APS School Triathlon 14/2/14

14/2/14 APS School Triathlon on PhotoPeach

Auroa Primary School arrives in Denmark

Following the arrival of Piri the Pukeko in Ireland, South Africa and Russia we found out this weekend that Piri and Auroa Primary School have also made it to Denmark with our friends at Vonslid School.  You can follow the link to their class page here and view the full post of Piri spending time with the classroom.  

Auroa School: Halberg Awards 2014

This past week we had a number of special events as Auroa Primary School held their second week of school. We had the School Triathlon, and we also had a student featured on the Halberg Awards, New Zealand premier sports awards, which was Alyssa. The video about her efforts in sport and bike is below (thank you Mr Chittenden and Sky Sports). You can view the original post on the Auroa Primary School Website here, Alyssa's blog is located on our side bar of student pages.

APS Triathlon 2014 Part 2

Triathlon APS 2014 - slideshow

Today we held our first major event of 2014 with the Auroa Primary School Triathlon   The event was  held at school and we had most of the school competing in the three categories    Congratulations to Izzy who won the Girls senior race and Tom who won the senior boys competition   Alyssa from Room One competed and wrote this recount about the event.  You can visit her page by clicking on the link here.

On your marks, get set... 

Blood pumping, sweat pouring, eyes bulging out of my sockets like a jack-in-the-box. I hear Mr Chittenden’s voice booming across the field. Kids were setting themselves up for the first triathlon race of the day. “3,2,1, GO!!!" Just as the middle kids were starting their race. I was whisked away like a lighting bolt toward my tandem bike. Fear was in the air. By the time Dad loaded me into my tandem bike kids were swarming around like flies, trying to get a glimpse of my new wheels. At last we were off. “Pedal Dad, pedal!" I shouted, anxiously looking behind me. The wind blasted my face. Quick as a flash Izzie passed us with a grin from ear to ear. Halfway through the race, I started to get a weird feeling inside me. Black clouds gathered around us and it started to rain. Spits fogged up my glasses. Dad was red faced pumping with energy. I looked behind me. Soon we were passed by bikers from every direction. As we turned around and headed for home, I commented worriedly, “Dad, I don’t think we are going to pass the bikers” “Don’t worry, we’ll pass them” Dad chuckled with a smile. After we climbed up the steep hill, he suddenly put the bike into fast gear. I was happy that we overtook the bikers. I felt like we were flying as we zoomed passed the finish line. I could finally relax and have a hot sausage and a drink.

APS - Triathlon 2014

APS Triathlon Pool 2014 on PhotoPeach

Each of our students have their own individual student blogs which are listed on the right hand side.  We've written recounts from the School Triathlon which took place on Friday.  This recount was written by Dayna from Room One.  You can visit her page by clicking on the link here.

AUROA SCHOOL TRIATHLON On your mark get set go!!!!! Mr Chitterden yelled as his lungs probably burst. It was hot so I had to kept my pace all the way. Two laps around the school field was too much for me because it was so hot i think the sun would melt away. My dad was yelling his head off. When I got to my bike I chucked my helmet on and ran to Mrs Cocker. I was puffed so that didn't make it any easier to bike It took forever to bike felt like an hour or so. It started to rain that made me fell better it was nice and cold on my legs on the way back I zoomed downhill wwwwweeeeeee to Mrs Ericson. To do my five lengths of the school pool i swam like I never swam before mmmmm after i had an ice block. That triathlon was fun. It was great for fitness.

Auroa Primary School: Triathlon Recount!

Today the school Triathlon was held at Auroa Primary School. It was a huge event, where nearly all of the school competed. The day was a fantastic success, and some students took the opportunity to write about it and post about it just a few hours after it happened. Isabelle who won the senior girls triathlon for 2014 wrote an amazing recount about the event which she posted on her blog that you can read here. She also included the first pictures from the event, getting them posted before any of the teachers, and did so without any input. Wonderful effort.

Auroa Primary School - Aylssa's RDA Recount

R.D.A Riding for discovery. on PhotoPeach

Every Wednesday Kirsty and I go to RDA horse riding in Hawera.  RDA is run by a group of volunteers who give up their own time to give many disabled children the opportunity to enjoy riding horses.  This enables disabled children to interact with other children just like them.   Riding gives joy to myself and other disabled children.

