Recognising Awesomeness

In light of the fact that we do not have as many assemblies where I can hand out certificates, I thought I would start the Room 2 Awesomeness Award.

This week's recipient is sunny (disposition) Sophie

Thank you, Sophie, for all you do for me.  You look after the technology cupboard, open and lock the classroom door, and always let me know the important stuff that is going on.  You are responsible and can be relied upon to show initiative at all times.  You're awesome. I'm so lucky to have you in my class - like, seriously.

Mindfulness - What are the Physical Manifestations of Stress?

A feeling of peacefulness is evident when we are relaxed and happy
Our heart beat is slow and steady.

Adrenaline is released when we feel threatened.  This threat could be an attack from a mad dog (something that could really hurt us), or it could be just a Mathematics test.  Our brain does
not necessarily rate the level of threat, and that's why doing a test (even when we know there's no chance the test paper will bite us) can still be an incredibly stressful situation.

Adrenaline is released, and the fight or flight response is activated. When you are stressed you can start to feel hot and bothered.  Your heart starts to race and your palms can start to sweat.  You may feel like running away, or feel aggressive and angry.

At Sunnyhills School we are promoting Mindfulness.   So what is Mindfulness?  

         In short, it's about understanding how your mind and body respond in certain situations (often to events outside our control).  It's about being able to read our body and to respond to its signals in a constructive and 'mindful' way.
        Mindfulness is about being aware of how you are affected by things that you experience. The way we respond to these events is felt in our head as feelings e.g. happiness, sadness, fear etc, but because our body and mind are connected, our feelings stretch out from our mind and reach into our body.  Weird, eh?  

             We worked collaboratively to figure out some of the ways our bodies react when we feel angry, frustrated or threatened in any way.

             There will be a school wide focus on Pause, Breathe, Smile.  These mindfulness techniques will be taught to increase calmness; to improve focus and attention; to enhance self-awareness; help develop conflict resolution skills and to increase general wellbeing.

In order to develop an understanding of how our body and mind is connected, we looked at how our body reacts when it is under stress.

Eco-friendly Resorts - in the midst of the action...

Our islands are slowly taking form with paint now being applied, and our vision for creating eco-friendly and sustainable resorts is being fleshed out.  Yay and super yay!

As you can see, the kids are working hard (even hosting Room 6 this afternoon).  All of the groups have identified the problems that lead to pressure on our natural environment and are offering up solutions to minimise the impact of tourists on the land. Many have even incorporated ideas and systems that will result in positive change. 

Brayden is planning on using tourist guides who will provide education on rare plants and the marine reserve, and almost every group is choosing to plant gardens where fruit and vegetables will be grown and harvested.  If you don't fancy using a long drop, you may not want to visit Ishika's island, but if sleeping under canvas is something you'd consider, then perhaps you'd like to visit Joseph's?  I have heard rumours those staying at Jacob's island will be sleeping in hollowed out trees... I'm looking forward to seeing that design!

This week we will continue to work on our documents that lay out what we are trying to achieve. The kids will be encouraged to research how alternative energy systems work and will learn that New Zealand is considered a leader when it comes to the use of our natural resources to keep the lights on, and the internet running.  (Gee whiz, imagine a world with no internet! Totally shocking!  Doesn't bear thinking about.)

For extra photos, feel free to follow this link to the awesome Miss Coffer's blog:
http://room6shs2017.blogspot.co.nz/2017/03/eco-friendly-islands.html

It was a game of two halves but, at the end of the day, research was the winner

What a day!

As the kids dug up the soil in the name of science, no-one could have anticipated that the estuary beach would bite back, but it did!

Marine Metre2 is a longitudinal survey of the health of our foreshore.  The kids had to take core samples and record the animal life they found.  Ruby, Samuel, Brayden and Nicholas found mud crabs, turret shells, large horn snails, clams and even a polychaete worm.  This information will be put into a database that will be used by the University of Otago.

Most of us felt the weather was the main threat (as we recorded our observations), but we were wrong.  No one was prepared for the battle (and hilarity) that ensued when the Sunnyhills Kids and Parents ended up versing the Gloopy Mud in the match up of the decade.

Nicholas did the hard yards when he took on the mud. Sadly the mud won.  Poor Ruby came up short when she tried to tackle a seemingly innocuous seawater puddle.  Tandia had to go to plan B when she ended up sitting in the mud. BaiLin backed himself but also came up short against the mighty power of the mud bath.  Mrs Foster really put her body of the line, but, alas, also ended up with a wet bottom. Man of the match went to Mr Raman, who, in his attempt to do the heroic thing and save a mud swamped group member, very nearly ended up needing some saving himself.

A big shout out to all the parents who helped today; I am very grateful.
It was a game of two halves but, at the end of the day, research was the winner.
Mrs Nicole Wallace

An Island is born ...

