Awesome Alliteration

Last week we started practising writing sentences using alliteration. Here are some on the ones we came up with for A and B.

A

The angry alien ambushed the Army and ate an Astronaut. - Miss Thomas

The angered assault army are angry as aliens attack Auckland. - John

the active acrobat showed agility across all activities.

B

Brilliant, beautiful, bright blue butterflies bought buns.

Bright Beaming big hearted baboons wearing beard bounced babies.

Each slide has a picture with that letter the focus of the picture like the book Animalia (but no where near as awesome or inspiring unfortunately. Student brainstorm words for that particular letter and on the next slide make a few sentences using those words. The slides can be posted to their blog and kept for later if they wish to use alliteration in their story they already have a list of words starting with the first 5 letters of the alphabet.

Tuesday we looked at the letter C and here are the sentences we came up with.

C

Christian the clown circles the carnival chucking cans in circles.

Carl clips cherries as he climbs carefully clinging to corners.

Catherine cleans up carefully collecting cookie crumbs.

Charlie choked on chocolate and cheese.

Christian climbed on a chair to claim a clean cup.

Today we are looking at the letter D. What words can you come up with that start with the letter D? Can you make them into a sentence. Share them in the comments below.

Finding the Area of Joined Shapes

We have been learning how to work out the area and perimeter of different shapes.

Today we had to work out the area of a flat house or rocket. We had to break the original shape into parts. Such as a rectangle/square and a triangle before we could work out the area.

I love maths and using formulas to work out answers. We even talked about the Pythagoras theorem to help work out the height of a triangle. Only to work out the triangle was a right-angle triangle. LOL

What do you like about maths?

More Proverbs

As I was reading a list of Chinese Proverbs, I realised many of our saying come from this list. I am not sure who had the saying first, but as I can't say them in Chinese I have taken the English version of the Chinese proverb and explained how it inspires me.

Even my Grandmother used to say nothing good comes to those who sit around all day doing nothing. In other words, if you wait for fortune to fall into you lap or come to you, you will be waiting a long time. If you get up and work hard are considerate to others then you will have all the treasure in the world. 

Do you have a saying whanau say all the time?

Chinese Language Week

We are learning Chinese phrases for Chinese Language Week. I like having the how to say it part e.g. here you can see the Chinese Characters, the way it is transcribe into Romanised characters and then the how to say it translation in brackets.

你好 Nǐ hǎo (nee how) Hello

我叫譚雅 Wǒ jiào Tanya (war-jee-ow) My name is Tanya

謝謝 Xièxiè (Sh-ye - sh-ye) Thank you

再見 Zàijiàn (Z-eye gen) - Goodbye

I enjoy learning new languages and hope to be able to use them when I am out and about. 

What languages do you like learning?

Friday Fun

Today we looked at different ways to make art using a computer. there are many ways and these site just helped us think outside the box to create images or backgrounds we could use in our animation.

Sand Art

First we looked at the sand art, it was great to here the students discuss ways to make it better. the other day when I tried it I managed to change from a rainbow of colours to just black and couldn't figure out how to change it and was too scared to try anything. But, my boys just tapped and talked and shared their wow as they went. Of course the colour circle in the top right would change the colour. It takes you to a colour palette and you can pick a specific colour or the target circles in the left corner (of this page) give you a selection it will randomly choose from.

This top one is using the random circle of colours and then a blue top.

I am sure you can image the black mountains of night, turning into just black.

The second one is using colours I selected for different areas, attempting to make a lot of mountains on the left and a valley leading to the sea on the right, in the evening with the sun setting.

Silk Art

This one was interesting as you could change the number of symmetrical points from 2 to 12. You could also alter the size from smaller to larger. 

What we did notice is if you left the marker in one place too long the colour turn to white. This also occurred if you returned with a second colour (if you were trying to add layers. 

I can see many applications for this, if you use remove.bg then the image could be add easily to a drawing and the layers i mentioned earlier achieved by putting a red one over top. Then download as a png and insert it into your presentation.

Manetas - Pollock

This style is like painting with ink pen that doesn't like working, but a lot of fun. It starts out with black and every single click changes the colour randomly. I even tried to see how many colours their were but they just keep changing the hue and I started to run out of room. 

Double click starts a new image. So have fun.

Quick Draw

We ended the session using Quick Draw, you have 20 seconds to draw the object they suggest and the computer /AI has to guess what you have drawn. Not always as easy as you think. Here are my results, I had to draw a chandelier, a mosquito, an ice cream, a monkey, a strawberry and a wine glass. Listening to the guess the computer had us laughing.

