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In Room 15 we have been learning about key competencies. We know that there are 5 main elements.  These are;

-       Relating to others

-       Managing self

-       Using language, symbols and text

-       Thinking

-       Participating and contributing

Our focus in our class is thinking.  We know the definition for thinking is;

noun: thinking.

1.     the process of considering or reasoning about something.

2.     "the selectors have some thinking to do before the match"

○     a person's ideas or opinions.

○      "his thinking is reflected in his later autobiography"

With the support of the dictionaries definition, I think that thinking is very important when it comes to learning.  I use thinking to share my thoughts, opinions and ideas when I am working in a group, by myself and with our teacher.  Thinking is important, it helps us decide what our next action is.

Our class focus this term is narrative writing.

We are learning to use the dictionary to help us with the correct spelling, also to understand the meaning of words.

WALT: describe the character

On a extremely sunny day there was a gigantic gruffalo with humongous spike’s on his back. The spikes were scary because they were as purple as a tin of paint. He had a green wart like the summer green grass.  He had wobbly, wrinkly knees. His knees are as wobbly as jelly, and as grey as concrete.  The gruffalo’s eye’s are like a huge ball of flames and horns on top of his head as sharp as dragon's teeth with very long nails.

By Fenix-Brouq

WALT: describe the complication

One dim afternoon, I noticed through my window a alien went zooming, through the clouds.  When he was in the dark sky he nearly hit the enormous castle that I was in.  I thought he was going to wake up the dragon.  Then I could hear a loud noise coming from the alien’s mouth.  The alien was so loud, he woke up the dragon. The dragon steered at the ceiling for a few seconds, wondering what was that noise.  As he got up out of bed, the alien speed off and the dragon went back to sleep.   By Mihaka

Our class sport focus this term is basketball.

We have had the opportunity to have coach Peter. He as come in, to teach us some basketball skills.  The skills I have learnt so far are;

-      pivoting, similar to netball

-      dribbling,

-      figure eight

-      put the ball in your pocket

-      pass to your team mates

We had so much fun,we look forward to next week's session. “We can’t wait!”

Thanks coach Peter.

From Room 15

Kia ora from Room 16

In Room 16 we have been looking at money and the people who are on it. Did you know that Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to summit Mt Everest in Nepal? He is on our $5 note.

We imagined what it might have been like for Sir Edmund Hillary and wrote a diary entry from April 1953, when he, and his crew, were at their second base camp.

April 12th, 1953

We are now at Base Camp 2, on the top of the gruelling icefall, in the petrifying western valley of Mt Everest.

Half the crew are building walls to protect the camp while the other half and eating and drinking warm coffee. As they dig and eat, the harsh wind blows. They are frightened and exhausted from climbing. They are also struggling with the cold. It is bad, but we may stay here to rest and get more energy.

Looking down on the valley we feel like we are the only people that are brave enough to even go up this enormous mountain.

I am worried because I may lose one of them or one of them may die, but we are a team and we stick together.

Edmund Hillary.

Written By Olivia Taholo

April 12th, 1953

We are at Base Camp number 2 on the top of the icefall. I am petrified that the crew is going to die but I believe that I have gallant men that will fight on.

My crew and I are building walls to protect the tents so that the wind doesn’t blow them away. The wind is whistling louder and louder and it is getting colder and colder.

Tomorrow brings a well deserved rest for my gallant crew.

Edmund Hillary

Written by Falaniko Ah Ching

MATARIKI AT TUPU LIBRARY

We applaud the amazing talent of our tamariki who were invited to attend the first Auckland Libraries Matariki event hosted by Tupu Library in Otara.

A special occasion to celebrate new beginnings and whanaungatanga which we were excited to participate in and extend aroha to our Otara community through waiata-ringa, haka and waiata.

We congratulate our performers: Azariah, Tylae, Caroline, Amaziah, Hauldreson, Irie, Josey, Mary-Jane, Tanolo, Apitanga Gloria, Olioni, Tevita and Zephyr.

Special Meitaki Ma’ata (Thank you) to our band members Mr Greig and Mr Takatainga for sharing our special sound. To our Auckland libraries whanau Roimata, Isabella and Rongo for the invitation to perform and your support.

YENDARRA SPORTING SUCCESS START

We applaud the efforts of all our representative sporting athletes for term one, thank our coaches for their skill and acknowledge our senior whanau teachers for their support.

 Our tamariki have been sporting ambassadors in Cricket and Touch rugby this term across the Otara Sport Cluster competition and have had the privilege to find success.

We congratulate our boys touch rugby team who attended the Otara schools competition as defending champions and were victorious for the second year in a row being crowned ‘winners’. The team was lead by Azariah Toki-Mautairi from Room 10 who is a touch representative player himself wining at this year’s Junior Touch national competition in Rotorua with North Harbour Touch. The team were made up of many novices to the sport and only had two weeks to prepare for the tournament. The boys team played 6 games first defeating Flatbush school 2-1, Rongomai 4-0, Bairds mainfreight 7-1, Wymondley school 2-1, St Johns 4-0 and defeated Dawson Road in the finals 2-0.

Special congratulations Team: Azariah (Captain), Zarmetrius, Amaziah, Hauldreson , Lofitu, Cedricks, Hosea, Tanolo and Owen.

Tamanui from Room 10 who represented our barbarians team was also named fair play award winner in the mixed grade during the tournament.

