The Best and Worst of Season 5 Lockdown

Today was a success because I was able to contact most of the families in my class. I also did most of my chores and cleaned the house before the 9.30am call. 

I am proud of myself because I had a very busy weekend driving to different shops for presents and food ingredients. I cooked a seafood chowder for the second time ever and a new potato salad recipe. Both dishes were delicious and  eye-catching! 

The BEST Parts about Season 5 Lockdown :) 

#5: Doing live cooking demonstrations with Room 7's Eggs on Toast and Pancake Stacks Friday. 

#4: Being able to spend more time with loved ones and family members, even if it was mostly online. 

#3: Enjoying "low n slow" bbq at Kohimarama beach for my birthday. 

#2: Saving money because there were no takeaways at Level 4. I also didn't have to fill the car up as much! 

#1: Sleeping in every day. 

The WORST Parts about Season 5 Lockdown :( 

#5: My school holiday was spent at home because we weren't allowed to go anywhere! 

#4: There were no takeaways at Level 4. How did we survive?! 

#3: I couldn't go to Bunnings, which also meant there were no sausage sizzles. 

#2: Whenever it rained for days on end, it was harder to leave the house and go for a walk. 

#1: Missing school and my students; being unable to teach, laugh and joke with all of them in person. 

Lastly, a reminder to the amazing students in Room 7 and at Ruapotaka School. I have enjoyed great being able to stay connected and teach you during home learning. Please make sure over the next couple of days that you are well-rested, have your uniform and materials ready for your return on  Wednesday 17 November, 10.00am - 2.00pm. 

Mutolu kia! Cheeeehuuuuuu!

Term 4 Week 4 "Clock Out"

What was your win for the week?

My win this week was Pancake Stack Friday.  DJ, Renei and I cooked our sweet goodies live in the class meeting, while Malachi cooked and served another pancake feast well beforehand. The creation below is mine - strawberry, banana and nutella crepe with whipped cream. I need to work on my plating skills though, because I my inner ingredients are hidden by that monster blob of cream. 

Greatest Learning Achievement? 

My greatest learning achievement was modeling writing instructions for how to cook a hangi. I also worked with the class on their reading skills of skimming, scanning and finding evidence to support their thinking. 

How do you feel about possibly going back to school next week on Wednesday? 

The government has announced that Auckland primary schools may return next week on Wednesday 17 November. Personally I am excited that we could be going back - we are waiting for the school principal to make an announcement. It would be great to be in the classroom, as well as outside if it is a sunny day. I hope the Year 8's get a chance to reconnect with their school before they leave for college. I'm a bit nervous, knowing covid is out there but I am prepared to do my part and stay safe if it helps others. Wash hands and sanitise frequently, maintain distance and stay safe. 

Room 7 "Eggs on Toast"

"Eggs on Toast: Le Menu a la Room 7" 

Malachi's Scrambled Eggs on Toast with Bacon and Mushrooms 

Pita's Fried Eggs with Sirloin Steak, Sausages, Sliced Pork and Bread 

Renei's Scrambled Eggs with Waffles  

Willie's Eggs and Coco Rice 

Mr N's Classic Scrambled Eggs 

Room 7 did things a bit differently for our Friday morning check in. We cooked eggs on toast and shared brekky in our online meeting! 

I made the classic scrambled eggs on toast with a side of spaghetti and fried bacon. I cooked my breakfast live and online with my class. Malachi and Renei shared their cooking live as well. Pita  and Willie made their meal before the meeting. 

Ms Erick from Room 6 joined us as a special guest with her can of whipped cream. We later had Mrs Hamilton join us. She missed the breakfast but is looking forward to the pics of our amazing meals. 

I enjoyed Eggs on Toast morning because it was something different and I got to see what the cooking skills of my students is like. It felt almost like being a reality TV superstar from my own kitchen. I wonder if my students felt like that as well while they were cooking? Here's what some of them had to say about our meeting: 

It was awesome. I liked seeing other people cook. - Malachi

Pita showed great patience to wait for everyone else while they were cooking because he cooked his eggs first. I also enjoyed watching other classmates cook.- Renei

I enjoyed that everyone had fun.- Pita 

Our earlier 9am was a great way to start the weekend and end a working week. We've got a couple pieces of mahi left to do for the day and we'll be back to check out in the afternoon at 2.00pm. 

