Thursday 14 December 2017

Last busy days of the term

Making our gifts for the elderly


Our busy production line putting the origami cards into packets.


Saying goodbye to Moira. She is having some time with her family next year.


Visiting the residents of Remuera Gardens to find out more about communications technologies in the past.






Wednesday 1 November 2017

Visit from Peter the potter

As part of our art inquiry last term, Peter Scott, a potter from Auckland Studio Potters came to share some of his pottery with Room 17 children.  The Editors reading group wrote some questions to ask him about the process of making a pot.
Peter explained the difference between ceramic art and pottery.  Bella has done her own research about pottery and this is shared on a separate post.  The children were particularly interested in the crackles - the little lines on the glaze.  A favourite pot was the terracotta one with the tiny neck.
We are really grateful to Peter for sharing his wonderful pots with us.
You might want to go on holiday courses to learn how to make your own pots at the Auckland Studio Potters place in Onehunga http://ceramics.co.nz/classes/holiday-kids-class/














Friday 8 September 2017

Cross Country - the boys

In their writing the boys really captured the effort they had to put into their running!


Honk! honk! It was the beginning of the cross country and I was feeling really fast passing all these people. But as soon as I ran about 200 metres I ran out of speed. About two people overtook me. When I reached the end of the end of the field I was so tired, I couldn't bear it. It felt like I was a tiny little midget that would only run a centimetre an hour.  The hill was my least favourite part.  I was running slower than before.  At the end of the race I realised I came 19th.  The three winners were Hugo, first place, Daniel second and Joel third.
By Charlie



Yay! Today was cross country. First we had a little snack to get energy. After that we had a little drink. Then we walked to Martyn Wilson field to run. 

When it was nearly our turn we were very excited. We went to line up and get ready for the starting hooter.  Miss Bridgman was at the starting line.  Beep! We ran like cheetahs along the course.

When David and I had no energy we walked. When David was feeling tired I helped and held his arm up.  We thought we get to have a ribbon for participating so we continued walking and talking. Then we checked if someone was behind us, but no one was so we still walked and talked. 

When Mrs Robyns saw us she said, “Quickly you are the last! Run! Run!” We ran then because we did not want to miss out on our ribbon. When the race was finished and they were handing out the ribbons to Hugo H, Daniel and Joel.  I realised we do not get ribbon for being last. Next time I will try and not be last.
By Jieqi




















Beeeeeeeeep! That was the horn. Everyone started sprinting. I was in second place. Hugo H was in first.  I started slowing down then Joel hopped in front of me.  I was in third place after twenty seconds.  We had to run across the boardwalk and I got back in front of Joel and was coming second.  But as soon as we had done the boardwalk there was a........ MASSIVE HILL! I struggled going up the hill a lot but I was still in second place.  Luckily we got to go down hill after that and that's when I sprinted as fast as I could.  But then I had to slow down because there was a sudden turning.  We were nearly at the finish line.  I sprinted round the corner and ran through the finish line.  I was second.  I dropped to the ground because I was so tired.
By Daniel

Jaxon wrote: ...We had to run up Lingarth Street and around the whole Martyn Wilson field.  It was so hard.  I think I did pretty well but obviously I didn't do the best.  I was very nervous.  My heart was racing.  I was soooooo tired.  It was fun.

Victor had recently been home sick for a week and gave a huge effort to his run.  He wrote: ...When it was the year 4 boys turn I was terrified.  I thought it was 1.5km but it was 2km because last time we were year 3 and it was 1.5km. Oh no! The race started and I almost tripped up again.. So I leaned back and didn't trip on the grass.  I was scared that I would get a stitch so I went a bit slower.  But the second I went slower, about five people beat me.

Mrs Robyns didn't quite make it to the finish line to catch Hugo H sprinting across!


The final word from the winner, Hugo H...
Mr Smith leads the pack of year 4 boys over to the start line.  "On your marks, get set! Go!"  calls Ms Bridgman as we take off on the Martyn Wilson field.  Joshua is in the lead...but no! Hugo H takes the lead. What a start!  As they go up the hill, Daniel overtakes Joel and wins second place in the race.  They're near the finish line and everyone is sprinting madly....

