Homework Due Friday Week 5 2016 

Our focus for this term is SYSTEMS.

If you think about it, systems are EVERYWHERE!

 

With your family, talk about what a system is. Then make a list of the systems you have in your household which make everything run smoothly e.g. a list of chores that need doing regularly.

Who decided on the systems?

Who makes sure the systems run properly?

What happens when the system breaks down or doesn't work?

Why is it important to have systems in a family?

Talk to your friends and compare the systems in your family with theirs. What are the DIFFERENCES and SIMILARITIES?

Why do you think there are similarities?

What about  the differences?

Present your research in a doc or slide and save it to your INQUIRY folder in Hapara. You can also present it NEATLY on a piece of paper.

Remember to read for 20 minutes per night (it REALLY makes a huge difference to your progress in reading.)

Basic facts and tables should be practised too - remember your goals from your report last year!

Week 7

We are already in week 7 - can you believe it!

We have had such an amazing term so far learning about Adaptation, working hard on our own inquiries and exploring how machines work... Check out these photos:

For homework this week:
Next week (Week 8) is an exciting week for Te Ako Kahikatea and Newmarket School.
Firstly - It's Literacy week! To celebrate this, we want you to write, film, draw, or create a slideshow to review your favourite book. Tell us what you enjoyed about it and why we should read it. Remember: Don't give too much of the story away!

On Thursday we have our long awaited trip to the Birkenhead Leisure Center where we are going to rough it in the outdoors and learn how to survive in the wild. Here are some things to remember for Thursday 10th September
- Be at school by 8.15am
- Wear Mufti - but remember, this isn't a fashion show. Wear something that is comfortable and that you don't mind getting a bit grubby
- No lunch orders!

Have a great week

- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers

             Homework Week 6
Our concept for the rest of this term is: Take a walk in someone else's shoes.

Talk to your parents about what you think this means and why we have it as a focus for the term. 

Now think of some people whose shoes you would like to walk in for a day. It could be someone famous: a sportsperson, an actor, a singer, or a politician.

Or, it could be: a child in Nepal after the earthquake, a scientist on the international space station, an explorer like James Cook or Christopher Columbus, a police officer; a chef, a road worker, Darth Vader...

Make a list of all those people whose lives you are curious about. Say why you would like to walk in their shoes. What would you like to experience/find out about their lives?

For those who wish to take this further, here are some options:

• Create a fact profile of one or two of these people.
• List their challenges in life, and where appropriate, their achievements.
• Think about the things that most people wouldn't know about this person unless they had 'walked a mile in their shoes'. You might have to do some research. You certainly will have to do some thinking!

  
  

  
  

  
  

  

REMEMBER TO: READ EVERY NIGHT FOR AT LEAST 20 MINUTES 

PRACTISE YOUR TABLES/BASIC FACTS/MATHS STRATEGIES

                        HOMEWORK WEEK 3

A big thank you to all the students who are regularly completing homework tasks. The reading, viewing and thinking you are doing continues to have a positive impact on your contribution to class discussions.

REMEMBER: Teachers welcome your homework in any form - via the blog, in your Inquiry folder or on paper. However, if you are doing it digitally, you MUST message us to tell us where you have put it. 

Since our starting our ANZAC topic, many of you have become interested in World War II. Here is your opportunity to be a history detective. From the menu below, select at least one aspect of the war to investigate:

• The differences between WWI and WW II - who/what started it? Who were the allies and enemies? Which war was  worst off in terms of casualties? How had military technology changed since WW I?
• 
  
• Churchill, Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Hirohito...these were some of the leaders during this conflict. Pick one of these men to research. How did he become a leader? What were his personal qualities? Whose side was he on? What is he famous/infamous for? Famous quotes from this man that have lived on.Extra for Experts: Make a set of Top Trumps with WW II Leaders as a theme. Google templates for this if you're unsure.
• YOUR choice of WWII topic and task.

DISCOVERY FRIDAY 

REFLECTIONS:

Our first Discovery Friday sessions have gone very well. You have enjoyed the options, and are learning the importance of timetabling carefully. You are learning to reflect on what you have experienced using EDMODO.

Reflecting on what you have learned is vital. It helps you to see what you have achieved, but most importantly, what you need to work on.

For homework this week, your task is to write a reflection about what you experienced on these two days.

Here are the headings you should use:

THREE THINGS I LEARNED (this could be about the subject, or what you learned about yourself).

