Reading

This term, room 5 are looking at voicethread. This is a program were users from all around the globe can hear room 5 at work. This term, we are looking at forces so I incorporated this into our reading program. I have been concentrating on using Sheena Cameron's strategies within reading. She is a firm believer that in order for children to read well, and the key to reading well is comprehension.

The class was split into 4 groups with each one foccusing on a scientific story (either fictional or non fictional) They were asked to read the story in their groups and then make a list of 8 questions (2 for each section). In doing this, we were looking at a 'Questioning and answer relationship'. There are four types of questions that can be used in order to gain full understanding from a text:

Right There
The answer to the question is RIGHT THERE IN THE TEXT. Some questions could be - Who is the main character? Where does the story take place? When does the story take place?

Think and Search
The answer to a 'think and search' question is IN THE TEXT but may require you to search around. Some quesitons might be - What are the effects of... Tell me in your own words... Describe the character traits of...

Author and You
The answer is NOT IN THE TEXT. IT will require you to use your own background knowledge plus what the autor has told you in the text. Some questions could be - What do you predict... What might have happened if.... How would the story be different if it was told from....

On Your Own
The answer is NOT IN THE TEXT. You need to use your own background knowldege and experience. Some questions could be - Is it fair to... Would you agree that... In your opinion...

Below are the four stories. This is an on-going task so it may take a week before all questions are posted

Science Project

Room 5 are busy researching different people who have been significant in the field of science - particularly those instrumental in finding out about forces, gravity and propulsion,

Daily Routine

Hi there, I just wanted to make a post to inform all parents of our daily routine within room 5. Each class conducts itself differently. All pupils in room 5 know how our system works although there are times when they seem to 'forget' our daily routine.

* Our day beings at 8.45
* All pupils are expected to write in black pen, draw in pencil, underline in red and use a ruler for all lines
* Sport takes place each Monday and Wednesday after interval. All pupils need to have a complete change into their pe gear during interval - no clothes should be worn during sport that they would normally wear under their uniform (eg thermal tops) On Friday, all pupils are permitted to attend school in their sports uniforms. All other days, pupils should arrive and depart school in their normal school uniform.
* No hoodies/sweatshirts are allowed. BIS have a sweatshirt and fleece available for purchase. Other tops will be confiscated
* Each week, pupis will have at least 2 homeworks - spelling and expressive diary. There may be additional work to complete at home as required

Gerry's Evaluation

Isn’t technology brilliant? Despite the fact that half the time it doesn’t work, you can do things that a few years ago people could only dream about.

One of those things is seeing and talking to people across the globe. Room 5 have been Skyping to a class from Brigantine, New Jersey, USA.

Originally, it was for a blog, Teri Gragg (the teacher from USA) was Skyping countries around the world. They would ask us questions, we would answer them and vice versa.

But then Teri asked us if we would like to make some art for an annual exhibit. Obviously, we accepted.

We wanted to do something unique to NZ. We could have done faces with moko on them, but decided on pictures of the scenery around Nelson. However, anyone can do a landscape. We decided we would add English and Maori words into the pictures by putting them in whatever they were. So the word ‘ocean’ and ‘moana’ would be written into your picture of the sea.

Every now and then Teri would Skype and teach us about how to draw landscapes. That was amazing, having a teacher in America!

Once when Teri was Skyping, a reporter from the Nelson Mail came in to interview her a couple of people in our class.

Eventually, we finished our artwork and sent it over to her. Teri Skyped us a couple of times after that, mainly talking about our work.

Finally, the time for the exhibit had come. But, we had a problem. The weather wasn’t brilliant and Teri didn’t have a cable to help the connection. In the end we just chatted to people passing by. At the very end we talked to Teri and two of her students.

Then we said farewell.

By Gerry, Rm 5

Evaluation of skype

Hi im Caitie and I liked interacting with students on the other side of the world.

Hi im Cydnie and I liked meeting people from the other side of the world,and seeing what their school is like.

Hi im Xania I liked the art,the art exhibition and saying hi to all the people coming into the exhibition .

hay I'm Sarah I loved meeting all the new people and seeing the difffrence between our schools it was quite amazing.

where Tayla and Ashleigh we liked the sounds of the American acceint it's so much different to our acceint COOL!!!!!!!!.