(He will need to finish this on Monday.  He obviously had to hurry off somewhere!).

I am very proud of the huge effort everyone put in.  Thanks to all the parents who came down to support. from Mrs Robyns



Cross Country - the girls

What luck the rain held, when the year 4s ran the cross country. Here are some great recounts from children in Room 17...


We were walking down to Martyn Wilson field.  We were watching the year 3 boys. I was nervous but excited.  Then it was our turn.  BEEP! went the horn and everyone was off jogging. But Sasha was running. We had to run up the hill and down a hill.  My throat was so sore but I still kept running. I was so far behind.  Harper had gone ahead and I was alone. I could see the finish line. I tried my hardest and I passed 5 girls. At the end I could see Harper cheering for me. I was so relieved that I passed the finish line. "Yay!" I screamed in my head.
By Christina


Squelch! Squelch! My friends and I were treading in the mud.  Mikaya and I both had butterflies in our stomachs.  The first group of runners were the year three girls.  Willow came first place.  Next up were the year four boys and Henry came first.  He was lightning fast!
My butterflies were ready to let my legs loose.  I heard the horn. I ran like crazy past Mikaya.  Past everyone! I was still fourth place.  In the end I wasn't lucky.  I came a whopping seventh place.  I was proud of myself for being speedy for Karaka but in the end I was happy no matter what place I came.  My goal was to beat Bella.  She's fast.  I met my goal and beat her.  I didn't say 'you lost and I won' because that would be mean so I said 'well done' and she congratulated me too.
By Eleanor
Beep! All the girls started running.  I felt so nervous!  First we ran on the grass.  Then we went on the path up the hill, next to the road, down the hill and on the grass again.  I nearly fell but the teacher was cheering for me. Yay! I was at the end and I was seventeenth place.
By Chloe

Thump! Thump! Thump! went my heart. That's right, we were at Martyn Wilson field for cross country.  I was really excited and nervous but I was mostly excited.  First our PE teacher, Mr Smith, called all the year 4 girls to run to this big tennis net and do stretches.  Mr Smith said,"line up at the start".  Then standing there was Ms Bridgman.  I saw she was holding a horn.
"When I say on you marks, get set, I will blow the horn and that's when you start running, okay?"
So we all said "okay!" Ms Bridgman blew the horn and all the girls started running.


Wow! It's cross country already! We walked up to the Martyn Wilson field where we ran.  We watched the year 3 children run.  It was our turn.  Mr Smith led us to the starting line.  He told us our track.  Ms Bridgman told us to go when the horn went. Beep! Off we went.  We went around the field and then on the boardwalk.  We went up a hill.  Phew that was tiring!  Finally I came back.  I came fifteenth.  My Dad kept on taking photos of me.  I hid my face every time he did that! It was very annoying!  After Ms Brigman gave out the prizes we walked back to school I walked slowly.  Finally we were back. I was starving but it wasn't lunch time so I had to wait!
By Carolyn


Today is cross country.  At 10.15am we walked down Sonia Avenue to go to Martyn Wilson field waiting for the year 4 girls race.  We watched the year 3 boys and girls race and then the year 4 girls were going to run!  We needed to run up a big hill and run down the hill then run to the end of the race.
The big loud sound means 'start' and we started to run really hard at first.  I think I'm a bit slow so I start to run a bit harder.  But when I met the big hill I was getting tired and running very slow.  When I ran to the top of the hill I start running really fast to go down hill. I'm getting closer to the end. I used all the energy that I had left, ran as fast as I could, running to the end.
By Sophia


Nanohana wrote:... I was more nervous than before and my heart was beating fast.  I had butterflies in my tummy.  Then Mr Smith called us up.  He took us to the starting line and told us the track we were going to run and I thought it was so long.  We even needed to run up a hill!  Then Ms Bridgman rang the horn to start the race.  In the middle of the race I got stitch when I didn't eat that much for morning tea!  After I ran up the hill I got so tired and my stitch got worse.  But I tried my best and jogged through the rest of the track.