R3 Lamb and Calf Day is coming for 2016

Its the second week of the New Zealand School holidays - and we've some huge events coming up Term Four - first week back on Thursday we have our biggest day of the School year, our annual Calf and Lamb Day. We have students who have been raising Lambs and Calves for this event and the judging competition. This video below, created by Mr Bloor is the highlights from 2014 and shows our Lamb and Calf Day that year.

We've also had some fantastic students working on their student blogs during the holidays.  If you want to see information about students preparing for Lamb and Calf Day you can click on the link to Jorja's Blog here.  If you didn't see Regans post about preparing for Lamb and Calf Day click on the link here.  Sophie's continued to post amazing things on her student blog about preparing for Lamb and Calf Day - you can click on the link to her blog here.

Blogging Posts about Cross Country

If you were unable to attend the 2016 Auroa School Cross Country or the next stage, the Mountain To Surf (MT SPA) Cross Country, preparation for the South Taranaki Finals in Hawera, then these posts can fill you in with what it was like to be there. Firstly this recount was written by Jorja about the Auroa Primary School Cross Country.    This event involved everyone at Auroa Primary School.  The next stage of competition was the Cluster Finals which was held at the Manaia Golf Course.  You can read the details of the event written by Jorja here on her fantastic blog - or you can also read the details about the event written by Madaline from Room One here.

R3 Guest Post: Jorja from Room Two

One of our great student blogs is Jorja, a former student of Room Three, who is now in Room Two. She has an amazing student blog with some fantastic posts and information. You can click on the link to it here. This post which she published this week is about farming: 


Jorjas farming video from Jorja Symes on Vimeo.

Sophie from Room Four has just started Blogging - she's already had over 1200 pageviews for her work from all around the world, you can click on the link to her blog here.   She is also writing about farming and the things that happen to her on her farm, in her latest post she wrote about Cow 237 getting stuck and what happened afterwards, you can read about it here.

Student Blogging at Auroa Primary School

During Term Four we have the MOA Awards.  There's various digital categories for excellence and we've featured various work from past years.   One of the categories this year is a 'Passion Blog' a specific blog which is related to a passion or special interest that the students have.  At last years awards we had two very special efforts from students at our school - Madaline from Room Two won best student blog, this year she is concentrating on her writing and

has an produced a simply brilliant student blog that features some of her amazing writing work.  It is a student blog of the very highest quality that is featuring some amazing work and may well be featuring later this year.   Not only is Madaline producing some special her sister Jorja, a former member of this classroom.   She won last years award for best student blog and is also producing some fantastic work as well.  These student blogs are simply sensational - genuine work of students (in their own time) who are producing work of a amazing quality.  Please support these wonderful blogs by visiting them and leaving the students a comment.

Auroa Primary School Visits Lake Rotokare

This year we have a staff member, Mrs Derbyshire who is on leave for six months working as a Scientist.  She is working at the Lake Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust.  You can read about the work that she is doing on her teacher blog which is located here. 

On Wednesday, the last week of School, we had the opportunity to send a group of students to Lake Rotokare for a day trip to look at the work that was being completed and to take part in some hands on Science learning.  Since then a number of students who were involved on that trip have produced recounts and reports about what they did.

You can read Jorja's recount all about her trip to Lake Rotokare here.   You can also read all about it from Madaline's perspective by clicking on this link here.

Taranaki Survivor: Cast Announcement: Jorja

Another player from the 2015 season has just been confirmed for 2016 - adding to a cast now fast approaching completion. Jorja last year took several bold steps in the game and brings problem solving and teamwork as a strength to the game. Renee has also been added to the 2016 season - this means that there is only nine spots left; which will be filled tomorrow. Who will arrive at the last minute? How will the teams look? Who has worked together before and might be able to work together again? How will last years game play and experience shake how this years competition goes? Are there scores to settle? Its the greatest internet classroom competition game of all time - with an incredible prize on offer... this is going to be the most amazing adveture...

Survivor from Myles Webb on Vimeo.

Jorja's Student Blog

Thank you for your visit. It is the holidays in New Zealand and our students are currently in the middle of their summer break.  We will be returning to school as of the 1st of February.  It might be the holidays but a number of students continue to post on their student blogs.  One of those students is Jorja who was in Room Three in 2015.

You can view some of the amazing things that she has been up to in the holidays by clicking on this link to her awesome blog.