Hi I'm Finn an I liked to be taught by someone on the other side of the world because the cultural difference was amazing.

Hi I am peter I liked talking to lots of people with different accents it was fun.

Gerry here. We were talking and meeting people halfway across the globe! How cool is that?

Hey Lasharnna here i liked that we got taught by some one from accross the world its drifferent and i also liked the languge bye!!!!!!.

hey its joshua
in the last few weeks we have been skypeing N.J. in that time i have realised what life is like over there. it was really cool doing this because we got to meet new people.

hey zion here it sounds cool I wish I was thea with you!!!

Hey its dylan j here, i liked learning how to draw landscape pictures and it was really cool talking to the Americans.

hi im Nathan the last few weeks were awesome i liked how i was taught by an American.

Hi my name is Olivia, I have realised how life would be in New Jursey I think it would be a great opertunity to travel there!!!

hi am nerelle, i would really like to go to N.j. it must be real cool over there i really liked the skyping but i was not there for the big one the art expadition i wish i was there. bye bye..................

hi im Ben I liked how we were talked to from over seas


HEEY .X im Rosie

i really enjoyed when we first meet the class.I would also love to go to N.J and go to their school and meet people my age CYA..x


i have really enjoyed doing the art work and to learn more about that stuff
emily ...x

art work so far

Tayla's Lesson

Caitie's Lesson

Grace's lesson

Kawiti and Anthony

Nerelle's lesson

End of Term 1 already!!!

Wow!! What a quick term this has been. We had a very exciting end to the term as our 'famous and fantastic' teacher from New Jersey (Teri Gragg) came into our classroom again via skype to guide room 5 further with their art work. It was a great experience for the kids with Teri giving 4 of them 1:1 lessons on their chosen photo that they are going to sketch. This has been invaluable to room 5 and has really helped them along. We have to get our art work finished by the end of week 1, Term 2 in order to get it to Teri in time. Two pupils in the class are also editing each skype movie so that they can make a DVD for Teri to display on the night of her show.....its all hands on deck!

What a crazy day!!!

We had such an exciting day today! We have been in contact with a school in New Jersey called Brigantine School. They have a wonderful teacher there called Teri Gragg who has asked us to participate in an arts evening that takes place in their school each year. This evening is a culmination of sport, art, drama and technology and an expected number of 1500 normally attend.

As we have been skyping Teri's class and becoming familiar with the kids, Teri has asked room 5 to produce a piece of art work representing NZ that she can display on their arts evening. She then wants room 5 to be part of the exhibition with the use of Skype.

This is such an exciting thing for room 5 to be part of but there is a small hitch - I think it is fair to say that I struggle slightly when it comes to drawing. Any of my ex-pupils would be willing to support me on this one I am sure. 'Stick people' are as far as I can go with this and even then.......!! Room 5 are not participating in art technology until later in the year, so I asked Teri if she would teach my kids to draw and she said YES!

Today, room 5 had their first ever skyped lesson and it was wonderful! Teri did an excellent job of introducing them to landscape drawings and made it look so easy - maybe I could even do this??!!

Attached is the lesson. Watch this space for the next exciting installment.

Cass

Week 7

Hello everyone happy St Patrick's day for Wednesday the 17th of March!!!

This week we have had some fun and some disasters. The fun was being at school YAY!! (she said sarcastically) now for the disaster DA DA DAAA... We cracked open the eggs as the were over due by almost a week and we knew that there was no way they were going to hatch. There was 6 slightly formed chicks and 6 that weren't fertilised so we cracked the last one and it stank it smelt so bad everyone ditched and ran inside! We are going to try it later in the year again with a different incubator.

By Rosie a awsome student of Room 5 (and House Captain)

Whenui Iti

3rd of march we went to whenui iti for the day. There was 3 activities to do. Every one in our group except for 2 people did every thing. We all were excited so much but all were nervous.

Today on the 5th of march I went up for class leader. I really wanted it, but i didnt get it. I'm really sad, but im glad Cydnie got it.