Here is Mr N's recipe for Classic Scrambled Eggs on Toast: 

Two eggs and a dash of milk, whipped in a bowl. A tablespoon or two of melted butter in the pan on medium-high heat. Once the butter bubbles, turn heat down to medium and add egg mix. Use a spatula to 'pull' the egg mix in from the sides. Go twice around the pan then gently break the mix through the middle. Repeat this process another 2-3 times. Be careful not to overcook your eggs or it'll turn into rubber! Take eggs off the heat when they're about 90% done. It helps to have your toast and other sides cooked first because your eggs are best served hot of the grill! Allow remaining egg mix to combine with the cooked parts, serve hot on toast with spaghetti and bacon, with a side of orange juice. Enjoy! 

Term 4 Week 2 "Clock Out"

My End of Week Reflection 

1) What was your win or most grateful moment this week? 

I enjoyed having a shorter week with Monday off but it seemed like we had a lot more work to do online. I am still enjoying seeing my class, even though we would all rather be at school. I am grateful that I also saw my family last night, as I haven't seen them in person for a long time #lockdown 

Today, we celebrated Freaky Friday because we will miss Halloween over the weekend. It will be different this year because we cannot go trick or treating. Big ups to Mrs Cardoza and her two scary masks and her bear-son Jayden, who turned up to our online meeting this morning. 

2) What made this week challenging? 

It has been really challenging for me to get out of bed this week. I've also got to prepare a quiz for my family tonight. If it goes well, I might play it with my students. It's Cludeo by Zoom! 

3) What's a goal for next week? 

I would really like to do some more fun and physical games and challenges with my class, something to keep them on their toes and entertained while learning something new. 

Do YOU have any suggestions for us? 

Reading - The Duel 

This week we read The Duel: Inventors Awaken by Simon Cooke. We practised locating interesting vocabulary in the text and defining what it meant. We also used our ability to locate information to support our thinking. 

R7 Blog Star of the Week: Ocean 

This is Ocean. He is an amazing writer with a clever knack for describing the world around him. He used this week's writing task to create a Wordle about a made up character. The piece below is his description about Bobby, someone experiencing a challenging moment in time but with a glimmer of hope. 

Source: Ocean

Bobby glances out of his window turning more pale by the second. He watches as rubbish glides across the wet road and past the empty paths. Bobby turns towards his bed and wraps himself in his blanket. He looks depressed after what has happened today in his life. He's petrified and scared but determined to make it through the night. He might be able to slumber through the bright sunny day. His eyes start to close inch by inch, Bobby tries to stay up longer until his eyes close shut and he starts to sleep. He awakens in the morning ready to start the day.

Room 7 "Clock Out" for Week 10 & Wall of Fame

Today is Ruapotaka School's last day of the term as the teachers use the next two days to plan Term 4. It has been a pleasure once again to be teaching Room 7. My preference is that we were all back at school but "it is what it is". 

Those who have been online have made the most of their learning opportunities as best as they could. If they weren't online, they were busy helping their families at home with cooking, chores and even just hanging out - all tasks which have been of utmost importance as we look after the well-being of ourselves and our families. 

Big shout out to those of you turned up regularly to our online meetings, and I hope those of you who have been missing are doing well at this time and staying safe in your bubbles. 

"I look forward to not being in lockdown and I'm really hoping we get to do athletics next term. I'm also looking forward to seeing all of my friends again" - Malachi 

"I look forward to stopping my classmates from saying '21' and getting them to say 'lua sefulu tasi' instead" - Pita  

The learning example I have shared below is a writing task we did today to celebrate the end of our term 3 and the great things we have accomplished. 

This is important to me because we should always celebrate our successes, no matter how big or small. This task was also a really good way to point out the people who have had a positive impact on our learning and achievement. 

To the students in Room 7, enjoy the break and be safe in your bubbles. Be sure to capitalise and maintain the awesome progress you've made in home learning by making sure you at least revisit and practise some of the new skills you have attained during this term. Keep up your reading, writing and basic facts practise! 

