Pirongia and Peachgrove rule

Today's computer tech classes were all good, but Pirongia Yr 8s were the best behaved, quietly settling and getting on with their work.

At lunchtime I was on the field with Mr Cocks dishing out gold cards for good behaviour when I noticed how lovely the native gardens were looking around the perimeter of the field. Well done Peachgrove for looking after your amazing native garden! I bet there are lots of native birds visiting to eat berries and nectar from flowers.

[This photo was taken by J. Carter at the Waikato University in Hamilton and shared on Flickr]

My own local waxeyes are in a short video I took. Click on the red words above for the link - [it may not work as it's on FaceBook]

Marvinator Awards!

The inaugural Microsoft Partners in Learning Marvinator awards were held at Peachgrove this week. Our very own Kittymilo was the supreme winner and very first "Marvinator"!
Well done to all of you. Thanks to Microsoft Partners in Learning [Annick and rOB] who have worked so hard to help enhance the Room5ians learning environment with all their ideas, use of technology and encouragement.
Hooray!!!
:-)

read our online press:

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0808/S00172.htm

Riff Raff TV

Television coverage of the Riff Raff statue is now on www.riffraffstatue.org.

Direct link - http://www.riffraffstatue.org/page/riffraff_130.php

[please be aware there may be some subliminal bike promotion in this post]

bikes are cool bikes are cool bikes are cool bikes rule bikes rule bikes rule

Term Two projects + "managing self"

Hi kidlets - here is the explanation of when work is due and what we will be doing in Term Two:

1. Kakepuku Catastrophe! - draft should be written already. Finished version due Friday week two. Class time will be given every day. No extensions

2. HamiltON inquiry Project - this is mainly (a) the digital story relating your personal story or your promotion of HamiltON. It will be completed as a powerpoint-style [powerpoint, Marvin, or imovie] presentation with your own digital images, narration, text and some use of animated Marvin characters. You will do it in class time.

There is going to be a major competition run my Microsoft Partners inLearning to select a winner for this competition between Rm5 and Rm9 - a VERY EXCITING prize will be up for grabs... [think of a letter from the alphabet and think of a small cubic container]
- the entire HamiltON inquiry project must be completed by WEEK FIVE

(b) Anti-GRaffiti Poster COmpetition - run by HCC and Hamitlon POlice, we have one week to design and create a winning poster, [colour, A4] - prizes include book vouchers.

(c) Extras - design of City Heart features such as Garden Place, Wintec Wall, Claudelands Bridge Clip on walkway, etc. - this part of the project can best be presented as a Google Sketchup type presentation with text. Other ideas welcomed.

3. SciEnce fAIR - compulsory - TIME WILL BE SPENT IN CLASS LEARNINg SCiENTIFIC METHODS, etc, BUT THE SCIeNCE FAIR iTSeLF will be a HOMEWORK PROJECT due week one, Term Three.

P.E. - Football, Netball, Hockey, fitness

Languages - Te Reo, English - grammar, word study, transactional writing

MAths - number stuff using Numeracy project methods [like playing with blocks! COol!!! I love blocks]

Possible project for Term Two - opinions, debates and arguments

TERM TWO is going to be DYNAMIC - your management of time and work habits is going to make or break you. It is a 9 week term. Lots of very important work needs to be done. Reports are being written this term. Candidates for top academic, most diligent, and excellence in science, language and the other curriculum areas will be scrutinised this term....

Kia kAha tamariki ma - you have the skills, intelligence, creativity and time to produce some amazing work this term. You now need to apply the personal work and organisation skills to achieve excellence!

READ THIS CAREFULLY before you ask questions that have already been answered.

awful tragedy

I feel really sad today for the firefighters of our fine town, and of course for their families.
One brave fireman has died as a result of injuries sustained in the blast at the coolstore in Tamahere. Several others are in critical care. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
Last night I watched the smoke filling the sky from several kilometres away.
It seems so bizarre that this is from a cheese fire...

I suggest we take a bouquet of flowers or something to deliver to the firestation when we go into town. what do you think?

Mobile Technology and our Fieldtrip

This Wednesday we will be walking into town to further investigate our city and how we can be positive contributors to it. Our goal of course is to create digital stories that showcase HamiltON's strengths and maybe investigate some of the less desirable aspects with a view to making some meaningful suggestions for the HCC to consider.

We will hopefully be meeting the Museum director to discuss how we can have input into the development of wonderful museum exhibitions and programmes involving kids.

We will also go to the library to meet someone important to discuss the exciting new possibilities relating to the library of the future... This is good timing because our own library is being redeveloped soon and you could share your ideas for that too.

The river banks will call us also so we can capture our wonderful Waikato River as Mlearning agents. Perhaps we will discover fascinating historical sites along the way.

For this trip we need to be able to gather information as we travel. Mobile phones are one means of capturing information on the run. We even know how to post it to our blog now. But what else can we use? How do we arrange it? And what if there isn't enough cool ICT to share around? Not everyone has a phone. How else can we gather our information? Can you think of innovative solutions to solve the problem? We need everyone involved at all times to avoid boredom, so how can we creatively get everyone involved?

Please post your ideas.

V8s come to HamiltrON, City of the Future

YEs, it's not long to go now....

Headlines are beginning to catch my eye:

"V8 Supercar driver Greg Murphy has rubbished suggestions of carnage on roads during Hamilton 400, saying Ingalls is chasing headlines"

http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=83641&fm=psp,tst

There is usually a battle of words between such rivals as Kiwi Greg Murphy and some of the Aussie drivers befroe a big race. This is no different. It adds to the fun.

Can you tell me more about the V8 supercar teams or drivers or the event itself?

You have a PXT from an inquiry agent

More Wintec wall

You have a PXT from an inquiry agent

V8 race track

You have a PXT from an inquiry agent

You have a PXT from an inquiry agent

You have a PXT from an inquiry agent

Hamilton gardens

This is a wonderful shot of a special place in HamiltON

You have a PXT from an inquiry agent

this is a team kiwi promotional racing car replica for the V8 race!

It's actually an XR6 - cool though!

HamiltON - is it?

Is it?

Use this post to add info for the planning of our HamiltON inquiry unit.

This unit of work will be ICT integrated, but how?

This project will be interactive - how?

We will have an authentic audience for feedback - who? how? Why is that important?

[Any interested parties please comment.]