Hi Wonita!

Thanks for your message. Your books and report are on the way. The pool sounds great. It has rained here for the last two days. We had a surprise party for Annie today. Have a great Christmas. We hope Santa is good to you and Riven.

Popcorn for Christmas

On Wednesday we will be making popcorn. We are going to thread pop corn to put on the Christmas tree and make special Christmas containers to put our popcorn into. We will use a cone net to make our containers. Watch and listen to this video!




And this one too!

What Makes the Popcorn Pop?
Moisture + Heat = Popped Corn
Popping corn is a type of corn which explodes from the kernel and puffs up when heated.

Here's how it works:

Each kernel of popcorn has a tiny amount of moisture and oil at its starchy heart, inside a strong outer shell that keeps the moisture from escaping.

When we apply heat to popcorn kernels -- by exposing the kernels to very hot air or hot oil -- and bring the temperature inside the corn up past the boiling point, the moisture in the kernel turns into steam. The steam is under a lot of pressure, trapped inside the moisture-proof hull of the corn.
The pressure continues to increase until the breaking point of the hull is reached. The hull breaks open rapidly, causing a sudden drop in pressure inside the kernel. There is a rapid expansion of the steam at the same time, which expands the starch and proteins inside into an airy foam. As the foam rapidly cools, the starch and protein set into a crispy puff.
In short, popping corn is a bit like the lid blowing off a pressure-cooker, if you forget to lock it down.


Here is a picture of our net.
Click on the Christmas tree to find out how to make a popcorn garland.

Christmas Baskets

On Friday we made Christmas baskets using a cube net. Instead of the top square on the cube shape, we added a handle, We are waiting for Santa Claus to visit our classroom on Thursday afternoon. Christmas pictures added the finishing touch!

Making Yoghurt with Aggie

WALT's ...
view and discuss the process of making yoghurt
identify the steps
record the steps/sequence on a flow chart using pictures and captions
sample the yoghurt and discuss the taste

Today Aggi came in to make yoghurt with us. This was the process. We used a flow chart to record the process.

1. Sterilize the milk. Even though your milk has been pasteurized, it will still contain bacteria. Pour milk into a pot . Use a metal spoon for stirring. Heat the milk until it is almost boiling. You'll see small bubbles form around the edges and steam beginning to rise. Keep checking the temperature: It should be around 82-85C. Aggie goes by feel.
2. Cool the milk to grow the yogurt. Allow the milk to cool at room temperature . Stir frequently to make temperature checks more accurate. Don't proceed until the milk is below 49C and don't allow it to go below 32C . Aggie tests it and now knows the feel of the correct temperature.
3. Warm the starter. Let the starter yogurt sit at room temperature while you are waiting for the milk to cool. This will prevent it from being too cold when you add it in.
4. Add nonfat dry milk, if desired. Adding about 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk at this time will increase the nutritional content of the yogurt. The yogurt will also thicken more easily.
5. Add the starter. Add 2 tablespoons of the existing yogurt
6. Put the mixture in containers. Pour your milk into containers. Cover each one tightly with a lid.
7. Allow the yogurt bacteria to incubate. Keep the yogurt warm to encourage bacteria growth. Between 41C and 49C is ideal. Aggie used a chilly bin and containers of hot water. She also used towels to wrap around the containers. Keep the yogurt still during this process. It can take anywhere from 8-14 hours to incubate.
8. Refrigerate the yogurt. Place the yogurt in your fridge for several hours before serving. It will keep for 1-2 weeks. If you are going to use some of it as starter, use it within 5-7 days, so that the bacteria still have growing power. Whey, a thin yellow liquid, will form on the top. You can pour it off or stir it in before eating your yogurt. Aggi told us she uses a thin tea towel to strain it. She leaves it so that the whey drips into a bowl.
   

Making Natural Yoghurt

Today we used one of these yoghurt makers to make our natural yoghurt for our smoothies. Yesterday we made a sweet vanilla yoghurt and compared the taste to natural yoghurt. We discussed how we would get used to eating the sourer yoghurt if we didn't eat sweetened yoghurt. Some of us were looking hard at the nutritional panels at lunchtime to see who had the healthiest yoghurt. We found a new word today... incubator! It means an apparatus in which environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, can be controlled, often used for growing bacterial cultures, hatching eggs artificially, or providing suitable conditions for a chemical or biological reaction.