Have you tried any of these, which did you enjoy? What techniques did you use or figure out?

Robotics With SDA

Throughout lockdown, I have continued to teach Robotics, Coding to a Technology Class that comes into Wesley Intermediate. 

Last week we started creating a game similar to the Gameboy layout. Students how to pick a back ground, create a sprite that appeared to move left, right, forward and back.

Here is what a student achieved well done Ryan!

The challenge was then set to see if students could add obstacles for their sprite to jump over, crash into and then restart. Here is an example I created using a maze.

Previously we had used the pen extension in Scratch to draw shapes and Ethan took that to another dimension.

Another way to look at code is through hour of code and making flappy bird fly. I had fun doing this and can see applications to scratch and other methods of coding.

Animation Creations

After looking at Myths and Legends we think we are ready to start our Animation for Ako Hiko Film Festival, all for the sake of learning. There are many ways to create animation. Tomorrow's post will show one using scratch (not quite the PG, we require for Film Festival).

Today we are looking at using slides again. This time we have some tips for you.

So we don't give away all our secrets before the Film Festival, I have taken a copy of the slide with the feature on to only show they tip.

1. You can show passing of time by darkening the back ground, you could also have the sun moving across the sky during the day.

2. You can show movement by creating an object in one slide, duplicate the slide and then move the object, repeat. You could use the initial slide to show rocking back and forward, or duplicate second slide and move object along a little further to show travelling.

3. You repeat a slide with talking on so the audience has a chance to read what is being said, this one also incorporates a moving boat.

Comparing Characters and Heroes

We are looking forward to creating an animation about our favourite Myth or Legend. But first we need to do some research and see where else there are similar heroes in the world.

After asking students to find heroes from their home lands we completed the list from different places about different heroes and of course heroines.

Here is an example of the stories we looked at and the sheet we had to complete about our hero. I loved seeing people finding out more about their history, Ka rawe, Awesome!

Morning Challenge

Let's get our brains up and going. I used to enjoy solving picture puzzles and word puzzles, not the crossword type they are to angry. So when I found them and learnt they were called Rebus puzzles I had to bring them into class.

I find it interesting to see who can think outside the box, and can explain their reasoning.

All the Angles Add up

We have been looking at angle this week and last week and even having taught everything about angles years ago. I still managed to learn something. Or at least understand why a fact I was told is valid. 

Facts I was told

• Angles inside a triangle add up to 180 degress
• Angles on a straight line add up to 180 degrees
• Angles around a point add up to 360 degrees

The last too facts were easy to get thanks to a protractor, all the way from the beginning of a circle to the end is 360 degrees, easy. Draw a straight line and measure using a protractor from one side to the other 180 degrees. No sweat.

The first one I just learnt as a fact. That was fine, maths is made up of plenty of facts I just learnt, like times tables. 

I never (or at least I don't remember) thought about a triangle as part of two parallel lines, and of course the lines on a straight line equal 180 degrees.

Who can write the best Comments Room 8 or 9?

 This morning we joined Room 8 it was neat to see how they are learning different reo Maori phrases and mixing in sign language too. Although I think we might need to check the positioning of the hands so we can all see them. 

Mr Margetts joined us and talked about Quality Blog Comments.

We all copied the slides and looked at what makes a quality comment. I am looking forward to seeing more comments on posts. Across the school on class and student blogs, especially before we start Tuhi mai, Tuhi atu. (Write to me, write to you.)

We even have a competition going so we can see who is doing quality comments, and they have to fill in this form. Click on image below, this link is also on our class site! 

Good Luck!!!! May the best teacher, I mean student win!

Useful phrases for school in Te Reo o Maori

After the discussion about phrase we could use at home I though we should have a list that can be used in class as Paahitia te ... pass the ...

Then we came up with some instructions that teachers can use, followed by the rules we have at school and in class.

Hope these phrases are helpful for you too.

What do you say when your in the Kitchen?

 Listening to my boys they are always asking for food. What do you ask for in the kitchen?

This week is Te Wiki o te Reo Maori and today we are looking at what phrases we might use in the kitchen. Pass the ... or Are you hungry? and how you could answer a question.

Hope you can try a phrase in your kitchen.

I think it will be tricky to say these phrase at home because my children tease me when I try to use te reo.

