Save the Kiwi Week

Term 4 has started with a hub of activity in Room 14. We've being learning about the importance of Kiwi birds as part of our national identity and have developed an awareness of ways that we can help. Here's our letter we sent to the Save the Kiwi Week charity, and the work we've done.

Hello! Room 14 here! We really care about Kiwis so we’re here to tell you all about what we’ve been doing about Kiwis.

We spent two weeks learning about what Kiwis eat, their habitat and lots more. Then with all the information that we collected, we drew a huge kiwi and put all the information inside it and as the outline. Then we dyed it brown. When we were learning about kiwis we watched a video of Graham Henry holding a kiwi. He said if everybody helped raise a bit of money we could meet the target of $100 000. Then we looked at what each donation would buy to help the kiwi. After that we decided to make a little bank in the classroom if anybody wanted to put money in it. Our teacher said that we shouldn’t just ask our mums and dads for money, we should wash the car, or do odd jobs to earn allowance and donate that. One girl said she was going to bake cookies to sell at dads work! If we just ask for the money it shows that we don’t really care. And now at the present we are busy making a collage picture of a kiwi. So far we’ve collected $40.00 to send to you, but more kids said they were doing chores on the long weekend to earn some more money to help. At the end of the week, our teacher is going to make a donation with all the money we collected.

From the Year 4’s in Room 14 and Ms. Knowles

Greenhithe School,

Greenhithe,

Auckland

Creating Super Sentences

We have been looking at different types of sentences, finding examples of them in books and making up our own. Check out the sentences we created; compound and complex sentences, as well as a few similes.

Team NZ raced across the water as fast as a racing car.

The wind raced around the trees like an owl flying to catch its prey.

Team NZ splashed through the ocean as the strong winds pushed it through the water, pulling them into another win.

The wind swept through the trees and leaves waltzed through the land.

I was skipping amongst the autumn leaves making a mess in the beautiful lime grass.

Team NZ sped through the water like a jet plane.

There was a blinding flash of white light and a tremendous low rumble issued from the dark sky. The maple tree was already on its way to the ground.

As the wind blew on the trees, the birds squeaked their beautiful songs.

As Oracle was racing, team NZ zipped past like a cheetah hunting for its prey.

Although the wind was cold, the gentle melody warmed our hearts.

The leaves danced to the waltz like a gentle breeze flowing through the forest.

There was a swift gentle wind flying through the trees so swiftly it made comforting music.

The wind raced around the trees like a tiger on a hunt.

The leaves flew like a butterfly flapping its wings.

The wind swept through the trees and the leaves danced the waltz.

A soft breeze brushed through the forest as a pack of birds whistled to the tune.

Team NZ swept through the dancing sea as nicely as a dolphin in the water.

The wind drifted through the air so harshly it felt like Team NZ’s boat was about to tip over.

The gentle wind swept through the trees as if it was trying to make the leaves dance.

The wind swept through the trees creating music as sweet as honey.

Team NZ skimmed across as the wind pushed their sail.

The leaf cracked like someone stepping on a stick.

The wind is as soft as a pillow.

The wind pushed through the trees as loud as a lawn mower.

The leaves waltzed through the air like a butterfly dancing through the wind.

Team NZ sped across the finish like going as fast as a jet.

A gentle wind did a little dance and the leaves made music.

Although a soft breeze blew it was as cold as an iceberg.

The wind whistled through the trees like a bird singing gracefully.

The wind brushed through the leaves creating a waltz of leaves.

The wind swept through the trees as the forest danced to the waltz.

The wind flew through the trees as beautiful as a bird’s song.

The wind blew up Team NZ’s sail as they skimmed across the water.

 

 

Some photos of us getting ready for the show!

In the Jungle, the Mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight...

      

 

Room 14's Elephant Artwork

Check out Room 14's pastel and dye Elephant Artwork. If our picture shows an elephant with his trunk up, he is wishing you good luck. If his trunk is down it might mean he is curious about his surrounding. They are brightly decorated and ready for a parade. Come have a closer look at our calendar artwork- now hanging up on display in our classroom.

