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Friday, 16 December 2011

Happy Holidays

Holidays are finally here! I would just like to say that this years class was awesome. Each and every one of them contributed to the class in same shape or form. You will all be missed a lot!

Keep aiming high and push yourselves to the max.

Happy holidays and all the best for 2012.

Matt

Thursday, 6 October 2011

"Citizenship Companies"

This term for rich task we were divided into 5 “companies”, in which we have a specific role in the classroom. The companies were:

· AlphaMedia-the media team

Xerox-the environmental engineers

· Wizbang-the technology team

· Ace Fitness-the health and fitness team

· M.Y.S.T-the logistics team

We were given tasks to complete as a team, and each company employee were appointed titles such as CEO, CFO, HR, and the rest were team members. Even though the team members did not get a title, they still helped out as much as they can and worked well. AlphaMedia had a great time during this term, what do you think?? Please post your thoughts.

Sunday, 25 September 2011

"Artz Festival Twenty Eleven"































Last week we had the first stages of the annual Balmoral Arts Festival. Over three days students created some amazing art work that will be displayed at the Arts Festival Open Evening in Term 4. The students also enjoyed performances in the form of singing, dancing, music and theatre sports. A highlight for Room 4 was watching the dance performances of Holly, Issie and Maria and also the singing of Dom, Caitlyn and Khadija. Post a comment and share your highlights from Art Week 2011.

Friday, 16 September 2011

Room 4's Super Gymnasts

















A couple of weeks back two of the "superstars" from Room 4 - Ayla and Maria competed at the AIMS Games in Tauranga. They were lucky enough to be photographed in the Bay of Plenty Times newspaper. Here are their pics!

Sunday, 11 September 2011

Response to Image Writing - Term 3



As a result of a lot of hard work in Room 4 we have make excellent progress in our writing and have really been "making our writing come alive." Above is a photograph taken by a photographer named Margaret Bourke-White from the Buchenwald Concentration Camp in Germany, 1945. From your writing I would like you to post a couple of your best sentences from your story. Remember to focus on language that paints a picture in the reader's mind.

The Anniversary of 9/11



September 11th 2001.....A dark day! The devastating events that unfolded in New York as a result of the Al Quaeda attacks on the Twin Towers changed our lives forever. The students in Room 4 were very young when this catastrophic event occurred, but all of them know a little about what happened. This event changed the way we perceive "terrorism" as well as the people of the middle east however, a lot of our perceptions and stereotypical views are influenced by the media. Ten year on, how has the world changed as a result of this event.
Post a comment and let us know what it all means to you.

Friday, 9 September 2011

Aparangi Company Conference Week

Last week the Aparangi Team ran a conference week while some students were representing Balmoral at the AIMS sport tournament in Tauranga. We all had a great time doing a variety of fun and often challenging activities. In my conference activity we made a stop motion video showcasing the different "companies." It was our first attempt but it worked out great. Check it out! And please make a comment on some of the highlights of the week.


Tuesday, 21 June 2011

....Becoming a Teenager!!!

This term in Health we are discussing the changes, both physical and emotional that we go through as we become a teenager and move on to high school. Here is a humorous clip about Kevin turning 13 and "transforming" into a teenager!

Thursday, 16 June 2011

The Museum of Transport and Technology

On Tuesday 14th June our class went on a trip to the Museum of Transport and Technology, or MOTAT for short. It was a great opportunity to see some of the transformations in transport and technology that have occurred over time. A highlight was stepping back in time to "Schooling in Victorian England" times and dressing up in bonnets, pinafores, waistcoats and cheesecutters. Check out our reflections in the comment section below. Photos to follow:-)

Sunday, 22 May 2011

"Making Our Writing Come Alive"

This term we are continuing to look at ways to make our writing "come alive" for the reader using interesting vocabulary and a variety of language techniques. Your challenge is to write an interesting paragraph or two....based on the picture below:-) Bring it on!!!!

Tuesday, 10 May 2011

"The Rise of Social Media"

This term as we look at Transformations that have happened we can't overlook the changes in technology and communication that have happened as a result of the internet.....Today we watched a clip entitled "The Social Media Revolution" and saw how things like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube have transformed the way we communicate. Take a look and post a comment.


Tuesday, 5 April 2011

The Road to Violence and Bad Behaviour

During our philosophy discussion today we were discussing the disturbing events that happened at St Luke's mall involving two Mt Albert Grammar School students. (see link below)

We talked about some of the reasons why we thought this type of behaviour was occurring. We found it quite concerning that a 13 and a 14 year student would behave in such a way. We also discussed the other recent case of students fighting and being recorded on cellphone cameras. Post a comment on what you think about the incident and also why you think this type of behaviour is happening.

Friday, 25 March 2011

Year 8 Camp at Pakiri and Goat Island

From March 8th to 11th the Year 8 Aparangi Whanau ventured north for camping adventures at Pakiri Beach and Goat Island. The weather was absolutely perfect and students were rearing to go with all the exciting activities that awaited them. Kayaking, Archery, Mountain Biking, Trust Games, Rock Climbing and Snorkelling were just some of the activities that the students participated in. Throw in some tents and some group cooking with a dash of Karaoke and a sleep on the beach and the recipe for a great camp was created. Although there were many challenges for the students to overcome, they all handled themselves well. Here are some photos from our adventures. Post a comment and share your highlights!!! (click photos to enlarge)











Wednesday, 23 February 2011

"New Zealand's Darkest Day"

Just when Christchurch thought they were getting back on their feet disaster struck! At 12.50pm yesterday Christchurch was hit with a 6.3 earthquake that has devastated the city of Christchurch. The quake on Tuesday struck at a shallow depth of just four kilometres with an epicenter around 10 km outside Christchurch.At least 65 people are confirmed dead in the quake, but the death toll is expected to climb as rescuers continue to look for survivors in buildings. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said the nation may be witnessing "its darkest day". Post your reactions to this tragedy and your thoughts for the families who have lost loved ones and their homes....

Tuesday, 22 February 2011

"The Royal Wedding"

So Obama missed out and so did 'Fergie' the Duchess of York......but our very own John Key did manage to score an invite!!! Exciting!!!! So is this going to be the most extravagant wedding of the year?? Of course it is! Imagine if average people like us walked out to the letterbox one morning and out popped a golden envelope with your name on it. What would be the most exciting thing for you if you were invited to Will and Kate's wedding?? Buying a new dress? Buying a state-of-the-art HD camera to capture it all? Post a comment and let us know:-)

Saturday, 5 February 2011

The Habit of Managing Self

This term we are focussing on managing our time effectively so that we meet deadlines and aren't rushing at the last moment to get our work finished. The question is how are we going to do this?? Post your comment and share your ideas. Hint hint...... ''homework diaries".:-P

Thursday, 27 January 2011

Welcome to 2011 in Room 4


Another year and a whole lot of learning and fun awaits! But don't put your togs away just yet!!! Now that our Blog is in full flight I will be looking at different ways of using it while at the same time encouraging you all to make interesting and thoughtful comments. It's all about what you all think! "Sharing is Caring" after all.