T3 W2 in Pōhutukawa

Winter tournament

The weather hasn't been very kind to us over the last two weeks with regards to our zone's winter tournament. Jenny has made the call to cancel the tournament due to the weather and the impact it would have on the students returning to school. Unfortunately the tournament is unlikely to be rescheduled.

Year 6 morning in the Kauri hub

Our Year 6 students have a fabulous opportunity next week. On Tuesday, when the Year 7 & 8 students are off site at technology, the Year 6 students have been invited into the Kauri hub to have some fun with the Kauri teachers. They will get to experience some of the passions of the Kauri teachers, and be able to see what happens in the senior part of the school. When the Year 7 & 8 students return from technology, the Year 7 students will join the Year 6 students for some activities and chats about their favourite parts of being in the Intermediate hub.

Bakery on Thursday

The Year 7 & 8 small business group will be setting up their bakery and opening at lunchtime tomorrow, 12:40. All items are being sold for $1. All profits are going to charity. Your child can purchase cookies, cupcakes, donuts and rice-bubble slice. If your child is worried about losing their money before lunchtime, they can hand it in to their home group teacher who will hand it back at 12:40.

Curriculum areas:

Writing - At the moment we are embarking on writing information reports. The students are able to choose an animal they would like to find out more about. The report is mostly being completed on Google Docs/Slides so you are able to view progress at home.
Maths - The topic we have begun looking at this term is proportion and ratio. Most classes have started looking at fractions. Any talk at home around fractions (food being cut up, baking, sharing etc) to reinforce what we are doing at school would be great.
Science - This term on Friday we have Science for 50 minutes, and each home group will have two lessons with each teacher. Our overall topic is The Living World, and we are covering adaptations, classification, habitats, life cycles and human body processes.
CCC (Cool Curriculum Classes) - This term our classes are Culture (the cultures of the students in our home groups), NZ sign language, Jump Jam, Te Reo Māori and coding.

Culture

As mentioned, our focus for Culture this term is on the variety of cultures we have within our team. This will be an opportunity for all students to share their culture with their home group. So far we have located the countries of the children in home groups on a world map and have coloured in a flag from the identified country, which will be displayed around the world map on the wall. Every student in the Pōhutukawa hub will be represented by a flag on the wall. The students will be given an opportunity to gather information about their culture, whether that be from talking at home, from what they experience at home or what they look up on the internet.

On top of what the students can find out, I wondered if there might be anyone from or connected to our Pōhutukawa community who would like to and be able to pop into school to share any aspects of their (and their child's) culture? This might include teaching dance, sharing cultural experiences, teaching language, making food or anything else to do with your culture. If this sounds like something that you would like to do, or something you could convince someone in your whānau to do, please contact Tracy on tracy.inwood@beckenham.school.nz

We have so many experts within our community, and it would such a refreshing change for the students to have a different adult sharing what they know. I'm sure your child would also feel very proud to have their culture highlighted in such a way!