EPro8 Challenge

On Monday evening two teams from Rosebank School took part in the EPro8 Challenge! What a challenge it was - with teams from all over the district competing to build some amazing, technical items! Teams had 2.5 hours, and a trolley full of interesting components, to complete as many challenges as possible, and these were NOT easy!

Rosebank can be very proud - with Room 5's team taking out first place and our team (Shania, Jahnae, Hugh and Brooklin) taking out a very credible 3rd equal placing!! We are proud of you all - it was a new experience and you didn't give up and worked so well together as a team!

What a fantastic opportunity and we look forward to having another go at it next year!

Concentration!

Discussing a plan of action

An "Engineering" trolley for our "WISH LIST"

More bits to add to the projects!

WE ARE A STUDENT VOLUNTEER ARMY!

ROOM 6 AND ROOM 5 ARE JOINING FORCES!

We are combining our strengths - and becoming a Student Volunteer Army! We had such fun with the Maggi Pop Up Kitchen (and congratulations to Lillie B, Macie, Lily P and Kaylee for making the semi-finals!!!), that we are now taking part in the Student Volunteer Army.

We have formed smaller "platoons", groups of five students, who have come up with some ideas on how we can help in the community. Our groups are going to target areas of the community where they think they can best help and we are going to be gathering items to make "care packages" for a variety of circumstances.

We have been talking in class about problems that people face within New Zealand and overseas, such as hunger, homelessness, poverty and growing old. Students will be meeting together to come up with ways in which they can help out and show some compassion.

Our troops have heeded the call, our army is forming and our work is just beginning! Stay tuned for more news from our Volunteer Army and how they hope to help women, children and animals in our community. School is not just for learning about numbers and how to read and write - we can also learn about compassion and empathy.

Roll out Troops!!!! Let's get this started !

Cubic Metre Fun - Making Maths Meaningful

Sometimes Maths doesn't make "sense" until you can physically see something before your eyes. This week we have been exploring square metres and cubic metres as we launch into our unit on Measurement through designing "tiny homes". Without being able to visualise measurement, we set out to construct a cubic metre.

Instructions were not given to the groups of students, they were left to decide for themselves how best to achieve their cubic metre. Armed with scissors, pencils, sticky tape and newspapers, it was great to see the different approaches. Students quickly worked out that newspaper was only as strong as the way it was rolled - diagonally was far better than from either the short or long side. Working out how to actually get it into one metre lengths was tricky as the newspapers were shorter than what was required.

Engineering skills were needed - as was a little bit of thinking outside the box (or in this case the cube!). Several students commented on how big a cubic metre actually is - and this is only because they could see it in front of them. Hands on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) is a great way to engage students and help with their learning.

One side up....

Thinking....thinking....thinking

Taking shape

Someone lost the end of the sticky tape!

Slowly taking shape

First team to finish

When we gave it a try, you can fit 11 Room 6 students standing in the cube!

Thinking of Others

Just before we leave for our well earned holiday, Room 6 have been thinking of others. Children who are not getting to spend their holiday time at home, hanging out with friends and family. This week we embarked on brightening the lives of sick children in hospitals all around the country.

Love Letters is an organisation who receive colourful letters of the alphabet from children all over New Zealand. They then collate letters to form bright names to hang behind hospital beds and send these to sick children in hospitals. It is such a cool way to let children know we are thinking of them while they recover.

This is just a  very small sample of some very bright, cool letters we did this week. I will package them up today and send them off to Rotorua where they will make their way around the country.

Thanks Room 6, I know the kids and their families will appreciate it!!!

This doesn't do the vivid colours justice!