BY KASEY,NERELLE,EMILY,XANIA AND SARAH

Class and Sports Leaders

These lucky gals and guys got chosen to become room 5's class leaders and sports leaders. In order for this to happen, they had to present a small speech in from of the class explaining why they were the best people for the job.

HUGE congratulations goes to Cydnie (Leader), Tayla (Deputy), Bodie (Leader) and Olivia (Deputy) Yay..............

Leaders of the pack!!

The last 2 days have been very nerve racking for some kids in room 5 as they had the option of putting themselves forward to be leaders within the school. There were 3 positions going, House Captain, Class Leader and Sports Leader.

As team Whakatu encompasses 3 classes (room 4, 5 & 13), the position of House Captain had to taken from these 3 classes. Two people were required and all those wishing to obtain this role had to present a small speech in front of the team, explaining why they were the best person for the job.

HUGE congratulatons goes to Rosie and Ngaio for becoming the new House Captains. They had a 'baptism of fire' today as it was also Whakatu's turn to lead the school assembly so the girls got thrown in at the deep end, and what a wonderful job they did !!!

kawiti nikora

Hi I am Kawiti, I live in Nelson we had swimming sports on Monday and I came 3rd in freestyle. This is Nikora and he is 11, he plays alot of instruments.

Rosie,Grace,Olivia and Cydnie

Today I {Olivia} was in the interschools swimming sports I came 2nd in backstroke and 8th in freestyle im feeling pretty proud of myself for getting into it.

Today I {Cydnie} did a speech for class leader and I won!!! yay

On Monday I {grace} did a swimming race in A grade im feeling pretty proud that I pushed myself.

yesterday I {Rosie} did a speech for house captin and won im really proud of myself.

Cole,Bodie,Corey,Dylan

We went to Wheneu iti on wednesday it was fun. There where only 3 things to do: highropes, trapeze & the flying rat, can you believe that! But everyone had a good time so we left feeling proud.

skate 4 life

Hey were William ,Ants and Caitie we are really fun and awesome we like to swim and skate. We also like to play sports and are good at heaps of things like maths,reading and writing. This is us.

nathan,peter,dylan and ben

The last few weeks have been challenging for some people and fun for others. At Isel Park we did heaps of fun activities and got to know each other. Swimming sports and Wheneu iti also took place this week so it has been really busy. It has all been fun and exciting.

ziosh

Joshua and Zion reckon life at Broadgreen is great because we both have taken part in lots of class sports like soft ball and swimming. We both do the same friday, sport that is kiwi tag.

BFF joshua and zion.

Wheneui Iti by Emily and Rosie

On wednesday the 3 of march 2010, we gathered in room 5, we were all put in a car and blasted off to Wheneui Iti. I was in Bodies car it was it was cool. On the way we had so much fun we were all so excited .

When we got there we met James , Jake and Anita who were going to help us through the day on all the activities. After we talked, James put us all in a circle and we had to hold a rope and try to walk backwards and see how long we could last, then we had to try and sit on the ground we all did well but then we had to try and stand up that was fun we all had to push ourselves as hard as we could .

WE were then split into groups and we had 3 different activities to do during the day. First of all I went on the flying rat, second I went on the trapeze lucky last was the high ropes. My favorite was the flying rat you got to fly up in the air when your team pulled you up in the air by running down the hill connected to a rope that was connected to me.

It was fun because we have such a good class we get along really well. Just from that trip I made friends with Nerelle ,Olivia and Ashleigh which is pretty good . You can have so much fun if you encourge each other because everyone does the exact same activites .

If you have time to go there have a great time and encourge those who need it .

by Emily and Rosie

WOW - what a day!!

We had an AMAZING day today at Wheneu iti, but I will let the kids fill you in more when they learn how to blog and add photos, watch this space!!!

Mrs P

Room 5 2010!!!!

Wow, what a great bunch we have this year ! I think we are going to be in for some quality work being produced with lots of giggles along the way. Above is a photo of the motley crew. I am really looking forward to 2010 :)

Their first technological task is to click onto this blog and write a comment. Lets see how they go....