Our fashion show

TAMAKI’S NEXT TOP MODEL

In this term we are learning about Unity in Diversity. Unity in diversity is basically about cultures uniting as one, treating other cultures equally and not being racist to others.

On the 23^rd of May we held a beautiful cultural fashion show showing how proud we are to be Maori, European, Tongan and many more.

We rehearsed everyday of the week focusing on how fast we were walking, planning which cultures go first and how to engage our audience. At the end it was decided that the Maori being Tangata Whenua will go first followed by the Europeans then the Pacific Island nations represented by our students.

We were focusing on how fast we were walking because Mrs Parker-Tofa said “How are you going to show off your cultural costumes if you are rushing?” Then we had to count in our heads 1 2 3, 1 2 3 so we couldn’t be too fast or too slow.

Friday the 27^th of May was when we had the Fashion show. The morning was a very busy morning because of all the dressing up and doing the seating arrangements and we also made paparazzi passes for the photographers.

Tatiana was our master of ceremony (MC) on the day. She did a great job introducing the different cultures before they walked on to the cat walk.

We walked as a class to the net ball court but then we had to go into our cultural groups. We waited and waited and then the fabulous fashion show finally started.

Everything went well. The parents were very happy and the Year 8 students were supporting us too by being there and clapping when each cultural group entered.

The fashion show was a special moment for us because we got the opportunity to show the school who we are and where we come from through our cultural costumes.

Keedin's speech for the Year 7 Speech Competition

Ko Maungarei Te Maunga
Ko Tamaki Te awa
Ko Ruapotaka Te Marae
Ko Tamaki Te waahi,
Te Kura Takawaenga o Tamaki toku Kura
Ko Mr Horan Te Tumuaki
Ko Mrs Parker Tofa Te Kaiako
Ko Laurence taku matua
Ko Larissia taku whaea
Ko Keedin taku ingoa

Kia ora and greetings to you all

I would like to ask who are Maori and as a matter of interest what is culture? Well culture is different languages and beliefs in different religions and ways of behaviour. Cultures like English, Tongan or Samoan have different languages and different religions although some of these are shared. Maori are people who came from Hawaiki and came to Aotearoa on different waka. These waka are really important in identifying tribes.

Maori have been living here in Aotearoa for over a thousand years and are doing their best to keep their language and spiritual culture alive. Maori is an official language, so that helps to keep it alive.

There are many Maori icons in New Zealand like Tiki, the Haka, greenstone or pounamu a Taonga. Icons are brands that are special to Aotearoa. They make New Zealand famous and make our country different to any other country in the world.

There are many things to experience all over New Zealand. There many famous towns like Rotorua with its boiling hot pools, the Sky Tower in Auckland city, The Beehive, in Wellington, and Mt Cook our highest mountain.

Maori performance costumes are unique but they have changed a lot in modern times. However the patterns on their costumes identify which tribe they’re from. My tribes or iwi are Ngati Pikiao, in the Waikato area, and Te Arawa which is in the Rotorua area.

When Maori people perform they perform with pride and they might use pois and long carved sticks to perform and some Maori might wear greenstone or head bands.
Aotearoa is a Maori and English land because in 1840 there was a treaty with the British and Maori. The British wanted to own New Zealand but only parts of New Zealand was sold to them.

Aotearoa for me is a great experience and exciting life. I am Maori and I’m proud of it.

Kua mutu nga korero
Mo tenei wa
Ko Te tumanako te rangimarie
Kia koutou katoa

Manuia le Aso Sa o Tina

Dear Mrs Baker

My name is Irasa and I am writing to you about my generous, loving and mature mum. Well first of all my mum’s name is Helen. She is 37 years old and she has seven children including me. I am writing this letter because I really want to win this special prize to give to my mum.

My lovely mum is special and very loveable. She makes me laugh all the time. She works at a factory selling clothes and only works for half the year.