THE HARDEST THING I HAD TO DO WAS...

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MORE ABOUT...

ONE THING THE TEACHERS COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY WAS...

QUESTIONING: 

Being able to ask good questions is the key to deep learning. Remember what Albert Einstein's mother used to ask him each day? " What good questions did you ask today, Albert?".

For homework you must come up with 3 FAT questions (how, why, which...) and 3 SKINNY questions (who, what where, when. These questions can be about ANYTHING, or you might like to chose one topic for them all e.g. ANZAC.

EXTRA FOR EXPERTS: Come up with a question that you CAN'T  

Welcome back!

Homework Week 1 Term 2

Our focus for the first few weeks of term is ANZAC. 

This year is the centenary of one the cruelest battles New Zealand troops have ever had the misfortune to be involved in: Gallipoli.

Your tasks this week have World War One as a theme. Choose the tasks that will help you understand what this war was all about, and how it affected New Zealand.

1. Ask your family to talk about what they know about World War 1. Do you have any relatives who went to war at this time? What do you know about them?
2. Find out about the technology of those times - transport, communication  and weapons in particular. How was it different from today? Make a slide show/poster comparing and contrasting these items. Would modern technology have made a difference to the outcome at Gallipoli? 
3. Music played a very important part in the lives of troops, and for people back home. Do some research and create a playlist of songs that were popular at that time. Are there common themes to the songs? What are they? Why do you think people wrote about such things?
4. Write a poem or draw a picture about events at Gallipoli. Do some research on the 'iconic' images that represent those times e.g. the red poppy, and perhaps include them in your work.

REMEMBER:

School Fields of Remembrance ceremony on Friday.

Auckland War Memorial Museum visit NEXT FRIDAY, MAY 1. We need parent helpers for the occasion. Please return your notice ASAP!

DISCOVERY FRIDAY starts this week. This is your golden opportunity to develop a project on a topic you are passionate about. Your parents may have skills that we can use to help us pursue your dream - carpentry, sewing, computer programming, mechanics, chemistry... Talk to your parents about what we are planning - they just might be able to help, or put us on to someone who can.

Happy Holidays!

We hope you are having a fantastic, well deserved break after such a busy term. Thank you all for such a wonderful finish - Te Ako Kahikatea camp was AWESOME! Check out these photos:

Arriving at Rangitoto

Woohoo!

The beautiful Rangitoto - we climbed that!

Made it to the top!

Having a cool down swim at the end of the day

We had such a wonderful day. A special thank you to all of our parent helpers as well! We can't do these fantastic things without you.

Over the holidays - Please remember to complete this survey: http://bit.ly/1CBjDTa
It is very important you do this because it will shape what we are learning at school over term 2. We want you to have your say! The Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers will be busy over the break planning another awesome term for you.

Feel free to post a comment below, letting us know what you're up to over the break. We'd love to hear from you.

Have a fantastic break!

- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers

Week 9

It is the final week of term 1! What a fantastic start to the year. We can't believe how quickly it's gone. We have had an incredibly busy, productive and rewarding term. Clubs are in full swing, with many students from Te Ako Kahikatea already working hard towards their leadership badges. Our Junkfood concept has opened so many doors for in depth conversations about the realities of what it does to our bodies and how important it is to take care of ourselves.

We have completed our swimming lessons for the year, and even had a group of students head to the Remuera Zone Swimming Sports at St Kentigern School on the 24th March. Check out some photos from the event:

We had a great day, and are so proud of all the students that participated.

As we approach our camp, we have been looking at Rangitoto Island and doing several activities in preparation of our walk. Check out these awesome slideshows!

Important Notices

Monday - Mufti Week begins! $2 per day, or $5 for the week. Remember it is themed! (Monday - Cultural Day, Tuesday - Book Characters, Wednesday - Camp gear, Thursday - Animals!)

Wednesday - please be at school before 8am because we leave promptly at 8.15am to get to our ferry.
Remember to bring walking gear, swimming togs, and your overnight things. Please refer to checklist that was sent home, and ask your teacher for another if you can't find it!

Thursday is the last day of school, we will be finishing at 2pm.

Term 2 begins on Monday 19th April.

Week 9 Homework.

Now that we are at the end of term 1 - we want to hear from YOU! What have you enjoyed? What do you really want to learn? HOW do you want to learn it? Please complete the following form so the teachers of Te Ako Kahikatea can plan term two around YOU!


