Piñata Day - A Traditional way to celebrate!

For the last two weeks, the JACKSON reading group have been learning about piñata, highly decorated containers made from papier mache, pottery or even cloth and filled up with lollies. Piñata have links in history to different parts of Europe as well as Latin American countries. In Mexico, piñata are traditionally made for birthday celebrations for children.

This week, Nahea, Rozaidah, Skye, AJ M, Ash, Filipe and William worked together to create two Easter Egg piñata.

STEP 1:  Cut or tear up strips of newspaper and use PVA glue to cover a balloon with a couple of layers to make the outside shell.

STEP 2: Listen/watch Skye and Nahea show you how they fill the piñata.

STEP 3: The last layer of the piñata is decorating it with crepe paper to make it bright and colourful!

Check out Rozaidah's blog to get her instructions on how to make your own piñata.

Finally, we got to have some real fun. Ms. Tapuke tied one end of the piñata to a piece of string and hung it up on a pole outside Room 2. 

Everyone had the chance to try their piñata skills!

    a)  First they had to wear a blindfold, next

    b) they were given a stick and then they were

    c) turned around a few times and afterwards had try to hit the piñata. 

The best job was holding the string tied to the piñata - by pulling the string up and down, you could have fun making sure the person with the stick kept missing! 

Well there was lots of yelling and excitement as we watch everyone trying really hard to break the piñata  - it's not as easy as it looks!  Some of the boys gave it a good crack and at one point, the stick went flying over the carpark at one point!

In the end, we took turns smashing up the piñata after each one fell on ground and when they were opened up, we shared out the chocolates.

What traditions do you and your family follow to mark special occasions like a birthday?

Blog of the Week: PISIRINA - Revew - SOMETHING ALIVE by Jem Yoshioka

The Waititi reading group read the story, Something Alive this week. It lead to a lively discussion around the issues of being bi-racial and the importance of knowing your culture and doing your best to keep it alive. Read Pisirina's thoughtful review of the text.

Title: Something Alive      

Author: Jem Yoshioka     Genre: Fiction - Based on real story

Summary of book: It is about this girl and her unknown heritage. When I say ‘unknown heritage’, I mean she doesn’t know much about her Japanese side. She gets comments and question that questions her identity and she can’t answer any of them because she doesn’t know enough about her japanese culture. She doesn’t fit in the crowd with her controversial appearance. She then is encouraged by her Grandmother to learn more about her heritage because there is something alive in her that is starting growing.

My thoughts: I liked this book because it shows the point of view of a person who struggles from everyone’s comments on she really is and how she looks. I can somehow relate to this, because at first impression most people think I’m tongan from the way I look. I might look tongan but just because I look tongan it doesn’t mean I’m tongan. I think that’s how I can connect with this character with some experience.

Recommendations :  I personally would recommend this to those in the age group from 9 years to 13 years of age because I think it would be good to read this at the age of 9 so that if this ever happens to you then you can have an idea on what to do and you can just carry on as normal. It is also good to help you develop a good skill which is being empathetic and it is easy to read because it is a comic book.

I’ve learnt … : I learnt that we should be respectful of each other not just by actions but verbally. We never know if just a small question like ‘Where are you from’ can be harsh for the person you are asking. I think if we just think before we talk then there will be less hate comments on others and it will bring peace to the world!

Tongan Language Week - Fakakoloa Aotearoa ‘Aki ‘Ae Nofo 'Ae Kainga’ — Enriching Aotearoa with our Family Values. 3 - 9 September, 2017

Mālō e lelei!  Tongan Language Week / Uike Kātoanga’i ‘o e Lea Faka-Tonga is being held from 3 to 9 September 2017. The theme of the week is ‘Fakakoloa Aotearoa ‘Aki ‘Ae Nofo 'Ae Kainga’  — Enriching Aotearoa with our Family Values.

Here is a blog post from Bradley who performed on Friday at the full school assembly to celebrate Tongan Language week.

Last week on  friday  it was Tongan lauguage week Girls & Boys perform I was in the Tongan groups along with my Firend’s Andrew & Taani. We practice Monday to Thrusday We had last practises about we got on stage. I was Pretty Scare I was at the front. The girls we on first then we came we did the Tongan Haka people were cheers after that we got our sticks and did the dance after that we were done. I like Tongan Language week because it my culter. Later Tongan people had a Share Lunch we had Hot Chips Pizza Drinks.

Visual Mihi - DLO Project - Term 1

Nau mai, haere mai!

The first DLO project for every student in Team 5 in 2017 was to create their own visual mihi. Each student had to design a graphic that included a picture of themselves and four images that represented things that had personal meaning or importance to them. Check out the visual mihi created by Bradley, Angelica, Benioni, Aretafaye, Angel and Sheales.

What do they have in common? What items are different? What images would you include in your own visual mihi?

Feel free to visit their blogs (click on the name links above) and leave a comment.