Edublogs Awards - Best Classroom/Student Blog Finalists 2015

We are thrilled to learn this week that we have been nominated for a very special award - we are one of the finalists for the Best Classroom Blog for the 2015 Edublog Awards.  This is an international award that we have been nominated for and reflects the awesome work that our students have completed during the year.

In addition to this exciting news we also had another nomination for best student blog for Jorja from our classroom in the Best Student Blog.  These are significant awards and we are thrilled for the opportunity and the experience - wonderful to see some of our Blogging Friends and Classrooms that we have collaborated with during the year being likewise nominated.  Please check out the nominee's and good luck to all finalists.

Music Recital

On Sunday at the local community hall the students who have been taking music lessons during 2015 held a performance.   This performance featured several students in Room Three, you can read all the details and see footage of the performance on the winning blog for the Senior School from the MOA Kluster, Madalines Mayhem.

MOA Awards 2015: Best Educational Video

Last night at the Sandfords Events Centre in Opunake, the MOA Kluster Celebrated their 2015 Awards Ceremony. There were a host of awards during the ceremony and there's several posts about the event to come during the next few days. There were some fantastic work on show which we intend showcasing in the coming days. Room Three's work featured in several categories including our nomination for 'Best Educational Video: Intermediate'. This was a group of students: Rico, Mackenna, Jayden, Caro and Jorja who created a model of the Hawera Water Tower in Minecraft and then conducted a virtual tour of the structure. We were very excited that they won the award and their winning video is below:
Winner231_Auroa from myles webb on Vimeo.

Jorja's Lamb and Calf Day Recount

Calf and Lamb Day

We arrived at the gate adrenalin rushed down my spine as I was first to go in my leading, at calf and lamb day, grass ripped up everywhere as the hoofs of the calves and lambs dug into the ground.

I walked my lamb over to the start line and led it round the standard placed there in the grass, my lamb did not like the pulling as it was eager to eat grass.

Poo covered the grass and the scent of sausages and lollies covered the air, I tried not to be distracted as my lamb was next up for calling. The judge grabbed my lamb and unleashed it, my lamb Liquorice just stood there with its head held down and eating grass.

I had a great time at calf and lamb day even my lamb Liquorice did not do very well it was great to see everybody enjoying there day, especially me.

Teachers Note: The biggest day for students of Auroa Primary School is Lamb and Calf Day - students are able to bring either animal to school for show and competition.  Our students wrote recounts about this years event.  This is written by Jorja you can visit her blog by clicking on this link.

MOA Kluster Awards for 2015

Today in School we held a quick school meeting where the students from across the School who have been nominated for a MOA Kluster Award were recognised. Mr Chittenden, the Auroa School Principal handed out letters to the lucky students for the finals on November the 10th at the Opunake Events Centre. 

We were very proud in Room Three to have a group of students nominated for Middle School Music Video (Paint the Town Green) best Educational Video (Minecraft: Hawera Water Tower) and finally we had a clean sweep in the Y5/6 Student Blog Section - all four finalists from the cluster have come from Room Three, Auroa Primary School! Caro, Jorja, Ebony and Mackenna have all been nominated for this award and while only one of them can win we are thrilled the with the opportunity.

R3 Seeking Input About Tornadoes!

This coming week Room Three have the School Science Fair. As part of this event we have students presenting about a variety of topics.  Two of the most prolific bloggers from Room Three, Caro and Jorja are looking at Tornadoes and how they form.  We have some limited local experience here in New Zealand (with one in the last ten years).  What we are looking for is additional experiences and information from students and teachers who have personal experiences with Tornadoes.

Do you have them in your region? Do you have information about them? Are there some special ways in which you have to be prepared for them? Can you share some information or photographs or other media about them? Would it be possible to Skype and talk about them?

Thank you so much for having a look at this post and if you could help us we'd really appreciate it! You can leave a comment here or email Mr Webb directly at mwebb@auroa.school.nz

Junior STEM Program: Friday Highlights

This video, highlights from Fridays Auroa Primary School Junior STEM Program was created by Zariah, Jorja and Mackenna from Room Three.  It features footage from the Auroa Primary School STEM Program and was shot at School on Friday 31st August 2015. Edit and produced by the students today from footage provided by Miss Boshier.

Auroa School 2015 Junior Steam from Myles Webb on Vimeo.

Methanex Maths Competition 2015: Report

Jorja has been blogging with some sensational posts - this is her recount about her attendance at the 2015 Taranaki Methanex Mathematics Competition.  Jorja produced this recount, highlights video and all material contained in this post in her own time.   Sublime work.  You can click on this link here to see her wonderful blog which is nearing the figure of 10,000 page views!