Whiskers on Cats!

Students Writing Term 3

We have been looking at ways that animals communicate with each other and with us. Check out our explanations on how a cat can tell us what he is feeling!

Cat’s whiskers

Wow did you know how important cat’s whiskers are

The cat’s whiskers do a lot of things

 

Cat’s whiskers are the same width of the cat’s body

They have 24 whiskers all together so it’s easier for them to sense things.

Cat’s whiskers help a cat not to bump into things at night.

 

The whiskers on cats face helps a cat to communicate to humans.

When cat’s whiskers are pointing strait it means they are happy

And when a cat’s whiskers are pointing back it means they are afraid.

 

Cat’s don’t like people touching there whiskers

And some cat’s don’t like there whiskers touching there bowls.

So don’t touch cat’s whiskers.

 

You might look at your cat differently now.

By Delphi Houlding…

Cats Whiskers

Have you ever realised how important whiskers are to a cat? Well they are, no doubt. For instance look at these facts.

Cats use their  ¹sensory-hairs to make  sure  they can fit through a hole or gap. They sense how much more space they have around them.

 

Cats can also feel the presence of something (like a rat) using their whiskers. Cats can see well when they are looking at something a big ⁽¹sencory hairs- are another way to call whiskers.)

Distance away, but if the distance is short, they use their whiskers, but not just on their face, but in case you haven’t noticed, cats have whiskers on the back of their front legs too. It’s easier to use the whiskers on their legs, in the case if a cat, found a mouse, grabbed it by the tail, lifted it to its jaws, the mouse could nip the cat and run away, so cats sense a comfortable position to grab the mouse or rat.

Whiskers to a cat are very precious. DO NEVER BEND OR CUT THEM OFF! It will feel like you’re cutting off their fingers!

Cat’s whiskers can also express their feelings. The whiskers of a happy cat stick straight out. If a cat is scared, the cat’s whiskers will pull back which will make it look less threatening.  When a cat is curios, whiskers will go forward.

Some cats don’t like their whiskers touching things. So when cats attempt to take food out of their bowls and eat it on a flat surface (like on the floor), don’t blame them, they aren’t trying to be naughty. Just get them a wider bowl and surly they’ll stop.

Cats sensory- hairs work by the fact that they touch the nerves which travel up to the brain and the brain collects all information needed for the cat in that moment.

Cats wouldn’t be themselves without whiskers, and anyway WHY cut them off? They look beautiful with them            

                                                   By Sophie .o

                                    

Cats senses with their whiskers          

LOOK CLOSELY YOUOU MIGHT JUST SEE WISKERS ON YOUR CATS FRONT LEG, VERY UNUsuSaL! YOU DON’T KNOW HOW IMPORTANT CATS WHISKERS ARE. CATS HAVE 24 WISKERS ON THEIR FACE .  IF THEIR WHISKERS ARE STRAIGHT THEY’RE HAPPY OR COMFoRtaBLE. STOP touching CATS WHISKERS.  THEY DON’T LIKE IT. CATS  WHISKERS Are the same length as their body so they know if they’re going to fit through a hole. Cats may be blind but at night they don’t bump into a single thing they use their whiskers for this. Cats don’t like their whiskers touching their bowl so get a bigger one and just remember I’m watching you.

By Charlie Madsen

    

Fantastic Whisker’s

Hey, did you know that cats have whiskers on their face and on their front paw? Whiskers can tell how big it is. The first thing I want to say is whiskers are the same size as its own body, so that it can know if it can go through that hole.

A cat has 24 whiskers attached to its face.

The cat can feel movement on its whiskers.

They can catch things with their front paw because it has whiskers on its paw. Check the whiskers, you might find something interesting.

