Happy Birthday Sophie

We hope you're having a fabulous birthday in South Africa!

Where Did That Year Go?

Wow! It's hard to believe that the school year for 2014 is over. We had a great time together learning, laughing and challenging ourselves to be better than before.
I hope you and your families have a happy holiday together. Remember to find something kind to do for someone everyday and
READ, READ, READ!
Follow this link to find the Summer Holiday Reading Challenge from the City Libraries. I'd love you to discover some great new books for me.
Have you seen this one? I gave it to my nephew Sam on Wednesday and he LOVES it!

Angels by the Room 17 Angels

Angels on PhotoPeach

If you click on a photo it will make it bigger. It is best to watch it in full screen mode.

Beach Ed Pix

Here are some photos of our day at North Beach. Thanks to Leanne for taking most of them!

What A Great Day!

I would be lying if I didn't say I expected our beach trip to be pretty awful today. In fact it turned out to be a wonderful day despite the awful weather.
Thank you to the wonderful parents who came and helped make the most of our day at North Beach. I'm just about to go out to book group so the photos and stories will have to wait till tomorrow. In the meantime sleep well! I'm sure I will.
Love Ms Ashby
p.s. The weather forecast for our Tryathlon on Friday is even improving!

Beach Ed

Yes folks we're still going to North Beach today. Please bring warm clothes. I hope you gave mum and dad the notices that you put in your bags or reading folders yesterday.

A Child's Wish List

Today we made a list of things children might wish for. Next we got into groups and cut up a copy of the list and put it in order of importance from the most important thing to the least important.

This is what we came up with. This would be a great thing to discuss at home with your family. Which things on the wish list can you tick off already?

Matua Thomas's Famous Friend

Matua Thomas wrote a wonderful song for Te Kura o Hato Opani. He used the tune from a U2 song (Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For) to go with the words. He sent a message to Bono who said he thought it was great that St Albans School was using his tune for a song all about us.
The Year Three team have been learning that song this term and will perform it on Friday next week for family and friends.
I have made a practice video for you to use to practise the words and actions. It isn't really one to show your family because the recording was done a while ago and you sound much better now! I've made a new page called Singing Pratice.

Sushi and Swimming Reminders

I only managed to grab a few of you to give the sushi notices at the end of today, sorry. You need to order tomorrow to get sushi on Friday.
Also remember we have a swimming time tomorrow so pack those togs!

Monstrous Thank You Cards

On Monday the fabulous fairy grotto was still set up so the fabulously adaptive Room 14 were nomads for the day. Between play and lunchtimes we had special fair activities set up in Rooms 13, 17 and 19. In Room 17 we made pop-up thank you cards.

Fangs a Lot on PhotoPeach

Happy Birthday Theo!

Don't let the Pigeon eat all your cake!

A birthday on Choose-day!?! Does that mean you get to choose all day long?

Splish, Splash!

It was great to see so many of you with your togs at school today! Aren't we a lucky school to have a pool up and running? Tau ke Te Kura o Hato Opani!

Happy Birthday Hunter

We hope you're having a great day today!

Can't wait to hear all about it tomorrow.

Reading Picture Books

.. and we mean reading the pictures too!
Today we looked really closely at illustrations in picture books. We talked about different techniques illustrators use to add meaning to their pictures.The story called ANZAC Biscuits by Phil Cummings and Owen Swan showed how framing and bleeding can be used to make illustrations very meaningful.

Have a look at home tonight for examples of this technique in books you have at home.

You came up with many interesting ways you could share what you have learned about reading illustrations with other children:

• Take a book to share with another class
• Find a website from a great author or illustrator - share this with someone else
• Share a book with someone and encourage them to act parts of it out or read it allowed
• Read someone one book by an author then show them others that author has written
• Create an illustration with someone
• Copy and illustration together with someone
• Find out about other people's favourite authors or illustrators
• Offer to help junior children choose books at the school library
• Encourage someone to write out a sentence they have enjoyed in a story
• Help someone make notes about what techniques are demonstrated in different illustrations 
• Write a picture book about the fair

Over the next few weeks I hope you'll get the chance to try some of these ideas.

New Posters Around the School

Our marketing campaign got off to a great start today with all our fairies displayed on fake trees. We have a papa tree, a mama tree and a baby tree. The baby tree is getting a lot of attention in the office area.

The mama and papa trees are in Room 17 ready and waiting for the fair. I wonder if you can find the three giant peg fairy posters around the school. Tomorrow we are beginning the advertisements at the team assemblies. Remember to bring a fairy costume to wear if you want to.
Room 17 children are allowed to buy and take home one fairy before the fair.

Library Time

It was great to share our library time with Room 19 today.

We also have a very engrossing set of new library books from the National Library. Remember to ask your family to come in and see your new favourite book.

An Athletics Catchup.

Our girls relay team who came 3rd.

The boys relay team who came second.
These guys are so speedy they are even blurry standing still!

