The Results!

Hi everyone!

I have I some GREAT news to share with everyone! On Tuesday I got my Trinity London Speech and Drama results back and... I got 88/100! That is a Distinction (the highest)! Yaaaaaaaay! :D

As you can see, I'm excited!

The...GALA!

On Sunday I went to the CSNS Gala! There were so many activities, and they were all very fun!

For example....

Nail painting, airbrush tattoos and face painting.

Face paint photo coming soon.

Smash Palace, you throw balls at plates and cups and get a prize if you smash them.

At the dunk tank, I tried to dunk Jono Naylor, but I ended up getting more wet then him!

But my favourite thing was the Hot Rod cars. They were SO fun!

Did you got to the Gala? What was your favourite activity/stall?

This week we have been learning about FAIL (first attempt in learning) and the learning pit. My graphic design tells all.

The OK holiday.

I am going to do a review of my holidays.

Going on the computer: 1 point

Watching Netflix pretty much 24/7: 2 points

Going Shopping: 2 points

Visiting cousins: 1 point

Spending TRUCK LOADS of time with my sister: 3 points.

9 points in total.

I didn't do anything amazing, but I had an OK holiday! 

The Mind Lad is AMAZING!

On Tuesday, GRi11 went to The Mind Lab in Petone.

We were put in groups and we went around doing all the different activities and rotations. First for my group was scribble bots. Ayah and I made a successful bot from some scrap art materials. But instead of scribbling, it was more like an automatic compass - it drew perfect circles!

Me showing off my scribble bot.

Even my dad was getting into it! You ROCK, dad!

Dad rocking the bots.

Then we did stop-motion animation. You can get toys moving, without your hand in the video!

Our Animation is another post called Where is it?

Ayah adjusting the scene


Then there was Makey Makey. You could do drawings or use metal stuff/moist stuff/things wrapped in tinfoil to play games!

Some of the CRAZY wiring involved in Makey Makey.

Then we made little cars out of cardboard and foam. Mine didn't work though and I didn't have enough time to fix it. Oh well!

Working hard on the cars.

Last we did 3-D printing! You make your model on the computer then it gets printed out. In 3-D form! I made a little 3-D plaque saying SPONGEBOB!

Kids using the 3-D printing app.

Where is it?

This is my Stop Motion Animation. I made it with Ayah using an app called Stop Motion Animator. It's about a wizard in a dungeon trying to find hidden treasure. To know more about it, look at my The Mind Lab post.

My Ten Dollar Note Writing

This is my writing for this week!

Hope you enjoy!

Unlucky but Lucky

"Cool! Ten bucks!" Said Jodi excitedly. She started to come up with elaborate plans for how she would spend it. "JODI! When you're ready!" "Coming." Jodi sighed at her friend. Caitlin. Caitlin the goody-two-shoes girl who is NEVER late for anything. The two 12 year old girls were on their way to take the Girls High Acceptance Test. Jodi was wishing she would actually be accepted and not held back. But of course, Caitlin was probably going to get in a stream class.

Jodi stuffed the note into her pocket and hurried after Caitlin. But somewhere on the way, the money fell out. Jodi noticed just as she sat down to take the test. "Just my luck" she thought, grumpily. She was about to mutter angrily about it to herself but then "YOU MAY BEGIN NOW!" a voice shouted. Jodi sighed and started to read the first question.

Meanwhile the marker of the tests was coming along. She was NOT having a good day. Then she stepped on something with a 'scrunch'. She looked down. It was $10.00. She opened her eyes wide. Although it was only ten dollars, she never found money. She thought that her heart was opened up to a new world, a world full of puppies and unicorns and rainbows and flowers and pink stuff in general. "I HAVE BEEN REBORN!" There was a kid passing her when she said that. He dropped his chocolate bar and ran away. Then the marker snapped out of her daze. She had picked up the note, but she hadn't done all the silly sappy stuff. "Why does my mind run away from me like that?" She asked herself as she carried on walking.

Back at the testing area, "YOU MAY STOP NOW!" the voice shouted (again). Jodi sighed and facepalmed. She hadn't been able to get past the second page, and she doubted she got much of them right. She trailed after the other girls who were leaving.

The marker of the tests walked in. All the tests were handed to her. She sat down with her answer sheet and started marking. Five tests later, Jodi Chardast. Just then, she moved a bit and the note scrunched. She went back into her daze and ticked all of the answers. Then she snapped out of it and put the test with the other marked ones.

Later that year, Jodi got a letter saying what class she got into. No prizes for correctly guessing what class that was!