If you have any trouble completing the embedded form, please follow this link http://bit.ly/1CBjDTa
Thanks again for such a wonderful start to the year - We can't wait to see what term 2 brings!

- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers

Week 8

Week 8! Can't believe it's here already. With just under 2 weeks left of school, and only 10 days left until camp - We have a lot to get done!

Some of our wonderful senior boys showing leadership in a classroom during a wet lunchtime

Camp organisation - What should we have for lunch?

Here are some important days between now and the end of the term to keep in mind:

Tuesday 24th March - Swimming Sports at St Kentigern School

Thursday 26th March - Parent Curriculum Evening: 

2.00pm-2.50pm: Maths through the years

6.00pm-7.00pm: Blogging, Homework and ICT at school

Wednesday 1st April - Rangitoto Climb and school sleep over

Please remember to be at school by 8.00am and refer to checklist for what you need to bring

Thursday 2nd April - Last day of term, school finishes at 2pm. 

In the camp spirit, here is this weeks homework

What if... you were stranded on the Island? How would you survive? To answer this question, you'll need to look in to what is on the island, how it is formed and other survival techniques. Create a google slide or complete by hand.

As always, read each evening and complete basic facts practice. 

If you need a worksheet please let your maths teacher know.

Have a wicked week!

- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers

Week 7

Ahoy there!

As we roll in to week 7 with cyclone Pam hot on our heels, we prepare for yet another full on week.

Curriculum Hui: Over the next 2 Thursday evenings we are holding a range of curriculum focused workshops for parents. The time table is as follows:

Hui 1 Thursday 19th March

• 2 - 3pm Literacy moving through the years
• 6 - 7pm Literacy moving through the years (repeat)
• 7 - 8pm Digital safety for parents       (Andrew Cowie - Core Education)

Hui 2 Thursday 26th March

• 2 - 3pm Mathematics moving through the years
• 6 - 7pm Blogs and the future of homework
• 7 - 8pm Mathematics moving through the years (repeat)

All of the sessions will take place in rooms 4-6. We look forward to seeing you there!

Camp: Thank you for the quick return of the camp notices and all of the parents who have offered to help. We still need a few more, so if you would like to come to either the walk up Rangitoto or stay the night please let us know.

Details of the camp:
Wednesday 1st April: Arrive at school at 8am or earlier. We depart the school grounds at 8.15am sharp - Unfortunately due to the nature of the trip we can not wait for late students as we must be in the city in time to catch the ferry.

The return ferry leaves Rangitoto at 2.30pm - we are expected to be back at school by 4.30pm on the Wednesday afternoon where we will have various activities organised for the evening.

More information about the camp, as well as gear needed on the day will be sent home shortly.

Homework: 
As always, continue with reading for at least 20 minutes a night. Are you reading a similar type of text each night? Try changing it up! Read a news article, a novel or even a play.

Here is a maths website that you can try: http://www.multiplication.com/ - there are heaps of games at a range of levels available. Ensure you are challenging yourself!

Recipe Revamp: Do you have that one favourite food, that you know is bad for you? Have a look at the recipe and see what you can change to make a healthier option. If possible, bring both the old recipe and your new one in for comparison.

Have a wonderful week

- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers

Week 6

We have 3 weeks to go until Easter - How quickly is this term moving!

Firstly, all the teachers in Te Ako Kahikatea would like to say THANK YOU! We are thoroughly impressed with the increased levels of engagement when it comes to completing homework tasks this term. 

As a result of all this enthusiasm, class discussions and activities on the topic of junk food are considerably livelier and better-informed. The students are captivated by this topic, and frequently talk to us about the conversations they are having with their family on the issue of junk food. So once again, a big thank you for all your input. It is having a huge impact on learning.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Due to unfortunate circumstances the camp we were planning for term four can no longer go ahead. Instead, we are taking this opportunity to plan an EPIC end of term outdoor education activity and school sleep over. A notice will be sent home today (Tuesday) with further details. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

HOMEWORK

With camp in mind, we would like you to have a look at FITNESS. Why is it beneficial? How does it relate to what we eat? Have a think about what could be considered fitness and note this down in the comments below or bring in to class. Talk to your family about what they consider fitness as well - you may be surprised!

