Free Verse Poetry

Description: In Troy's writing group we are focusing on poetic writing. The type of poetry we are focusing on is Free Verse Poetry. Free verse means that there are no limits or rules to how we write our poem.

The poem I wrote about was about seeing the Disneyland Fireworks. Here it is:

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The celebration has begun

Pow! Pow! Pow!

The colors explode to life

Lying in the grass,

Staring at the blanket of stars

Dreaming with my cousin

Music gets louder

Disney idols appear 

The heart of Animation,

In one big splat of colors

A canvas of dreams appear

Thanks Disneyland

For being like no other.

Evaluation:

1) Reflect on the links to senses  you used: 

I think have used most of the five senses except for smell because I didn't know how to include this in my poem.

2) Reflect on the language features you used:

I think I have used repetition and short sentences. I found short sentences easy for including in my poem because one word can make a poem more powerful.

3) Reflect on what you could improve on next time:

Next time I would like to include ALL of the senses (see, hear, feel, taste and smell) and also try to use a variety of language features.

Partnership

In reading we had to pick questions from the Blooms Sheet. We had to give our reading partner the questions we chose and they had to answer them. Gracie was my partner and down below are the questions she gave me. The questions are related to the book we are both reading called The Spiral Chrysalis.

Who are the main characters 
Karl, Nareen and Kelly.

Describe what happened to Karl 
Karl got transported into the chrysalis.

What instructions would you give to Karl
Don't open any doors! It could let ghosts escape!

How is Karl related to Nareen 
They are twins!

What is your opinion of Karl
 Karl  is lazy!

Create a new character for the story
Stella, Kelly's older sis.

Book Bash

Description: For literacy this term, we have been doing something called Book Bash. Book Bash is where the teachers give us 10 books to choose from. Then we pick 3 books of our choice that best appeals to our taste or intersest. I got chosen to read the Spiral Chrysalis first.
Here are my predictions on my first look at the book:


Title:  I think The Spiral Chrysalis sounds like a book about a butterfly because butterflies make chrysalis'. I wonder why it says "Spiral" in the title though. What does a chrysalis  have anything to do with a spiral?

Cover Design: Just looking at the cover intrigued me. I think the two girls might be sisters and they encounter a chrysalis in their garden. The wind is sweeping their hair across the breeze which seems like it's coming from the chrysalis. WHY THOUGH!? And there appears to be blood stains...

Blurb: Honestly, I couldn't read the blurb because the photo was blurry but I'm sure it  sounds cool. Judging by the fact my other preditions, they could give me a clue of what it says!

News Report Tic Tac Toe

Description: For my summarizing Tic Tac Toe, I chose to do "News Report". You probably know what a news report is but basically it's when news reporters make a summary of a report. I had to make a News Report about an article by summarizing.

Image:

Big Idea:  

The article I had to summarize was an article about NZ getting a new dollar note design. 

Here is my report. The link to the article will be listed below.

September 2nd 2015, Kiwi Kids News have revealed an exciting report. The $5 and $10 notes will be revealing a new NZ design in mid October. The new design will feature brighter colours but don't worry, the famous faces and the floral design will be left unchanged. The $20, $50 and the $100 note will likely be changed in April 2016.

Link to article: (coming soon due to internet problems)

Pae Tamariki Reflection Term 3 2015

Description: This term Kapa Haka went to perform at Pae Tamariki. Pae Tamariki is an annual maori event shared with primary and intermediate schools. It's a celebration of maori tradition but showing it in maori haka and dance. Pae tamariki was celebrated on the 31st July 2015.

Image:


Big Idea: At Pae Tamariki, I felt... Scared to comfront everyone in the audience.

I felt most proud of… smiling proudly no matter how nervous I was.

I found folowing the actions challenging because… everyone was sometimes swaying their arms different ways so that confused.

I managed this challenge by…. remembering the correct movements and sticking to my instincts.

At Kapa Haka, I next want to.. Practising memorising the correct actions instead of embarssing myself by accidentally doing the wrongs movement.

Feedback/Feedforward:
I think you have done a great job and tryed your best, for your next goal at your
next peformance you could try and do the moves correctly and be more confident. Grace.S (/o-o)/ **

Maths Portfolio Sample

Description:  In maths we have been learning about multiplication and division. We have been practising the folowing strategies with Troy to help us: S (Spliting), R/C (Rounding Compensating), PLAT (Proportional Adjustment), KF (Known Facts) and PVP (Place Value Partitioning).