The FINISHED Book Trailer

Inside The Game Book Trailer

Made by Piper, Ayah and Olivia.

Book Trailer

For my reading group we are making a book trailer for Inside The Game by Pauline Cartwright. A book trailer is like a book review but in video form. It is almost finished. But I will not be posting it until later because Digi Awards entries have not closed yet. I will keep you updated! :)

BIG term!

It has been a humongous term so far! Although the time is going by fast, it seems like we've done a year's worth of stuff!

Ricoh:

On daffodil day, I went to a Ricoh netball tournament. I was in the barbarians team that was put in because a school pulled out. We actually did really well considering we were playing in the grade above our grade. We came 6th. Out of 6 teams. But it was still really fun!

Business:

We have been put in businesses to raise money for a trip to Wellington. My group is called Bookshelf Creators (no prizes for guessing what we sell). 

You can check out our website: www.bookshelfcreators.blogspot.co.nz

In the holidays I...

In the holidays I went to see Inside Out at the movies!

It was a REALLY good movie and in my opinion, I would rate it 4.5 out of 5 stars! I recommend seeing it in 3D like I did because it feels like you are actually there and can reach out and grab the characters! This movie is about the emotions inside 11 year old Riley's brain. This movie is as good as they say so I suggest you see it if you haven't!

Business!!💰

In GRi11 this term we are learning about business. We made our own business, we invented our own product and next week we are taking a trip to Fielding to learn EVEN MORE about business! By the end of this term, we will be business EXPERTS! 

My Highlight Of Term 2

My Highlight of Term 2

My highlight of Term 2 was doing 'Go For Gold'. I was in Performing Arts (Drama and Music). After a term, we had learnt heaps about performing arts and here is some proof that I learnt lots and had lots of fun whilst doing so.

My group decided to do a comedy skit. So we did a performance called 'Stupid Astronauts'!

Check out my performance on You Tube

Play-dough Planet Experiment

We did an experiment with play-dough about planet sizes. How accurate do you think mine is?

My Mud Run Poem

Poem:

GRi11

How GRi11 Works

GRi11 is a modern double-classroom where children can learn.

GRi11 is made up of 59 students, 2 awesome teachers, 2 classrooms, some technology and lots of fun. Some other things include fast track, freedom, a planner and the habits of mind.

The children use the technology (which consists of computers and iPads) to bring up the week's tasks the teachers have set for them on fast track. Fast track is a Google sheet where everyone finds out their tasks and puts in the URL's for evidence. To help get all their tasks done, they plan their week out in their planners. They also have a class planner to find out when they have whole class meetings, reading groups and other things. If a class member is stuck, they can check the class planner to see if there is a workshop or if a teacher is free. Workshops help children to understand their tasks. They need to manage themselves to finish all the tasks or they will be punished. To help them, they have freedom. They know themselves as learners and can sit where they want with who they want.

GRi11 is used for teaching children lessons that they will hold on for life. The children leave with a knowledge of themselves as learners. As proof of this, we have a self agency where if you can't manage yourself, you are a passenger. If you can but not completely independently, you are a co-driver. If you are a completely independent learner you are a driver.

GRi11 is a very fun classroom but a lot of learning happens in it. So next time you walk by, pop in for a visit.

Finding Humour Poster

Ayah and I made this FABULOUS poster.

Harriet Potter and the Red Pen

Me and some friends are in the middle of making a short film, Harriet Potter and the Red Pen. It is a parody of Harry Potter. We are doing it for extension writing and we're going to enter it in the Digi Awards. I'll keep you updated about the process. We have story-boarded and are currently writing the script!

Digital Citizenship!

Digital Citizenship is VERY important!

My favourite thing to do

Today, I’m going to be sharing my favourite thing I like to do.

That is drama. Speech and drama to be exact. So break a leg and on we go… Actually, try not to break a leg. What!? No laughs? Tough crowd. I love drama so much, I belong to a drama school, where I work towards sitting exams and improve my acting and speaking skills. I have been in two school plays with speaking parts, one was in year 3 which was a small part and the other in year 4 which was a lead part. Drama is not just about funny skits, hilarious mimes and those movies and plays that really make you laugh.  Drama can contain any emotion. But the goal is always to entertain and engage the audience. There are also some things that you’d never guess were speech and drama. For example, reading aloud. Sometimes, I get given the most BORING books in the world and I have to read them aloud and make them sound interesting. Poems are another part of drama. I choose a poem, memorise it and then perform it. I also enjoy acting out characters. Or solo speeches, as some like to call it. That’s where you get a one-person script. It’s just a play except the other people aren’t there and you have to just imagine that they are there and talk to thin air as if it were the person. Now all that’s left is my favourite, improvisations. I am given a scene or topic for just me or I can do it in a group and you have anywhere from 30 seconds to two minutes (it can be more or less sometimes) to plan. Not much eh? That’s where I have to improvise. That basically means I’m making it up as I go (it can come up with some pretty funny results). The only rule to improvisation is: never say no. Go along with everything and keep the story flowing.

