Mahuri Term 4 Newsletter

Kia ora parents, caregivers and children,

Term 4’s looking like our best yet: Rongoā Māori workshops with Enviroschools Rongoā expert Arihia Latham, Athletics day, the school fair, kids-as-experts-workshops, visiting William Kentridge’s The Refusal of Time at the City Gallery (for the Y4s) and creating a shadow pageant, swimming (for the Y3s), a student-led Amazing Race, walks to identify local native plants for Rongoā Māori, Zoo sleepovers, democratic classrooms, making kawakawa balm, walk to Red Rocks, hackschooling, school picnic, percussion jams…!

U-Learn conference

Last week Shanon and Amy A travelled to Rotorua with six other teachers from school for the U-Learn conference. We heard some fantastic international academics and New Zealand practitioners who gave us lots of food for thought that has inspired us to keep developing our teaching and learning practice. In M13 we are looking at how our classroom can be more democratic, handing over as much power as possible to children. Check out the hackschooling TED talk, posted below...

Inquiry: Rongoā Māori

Through the context of Rongoā Māori, we will explore the physical and chemical changes that occur to substances when they are mixed, heated and cooled. We’ll get hands-on, identifying and classifying local native plants, learning about their medicinal uses, and creating our own balms and other kinds of Rongoā Māori medicine. Enviroschools Rongoā expert Arihia Latham will come and run workshops with us in the Learning hub to teach us about Rongoā practices. Our reading and writing programmes will integrate with our Inquiry learning.

Our maths focus areas this term are Number, Problem Solving, Basic Facts, Algebra, and Statistics – probability. In physical education we will focus on athletics.

Music: percussion

We are running a music rotation this term – each class will spend 2 sessions with each teacher in the team, across the term. From rākau to sāsā to Stomp beats, we’ll be drumming and exploring different elements of rhythm, beat, and percussion.

Parent help

If you can support our class programme with either regular or one-off parent help, we’d love to hear from you. Spelling testing and reading with children are particularly useful ways to help. We always welcome parents visiting to read a favourite book or share some knowledge or expertise; even if you’ve already read to the class, we’d love you to come back again!

Home learning

A reminder to return home learning folders to school on Mondays. Each Monday children will bring home a new list of ten spelling words, an updated Reading log (if needed) and basic facts to be learned off by heart during the week.

Dates this term

Tuesday 21 October                         Rongoā Māori workshops in the Learning Hub

Wednesday 22 October                   Whole School Athletics Day at Wakefield Park

Thursday 23 October                       postponement day for Athletics Day
Friday 24 October                            Whole School powhiri, 9.15am

Monday 27 October                          Labour Day

Saturday 1 November                      School Fair

Tuesday 4 November                       M13’s trip to the City Gallery

Wednesday 5 November                 M12’s trip to the City Gallery

Thursday 6 November                     M14’s trip to the City Gallery

Tuesday 11 November                     Southern Zones Athletics

Tuesday 2 December                       Mahuri inquiry exhibition, 9am – 10.30am

Thursday 4 December                     Day walk to Red Rocks

Monday 8 December                       Amazing Race

Wednesday 10 December               M12 & M13’s zoo sleepover

Thursday 11 December                   M11 & M14’s zoo sleepover

Monday 15 December                      Whole School picnic

Tuesday 16 December                     Portfolios come home

Thursday 18 December                   Poroporoaki, last day of school

Thank you for your ongoing support. As always, if there is anything you would like to discuss regarding your child’s learning, please get in touch to make a time to talk.

Ngā mihi,

Shanon, Adele, Ximena and Amy

The Landfill by Harry

Today we went to the Wellington Landfill. When I got out of the bus I felt annoyed because of the smell. We had to wear yellow jackets because of the traffic.

First we looked at the poster which showed you how much rubbish can be in a yellow bag. 

Then we looked at some of the scrap metal. Each TV, to recycle, costs $25. It costs that much money because they have to take all the parts out and recycle each part differently.

After we looked at the recycle centre we got on the bus and drove to the tip. When we got out of the bus, I was even more annoyed because it was even more smelly. I felt desolate when I looked at the birds. It was like pollution. It wasn't even covered up. When we went back to the bus we looked at the compost. The good thing is, you can use it.

It wasn't better than any trips and it wasn't worse than any other trips so it was an okay trip.

Today we went to the Landfill

Here are our photos... writing coming soon!

Here's a link to the picture Meagan (our guide) showed us picturing what we actually throw away in our yellow WCC rubbish bags.

Hangi - Friday 28th February

Island Bay School hangi:

Friday 28^th February

Ma pango ma whero ka oti. By black and red together it is done.

Kia ora Parents and Caregivers,

Next Friday M12 and M13 are going to work together with Maria to put down the school hangi at Tapu te Ranga Marae.

This will involve preparing the food, packaging the food, cleaning the hall, digging the hole for the fire and watching the laying down of the hangi. Then we will spend some time sketching what we can see at the marae.

Instead of coming to school that morning, we will meet at Tapu te Ranga Marae, 44 Rhine St, Island Bay, at 8.55am on Friday 28^th February to start the day. After we have spent the morning at the marae, we will eat our lunch at the marae and walk back to school after lunch.

We will need around 6 parent helpers per class to help with food preparation, setting up the hangi and supervision of the children. If you are able to help, please indicate on the return slip below.

We’re looking forward to a great day. Remember to bring your sunhat, drink bottle, and a substantial lunch to fuel our hard work!

Nga mihi,

Maria, Adele, and Amy A

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Permission slip for the hangi at Tapu te Ranga Marae, Friday 28^th February

I give permission for _____________________________________ (child’s name) to attend the school trip to Tapu Te Ranga Marae to help put down the hangi. I understand that they will start the school day at the Marae, and walk back to school together after lunch.

Name:                                                                                     Signed:

(Please tick)

o   I can come along and help.                                      Phone: