Dance Class Has Started

This term Sarah is teaching us to dance. We will have a lesson every Thursday. We hope to learn some freestyle moves, some Olympic dances and some formal dances like the Waltz.

We all survived the first lesson and we thought ...

Katy

I liked dancing and the warmups first.

It was fun.

Troy

I liked that Sarah taught us how to do wriggle leg dancing.

I loved dancing and waving my hands in the air.

Dillion

I liked doing the robot dance because I always dance at home.

Connor

I liked the warmup dancing and it was quite quick and I enjoyed the dancing.

Bradley

The warmup dance was a bit fast but I got used to it.

I am looking forward to doing some Olympic dancing.

Finn

My favourite part of dancing was the moving train.

I did some good dance moves.

Michael

I liked the dancing it was very good.

I liked the finger clicking and shimmying.

Joseph

I danced to the Justin Timberlake music.

My favourite dance was” I can’t stop the feeling”.

That was cool.

Lauren

We did the train dance and we did the twist.

It was like a warmup dance.

Our Class Idea for the Maniakalani Film Festival

Our Class Idea for the Maniakalani Film Festival is to make a movie about the “Olympic Flame” relay. We want to have the Olympic Flame travel around all of the Sommerville Special School Classes and Satellites.

Cubism

After reading our book about Picasso we had 
an art lesson to try out a style of art called Cubism. 

PABLO PICASSO (1881-1973)
'Factory, Horta de Ebbo', 1909 (oil on canvas)

Cubism was a truly revolutionary style of modern art developed by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braques. It was the first style of abstract art which evolved at the beginning of the 20th century in response to a world that was changing with unprecedented speed. Cubism was an attempt by artists to revitalise the tired traditions of Western art which they believed had run their course. The Cubists challenged conventional forms of representation, such as perspective, which had been the rule since the Renaissance. Their aim was to develop a new way of seeing which reflected the modern age.

http://www.artyfactory.com/art_appreciation/art_movements/cubism.htm




Katy



I like the cubist picture because it is bright.

Troy

I like the shadow. We rubbed the charcoal into each corner.

Dillion

I liked doing the picture. I like drawing with the charcoal.

Connor

I liked my hands. I liked the way the shadow is joined to the hand.

Finn

I drew the basketball. It looks very cool. I did cubist art.

Lauren

I made a lemon. I drew it first. I put in lines and put charcoal on it.

Bradley

One thing I lined about drawing cubist art was smudging the charcoal on the corners.

Michael

I liked drawing an orange. I put the shade on the corners. I used curvy lines.

Joseph

I draw my hand. I used black for my hand. I like my hand picture.

Olympic History

Swimming on Wednesday - Bring your elephant

Dear Students

The good news is that the sharks are out of the swimming pool so we will be going swimming this Wednesday. 

The bad news is that we have to share the swimming pool with an elephant

Bring your elephant, I mean bring your togs on Wednesday.

Regards,

Tarzan

Plan to be at the Transition Expo on Tuesday 2 August 9am - 2pm

Plan to be at the Transition Expo on Tuesday 2 August 9 - 2pm 

It is a great day for families to get information and make plans for a positive future.

• Are you a teenager?

• Are you a parent of a teenager?

• Now is a great time to start thinking, talking and planning for when you finish school.

• Get some ideas, get talking about your future, get some life goals or a you could get a plan sorted out.

I'll be back ...

Why are you glad to be back at school?

Troy said “I am glad to be back at school because I miss my mates and I like to hang out with them.”

Dillion said “I am glad to be back at school because I miss my friend.  I want to play basketball with my friend.”

Michael said “I am glad to be back at school because I like to play outside with my friend.”

Katy said “I am glad to be back at school because I want to learn about the Swimming pool.”

Bradley said “I am glad to be back at school because I am looking forward to reading the newspaper at the library.”

Connor said “I am glad to be back at school because I can see my friends.”

Jordan said “I am glad to be back at school because  I want to learn new things.”

Joseph said “I am glad to be back at school because I can use my chromebook.”

Lauren said “I am glad to be back at school because I enjoy coming to school and typing on my chromebook.”

Finn said “I am glad to be back at school because the school holidays are finished.”

Author’s Purpose

Why Write?

In Term 3 we will read and discuss this set of books to help us learn about the author's purpose.

Authors write for many reasons. Sometimes they write stories to entertain readers. They may write to persuade readers or to try to get readers to do something. Other times authors write to teach or inform about a topic.

How will we learn together?

1.First we look at the book carefully.

2.Study the pictures and look for clues.

3.Listen to or read the story.

4.Get help with tricky words, find out their meanings.

