Room 21@EPS

This Term we are learning about “Celebrations”. We are going to explore other cultural celebrations from around the world and look at the history and reasons people celebrate them. To start off the Term we all came to school in our national costumes and had a whole school parade. Even the teacher’s came dressed up!!

In the first 2 weeks of Term 4 we also had a cultural rotation with the Year 6 classes. It was really cool as we got to learn a bit about 4 different cultures. In our first class we learned about Japan. We looked at their traditional costumes and drank green tea. We also learned about the story of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes and made paper cranes in her honour.

Sadako Saski was only twelve years old when she died. She was two when an atom bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima in Japan where she lived with her family. Ten years later, she had leukamia as a result of the radiation. Sadako is a heroine to the children of Japan and to people all over the world. People visit her memorial in Hiroshima Peace Park and leave paper cranes that they have made in her honour.

Our next rotation we learned about The Cook Islands. We learned about some of their traditional festivals that they celebrate. We ate some chop suey which was delicious. We also made a poster about Traditionals Festivals on paper and in Glogster.

Next we learned about Korea. First we got to eat some traditional Korean food. We drank a rice drink and ate some chocolate pie. We learned the Korean alphabet and we got to write our friend’s names in Korean. We also played a traditional Korean game with sticks.

Lastly we learned about Ireland. We made paper shamrocks and listened to information about Irish traditions and customs. We also tasted some tasty food.

It was great fun moving around the different classes and learning about different cultures and traditons from around the world.

In Room 21 we have been learning about “Celebrations Around The World” and the reasons why people celebrate them.

Long ago, Celtic people who lived in Ireland, Scotland and England celebrated their most important holiday on the 31st October. It was called Samhain (Sah-ween). The Celts believed that on this night people who died crossed over into the other world. The Celts lit bonfires to help the dead make their journey.

Many centuries later, the leader of the Catholic Church, The Pope, named November 1st All Saints, or All Hallows Day. “ Hallow” is the old word for “Saint. The night before All Hallows Day was called “All Hallows Eve”. This was shortened to “Halloween”.

Over the years more customs were added to celebrate Halloween. People put out food for wandering spirits, or ghosts and for other spooky creatures said to be about. Children and adults started dressing up as those creatures and doing tricks so they could get goodies.

In Room 21 we played some traditional games that are played in Scotland to celebrate Halloween. First of all Miss Adamson tied doughnuts on a string. We had to stand with our hands behind our backs and try to eat the doughnut. It was not as easy as it looked as the doughnut kept on swinging round and round on the string. It was good fun.

Once we had eaten our doughnut we went to the Art area. There we had to Duck for Apples. That involves putting your hands behind your back and trying to catch a bobbing apple in your mouth. It was really difficult as the apple wouldn’t stay still and kept on rolling around in the water. The apples that had long stems on them were the easiest to grab hold of with your teeth.

Straight after ducking for the apples with our faces soaking wet we then had to find a smartie that was hidden in a tray of flour. It was really funny as the flour stuck to all the wet bits on our face. The flour got everywhere. We had lots of fun watching and laughing at everyone trying to get a smartie. We all really enjoyed celebrating Halloween.

To celebrate Maths Week 2008 and the opening of the Olympics Games, Elm Park School students took part in our school’s first ever Maths Olympiad.

It was a 2 day event where Year 1 - 6 students in teams of 4 answered 20 questions in 30 minutes. Teams relayed answers from one side of the Auditorium to the other.

There were 2 teams from Room 21 competing against two teams from the other Year 6 classes.

It was hard work and a nail biting finish. Room 19’s Team won the first ever Elm Park Maths Olympiad Trophy. Well Done to them!

It was great fun to watch and to take part in. We are all looking forward to taking part in 2009!!

Dear Diary,

If I could be anyone in the would I would be… Michael Jordan! I want to be him because he is an amazing basketball player and I love everything about basketball.
I like Michael Jordan because he can do great passes, wonderful dribbling, fantastic kicks woops not kicks… and MAGNIFECENT SLAM DUNKS!!!

I like Michael  Jordan because he is very popular and he is very cool.
Sorry Diary got 2 go…

FROM HS

This week at school I didn’t come to school on Monday and Tuesday because it was my birthday party and it was Easter as well. My real birthday was on Friday but I celebrated it on Monday.

The habit of mind was Responsibility which mean’s you have to think before you act.

This week has been an interesting week and we have learned a lot about Jonah Lomu at school. We are doing a voice thread about Sir Edmund Hillary.
I learned how to use a new strategy. In Maths. That’s all I learnt this week. Bye-bye.From TG

FOR WORLD ENVIRO DAY 2008 WE HAVE BEEN LEARNING ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND HOW OUR ACTIONS REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON IT. WE HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE EARTH’S RESOURCES AND HOW WE CAN TRY TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT AND IT’S NATURAL RESOURCES. WE ALSO LEARNED ABOUT THE GREENHOUSE AFFECT AND THE CAUSES OF GLOBAL WARMING. IN CLASS WE DISCUSSED WAYS THAT WE CAN REALLY MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR ENVIRONMENT.

ON WORLD ENVIRO DAY WE HAD A GLAD FREE DAY. WE ALL MADE SURE THAT WE BROUGHT OUR LUNCH IN CONTAINERS OR RE-USABLE BAGS TO TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE AMOUNT OF WASTE PLASTIC THAT IS CREATED IN OUR PLAYGROUND.

WE ALSO CREATED POSTERS WITH MEANINGFUL MESSAGES ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT.

WE ALSO HAD A “JUNK 2 FUNK” DAY WHERE WE USED OUR GREEN THINKING HAT TO CREATE FUNKY OUTIFUTS FROM JUNK. WE HAD LOTS OF FUN LEARNING ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN REDUCE - REUSE AND RECYCLE.

WE HOPE THAT YOU ALL TRY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO AS WE ONLY HAVE ONE WORLD AND IT IS UP TO US TO PROTECT IT.

FROM ROOM 21 & MISS ADAMSON.

Dear Diary,

This week I enjoyed doing my E-
Portfolio at Digikids. We had to put in a photo using PhotoBoth.

This week I didn’t enjoy nothing. I thought this week was all cool. The best bit I enjoyed was Maths. I liked Maths this week because it was so easy. It was all about clocks.

This week school was value Honesty. I achieved the school values because I didn’t lied to anyone this week.
Next week my goals is to learn my times tables.

Sorry diary have no time now…got to go!

From ML.

For the first two 2 weeks of Term 2 we have been learning about our native environment. We had to choose a bird, insect, plant, tree and animal that was native to New Zealand. We then had to carry out our independent research to gather accurate and interesting information. Once we had done that we then made detailed drawings of each and then we drew around the outline in vivid and coloured them in using pastels.

Once we had completed everything we then put them altogether to form our New Zealand Bush scene outside our classroom.

We are really proud of what we have achieved and think it looks awesome!! What do you think?

For Diary Writing today we were brainstorming what makes a good teacher? Here is some of our ideas about what we think a good teacher should be……

• Keen to pass on their knowledge to their students.
• Uses Habits of Mind like what the students use.
• A teacher that cares about us.
• An educated teacher.
• A teacher who thinks creatively and imaginatively.
• A teacher who listens to other peoples ideas.
• A teacher who wants to learn as well as teaching.
• A teacher who learns from the children.
• A teacher who is understanding and trustworthy.
• A teacher who is faithful.
• A teacher who doesn’t show up his/her students infront of the rest of the class
• A teacher who has lots of patience.

By MH, MHH, JM and the whole of Room 21