Next week a parent is coming in to show us how they make their yoghurt at home. She is going to use a chilly bin as the incubator.

Find Out About Christmas and Play some Games!

Letter to Santa

Letter to Santa

Click on the letter to Santa to go to the NZ Post website and write a letter or email Santa. Let him know about the goals you have achieved this year and the new goals you are planning to set for Term One 2009. Maybe , if you have been really good you could ask for something special!

Santa Claus

WALT
... write a description of Santa Claus using strong adjectives and verbs
... understand the significance of Santa Claus and where he originated

Click on Santa to learn more.

This a poem we are using to write character descriptions of Santa

'The Night Before Christmas' but originally it was titled 'A Visit from St Nicholas'

He was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his sack.
His eyes how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow.
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face, and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump,--a right jolly old elf--
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself.

Written by Clement C. Moore in 1822 as a Christmas present to his children.

Father Christmas is called different names around the world. The most popular name now-a-days is Santa Claus.

Austria: Christkind ("Christ child")
Belgium: Sinterklaas
Canada: Santa Claus; Père Noël ("Father Christmas")
Denmark: Julemanden
Estonia: Jõuluvana
Finland: Joulupukki
France: Père Noël ("Father Christmas");
Germany: Weihnachtsmann ("Christmas Man"); Christkind in southern Germany
Hungary: Mikulás ("Nicholas"); Jézuska or Kis Jézus ("child Jesus")
Italy: Babbo Natale ("Father Christmas"); La Befana
Netherlands & Flanders: Sinterklaas
Norway: Julenissen
Poland: Swiety Mikolaj
Portugal: Pai Natal ("Father Christmas")
Russia: Ded Moroz, "Grandfather Frost
Spain: Papa Noel
Sweden: Jultomten
Switzerland: Samichlaus
United Kingdom: Father Christmas; Santa Claus
United States: Santa Claus

From http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/Xmas/santa.html

Advent

Click on the advent calendars to find out what is behind each date. Visit these sites each day. We will check them out at school too.

What is advent?
Advent is the start of the Christmas season. It begins on the Sunday nearest November 30 and lasts four Sundays. The date it begins changes from year to year. As a result, so does the length of each Advent season.
(This year the first Sunday in Advent is Sunday November 30, 2008)

The word advent, from Latin, means "the coming." It is a time of spiritual reflection as well as cheer and anticipation. This time includes the ceremonial lighting of candles in the Advent wreath.

An Advent wreath is made from greens to symbolize continuous life and contains four candles— three purple and one rose. Often a fifth candle (white) is added to the center of the wreath for lighting on Christmas Eve, in celebration of the birth of Jesus

Yoghurt Label Designs

We developed our criteria together after looking at other labels
We need...

• Colourful picture
• Catchy title (easy to read and eye-catching)
  
• Nutritional panel with energy, protein, fat (total and saturated), carbohydrate (total and sugars), sodium, calcium
• Border around nutritional label and where needed
• Information about the yoghurt
• Bar code (if wanted)
• Placement of text,tables, picture, title (juxtaposition)
  

Dairy Product Web

Never Never Land Pantomime

Today was the senior syndicate's dress rehearsal. What a fantastic performance. We really enjoyed it. Their first performance is tonight at 7.00pm and the second tomorrow night at the same time. Good luck and break a leg!

ROOM 9 DANCE

As their light wavy arms swayed to and fro, my mind bubbled with thoughts, one of them was that I knew the music made me want to go somewhere, but I couldn't think where, so I sat there thinking and listening. As they gracefully moved into place I suddenly felt relaxed. Not long after I was staring bug-eyed at the stage nearly asleep. I loved the moves as they glided across the green lighted stage. I could see they had been practising for a long time because if they could make me nearly go to sleep they could make anyone do anything. They pranced around to the song of nature that was playing.
Dara Year 3

NATURE DANCE

I liked Room Nine's dance because I like nature.
I liked them when they were in groups.
I was so scared when the lights went off.
I liked it when the lights changed colour.
Everything sounded like nature.