5.Use the "Author's Purpose Checklist" to help share your ideas and to discuss the book with others.

Author’s Purpose Checklist

Do you think the characters in the story are real? Y / N

Does the author make the characters enjoyable?  Y / N

Does the story have interesting characters that make you want to learn more about them?   Y / N

Did you learn facts from the story?   Y / N

Does the author teach you something?   Y / N

Does the author try to persuade you?   Y / N

Does the author help explain or make things easier to understand?  Y / N

What is the author’s purpose in this story?  

To entertain  To persuade  To inform To ________

What clues in the story helps you to decide what the author’s purpose is?

The author wanted to ...

Faster Higher Stronger

Click here for more Olympics information

KEEP CALM ... THE SCHOOL HOLIDAYS ARE OVER

  See you on Monday 25th July 2016 for the start of  Term 3.

                                                   

Term 3, 2016: Monday 25th July – Friday 23rd September 2016

TAXIS: If there are any changes of information, eg after school carer, start date or a new address, please email John immediately on:  john@sommervillespecial.school.nz    

REMINDER: Staff are not on duty to greet your students until 8.30 a.m.

Our Edgewater 3 class phone is 0272513891 and the teacher's email address is: kevin@sommervillespecial.school.nz

SPCA

How the SPCA is hoping to create a better NZ for animals. View this email in your browser

Dear Sommerville Special School We are excited to share with you the official launch of our new SPCA Education Programme! Every year, our SPCA Centres care for thousands of animals in need and investigate thousands of animal welfare complaints. Looking at these statistics told us that we needed to invest in education to impact the way people are treating animals in our country. So for the past two years, we have been researching and developing the SPCA Education programme. We believe this is one of the most important steps we have taken to reduce animal abuse in the SPCA's 127 year history. The programme uses animal welfare topics to teach children subjects of the New Zealand curriculum. For example, children might learn mathematics by calculating the costs of owning a pet, or persuasive skills by delivering a speech on the importance of de-sexing. By changing the way our children think about and behave towards animals, the SPCA hopes we can create a better future for all animals in New Zealand.  The best part is that thanks to our generous donors and supporters, the SPCA Education teaching resources are available completely free for every Primary and Intermediate teacher to use. Our hope is that every child in New Zealand will have access to these and learn about how to treat, respect and care for animals. Ultimately, we want to shape animal ownership behaviours and break cycles of animal cruelty in our communities. If you're a parent and would like to explore the SPCA Kids' Portal with your child, you can visit it here. If you're a teacher and would like to use these resources in your classroom, please register here. We want to take this opportunity to thank all our SPCA supporters, who have made such an important programme possible. Together with your help, we're changing our world to make it a better place for animals.

2016 Words

Well done on reaching half way through the year.

Here is the 2016 video we made at the start of the year when we were setting up our class, getting to know each other and talking about our goals for 2016

I wish I was swimming

             Headway Water Skills Unit            

We will be swimming on Wednesdays 
for the first five weeks of Term 3. 

Click Here To View Our New Swimming Photos

Swimming By Breathe Owl Breathe

Swimming
I wish I was swimming
I wish I was swimming
I wish I was
I wish~a~wish~a~wish~a~was

Swimming
I wish I was swimming
I wish I was swimming
I wish I was
I wish~a~wish~a~wish~a~was

Bring a mask and snorkel
Bring the flippers also
Bring a frisbee, baby
Bring something to drink
Bring your purple bathing suit
Depends on where we're going to
If we're going to that swimming hole
We won't need nothing at all
Some warm clothes to jump into
Or we could air dry
I'll do the cannon ball
If you do your swan dive

You can splash me if you want to
You can splash me if you want to
You can splash me if you want to
I don't mind

You can splash me if you want to
You can splash me if you want to
You can splash me if you want to
But not in the eye

[chorus]

Somewhere in the well kept secrets
I'll never tell where the rope swing is
(ooo waa ooo waa)
Where to hold on, when to let go
Give out a yell
You'll never hit bottom
You'll never grow tired
Of this wonder you're under water

[chorus]

Somewhere in the well kept secrets
You'll never tell where the rope swing is.
(ooo waa ooo waa)
Somewhere in the well kept secrets
You'll never tell where the rope swing is.
(ooo waa ooo waa)

Where to hold on, when to let go
Give out a yell
You'll never hit bottom
You'll never grow tired
Of this wonder you're under
water

[chorus]

• Category

  • Music

• License

  • Standard YouTube License

• Music

  • "Swimming" by Breathe Owl Breathe

Puff Paint Artworks

How to make Puff Paint Art

1. Using the colours squeeze the puff paint onto your circle.

2. Get the circle heated in the microwave or with a hairdryer by a staff member.

3. It can take a day to dry completely.

Puff Paint

1 cup Self Raising flour

1 cup table salt

1 cup cold water

2 Tablespoons food colouring

Mix the dry ingredients together.

