve the classes results. Maybe we need to also use our Yellow Hat to consider the positives of what people are already doing that works and our Black Hat to consider what is not working well with what we are doing.

Double click on the page below to add a comment. Put GH, YH, RD, BLKH, WH or BH to tell us which hat you are using before writing your comment. Your comment will show up when Mr Cooper has checked it.

Created with Padlet

GOAL SETTING IN ROOM 8

Room 8 2012 had a goal. This goal was decided on after they had worked out they had a 'want'. Wainui Primary was neat and tidy. Mr Devine did a great job of keeping the school looking great with all the buildings kept to a high standard.

Christopher agreed these things were all good, but looking out his window he saw nothing that really made the place 'look like a school', in fact the place looked 'a little like a prison'. So Room 8 visited another school in Eastbourne to see what they had done to make their school 'look more child friendly'. 

Room 8 come up with some ideas to make Wainui Primary look more 'child friendly'. After considering all of the ideas, they decided on a mural for the outside wall of Room 8 to welcome visitors to the school. The themes were what cultures are strongly represented in our school now and how has our school changed in over 150 years.They had to research about the school's history and beginnings, events that happened since and the people that came to the school now. They wrote letters and  met with the principal to get permission to paint, as well as get materials and the paint for what they wanted to achieve.

They had meetings with a local art student Courtney  on designs for a mural and what their ideas could  look like. Room 8 finally got the paint and materials to begin work. Other former students who were on work experience at school, parents, Room 8 students and Courtney  all played a part in getting the murals completed. By now the class of Room 8 2012 had moved on.

Towards the end of last year Mr Cooper approached another former student to Olivia to see if she could turn Room 8's ideas into art for a 'Room 8 sign', similar to those we had seen at the Eastbourne school. Luckily for Room 8 she was able to give some of her time and skills.

People had said that we should consider getting the murals covered in anti-graffiti paint. Room 8 had looked at this but it was expensive. Earlier this year we approached the MMS Group who specialise in this sort of work, for an idea as to the cost. Dan Totty from the company advised last week that they would provide the anti-graffiti paint at no cost and Dan would do the painting himself, again at no cost.

Watch this space because in the next two weeks the class of Room 8 2012 hope to be able to finally have the murals and room numbering up on the wall.

They had a goal, after identifying a need or a want. They came up with a plan. Room 8 then looked for people with the skills, knowledge and resources to help them carry out that plan. At the beginning of Term two this year it will be 2 years since they visited the Eastbourne school. They didn't give up on their goal and looked at ways of overcoming the problems they faced along the way. Room 8 were aware that it would take time to achieve their goal, it had taken the Eastbourne school 10 years. They will now leave Wainui Primary at the end of the year with their 'special mark' being left at the school.

HOW DO WE LEARN

Here is a video of a small child trying to overcome a problem or learn. We are going to watch this in class. What does the child have to do in order to be successful in overcoming her problem? In Think Crews we are going to have a look at the whole process she goes through.
 

DEBONO THINKING HATS

Here is a little clip to show the parents what new tool we have been using to organise our thinking.

LEARNING JOURNEY

We have been looking at a number of questions about learning in Room 8 lately:

• What is learning?
• What kind of learning have I done in the past?
• How do we learn?
• What are the different ways we can learn and what learning style(s) suit me?
• What makes some things easier to learn than others?
• What are goals and how do they help my learning?
• Is copying cheating and why or why not?
• What attitudes, behaviours and skills will I need to learn?
• What is a Learning Journey and what does it involve?

Lanesha introduced us to this great song. The words in the song tell us so much about learning and being ourselves. We have spent time looking for key words and ideas in it. This song is so good that the choir might possibly be performing it later this year.

Holiday Fun

 

 

 

 

When you get bored here is a chance to practice your angles, how hard you hit and deflection you get when you hit the ball of the sides of the course . The game can be found on line or I have a version I can email to you. Be careful as I am sure it could be very addictive.