A verb is a doing word...

Lovely to have a short week this week after a fairly actioned pack weekend, about a quarter of the class attended an ANZAC day event.  They had the opportunity to share this with the class, certainly a lot more meaningful now.

Sofia became our very important courier to go and visit Olivia At Starship Hospital.  She took the card that class members signed.  The great news is that she has been moved to the Ronald McDonald House.  Her video shows her getting mobile again - way to go Olivia.

We've adjusted a few events in the timetable.  Our Library session will be on a Wednesday morning from next week.  On Thursday's nine class members attend Kapa Haka and the rest of us are joining with Room 4, 9 and 11 for a middle school singing assembly.  On Thursday afternoons we are going to make a regular commitment to sport, while the grounds aren't too wet, we'll make use of them.  Once they become too soggy we'll use the gym.

We've been looking closely at Verbs and making them powerful using a thesaurus to improve them.  A verb is a doing word.  We made a cline of our words and I hope to share in the next couple of weeks some great sentences using some amazing verbs to enhance them.

End of Week 1

Our mini unit on ANZAC has brought about a lot of great discussion, sharing of family information and developing understandings.
We've enjoyed hearing stories from home - the coconut thrower, the photos of medals, pictures of soldiers from both WW1 and WW2.
Here are some of the reflections about the week from the class.

Upokoina - I think ANZAC day is special because the people died so we can live in peace.

Leah - This week we have been learning about Anzac Day. We looked at different groups in the army. I was excited, we started with a soldier then we went higher and higher, I loved it.

Teagan - I think ANZAC day is special because these people fought for us.  They gave up their lives so we could live in peace.  This week I learnt how many soldiers were in a squad, an army group, and a troop.  I was surprised.

Bradley - The ANZAC's risked their lives for us.  We are thankful that they did that.  They showed dignity bravery and strength.  They did it for us to have peace and to have freedom.  Flander's Field has lots of poppies and trenches.

Sophie - In Room 10 we have learnt how many people are in a squad, in a platoon and lots of other different group names in the army.  We had to go home and have a talk to our family about relatives in our family that may have been involved in the war.  They had to be 18 to go to war but some faked their age.

Laine - I learnt that Anzac day is special for a lot of people. People died for New Zealand. First I knew a little but I know a lot more about Anzac day. Anzac day is a time to remember the soldiers who have fought in the wars.

Natasha - I think that Anzac day is special to remember the soldiers that died in war for us  and for peace in the world.

Sativa - I learnt that Anzac Day is a day of remembrance for some people.  Some people stand for a minute in silence to remember all the humble and very brave soldiers that fought for us so we can keep on living.  Thousands of Kiwi's and other people were fighting, getting killed, wounded and badly injured.

It is rude to let any country or cities flag touch the ground, it is disrespectful.

Chance - We have been learning about Anzac day. We found out that there is up to 1 000 000 people in an army group and there are 250 in a troop. Around 16 000 000 died in World War 1.

Sofia - This week I have learnt how many solders are in a army,wing,platoon...we printed,copied,counted,

glued & researched.We got up to a million solders !

But all the hard work payed of.Mrs H also read us a book about Anzac day,it had a lot of letters to read.We learned alot about how & why people wear poppies on Anzac day,we created poppies to put on our display.

Anna - Poppies grow upon Flander's Fields between France and Belgium where many soldiers lost their lives and were killed in the war. Some people were saved and some were injured. Grenades, bombs and shells were flying threw the air.

Sarah-Jo - The Great war was from 1914-1918. There were over 16 million soldiers deaths and over 20 million wounded. This year is 100 years since the ANZAC soldiers went to Gallipoli and landed at Anzac Cove on the 25th April 1915 and my great, great grandad was one of them. The turkish had the advantage because they were on top of the hill and it was very hard for the Anzac's to climb up because the hill was very, very steep. After 4 years war the remaining ANZACS boats sailed back to their homes in Australia and New Zealand.

Shelby- Anzac day means a lot to people, especially those that went to the war or relatives who were involved. Some soldiers didn't come back. That's why it means a lot to the parents. We found out there were up to 40 thousand soldiers in a Corps.

Blake

I hav learnt that we should never let a flag touch the ground. We wear poppies to remember the people that died in the war.  People stand quietly to remember the people that died n the war.

Riley - I think ANZAC day is special because it is a day to remember the people who have fallen just to bring all the destruction to an end, sacrificing themselves so we could all live in peace.  People sell poppies to remember those who have been in wars and haven't returned.  Some people who died, got buried in Flander's field with a cross at the head of the grave.

Noah - This year is very special because it is 100 years since Gallipoli.  In Gallipoli there are still trenches from WW1.  We made poppies with lolly sticks, paper and cardboard.

Toby - ANZAC day is a special day because people died so we can live in peace and live well.  (Always Remember them).

Joseph - I asked my Mum if she knew how many medals my great, great, great grandad Ruben had.  He has five medals for serving.  He was in World War 1 but was too old for WW2.  My great, great, great, grandad Ruben was in a brigade.

Kahurangi - We learnt more about ANZAC day.  A battle in the first World War was in Gallipoli which is in Turkey.  Many soldiers from Australia and New Zealand were there.  It was horrific, guns going off, grenades being thrown and people being killed everywhere.  It was a fight to the top of the mountain. 

Welcome back to Term 2. 
Unfortunately I wasn't able to see all your faces first thing Monday morning.  Mr Haddock and all the family attended his welcoming powhiri to Matamata Primary School.  It was quite emotional and a very special occasion for all the family.

However when I did arrive, it was great to catch up about your holidays as well as find out how you were working as a team with the list of challenges Miss Roycroft had set for you.  A big welcome to Leah who has joined the class.  We've also had some promising news in regard to Olivia's well being.

This week our focus is on ANZAC day and we will also follow up with news next week to hear about dawn parades, the Anzac services and what you get up to on this special memorial day.  It is even more significant this year, do you know why?

Lots of great questions/wonderings have emerged, watch this space as we try and answer as many of them as we can.

Some of the children have even mentioned that grandparents have medals through discussion about their learning at home, this is great!

I was able to even uncover some shoebox photos of relatives who fought in WW1.

Today we explored aspects of the symbolic Poppy and why we wear them - we also read along to the Flanders Field poem.    

Joseph shared this picture with the class via email.

If you have precious photos, war memorabilia etc you can take a photo and upload it via Google drive, sign in just like you do at school.

Class Dojo - I'm going to try my hardest to make this work, however I do find it extremely difficult to be monitoring when I'm really engaged with the children and their learning.  I found a moment yesterday when we had silent reading however this is not ideal.  I'll see how we get on over the next few weeks.

Until next time,
Mrs Haddock