Alegbra

We are learning about making and continuing patterns. We know that algebra is all about patterns. We are using what we know about numbers and symbols to describe what is happening in the different patterns we are creating.

Rosie and Hannah working out the next set in their pattern

Angus continuing his pattern with lots of different elements

Kasaiyah working out how many humps the next Taniwha will have 

Lucas using his skip counting to work out what is next in his pattern

Te Au working out the next part of his pattern

Camp Reflections

Water Slide - Kizoa Video Editor - Movie Maker

My biggest challenge was the Fear Factor challenge, it was mainly teaching us not to say I don't like this food before we try it. At the end we had a race. In the race we had to eat one whole dry weetbix, we had no milk to wash it down. It felt like there was a whole lot of sand and dust in our mouths. Mrs H made up really yucky storyies about what we were going to eat. She said that coconut milk was snake blood and that it was chunky because the snake had blood clots. The person who finished first won a lollie. Zackery won the race he just shoved it in his mouth. Even though I didn't win the weetbix race I still got a lollie because Mrs H said I did very good and I tryed (tried) most of them.  After the Fear Factor challenge there was a yucky taste in my mouth. I would like to thank all the parents that took time off work to come  to camp and the teachers for organising the camp for us. Faith

Something I liked at camp was playing fear factor because I didn't know what I was going to eat because we were blind folded with a black blind fold so it was pitch black like at midnight.I liked a couple of the fear factor foods but my last one was crunchy and it was a vegetable, I hated it so I spat it out and screamed "yuck"!!!!  Beau

Camp Omatua was realy fun even in the rain but we were having too much fun too even feel a drop. I really enjoyed playing in the bamboo forest with my friends, it is so awesome in there. There is so much fun to be had. There is a little wooden hut on the side of the bamboo forest.My friends and I were playing hide and go seek. Tyler

 Something that challenged me was the food factor challenge because I was blindfolded and I don't like eating food that I don't know what it is. Mrs H tricked me because she told me that I had to eat pooops.  I was worried but she told me I had to eat it so I put my finger in the cup and I scooped up some and put it in my mouth. I realised it was melted chocolate because it taste sugary. I was relieved that it wasn't poo!That would have made me spew up! Joshua

My Biggest challenge at camp was walking to the toilet in the middle of the night with on person, Camden the toilet was on the other side of the paddock.  We looked behind us every five seconds but we made it! Another challenge was trying to not puke when I ate the jalapeno in the Fear Factor challenge but sadly my mission failed! Max

Another thing that challenged me was the water slide that the teachers and parents made it challenged me because it was hard on my bottom but apart from that it was good. Some people like Beau and Ollie went down like a rocket apart from me I went down as slow as a nanny driving a car. Emma B

My achievement was build a bamboo house. It was fun as we had bamboo and tape to build it. We 

were the closest team to do it. That is my achievement what is yours?  Oliver

Something that challenged me was definitely fear factor because I had to eat a gherkin that I thought that was a slimy slug that was still alive. Campbell

At camp I tried something new: Tubing. I was not sure what your supposed to do so felt a bit scared, just in case the river was a bit too fast and I was touched by an eel.  Carefully  I walked into the shallow water hoping there was no eel about, but when  I started rocking down the stream I did not feel a eel or see an eel.  Tubing  is fun because you get to float down the stream.  When I got close to the tree Mrs Hill gave me a push so I didn't bang into the tree. Jada

We had an amazing time at Camp Omatua and Weka Point. Please read our individual blogs find out more about our experiences.

Camp Omatua and Weka Point

What an amazing time we had at camp. Even though the rain decided to come to camp too we still had a fantastic time filled with many challenges and fun experiences. 

All helping each other at Puketapu Park

Blair having lots of fun on the flying fox

Giving our personal best for our team.
Go Zach Go!

Having fun together

Ellazay figuring out the best way to get
the tyre up the river to tube

Ollie enjoying tubing

Faith tubing

Boys enjoying their burgers

Nevaeh and Aotea making their apple dessert

Hannah and Isabelle being brave and taking
on the Fear Factor challenge

"Ahhhhh, what is it?"

Jacob and Blair making their orange dessert

Ngahere sharing his talent with us as we enjoy our afternoon tea.
Kia Ora Ngahere we appreciate you entertaining us.

Relaxing together in the spa pool

Swimming fun together

It was so much fun down the water slide

My biggest challenge was putting my hand near the really big spider. It was the biggest spider I have ever seen in New Zealand. It took all my courage and a deep breath to go near the spider. 