Blair Wilkins
year 3

The Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Matty's reflection from the Pantomime

The curtains open and I felt nervous. I saw three hundred people. in the audience. The middle syndicate was watching as well. I started saying my words. At one point I felt so scared, i nearly fell over

I had three colours on my face - black, white and grey. Guess what? I kept the same face paint on for the card dance! I was the tree of clubs.

I really thought my parts in the pantomime were cool because I was allowed to become another person. in my first scene I was the Mad Hatter and in the next scene I got to be the three of clubs so I had to change character and costume quickly and get into role

Matty Year 4

Yummy yoghurt is healthy for you and me
One-celled organisms
Good bacteria in yoghurt
Healthy for you
Used to feed people
Reuse and recycle plastic pottles
Tubs of yoghurt are yummy scrummy

Ngaio Year 3

Yae! Yoghurt is healthy for you because its got calcium in it
One-celled organisms
Good dairy yoghurt has living things in it
Healthy bacteria is in yoghurt
Used with fruit sometimes
Recipes have yoghurt in them sometimes
Types of yoghurt are good for you - probiotics (acidophilus)

Emma Year 4

Taste Tests

WALT... use our senses to describe different yoghurt on a bubble map
... write an acrostic poem to describe yoghurt
... view the labels on our pottle of yoghurt locating the type of bacteria eg acidophilus
... discuss the parts of the label & nutrition facts panel
... create an advertisements for a new yoghurt or a label for a new yoghurt using a title/name of the yoghurt, colour to attract attention, slogan, nutritional facts, description of product, bar code, juxtaposition(placement) and any other mportant information needed
Today we tasted a variety of yoghurt, then wrote at least 9 words or phrase to describe the experience. We also wrote an acrostic poem for writing. We worked in a group to view the packaging/label on the yoghurt pottle. We discussed the visual features on the label, such as title or name of yoghurt

Yoghurt is a healthy food because it has good bacteria
One-celled organisms make yoghurt
Good yoghurt is fermented
Helpful bacteria live in yoghurt
Using yoghurt is a good idea
Reuse and recycle old yoghurt pots
Tell everyone about yoghurt

St Claire , Year 4

Yoghurt S.C.A.M.P.E.R

Imagine that you are a manufacturer of yoghurt, and you were looking for new products.

• Substitute - some ingredients, materials, packaging etc
• Combine - mix or combine ingredients eg fruit, nuts, biscuits, sweets etc
• Adapt - alter, change function, use part of another product
• Modify - produce yoghurt for fiffernet people/animals/? Produce different shaped packaging ?
• Put to another use - water slide( makes it slippier)? A game?
• Eliminate - eliminate ingredients or remove sugar or fruit or packaging
• Reverse - rearrange the way it is marketed, or make other dairy foods as well as yoghurt

Scamper

This week we are going to use S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
WALT
... ask questions that require us to think
... think between the lines to develop our critical thinking skills
... develop new ideas using our imaginations
... work co-operatively with a partner
Guidelines - SCAMPER

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Primary and High Sch Education language writing

Reports & Notices

I have completed all Room Ten reports. They should be going out on Friday all going well. I will keep you informed. I enjoyed reflecting on each child's year. Thank you to all the children for their hard work and effort this year. To parents, thank you for all your support over the year as well.

The children should have a notice home asking for parent-help for walking down to the Lake Wanaka Centre for the dress rehearsal for the senior pantomime, on Wednesday. Please fill the slip in and return tomorrow (Tuesday). We will be leaving school about 11.45 am and will have lunch either at the park or in the garden area at the LWC.

