Dear Parents and Caregivers.
This term has been a very exciting one for the Supernovas. Some of the highlights have been:
Our inquiry unit. The growth in scientific understanding about the cause of earthquakes and building design has been fantastic. In addition the children's research skills have come along way. Check out your child's e-portfolio for examples of their learning.
Some excellent academic achievement especially in reading and maths.
Children taking charge of their learning and deciding to make a difference in this world. We have had children raising money for charity, children working with a publisher to get student's writing about the earthquake published and students collecting cans to give to the Red Cross.
On Monday we planned a very exciting Health unit around puberty and sexuality. The deep understandings we will be teaching will be :
Everyone experiences puberty at different times and in different ways.
Our thoughts and actions have an impact on others. This deep understanding is part of the Respect Value of our CARE programme.
As part of this topic we will be covering:
How the body changes - wet dreams, periods, etc
How feelings and relationships change.
How to meet these challenges positively.
Reproduction (year 8 only)
Cybersafety and how other media influences young people.
If you have any questions about this unit then please contact your child's classroom teacher.
Stay safe, have fun and have an excellent holiday.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Inquiry - Where are we at?
The end of the term is fast approaching and we are trying to finish our inquiry. We have been looking at redesigning the Christchurch CBD. This has included learning about:
- the effects of earthquakes
- the causes of earthquakes
We have been currently learning to analyse what makes a building earthquake proof. This has involved students researching about earthquake proof buildings, which materials are best? which designs? Then the student had to take this knowledge and apply it by designing a building, justify why they think it is earthquake proof, construct the building out of popsicle sticks and glue.
Once the building had been constructed they put it on our earthquake simulator. See examples below:
http://youtu.be/EIy_m4TH_Ks
http://youtu.be/VpdnaBjTXVM
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