Well at the start of Week 4 in Term 3, Covid-19 was just a story that was happening in the background of all our busyness with our learning and fun. Now, it is our story to deal with moment by moment and it is getting closer and closer to us and our families. So stay safe out there. Kia Kaha.
The Special Olympics Day we ran was a heap of fun, fun, fun, as many of the students will tell you in their own blogs. We decided on 9 kinda crazy games (from a resource put out by Study Ladder ) that the students would contest each other in. They were put into 18 groups of 4 students, by us the teachers, so a mix of boys, girls, age, class etc. Then they had to draw a country name out of a 'hat'. We had chosen 18 countries that we thought they wouldn't know much about. In their group they had to create a flag for the day and answer some information questions about the country on the back of their flag. All the countries had won just a few medals at the Tokyo Olympics so they needed to find out what they were and how many, as well. Places like Georgia, Estonia, Kenya, Uzbekistan, Ireland, Cuba, Malaysia, Jamaica, Bermuda, Ecuador, Iran, Morocco, Namibia, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Thailand, and Turkey. The countries also had to represent the 5 different continents that are represented by the Olympic Rings on the Olympic Flag.
The Olympic Games have been a huge focus for our syndicate over the last 3 weeks and will continue for another couple as we eagerly await the Paralympics to start on the 24th August.
In Reading we have been researching one of these Focusing Questions and creating DLO's (Digital Learning Object.) With the help of many different texts from different sources. Also the NZ Olympic Team website has been awesome. 1. What makes up the important features of the Summer Olympic Games? 2. How have the Olympic Games changed from the Ancient Games to the Modern Games to the Present Day Games? 3. What is happening for NZ at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021?
In Visual Language we looked at the logos used for all the different sports at the Olympics and matched them up.
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| Can you link them all? Have a go..... |
In Inquiry we have been researching one of the Olympic Sports and creating a ULO (Unplugged Learning Object). The students are creating dioramas or models of their chosen sport, then adding the information they have found to it in some one.
In Te Reo we have learnt the words for the many important elements of the games and have been learning sentences to tell others what sport we like or really like.
 LINK |
| He tino pai ki au te hoe waka - I really like rowing. What did you like? The Taka Porepore? Or maybe Hoki? |
In Maths we collaboratively looked at problems that had a sport or games focus. See how you go with some of these. 
LINK
Finally our students were given groups and a less know country (by them) and they had to draw the flag and find some information about that country for the back of the flag. On Monday next week we will have a 'special olympics' with 9 different games and 18 teams. Points will be awarded for each group based on the 3 Olympic Values that are at the top of this post.
Last week we had a special Matariki Day. Matariki is the time of the year that traditionally Māori celebrate their new year. During the month of May we can't see Matariki because it is hidden by the sun, but June the small cluster of 7 stars becomes visible low in the eastern sky. Matariki is a time for feasting, story telling, being with whanāu, kite flying, dancing, planting, remembering ancestors and celebrating. We decided to have a day where we buddied up with a junior or middle class and created something together.
Some classes made harakeke weaving, cardboard kites, origami stars, wood carving, woven stars, spinners and collaborative posters. Some made delicious stuffed kumara! Yum!
Did you know that the Matariki stars are actually much much much bigger and hotter than our own star, the sun. They look cold because they are blue, but if you look closely at a flame on a candle you will see that the hottest part at the bottom of the flame, is blue. If the Matariki stars were as close to Earth as the sun...we would cook!
Here are some pictures of our special day.
Do you guys know who Suzy Cato is? Remember Suzy's World? Well she and Brendan Hines (the CEO of Spark Arena) decided to invite some Year 6's from various schools to Spark Arena for a most amazing experience!
First the teachers had to get a selfie with Suzy 😀
Lastly we went to the amazing Van Gogh Experience. This was a walk through digital multi-sensory exhibit of Van Gogh's paintings. The exhibit followed the different styles, influences and subjects he painted in his lifetime, along with the story of his life. It was incredible to see these paintings come alive with digital enhancements accompanied by classical music.
Not only did we get to see and experience all of this, but we even got provided with a yummy packed lunch at the end! How lucky were we!!!!
We are very grateful to all of those who made this happen. What an incredible experience. Tino ataahua.
Welcome back to Te Waka Ako for 2022! A new year and a few changes for our syndicate. Our space is made up of a combination of Year 4, 5 ...