RDA provides the horses and graze them at their own homes and transport them every week to the  Hawera Show Grounds.   All farrier costs and vet bills are paid by the RDA association.

I really love to see my horse Chekeita each week.   I also like to meet up with my friends for a chat.   Getting involved in the games on horse back is so much fun.   Horses are great therapy and help me relax my muscle and at the same time have fun. This post was written by one of our Room One students, Alyssa about time that she spends each week involved in the RDA in Hawera. She has posted this on her individual students page, which is the first page from a Room One student to surpass 100 page views. You can check out her entire blog by clicking on the link here.

Room One Auroa Primary School Around the World!

We would like to thank everyone who has left comments on our site since it opened on Monday last week.  We're closing in on three thousand page views and have already had forty comments from around the world.

Our blog has been featured on sites around the world and we would like to thank all the wonderful mentions that we have received and the comments that have been left.  The students from Room One are really excited to be able to have their work featured on sites such as the Fabulous Five@Nexus School in Singapore, Sela from Point England School.  We've also received some wonderful comments from the students form Mrs Yollis Classroom Blog in the USA.   Furthermore we've started collaborating with Miss Tyler-Smiths class in South Africa and Piri the Pukeko has even made it as far as Siberia, Russia!

Our students are thrilled and so lucky to have the opportunity to learn from such experts and have such outstanding examples of blogging and students work from the online community.

Auroa Primary School - Modelling in Minecraft

Our students are busy working on their individual student blogs, which are developing and you can view on the sidebar on this blog.   We also have several other projects underway.   One of the changes this year is that we have Minecraft installed on the class ipads.  We're using Minecraft to create three dimensional models of our classroom to publish online.   The first part of this process was that the students created a map of the Room One classroom.   We were focussing on scale.

Students have drawn this in their planning book.  Stage two was that the students used a resource to build a block model of the classroom or the school.   The next stage of the process is that our students are creating a three dimensional model of our classroom using Minecraft.   The students have used Minecraft before, but for some this is the first time

that they are modelling an actual building that they are familiar with.

One of the sites that we will be using in the classroom this year was created by Shaun Wood, a teacher from Auckland.  Minecraft Kids Quests has been designed to create thought provoking challenges for students to create using Minecraft.  There is collaboration between students based on ideas and tasks.  You can visit the site by clicking on the link here.

Auroa Schools Piri the Pukeko in Ireland

To celebrate the start of the school year our class sent some packages with information about our School and our area to different locations around the world.

Piri the Pukeko has arrive already in South Africa, this morning we saw that Piri had arrived in Siberia, Russia and last week Piri made it to Ireland.



  This link is to a series of pictures of Piri around St Brigids School, County Wicklow, Ireland.

Auroa Primary School Student Blogs - Examples

This week its extremely exciting for the students of Room One, Auroa Primary School as we start to 'roll out' our individual student blogs.  As part of that process we are looking at some outstanding examples of individual blogs from around New Zealand and the world.

Our students this week are going to visit these blogs, choose one that they particularly like and leave a comment to the students following the procedure that we've agreed to.

Point England School is based in Auckland.  It has a fantastic range of student blogs that are available, as every student has one.   These are sample blogs from some of the students to visit.  Josephine has a great blog detailing her education.  Have a look at its layout, including the background and widgets that she has used.  You can click on the link here.

Sela is another student who has a fantastic looking blog (again think about the background, her title).  She writes about events that occur with her and her family and includes photographs and information.  You can view Sela's blog by clicking on the link here.

All of the Point England School sites are linked through their main blogs.  If you go to this link here you can visit all of the Room 18 sites.

This is Bella's site from Russel Street School.  Its a great example of someone using a blog as a portfolio for developing their work and ideas.

Another of the best sites in the world is the blog of Mrs Yollis.  She has had some amazing students in her class and some of these have continued to blog.  You can visit the sites belonging to Miriams Magic Moments here, Heathers Perfect Posts here or Come Somersault with Sarah here.  Again have a look at the backgrounds, the headings, the widgets and most of all the learning.   You can also look for more students work from Mrs Yollis class page here.