Makenzie was away for these photos. He is in Kowhai and the relay team.

A Sunny Afternoon!

The Possibilty Patch WAS Possible Today!

Phew the Fairies are Finished...

... and they are FAB!

Great team work today - congratulations.

Now the production is done, the marketing begins. Get out those fairy costumes.

Another Great Day For Fairy Production!

Today was the day for hairstyles. We've got fringes, flicks, ponytails, bobs, pixie cuts, pageboys and even some bald spots. Great team work folks.

After athletics we managed to put the belts on about half the fairies. If you're at school between 8.30 and 8.55 on Tuesday you can help finish the belts on the other half.
When I counted how many fairies we have made today I got 207!

If we sell all of those for $3 how much will we have raised for the fair?

Amazing Athletes!

Well done Room 17 for all your positive, hard work at the athletics today. You worked well on your technique in all the events. I didn't get ANY photos at all! Sorry about that. Tomorrow you will have to make some fantabulous illustrations so we can load those instead.
I'm tired - are you?

Monday is Athletics Day for Year 2 and 3

Don't forget to wear your house colours on Monday!

Phoofed Out Fairy Fabricators

We have had a busy day on the production line today! Thank you to Tracy for all her help and encouragement.

By lunchtime we'd painted all the bodies and shoes.

By home time MOST fairies had their skirts on.
Tau kē koutou!

Futsal Fun

Today we had our first Futsal session. Rohan from Mainland Football came and introduced us to some skills needed for this game. It is very like football (soccer) although the ball is heavier and less bouncy.
We discovered that in many South American countries children from 4 years to 12 years play Futsal and then they are introduced to football (although some carry on playing Futsal).

If you'd like to read more about Futsal you could follow this link to the Mainland Football website.

At the website you can click on these players' faces and find out about their involvement in Futsal.

More Tales From Lily's travels

Wow - Monsters Out at Tram Road!

That's a long way to go!

I think Evie told me she had seen seven signs for our fair in the weekend - those spy eyes keep on keeping on!

Why Are Colours Interesting?

Why is Brown an Interesting Colour?

Brown is an interesting colour because it is common in nature.

Brown is the colour of so many natural things such as trees, soil, bark, leaves and also animals.

Did you know that brown can also help insects and other creatures camouflage themselves to stay away from predators

Brown may not be such a beautiful colour on its own but it is part of nature.

Why is Blue an Interesting Colour?

Blue is all around us in nature. The sky and water, like seas and lakes, are blue.

Many schools have blue uniforms because blue matches most other colours.

Some people think blue is a boys’ colour but girls like it too.

Nearly all sharks are blue, this helps them camouflage in the water.

From space, planet Earth looks blue because so much of it is covered by water.

Why is Yellow an Interesting Colour?

Yellow an interesting colour because it is the same colour as the sun. It seems to shine.

The sunflower’s petals are yellow to attract insects. Inside the these, and many other flowers, there is yellow pollen.

You can use yellow to mix other colours. If you mix yellow with red it makes orange. The more yellow - the brighter the orange.

Yellow is a bright shiny colour. It is the colour of the sun and gold.

Why is Black an Interesting Colour?

Black is an interesting colour because it is the colour of darkness. If there is no light, there’s no colour.

Black is a spooky colour. People use it for halloween costumes like vampire, witches and more. 

The olden day people used black boards and now we use white boards.

You can mix black with colours and it makes them darker.

Black is a special colour because it’s almost an anti-colour.

Why is White an Interesting Colour?

White is an interesting colour because it is made up of all the colours of the spectrum and that means it isn’t really any colour at all.

You can mix white with other colours to change the shade of that colour.
Snow and ice is white. Polar bears are white so they can blend in with the snow and ice. Did you know that if you split up white light it makes a rainbow?

White helps create the biggest variety of colours by changing their shade.

Why is Orange an Interesting Colour?

Orange is an interesting colour because it is bright.

You can mix yellow and red together to make orange.

Orange is the colour of flames. This makes orange seem a hot colour. Orange is used for the traffic light that means STOP IF YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

Because orange is a bright colour it is useful to warn people about danger.

Why is Green an Interesting Colour?

Green is an interesting colour because it is mostly found in nature.

Many animals are green so it makes it easy to camouflage into bushes and grass.

There are many shades of green from bright to dull. If you want to make green you mix yellow with blue. 

Green makes nature bright and colourful with all its different shades.

Why is Red an Interesting Colour?

Red is a very interesting colour because it can be bright or dark.

Red is the colour of some roses and other flowers. This colour attracts insects to the them.

In nature red can also be the colour of danger. Red warns other animals that they are dangerous.

When you see red on the traffic light you have to stop. 

Red is useful for giving messages and signals because it can be bright or dark.

Why is Purple an Interesting Colour?

Purple is an interesting colour because you can make it by mixing blue and red. 

Purple is a popular colour for fashion because it is fun and bubbly. It is a good colour for boys and girls, but it is probably more popular with girls. You can make other shades of purple by adding white and changing the amounts of red and blue you use.

