How tall are we?

Today for maths, we got into small groups and measured each other's heights.  We then had to cut a piece of wool that was the same length as our height and attach it to the classroom door so that we could compare heights.  It was interesting to find out from the Guiness World Records that the tallest adult is Robert Wadlow from the United States who is 2.72 metres tall (that is nearly up to our ceiling!) while the shortest adult is only 54.6cm!

Our tallest student is Ryan, while Anna is the shortest.

Swimming Sports

LAS Swimming Sports - 28th February 2014 on PhotoPeach - photos all taken by  Deija-Lee, Imogen, Oakley, Regan, Anna and Aaron.

Today was our swimming sports for Year 4 - Year 13.  Some of our Year 3 students were lucky enough to be allowed to enter today's events also.  The Year 3 students who did not swim today were in charge of being the class photographers.  Each student had an ipad mini and took their own photos and then created a pic collage to represent the swimming event.  For only their third time using the pic collage app we think they've done a pretty good job.  Special thanks to Deija-Lee, Imogen, Oakley, Regan, Anna and Aaron for these collages and the photos in the slideshow above.

Our star photographers hard at work creating masterpieces....

Congratulations to all of today's swimmers.   Despite the cold water temperature you all tried your best.  You did us proud!

 

...more photos taken by Mrs May

 

Yesr 3 & 4 Swimming Sports on PhotoPeach Year 3 & 4 Swimming Sports 2 on PhotoPeach

Waitahuna Swimming Carnival

Waitahuna Swimming Carnival - photographs taken by the Year 4 students

On Wednesday our Year 3 students took part in the Junior Swimming Carnival at Waitahuna School and it was FABULOUS!!!!!!  The students all did exceptionally well and we were very proud of them all.

Students competed in a number of events to showcase the swimming skills that they have been working on every afternoon since the start of term 1.  They swam widths of the pool in a streamline on their tummy and on their back. They swam widths with the flutter board.  They retrieved objects off the bottom of the pool, and raced against each other with egg and spoon.  And they ended their session by swimming lengths of both freestyle and backstroke to show the cheering parents just what great swimmers they have become.

Special thank you to the Year 4 students who went along and cheered on the Year 3's, supporting them as they gave their best efforts and who were also chief photographers for the day.

Digital citizen

So what is a digital citizen?  We began this afternoon by discussing what a 'citizen' is first and we came up with this definition: 'A citizen is someone who belongs to a group'.  We are all school citizens, Room 4 citizens and New Zealand citizens.  We try hard to be kind citizens who are role models to others.  We are also DIGITAL CITIZENS!  Mrs O produced a digital citizen survival kit which contained alot of unusual items that didn't appear to have anything to do with being a digital citizen.  However, each one reminded us how we should behave when we are online being digital citizens.

Examples included....

Toothpaste - Imagine information that you are putting online is like toothpaste coming out of a tube.  Once it is out, it is almost impossible to get it all back in the tube!

Toothbrush - This is something that you would never want to share with        others—just like your passwords.

Mirror - Imagine this is attached to your computer.  If you looked in it and saw your Mum and Dad or Nana and Grandad in the reflection, would they approve of what you are doing or saying?

Tea strainer - The amount of information on the internet is amazing!  As digital citizens we have to be good at ‘straining’ out the bad stuff and deciding what is real and not real and to find information that is useful.

Soap - Remember to always post information that is appropriate.  Keep it clean!

Tatoo - Our ‘digital tattoo’ is there forever!  It cannot be washed away or got rid of easily.  Make sure yours is a tattoo to be proud of.

Padlock - Always set strong passwords and passcode locks on digital devices.

Anna examines items in the kit.

 Our final task was to match up our own pictures and captions to create our very own digital survival kit.  Mrs O was really pleased with how we all could match up each item.  We found this a really easy way to remember how to behave appropriately online.

Lost dog

Please help Room 4 students to find their LOST DOGS.  They have written detailed descriptions to help you work out which one is their dog.  Leave us a comment if you can match up the description to the dog pictures below.