Handwriting: We are starting out Handwriting rotation this week. Handwriting as a subject goes beyond how neat our writing is. Please read this article which gives a little more insight in to why it is important: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/science/whats-lost-as-handwriting-fades.html?_r=1

We would greatly appreciate this to be practiced at home as well. For some activity ideas, refer to this website http://www.teachhandwriting.co.uk/.

Maths: Give this website a go: https://www.thatquiz.org/tq-1/math/arithmetic/  - To extend yourself, have a look through the other activities the website has to offer, such as fractions and geometry tasks.

Have a great week!

- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers

Week 5

We've reached the half way point and WHEW! It has been a packed start of term, with a lot more to come.

We finished out our swimming for the year on Thursday last week - check out these photos!

We have a lot more photos as well - You'll be able to see more of these in our Portfolios.

Now that swimming is over, we are jumping head first in to our reading and writing programmes. A big focus this term is persuasive writing and reading non-fiction texts. We will post student work on the blog as we go.

On Friday Te Ako Kahikatea hosted Newmarket School's first full school assembly of the year. We put on a good show including skits, comedy, a song and dance. Here are some pictures:

Such a great way to kick off our assemblies for the year!

Homework this week: Because we are tackling 'Fact Vs. Opinion' in reading, it would be great if everyone could read an article that catches their attention off either www.kiwikidsnews.co.nz or www.dogonews.com. Discuss what parts of the article is fact or opinion and highlight them in different colours OR note down on paper. Bring this in to school and glue in to your reading book. As always, reading eggs is a great resource for comprehension activities and books.

Maths: Continue our basic facts practice. Last week you used www.prototec.co.nz/maths - This week try http://www.factmonster.com/math/flashcards.html

Have a great week!

- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers

Week 4

Another great week down! With swimming in the mix, it has been another busy one. We appreciate the parent helpers we've had, as well as the majority of students remembering their togs every single day - WELL DONE!

This week we continue our swimming lessons with the time table running as follows:
Rm 4 
Monday/Wednesday - 9.30-10.00am 
Tuesday/Thursday - 11.30-12.00pm

Rm 5 
Monday/Wednesday - 10.00-10.30am 
Tuesday/Thursday - 12.00-12.30pm 

Rm 6 
Monday/Wednesday - 10.30-11.00am 
Tuesday/Thursday - 12.30-1.00pm

Here are some photos from our week:

Some snaps from swimming

Organising the ideas we came up with about junkfood 

Capture the flag!

We are learning how to use our devices responsibly. Last week we started our portfolios that we will be updating throughout the year.

Homework for week 4: While we collate some links for you to follow to practice your basic facts you can head to the following link: http://www.prototec.co.nz/maths.html
If you are struggling to find something to read, try Reading Eggs: Log in to your reading eggs account at home and explore the Library. There are thousands of e-books available for you to read. Try and complete the quiz at the end of each chapter you read.
Concept: Think about 4 different types of junk food. Compare and contrast them in any way you can. For example: The amount of fat, sugar and carbohydrates in the food. Post your comparisons in the comments below, complete in your Google Drive under Inquiry or bring in to glue in to your concept books.

Have a wicked week!
- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers

Week 3

Thank you ALL for such a wonderful start to the year. You showed us how ready you are to learn this year!
Here are some photos from our week:

Students are able to move through Te Ako Kahikatea's workspace to complete tasks

Te Ako Kahikatea Fitness

Using the new space and work areas

This week we start our swimming lessons Monday - Thursday for week 3 and 4. Please ensure you remember your togs and towel on each of these days. The timetable is as follows:

Rm 4 
Monday/Wednesday - 9.30-10.00am 
Tuesday/Thursday - 11.30-12.00pm

Rm 5 
Monday/Wednesday - 10.00-10.30am 
Tuesday/Thursday - 12.00-12.30pm 

Rm 6 
Monday/Wednesday - 10.30-11.00am 
Tuesday/Thursday - 12.30-1.00pm 

Each homeroom will leave the school around 30 minutes before each lesson to allow time for walking to the pools and getting changed and prepared for the lesson once arriving. We welcome any parents who would like to help us on the walk to or from the pools!

This week for homework, please continue practising your basic facts and reading. We ask that you continue to bring in food packaging for our investigation in to Junk Food. Talk to your family and friends about junk food - What do you know about it already? Have you seen any articles recently that you can bring in to share? Have some ideas ready for our concept sessions throughout the week.

Have another fantastic, productive week!

- Te Ako Kahikatea Teachers