So that’s speech and drama. My favourite thing to do and my number 1 hobby. Here is a photo of me in a

school play.  

Young Leader Speech

My Gri11 Graphic Design

I've been working hard on a graphic design about gri11

My Traditional Teaching Style Story

Room 10/11 (Grill)

Senior Syndicate

CSNS

Palmerston North

12/02/15 and 13/02/15 and 15/02/15 and 16/02/15

Dear Mr Kennedy,

I am writing to you for two reasons. First, I am sharing my traditional teaching style experience with you and second of all, please tell the teachers to stop with the practical jokes. Now, for the traditional teaching style experience!

It was a normal school morning. The sun was shining, the birds were tweeting, I was walking across the quad in my normal cheery mood. Wait, let me rephrase that. It was a normal school morning for everyone else. Not for Grill though! I climbed up the stairs of the deck and mindlessly entered the classroom, expecting the normal blankness. Well, nothing is as you expect!

I stopped in my tracks, spellbound. My jaw hit the floor: WHAT had happened to the classroom? There were about 10 boring rows of desks. There were name tags on each of them. I don't think I had ever been more confused in a school morning! Why were there desks here? I thought we were decorating the classroom ourselves! It's called the Block Classroom for a reason!

"Oh no!" I thought worriedly "where on earth did they put my desk!" When I saw where I was my heart dropped to my stomach. "Great. Just great!" I muttered. WHY did I have to be at a desk next to a boy?!?! Well, everyone was next to someone of the other gender... Then, the bell rang. I didn't know what to expect.

Uh-oh. Mr Robertson and Miss Gordon walked in looking like something fresh out of a history book. About the dinosaur age. Well, not that far back; the cave people had better fashion taste. I would say about... 100 years ago. Miss Gordon was wearing a checked skirt and a cardigan that needed me to burn it. Mr Robertson was wearing a suit and tie and had fake glasses in his pocket. Ha ha ha, very funny. They'd  better not keep this joke up.

Miss Gordon stood up at a stand and took the roll. Then, we sat in silence for two minutes before the notices! What was the point in that? Then after the notices we sung the National Anthem. I didn't get it- it wasn't assembly!

After that it was spelling. Dictionary skills? What was the point in copying out words from the dictionary? It didn't make sense- how were we going to learn? Then handwriting? At least that was normal! After that we had to recite a Shakespeare poem called Macbeth. I couldn't even pronounce it! How was I going to learn Shakespeare if I couldn't pronounce the first word?

After that it was maths. Chanting and copying basic facts. What a drag! I find it pretty hard to learn when I'm bored. Then using the abacus I got given, I had to make certain numbers. I'm sorry if I can't put 50 rings on my abacus at once!

Finally, freedom: Morning tea! I wish. We ate lunch inside, in silence and we were told when to bite. How is that helping us learn? We can actually EAT by ourselves thank you very much. Afterwards, I couldn't go and play like I was planning to. Instead, I had to do fitness and marching and press-ups and boy- girl tunnels (shudder). We were meant to be at school, but instead we were at a juvenile prison. Then after that it was playtime. Organised play groups? Really?  And one hula hoop between 8 of us, can you say ridiculous?!?!

We were the only classroom that was doing it and everyone else was either pointing and laughing, mimicking us, giving us confused looks, thinking we were in trouble or all of the above.

It was really really really badly embarrassing.

After morning tea, we were all sneaking bites of our lunch because we were told not to finish it but we were all so hungry. Then we were told to do a PMI about our experience. Let's just say, there weren't many positives. During that, Mr Robertson and Miss Gordon came in wearing normal clothes. Everyone cheered and shouted and jumped up and down. They told us it was all a joke! Well, a joke with some use because they were showing us the opposite of what they wanted. They wanted us to manage our own learning, instead of being told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.

But in conclusion, it was the worst school block of my life and for future student's expense, please tell the teachers to stop with the practical jokes!

Kind Regards,

Olivia Goodman

Introducing Olivia