Images:

Big Idea: My goal in maths is PLAT. (Proportional Adjustment) PLAT is basically working out multiplication facts using doubling and halving AND tripling and thirding. For example: 12 x 5. If  we were using doubling and halving we would halve 12 and double 5. That would be 6 x 10. That makes it easier and we get the answer 60. For the first question we had to use 2 strategies. One of the strategies I used was PLAT. The other strategie was KNOWN FACTS. Known facts is basically working your way up to the answer using facts that you know. For example 32 + 32. 30+ 30 = 60. 2 + 2 = 4. 60 + 2 = 62. Next is R/C (Rounding and Compensating) For example: 5x19. First we round 19 to 20. 5x 20 = 100. 100 -5 =95

Evaluation: I think I have done well in using my strategy effectively. I believe I have proven my understanding in using PLAT. I think I might need to work on using R/C because I rarely use this strategy  in my learning but instead use algorithm or PVP or even PLAT. 

Feedback/ FeedForward: You have done a good job at explaining your strategy. I like the way that you have presented your learning I learnt lots from it.

Next time you could try to add more stratigies to your brain and remember how they are all used!

Isabella

Passion Project T3

WALT: use the PASSION inquiry process to investigate my passion independently/in small groups

MY PASSION PROJECT INQUIRY IS… To architect a design of a modern home.


Big Idea:
In class, I have been investigating modern architecture for Passion Project. I choose modern architecture because it's really interesting of how different our style of houses change. If you don't know what modern architecture is, it is basically a modern or complex design of a building or a house.

Here is a bit of the info I've gathered so far:





Image:

Evaluation:  I think I have done well in gathering info of my pasion. I think what I need to do next is to start designing my dream home. I'm pretty sure I will start  designing the floor plan with math paper so I can get the lines right. I also need to design the actual architechtual design right after. I have lots of images for inspiration.

Feedback/Feedforward: You have given every bit of detail of what you should have to design a house. You have thought about what happens if the weather is rough. The shape of the roof. Next time you could maybe think about the inside of the house. -Georgia Tindle :-)

Writing Portfolio Sample

Description:  In writing, my goal is to use planning templates. I chose this goal because I rarely get much ideas about what to what to write about and I NEVER use a planning template. I tried to get better at this goal by think of the most juicy words and write them down so I could add them in my writing. In my writing group we used the image below to help us get motivation of what to write about.

Image:

Planning Template:

Big Idea: 

We had to brainstorm precise nouns and descriptive adjectives about the image above to inspire us.
We also had to brainstorm 'prompts' about wha our character could see, hear or feel. For our planning, we used a mountain template to help us plan our story. We had to add lots of hints in our story so we can give the reader a clue about whats going on.

Here is my writing:

Feedback/ Feedforward: I like the adjectives that you used Aye. Next time you need to make sure it makes sense because at points I didn't know what you were talking about. Ana


Evaluation: I think I did very well in adding hints and descriptive words. I think I might need to work on sticking to the main points of my plan instead of just  changing my first intentions into totally different intentions.

Wearable Arts

Description: In class we had to choose what topic we wanted to be in for Wearable Arts in production. The choices were: Out of Africa, Elements or Heros and Villans. Since I wasn't there, I was placed in Out of Africa. A Wearable Art is not a costume but a Garment. A Garment is ART!!!! We also had to think of a color scheme. So we created a mood board to inspire us for making new ideas or  creating different color schemes.

Here is my mood board and my planning.

Evaluation:

1) The materials that I used to create my garment were:

• Fabric
• Felt
• Papier Mache
• Paint
• Bottle Caps (green/blue)
• Elastic
• Fluff
• Wire
• Beads
• Wooden Elephant
• NewsPaper
• Duct Tape
• Tinfoil
• Feathers
• Pen
• White Fabric Stuff
• Fedora
• Ribbon
• Etc (I forgot)

2) The most challenging thing about production for me was:

Making my hat because the tinfoil wouldn't stick to my base which really mad me frustrated.

3) One way I demonstrated a growth mindset during production was:

Thinking that if I keep trying I will get it done with excellence.

4) Something I am really proud of about production was:

Completing my skirt because now it looks FAB!

5) Our school vision is to create agency, creativity and excellence. I showed this by:

Thinking of the most creative way of colouring my wings and giving my tail lots of coats.

Reading Portfolio Sample: Story Wheel

Description: In class, my goal has been summarising. I chose summarising because I think I need to work on summarising a story I have read without spoiling the ending. This is my goal because I want to work my way towards making a very good story. Summarising means to create a retell a story but only the KEY points. This includes: WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY and HOW. Since I've been practising summarising, I have to do summarising activities/ Tic-Tac-Toes. The activity that I'm doing at the moment is making a story wheel.

