Kapa Haka

Kapa Haka - On Friday at kapa haka we got to the hall early again! We only got there a few minutes early but it definitely makes a difference. It felt like we were waiting out there forever, as soon as Matua came out I felt relieved we finally got to go in. Once we all got lined up in our rows we started to rehearse Tai Tapu (our school song). We went through this song around two times and then finally went into our groups for hariuria. It took us a while to calm down and actually be quiet as we were all excited. Once we had calmed down we got started practicing. Once we had joined in around halfway through the song we started walking forward this was hard as Mrs Baker wasn't walking with us because she was trying to see how we do by ourselves. I had to focus on my own footwork as the year 4's right at the front were gong at the wrong time. I eventually managed to get into the right rhythm of the beat but I had to do this a lot as the year 4's weren't going at the right time during any of the times we went through our song. Next time I'm going to work on staying in the right rhythm with my footwork.

Librarian

Librarian - When I was meant to be doing librarian on Monday I had a clash as I had to go and get my sport uniform for run, bike, run the next day. I managed to work around this clash as I went to the hall to get my uniform at the start of lunch and then went back to librarian. Once I got to the library Sam W had already chosen the books so we went down to the music room deck so we could start reading. Sam W started to read the first book she had gotten as I went around the juniors area asking if there was anyone that wanted to come and read with us. I eventually got as many juniors as I could and I was so exhausted from running around that I asked Sam W to read the second book for me. I sat listening to her on the deck as we had forgotten the beanbags. Next time something I could do better is not running around so much that I have to ask someone else to read my book for me. 

Kapa Haka

Kapa Haka - On Friday I had Kapa Haka as I arrived there were still people in the hall so we had to wait outside the door. Once everyone had left we went in and lined up in our lines. Once we had done this we started singing Tai Tapu. We have new actions to this song so I had to try and remember them as we went. After this we practiced Hareuia. We have been having trouble with this song as we have to come in at a certain point of the song and then walk forward at a different time. I got really confused whilst walking forward as everyone was going at a different point of the song. Once we had done this we went back to practicing Tai Tapu as at the end of this song we do the haka. Part of the new actions is for us to half as we are standing all together at the start and let the boys come forward. Some people get confused by this as half of us go one way and the other half go another way. Next time I need to work on remembering which foot to come forward on in Hareuia. 

Librarian

Librarian - On Monday at librarian Samara and I had to read to the little kids by ourselves as Sam W and Monique had to finish their maths. Once Samara and I got to the library Samara went over and signed us in and I went to look for some Barbie books as they little kids love Barbie! When I went over to the cupboard to look for the Barbie books I couldn't find them so I went and asked Mrs Ward where they were. We eventually found them right at the back of the cupboard. As we were leaving the library we remembered the beanbags and decided we should take them down with us. It was hard trying to carry three beanbags between the two of us but we managed. Once we got to the deck of the music room we put the beanbags down and went to ask some kids if they would like to come and listen to us reading. At first not many kids wanted to come but as we started reading more and more kids came along. At the end of the two books we carried the beanbags back and went out to play.

Librarian

Librarian - On Monday at librarian Sam, Samara, Monique and I went to the library at the start of lunch to look for some books that we could read to the juniors. We decided not to bring the beanbags this time as they get a bit annoying with the juniors trying to sit on them whilst you are reading. This week I chose a Barbie book as Mrs Ward said that all of the juniors love the Barbie books! Since Sam W wasn't in the library as we chose the books we chose one for her. Once we approached the juniors area we found a place on the deck that we would read our books. We thought that we already had enough juniors with us so we decided that I could start reading. Once I started reading more and more juniors came over to listen to us. After I read Sam W read. Once we had all finished reading we packed up and took everything back to the library. 

Leadership meeting

Leadership meeting - On Monday the 2016 leaders had a leadership meeting. At the start of our meeting Mr Ladbrook asked Xanthe and I how we were going with our charity plans. Xanthe and I hadn't been able to finally decide on a finishing date but we decided shortly after the meeting finished. After this Mr Brown came into our meeting and told us about what was happening with tabloid sports this week. The leaders had no idea what Mr Brown was talking about at the start but we shortly understood as we had no idea about the tabloid sports this week. Mr Brown didn't know exactly what was happening on Friday but he said he was going to ask Mr Forman and find out for us; this means that we might end up having another meeting on Thursday. Xanthe and I have been busy organising our charity event that we are going to have to think about the tabloid sports quickly before we forget!