When she stays home, she is makes us breakfast and ensures all of us are fine. When we are sick she makes sure we get better and whenever we are upset she tries and makes us happy.

My mum is caring and a bit crazy sometimes. She always has a lovely smile on her face. She cares about my dad so much and I think that is why they have been together for a long time.

Ever since I was little my mum would come back from work and just clean without resting. She will then ask each of us about how our day was.
If I was given one wish, I would wish to go back to when I was little and watch my mum looking after us.

This is all I have to say about my mum and I hope I will be able to win the prize for my mum

Yours sincerely

Happy Mother's Day

Dear Mrs Baker

My name is Tamika and I am in Room 3. I am writing to let you know about a wonderful lady in my life who I know would really appreciate the prize you have for this competition.

My nana is a lovely and beautiful nana and she has great hospitality. She looks after five grand children including me. She makes sure that all of us are always clean, healthy and well mannered. She always makes sure I have fun, always makes sure I have lunch for school and pushes me to get a good education.
My nana has been looking after me for ten years. She would definitely appreciate a mother’s day gift.

When I was little, my nana took my sister, brother and I to live with her. She always thinks about our family and puts us as her first priority. My nana is one of the most special people in my life and I love her very much.

My nana is only 63 years old and enjoys having my brother, sister and I with her every step of the way. She now has guardianship of my siblings and I and always gives us what we want. She always makes sure we have fun and she has a great sense of humour.

I love my nana so much and I know she loves me as much as I love her. I hope you enjoyed reading about my lovely nana.

This is Veisinia's letter regarding an article she read in a local newspaper

Room 3

Tamaki Intermediate

Panmure

Auckland

Thursday 24^th March 2011

Allan Peachey

National MP

Dear Allan Peachy

I am writing against your decision to shut down Tamaki Intermediate and give four primary schools the right to become a full primary school. I have reasons for coming to Tamaki Intermediate.

First of all I decided to come to this school so I could use new learning tools, try out their new uniform, and experience being taught as a young adult. Staying at a school that you have been to from five years of age until 13 is going to be really irritating. I want to see new faces, make new friends and have a change of learning environment.

Your opinion of our school makes me feel really upset and angry. I know Tamaki Intermediate has the best learning tools and teachers as any other school.

Lastly if I get sent back to primary it will make me feel like I am back to being five years old and that feeling will never go away. Primary was really awesome but I want to start in the next stage and at a different school to help me get ready for my next steps which is college.

I hope my letter will persuade you and give you of bit of time to think about the information you are sending out to people and think about how it is going to affect the students and the teachers of this great school.

Thank you

Veisinia

Lika takes us back to the day we went to Motat

On the 10th of March 2011 the Year 7 students went on an educational trip to Motat. When we arrived we were welcomed by Elaine and she took us to our spot for the day which is next to the k900. That is also where we had our lunch and morning tea.

After morning tea the classes went to their own activity. The first activity Room 3 did was the tram ride. When we arrived to the tram station we had to wait a few minutes for the next tram because we were early. Then we saw the tram coming on the other side then it came to us. We all hopped on and enjoyed a ride up the road where the display for planes is.

The next thing our class did was look at the different displays at Motat. We looked at the old cars, old washing machines, old ovens and we also read some information about Jean Batten.

After that it was our turn to go into the class. The teacher was Elaine who welcomed us to Motat in the morning. She asked us what we thought a real New Zealand citizen is. She taught us about kiwi symbols and icons and she was very impressed with what we know about New Zealand already. After that we got the chance to play dress ups and sign our class treaty. Some of us dressed up as a farmer and some girls and boys dressed up as Jean Batten. Signing the treaty was cool we had to keep dipping the feather into the ink to write our names.

The last activity was so much fun. We went to the mirror maze and it was almost impossible to complete it. After that we went to the village and looked at the jail and the church.

