Our Junior team have been looking at the theme "Making Music" this term. We have had a lot of fun exploring instruments and making music. Here are some highlights from each class this term. It has been a busy and exiting year of learning in Team Pīwakawaka. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our whānau for your support and wish you all a safe and happy holiday season!

Rūma 1

Rūma 1 has had another fun term of ako learning! We have been learning about Pūoro Music this term, and we explored the different genres of music, as well as the four instrument families. This inspired our writing, and we wrote clues describing different instruments. We also wrote a narrative about an instrument, with a focus on writing a single paragraph. Another skill we have been working on is our ability to read music. We used what we learned about instruments to create our own instruments and then used these instruments to play music, using what we were learning about reading music. We know that notes are played for different lengths of time, and that we can use dynamics and pitch to make the music interesting. Another fun thing we have been doing is jumping and clapping to the beat, and we even taught our buddies how to keep the beat. As inventors and explorers we used what we had learned in geometry to hide treasure and make a treasure map for a friend to find the treasure. Because we have worked so hard we received a surprise package all the way from the North Pole. We had to work super hard all week to fill our class values jars so that we could open it. We thought the box was light, and lots of us guessed that our class elf Toffeenut might be inside. What an excellent end to the year we have had with our learning!

Rūma 2

Over the past few weeks in Rūma Rua, have been exploring the powerful concept of kindness and how it can make a difference in the lives of others. Through fun activities and group discussions, we’ve been talking about different emotions and how people might feel in various situations. We’ve learned that sometimes, people may be happy, sad, frustrated, or even confused, and it’s important to recognize these feelings so we can show empathy and support. Our students are discovering how small acts of kindness can help others feel better and build stronger, more caring communities. We’re proud to see how Rūma Rua is growing into a group of kind, thoughtful individuals who are learning to understand and respect each other’s emotions!

Rūma 3

This term we have been looking at instruments.  Every week during the year we have been doing Charanga (which is a musical program), so we have all got really good at keeping a beat and understanding pitch. Now we know that there are four types of instruments  - Brass, Percussion, Woodwind, and String. As part of the unit, we made our own instruments. We took recycled bottles, tins, plastic trays, cardboard tubes and added masking tape, vivids, rubbers bands, ribbons, string, and made little beaters out of dowelling and beads. Then we played them! Rhythm and beat went right out the window and instead it was a Loud Fest of noise...but we had fun! Then we decided to dress up as a band and find a rhythm. It was fun to do because we love music, dressing up was a bonus, and playing our own musical instruments was exciting. For our class Big Book, we have been reading 'Greedy Cat'. Greedy cat keeps eating anything he wants out of the shopping bag - he's naughty. Then Mum decides to teach Greedy Cat a lesson and put a pot of hot pepper in the shopping bag. Greedy cat goes "Gulp, Gulp, Gulp" one last time before he rushes off with a super hot, burning throat and tongue (we've been learning about adjectives). We used our learning around 3D shapes to create 3D art to show how Greedy Cat might have looked after he had scoffed the hot pepper. 

Rūma 4 & 5

Term 4 has been busy in Rūma 4 and 5. We have been focusing on our core learning of literacy, maths and writing. We have also been learning about emotional regulation and how to make each day a happy one!  We have learned about Superhero breathing and when to use it. We have been learning games, such as “Snap”, “Pass the Beanbag” and “What's Under the Blanket?”  These games help us learn to take turns and be kind. They also make us think about how we feel when things don’t go our way and how other children feel too. Recently, at the “Run, Jump and Throw” day we were able to put some of the skills into practice. As the term comes to a close, we want to acknowledge how well the children have done this term and the progress they have made. Well done to Rūma 4 and 5!

Rūma 6

Rūma 6 have loved learning about music this term. We have learnt about the features of different instrument families and how instruments can be combined or played to create different styles of music. We then had fun creating our own musical instruments out of recycled materials, making sure we included something that would vibrate to create sound. Rūma 6 have also been learning to play "Twinkle Twinkle" on the chime bars. Some of us have got very good at this, often practising before school! For Art, we have been learning about the Zentangle method - which is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. We call these patterns, tangles. You create tangles with combinations of dots, lines, simple curves, s-curves and orbs. In line with our topic, we each chose an instrument as our base design for our artworks. It's hard to believe the year has come to end! Well done on an awesome year of learning and fun Rūma 6!

Rūma 7

Rūma 7 has been having an exciting few weeks as we wrap up our Inquiry topic for the term with a hands-on project: creating our very own musical instruments! The students have been exploring the science of sound and music, while using their creativity and problem-solving skills to design and build a variety of instruments. From tambourines made from paper plates to shakers that double as mini drums, and windpipes that produce a unique sound when blown, the students have amazed us with their ingenuity. We also had some incredibly impressive electric guitars and traditional string instruments, showing off both craftsmanship and imagination. It has been wonderful to see how each student brought their ideas to life, experimenting with different materials and techniques to make their instruments functional and fun. We even had some fun playing them as we started to practice our songs for our upcoming music event coming up soon.