Lost!  Vader is a sad dog with droopy ears and dark black eyes.  His coat is white with patches of orange.  On each foot he has two claws that look like hooves.  Perhaps his dad was a horse and his mum was a dog.  Vaer’s whole body is covered with wrinkles.  It looks like my great, great Grandad, except Vader is alive!  He has a soaking wet nose. Ever since we’ve moved to Canada he keeps sticking his head in the deserted pond.  Something that proves his identity is a deep wrinkle under his right ear.  Sadly if he has his tail up it means he is sad and gloomy.  Please, please find him.  Phone 4859***.   – Toby

I have lost my dog Chopper.  He is caramel brown.  My dog has a black nose.  It is like the dark sky.  It looks like it is going to cry because it is lost.  It looks like it is in the desert because it is on hard sand.  It looks like it is on a biscuit.   – Deija-Lee

Patch my dog is LOST!  He has brown patches in certain places, like his tummy, tail and his neck.  Patch is a small sized dog.  He can only reach up to just below my knee which is 40-50cm tall.  Patch is white like he’s been rolling around in silky snow.  He has quite short legs that stretch just like a bunch of stretchy bungy cords stretched over a trailer.  Patch’s tail sticks straight up like a sticky milk tree and when you try and put it down it goes straight back up again.  He has camouflaged eyes that even reflect in the sunlight.  So if you have a chance of finding him, please take him to the local vet!   - Ryan

Lost dog called Hot Dog.  Hot Dog is a small long dog with small stubby feet and a really short tail.  He’s a black and brown silky dog.  He has sad pebble eyes and long big ears.  He likes to sit round and watch TV.  Please return to the Beaumont Highway that says ‘Crossy’s’.   – Alesana

Lost dog.  Can you help me find Roxie?  She is brown and has sharp teeth.  She is big and fat.  She has a red collar. Roxie has bi eyes, big humungous nostrils, an angry face and hanging down ears.  She is fluffy and has a big head and she likes running.  On her collar is has her name and phone nuber.  If you find her call 4859***.   – Charlotte

My dog Boxer is very small.  He has a little smudge of black hair below his nose.  He has very small legs and small black fluffy ears.  He has a white end of the tail.  Boxer has a little white fluffy belly and you cannot see his eyes because they are hidden in his black bits.  Around his nose is a white bit.  Please help!  - Te Aroha

I have lost my dog called Lassie.  Lassie’s fur is fluffy with a big white mane on her neck.  Her back is covered in black with a big spot of white above her big fluffy tail.  Her face is brown with black around it.  At the top of her long silky face are two black ears that are camouflaged.  On her head she has a white stripe down her face.  She has a wet shining nose.  – Samara

Lost.  My dog Sammy is lost.  He has the cutest tiny white legs.  His head is ginger with a white blaze.  His ears are floppy, ginger ears.  His tail is half black, half white.  He has black eyes and a black nose.  Sammy also has a black saddle on his back.  He is a male.  He looks very sad.  If you find him please call 4859***.  Thank you.   – Bryce

  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Lost.  Please help me find my dog called Milly.  She has medium bits of hair coming off her back.  It is really straight.  It looks like someone has got hair straighteners and straightened it.  Milly’s coat is silky with lots of white and a bit of black.  Black is all over her ears.  Milly’s eyes have jet black rings around them.  Milly has a bit of black around behind her tail.  Milly’s ears stick up like a stick, straight up in the air.  She has black, serious, bold eyes.  Up from Milly’s eyes it looks like she has a white love heart.  Please help me find my dog.  Call 4859***.  – Josie

Butch my dog has little eyes.  He is fast like a jet plane.  He has a purply collar.  He is fluffy.  He likes to climb up your knee.  He is fluffy around his neck.   He is only a puppy.  He has brown on his ears.  He has brown on his eye.    – Aaron

Lost dog!  Please help find him.  He’s called Monster.  He’s black as night.  Monster is a humungous dog.  He has a long tail.  Monster has a very big nose and floppy ears, with long legs and big paws  His tail is as hard as  a rock.  Monster can bark as loud as a rocket taking off.  He’s as big as a horse.  Please help me find my dog.  Call 4859***.    – Arnika