Auroa Primary School - Discovery Time with Room 8

R8Discovery7214 - slideshows

This is the first video of 2014 from the students of Auroa Primary School. One Friday Room Eight held their first discovery lesson where they got to try a variety of exciting learning activities. Room One were there to assist and with the help from some of the students from Room Two were able to film some footage from the time.

Discovery Time - Room 8@APS 7/2/14 from myles webb on Vimeo.

What activities can you see the students taking part in? Are there any other activities that you think our students would enjoy? What part of the video do you like best?

Piri the Pukeko arrives in South Africa!

When we opened our class page for 2014 packages were sent to different locations around the world that featured information on our area and our school mascot, Piri the Pukeko.   We already had Piri arrive in Ireland mid-week and we received a thank you post on 'If Only the Best Birds Sang' from Ireland.   You can click on the link to that amazing site here.

Today we just found out that Piri the Pukeko has just arrived in Cape Town, South Africa at the class of Miss Tyler Smith.  You can click on the link to this wonderful learning blog here.

We will be sharing the arrival of this information with our students on Monday morning when they return to the classroom.

Auroa Primary School - Discovery Time with Room 8

Discovery time 7/2/14 on PhotoPeach

Today in Room Eight the students held a 'discovery' lesson.  Students were able to participate in a range of learning activities.  Room One students were able to help the teachers and also record the event.   The students who helped out then took the photographs to Room Eight and shared their slideshow with the students.  They liked it so much that they were rolling in the classroom laughing!

What activities can you see the students participating in? What things would you like to try? What other ideas could the students from Room One take part in for discovery time?

Introduction to Auroa Primary School

Auroa School is located in the North Island in South Taranaki, New Zealand. Mount Taranaki is directly north of Auroa. We also have the Pacific Ocean directly South of us. Mount Taranaki is 2518m high. It is an active stratovolcano, which means it is shaped like a cone because of the eruptions in the past. It is one of the most symmetrical volcanoes in the world.

A long time ago a man called Auroa came to the Whanganui River area and met a girl called Hinengakau. They had twins called Hgati Haua Piko and Ngati Haua Roa. Ngati Haua Piko was given land from the mountain to the sea, and was named Auroa in remembrance of the ancestors Auroa. When the school opened in 1891 many decendants of Auroa from the hapu of Ngati Haua Piko attended this school.

The Auroa community is mostly made up of dairy farmers and their families. Auroa is a country school and has 186 students. We have students from Year 1 through to Year 8. Most children go on the bus to school. I come to school in a taxi because I have a disability. We are lucky to have a huge school. We have a senior and junior playground and a new swing area. Our field has a cricket pitch and plenty of room for rugby and soccer. We have a tennis court area where we play basketball, netball and tennis. We have a community swimming pool and hall that we use for concerts. We also have a dell area which we can play in. It is a nice place where we can talk to our friends. There is also a stage where we can perform plays. We have lots of fun days - like athletic sports, swimming sports, trolley derby, triathlon, sausage sizzle, dress up days and many more. We have an amazing library where we can hang out to read books!

Auroa Primary School - Alyssa Slideshow Around School

Aylssa 2014 - slideshows

Auroa Primary - What we know about Singapore

Today in class we looked at our students knowledge of Singapore.  We brainstormed our existing knowledge, with the assistance of Mr Chittenden, the Auroa School Principal,  who contributed facts. We then came up with a series of questions that we could ask to improve our knowledge of Singapore.   Finally we started to come up with a list of activities that our students take part in or carry out during their own lunchtime or breaks.  This slide show shows some of the work in progress.

Singapore Existing Knowledge/Questions on PhotoPeach

Auroa Primary School - Our Playground 2014

Auroa Playground 2014 - slideshows

Today we had our first day in class as Room One.  One of our first tasks was for a collaboration that we are going to be working on with Nexus International School in Singapore.  We're starting by comparing playgrounds between ourselves and them.  We are also doing something similar with a new blog that we have discovered Tipperary Station Blog a School on a 63,000 cattle farm in Australia.

The photographs were taken by a variety of Room One students in under ten minutes!

What can you recognise from the photographs? What areas are similar at your own school? How is your playground different to some of the areas at Auroa Primary School? Is there anything that you think we could need? Do you have any questions?