Big Idea: Our task was to draw a summary from an article we just read. I read an article about what stuff was banned from different countries.

Here are a few statements that were made in the article.

Ketchup was BANNED from France,

Plastic Bags were BANNED from France, Bangledesh, Tanzania and Mexico City.

Etc

Feedback/ Feedfoward: Comming Soon

Evaluation: I think I have done well in summarising this article. I have summarised most of the KEY points. I think I need to work on summarising WHEN and HOW because I found it difficult to locate HOW or especially the WHEN. 

The Digestive System

Description: In class we had to choose from 3 science choices. The food chain with Troy, The digestive system with Suzanne and animal adaptions with Ebony. I chose to learn the digestive system with Suzanne. For the digestive system, we learnt lot's of interesting facts that we have never have known before. To gather all of this amazing info we made movies on what we have learnt about the digestive system.

Success Criteria

Our movie has:

*lots of interesting details about digestion that our audience won’t know

*clear explanations about each stage of the digestion process (talking clearly and loudly, using specific science vocabulary)

*clear images 

*humour/interesting detail to keep the audience engaged

Here is our video I made with Katelyn, Ashlee, Hannah and Gaby:

Big Idea: Here is a brief summary of what how the digestive system works. Digestion is all about breaking food down into tiny bits so it is small enough to travel all the nutrition around in your blood to feed your body and give it energy. All the leftovers (non nutrition) are placed together into this thing we call "poo". Watch the video above to see what happens inside our bodies and how the food travels around our body.

Feedback/Feed forward: I like how you added in some humor in the video. My favourite bit is the very end bit when your voice is very clear to here.You could work on making the video have a bit more information about the rectum and how it works. @^__^@ Ashlee



Evaluation: I think we showed a lot of creativity and excellence in our movie. We have added a lot of detail and info into our movie that the audience might of not known. Honestly, I think these facts will  come in handy in the future. I think we need to speak more entertainingly so that our viewers won't get bored. Other  than that, I think we have done a really good job.

Kapahaka Reflection

Every Monday at 2:00, the Kapa Haka kids practise in the hall. Rosie has formed a new Kapa Haka competitive group for competing in competitions. This group is called "Tematangi" Tematangi practises twice as much as the original Kapa Haka, Te Roopu.

1. Kapa haka is the term for Māori performing arts and literally means to form a line (kapa) and dance (haka). Kapa haka is an avenue for Maori people to express and showcase their heritage and cultural Polynesian identity through song and dance.
   
   
   

   
   Big Idea : 
   At kapahaka I enjoy learning about the songs and how the songs relate to our culture. I also love to learn the moves of traditional dances.
   
   
   I am most proud of being able to join the Kapahaka for the past few years and being able to perform in front of an audience.
   
   
   I find pronouncing the Māori words challenging because Te Reo Māori is much more different than the english language. If you pronounce a word wrong, the word will have a completely different meaning.    
   
   I am managing this challenge by listening to what everyone else sings, then I copy what they say. If the person that I am copying is incorrect, the leaders would correct us.
   
   
   A personal goal for me is to be able to prove that I know all the meanings to the songs and the pronunciation correct by the end of the year.
      
   Our school wide focus this term has been around showing excellence. I show this at kapahaka by striving to the best of my ability and trying my best to get the movements correct.
   
   Feedback/Feedforward: Amazing Aye you have done very well with pronouncing the words because 
   I have not noticed you having any trouble lately. The thing I think that you need to work on is speaking LOUDLY so that the crowd can hear you.#Olivia AKA  🍍's BFF
   
   
   

   
   

Maths Portfolio Sample

Description: In class we have been tested on a series of math questions. Each Stage Group in maths had different questions. For example: Stage 5 had to use one number, while stage 6 had to use two. For stage 6 maths, we were tested on questions like: "Write two numbers that have a sum of exactly 30." These questions were laid out as Rebel Sport prices.

Questions:

Big Idea: The strategies that I'm learning at the moment is: R/C, E/A and P/V. If you don't know what these strategies do or what they mean, here is my explanation. R/C stands for "Rounding And Compensating" We basically round a number from our equation, then add how many numbers we rounded in the first place. If that makes no sense, here is an example: 63-39=?    63 - 40 +1 =24.

E/A stands for Equal Additions. This is the same as R/C but except from add after the equation, we add before the equation. For example: 63-39=?      64-40=24. And P/V stands for Place Value. 

You are probably wondering what answers I got. Well, here are my answers as well as what strategies I used.

1) (P/V) 

345 + 379 = 724

300 + 300 = 600

40 + 70 = 110

5+9 = 14

600+110+14=724

2) (Trial & Error + Equal Addition)

(It took ALOT of trial and error, so here are only a few of the equations that I worked with.)