After that we had to go back to where the k900 is and get our school bags because we had to leave for school. Before we left we said thank you to Elaine for being an awesome host. We really enjoyed our trip and I would like to thank our teachers Mrs Parker-Tofa, Mrs Nirmala and Mrs Andrews for taking us.

Irasa recalling Constable Paul's visit

Truancy and Behaviour

On Wednesday 16^th of March, Room 3 was in the ICT researching information on the computers when Constable Paul came in and introduced himself. He told us he was going to discuss two things. Truancy and Behaviour.

All of us were asking ourselves what truancy is. He said it was another name for wagging. Constable Paul asked us if we had ever wagged at Tamaki Intermediate. We all obviously said no. Then he discussed his childhood. We all understood what wagging was and that it is a bad thing to do.

After that he talked about bad behaviour. He told us how important it is to behave in school because it will help us in the future.

I think Constable Paul’s visit was important because he talked about things we need to do now that will help us have a good future.

Maria's recount on Constable Paul's visit

Paul visits Room 3

On Wednesday 16th of March when we were in the ICT room Constable Paul from the New Zealand Police came and spoke to us about truancy and behaviour.

Constable Paul Grey said that truancy was when someone missed school for no reason. We also can’t just tell our parents that we are going to school then walk around the streets without coming to school. If someone is caught truanting the police will go to their houses and ask why they are not coming to school. He said no one should want that.

Then he talked about behaviour. He said that we have to concentrate at school and be good. We can’t be stupid during class as well. We have to pay attention and if we don’t concentrate we will miss out on our learning.

I really enjoyed listening to Constable Paul Grey. He is a really good policeman.

Information Report about our National Anthem

God defend New Zealand

Did you know that New Zealand’s National Anthem was written as a poem in the 1870’s? There was a competition to compose music which was in 1876 by the Saturday Advertiser and judged by three prominent Melbourne musicians, with a prize for ten guineas.

The winner of the competition was Tasmanian- born John Joseph Woods of Lawrence, New Zealand who composed the melody in the single sitting the evening after finding out about the competition. The song was first performed at the Queen’s Theatre, Prince Street, New Zealand on Christmas Day, 1876.

The song became popular during the 19th century and early 20th century, and in 1940 the New Zealand government made it copy- right and made it New Zealand’s national hymn in time for that year’s centennial celebrations.

The case of the stolen projector

On Wednesday the 16th of February we used our smart board.

I felt really happy using it because it was my first time in my whole life. Well firstly we used it for maths, topic and writing. We also used it for our wall story which the whole class was working on.

When I came to school on Monday the 21st in the morning we could see that our classroom was dark and only Mrs Parker-Tofa was there. Mrs Parker Tofa told us someone stole the projector.

I felt really sad and little bit angry because we only used it for two days and it must have cost a lot of money. I was also angry at my self for not closing the curtains on Friday the 17th of February 2011. I am sad too because of the work we did using the smartboard was really cool. We could all see what we were working on clearly.

Well if the police find the people who stole it I will be so happy to know .I will also be happy if Mr Horan buys us another one. I HOPE!

I think those robbers will be punished for what they did to our school property. I also think they were the people who stole Ruapotaka’s projector that was in the multipurpose room.

Losing our projector

When we first got the projector I was so happy and excited. We hadn’t had one before in Room 3 and with the new projector we were able to use the smart board.

We were having a good time using the smart board and projector, doing our work. Then we came back to school after the weekend and we heard the bad news.

Miss Parker told us that on Sunday at midnight the Room 3 door was forced open and our projector got stolen, that was why we were up stairs in Room 5. She also told us that the police were going to investigate and try to find some evidence.

When I found out I was shocked because they have no right stealing the projector and they left bits of it behind. Plus that is one of our learning tools gone. I also felt disappointed because we only had it for a couple of days and then it was gone. I think who ever took it is a selfish and ignorant person.

Dear Mum and Dad

Dear mum and Dad

Hi this is Veisinia I am writing this letter to tell you about my first days at Tamaki Intermediate.

