Wanaka Library Web Page for Kids

Check out the new web page that Deidre is developing for the Upper Clutha kids. We helped her at the editing stage by critiquing it. Thanks, we love it!

The Wreck of the Zanzibar

We are loving this book. Click on the image to add a book review. A great read. It is an emotional story about hardship and bravery.

Do you think parents should be allowed to smack their kids when they are naughty? Poll Results

NZ Speech Assessments

On Tuesday we had our assessments. The Year 3 children sat the introductory badge and the Year 4's sat the elementary badge. Go to the Speech NZ site to have a look at their website at...

http://www.speechnz.co.nz/oralasseaament.htm

Here are our results:
Introductory
Distinction: Polly & Ethan
Highly Commended: Caitlin, Annabel, Jessie, Max S
Commended: Matthew, Shaneil, Avi
Elementary
Distinction: Dara, Max H, Gregor, George
Highly Commended: Grace, Nadia,
Commended: Sam, Jake, Riley, Toby

Congratulations to the other children who did the same work and presented it to the class but did not choose to sit the assessments.

Here are the learning outcomes for the Introductory level

use audible clear speech

establish eye contact with the audience

use a simple structure, which will include an opening and closing statement

hold and show the object so it can be seen by the audience

listen carefully to the questions asked

consider answers before responding

make eye contact with the other person while answering

create a structured scene either from imagination, a topic or centre of interest or an established story, such as a fairy story, myth, reality or script

create characters, using movement and speech

use performance skills to ensure the scene is audience-focused

use costumes, props, sound effects etc. to support the scene

understand the poem and the words used in it

share confidence and enjoyment while speaking the poem

show a developing sensitivity to the poem’s shape, message and mood

speak clearly and audibly

work as a group to present the verse

Here are the learning outcomes for the Elementary level...

Talk When explaining an activity you have been involved in
•	describe the activity clearly
•	arrange the ideas in a logical order
•	include reference to their personal involvement
When sharing and giving opinions about an experience or event
•	select and organise key points about an experience or event
•	base opinions on the facts presented
For either talk, students will also:
•	develop a creative approach to the delivery of the talk, e.g. opening, choice of vocabulary, language, firm ending
•	integrate visual aids throughout the talk
•	deliver an audience-focused talk that is clear and audible
•	observe the time limit
Discussion Skills
•	listen carefully to the questions asked
•	consider answers before responding
•	make eye contact with the other person while answering
•	begin to show an understanding of the elements, techniques and conventions of drama
Group Drama
•	create a structured scene either from imagination, a topic or centre of interest or an established story, such as a fairy story, myth, reality or script
•	create characters using movement and speech
•	use performance skills to ensure the scene is audience-focused
•	use costumes, props, sound effects etc., to support the scene
•	begin to show an understanding of the elements, techniques and conventions of drama
Group Verse Speaking
•	understand the poem and the words used in it
•	share confidence and enjoyment while speaking the poem
•	speak clearly and audibly
•	work as a group to present the verse
•	explore aspects of performance to support the recitation, such as music, movement, dance or art
Group Storytelling
•	work in groups to plan and prepare a story for an audience
•	identify and use some structures and devices for developing stories
•	demonstrate performance styles to present a story to an audience
Book Discussion
•	be familiar with the entire book fiction: understand the plot and characters non fiction: show an understanding of the information
•	share ideas about the book clearly using full sentences and eye contact with the Assessor

Weaving

Vanessa Brings Sam to School to Meet us!

Upper Clutha Athletics Day

Last Thursday the Upper Clutha Athletics Day was help at the A & P Show-grounds. We had a fantastic day.

Leaps in Dance

Dance Photos

Dance Photos

From Seed to Snack

Technology(Production & Process)
From Seed2Snack

What is a flow Chart?
In a flow chart items are organized in a sequence.
Flow charts have different uses:

They may be a chain of cause and effect, explaining a process (e.g.a popcorn seed to a popcorn snack)
They may organise past events in a time sequence, recounting what happened.
They may show a series of steps, forming instructions.
They may be a sequence of reasons,in an argument.

