21.10.19

Tāne Mahuta Studio

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been a great pleasure to welcome students back to Term 4 in Tāne Mahuta. It is going to be a busy term and there are a few things you may like to note on your calendar.


Learning Story Term 3 Reports
On Friday of Week 1 your child will have brought home a report based on their Inquiry work for last term. This was based around Science and students have reflected on what they did. Teachers have added comments about learner skills or capabilities. Please look in your child’s bag if you have not yet seen it.

Sunhats
As part of our Rāwhiti School policy, students are required to wear a Rāwhiti School sunhat when they are outside this term. Could you please check that your child has their sunhat at school. If you need to purchase a new one they are available from the school office and the office staff are happy to put a name on it using gel paints.

Stationery
It is the time of year when students are starting to run out of equipment. Many don’t have blue pens and other stationery. Could you please ask your child if they have all the equipment they need.

School Athletic Sports
On Wednesday the 30th we will be holding our School Athletic Sports for 
Years 4-8.

Art Shirts
This term we will be painting landscapes to explore our connections with the local environment. Students will be studying well-known artists and their styles before attempting their own artwork based on a landscape from our own local environment. Could you please see if you have an old shirt or T-shirt to send with you child for when they are painting. Although children try really hard to keep the paint on the paper, they are not always able to prevent spills and accidents.

Tāne Mahuta Studio Blog
We have a Tāne Mahuta studio blog which can be found through the Rāwhiti School website and app. This is used by teachers to post pictures or learning.

Tāne Mahuta Student Blogs
During the Learning Conversations last term parents were asked if they would like to add their email to their child’s blog. This means that whenever your child posts anything on their blog you will get an email. If you didn’t attend the Learning Conversations and would like this, please see me at school and I can set this up.

The Tāne Mahuta Team,
Alison (Team Leader), Kathy, Talei

Tāne Mahuta Writers

In the last few weeks of term, our writers were all very busy writing their own picture books. After drafting and editing their stories, they presented them on Slides. We printed, trimmed and stapled. 

Excitement and enjoyment shone out of the students' faces when they shared their books with the younger students from Rongo-mā-tāne.


Awesome job team!!!!







3D Name Art


While the Year 4s were away on their marae stay, the Year 5s and 6s created sculptures from the letters in their names. The process was heaps of fun and the results amazing! I'm sure many of the artworks now take pride of place in their bedrooms.

Goodbye to Alicia


We were all very sad to say goodbye to Alicia Tickle (NZGSE intern) at the end of this term. Alicia has been working with us in Tāne Mahuta for 7 weeks. We have all really enjoyed her fun, friendship and teaching support. We shall miss her and wish her well in her teaching career.

Reading to Bake!

Chocolate Chip Cookies made by The Phase Readers


The Phase Readers read about the chemical changes that happen when we bake cookies.

The baking powder reacts when it heats in the oven and gives off a gas, which makes the dough rise. The heat from the oven makes the cookies caramelise and turn brown and the chocolate chips melt.

They tasted great!

Reward time for one kaiawhina group!

Alison's kaiawhina group worked hard last week to earn a reward today. We all had fun in the playground.


'Who you gonna call?' 


Hmmmm.. something's not quite right!


Circus School




Friday Afternoons At The Circus School.


As one of the options for Winter Sport on Friday afternoons, we are so very lucky to be able to take a group of students to the Circus School.

The weather has been kind and we all walk through the domain chatting and enjoying our time together.

I have been so impressed at the range of activities offered, the fun had by all and mostly the determination to give things a go!!!!

Tāne Mahuta Quick Cricket 

What a lovely afternoon for School Sport! Here are the Year 4's playing quick cricket supported by some helpful Year 5 and 6 pupils.

Tāne Mahuta Newsletter 13th June

Tāne Mahuta Newsletter

Thursday, 13th June

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Winter Sport for Year 5’s and 6’s has got off to a good start with the weather being kind so far. The Year 4 students and others not attending winter sport activities have been taking part in our own Tāne Mahuta Friday afternoon sports programme involving games and sport skills.

The funding for our 9.30 am bread snack has now come to an end. We will continue to have breakfast food (Weetbix and fruit) available for children who might have skipped breakfast at home or used all their breakfast energy on the way to school! We also continue to have daily fruit available and emergency food (muesli bars, dried fruit and nuts) if children find they haven’t packed enough lunch.

There are a couple of events coming up this term for you to note on your calendar.

Year 6 Cycle Safety Programme
Our Year 6 students will take part in this programme with the first group on Monday 24th June and Tuesday 25th. The second group will be on Wednesday 26th June and Thursday 27th. Year 6 students will be bringing home a notice which details which sessions they will be attending.

Trip to Orana Park
On Wednesday, July 3 Tāne Mahuta studio will be taking a day trip to Orana Park thanks to the generosity of the Orana Park team who have funded the visit. We will spend some time with park staff teaching us about the animal communities we have in New Zealand and their connections to the environment. We will need about six parent helpers to come with us so if you are interested please let us know by email.

We are also looking at celebrating Matāriki in our studio and hope to confirm plans for this soon.

Ngā mihi,
The Tāne Mahuta Team (Alison, Kathy, Talei)

Year 6 Camp 2019!

On the 20th -22nd March Year 6 students attended camp at Waipara Adventure Centre. Over the three days they took part in a variety of fun and educational experiences, including Archery, the Giant Swing and team Raft Building. Below are just a few of the activity pics.
The waterslide was a great way to cool down on the hot days!
The construction challenge of Bridge Building.

Learning to set the arrow in the bow.




Raft Building
All of the activities gave students the opportunity to problem solve, find their courage and work out how to collaborate with others to achieve team success.