Librarian

Librarian - This year for librarian my role  is to go down to the junior area with a book and with three other librarians (Sam W, Samara and Monique) and read to the juniors. On Monday we went to the library to collect our books and the beanbags. After this we walked down to the music room deck and two of us went around asking kids if they wanted to come and read with us while the other two stay and start reading with some little kids. This week we only read one book as we didn't start reading untill later on that lunchtime. Sam W got to read her book before the bell rang. As Sam was reading her book the rest of us sat in a circle listening to her. We usually get a lot of junior children come over to listen to us so we have to remind them to be quiet as Sam reads. Next time I think we could do better at getting out there earlier so that we can all get through our books. 

Leadership Meeting

Leadership Meeting - On Monday we had a leadership meeting. We started off by Mr Ladbrookasking us how we were going with our leadership projects. Xanthe and I have decided that we would change the date of our charity because we weren't ready for it, so we have put it off until April. After Mr Ladbrook had asked us some questions about our charity we went to see if Mr Brown was in his class as we wanted to ask him some questions about our charity. Mr Brown wasn't in his class when we went passed so we went back to the leadership meeting and talked to Mr Ladbrook about some of the charity questions we had. After this the leaders could either go outside or do their blog post I decided that I would do my blog post. Next time at the leadership meeting I want to make sure that I'm ready to answer Mr Ladbrooks questions before he asks me them. 

Kauri Run, Bike, Run!

Kauri Run, Bike, Run - On Monday the Kauri team (year 4-8's) went to Halswell Domain for run, bike, run. Xanthe & I had to take the year 6s for a game of French cricket! We had 3 groups, one group played tricky tag & the other 2 groups played French cricket. After this the year 7/8s played a game of dodge ball. They split the teams up fairly, and my team win the first round. We were half way through the second round when we had to go for our event! The year 7/8s all raced together. The individuals went first & then the teams went. I was coming second out of the girls after the first run and then got ahead in the bike. In the run I ended up beating all the individuals and one team beat me!  I was super proud of myself! We walked back to school with our bikes & our medals on. 

Technology

On the bus to technology - On Tuesday the year 7/8 students went to technology. On the way there I sat next to Samara and Natasha on the bus. On the way there the noise level was alright, because everyone was just talking to the person beside them, but some people were speaking too loudly to the person next to them. I think that I spoke quietly to the person next to me, but since we had three people sitting together we probably were a bit louder than the other people on the bus. On the way back I sat next to Samara near the back. It took a while for the textiles and design group to get to the bus but once they got there we left straight away. On the way back I think that our noise level was louder than on the way there, I think that this was because everyone had just finished their last rotation. Next week I think that I need to work on speaking quietly to the person next to me even if I am in a three.

Kapa haka

Kapa haka - Today at Kapa haka we practised Harirua and Taitapu. We started practising Harirua because this is a new song for us, we went through this a couple of times before the teachers in Kapa haka told us how we were going to perform this song. The girls start off singing the start of the song then the boys join in and we all sing through it again. The teachers asked the year 7/8 girls to try and sing a part in this song but we couldn't do it very well so the year 5/6 girls got to sing it instead. After we had been through this song Matua got us to go through Taitapu (our school song). Since we have actions to this song some people are still learning them, this means that sometimes some people are banging into each other. After we had been through this song a few times and gone over some actions, some other people from the senior area came up to me and told me that I had to go to the new Te Hapua center so I had to leave kapa haka early. 

Leadership meeting

Leadership meeting - On Monday Mr Ladbrook held a leadership meeting for the 2016 leaders. Miss O'connor came as well. Mr Ladbrook split everyone up into two groups - The house captains were with Miss O'connor and the rest of the leaders (such as the heads, cultural ambassador's, house point coordinator's and sport's coordinator's) were with Mr Ladbrook. I was with Miss O'connor as I'm one of the house captains. She wanted to ask us if we could create a google slide of how to show the care values at Oakland's. Xanthe and I got to do the cloak bay presentation, this means that one week each class in the school will look at our google slide and, use it to their advantage by showing these care values in their cloak bay. Each pair of house captains got a area of values each and also created a google slide for each class in the school to use. After this Mr Ladbrook came back in and told us that we had decide on a game that we were going to play on Monday as this is run, bike, run. Xanthe and I decided on French cricket, I don't know how to play this but Xanthe showed me a google doc so I could understand how to play.