Last night I went with my sister Madaline Methanex Maths competition that was held in New Plymouth. My sister Madaline alongside Joe. Astin. and Jordan they competen in Methanex maths competition if you are not sure what this is or you haven't been to it before here is some information about it. It was also held at seven o:Clock at night time 7:00 pm.

1) At a Methanex Maths competition you get thirty minutes to answer   six really hard questions That evolve around maths.

2) The children competing in this competition are not allowed to             communicate with the parents in any way and
same goes to the parents.

3) There are many schools that competed in this competition all     around the Taranaki region Auroa is one of the many few.

4) Click on this link here-Taranaki Methanex Maths it will take       you to the Taranaki Methanex Maths Cometiton can see what they are up to.



















You may not know this is not just a Methanex Maths Competition it is a creative science fair as-well and it gave me some ideas for my science experiment at Auroa Primary School this year (APS). Here is a photo of some of the work that has gone into this fair. I also created a video of some of the highlights of some of the photage/photos/videos that I took. I hope you enjoy it!!

Message for Mrs Ladd

To Beverly Ladd from Mackenna Chittenden on Vimeo. We've been hard at work in New Zealand - our School year, if you are visiting us from overseas runs from February until December. Our friends in the Northern Hemisphere are just starting the new school year - including one of our favourite connections of this year Mrs Ladd's Class from Pine Valley Elementary School North Carolina in the USA. Mrs Ladd was looking for an inspiring welcome for her students for the new school year and we thought that this was an excellent idea. Caro, Jorja and Catherine who are all blogging students in Room Three created this iMovie in class today, edited and published it. You can click on the link to Mrs Ladds Classroom here. Great to have you back!

MOA Awards: Is this Jorja's Competition Entry?

The end of the School Term for Term Three, 2015, might still be five weeks away, however the date has some important significance because its also the closing date for entries for the MOA Awards for 2015.  This is a hugely significant event for Auroa Primary School and the Schools in the MOA Kluster, including Matapu, Opunake and Kaponga Schools as we are looking to recognise digital excellence in our area.  Our students have been looking for entries in the digital images category and are having to make a tough decision because they are allowed to put forward one entry each.  Our students have been publishing these images on their blogs - this photo is a potential entry from Jorja from Room Three - she's also looking to increase her page views having targeted getting to 10,000 before the end of the year.

For those of you who were able to attend the event at the Opunake Events Centre - this video created by Sonic Vision Studios and Mr Bloor, will bring back some fantastic memories.   For those of you who missed the opportunity the event this year will be a fantastic experience!

Experimenting in Room Three: Guest Post by Jorja

In Room Three the students are currently looking at experiments.  Over the last two weeks Room Three has rotated around the four other senior classes at Auroa Primary School conducting a series of brilliant experiments.  Yesterday the students were lucky enough to be in Room Four, Mr Spice's Class.  There the students carried out an experiment.  Rather than talk about it, we'd like to show you exactly what they did, and Jorja from Room Three is going to show you this amazing presentation that she created as a result of being there:

This is just a small sample of the amazing work that Jorja has been producing for her fantastic individual student blog. You can click on the link here to check out the rest of her amazing work.

Jorja's Fantastic Eeling Post

We had a great time on Thursday the 19th of March the Eel we caught was massive it was just under one metre long.   

We had great fun I went down the back of the farm with my brother Taylor my sister Madaline and myself.  We had to take two line's down one of the line's broke and the we had two use the others line tell me if you and your family or friend's go Eeling?

Jorja has been doing some fantastic posting on her student blog - this post (and photo) were about a common activity for rural New Zealanders - catching eels.  You can see the original post here.

Some Amazing Room Three Student Posts...

Some of the students from Room Three have made a fantastic start to their blogging.  Its impossible to Highlight everyone in the classroom but there are some wonderful examples that are available for you to have a look at.

Mackenna created an iMovie about her Dog and has asked some wonderful questions about Pets that can be located by clicking on the link here.   The 2015 MOA KLUSTER awards might be later in the year but already Jorja has been taking some fantastic Photographs from her Farm.  You can see some of the wonderful videos that Jayden has been creating using iMovie about some of exciting things happening on his farm.  Zariah posted about her weekend - a great recount about her time at Dawson Falls.   Abby has also been creating some wonderful work and publishing it online.

You can see the students from Room Three who are regularly updating their blogs on the right hand side-bar.  We really appreciate your feedback and comments and kind words.