End of week 5

Congratulations on the three students who received certificates at the Middle Team assembly: to Gemma -for showing confidence and determination in her school work, Valma - for detailed note-taking during our inquiry unit, and Jack -for showing great confidence by helping others in reading.

Can you believe that we are already nearly half way through term two! I cannot believe how quick the school year is going. It is only 24 days until FIFA World Cup fever hits our classroom as we follow the All White's journey through South Africa! We will be studying "Country of the week" and learning about the different cultures and languages. Our pedometers arrived (thank you, McDonalds) so we will be getting healthy by recording our combined steps we take each day in support of the New Zealand soccer team.

I am so proud of you all with your enthusiasm of picking up another language - Spanish!

Check out the kids National Geographic link under science as well as the mathematics and spelling links.

Mrs C wants to introduce 'Brain Food' to Room 13 so we will trial this next week during the literacy class.

Don't forget to bring $3 to school for the Minstrel show!

Have a wonderful weekend and best of luck with your sport. Rememember, it does not matter who wins, it is all about participating and enjoying yourselves! You are also representing your school so do us proud! I hope to get around to see all the games over the winter.

Wrap up warm, winter is on its way so all you Kiwi kids can now stop running around in barefeet OTHERWISE I may have to somehow permanently attach your socks to the bottom of your feet!

Saint James School, Montgomery, AL, USA

I thought you might like to click the tab on the left handside to see Mrs Clark's childrens old school in Alabama. Check out the 2008-2009 photos! When the students finish High School they have a graduation ceremony. Mrs Clark's daughter also had a graduation ceremony going from the kindergarten programme into primary school. In New Zealand we only graduate from University.

Happy viewing.

Mrs C.

Viernes 14 de mayo (Friday 14 of May)

Hola. (Hello).
¿Cómo estás? (How are you?)
No estoy muy bien. (I am not very well).
He estado en casa con mi hija que tiene asma. (I have been home with my daughter who has asthma).

By now you should be familiar with greetings and asking how someone is to also replying with Muy bien or No muy bien. I am super impressed at how quick all of you are able to speak some Spanish AND understand what I am saying. You will discover later this term how loud and colourful the language can be AND you will slowly see some changes happening in the classroom with more Spanish words on display! Fingers crossed our Skype will work next Friday! Finger and toes crossed!

Did you know there are between 329 and 358 MILLION people in the world who speak Spanish as their first language! Hmmm, that's ALOT of people because New Zealand only has four million people! Did you also know there are 21 countries that speak Spanish as their first language! I wonder if you can list those countries! Fantástico.

This week we had a train visit to Life Education Trust. We learnt about the circulatory system and we discovered some amazing facts from the Magic School Bus videos AND Suzy's World. You will see there are links to Suzy's World and Life Education, so click on them and go off on your own adventure of discovery of the human body!



I have a treat in store for you next week as we make pasta skeleton's and create our own digestive system!

Now the cooler season is upon us, we need to make sure we stay healthy by eating the right food and wrapping up nice and warm!

¡Hasta luego! (See you later)

Monday 10th May

Hola sala de trece (Hello, room 13)
Fantástico trabajo, Shiah (fantastic work, Shiah)for creativity in your story writing!

Well, here we are in week four of term 2 and we are well and truly on our journey learning so many languages - Te Reo Maori, French and Spanish! I cannot believe that just after one lesson some of you are able to say hello and ask how someone is as well as counting in Spanish!!! Muy buena.

What a disgusting time we had examining the contents of the box - animal brains and an Ox heart! At least we saw how big an animals heart can be!

Life Education is at our school at the moment and we are learning some fascinating things about our circulatory system! We will soon be sharing our work on this site!

Don't forget Middle Team hockey practice on Wednesdays at lunch times.

Adios

Mrs. C.

End of Week 3, Term 2

It seems like our weeks are flying by ... so much to do in such a short amount of time. Firstly, congratulations to Jordan for great story writing, Mana for a super presentation on your ANZAC poster and Patrick for showing outstanding research skills, ka rawe!

Next week is going to be very exciting as we welcome a new student to our class, we get to go through the Life Education bus and our Spanish classes should be up and running (once we have our projector and screen working).

We are going to have fun as we go on the Inquiry Journey about the different systems in our body and you have some great questions to find out the answers to.

I am going to be coaching hockey at lunchtimes on Wednesdays so make sure you bring your stick, hockey shoes, shin pads and socks as well as your mouth guard. I hope to make it to most Saturday games.

Well, that's all from me. We have had yet another lovely week and I can't wait to hear about what you have been up to during the weekend. Don't forget to bring any Life Education money to school on Monday morning ($3.50).

Adios!
Senorita Clark

Term 2 Week 2

Well, we are all set for another busy term! Already, we have successfully completed our mini inquiry unit about ANZAC Day and we created great posters about our question that we researched. I can tell you have learnt alot! We survived our second week of cross grouping for literacy and our maths classes are ticking along nicely, well done!

Have a look at the Times Square link in New York - it is exactly like that - bright lights, people and cars everywhere. I can even still remember standing there and watching that very M&M sign ... enjoy.

Thumper is being replaced by another class mascot since the weather is getting cooler and Thumper needs to burrow deep underground until the spring (probably much to Mr Giesen's relief). Start thinking of some names for our turkey looking creature!

Congratulations to the following people who received certificates at last weeks assembly: Cullen (for respecting others), Mason (for great questions), Elzandah (improvement on speaking) and Sharnah (for always being considerate and helpful).

Hopefully next week, Room 13 year 3's will be learning Spanish via the internet with another school in Palmerston North. Starting in week four we will be having 'Country of the week' in preparation for the FIFA World Cup(soccer). Fingers crossed we also get a letter back from HRH Queen Elizabeth II SOON.

So, as you can see, we have a lot going on in Room 13 - that's why I call you the Busy Bees! Enjoy your weekend and make sure you are refreshed for Monday as we travel with Mrs Frizzle and the Magic School Bus through our body ... and oh, did I tell you, Life Education will be at our school in the next couple of weeks!

¡hasta luego! (See you later)
Mrs C.

Easter message

I hope you all enjoyed your time at Easter and you remembered to spread the chocolate out over ... hmmmm, let me see.... months! Make sure the ants don't get to the chocolate!

Term 2 is going to be very exciting and very busy so make sure you are well rested before school starts! It is going to be a longer term of 11 weeks instead of the nearly 9 weeks in Term 1.

We can't wait to hear about what Thumper has been up to with you, Cody! I hope your Dad didn't make rabbit pie out of him like he threatened to! As for Mrs C's mini lop rabbit, Thumper, he has GROWN! It must be all the healthy food I am feeding him.

Be safe over the holidays!

Mrs C.