Add water and food colouring.

Stir till very smooth.

Bottle into sauce bottles.

( Nozzles may need to be cut to suit)

Squeeze bottle to make art work.

Dry Stage 1 Microwave on med heat,check every 20 seconds.

More paint equals longer drying time.

Dry Stage 2 Leave overnight - fully dry after 24 hrs.

Have fun!

R U A Teenager? Wot Will U Do After Skool?

• Are you a teenager?

• Are you a parent of a teenager?

• Now is a great time to start thinking, talking and planning for when you finish school.

• Get some ideas, get talking about your future, get some life goals or a you could get a plan sorted out.

Keep Fit Kids

Keep fit in the holidays...

KIDS EXERCISE PROGRAM

Kids Exercise Program

We've made this helpful exercise program to help give an idea of the type of exercise an average child will really benefit from. These are simple exercises that a child can do by themselves or with you - and they all need little to no equipment.

http://www.keepfitkids.co.nz/fitness-for-kids/kids-exercise-program.html

The Keep Fit Kids Easy Fitness Blast!

Star Jumps

Star Jumps or Jumping Jacks are a great exercise for developing explosive power in the legs as well as working on your cardiovascular fitness (heart and lungs). Start with your feet shoulder width apart and hold your arms close to the body. Jump your legs out to the sides whilst raising your arms out to your sides parallel to the floor. Jump your legs back in and pull your arms back down and into the start position to complete one repetition.

Keep Fit Kids recommends: Working up to 3 sets of 1 minute continuous star jumps

Chair Squats

Squats are a great developer of the leg muscles (quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes) and the chair squat variation is a great way to ensure correct technique with children. Stand feet shoulder width apart, looking forward with the weight predominantly through your heel and mid foot. Bend the knees and sit back to the chair to load up the hamstrings and glutes, pause for a second, then contract your leg muscles to return to a standing position. Be sure to avoid letting your knees travel over your toes in this movement.

Keep Fit Kids recommends: 3 sets of 10-12 Repetitions

Chair Dips

A great, easy at home exercise to help strengthen the triceps and shoulder muscles. Place your feet flat on the floor in front of you, hands placed either side of the bench/chair/plyo box and slowly lower yourself down until your elbow and shoulder are at 90degrees. Using your triceps, lift yourself back to the starting position.

Keep Fit Kids recommends: 3 sets of 10-12 Repetitions

Plank

The abdominal plank or prone hold is a great exercise for developing the deeper muscle of the core and requires no additional equipment. The exercise begins in a prone position on the floor supporting your weight through your forearms and toes (elbows directly under your shoulder).  Keep your back straight from head to toe and hold it for as long as you can. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your buttocks from sticking up in the air or dropping too low.

Art Medals - Fan Art and Puff Paint

Our InterACT Art Festival Art Medals activity was a great success. Over the two day art festival we helped hundreds of student and adult visitors make their own unique artwork.

Well done Edgewater 3

Maori Language Week 2016 - Learning Maori

Learning Māori

Secondary Navigation

• Whakahuatanga : Pronunciation
• For special occasions
• Tikanga Māori
• Learning te reo Māori resources
• Te reo Māori education
• Kura Reo Whakapakari Reo 2015/6

Learning te reo Māori resources

Suggested Activities

Learning te Reo Māori Suggested Activities

Try these activities a go! Learning te Reo Māori is fun.

• Improve your pronunciation of Māori words and place names (external link)
• Use‘kia ora,’ tēnā koe and ‘mōrena’ as greetings.
• Use a Māori language welcome sign at home, work, school etc.  
• Find out about local Māori place names.
• Make macrons available on your work and home computer(s).
• Learn new words using online and printed dictionaries.
• Display Māori Language Week posters at home, school or work.
• Learn a Māori word every week : Te Kupu o te Wiki
• Hold Māori classes at work.
• Learn karakia, waiata etc this week.
• Check out more Māori such as Māori Television for example Dora Mātātoa (external link).
• Watch Māori Television (external link) or Te Karere (external link) (the Māori news on TVNZ), it’s a great way to learn new Māori words.
• Bilingual signs (external link). Use bilingual signs - signs are a visible way of showing that te reo is valued at your workplace, school etc. 
•  Listen to Iwi Radio in your region (external link). Te Māngai paho supports te reo Māori broadcasting. 

 http://www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/learning-maori/learning-te-reo-maori-resources/