Mandarin meets technology - we love Quizlets!!

Miss Han has been making our Mandarin Learning more interactive and collaborative with Quizlets about the basic language we are learning - colours, body parts etc. Here we are in teams and competing against the clock to see who can match the correct Mandarin words to the images. Miss Han sets the quiz on live so that each team can see how fast they can get their answers in and view the leaderboard at the front screen. There was a quiz for those who can speak Mandarin at home to set them a higher challenge and one for those who are learning the basics.

Mandarin using 'magic' ink paper and water to write our characters!

We just didn't want to stop - how did learning a new language become so fun and interactive?!!

Haere mai, Haere mai!

Today Room 14 visited Te Tahawai Marae at Edgewater College in Pakuranga. We are learning about where the tangata whenua of Pakuranga came from and who lived here before us. We are going to take our new findings back to school and continue our Inquiry into Turangawaewae - A Place to stand - Belonging.

We were represented by Oscar who read his Mihimihi with great pride, and in a clear and confident voice. We all sang our Sunnyhills School waiata Whakarongo a. 

Mrs Trembath was so proud of how we represented our school with great Mana. Thank you to the wonderful whanau who gave up their time to accompany us and support us in our learning.

Why do we read books? What skills do we use to find information? How does reading entertain us?

The Fantails are learning about how to form an open or closed question. They talked about what they thought each type was first and then read their books. Following that they formed questions of their own. Here they are talking to each other about which are closed and which are open and WHY they think this.

Alistair was a great Pirate Chief in a play. How do you think he did with trying to use expression and read at a good pace for the audience?

The Tuataras group performed a play. The whole class has been self assessing and peer assessing their Fluency skills. Here this group perform a play with expression, a clear voice and using a suitable pace for the audience. The rest of the class gave feedback and feedforward. 

These points are useful to talk about at home when you listen to someone reading. We have used this rubric to self assess and peer assess already. Now we know what we are working on.

Water play on a hot and humid afternoon!

Whaea asked: How many cups can YOUR team transfer from the bucket to the water tray without spilling it?!

Mrs Grant lines everyone up for a game of octopus - with real water!!