Badger my dog is lost.  I last saw him on the beach.  Badger is the size of a bull dog.  He has long and strong legs, and a very black coat.  Badger has a blue collar.  He loves swimming at the beach.  So if you see him he might be wet.  He is a labrador.  – Regan

Lost dog – name is Bella.  She is a puppy. Her fur is fluffy.  She is grey and white.  Her nose is black and tiny.  Her ears are red inside them.  Her ears stick up.  Her eyes are night black.  Bella has tinsy little paws that are wrapped in white fur.  Her legs are short but they make Bella run very fast.  On the top of her head there is a grey and white line that makes Bella cute.  Around her nose is lots of white.  The tail is a medium size.  She is a husky puppy.  Please find my dog Bella.  Ring 4859***.   – Lanie

Lost dog.  His name is Blacky.  He is black and white.  He has fluffy ears and a fluffy tail that curls up on his back.  It is black and white.  He has a burst of white down his nose.  His eyes blend in with his black fur.  He has raindrop ears and he has a wet soggy nose.  Call 4859*** or 4859***.   – Imogen

Snowy is white.  He is fluffy.  He is big.  He lives in the snow.  His tongue is white purply.  Snowy has camouflaged ears.  His eyes are black as night.  He has a bushy tail.  Phone 4859***.  – William

Boxer is a lost dog.  He has sharp teeth but he is a nice dog. Boxer is a medium sized dog, as big as a sheep.  He is black and ginger.  Boxer has a patch under his tail.  Boxer has a long wet nose.  Call 4859*** if you find him.   – Oakley

Lost dog.  She has sparkly gold ears.  Her nose is as dark as midnight, with a stripe of white down her face.  She has a sad face.  She has a white body.  She comes when you call ‘Goldy’.  Call 4859*** if you find her.   – Anna

Show not tell - descriptive writing

Show not tell

We have been learning to use detailed descriptions in our writing. This week we have been trying to show our audience things rather than telling them. Here are some of our practice activities so that you can see how differently one sentence can be written when we get creative.

It was cold.

The snow drifted down onto the white covered land. - Toby

The rain poured down onto the ground. - Josie

The puddles froze and turned into ice. - Ryan

The man, wrapped up in a woolly jacket, shivered in the wind. - Alyssa

The grass was frosted over like a big white blanket. - Toby

The frost sat, all slippery, on the ground. - Josie

The frost turned into a big icy waterfall. - Lanie

The snow sparkled like a diamond. - Arnika

The man’s teeth were chattering so hard that you couldn’t see them. - Bryce

It was freezing and snow was everywhere. - William

The man, covered in 5 woolly jerseys, froze into an iceberg. - Alyssa

Icicles hung from the trees. - Anna

The raindrops turned into icicles. - Samara

It was windy.

The umbrella flew past in the blizzard. - Alesana

The strong winds ripped the trees out of the ground. - Oakley

It was so strong that it ripped the tree and it flew away. - William

The trees rattled and the leaves fell to the ground. - Lanie

The washing is blowing off the line. - Isla

The tree tops were falling down. - Charlotte

The leaves crackled in the trees. - Anna

The trees were blowing around and the girl’s hair was everywhere. – Te Aroha

The trees were shaking and it was blowing me away. – Deija-Lee

The washing blew across the ground and leaves flew in the air as people were running to find shelter. - Samara

The wheelie-bin was blown over and litter was clogging the gutter. - Toby

Howling winds whistled through the forest. - Bryce

It was so windy that it was like a tornado. – Arnika

Leaves were flying from side to side. - Josie

The dancing rubbish flew through the air like leaves. - Ryan

The wind goes everywhere like a whirl wind. - Imogen

The newspaper flew out of the man’s hands and into the top of tree in the neighbour’s house. - Alyssa

The trees were blowing so hard that all the trees were bare. - Regan

The door creaked and swayed from side to side. - Toby

The runner was sweaty.

