An unexpected visit from........the jolly man himself (aka Mr Billings). Popsicles and chocolate for all. Merry Christmas everyone!!

Our final VIP Presentation for 2015. Thank you Lily!

Virtual Bedroom Makeovers in Maths Today.

Group 4B in Science this week.....

"Proud of our Perfectly Presented Pizzas"

Science Action Today......

Awesome Athletes!!

Congratulations to our Room 4 Athletics champions-Phelix Bargh, Toby Kendon and Jed Greville (absent from the photo) who all represented us at the HB Super Six Athletics event on Wednesday evening. Results were: Toby-3rd High Jump and 4th Shotput,   Phelix- 4th 100m, 4th 200m, Yr 7 boys relay 2nd, championship relay 3rd. A fantastic effort boys, we are so proud of you!

Snapshots from 'Futures for Tamariki' Careers Day yesterday.

Check out Room 4's individual blogs for their reflections and thoughts on this awesome learning experience.

Wishing everyone the best of luck this week..........Super Six Athletics (Jed absent), Tongariro Crossing, Round Taupo Cycle Race, Music Sharing Evening, NZ Post Shield Cricket Tournament. What a talented bunch we are in Room 4!!!

Alfie and Maddy sharing their 'very important' selves with Room 4 this week.

Celebrating our Hillary House recipients of Australian Maths Competition Certificates today. Well done!

Our VIP's for Week 5-Jed and Ella

'Scrambled Sentence'.....a real world example of science as an on-going endeavour.

Congratulations to Maddy, Kaitlyn and Ella who were all presented with their Gold Awards at our Hillary House Assembly today.

Super Scientists At Work Today.....

We were entertained by Ella and James' VIP presentations today-fascinating family facts,puurrrfect pets, favourite foods.............

Explaining the unexplained. Out of this world homework tasks for Week One!

Introducing Kaitlyn......Our Week One Term Four V.I.P

What we know about measurement in Room 4 maths..

Room 4 Making Memories at the Year 7 Social.

                                                                  FUN TIMES..........

HNI's Speech Competition.......congratulations Kaitlyn and Lily (1st place Year 7) your speeches were amazing. You were persuasive, confident and inspirational!

Adventure, Mystery, Suspense.........Room 4's Literacy Circle Book Reviews

Too Many Secrets

Written by Adele Broadbent

Book Review

Becs is a sassy 12-year-old drama queen. Who as usual has only listened to half the story. All she heard was something about moving away to the bush with her step-dad, step-sister and her mum for a few months to do up some old mansion then come back and go to her dream school Ascot High. But really it may not be just a few months. Becs arrived at the elegant country house, with long drops, many bugs and the odd giant birds. She is very miserable and sure enough lets everyone know with her usual stomp-offs. But once she’s been around, she discovers a hidden secret, a runaway boy who is tragically living in the bush without his family! This is a funny, sad, great 12-year-old girls book that reveals a super secret. But I can’t tell you any more because it’s all for you to find out.

By Chloe Rogers

Cry Of The Taniwha-Book Review

Cry Of The Taniwha is an interesting book written by Des Hunt (a New Zealand Author).

Matt is the main character he is a normal young boy he moves from Dunedin to Rotorua to visit his grandparents for the school holidays.  He assumed it would be normal, but it was the exact opposite. Jackson (Juzza) is a boy that likes to be involved in gangs. He lives next to Matt's grandparents, when he peers over the fence Matt and Jackson take a little encouragement but eventually form a bond. Skulla is the gang leader he treats everyone like they don’t really matter and he gets them to do robberies and crimes for him. Eve, she is a girl that is intelligent and smart she likes investigating and researching.

The book is set in Rotorua, New Zealand.

Matt Logan isn’t looking forward to spending the school holidays with his grandmother and her new husband. He has to fly to Rotorua, where he doesn’t know anybody but his grandmother, and he’s a bit wary of his new step-grandfather. All Matt knows is that he’s Māori and a bus driver.

Along with his worries, Matt packs his prized possession a homemade metal detector, because, you never know, he might find something valuable. What he finds is Jackson (Juzza), who lives over the back fence and wants to join a local gang. When the boys find a handcuffed skeleton, a chain of events begin to unfold around them. Together they are thrown into a deadly search for treasure when the local gang boss decides to Take their find for himself.

I enjoyed the book, it really made me get up and read it. I would recommend it to people that enjoy adventure and action. It would rate it a 9/10 because I think that at the end it didn’t tell you if the stone in the nest was the rothery stone and I think that is a big factor in the book. I would recommend it for 10 to 15 age group and if you like a book that intrigues you and makes you want to read more.

By Jack Tait

Powerfully Persuasive!!!! Extracts from Room 4's applications for 'Teacher For A Day' voucher.......

.................‘If I were the teacher for the day it would allow you Mrs Smith to take time off, to have a break for a change. You could catch up with a bit of your homework maybe. Or relax in the VIP sweet while I take over your desk’.