 

Moving onto cricket we were fortunate leading into the tournament to have skill coaching provided by Gary and his team from the Papatoetoe cricket club which was of huge support. We took a largely novice playing group for many it was their first time to play with the exception of Zarmetrius Namulau’uluulu from Room 11 who was acknowledged for his exceptional bowling and batting by spectators  and tournament organisers on the day.  

Our boys team placed 5^th after drawing points in the semi-final rounds and our girls placed 6^th which was impressive final standings for a group who knew very little of the game so thank you to the coaches (Papatoetoe cricket club, Mr Greig and Mrs Greig) who developed student skill and knowledge, we hope many more of our children go on to continue playing cricket in future years.

Auckland University Fale Pasifika with Dr Fizz

Yendarra does it again!

Due to the talent of our children on Monday 26th June we were invited to perform at the Auckland University Fale Pasifika alongside Dr Fizz to further promote good hauora (health).

As part of our school vision ‘to be our BEST’ we performed  a small Pasifika medley to share our school value of Manaakitanga (care).

Video of performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-8zZW0cetA

We congratulate our performers for their commitment to practice and effort to share their cultural talents with so many. Our tamariki are gifted multi-linguistic learners sharing song in Maori, Tongan, Cook Island, Niuean and Samoan.

Fa’afetai tele lava to our senior whanau teachers Mrs Childs, Mr Harris and Mr Greig for their ongoing support for our children as they prepare for such special occasions.

 Malo Aupito to our band who compliment our tamariki and our stage managers who lead our children out to perform.

We also acknowledge our parent whanau for supporting our children and teachers. You are appreciated and valued for your genuine care for our children. Waiting for us in the late evening and for some parent whanau preparing costumes for our children to wear.

Science in a van

On Tuesday the 9th of May we met two mysterious and puzzling Scientists. They introduced themselves to the Yendarra Whanau. They came to Yendarra School to teach us all about Science.

When the Senior Whanau went into He Taonga Aroha, we found out that we were going to be doing experiments based around ‘What’s the Matter’.

We learnt that there are 3 states of Matter called Solids, Liquids and Gases.

Here is some recount writing from students in Room 11:

We were hyped for the big day because Science in a van was coming to our school to teach us some Science experiments.

As the junior and senior whanau walked to the netball court, we saw some puzzling teachers that weren't themselves.

The science in a van came here to show us some awesome science.

The Seniors walked to the Wharenui while the Juniors were in their class. Alan was talking about solids, liquids and gases and what it looks like, and how it behaves.

5 volunteers went to the front because they were going to test their senses. After that, Emily was going to experience what happens when you put baking soda and vinegar together. I was wondering if it was going to inflate, just like the experiment we did in term one.

The most amazing part was when Alan put an icy looking shape in a bottle. It looked like a hexagonal prism. He put in a bottle and then… foggy fluffy little clouds came popping out, bursting out of the bottle like an erupting volcano exploding!

It is dangerous if you put it in a sealed container, it will explode, BANG!!! And then you will not be in a happy mood.

By Zephyr

On Tuesday 9:30 the whole school went and sat in front of the junior park. First the scientist introduced her and her husband.Their names were Emily and Alan. Next, Emily went to pull a tablecloth off a table and on the table was a  teapot and 4 batman cups, they told us to scream “3,2,1”so we did, and when she pulled it, all of the cups and the teapot stayed.

Then we went inside the wharenui and done some more experiments.When when we went inside Alan put something around his head to make his voice loud so everyone heard him.Then Alan chose 5 volunteers to be the 5 senses.Then, the 5 volunteers went and sat down so he could talk about solids, liquids and gases and we called it matter.

After, he started talking about atoms. He chose 6 volunteers to be the atoms and all they done was dancing. Then, Alan gave the thing around his head to Emily and she was talking about carbon dioxide. Emily got a hot can and put it in cold water and when she did, it got crushed.

By Siale

As the Yendarra whanau walked over to the netball court we saw some strange people (just kidding it was our teachers) then after we saw the strange teachers, we saw some other people, they were the scientists and they came to Yendarra School to show us Yendarra students some Science.

The first time they did science with us it was pretty fun! There was two metal Batman cups a teapot on a yellow cloth, the two cups had to stay  standing on the table with the yellow cloth and then Emily  pulled the cloth and when she did, the cups and the teapot stayed on the table!

Afterwards, we all went to the He Taonga Aroha to learn more experiments. The first experiment that they taught us was about using our five senses to identify objects.

Those five people did all those senses there names were Mykyll, Kaya,Joe, Madison and patene,what Madison could see it was a wood spoon, Mykyll could feel was a feather, Patene could hear a bell, Joe  could taste was water, and Kaya could smell coffee.

After the five senses we did the balloon inflating. First you do is to get a bottle with vinegar inside then get some baking powder. Emily put the baking powder in the vinegar and it made the balloon inflate! Our last experiment was learning that if you put solid Carbon Dioxide in a sealed container it will EXPLODE! By Kristina 

Drama

On Tuesdays some of the Yendarra Students have the privilege to go to Drama Sessions with Miss Nicole. At these Drama sessions we practice speeches. When we are speaking, we need to remember to use expression, be confident, make eye contact and stand up straight.

Music Academy

With Mr Lakatani we have been learning different chords to play the Ukulele. We have been making sure that we keep the volume the same and that we are all playing at the same time.

We have been learning how to make phrases while playing the triangles.

We learnt about rhythm and tempo. Rhythm is about beats and tempo is about harmony and speed.

We have been ‘snapped’ doing awesome work!

Passing and trapping was awesome learning during Hockey!

We love our amazing new ICT!

Cricket was awesome! We learnt to catch, throw and bowl!