Many flow charts are combinations of chains, forks, and loops.

Why use flow charts in the classroom?

To plan an explanation, a procedure (instructions), a recount (such as a news story), a narrative, or an argument.
To summarise an explanation, a procedure, a recount, a narrative, or an argument.
Examples of topics that suit flow charts include the water cycle, life cycles, how products are made, where a certain food comes from, preparation for a debate, how machines work, and so on. Flow charts are one of the most useful visual texts in the classroom.

We looked at 3 types of flowcharts...
Cyclic
Forked
Linear
Today we used a linear flowchart to show how the popcorn is produced, from seed to snack

BIG Ideas about Popcorn

• Kernels contain starch and moisture


• When you heat the kernels, a change of state happens, in which the moisture changes into steam-this is a physical change


• The popping of popcorn is actually a small explosion which occurs when the pressure of the steam is so intense it bursts the tough outer coating of the kernel

Diagram of Kernel

Popcorn

A popcorn kernel is actually a seed. Like other seeds, inside it has a tiny plant embryo (a life form in its earliest phase). The embryo is surrounded by soft, starchy material that would give the embryo energy for growing into a plant. A hard, glossy shell protects the outside of the seed.
The soft, starchy material holds some water. When the kernel is heated to a high heat (200c), the water inside the kernel turns into steam. The pressure from the steam causes the kernel to explode. The soft starch inside bursts out at about 40 times its original size, turning the kernel inside out. This creates the fluffy white area of a popped kernel.
The ideal popcorn kernel contains about 14 percent moisture. If the popcorn is much drier, it will not pop. Popcorn kernels should be kept in a tightly sealed jar so that they will not dry out.

Popcorn Inquiry

On Monday Maria Gill visited our school.  She is a New Zealand author and we have lots of her books in our school library.  We learned about native birds and their predators and how we need to look after our special NZ native birds.  She chose ten children to represent the predators and the native birds.  Visit her website at   http://www.mariagill.co.nz/

Watch out Birds!  Predators on the Hunt!

Maria Gill - Author

Evie with one of the Native Bird Puppets

Weaving & Winding

We are doing paper plate weaving as part of our visual art.
Here is what we did...
1. Decided on the shape e.g. fan, concentric, circles, stripes etc
2. Cut notches in the plates in appropriate places and wound the warp threads with wool.
3. Chose our fabric strips for the weft, and wove them in and out to get the right shape. Tucked or glued the odd ends into the back of the work, and trimmed the edges.
4. Used beads, sequins,feathers, foil as decoration.

Looms can be made from many things. They may be commercially bought, circular or square notched looms, or may be home-made from a shoebox lid or plastic ice-cream lid. They may be made from notched paper plates or curved pieces of card. You could weave on a forked twig, a bicycle wheel, a wire coat hanger, a refrigerator shelf, a bent piece of copper pipe, a clothes horse or the upturned legs of a chair. The only criterion is that the warp threats are held taut.

Roy Woods

Today we had a guest speaker at school. His name was Roy Woods. He has spent 18 years travelling, some of it living with a stone age tribe in Papua New Guinea. He talked about building bridges and breaking down barriers. It was an interesting presentation. Roy will also be spending time up at Mount Aspiring College and at Hawea Flat School this week so he will be just busy enough.

Poll Results- Does wearing glasses make a kid look smarter?

Our poll results did not match the researh we found where most young children think kids look smarter if they are waering glasses.

Brochures

Here are the first of our published brochures. What a lot of information about earthquake safety for the reader to learn about. Keep up the great thinking Room Ten.

More Cardrona Photos

Jake and Ethan-------------------------Annabel and Max S

Avi and Tom----------------------------Caitlin

Cardrona 2009

Toby and Max --------------------Shenee and Caitlin


Sam and George ---------------------------- Nadia