If the whiskers are pointing straight, that means they are happy or relaxed. If its whiskers go back, that means it is afraid.

Cats don’t like people playing with their whiskers. Next time you see a cat, check its paws. You might find whiskers!!!   

By Michael       

The cats’ whiskers

Do you know why cat’s whiskers are so…important? Well just read these facts.

Cats use their whiskers too see if they can fit through a hole. A cat has about 24 whiskers on its cute little face, that’s a lot. These special whiskers help a cat get around without bumping into things. Cats have front-leg whiskers to see what it prey is doing so it doesn’t get nipped on the nose.

Do you want to know how your cat is feeling? Cats whiskers stick out if they are happy. If it’s curious the whiskers point forward. The whiskers will go back if it is frightened. Cats don’t like their whiskers touching things.

Isn’t it amazing what cats whiskers can do.

By Josh

 

The Cats Wonderful Whiskers

Do you know what cats whiskers are called?

No. that’s not surprising anyway let’s get started.

Cat’s whiskers are very important they have twelve whiskers either side of its face which tells them if it can fit through holes.

Cats have short tuft whiskers on their paws and it also has long distance seeing but not great short distance so the whiskers on its paws help it sense stuff close up.

When cats whiskers are pointing out it means it is happy and relaxed. If they are forward it means it’s interested in something. When they go back it means it’s afraid and is trying to look fierce.

      Sometimes it bothers cats if their whiskers touch their food bowl so if it scoops their food out they‘re not being naughty, they‘re just trying to keep their whiskers clean.

Back to the start cats whiskers are called sensory hairs.  

By Harry

 

 

Au revoir Room 14!

I am pleased to report our class pet, Sheldon, has settled into his new home perfectly. He will miss all of your smiling faces, you took such good care of him.

Tomorrow I will be hopping onto the plane off to start my new adventure. Before I go, I wanted to say how much I have enjoyed being the teacher of Room 14. You have all added something completely different to the class making it a fun place to be everyday. Greenhithe has been such a great place to teach at, I have really enjoyed my time here. You guys are why I love my job!

I look forward to checking in on your blog and seeing what you are up to. 

All the best!

Miss Chichester :)

Lights, Camera, Action!

Over the past two terms we have been looking at communication. We have studied forms of communication, such as the telephone as well as looking at how we can use different ways to communicate our messages, like through art, film and other types of entertainment.

Recently we have looked at how film and different camera angles and shot can communicate different messages to the audience.

After studying the film The Fox and the Child, we decided to have a go ourselves. Once in groups we all had a role to take to ensure our film could be made, such as director, editor, camera person, props and setting. Next we had to decide on an idea then plan the film's sequence using a storyboard. After a lot of time and patience we made all of our setting and we then ready to films our stop motion films.

We are all very proud of our hard work. Enjoy our films!

The Marble Shrink Ray by Matthew, Josh, Luke, Harrison, Adam, Poppy and Lucy

The Stacking Castle by Charlie, Jordan, Cohen, Delphi, Ethan, Nicho, Sarah-Jane & Brook

The Lego Robbery by Ollie, James, Eve, Sophie-Kate, Anna, Oliver, Madeleine

Building Madness by Emma, Sophie, Gina, Michael, Ryan and Sophie O

Pajamas In July

Pajamas In July                                             

On Friday 5th of July we had pajama day which meant the whole school could wear whatever they want, including pajamas. 

Our school also had to bring in a $1 coin or a $2 coin as a donation for the people who don't have warm pajamas to wear when they go to bed.

We all hope that the donations go to people who will use it sensibly and won't spend it on candy, hopefully they will use it on nice warm pajamas so they can have a nice sleep and stay healthy.

 When we got to school we were all in a nice bright, happy and cheerful colours, from all the bright colorful mufti and Pj's that we were wearing.

At morning tea we all raced out to play it all looked amazing from all the patterns racing out from the classrooms, we all ran different ways, we looked like a moving target.

By Luke and Harrison