Science Experiment 1 - What does yeast need to be active?

We wanted to see what yeast needed in order for it to be active.  We put different things in each jar and watched to see what happened.  In the first jar we put cold water and salt, in the second jar is cold water and sugar, in the third jar is warm water, in the fourth jar is warm water and salt, in the fifth jar there is warm water and sugar.  We put a teaspoon of yeast in every jar and this is the result.

We learnt that yeast needs sugar and warm water or cold water to be active.  But it worked best with warm water.

Our Afternoon with Ruben

Ruben on the slide backwards!

Last Friday Ruben came to school. We took him for a tour from our classroom to the Rainbow Playground.  He liked to slide down the slide on the Rainbow Playground.  We showed him the sandpit on middle and he liked throwing the sand up in the air.  Ruben is Mrs Maunsell's grandson.

Written and photographed by Evanijah

The Wild Robot - Chapter Chat - Week 5

There has been a lot of conversation and building of lodges this week, both at school on Putikitiki and at home.  A number of students from our class took up the homework challenge to make a Lodge this week.  They were all greeted with such admiration when they arrived at school, even though they were all different. Please check out the chosen highlights on Chapter Chats Facebook page.

Highlights from Week 5

The Wild Robot - Chapter Chat - Week 4

This week we made posters that explain "How to deal with someone who is being unkind."  Several of our posters were featured on Chapter Chat's Facebook page under the highlights for Week 4.  We also had some two pieces of art featured.  We drew what we thought the Robot's Graveyard would look like, based on what we read in the book. 

Please have a look at the highlights for Week 4's Chapter Chat  - click here

The Wild Robot - Chapter Chat for Term 4

Both the students of Room 15 and Mrs Maunsell enjoyed being part of Chapter Chat in Term 3 so much that we are taking part of Chapter Chat again in Term 4.  We have had a very busy 9 days back at school this term.  Here is the link to some of the tasks that have been shared among the Chapter Chat community for week 2:  Chapter Chat Highlights

OUR FANTASTIC OUTDOOR ART EXHIBITION

Today our art installation "Remembering those who fought for us" was installed. It looks absolutely amazing. We hope you are able to come and enjoy the Outdoor Art Exhibition with us tomorrow evening Thursday 28 September at 5 pm.

This is a sneak peek of what we have been working on:

Day 5 - Mojo Puts it all Together

In Week 4 we watch the final episode of the Growth Mindset videos.  Please take a minute to watch this with your child and discuss the questions that follow.

Click here to watch Mojo Puts it All Together

Chapter Chat - The Sasquatch Escape - Week 4

We had another very enjoyable Chapter Chat on Friday.  We borrowed some Chromebooks from the Kauri Team so we had 11 computers/chromebooks for 11 pairs of students to work on.  This meant we also had our 4 IPads available for taking photos of our writing tasks and uploading these to twitter.

Yet again Giovanni had his work chosen as one of the top 40 tasks for the week and it was shared on the Chapter Chat Facebook page.  Well done Giovanni!  The teacher in charge of the Year 3/4 Chapter Chat had this to say about Giovanni's writing - "By the way I loved the breaking news report about the boy who discovered a Sasquatch footprint at their school. Good work!"

Please click on the link below to have a look at the Chapter Chat tasks that have been selected and shared with the world via Facebook.

Week 4 - Chapter Chat Tasks

Chapter Chat - The Sasquatch Escape

Room 15 is taking part in Chapter Chat.  Chapter Chat is a Twitter Book Chat for New Zealand kids. The twitter chat is based around a chapter book which is read aloud in class.  This is the first time Mrs Maunsell has used Twitter but with the help of Miss Rasmussen and the incredible learners in Room 15 we are all having a heap of fun and learning a lot.

If you don't have a Twitter account but do have a facebook account you might want to look up some of the posts on Facebook with some of our work on display.  The standard of work in Room 15 for the chapter chat is of a really high standard and we would love to share it with you.

Click here for the link to the facebook page

Week 2 - Chapter Chat Tasks

Week 3 - Chapter Chat Tasks

If you would like to visit us on Twitter we are @Room15HES

Our "A" - 3 Days of Painting

First we put some tape on ...

Then the yellow team put some paint on ...

It's starting to look pretty good!!!

The red team added their paint...

At last the orange team got their turn to paint...

Day 4 - The Mysterious World of Neurons

Today we learnt about making connections and what neurons are.  Please watch this video with the growns up in your house.

Click on the link below:

The Mysterious World of Neurons

Day 3 - The Incredible Power of Yet

This is the video we watched yesterday and again today.  It has a good message about asking for help!

Click on the link below:

The Incredible Power of Yet

Chapter Chat - The Sasquatch Escape

Room 15 has joined a group of learners who will be reading a novel called The Sasquatch Escape written by Suzanne Selfors.  This is a twitter book chat so we have taken to Twitter - feel free to check us out @room15hes

Today we completed a pre-reading activity.  Here's what we thought:

Pre-reading tasks for The Sasquatch Escape

Question 1: Look at the front cover.  Why do you think these pictures have been used?

Ruben thought it was showing us the characters.  Antonia thought it might be showing where the characters explore in the story.  Ezra said it is making it look interesting so people want to read it.  Maia said it might be showing you what is going to happen.