Writing - Opening my present

Today we wrote about opening a gift. We brainstormed lots of strong adjectives and verbs that we could use.
WALT
... use strong adjectives and verbs
... write a snapshot in time
... plan using a web or bubble map
... proof read and edit our work
... share our work with a friend or class

When I got to open my Christmas present I opened it up gently. I felt it first. I stared at the Christmas wrapping and the curling ribbons. I heard a rattling sound underneath the Christmas wrapping. The paper crackled as I opened it.
Samantha Year 3

It was something I had always wanted. It was in a plain bag. I felt it and it was very smooth. I pulled it out. It was a grey laptop. I jumped around with glee. My Dad plugged it in and I played until I had to get off. I was really sad to leave the best present ever!
Jake Year 3

It was my birthday. Yae! I ran to the living room, looking forward to opening my presents. That's when I screamed, and "Twenty presents just for me!" One of then looked particularly good though. I went towards it, staring at it as if it were an alien intruder. I shook it and shook it again, trying to work out what it was. The shinning golden glimmering paper shone in the sunlight. As slow as a turtle, I carefully opened the paper.
Maia Year 4

The present was heavy and hard to squeeze. I shook it with excitement. The warapping was colourful. I shook it and squeezed until I could find out what it was. It felt like a game to me and then I finally unwrapped it.
Nadia Year 3

It was Christmas morning. I woke up early. I crept into the lounge. It was silent. I tiptoed over to the tree. Suddenly the door burst open and my two brothers rushed in. We got into a fight about who was going to open their presents first. My present was ... rectangular, hard, curious, rattly, had a bow and was clattery. Finally it was my turn to open my presents. I got a giant remote-control car!
Nic Year 3

My present rustled. My heart beat faster. I tore and tore at the wrapping paper. It seemed like ages waiting for the surprise present to open. It opened to reveal a book of 'Folk and Fairy Tales'. I gasped in surprise. Excitement filled my lungs.
St Claire Year 4

The gold wrapping paper sparkled as I ripped it open. A huge silver bow was just one of the many obstacles keeping me from uncovering the treasure. Excitement filled me like a Sunday's bacon and egg treat. I stared hard at the huge cardboard box I had unwrapped.
Courtney Year 4

My eyes opened. I rushed to the living room. When I was the Christmas tree my heart skipped a beat. There were piles of presents all around the Christmas tree. I ran through to Mum's room and woke them both up. I was really, really excited.
Ngaio Year 3

Biotechnology - Yoghurt

We looked up the definitions of these words in the dictionary and on line.

bacteria, texture, denature, coagulate, custardy, metabolism, ferment, lactic acid, by-product, one-celled organism, acidic, yoghurt

bacteria - single celled organism (can be harmful or helpful)
texture - the feel or look of something eg yoghurt has a smooth texture
denature - to change the nature or natural qualities of. To make it unfit to eat or drink without destroying it
coagulate - change from liquid to solid
custardy - having a custard-like taste
metabolism - The chemical changes that take place in a cell or an organism that produce energy
ferment -something, such as a yeast, bacteria, mould, or enzyme, that causes fermentation (of sugar to carbon dioxide and alcohol by yeast)
lactic acid - a colorless liquid produced as milk sugar ferments and milk sours
by-product - something produced in the making of something else
one-celled organism - a a living thing with one cell that has (or can develop) the ability to act or function independently
acidic - being sour in taste
yoghurt - An easily digested fermented milk product

What is Yoghurt?

What is Yoghurt?

Bacteria are one-celled organisms. They produce one or more kinds of acid as by-products of their metabolism.

Some bacteria are used in making fermented foods; most of these bacteria produce lactic acid. It is the lactic acid which gives most fermented foods its taste. One example of a fermented food is yoghurt. If lactic acid producing bacteria are added to milk, they use the sugar in milk for food and make lactic acid as a by-product of their metabolism.

The lactic acid grows in the milk, making it taste sour and causes it to become thicker. It gets thicker because the proteins in milk denature and coagulate, giving a custardy texture to the milk. When this occurs, the product is called yoghurt.

We will look up and discuss these key words on Monday:

bacteria, texture, denature, coagulate, custardy, metabolism, fermented, lactic acid, by-product, one-celled organism, acidic, yoghurt

You might like to discuss the last two postings with family and friends over the weekend. Maybe you could have a look at the ingredients in a pottle of yoghurt and the nutritional value of yoghurt. Be prepared to discuss your findings on Monday!

Technology - Biotechnology - Yoghurt

What is biotechnology?