‘The student you chose must be responsible. They won’t be silly with respect tickets and REACH awards, they won’t muck around and tell everyone to do whatever they want, they will actually include learning in the day. I think I have proven the responsibility required for being a teacher’.

‘I think you need a break teaching for the day! You work so hard on making school fun for us and sometimes you just need to relax. Your job is not an easy one and I think you need to just chill out and let someone else do the teaching for the day. Being a teacher means you have to care for each and every individual and put their best interests at heart, you are very kind and I admire your teaching style.  I look up to you and would love to challenge myself. I  would hope to do even half the job you do if I were to take your place as teacher for the day. I would be a very realistic choice and think I could handle it well.’

‘Ever since I was in year three I have always wanted to be a teacher. I think this is because most teachers are well respected and get the chance to teach the new generation of kids. I also think most teachers were smart and kind. I feel a thrill of happiness every time I teach kids new things and I know teachers get that same thrill every day. I would also like to note that I know teachers work isn’t all fun and games. I know that they slave away every night to bring learning to us and some kids treat this learning with disrespect. I realize that teachers sometimes give hours to write reports and mark our work’.

‘This right here is perfect opportunity to engage the class. Sometimes the students will tend to doze off when they are not interested in the subject, I have a wide range of activities set for a great day and these subjects will keep everyone entertained!’

‘So sit down, relax and have a think, because you know I’m sure that hard working brain is due a break This is an offer you can’t deny, decide now! Because I know you won’t regret it (ME)!’

‘As you know I am a pre teen just like all of the kids so I have the knowledge of knowing, why, when, what and how they would like to learn.’

‘I would know when too far is too far and too little is too little. And I also know how engaged the classroom is because I am in this class.’

‘My planning for the day would be loads of laughs with theater sport games and not much learning. I would get everyone's ideas for the day so the students would have the choice and to keep them all happy. I will do things that include everyone and give everyone a turn.’

‘p.s This has shown outside the box thinking,maths,fun,a restful day and all while Still learning and even better its free And everyone will constantly be meeting the Reach values.’

‘I want it because I think it would be cool to sit behind the teachers desk and relax. I wouldn’t have to do any work I would just tell them to do something educational and my day would be done. I would take them out games and just have some fun with the class’.....................

Awesome Teamwork-Finding Algebraic Patterns in Maths.....

Stamping Out Cyber-Bullying With Constable Goodall

Yesterday afternoon Constable Julie Goodall, Maddie's mum, came to talk to Room 4 and 5. We learnt a lot about bullying and how everyone at some time in their lives does some 'dumb stuff'. An example of this is the things that people post online that aren't appropriate to share. The main focus she talked to us about was cyber-bullying. It was very interesting to hear about families and kids who have big problems caused by bullying both on and off-line. Once you take a picture, it is there forever and never post or comment on something your parents would not approve of or be proud of!

Written on behalf of Room 4 by Ella W, Maddy K and Keely

'STICKING IT TO BULLIES!' Room 4's anti-bullying bumper sticker designs

Hillary House in training today........

 Superb Style.....

Homeward Bound..

Ready For The Real One....

Fantastically Fit.....

Challenging Technology!

 On Tuesday each year 7 class had to choose two teams of two. We then had to make the highest self standing flag. Our teams were Maddie & Keely [came 4th] and Noah & Josh. The part my team[Maddie & Keely] found hard was trying to stand our flag upright. Our house, Hillary did very well winning overall.

Bully-Busting Brainstorming in Room 4 today. Here is our co-constructed definition for 'bullying'

Creative Thinkers-Room 4's Technology Challenges

In preparation for HNI's Technology Challenge next week, Room 4 showcased their creativity and ingenuity through taking part in two challenges. The first was to form a sculpture which was symbolic of friendship, using Plasticine. The second task was to build an aircraft that would fly as far as possible, using the following materials: drinking straws, A4 paper, cellotape, plasticine and paper clips. As a result of our challenges, Josh, Noah, Maddie P and Keely will represent Room 4 at the school competition on Tuesday 4th August- Congratulations and Good Luck!!!Check out our action packed Tech Challenge Filpagram.......(Thank you Lily and Chloe)

Friendship Is......

Room 4 have been exploring the characteristics of being a good friend through listening to songs with a friendship theme.We have created static images using our hand prints and transformed a variety of carefully chosen lyrics into a free verse poem. Here are some of our finished posters. 

    

All ready for a new term.......cross country, science fair, pubertal health, social dance........

Lily and Max, our superstar cyclists!!

On Sunday 28th of June I raced in the Hawke's Bay, under 13, female champs and placed first by a second. I used tactics and enjoyed every moment of the race. I cannot wait for next year's exciting race

I (Max) rode in a team time trial on Saturday 27/05/15. My team came first. In the team we had James, Will, Max and I. At the end I was really tired and had a great time.