Making a Geodesic Dome for geometry, and it is proving to be a challenge.

My Green T.Shirt

My Green T. Shirt

My t. shirt is a collection of holes. It’s green and comfy and breezy. It has a pattern like a faded carving, and a neck hole that’s stretched from 10,000 wearings.
It lives at the bottom of the third drawer, only coming out when it’s warm. It seems to be at odds with its neighbours, smothered by their fullness and cottony weight.
My t. shirt is a relic, a throwback to the past. It comes out when there is no-one to see or meet or be polite with. It mows the lawn, cuts the the hedge, fixes bikes.
When I wear it I am independent, scruffy, my own person. It is a disguise that I enjoy.

Justin Neal

Lilly-Mae Sings

Band Practise

Tom on vocals, sounding good!

The Reaction

Joy, pure joy!

Congratulations Dicer Chicks

Mahana School Dicer Chicks are the South Island Regional Champions! Well done Josie, Izzie, Harriet, and Safari. We are all very proud of you. It was just brilliant to be there with everyone to celebrate your achievement. You are the Champions! You can re-live the moment by visiting http://tvnz.co.nz/the-erin-simpson-show/s2011-e80-video-4296519

Mr Neal at 'Learning at School'

Hello from Rotorua. The air is foul, but the place is interesting. Hey well done on the swimming sports. I knew you'd do well. Legends! Right now I'm in a class learning about how to build communities using blogs. I think our blog is pretty good, although we should use movies on it more.
Here is a picture of what I can see right now.

Talk later, bye.

Special Mentions from Monday.

Miki - you used your ideas well in writing today.
Harriet - you really 'got it' during art.
Hannah F - fantastic images in your writing.
Liam - you got some good work done today.
Rebecca - you wrote well today.
Flora - you took pride in your work, well done.
Kaitlyn and Flora - wow, you got that maths game organised well.
Josh - you really settled to your work.
Philip - you are always so dependable.
Remus - it's great to see you writing with enthusiasm.
Georgia - I like it when you make the right choice.
Pako - you finished your work!
Luke - great, enthusiastic writing.
Briar - you are so mature and you take ideas and make things happen.
James - you can be counted on to get it done.
Maddy - it's good to see that you listened to instructions during art today.

Well done chaps!

Special Mentions from Thursday.

Well done to...

Pako - you are so focused!
Flora - you get to work so quickly!
Kaitlyn - you want to get on with your work!
Indigo - for realising that it's time to get working!
James - mentioned in class three times!, you take care of how your work looks.
Liam - trying something different and getting on with it!
Keegan - wanting to finish work, and trying hard!
Jack - for taking pride in your work!
Taylor - for having an idea and getting on with it!
Rebecca - for being focused and sensible!
Josh - for being helpful when you pack up!

Well done chaps.

Phil Goff Visits Mahana

Phil Goff, leader of the opposition and Damien O'Connor visited Mahana School on Thursday. We had our questions ready, such as "Why isn't public education free?"

BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

Fossil Hunters!

Here we are hunting out monotis richmondiana.
BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.

Should Matariki become a holiday?

Plus
Its like Christmas, so why not have days off?
The stars are special, if you want to see them you need a day off?
It's important, it's not random.
It's a tradition.
It's a family time to have with families.
If the English get to celebrate new year, so can Maori.
It's a special day for New Zealand.
Other countries have more holidays, we need to catch up.

Minus
It might make people get drunk and behave badly, like New Years.
It effects business.
People won't get paid that day.

Interesting
Why doesn't John Key want a holiday?
National may not be worried about it.
How many of our public holidays are Maori holidays?

Student Feedback on each other!

Well done to these people for doing these things. (Noted by the kids)

Taylor - waiting patiently
Luke - working fast
Miki - working well
Keegan - sitting quietly
Hannah F - neat work
Philip - working well
Hannah B - sitting nicely and not talking
Maddy - great drawing
Chantal - great listening
Crissie - not talking when it's not time to talk
Taylor - using the respect rule
Remus - being ready to listen
Flora - doing things right away
Indigo - getting stuck into his work
Safari - getting on with her work positively
Taylor - great ideas
Georgia and Kaitlyn - doing a great job setting up junior games
Hannah B - being so calm
Maddy - great ideas
Liam - using his manners
Keegan - good reading
Hannah F - getting stuck in
Harriet - working well
Briar - working well
Josh - getting stuck into his work
Flora - working hard
Chantal - using the respect rule
Hannah B - getting organised
Harriet - getting stuck in
Liam - reading well
Indigo - good recycling ideas
Remus - cleaning up
Flora - using the respect rule
Hannah B - being on task
Liam - reading sensibly
Safari - offering great ideas
Crissie - working fast and neat
Harriet - doing her work without talking
Pako - answering loads of questions
Josh - gets stuck into his work, puts his head down and gets to work
Briar - thinking outside the square
Chantal - sitting quietly
Miki - doing what she's meant to be doing

Well done!

Class Comments from Mr Neal

These comments are feedback from Friday. Our goal was to have a positive day, and these things helped to make it positive.

Josh - getting on with his work quickly.
Flora - what a great friend.
Indigo - always ready on time.
Kaitlyn - she uses her imagination to well when completing her work.
Safari - she's always able to go from one thing to another without a fuss and she always listens to instructions.
Miki - she pays attention during changeovers and organised her group so well.
Chantal - really gets into her work with enthusiasm.
Briar - she has a great attitude towards the environment.
Hannah B - uses great drawing to represent a story, and what a great listener.
Harriet - what a positive attitude.
Luke - keeping focussed during distacting times.
Liam - using manners after lunch time swim.
Georgia - what lovely manners!
Philip - always so positive!
Jack - trying hard and starting work so well.
Remus - being attentive and listening.
Rebecca - stopping and looking at the right time in class.
Pako - using common sense when finding out about flippa ball.
Hannah F - being a great worker with skills in drawing.
James - what awesome cartoon skills.
Keegan - listening to instructions without being reminded after lunch.
Crissie - what a responsible and sensible person and key monitor.

Well done class.

Whenua Iti Fun

We had a great time, except the snoring.