Whereas Maui pulled the North Island from the sea, and volcanoes erupt (creating new land), in Room 2 we are crafting our island the old fashioned way - using papier mache and elbow grease.
            The islands we are constructing represent the ones we were marooned on in our Robinson Crusoe Challenge.  Now saved (probably as a consequence of those essential items we packed), we have returned to our islands as guardians.  We can use the land for tourism, but we cannot abuse it, or damage it in any way.
            We want visitors to come on over, but we also want to ensure that sustainable practices are adopted in the management of our island. We want to protect our island, so, it'll be eco-friendly initiatives all round!
         We are currently researching world-wide problems like pollution, and then providing solutions that will ensure our islands remain healthy. Many of us are currently researching alternative energy and power sources; most have decided to ban plastics completely, and some groups have even set up marine reserves, and breeding programmes (for endangered tropical species) as they want to give back to the world that looks after them.
           In terms of learning, we are having to do a lot of  research on the negative impact of pollution, but then we need to think about how we can use this information in making critical choices that will ensure our islands remain clean and green.  This exercise is about the application of knowledge, and making learning purposeful; this is not learning for learning's sake.

Watch this space as our mission to build our islands continues.

Our islands are currently under construction, so watch this space.  We are also using the Cornell Method to take notes on sustainability and eco-friendly practice.

Which 5 items should Room 2 take to a deserted island?

There were 4 points of position set up around the room (at north, south, east and west).  The four positions were Agree, Disagree, Maybe agree and Maybe disagree. Mrs Wallace explained the rules of the debate (not debate in the purist sense of the word), and the kids moved to that position that reflected their point of view.  The kids changed position as their views were shifted as a consequence of compelling arguments.

   

Jacob asserted that water purifying tablets were a must.

Jake refuted the claim, explaining that water could be boiled, but the class sided with Jacob.

Cailan was certain that a fishing net was an essential item; eating is essential in your bid to stay alive he explained.  Nadia agreed that a fishing net was important but also felt that it didn't deserve a top five position.  In the end, the fishing net didn't make the grade. 

A steel bucket was an absolute must.  As Jake pointed out, it has multiple uses; like carrying things, boiling water, cooking food and, that fact upped its value.  Who could argue with such strong reasoning? The whole class agreed.

Samuel wanted to bring medical bandages, but Ruby pointed out that there were natural alternatives for bandages, and that many plants also had additional medicinal purposes. The bandages didn't make the cut. (The cut. Get it?)

Karthiga wanted to see insect repellent take the final place on the top five list. Brayden didn't believe that insect repellent deserved such a high ranking.  He argued that Bear Grylls didn't use it, instead preferring to opt for long sleeves and tramping pants.  Fiona retorted that you were likely to end up with heat stroke if you wore that in the tropics.   Kees added that mosquitoes were mostly likely to feast on you at night, and that the smoke from the fire (you'd started using your steel and flint) would keep them away.  The kids who didn't believe insect repellent was essential put up a strong fight, but in the end it was decided by the majority that repellent had to be there.  

Top debaters in Room 2?

Jacob, Fiona and Jake - all passionate, logical and articulate.

Well done!

Items in our Top 5 (as decided by members of Room 2)

Machete

Metal bucket

Flint and steel

Water purifying tablets

Insect repellent

Understanding Thinking Skills and the Key Competencies

We are doing Mrs. Wallace's Robinson Crusoe Challenge at the moment.  We had to decide on 'must have' items we would take if we were marooned on a tropical island. 

This exercise requires critical thinking, but more importantly it highlights how Key Competencies are the threads that run through the fabric of our learning.

We worked in groups of three to do our initial brainstorming, and then we had to reduce our list to only ten critical items. This may seem simple ... especially if you were working as an individual and had total control, but we were working in collaborative groups.

Working in a group comes with its own set of problems.  How do you ensure your views are represented?  How to you ensure everyone feels included? What responsibilities do you have to work hard for the benefit of your group?  How do natural leaders learn to help others to succeed (and rein in their natural tendency to dominate)?  These skills are not just important when working at school, these are the skills that children will carry into real life.  

The Key Competencies we talked about before working on this challenge were - Thinking, Relating to others, Managing self, and Participating and contributing.

Let's just say yesterday's noise level reflected the passion and determination of the kids to see their items included on the final list.  It is really difficult to accept that others might have views that don't reflect our own. Learning to subdue our own views for the benefit of the group is a skill that takes time and needs to be practised.

We will eventually link this exercise into our 'Environment' work.  The kids don't know it yet but when they are eventually rescued from this desert island they will be turning it into an eco-friendly resort.  As caretakers of this 'piece of paradise' they will be responsible for ensuring its health and will need to consider how human impact could threaten or enhance this.

Buckle up, it could be a bumpy loud ride!

Just Sayin'

You guys rock!