Apologies: 

This week we enjoyed: 
BAD GUYS, Miss B teaching, library, assembly, Golden Time, Niamh's shoe thingee, Class Meeting

An area we want to improve next week is: 

Being a 'Cool Monster', not a 'Fool Monster'.

We talked about the following things at Class Meeting: 

1. PE

The class are keen to do more PE. Next week, the Year 4's will take responsibility for organising fitness sessions:

Monday: Gina, Max and Josh CP

Tuesday:Josh T, Riley and AJ

Wednesday: Xavier & Noah

Thursday: Oscar and Edwin

Friday: Aliyah and Brianna

2. Being a Fool Monster

Cole asked that if you are caught being a 'Fool Monster' by Mr. Ish, you need to have some 'time' to think about your choices. Olivia thinks this is a very good idea. As Class Chairs, Noah and Olivia and some responsible Year 4's will act as peer mediators to solve any issues.

3. Seating

AJ wants three people to sit at the round table. The grumpy teacher thinks that there isn't enough room for three people at those tables...

For next week, the class are keen to choose where they sit. Mr. Ish will let some 'responsible' people organise the seating. However, if this doesn't seem to be working, certain people will be moved by Mr. Ish to an area where they can be a lot more productive and on-task. YAAAAAH?

Class Meeting

Apologies: 

Brianna and Jaidee

This week we enjoyed: 
Art Attack, BAD GUYS (our novel), our Optical Illusions, our Ancient Egypt unit, watching Mr. Stink, playing chess (Daniel is still #1!), 

An area we want to improve next week is: 

-  Again, not calling out! We are getting a bit better at this

- Not 'bouncing' on the JB

Principal's Awards:
Congratulations to Niamh and Aliyah!
We talked about the following things at Class Meeting: 

1. IMATTTE (I'm A Terrific Times Table Expert)

Edwin talked about the 'IMATTTEs' having another challenge. Those people who are an 'IMATTTE' should be working on their Team Roto Maths Knowledge Booklet.

2. Acting out a novel

Xanthe wants us to act out our novel, Bad Guys. The novel is nearing the end, so we won't have a chance to. Mr. Ish will think about another novel that we could do this with seeming everyone is keen to become 'actors' again...

3. Cush

Ruby thinks that the same people are continually being selected by Noah and Olivia to ask a question during our shared novel. Mr. Ish agreed. Noah and Olivia will not make sure that everyone has a chance to ask a question and have a chance to place their backside on the stools. #letstryandgiveeveryoneachancetobecool

4. Thinking Buddies

AJ asked if we could change Thinking Buddies. 

No, Mr. Ish is happy with these. #youarewiththispersonforareason

5. Chess Challenge

Oscar wants to re-jig the Chess Challenge format. Mr. Ish is happy for this to occur. Oscar will co-ordinate this. If you have any questions, ask him.

6. Straight A

Maddie asked why this funky idea isn't being implemented. Maddie, Edwin, Noah and Gina will now take responsibility for this and teach people how to use a ruler properly during lunchtime. 

Class Meeting

Apologies: 

Cole

This week we enjoyed: 
Art, turbo touch, Miss B teaching, Mrs. Owens teaching, the new novel, Awards Assembly, chess matches, Electric Fence, recorder with Mrs. Owens, Abi's sign language, speeches

An area we want to improve next week is: 
Not calling out! There are about 12 people who keep doing this and ruining things for the rest of the class. They know who they are!

AJ's jacket. This keeps ending up on the floor. Olivia will help ensure that AJ's jacket is hung up properly at the start of each day.

Our self-management skills...
Principal's Awards
Congratulations again to Daniel and Zion.

We talked about the following things at Class Meeting: 

1. Group Names

Maddie is keen for the desk groups to be tied into specific areas i.e. Silence Station, Buddy Work Area. Mr. Ish said we need to keep things the same. 

2. Book Work

Take is worried that people are working in the correct spot in their books. Certain people need to 'live above the line' and be more accountable.

3. OCW

Ava reminded Mr. Ish that we need to do OCW twice a week. This will happen as of next week, as Miss. B was teaching this Monday.

4. Pencil Of Doom Names

Niamh is really keen to be known as our 'Pencil of Doom' names from Term 2. The class are keen for this to happen.

5. Names

Xanthe asked that if we read the second instalment of TPOD, we keep the names for the rest of the term. The class are keen for this

6. Jingles

Maddie wants us to do more 'jingles'. Mr. Ish will think of a few more. If Mr. Ish still spells out the word i.e. duck, yesterday, we can still break into song. 

Class Meeting

Apologies: 
Emily

This week we enjoyed: 
Turbo Touch, art with Miss. Malzard, Miss Malzard teaching, writing some cool character descriptions, Class Meeting, Xanthe's  Pom-pom, Abi's sign language each morning, never-ending tag, playing the frozen and thaw game, Mr. Stink, 

An area we want to improve next week is: 
Not calling out. 

Principal's Awards
Daniel and Zion earned a Principal's Award this fortnight. Congratulations, boys 

We talked about the following things at Class Meeting: 

1. Shared Novel 
AJ would like to re-jig things when we have 'question time' for our shared novel. Olivia agrees with AJ. The class voted in favour of this. 

2. News
Ava would like us to all have a news slot each day. The class aren't keen to see this happen. 

3. The Chess Challenge Board
Zion is keen for Mr. Ish to get the Chess Challenge Board updated. Mr. Ish will create a game schedule sheet for matches to be scheduled. 

4. Eating in the cloakroom
Brianna has seen a lot of people eating in the cloakroom. We will stop doing this. 

Ukulele Orchestra

Teams Arawai and Roto had the pleasure of listening to the AMAZING ukulele orchestra today. They  were amazing! Here's a few snaps. Can you spot the radical Room 6 musicians? 

