Te Ngahere Newsletter #9 - Term 2 2024
Mike Crawford - May 25, 2024
Reminder about upcoming swimming
Another reminder that Te Ngahere is going swimming for weeks 9 and 10 this term. The price of the lessons is covered under the school donation scheme. However, families will need to cover the cost of the free swims. This is $20 per student for 9 free swims. This can be paid online to the school bank account or to your child's pakeke teacher. Any questions, please email Caitlin at:
Maths
After exploring the difficulties to find the size and area of irregular islands, our students have (mostly!) enjoyed learning about how to apply perimeter and area formulas to work out rectangles. Some students have extended themselves to calculating compound shapes and even triangles.
For some families who want to practice area this at home, here are some advanced formulas that go a little beyond the base (width) x height. This is a good place to apply those multiplication facts.
Here is a sheet to practice rectangles
Here is a sheet to practice Triangles
Normal Challenge
If a rectangle has a base (width) of 5cm and a height of 4cm - What is the area of the rectangle in cm²?
Advanced Challenge
For students wanting a challenge beyond the classroom - If the base of the triangle is 6cm and the height is 6cm- what is the area in cm²?
The first students to send the advanced challenge answer to Mr C at m.crawford@woodend.school.nz will get a fist bump.
Our Next Unit
We are taking a look at geometry - classification of polygons, learning to measure angles using a protractor, and using scratch (coding) to learn computational thinking and apply their new knowledge of angles and polygons. If your child is unfamiliar with scratch (we run a unit in term 3) Have a look at the website and have a play around. Scratch is an incredible free resource that teaches computation thinking and coding. Your child is welcome to use their school google identity to create an account if they have yet to make one.
Times Table Rockstar
As always we love times table rockstar in Te Ngahere,
Here is the current top 10 - competition is fierce with competitors from hub 1 and 2 battling for the coveted 'below one second' response on all 12 times tables.
In the adult category, Rolejio Volkman still reigns supreme while in leg recovery, while Zavier Price plans a comeback. Southside Connolly, happy with her impressive score has decided to take an early retirement from Timestable rockstar competition.
A big congratulation to Levi, Sienna, Olly, Blake, and Israel who have turned their heatmaps green and gained fluency in 12 times tables.
Keeping Ourselves Safe
We will be teaching our Keeping Ourselves Safe program for our year 5-6s starting late in week 6 and would like to offer parents the opportunity to attend an information afternoon. This will be run by Constable Ken on Thursday 30th May from 2pm-3pm in the staff room.
Specific information and learning objectives and programme will be sent out later this week in a separate email. Any questions following that information newsletter can be sent to m.crawford@woodend.school.nz or a.retallick@woodend.school.nz
Walking our Wheels in school
We are experiencing a lot of students riding into school, some without helmets. Please encourage your child to wear a helmet and to walk their wheels before the first bell, and after school until 3.15.
Hair
A reminder that our student's Hair should be neat and tidy, and of natural colour. Students with hair longer than shoulder-length must tie it back.
Road Safety
We were able to view the main north road and do a little survey of the road over 3 mins. M Pakeke found that in that 3-minute period 35 cars passed heading north at 10am.
Following that, we went back inside and worked in buddies on our road safety booklets doing activities and creating safety posters.
Upcoming important Dates
Cross Country Zones - Tuesday, May 28th
Wharemanu afternoon - Thursday, May 30th
Parent 'Keeping ourselves safe' meeting with Constable Ken in the staffroom 2-3pm May 30th
Teachers Only Day - Friday, May 31st
King's Birthday - Monday June 3rd
Senior Assembly - Friday June 7th
School Disco - Friday June 7th
He wake eke noa,
Mike, Caitlin, Terence, Katrina, Lucy, and Rachael,
Teacher's emails
t.langlands@woodend.school.nz - any current T Pakeke enquiries meant for Terence can be sent to
Lucy Ford at L.ford@woodend.school.nz
