Room 5 Class Award

#Four ways to reduce plastic consumption.

This term Room 5 have been focusing on the plastic issues we all face, but moreso trying to brainstorm and think of effective ways of reducing our plastic consumption. One solution we came up with was by making our own cleaning products and therefore preventing our whanau from purchasing the plastic bottles in which they come in from supermarket shelves. We can reuse plastic containers or jars that we readily have in our homes.  Below you will see room 5 students make multipurpose spray, window cleaner, toilet scrub and shower cleaning scrub.

They were fun experiments that the children enjoyed taking part in. The children discovered that it's definitely harder to record live. You need to think about your delivery and know what you want to say. We'd like to thank Leigh Ngawati for coming into our classroom and sharing her knowledge and experience regarding Doterra essential oils. We really appreciated your support and help.

Below you will see the work of the students they chose to deliver to the school.  You will see how they made their cleaning products, the reading of one group who focused on using expression by changing the accents of their characters in a radio play and a quick video of some students goal to become confident and fierce when they pukana for kapa haka.      

Word Wheel

We've been looking at ways that we can improve on our vocabulary and spelling.  I've found an online site that will hopefully encourage the students to do this.  At the moment their finding it difficult to get great results....with practice I'm sure they will make massive improvements.  Here is an example of what I got.  A great game for all ages.

Getting Active and Moving

Today Matua Bo came to visit Room 5 to teach us some quick and simple ways of getting our blood pumping and heart racing.  It doesn't have to take up a lot of time.  Keeping our mind and body fit and healthy can be achieved in as little as five to ten minutes a day.

The children had a quick warm up of knee and shoulder boxing.  In pairs or groups of three, you have to try and tag the knees or shoulders of your opponent, while trying to avoid being tagged in return.  Matua Bo then had the students rotate through four stations with differing tasks for 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.

Room 5's Solutions to our plastic issues.

....Creativity Empowers Learning....

Students in Room 5 have been learning about the global plastic issues we're facing in our landfills, waterways and oceans.  It is crazy to realise that plastic takes thousands of years to break down, even then they aren't completely gone.  

What can we do to alleviate the plastic problems?  Recycling is no longer enough.  Reusing isn't either.  We need to make better choices and better decisions.  We've been doing some research on how plastic is recycled and here are some ideas the students have come up with to possibly solve this problem.

Thank You Kids Can

CRAZY HAIR DAY

Today Tautoro School had a crazy hair day fundraiser as a way of thanking the support we receive from Kids Can through kai donations, clothing, footwear, healthcare products and so much more.  If it weren't for their thoughtful support, our tamariki would find it difficult to concentrate and focus on their learning.

Nga mihi nui ki a koutou nga mahita o Kids Can!  

Mauri Ora.

Robopā

Tautoro School have been lucky enough to participate in the 'Robopā - Robotics in Schools' programme launched by Awanuiārangi.  It has enabled our tamariki to access and manipulate technologies, robotic equipment and build on their coding capabilities.  They participate in teams, problem solve, engage in computational tasks, and ultimately design their own robot to successfully complete challenges set by the kaiako of Robopā.

We have already had our local school scrimmage, with lots of whānau and students from other classes come visit and learn for themselves about the amazing mahi that the senior students have been a part of.  

The question of the day was, 'What is a scrimmage?'

 

It's where each group works with another group (building team work) to complete a certain task.  In this case, to move as many blocks into the point zone as possible. You're timed with two minutes to accumulate as many points as you can.  The points you gain for each round gets tallied and accumulated toward your final score. The two teams with the most points by the end of the day, get to represent your local area at the regional championships held later in the year.  Our tamariki have the potential to win that and represent Northland at the National tournament held in Whakatane.

I loved how they were able to construct a robot, test its effectiveness, problem-solve and make changes, then re-test their ideas again in authentic situations.  There was lots of opportunities to communicate and collaborate with others and demonstrate their new found knowledge and skills to their peers, whānau, teachers and wider communities.

I felt that this programme engaged, inspired and motivated our tamariki to be successful innovators and creators of digital technologies (something they're familiar with).  It also encouraged them to develop and enhance their science, technology, engineering and mathematical knowledge, a bonus for me as their teacher :).

Please keep an eye for their posts regarding this experience.  

Nga mihi nui ki a roopu Robopā me Awanuiārangi.

Nā Akōmanga rima.