Our Haka

 When the bus was taking the year 5s to camp, I saw the sun shining in my eyes and smelled hot smoke coming from the motor pipe. Kings, Kace, Kaleb, Ford and I were doing the haka. On the first day we were at camp, Lana's Dad was videoing us. As soon as we  saw Lana's dad videoing us we stopped the haka  but Mr White was still doing the haka. He made us do the haka again. It was so weird. Lana and Shane were laughing.

Cooperation is...

• working together
• sharing ideas
• helping each other
• solving problems
• respecting others' ideas
• compromising

Room 13 and 15 children are practising all these skills while having fun creating amazing constructions with this exciting new equipment, Imaginz. Thank you, Mr White!

Year 5 Camp (Emily)

When the  year 5s went on camp, the first thing we did was pick where we would sleep. The first time we went for a swim we had to check for  hazards in the river.


We are all listening to Mrs Henare .

Aaron is checking for  hazards. I think he                                        has found one.

By Emily

Optimist Yachting

At Pandora Pond  we sailed to the island and back. The water was slopping on the side of the boat. Mr Hemi said, "Time to pack up." We derigged the yacht and we put it away and that was the end of my excellent day.
by Jayden

Homework Changes

Because of all the changes over the next two weeks, caused by Year 6s going to Camp, the only homework expected to be done is the Weekly Quiz and regular reading of a library book. 

Thank you, to those parents and children who have added a comment to a post. I hope that checking the blog and adding a comment will become a regular habit for both parents and children. The maths website www.nz.ixl.com  can still be used for twenty practice questions a day, so take the opportunity for regular practice. Remember to use www.tutpup.com for practising basic facts.

Have a good week.

With a little imagination...

The homework I set is very straightforward so that children can work on their tasks independently. I enjoy seeing all children's work (and parents comments), but from time to time I come across work that brings an extra smile to my face...
Here is how Angus used his spelling list words in sentences, last week:

In the sleepy old town of Sharkfin Bay, stood a rickety old yacht shed. Two boys went exploring and as they stepped on the creaky old verandah to seize the door knob, there were footsteps from behind. They spun around and tried to open the door but it wouldn't budge. Thinking up a scheme of how to escape, they quickly spun around, expecting to see a face full of wrath, but it was just a parliament member back from his campaign.

Way to go, Angus!! List words are pink.

Home and School News

Garage Sale: Saturday 12 April, 8:00am-11:00am
WANTED: Donations of goods to sell and helpers (Friday evening to set up, or Saturday morning)

The Home and School committee desperately needs new members. Can you help??

Week 8 News

Term one is flying by, isn't it? Just one more week until half our year 6s leave for Camp Kaitawa; two more weeks until the second half go. All consent forms are back – well done. Make sure any extra notices are taken home. Keep checking the gear list.

Mrs Mac will be in on Thurs and Friday while I am released from class to do testing. I know she enjoyed her last visit to room 15 because MOST children were very respectful. This time I expect ALL children to be very respectful… Remember our reward systems…

I have changed the Maths website for this week’s homework. www.tutpup.com  is a wonderful site for practising basic facts. Start with addition. I see there are only five days to go of my trial for nz.ixl.com – I didn’t know it was a trial!! After that the website expects payment… this is not going to happen, but I suggest you still do a few minutes practice each day, on this site.

Year 6 Yachting

 It was super fun going yachting. Paris, Shaylee and I had lots of fun. Paris and I sailed together. We weren't going very straight at all and we weren't going fast either. Do you know why? Because we forgot to put the centreboard in. Then Shaylee and I sailed together. When we came back Shaylee would say, "I'm not going with you ever again!" 
"Why?" I asked. 
"Because you scream all the time!" 
"I promise I won't scream ever again"... but that was a lie.  

Year 6 Yachting

Last week the year 6s went to Pandora Pond for Yachting. When the year 6s went yachting we all thought it was fun and scary!!!.We could choose if we wanted to sail  solo or with a partner. It was a bit scary when you were on your own because the yacht tipped to one side, but when you were with a partner it stayed in the middle but sometimes it went to one side. The activities that we did were the block race and the partner race. 

By Kendyl and Brodie

yachting

Yachting was so much  fun.

Toby and Summer enjoyed the motor boat. They threw blocks into the water and   told  others what to do. I really hope I can do that again one day.

by Liam

The Hole in the Hill

The best part of camp was when we played spotlight in the darkness. It was so dark that we had to feel our way around. When I felt my way around  a prickle stabbed my hand. It was so amazing because when Mr White shone his light at the grass, he still did not find me. He found Ford, Adam and Kace but I was still under the hole in the side of the hill. Then Mr White shone his light in the hole and he found me and that was that.

