Inquiry: The Power of Kapa Haka #1

Today students were introduced to our new Inquiry ‘theme’ / topic.

We discussed the following Māori Designs in New Zealand and the meaning of each. Many people in New Zealand own and wear one of these symbols as a taonga (treasured possession). People will also wear their taonga during a Kapa Haka performance.

Students are learning that every jade or bone carving has a very special meaning or story behind its design.

• Hei Matau/Fish Hook: Strength, prosperity and peace. Provides good luck and safe journey over water
• Koru: New life or beginning, harmony and peace
• Twist: Infinity, Love, bonding of friendship to eternity
• Circle/Disc: Whole universe, continuous and harmony
• Whale Tail: Strength, intelligence and harmony with the Oceans
• Toki/Adze: Strength and power. Used as a carving tool

Students were given a sheet with different designs to work on in preparation for making their taonga  (treasured possession) next week.

Inquiry - Changes

We read the book 'The way it was' as an introduction on what life was like a long time ago. Discussions happened around what our school might have looked like when it opened in 1934 and what Changes have been made in this area?

Students learned that our School was built with one room and grew over time. Now we are having 5 classrooms.

We created a Venn Diagram to show our thinking...

Conflict & Resolution #1

Rooms 4 and 5 students listened to the story 'The Butter Battle Book'. Afterwards, students discussed if they think the Zooks handled the conflict in a good or bad way...

Students came to the conclusion that the Zooks were not powerful negotiators and problem solvers.

Everyone then had to think about conflict in their own lives and how they felt in the situation and also about how the other person felt. Students had to come up with more than one way to handle conflict. 

Students learned how different reactions can make conflicts better or worse. The conclusion was that they always should try to get along with other people.

Finally, students worked together on a 'swing set story' on 'What might happen next'...

In this activity, students were learning that it is OK to show a problem or an argument. Sometimes that happens. But then think about what could happen next to make things better.

Hydro dams and water wheels

At our Learning Celebration day students shared with parents their hydro dams and water wheels they created in our STEAM sessions.

Hydropower

This week students learned about hydro electric power, which is a big concept to understand. We watched an episode of 'The Magic School bus rides again' called 'Monster Power' that showed the students how we could use water to generate electricity. They also learned that hydropower uses a dam (which students are busy making) to make hydro electricity.

How do we use water in the dam to make hydropower? It goes down a pipe. The water that goes down the pipe cause the waterwheel/turbine to turn. The turbine makes the generator work and the generator gives us electricity.

A five year old explains what she knows about how we use water to make power..

A six year old explains...

How do we harness the power of water?

This week students learned that people have been using the power of water to do work or generate electricity for thousands of years.

Water wheels are machines that use the energy of flowing or falling water (or both) to turn a wheel. The power/strength of the flowing water would turn the wheel which would then turn a cog to make a machine work.

During our STEAM session, students worked with a buddy to make their own water wheels... (using plastic plates and straws etc.)

Finished water wheels...

A  quick test...