The runner’s top was stuck to him. - Aaron

The runner was dripping wet from his shirt. – Te Aroha

The runner was so hot he was dripping. - Isla

The runner was dripping like rain. - Anna

The runner was hailing with water. - Alesana

The runner was dripping like raindrops from the sky. - Bryce

The runner was drenched in sweat from head to toe. - Samara

The runner was smelly and hot, with a sticky face. - Charlotte

The runner just got home from the biggest run ever. She was as wet as a pool. - Lanie

The runner was red like un-cooked meat. - Ryan

The runner was wet all over him like he had poured water all over him. - Imogen

The runner was red all around the face. It looked like he was crying from his head. - Josie

The runner was sweating. He was so hot that he was going to melt. - William

It looked like the runner had tipped a whole bottle of water all over him. - Alyssa

His face was red like a tomato. – Deija-Lee

The runner was as sweaty as a wet dog. - Regan

The runner’s legs were heavier than weights. His throat was as dry as the sun. His waist was thick with stitch and his brain was asleep. – Toby

It is muddy.

The puddles were a thick brown gloopy bog. – Mrs May

I could feel something squelching at my feet. – Alyssa

When I have my boots on I go outside and I see lots of brown gooshy stuff on the ground. – Lanie

I was walking across the paddock and my gumboot got stuck. – Charlotte

The puddles were a brown glowing colour. – Josie

When I stepped in the mud I hear a squish. – William

I see mud puddles. – William

The puddles slowly turned into a big bog hole. – Ryan

The ground is covered in mud. – Aaron

The puddles are as brown as a chocolate bar and the puddles have brown chocolate lumps in the puddles. – Regan

Squelch. My bright red gumboots turn into a thick brown gloopy bog. – Toby

The puddles are a brown blur and thick and mooshy. – Imogen

As the gumboots went splat through the thick brown, soggy rain puddles. – Alesana

There was brown goo all over the place. – Anna

As I walked across the yard I could hear a squelching noise under my gumboots. – Samara.

Muck puddles were everywhere. – Bryce

It is hot.

The sun is beaming. – Anna

The bath was burning like the Sahara desert. – Samara

Ice-cream is dripping all over the ground and people are under the shade. – Josie

The plants are dead, the grass was brown and everyone got sun-burnt. – Te Aroha

It is sunny and I am sweating. – Deija-Lee

The trampoline is steaming because the sun is pointing at it. My bare feet were so hot that I have to jump up and down. - William

My friend got shot.

Samara fell to the ground with blood coming out quickly. – Charlotte

My friend got soaking wet from my water gun. – Oakley

I got my friend with a splash of water from my water pistol. – Imogen

My friend got shot with my big shot gun. – Aaron

My friend got hit with a tomato. The juice was all around his face. – Regan

Bang! It was World War 2. A bullet came straight for my friend. It hit…… - Toby

I am hungry.

I scream to my mum “I need food!” So she gets some ice-cream out and I eat it all. - Lanie

There are rats.

My mum hears rattling and she screams like she got the fright of her life. – Ryan

“Argh!” cries Mum as a tiny black animal scoots around the room. - Bryce

Mum yells and scream like an ant seeing an elephant. - Alesana

I am scared.

My heart is beating so hard that it is going to poke out run away. – Arnika

I jumped out the window and screamed while hiding behind the dog. – Alyssa

We are ALL important

We have created a couple of stunning whole class pieces of art work that reflect our focus on the importance of every individual in our class.  We are all unique, different and beautiful and our differences combine to make our class an AMAZING TEAM of learners.

What sort of year do we want?

Today Mrs O set up a bus stop activity around the room where we had to answer some questions about the sort of learning environment that we want to have in Room 4 for 2014.  We moved around the classroom brainstorming ideas onto each sheet and then discussed our thoughts together as a class.  We all agreed that we had similar ideas about just what sort of place we want to learn in this year.

Pic Collage on the iPads

Today we had fun exploring with a buddy how to use the iPad app called Pic Collage.  Check out our finished products in this slideshow and keep watching our blog to check out how we use Pic Collage to help with our learning in the future.


Pic Collage Fun on PhotoPeach

iRead

We LOVE reading and we LOVE 

our iPads!!!!!