Kapa haka

Kapa haka - At Kapa haka on Friday Mr Brown and Mrs Baker were in the hall foyer whilst we were doing Kapa haka, this meant that Matua Rhihari took us. We practised, Whakataka Te Hau and He Honore before he asked us what songs we would like to sing. Someone said that they would like to sing Pa mai, we went through this once and then Matua decided that we needed some people to show us the actions. A few of the seniors went up onstage and we're doing the actions to pa mai the next two times we went through it. After we had practised this someone said that they wanted to sing our school song, Tai Tapu. We went through this (with the senior up onstage) a couple of times and then moved onto Tahurihuri. We're meant to do poi to this song but we didn't have any poi with us so we had to shadow poi, this is where you pretend that you've got a poi and still do the poi actions to it. I could barely remember the poi to Tahurihuri but I tried my best to anyway, I got used to the actions by the end of the song. Once we had finished I had to race out to put my shoes on as I had to get to Te Hapua strait away!

Technology

On the bus to Technology - On the bus to Technology on Tuesday I sat near the back next to Samara. I sat next to the window and she sat next to the aisle. On the way there we were just talking about netball, as we had just found out our new team for club netball. On the way there I would've said that the noise level was good but there were some people playing with the windows. The bus I was on (bus 1) arrived shortly before the other bus (bus 2). We were at technology untill lunch time and then got back on our buses again. The bus I was on (bus 1) left after the other bus (bus 2). I sat near the back again with Samara. On the way back I thought that the noise level was louder than on the way there but was still alright. Also on the way back people weren't playing with the windows this time. Next time if there was something I could improve on it would be talking quietly to the person next to me as I was probably talking to loudly to Samara. 

Leadership meeting

Leadership meeting - On Monday the 2016 leaders had a meeting with Mr Ladbrook at morning tea. We talked about how we thought we have been going so far this year. I said that I enjoyed swimming sports and can't wait for our next event. Mr Ladbrook has had everyone arranging an event that each house captain or heads etc had been in charge of. Since I'm the Miro house captain I have been arranging a charity with Xanthe, the other Miro house captain. We have decided that we will do a charity where everyone brings in clothes to donate towards the cyclone that had hit Fiji, we will then go through the clothes and select the blue ones that we could use to make banners for Miro. After we had talked about this at our meeting Mr Ladbrook said that we could go and enjoy the rest of our morning tea. 

Skipping with the year 1's

Skipping with the year 1's
4.3.16

Today we did games with the year 1's. In the first block we planned our game. In my group was me and Samara and we decided that we would do skipping. We had a planning sheet and we had to go through and fill this sheet out. We were looking online for ages deciding whether we would pick one of those games or come up with our own. We decided that we would pick one of their games and that was skipping. We needed cones for this because we were going to have races between the little kids.

Here is a picture of the year 1's playing a game with the seniors:

Leadership in the Food Forest

Leadership in the Food Forest
Yesterday some of the year 8 students went out to help with the Food Forest. The year 8's were asked to help the year 4 students collect seeds.

This is us collecting the seeds:

First we had to make envelopes to put the seeds in, this was difficult because there were heaps of us making four envelopes each and only four staplers.

After this we had to get into pairs and go into the garden and collect the seeds. This was difficult as I couldn't remember what some of the plants were called. Next it was time for morning tea.

Once we came in from morning tea we split into our 4 groups. Our group was assigned the chicken tractor. To do this we had to carry the 4 fences from outside the caretakers shed to the Food Forest. This was easier than I thought it would be as we had to have two to a fence. Once we had set the fences up in a square we went back to get the orange netting and the wire. Once we had collected this we had to put the netting inside the fence and connect the wire to the fence and netting, so that the chickens couldn't possibly escape.

After we had finished in the Food Forest we went and spent the afternoon with the juniors.

This is a photo of our chicken tractor:

Kauri Fun Day

Swimming Sports

Last week on Friday the Kauri and Kakano teams went to Jelly Park, the Kauri team went because we had swimming sports for the whole day and the Kakano team went because they had a fun day outside Jelly Park while we had swimming sports.
Once we had finished the width races the house captains ran two simming activities for the Kauri team to participate in. The two games we ran were Madness and The Big Splash. For Maddness we just threw objects into the pool. The house that won this was Miro. After this we ran The Big Splash for this we participated with our house and Kowhai came first.
After we had finished this we ran the length races I came first in backstroke and second in freestyle. I had fun running the house activities and can't wait until the next time I get to run some more.