Purple is an interesting colour for using to make things beautiful, like it is in nature.

Look At This Little Fella!

How many of these guys can you see in your neighbourhood?

Take some photos - send them in!

Thanks to Brooke and Riley's mums for putting lots of posters up and for sending this photo in.

Happy Birthday Vianca!

I hope you're enjoying wearing the birthday crown today. 

Well, one of the birthday crowns, I've got mine on too!

Turning 8 on the 8th - that's pretty special isn't it?

Farewell Ms Neale

 Today was Ms Neale's last day in Room 17. We have loved having her with us.

 We wrote a poem using hyperbole based on the poem, As I Walked Out One Evening by W.H.Auden.

Thank you for being a great teacher in Room 17. 

We will miss you.

Fair Soundscape

You all worked hard with Ms Neale to create this soundscape of a fair and the bunting that goes with it.

This time in two weeks the fair will nearly be here!

Next week we begin the production of our fairies.

Goldilocks Rap

Marvelous Maths!

What great team work and problem solving skills were evident in the hall over the last few days as the Year Three team did a Cantamaths style challenge.
Perhaps you could create some new questions for next time.

Here Comes Summer Walk

Is Summer really coming? It sure didn't feel like it today!We were so lucky to get to the park today with the wintery blast that has hit the country this week. I can't wait to read some descriptions of the crazy sky had over us today on our outing.

Come On Down Summer!

Well Spotted Isobel!

I wonder where we should put posters advertising our flower fairies.

Bring a Coat Today

Hi everyone - good thinking checking the blog about the walk this morning!
We ARE still hoping to get down to the park - we may be dashing between showers and splashing through puddles, but I think the weather may well be clear at that time. CROSS THOSE FINgERS, EYES and TOES!
Please bring your coat and be sure to have your sweatshirt too please.

A Letter from Lily!

Dear Room 17 and Ms Ashby,

I hope you are having a good time at school. 

Since I left you I have been in Singapore and Ireland. 

In Singapore my favourite thing was the swimming pool at the airport. It was my favourite thing because it was big and outside and you watch the planes take off. 

I am in Ireland at the moment and I'm having a great time!

I am at the Skibbereen library writing this email to you.

We have been to Dublin. We went to the Kilmainham jail. It was very interesting because when we were out in one of the courtyards the guide asked me how old I was and he said I could have been in that jail (about a hundred years ago). There were kids in there from 8 years old and they were there because they had stolen potatoes or a cloak to keep her warm. 

The jail rooms, called cells, were dark and cold and tiny. They had nothing in them except for a little tiny window. Prisioners were allowed 1 blanket and a small candle. Some people chose to go to jail during the famine, because they were starving, and at least they got some food. 

Missing you all.

Kind regards 

Lily

ps. Next we are going to Edinburgh.

Tanner's Still Spying!

Nice work Tanner!

Has anyone seen a sign for our Monster Fair yet? Tanner found this advertisement in the St Albans News.

Thanks to Sammie for bringing this community newspaper.

The Possibility Patch is Back!

Hooray - we're back in business! Thanks to Sharon for being the adult supervisor today, and for taking some photos to share.

If you'd like to read about how the Possibility Patch began you can follow this link.

Did you know that we even had snow in the Possibility Patch once? If you'd like to read other posts about the PP have a scroll through these links. 

Possibility Patch 2012

Possibility Patch 2013

Lovin' Your Spy Eyes Evie!

Have you been keeping a look out too?

Assembly in Room 17

You made a great job presenting a varied and interesting programme.
We began with children sharing their mihi then enjoyed watching Kiwi Kids News Term Three. I could count on you to sing the Bruno Mars song well - well done. The play went well as did the alliteration sentences.

Blaze and Soumadeep managed to get the whole Year Three team cooperating in the massage circle at the end - that was outstanding!

Some Springtime Sentences

Glamorous, green grass blowing in the beautiful breeze.
Elizabeth, Brooke, Akira and Hunter

Growing, green grass on the glorious field.
James, Blaze and Evie

Squawking, swooping seagulls swish in the whistling wild wind.
Isobel, Sophie, Theo and Riley

Ridiculously, red roses grow in the gorgeously green grass.
Makenzie, Lucy, Vianca, Deep

The children chatter on the glorious green grass.
Belah, Sammie and Gabe

Squawking, swooping seagulls sailing through the super, sunny, shining sky.
Tanner, Hasini and Ryan

Phair Photos Phrom Sophie

Thanks Sophie for these photos. The posters are very eye catching aren't they?

Alliteration Action

The focus for our writing this week has been on creating sentences that pack a punch using alliteration.
Today we went out to make observational notes about Spring at St Albans.

Au Revoir Lily

We hope you:

make magical memories

eat fabulous french food

see scintillating sights

learn lots.

Kia pai te haere, hoki pai mai.

Travel safely and return safely.