Kia manuia

Mr N 

2021 Tuvalu Lanugage Week: Vaiaso o te Gana Tuvalu

This week we celebrated Tuvalu Language Week by watching a video by West Auckland Tuvalu Youth (2019) and applying our new knowledge in a Kahoot! quiz. 

We found that there Tuvalu had some similarities to our own pacific island homes. 

The comments below are some of our findings in the manner of traditional dress, language, dance and food. 

"Something I learned about Tuvalu and my own culture is"

The material the girls use to dance in is similar to Samoa - DJ 

Pita asked if Tuvalu is like Niue. I can confirm our islands look very similar, some phrases also. Niue sits higher out of the ocean than Tuvalu. 

Malachi asked what it means to migrate, which is when people move from one country to another. 

WATY says that their Tuvaluan "identity is seen through your actions, tau gagana, iloga, tuu mo aganuu (culture and tradition)". 

Room 7 "Clock Out" for Week 9

Welcome to the Room 7 "Clock Out" for Week 9

Use this time now to complete the following: 

#1: Friday PM Learning Logs

#2: Create a new blog post sharing something amazing you have done this week 

What are you sharing? 

Why is this important to you? 

Don't forget to add your digital learning object (see mine below) 

#3: Have a crack at the memes from this week's planning doc.  

If you've done all of the above, go leave some lovely comments on the blogs of our mates in Belfast School, Ruapotaka or otherwise. 

Done that? Awesome! Go and find your "secret object" and get ready for Fun Friday! 

What are you sharing? 

The following examples are from Malachi, Renei and Hone and their writing and maths. 

Why is this important to you? 

These pieces are important to me because they have shown commitment and dedication to their learning. 

For writing, Malachi improved his ability to add detail to his paragraphs. He also used interesting vocabulary. 

Renei also improved her story-writing ability. 

Hone did really well in a maths lesson online as showcased by the comments from Mrs Allan. 

Week 9 Update: How Maui Slowed the Sun, Area and Perimeter of Rectangles and 30-second news

The following examples of high effort learning are courtesy of Malachi, Pita and Sonny. Click here to see some more of our "Quick shots of Learning" which happen throughout the week.  

For maths today, Malachi, Sonny and I worked on finding the area and perimeter of rectangles. We worked together using Transum at Level 1. 

We've also been kept up to date with R7's 30-second News. 

Yesterday, we started our narrative writing by retelling of "How Maui Slowed the Sun". Our goals for writing included using narrative structure and adding relevant detail to our key ideas. This lesson was inspired by a Maori artist who uses sand and an illuminated lightboard to create uniquely interesting and Maori-inspired artwork to tell a story. 

Cybersmart Challenge #23: Scams and Phishing

Here is my example for the latest Cybersmart Challenge, how to avoid scams and phishing. 

According to CERT NZ, Phishing is a type of email scam. The sender pretends to be a trustworthy organisation — like a bank or government agency — in an attempt to get you to provide them with personal information, particularly financial details.

What did I learn? Scams and phishing can be harmful to internet users if we are not careful. Scammers try to gain your personal information either for monetary gain, or to steal your identity. These could be used to impersonate you both online and in person. 

Why is this important to me? I wouldn't like it if my personal details were gained to be used either against me, or for someone to impersonate me. 

Room 7 "Clock Out" Blog Post

Welcome to Room 7 "Clock Out" for Week 8. 

Use this time now to complete the following: 

#1: Friday PM Learning Logs

#2: Create a new blog post sharing something amazing you have done this week 

What are you sharing? 

Why is this important to you? 

Don't forget to add your digital learning object (see mine below) 

#3: Have a crack at the Friday PM animals meme on your slide. 

If you've done all of the above, go leave some lovely comments on the blogs of our mates in Belfast School, Ruapotaka or otherwise. 

Done that? Awesome! Go and find your "secret object" and get ready for Fun Friday! 

This is some of the learning my students did in one of their maths workshops with Mrs Allan earlier today. It is about factorising algebraic expressions. 

This is important to me because it says how willing some of my class are to push themselves to learn in maths. We haven't covered it in class but I'm glad to see them giving new and challenging mathematical ideas a crack. 