                    155-119 = 156 - 120

+1   +1 

=36

____________

                      215 - 119 = 216- 120

+1  +1

=96

___________

                  215 - 115 = 220 - 160

+5   +5

=60!!

3) (Trial & Error +Algorithms, with help from Bella)

379

+119 

____

=489

________________

379

+45

____

=424

________________

289

+155

____

544

________________

289

+137

______

=426!!

4) (Algorithms)

        289

       155

         ____

        134

FeedBack/Feedforward: 

WOW Aye, you are defiantly showing a lot of stratagies and  what you have been very good at. You could work on showing 

the Reversibility strategy. I really think you have shown us what you know and what to work on. You have done a lot of work on this as I have seen you in class. Amy

Evaluation: Thanks Amy. I really think I have learned a lot of strategies that I have never have known before. I think I might need to use more strategies that may be a good match for the equation. Other than that, I think I have gotten a better understanding of different strategies. I hopefully can use these strategies in High School or College or my job!

Writing Portfolio Sample

Description: My writing goal is to use a range of different sentences. One of them is complex sentences. I am gonna try get better at this goal by using a range of different sentences and try combining them together. In Troy's writing class, we watched a movie about a mouse trying to get adopted. We had to retell the story in our own way and try to add complex sentences in the story.  Here is the movie we watched. It is called "Mouse For Sale":



Big Idea:  Here is my story. The complex sentences are highlighted red. If you don't know what a complex sentence is, here is a brief explanation. A complex sentence is a sentence where it has two clauses. One of the clauses is an independent clause (which means it can stand alone) and the other is a dependent clause. For example: Because my coffee was too cold, I had to heat it in the microwave. The underlined part is the independent clause. The dependent clause can't stand alone so it is added to a independent clause.

Here is my writing. Hope you enjoy!:

Feedback/feedforward:

Great Job Aye, I really like your writing! I love all the complex sentences that you have used. They make your writing much more interesting! Next time I think that you could make smaller paragraphs because they are sometimes a little big! Great Job! Hannah K 

Evaluation: 

I honestly think that I have developed an understanding of complex sentences. Before, I had never heard of a phrase like "complex sentences". I think I might need to work on using different types of sentences like: " Compound, simple, compound- complex etc" I'll work towards this goal by thinking more about how they work and which way will imporve my sentence. - Aye

Reading Portfolio. Sample

Description;
For today's Tic Tac Toes I have done "What's a Prefix?" Tic Tac Toes are reading activities that we can choose from to improve our literacy. Tic Tac Toes are cut into to groups. "Expanding Vocab" and "comprehension". I'm in Expand Vocab.  Since in class we had to do a portfolio sample I decided to do a sample on this Tic Tac Toe. If you're wondering "what is a prefix?" let me explain. A prefix is is "affix" which comes in the beginning of a word. For example: if the prefix was "un" and you added it onto the beginning of "happy", you will get "unhappy". The "un" changes the meaning of happy to the meaning of "un" which has the same meaning as "not".

Here are my words that has the letters "TRI" in them."Tri" means "three." On a bicyle you add the letters "tri" and it makes "tricycle" A trycycle means it's a bike but with "three" wheels.

Tricycle 
Triathlon (3 stages in a "triathlon")

Trigger  (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")
Strip   (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Airstrip (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Strike (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Tribes (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Stride (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Trip (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Trial (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Triangulate (3 corners in "triangle")
Tricky  (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Trickster (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Triangular (3 corners in "triangle")
Triumph (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Tripod (3 legs on a tripod)

Trifler  (Just has "tri" in the word. Does not mean "3")

Sucsess Criteria: (Expand Vocab)
Re-read
Read on
List of words
Base or root word
Cause and effect
Synonyms
Comparisons and contrasts


Big Idea: We had to make a list of words with the letters "TRI" We had to find as many words as possible.

Feedback/Feedfoward:

WOW Aye!

Those are awesome words that start with tri. I think I could use some of those words in my writing. Just a question what would you do if you could not find a device or a dictionary book how will you be able to find some new tri words? But you have done a very VERY good job.

Sophie W

Evaluation

Thanks Sophie for the feedback and feedfoward. Just to answer you question: I think I would look around  me and see if any objects or related objects might help me get more ideas. I think I might need to work on trying to get more juicy words and hopefully use these words in my writing. I will work my way up to this goal by looking in the  thesaurus and maybe think about more complicated words that have the same meaning as the basic one. I also think I am doing well using the sucsess criteria because I use most of these strategies to find out about new words. Hopefully I will still remember these strategies when I get older! :D