Wairua Tapu

 This year for sign language week we decided to learn the waiata Wairua Tapu together as a senior school. We will be sharing this with our whanau this sunday at Mass. 

SIMILES & METAPHORS

Today in Te Kahu we began looking at different language features. We focused on Similes and Metaphors that can be found in music. Check out our padlet to see what we came up with!

MAHI TAHI - Week 5

This week for mahi tahi we decided to put our communication and critical thinking skills to the test. We were all put into groups and then began a task called Quizletics. This was a quiz with 20 questions that ranged from general knowledge, to maths, NZ history, literacy, RE and brain teasers. We had to collaborate together and use our 21st century learning skills to solve each question then run them to the teacher to be checked. 

All students worked together well and collaborated to make use of each others strengths. As a teacher I was very proud to see the students 21st Century skills in action. 

Well done seniors! 

MAHI TAHI - Week 3

Marshmallow Spaghetti Towers 

This week for mahi tahi we built towers using marshmellow and spaghetti. We had to channel our inner engineer, mathematician and architect to make sure that our towers were stable and had a good foundation. The tallest tower made today stood at 69cm, such a good effort made by everyone. It was awesome to hear all of the technical math language being used by everyone and to see that some teams had reflected on last week and decided to plan before creating. Fantastic job team! I am loving seeing you all become one big whanau.

MAHI TAHI- Collaborative Art

COLLABORATIVE ART

In week 2 we did Mahi Tahi as a senior syndicate. We focused on the 4 C's; collaboration, creativity, critical thinking and communication. In this task students were split into groups across each of the year levels and were given a piece of art which they then had to enlarge by using collage. Students had to draw on their math knowledge, using their enlargement skills. This gave the seniors a great opportunity to be tuakana to the younger students. 
We all had lots of fun and created a great piece of art that was close enough to the original. 

 

Filming with Harley

Our first filming lesson with Harley. Harley is from Kerikeri and makes films. He is visiting schools teaching students how to make movies with a goal of making one, and presenting it at Te Ahu Centre competing with other schools. 🙌🏽

The school has purchased all the equipment needed to make these lessons possible.. and everyone takes an active role to pull it altogether. Pretty clever lot they are! 🎥

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuakana - Teina

Love this 😀  This is Kaden.  He is working with Dan, who is Autistic. Kaden is helping Dan with his maths. I love hearing the learning conversations they are having, and the explaining Kaden is doing for Dan, and then Dan's excitement when he successfully completes a problem.
Keep up the nice work, Kaden and Dan!  🙏

Mahi Tahi - Human Paper Track Trail

This morning for Mahi Tahi students were challenged to make a human paper track.  They had to think critically about size, structure and strength, and make it big enough to fit their whole team (4 students) in it.
They then had to test their tracks, by walking in them along the length of the classroom, and those whose tracks stayed in tact, then were challenged to race the length of the court outside!
Great task - so many laughs!  😁

 

 

 

Mahi Tahi - Harakeke Matariki Stars

With Matariki nearly here, and lots of discussion about this in class, this weeks Mahi Tahi task was to create Matariki Stars from Harakeke.
The process was to first, watch a YouTube clip through with your group, then collect their Harakeke and follow the instructions - keeping in mind the 4 Cs (Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Critical Thinking).  Some very successful creations.

What were the highs of the task?
* Everyone worked well together - everyone helped out and did their part, and communicated.
* Watched the video together and knew what to do.
* Stayed as a group, until the task was done.

Challenges?
* Getting the very first part done.
* Having trouble splitting the flax in only one part.
* Folding the harakeke to make the point.
* Some people didn't help and talked to other groups.