It is also important because it highlights what they're capable of when expanding or factorising algebraic equations. This lesson also taught me that my class still needs to learn their times tables, common multiples and factors. 

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori: Whakatauki

Whakataukī (proverbs) represent the wisdom guiding the Maori culture. 

They are commonly used as inspirations in speeches and also as gentle reminders spoken to each other in everyday life. They are poetic expressions of wise sayings which allude to symbols native to Aotearoa.

- The Te Reo Classroom - 

Kia ora whanau! The following example and instructions are one of this week's writing tasks, which also links very well to te wiki o te reo Maori and our own hauora. 

You have to select a whakatauki you resonate with, what it basically means and describe how you show this in your own life. What is a whakatauki you can relate to? 

Term 2 Week 1: Welcome Back!

Kia ora, Ruma Whitu!

First of all, welcome back to school! We've had three days in class and probably had one of the most productive and busiest starts to the term. 

Just wanted to say a MASSIVE thank you to the Y7&8 boys and girls who trialled for football today. 

I could tell you were all excited and looking forward to it. What I'm really impressed with is the patience, skill, care and respect for others and teamwork you showed during your trials. If your football skill was already good enough, you've made my job for selecting teams a lot harder with your genuine support for one another. Shout out to Fabian, Pita and Poni for their positive sportsmanship during gameplay, as well as our girls for holding their own against the boys. 

What have you enjoyed so far about being back at school? 

All the best for your first week back :) 

Mr N #itssoccernotfootball

Term 1 Week 11: Last Day of School! Woohoo!

Yaaasss! We've finally made it to the end of Term 1. 

Big ups to to 2021 Ruapotaka School Room 7. It has been a fun, challenging and exciting rollercoaster of learning this term. Shout out to Belfast and Rutherford Junior High for joining us on our 2021 Learning Journey. Here are some of our "takeaways" so far in 2021 ... 

Ocean: playing and talking with friends 

Jairus: Learning new games for PE such as Jailbreak and the other cool games our teacher has shown us. 

Sonny: Seeing my friends at school, especially when lockdown finished. 

Renei: Learning new strategies for maths 

Hone: I've enjoyed my learning this term especially about perimeter and area. 

Sosefina: Being able to complete most of my assigned learning this term and being an awesome helper for Mrs Folu with school lunches. 

Solomon: I have really enjoyed school, it feels like a second home. 

Malachi: Learning new games and playing with friends. 

Krista: Being reunited with my friends. 

DJ: Working on my communication skills with my friends in soccer as well as showing teamwork. 

Willie: Learning with my friends is awesome! 

Mr N: Being part of a new school, new class and getting to know what makes them "tick". Also sharing some of the cool maths, literacy and PE games I know. 

What were some of your Term 1 highlights? 

Hope you all have a safe and happy term break. We look forward to seeing you all well rested and energised to start Term 2! 

Regards 

Mr Nevalagi

Term 1 Week 7 Notices and Reminders: Hats, Sunburn, Waiata and Lunches

A friendly reminder from the principal about wearing your hats during break time 

"Just a reminder that all students without a hat must stay under the canopy along Rooms 1-7. 

They DO NOT get to play out in any other areas." 

- Mrs Hamilton, Ruapotaka School Principal 

There is an astounding amount of evidence for why you should stay covered when outside, especially during our warmer months. For those of you saying it's a cloudy day, you would be surpised to hear that 80% of the sun's rays can still penetrate through those clouds. These are just some of the websites saying why it is important to "slip, slop and slap" - what are your thoughts on this? 

Banana Boat: Can I get sunburn on a cloudy day? 

SunSmart: Mythbusters 

NZHerald: I can't get sunburnt through glass, shade or in water, right? Five common sunburn myths busted

Kapa Haka "E minaka ana" 

Click here for access to your Y7&8 waiata music and lyrics 

Term 1 Bi-weekly Lunch Menu

This last part is a shout out to our Room 21 buddies at Belfast School in Christchurch. Here's a picture of us enjoying Monday's lunch which was a chicken, cheese and lettuce sandwich. 

After today's lunch, I showed my class a new game called Bananagrams, which was a lot of fun.