Montessori Stories
The Five Great Lessons is a group of impressionistic stories that are meant to provide Montessori primary children with a “big picture” of the world and life. At this stage of development, children are becoming aware of the world and their place in it. For a child, the Great Lessons are more than just educational and inspirational stories. They spark the imagination and lead students to contemplate not only the past, but the future. It is through the telling (and re-telling) of these important Cosmic lessons that students are motivated to further research and works in the Montessori classroom.
Each of the Great Lessons serves to initiate student exploration and discovery. While children develop an awareness of the natural world and its laws, they are also moved to explore topics such as history, geography, math, science and language. Most importantly, the Great Lessons develop in Montessori students reverence and gratitude for those who have come before us.
(Source: North American Montessori Center)
ICAS Results
Congratulations to Guy in Room 15 who achieved the highest score in New Zealand for the Year 6 International Competitions and Assessments for Schools (ICAS) Science exam. What a phenomenal achievement! Guy will receive a gold medal from the University of New South Wales at a Medal Presentation Ceremony to be held at the University of Auckland on 6 December.
Thank you from Malawai
Well done to all the students who were involved in this year’s 20/40 hour famine run by the worldwide organisation, World Vision. The students raised $2000 in total, with Orlando from Room 15
raising, an amazing amount of $469. This money will be used by World Vision, to buy families in Malawi an animal such as a cow or a goat, that they can raise and get food from.
School Camps
School camps are always a busy time with a multi-age classroom. Year 4 children enjoy an overnight stay on the school field. Year 5 children love the fantastic waterslide and flying fox at the
Moir Point camp in Mangawhai and Year 6 children rough it in tents at Tawharanui.
Trip to Omaha Marae
As part of an entire school trip, Room 15 visited the Omaha Marae in Leigh. This was part of the school wide Integrated Study ‘What is Whakapapa?’
The children were delighted to have Craig Dawson visit with his amazing cloak and share a story about his Maori ancestry, what the cloak is made of and the history behind it.
As part of the What is Whakapapa schoolwide study, Room 15 made a visual Mihimihi.
My Visual Mihimihi
My mountain is Tamahunga
My river is Matakana
My whanau is a family of four represented by four koru
The flax is the symbol of Room 15
The Mihimihi tells people about me
The Piwakawaka is the result of a drawing workshop with Ruby Watson
Matakana School Cross Country
Well done to the children who participated despite the weather! And many thanks to the parents who cheered from the sidelines.
Congratulations to the following children in Room 15:
Chilli - 2nd year 1 girls
Mattie - 2nd year 2 boys
Quinn - 3rd year 4 boys
End of Year BBQ and Farewells
The end of the year is always a time of mixed feelings. Excitement for children as the holidays approach and sadness as the next group of Year children move on to their respective schools for Year 7. We wish them all the best for the future.
Thank you to Jane, Dominque and Hope for another fabulous year, as well as Principal Darrel Goosen for his ongoing support of Room 15. Also thanks to teacher aide Ngaire and sports enthusiast Tony. We wish Dominque all the best as she continues her AMI training in Sydney.
We are also sad to see Hope Didsbury leave at the end of this term. Thank you Hope - we have loved having you as part of Room 15. You will be missed!
We are also sad to lose our current Chairperson Stephanie Lane, who steps down as Chair at the end of this year. We are all immensely grateful for the extraordinary effort the Trustees dedicate behind the scenes. Michelle Carbines will take up the position of Chairperson in 2015.
I can symbolise a poem about a daffodil.
You can see all of the pronouns in the poem.
The symbol for the pronoun is a tall purple triangle.
Room 15 Garden Makeover
After considerable planning Roman lead a team of motivated parents to give the garden area outside a well needed makeover. New garden beds, seating, fruit trees and an all-weather footpath were planned. The weather cooperated and a great day was had by all.
Garden before . . .
Garden - during and after!