Carrot Madness!

As part of our technology unit, the tamaraki have constructed their very own carrot cars. 

The task was to design and make a wheeled vehicle from the following materials:

-       scissors                         -  carrot or parsnip

-       knife                             -  tooth picks

-       straws        

-       pliers                                    

-    wire, 1mm wide

The vehicle was allowed to have three or more wheels and must be able to ‘run’ down a slope and cross a line 30cm from the end.  A good design should travel fast and straight and the wheels should not fall off at any stage. I wonder if any of these awesome cars will be able to do just that?

These are just a sample of pictures. I'll post some more when we test them tomorrow!

Ka kite ano

Turbo Touch with Touch Canterbury

Today we started learning about the game of Turbo Touch, a modified touch rugby game, with Kat from Touch Canterbury. It was fab-tactic!

There'll be lots more photos to come over the next few weeks. Here's a few action shots from this afternoon.

Class Meeting

Apologies: 
Xanthe

This week we enjoyed: 
Technology, Science Alive's visit, gymnastics, Mr. Stink, earning money in our bank accounts, spelling and tables testing,


An area we want to improve next week is: 
Not calling out when Mr. Ish or Miss. Malzard are teaching/talking/singing/dancing/juggling etc.

We talked about the following things at Class Meeting: 


1. OCW
Max talked about OCW. He would like the class to have more opportunities throughout the week to do OCW. Zion agreed and asked if we could do it every Monday too. 
The class agreed, and this will now happen every Monday and Friday. 


2. Spelling
Oscar would like the Spelling Groups to have different names. He thinks the ones that Mr. Ish has chosen - Red, Green and Blue are boring. The class are very keen for this to happen. Noah and Olivia will work with the people in these groups to come up with some funky, alliteration based names.


3. Shoes, chairs and Room 6 being a mess.
Ava said that the cloakroom and classroom is being left in a really messy state at the end of each day. The class agrees and it was decided to sharpen up. Also, the class are keen to be given Es if they don't push their Chairs in. The Year 4's will take responsibility for monitoring this and letting Mr. Ish and Miss. Malzard know. 


4. Magic & Fitness
Ava suggested that some people could do a magic trick at the beginning of each day. The class voted against this. 

Ava also asked if students could organise and run daily fitness sessions between reading and maths. She suggested the Noah and Olivia, our Class Chairs, could organise this. The class voted in favour of this.

5. Shared Novel Questions
The class are keen to have eight questions and the end of each day's reading. The class voted in favour of this. 


6. Things Not Happening
Zion stated that everyone is getting a bit lazy with their standard of presentation (not using rulers) and the daily riddles are being done. He asked why Olivia and Noah haven't sorted a timetable yet. Noah and Olivia will get onto this with the help of a few arty people.  

More writing success for Russell School

Check this out, whānau:

http://russleywritersclub.blogspot.co.nz/2015/08/highly-commended-for-russley-writers.html

Class Meeting

Apologies: 
Josh Collins-Polata


This week we enjoyed: 
Mr. Stink, reading with Mrs. Harrison, writing - Four-lined Poems, Countdown Poems,  & I Wish Poems, gymnastics at Olympia, fitness - 'Bump', maths, earning money for our bank accounts, not losing money for our bank accounts, Student-Led Conferences, tables and spelling testing, Ms. B teaching on Tuesday, Class Meeting, Principal's Awards (Maddie and Jay), 


An area we want to improve next week is: 
Not calling out when Mr. Ish or Miss. Mallard are teaching/talking/singing/dancing/juggling etc.
We talked about the following things at Class Meeting: 


1. Netball
Ava asked if we could play a game of netball. Mr. Ish said that as Miss. Mallard is here for the next five weeks, it'll be a bit hard to fit in. We'll look at doing this later in the term. 

2. Es
Ava thinks that there are too many people wasting time and making poor choices. The class voted that those people who waste time will now get automatic Es. 

3. Losing money in our bank accounts
Take thinks that if you call out, you should lose $400 instead of $30. The class voted against this. 

4. Riddles
Zion asked why the daily riddles aren't being written up. Noah and Olivia will have a think about a solution and bring this to the next Class Meeting. 

These people will be given some money for their bank account for being awesome at their spelling and times tables:

100% spellers: Ava, Ruby, Niamh, Take, Olivia, Emily, Cole, Abi, George, Oscar, Max, Riley and Brianna

100% tablers: Ruby and Olivia

Poetry Success

Congratulations to Josh and Take. Along with three other Russley students, they were some of Paula Green's favourites in the Poetry Box Moon Poem Competition, which was open to schools throughout New Zealand. All five were shortlisted in the competition and have been published on the Poetry Box website. Sophia McMahon's poem Albatross Moon was selected as one of the winning entries. Sophia will receive a book prize courtesy of Paula Green.

Paula was impressed by the very high standard of entries from our Russley Writers; this is what she had to say:

"I adore all the moon poems. Tell the students I loved them so much. It was hard to pick just a few but I got so many moon poems in my box. I love the language, the similes, the images. These poems made me smile and feel good as I read them."

If you haven't read their poems, here they are again:

The Shadow 

by Josh T.

The moon is a sad face

shining light down to us

The moon is a yellow banana

It is a rugby ball

flying through the stadium

The moon spins really fast

The moon shining silver shadows

on  the world

Happy Moon

by Takeru Oki

Moon is a bouncy ball

floating in a dark sky

I think Moon is blue

Blue is cool

Moon helps 

to not see a scary thing

Moon is Okaasama

looking for us

*okaasama (means Mother in Japanese)

Congratulations, boys!