One of my favourite parts of camp was watching everyone enjoying tubing down the river. I really enjoyed seeing people push themselves by tubing together, twisting themselves round and round and pushing themselves off really fast. I also really loved hearing the encouragement of Totara Whanau when they were taking on the challenge of Fear Factor. The excitement others showed for each other when they had challenged themselves was just amazing to hear. I also just loved listening to Ngahere play his guitar...he is sooooo talented. 

My biggest achievement at camp was learning how to dive off the platform at the pool. I have only ever dived off the edge of the pool but after watching all the children from Totara Whanau challenge themselves I decided it was my turn. It was really fun because it felt like I was flying through the air like a flying fish before I hit the water. 

Mrs H
My biggest challenge was eating a piece of slimy squishy sticky black stuff in fear factor and not being sick! I really don't like to eat things when I am not sure what they are but I was really brave and put it into my mouth, chewed quickly then swallowed it all in one go without being sick. I am still not sure what it was but it tasted gross!
One of my favourite parts of camp was watching everyone zooming down the hill on the water slide even though it was really freezing! I enjoyed watching children's funny faces covered in soap bubbles as they sped down the slippery slide in the cold rain. I also loved seeing the determination of all children trying to beat the longest slide record and using their bodies in different ways to make themselves go faster and off the slide into the squelchy mud. I also admired how all the children enjoyed the different camp challenges and activities supporting each other and working together - you make me feel so proud to be part of Totara Whanau.
My biggest achievement at camp was hiding with my group in the garden in the pitch black in sardines spotlight. I am afraid of the dark and spiders! When we were hiding in the dark we had to keep our torches off so no one could see us and it was my job to make sure everyone was feeling safe in the dark even though I was really scared. Something little scuttled across my cheek while we were hiding and I really wanted to scream because I was sure it was a spider but I couldn't or it would give away our hiding spot. It took a lot of courage to face my two biggest fears!
Mrs Ramsay

Adding detail to our writing

We have been learning to use detail to create pictures for the reader.

We had a choice of inspiration- a trap door, a message in a bottle and an egg.

Here are some snippets from the wonderful authors' in Totara Whanau

I walked up to a seat in the corner of the classroom the ground felt shaky I thought it was my imagination  but wrong a sad groan was followed along by banging  noises “Come rescue me” it's ghostly voice cried.
Author Angus

The egg started to glimmer canary yellow and the other side started to sparkle apricot orange. I walk up to it I tugged it open. Some liquid started to float out. I jumped up to put my broken arm in it to stop it hurting.
Author Ryan S

Sometimes, about every month, I see a misty silhouette of my vessel, The Mary Celeste, as it slowly drifts past , looking like it’s teasing me. I am convinced it’s a mirage, But it looks very real to me. Sometimes, I stop and wonder, If I do see a ship, how will I get its attention? My thoughts stop there.
Author Liam WS

It took me deep under then I swam straight up to the surface. I was bobbing in the water. Waves kept pushing me under choking me to, but I was determined to get somewhere so I kept on swimming and swimming. Days went past while I was in the water until one day… I saw land.
Author Kali
In my hotel it was a lovely spring morning and the sun was shining and the flowers were blooming and I discovered that my mirror was a teleporter and it teleported me to a candy land and it was full of candy.
Author Emily

Kayla's trapdoor writing-filled with detail so as the reader you can't stop reading. It makes a movie in the reader's head. Kayla took on feedback and went back into her writing to make changes and enhance the quality.

It was a normal day at school until the teacher gave me a very special award. Finally the bell rung. Once I got home and put my award in the cabinet in the lounge but then I saw something.

It looked like a door so I pushed the cabinet side ways. There it was an old trapdoor that was covered in dust, I was curious. Slowly, I pulled the small bronze handle up, then a big cloud of dust blew into my face.

Carefully, I climbed down the humongous rocks “Thump!” I fell on the dirt floor. Slowly I got up, brushed myself down and checked for injuries.

I noticed one of the rocks I climbed down was glowing red I picked it up it wasn't a rock at all  it was a red diamond ruby I put it inside my pocket, and kept on walking.

Suddenly I saw a lever. I thought to myself should I pull it or not? I walked over to the lever, I pulled it crash a little cart made a hole in the floor. Not knowing what was going to happen I  walked over to the cart and opened the little door and and sat inside, “This will be fun” I said to myself. The cart took off I was going so fast that when I looked around all I could see was a fuzzy blur. Crash the wooden cart stopped and I flew into the sky “Ahhhhhhh!!!” I screamed.