On Wednesday the 2nd of February 2011, was the day I started Tamaki Intermediate with a big great smile. I was a bit nervous but I was with my brother and that made me feel really happy. The teachers started calling the names for the classes and then I was called out to be in Room 3 with Mrs Tofa.I was really thrilled to be in my brother’s old class.

During interval was a relief because my brother brought me some yummy food from the tuck shop and I got to meet new students and play with them. Getting to meet your old friends from primary
is a great feeling.

Sports is one of the things that I like about Tamaki intermediate, because you play a lot of sports and you get to try out for tournaments like the girls softball team and the boys softball team. At first you go and sign your name up on a piece of paper, you practice, then you play a little bit of a game, then finally they choose the team. It is really fun once you get to be in the team.

Learning inside the classrooms is very cool.Mrs Tofa makes my learning so interesting in extension.You have to learn to do your work with no chatting and you have to strive to complete your work with excellence.

My first day was really awesome and so much fun. I got to meet new friends and see very familiar faces from primary.

Yours sincerely
Veisinia

Showing her appreciation for her granparents. This is Genevieve's letter expressing her grattitude for her grandparents.

Dear Mrs Baker,

Have you ever had someone who you loved you, took care of you, fed you and put a shelter on top of your head. Well that’s the job my grandpa and nana have done for me ever since I was a little girl. These two amazing people raised, cared and nourished my mother. My mum and dad have full time jobs so my nana and grandpa are like my heroes.

My nana had two marriages. She had 5 kids before she met my grandpa. Then when she met my grandpa my mum came along. Even though my grandpa is not related by blood to my nanas 5 older children he still cares for them as if he is their father.

At home sitting in her own little room is my great grandma who is 89. This lady has Parkinsons disease. This mean she needs help to do everyday stuff like eating, having a shower, going to the toilet and sometimes even walking. That when my nana comes in. She cooks, does the laundry and makes the best Lu sipi (lamb wrapped in taro leaves) I have ever tasted. My nana is just 70 and has problems with her right arm but she still cares so much about her mum that nothing will get in the way when she needs help.

My grandpa may not be special to you but he is to me. This man has been in the hospital several times because of his heart. The year before last year on Christmas my grandpa was rushed to the hospital because he stopped breathing. At that moment I thought I was going to lose my role model, my rock and my hero.

Yours Sincerely

Genevieve

Are We Ready?

The extension classes at Tamaki Intermediate made this movie "Are We Ready?" which is all about student voice. We had a lot of fun making this movie. Ideas for the movie were researched and also generated from the "ULearn Teachers' Conference' held recently at Christchurch. We acknowledge all presenters at the conference who presented teachers with ideas to teach digital learners of the 21st Century. Manaiakalani is all about this. We are putting into practice what we are learning. Enjoy watching the movie.

Kitione expressing his love of Music and Dance

Music and Dance

Dance and Music has changed over time
It sometimes comes on Prime
Music is a sound
You can hear it all round
It sounds sweet
Like when birds tweet.

I like to listen to music
When it doesn’t sound like a broken record
Music is nice to listen to
Dancing is great to do
Michael Jackson is the best
He is better than the rest
And he has finally been laid to rest.

By Kitione Tamale

Hi everyone here is Eparama's explanation writing on cooking methods and utensils

Cooking utensils are used to cook food. People still use old fashion cooking utensils today. However, some appliances such as the egg beater were not electric until the 1885.

Ovens are also cooking utensils however ovens in the past was not so flash. Some cultures used the earth to make food. Just like my culture we call it the LOVO.

Some people are returning to the appliances and utensils of years ago. These had been accumulated for use and decorative purposes. But some collectors now are actually using them instead of those they can acquire in modern stores.

These might date from 10 or 20 years ago, or they could go back to the mid-1950s or earlier. Those collected for decorative effect often were used even earlier than that.

Through the years cooking utensils had been modified for improvement.