Question 2:  Think about the title.  What illustrations would you expect to see and why?

Lennox W told us a sasquatch is a big hairy beast.  Rohan thought the cover is showing 2 children escaping from a Sasquatch.  Sneha thought she would have seen the children hiding from the sasquatch.  Ryan thought the picture would have been of the sasquatch grabbing the children.

Question 3:  Read the BLURB about the book.  Now, why do you think the author has used these illustrations?

Anijioke thinks the author used the picture from the cover of the book to shows us the sasquatch is escaping from the Hospital of Imaginary Creatures.  Ariana thinks the children are helping the sasquatch escape.

Question 4:  Research the author.  What facts can you find out about her?

Fact 1:  Suzanne lives on an island - research by Ryan

Fact 2:  Suzanne’s first book was to Catch a Mermaid - research by Sneha

Fact 3:  Suzanne has a cat and a dog - research by Evelin

Fact 4:  Suzanne’s husband is a pilot - research by Evanijah

Fact 5:  Suzanne used to be a flower grower - research by Giovanni

Day 2 - Learn from Your Mistakes

Today we watched the video of The Magic of My Mistakes.  Please take a minute to watch this with the grown ups at your house.

Click on the link below:

The Magic of My Mistakes

Term 3 - Day 1 - My Brain is a Muscle

Today we watched a movie about Learning.  It was called  My Brain is a Muscle.  It would be great if you could watch this at home with the grown ups at your house.

Click on the link below:

My Brain is Like a Muscle

Kakariki House

On Wednesday we went to Kakariki House with Room 3.  The reason we went is we are learning all about art.  After we looked at the art in almost every room in the whole building, we got a second morning tea.  Among the highlights of our visit we really liked: the creative room, the pretend brick wall, the black wall that looked like a beehive that was filled with plants and the chain curtain.

Our favourite pieces of art were:

• the palace sign made from a car bonnet
• the one with maori patterns
• the picture of the bear
• the building that was falling down like there was an earthquake

We walked back to school and stopped to play on the new playground at Steele Park.  We looked at the street art down by Grey Gardens Cafe.  We were very lucky to have Chris (Ezra's Dad) and Lavina (Tobias's Mum) come with us.

Kapa Haka in the Sun

Every Tuesday we are so lucky to have Whaea Penny come and take the Totara Team for Kapa Haka. Normally this happens in the hall but because of the amazing Strike workshops going on in our hall this week, we were outside Rooms 14, 15 and 16.

Strike Visit Hamilton East

Strike Percusson visit Hamilton East on Monday 26 June.  The whole school was treated to an amazing concert and then each class got an half an hour workshop.  Everybody (including Mrs Maunsell) got to play a drum.  Have a look at the video of the opening song from the Strike Concert and then Room 15's performance at the end of our workshop.

The Creation of our "A"

As part of our Art for Art's Sake learning focus for 2017, every class is making a letter.  Room 15 are creating a capital letter "A".  Before we can get to the painting part Mrs Maunsell had to talk very nicely to Mr Maunsell because she needed his help. On Sunday afternoon they visited Bunnings to get the essential supplies and together made the "A" so it's all ready for Room 15 to get painting.

Step 1:  Buy one piece of plywood 1200 mm x 1200  mm

Step 2:  Draw on the letter A.

Step 3:  Cut out the letter using a skill saw.

Maths Lesson for Group 3

Here is today's lesson for you to watch:  Adding in Parts

Paul's Post on Thursday, 16 March 2017

On Thursday the 16 of March 2017 I am going to ukulele lessons to day. As you can see I have dots on my ukulele.

Emily's Post on Wednesday, 1 March 2017

In the morning I saw a baby weta on the Lino In room 15

Tobias's Post on Friday, 24 February 2017

At School We Did A Compotition To Make A Tower Out of cups. My group won.

Mayesa's Post on Friday, 24 February 2017

My name is Mayesa and I'm in the Hamilton East swimming pool. This was the first time I had ever been in a swimming pool and I am blowing bubbles.

Lydia's Post on Friday, 24 February 2017

This is a picture of mountains I drew and coloured with a shining sun. There is snow on top of the mountains .

Maia's Post on Thursday, 23 February 2017

With my group I built a big tower.

Rohan's Post on Friday, 17 February 2017

Today room 15 did some art. We did warm and cold colours. The warm colours were red, orange and yellow. The cold colours were blue and green.

Kodyak's Post on Thursday, 16 February 2017

On Tuesday Brett and I played soccer on Putikitiki. I was playing soccer with Brett because I wasn't swimming . I got 5 goals and Brett got 1 goal. I had a great time .

Giovanni's Video on Thursday, 16 February 2017

Mrs Maunsell's Photo on Thursday, 2 February 2017

On our first day in Room 15, we all went for a walk around our beautiful school.  We paused under the beautiful giant redwood tree for a photo.

Ryan's Post on Thursday, 2 February 2017

We made tote tray labels to go on our tote tray. Doesn't my tote tray label look good!!!

Welcome

A warm welcome to Room 15's blog for 2017.  Mrs Catherine Maunsell is the teacher in Room 15 this year. Please keep an eye on our blog to find out about our learning.