Mrs Mundy Mihi

 Back to Online learning and this week is Te Wiki o te Reo Maori, so we are all practising our mihi.

I like this one as it is all inclusive, people from overseas can use it easily too.

Ko Mrs Mundy tōku ingoa

Nō Ingarangi ōku tīpuna

Kei te noho au ki Papakura. 

Tau kē Ruma Iwa

 After assembly and even before I wanted to give out certificates last week. Then I was scavenging ideas from other teachers' sites and notice one school was and thought Yeah it can be done! So I got busy.

Ka mau te wehi! That's Outstanding!

Who will be the lucky recipients next week?

Battle of the Bloggers

The other morning we challenged those of us who were online to check out each others blogs. Gladys and I went together and here are the results. I found it tricky as I had created my own class blog and not followed the template things were in different places and they were harder to find. 

I was glad to see Gladys like to make sure all here posts fitted in the blogging area and so were neat and tidy looking. I realised, I might need to change it up a bit and add more videos or audio clips, even the odd scratch or two. 

Click here to view details

Tongan Legends

Today we watched a legend called Sina and the Eel. It is an Tongan Legend about a girl and an eel. When she moves away the eel follows her and she becomes scared. He cousin goes to defend her honour.

We had to make an animation using google slides to reenact the legend. This took ages but I have started.The tricky part was when I wanted to change something back 3 or 4 slides I then had to change on the later ones too.

Have you ever made an animation before? Hope you like mine.

Everything and Everyone has an ANGLE

 Today we were discussing angles when Mr Davis popped in, he commented on how important it is to know this for high school. Some thought they knew it but when I asked for examples they really had to think.

All the answers aren't on here as I wanted students to work some of it out for themselves.

What angles do you recognise?

Tongan Language - Rules and Laws

Today in both of our chats online William's Dad from a village in Tonga joined us and talked about life in Tonga and New Zealand. Yes he does live here now with his family.

This afternoon we were talking about rules and laws in the Pasifika Islands pre-european times. We found out in Tonga even though there is a ruling King some villages answer to the Nobles. If there is a feast for a celebration everyone in the village is expected to contribute as much as they can. And of course no one wants to be looked at like the ones who didn't do much, so families give and give. 

Tongan Language Week - from our homes

Welcome to Tongan Language Week with Wesley Intermediate. Thank you Mr Sa for putting this together with you amazing team.

Room 9 worked to together and created a slide show to show some of the basic phrases we know and are learning.

We all had a page to do with different words or information to add and decorate, sharing our knowledge. I really like the way different people helped others and how there were so many ideas for making their page vibrant.

Rules with Social Consequences

Today we were discussing rules that don't have consequences, but really they do, they are social consequences. People respect others who respect themselves.

So no matter how down you feel at least try to look after yourself and then people can see what is behind the cover.

Paralympics

We have been trying to engage with students while in Level 4 Lockdown and I thought we would try a version of the paralympics. Why?

• For Fun
• As we couldn't complete our own team olympics sports at school
• Get students moving and engaged

After watching a range of the Paralympics, which I don't usually get to see due to being at work. I thought how interesting it was to see how they modified various activities so a range of people could participate.

 E.g. ball with bells for the blind to hear, wheelchair sports and so on.

We came up with blind darts (paper planes), mouth aerobics (writing the ABC with your mouth), hand aerobics, tying a shoe lace with one hand and thumb typing "the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog", blind bowls (roll a tin to the kitty), blind boccia (toss under under a ball of paper) and if time athletics one legged hopping race after spinning around 10 times, and crab crawling.

Please remember these need to be done in front of a camera and were just for fun. (our computer often the target or finish line). I can't wait to see the results.

Idioms

This week we have been discussing idioms and what they mean. We have complete to Scavenger Hunts using google to help us find the meanings of various idioms. For extra house points we could try to use the idiom in a sentence, helping to build our understanding it how it could be used.

 

The discussion after time to research was find too a bit like a bingo game - who was the first to raise their hand.

Students were so interested in learning about idioms I also challenged them to find out more and use them in their writing through this set of slides.

 

Skribbl.io Building Vocabulary

Each week we have had a word challenge.  This week it was verbs and adverbs, last week we investigated common nouns, proper nouns and collective nouns. As a fun activity to practise we played skribbl.io, it's like Pictionary online. Only hiccup is only 6 people can play at a time. If you share the screen so the others in the meet can see you just have to hid it when it is your turn to draw. They can then try to guess the word in chat.