Tyler is climbing up the hole in the side of the hill.

By Kings (with some help from the class)

Optimist Yachting

Last week the year 6s had stunning weather for their week's sailing at Pandora Pond. Mrs Henare wishes she had been floating around out there, relaxing in the sunshine, but she was hard at work, back at school, with the year 5s.

Our Wonderful Camp

I thought camp was wonderful. At camp we went to the river, we picked up snails and crabs, we made our tea, we played bumper people, we did beach construction, we roasted marshmallows and we swam in the river hole.

Aaron is riding on a crocodile - that really is a hazard!!

By Brooklyn

Week 7 News

Weekly News

What a brilliant week’s weather for yachting, last week. Obviously a great time was had by all and I was delighted to hear positive comments from Mr Hemi about attitude and behaviour. Now year 6s have camp to look forward to. This is week 7 and camp is week 9 or 10 so make sure you’ve checked your gear list and have organised all the important gear you need to survive the challenges of Camp Kaitawa.

Our class blog is up and running. Parents, please check our class blog regularly – www.porritt.school.nz – class blogs, room 15. If your child has work posted on the blog, please make a comment – they LOVE your interest.

Most children received their second reward – a juicie -  in our class ‘Great Choices’ reward system, on Friday. A few children need to try harder… The next step is to earn the stage 3 reward – a video on the last day of term, with our buddy class. Our new PPA system is having very positive effects too. Unfortunately there are far too many gaps on our homework sticker chart, partly because of the number of children forgetting to bring their homework book back on Fridays. When your homework is completed, PUT YOUR BOOK IN YOUR BAG!!

Congratulations to those children who are using the nz.ixl.com website. It is by far the best maths website I have come across. Unfortunately those children NOT using it, are the ones who need the extra practice most…

Year 5 Camp

Year 5 Camp was so much fun. We walked to the beach and we went to the river that was across the road. We did a lot of wonderful things like beach construction (building shelter, huts) we went to the rock pools, swam in the Aropaoanui River and learned how to cross a river safely.

Here is my Dad checking for hazards in the swimming hole.

By Anahera

Last Week's Special Achievements

Congratulations to:

Top Student: Who will be next??

Class  award: : GOLD!! J

Weekly Quiz: Not marked at time of writing this note

Happy Grams: Brooklyn (very positive camper); Emily (very positive camper); Jake (for being King Jake in beach construction); Kings (for showing that he CAN swim, when in the river, at camp)

Player of the day: Te Anahera (basketball)

Chunky Challenge: Group one: Brodie(23 words), Te Anahera(22), Jake and Paris(18); Group two: Liam(29), Kendyl(22), Kings and Ellen(17); Group 3: Jayden(18), Jordan(16)

Thanks to all the parents who helped with yachting today. A great time was had by all. Hopefully all year 6 children will be able to sail tomorrow.

Our Posters

To start the year, we have been playing games and doing tasks to help us get to know each other. Here are some of our posters that we created to share what is important to us and what we think our personal qualities are.

Happy Grams

Each week I will be giving 'happy grams' to some children, which will be glued into homework books. The purpose of 'happy grams' is to acknowledge positives. Parents, please encourage your child to show you their homework books every Monday, and when a 'happy gram' appears, write a comment in the space provided.

A Belated Start...

Yes, I know I'm rather slow to make a start to room 15's Blog, for 2014,  but we will make up for it!

It has been an incredibly busy start to the year, but now that year five camp is over, it's time for blogging action. Next week we will focus on posts about Camp experiences. I intend to post parts of our Weekly News page each Monday (just in case messages are not reaching home... )

From last week:

Congratulations to:

Top Student: Ella (persevering to complete work)

Class  award: : NO CLASS AWARD…  L

Weekly Quiz: 20/20: Astin, Angus, Liam 19/20: Kendyl, Adam, Brooklyn, Ella, Ellen 18/20: Jake, Te Anahera

Happy Grams: Adam (much better week); Paris (dance performance); Ben (Mrs Mogridge performance); Angus (improving writing)

Players of the day: Ellen (basketball); Kendyl, Kings (volleyball)

Swimming Sports: finals placings - Adam, Emily, Brooklyn, Jayden, Brodie, Angus

Yachting for year 6s next week. Hopefully there will be enough transport for everyone to go sailing everyday. Let Mrs McLean or Mr Hemi know if anyone else can help. It's a wonderful opportunity for our children.