Splash! I fall into deep water, I swam up to the surface desperate for air, where was I? Huffing and puffing I swam up to an island. I looked around to see what was here. I dashed to the other side of the island. There was a small kayak and paddles, I got into the kayak and paddled and paddled and paddled for two days straight finally I got back to dry  land.

I was very very hungry so I searched the land to find something to eat. “Phew!” I found a big tree with bright red, apples hanging down from the dry brown branches. I reached as far as I could. Ohhh I couldn’t get the juicy apple, I looked around to find something I could stand on “Yes a log”. I dragged the heavy log right over to the tree stump “Bang!” It hit the ground then I stepped on top of the log I reached up to the apple “Yay!” I got it. Crunch I bit into the fruit. As I finished the bright red apple I was thinking of a plan to get back to the house.  

I had a plan I just had to find the tracks of the cart I was on earlier I walked and walked trying to find the tracks suddenly I saw something in the distance, it was the cart tracks finally! I can get home “Oh no!” There was a gate that said in big bold red letters DO NOT ENTER. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tunnel. I got down on my hands and knees and crawled through the small dirt tunnel and it lead straight where I needed to go. I slowly crawled out of the small tunnel and I was standing beside the hole that the wooden cart made.

I ran up to the rocks and climbed out of the trap door “Finally!” I'm home. running to my room I remembered I had a red diamond ruby in my pocket, I closed my bedroom door and placed the ruby in my draw. “Dinners ready!” yelled mum. “Coming!” I said as I walked to the dinner table.

Liam's writing inspired by a message in a bottle. Liam took on feedback and re-crafted his writing by adding detail for the reader. 

Splash the huge wave hit the island I got soaked from my head to my toes. I made fire with two rocks by smashing them together bang went the rock. I found a yucca plant and made rope with it. I ripped the yucca plant with all my strength. Next I found a stick and tied the rope to it and went fishing. I caught a fish after I stabbed a stick into the middle of the fish the fish was flopping around until it finally died. I held it over

the fire I made. While my fish was cooking I might as well tell you the story of how I ended up on this

small boring island.

I was on the ship with the crew there was blue sky but that sky wasn't staying like that it went from ocean blue to navy black. All of a sudden huge squid like tentacles surrounded the ship it was the KRAKEN. The tentacle's grab

all the members of the crew. It felt slimy it smelled horrifying. The beast threw us overboard I could see the water getting closer then splash I was the only one that survived. I  was wasted. Then I woke up I was being carried by some dolphins and they left me on the island. A pack of dolphins saved me but something wasn't right one of the dolphins was pink. It was amazing. That's the story of how I ended up on dull island. I've been here for a month now.   

Well I better get busy if I want to survive I could make an axe with rope sticks and rocks. I could make a house by chopping down the tree’s. 5 hours later ok I finished my house out of wood just in time to it’s about to rain. while I was making the house I made an axe a knife out of wood and rock. I sharpened the blade on a big rock and I made a bed. Also I found a stranded boat and got some drift wood but the ship wouldn't move so I couldn't sail away. The bed was made out of sticks and wood and I used leaves to make it soft so I slept in my new house. The next day of dull island I found a crab outside my house watched it walk to the ocean. After that I made my house 2 stories and I gave it a balcony of course I needed a door to get out of so I made door shaped hole and I moved my bed upstairs. I went fishing. “Hey a bottle” I said. It's a big one and its green. Hmm maybe yeah I do I have charcoal and a leaf i'll write what happened on the leaf and put it in the bottle and send it out.

Hours later I can see it bobbing up and down I wonder where it will go. I'll  tell you what I wrote. 

Hello if you are reading this then you will know how to find me and save me. I'm on an island i was stranded by the KRAKEN. please help. At night find stars that are shaped like the sun there you will find the island I am on. Well the bottle is nearly out of sight it's still bobbing up and down. I wonder if it will make it to shore?.

Read some of our individual blogs to hear or read some of our stories with lots of detail.

Omatua and Weka Questions

Created with Padlet

Creativity

In Totara Whanau we believe that The Arts are a powerful form of expression that recognise, value and communicate our unique identities. Children have been busy creating in their chosen medium; string art, letter sculpture and mask making.

We have learnt that quality art takes time and lots of perseverance and determination.

Check out these artists hard at work creating.......