In the staff room!

Yay free choice painting at Discovery!

So often we have a project we are working on with the students, but today we thought we would offer a full pallette of colours, paper and time to be creative! It is wonderful to see our students personalities and creativity come out in their work!

Turn taking at Discovery

"We are making a person," says Kaia. "When you find stuff you stick them on.....you could make a house." Kaia finds a dinosaur and quickly offers it to Kotuku. What a friendly classmate!

Play dough at Discovery

Brothers working together. Tuakana teina relationships.

"Dante is rolling the pancake" says Brooklyn.

Love Letters made by Room 12

At the end of last term Room 12 students worked on making bright and colourful letters - these will be used to spell the names of sick children at Starship hospital and brighten their rooms while they stay there.
At the beginning of term 3 Room 12 co-wrote a script for a movie about what they had done, and we presented this movie at assembly last week. Click on the link below to view the movie we made.

https://youtu.be/l3hN9wBA1Bs

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Plane making at Discovery

Nelson said,"I made a plane with feathers and sprinkles. And I love it!"

Beautiful butterflies

Not only gorgeous butterflies being created - but best of all - when Lasaini couldn't find her painting from last week, Kerranna gave her one of hers. What a great friend you are Kerranna!

Hungry children!!!

We are learning how to look after ourselves. We can make toast and tidy up after ourselves. We use good manners when we work with each other. This is what RESPECT looks like at Otaki School.

Art with Dakotah

"I did lines...then I smudged the lines...."

Butterflies part 2

Today we decorated the butterflies we started last week. We used the paintings we made....

First we used a template to cut out the shape. Then we cut it out. Then we added extra decorations....

Sewing at Discovery

We are learning about perseverance through sewing at Discovery. Buttons in particular can take some time. Luckily these sewers have perseverance in buckets! Ka nui te pai to mahi! 

This is what caring looks like......

Nelson is showing great leadership and caring at Discovery. Kaitiaki asked if he could have a turn. Nelson not only said "yes", but moved over in his chair so Kaitiaki could join the group. 

Butterflies part 1

Nelson read a book this week called "Butterflies and caterpillars". The children in this story created a display with.....you guessed it! Butterflies and caterpillars! This week we started the process by painting the paper to create symmetrical patterns for their wings. Hakaraia and Taison are prolific artists!            

Nelson experimenting

Nelson made an experiment. He used baking soda and washing powder and blue paint and vinegar. It was cool. By Kotuku.

Rippa Rugby at Otaki School

Then we played some games! It was a lovely day to run and play! Thanks Cam!

Rippa Rugby at Otaki School

We learnt lots of different skills....

Ripper rugby at Otaki School

Today we were lucky enough to have Cam visit us and share his Rippa Rugby skills. 

Working with pastels during Discovery

Leon has created this spectacular artwork by blending pastels. I like the way you've put curves in the lines Leon, it creates movement in your artwork. 

Fizzing and Foaming

We have been exploring 'Fizzing and Foaming' in the Matariki Syndicate junior classes.

Today we also 'foamed' some paint to make bubble art pieces.

Kinetic Sand

"It's real cool!" says Stefan.

"Ours feels so soggy!" says Kotuku.

"It looks like fog" says Jahrei.

"It looks like a mini desert" says Hakaraia.

Kinectic sand making at Discovery this morning.

Assembly Tuesday 18th August

I was very proud of Xiantaye and Esther today that helped Ms Millar's Room 8 class at assembly today. They are wonderful role models for the Matariki Syndicate - Totally Responsible, Respectful students. Thank you for leading the school for karakia and supporting our Room 8 whanau.

NZ Warriors visit to Ōtaki School!

On Thursday some members of the New Zealand Warriors Team visited Ōtaki Primary. Mr D had asked that they visit the school and come and meet with our tamariki. The team members talked about healthy eating and what bodies needed to grow and play sport. Thanks for the visit!

Awesome Learners

Awesome learners...being a awesome learner means you got to be good. And never give up and work hard,help people, sit respectfully on the mat do your best and listen to the teacher.And improve your score.

By Pehirangi

Awesome Learners

Awesome Learners are when we always playing Mathletics and we improve our scores. And we play it every day like in the morning and afternoon. It is a really good game for you and fun. And never give up.    By Xiantaye

Awesome Learners

Awesome learners work hard and do their best. They also ignore poor choices made by others and try hard at everything. They never give up.

By Taison

Korean War Veterans

We were lucky enough to host a ceremony to welcome the Korean War Veterans to Otaki School. At morning tea time the soldiers shared their equipment with all of us. Some children climbed up into the truck to see what was kept inside - while other children were able to move some of the machinery.  The soldiers were very generous and gifted some glow sticks and some of their army rations to the children. There might be some interesting packages coming home tonight!

Welcome to Term 3!!

Nga mihi ki a koutou!

Welcome back - and what a busy term we have had already!

We began with the unveiling of the carvings in front of the Whare Manaki.

This was a very special occasion - especially as these carvings will remain long after we all leave - and something our tamariki will remember for a long time.

Making Pom Pom's at Discovery

Today Lakaia has made Pom Pom's and she's keep doing it over and over again from Lakaia

Discovery

Pehirangi made a love heart out of wood and she used glitter little love hearts  and sticky word.

by Xiantaye

Discovery day

Leana did a frame at Pams table she had a sticker and put it in the frame.

Finished!

"This is for my dog" said Lakaia. "It was really fun! And my Nana is coming back next time!"

Pastels

Pom poms

"She is doing her wool to make something.....she is making a man. It needs feet and a hat" 

By Lily-Anne

Ruiha used pastel to smudge

Ruiha was drawing a star she coloured the picture in and she smudged inside to colour it.By Taison

Pom-poms at Discovery Time

"This is for my cat in the tree" said Lakaia. This was the first time we've worked on Pom poms during Discovery. Esther and Lakaia are showing great perseverance! "I'm going to put on all of the colours" said Esther.

Making toast

Xiantaye made Whaea Nicky some toast by Taison

Discovery Wednesday June 3rd

Today we had paint and sponges - for the students to experiment with a new medium and to explore what happens when the colours get mixed. Pehirangi worked on a number of different artworks during our session time, when discussing her completed artwork Pehirangi said, "It looks like a car Whaea Nicky!" "I like to make different colours!"

Discovery Wednesday June

Here is Taison constructing a tower - I wonder if his will be the tallest.

He is showing amazing perseverance - this is not an easy task! What an awesome learner you are Taison!