BIO- refers to life, of living things

TECHNOLOGY – refers to applying scientific knowledge for practical use
A SIMPLE DEFINITION OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
Using modern technology to change existing or create new living organisms

A BETTER DEFINITION
Using modern technology to change or modify the biological structure of living organisms or to create new organisms for specific uses

A MORE COMPLETE DEFINITION

Using modern technology to change or modify, with the goal of improving, the biological structure of living organisms or to create new organisms, for specific positive uses and/or to provide beneficial processes, products, or services to consumers/businesses/society

Sounds Alive and Basic Facts end of year assessment

I've just finished marking our assessments. Basic facts was an area we identified by our school in our strategic plan. We used a numeracy basic facts sheet at the beginning of the year which related to the numeracy stages. Our whole school did the same test at the begiinng of the year and have just retested to measure the improvement. What incredible improvements in our basic facts over the year. Sounds Alive showed huge improvement as well. I am so proud of you all. You all rock!

Self Assessment of Inquiry Unit

Today we completed a self assessment sheet on Rocks and Erosion. Annie had used the levels of the NZ Curriculum (L1, L2& L3) and wrote a rubric that reflected all our learning and skill development this term. This rubric included some knowledge and 21st century learning skills.Everyone was very honest. Annie believes that self assessment provides us with a time to reflect on our learning and helps us set new goals. We have worked hard on learning the important skills and thinking that happens when we assess ourselves. We have done a lot of reflection this week!

Get Ready!

We are going to learn all about Yoghurt!

How to make yogurt - Get more College Essays

Writing and Dance

Today we analysed our favourite dance from the Wonderland (the Middle School's Pantomime). There were 5 dances to choose from - Room 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12's dances. We are going to publish this reflection as part of our writing and Dance programme.
We were looking at the Communicating and Interpreting strand of the Art's Curriculum

• Share dance movement through informal presentation and share their thoughts and feelings in response to their own and others’ dances.

• Share dance movement through informal presentation and identify the use of the elements of dance.

Erosion

Today we did an experiment about erosion.
Here are our WALTs

• The surface of the Earth changes. Some changes are due to slow processes such as erosion and weathering
• Landforms are the result of a combination of constructive and destructive forces. Destructive forms include erosion and weathering
• Soil consists of weathered rocks and decomposed organic material

Our experiment came from Dirtmeister's Science Site.


We found out that soil runs off the soil quickly at first, taking some of the top soil with it. The water that collects in the second tray contained dirty water. We let it settle and found out there was a lot of silt or sediment. After the top soil came off, there were a lot of stony soil below it. We thought that if the soil was wetter it probably would soak in more rather than run straight off. We added two of our National Curriculum Maths books to make the slope steeper. The water ran off quicker and caused more erosion. We discussed ways and we thought that
planting trees and plants would help because the roots hold the soil.

We then talked about local farms in the area especially the ones under Mt Aspiring. We thought that the land would be fertile because the top soil would run off onto the flat areas

We used this picture from the NZ ARBs to look at...

The diagram shows a river flowing through a wide plain. The plain is covered with several layers of soil and sediment.
We had to
1. Write down one reason why this plain is a good place for farming.
2. Write down one reason why this plain is NOT a good place for farming.
We came up with many great ideas. Read some of them...

• the soil is fertile (good), abundant

• there is a river (for irrigation, water for animals)

• there is plenty of space or flat areas for farm land

• there is the possibility of flooding, or that the soil will be too wet

• there is the possibility of wind or water erosion

We then looked at this picture and answer questions about it using the information we had learned.

At the spot marked X, the river is wearing away the riverbank. What are two things that could be done to stop the riverbank being worn away?

Here are some of our answers

• Plant trees
• Change course of river, i.e., straighten.
• Use boulders/concrete to protect bank.
• Change the river channel away from this part of the river bank.

Sometimes this river floods the farmland near by. What could be done to stop the farmland being flooded? This was harder but a few children had these answers.

• Build a stop bank
• Build a dam

More Pantomime Photos

BubbleShare: Share photos - Play some Online Games.

Numeracy Games (Addition & Subtraction)

Missing Numbers





Add it up!




Place Value Game





Compare Numbers (Greater than or Less than)





Hang the Shirts on the Line (Sequencing Numbers)





Place Value





Shark Numbers






Place Value





Hundred's Chart




Give the Dog a Bone