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!

Blog of the Week: HOPE - Favourite Anime Characters

Check out Hope's mathematical thinking this week as she and her group read a bar graph and together try to figure out the answers to questions like "Which is the most popular anime character".

Self-Portraits using Micrography - Ko Wai Au? Who Am I?

Kia ora koutou!

Room 2's movie today for PENN, our school's TV news, was inspired by our inquiry learning topic. In Team 5 this term, the theme is Ko Wai Au? Who Am I? 

We each created self-portraits using a special style of graphic art called micrography. The word can be broken down into two parts: micro = small and graphy = letters.

Our teacher took our photo and printed them out onto  A3 sheets of paper. First, we traced the outline of our head, hair and face in pencil and then we replaced all of the lines with words and sentences about ourselves.

Take a look at our art work in this movie and see if you can spot:

a) which student walks to school?

b) which student loves reading and maths?

c) which student likes telling funny jokes all the time?

d) which student's favourite colour is yellow?
e) which student loves to dance?

Blog of the Week: MAMAREI - Polyfest 2019

Have you ever been to Polyfest?? Well, On the 13th of March our whole

of team 5 got a chance to go to Polyfest.

Polyfest is a Pacific event held in Manukau, near A.U.T (Auckland University
Technology).

Polyfest is a place for kids to show other people who they are,
where they came from and what their heritage is.

For Polyfest a whole bunch of other schools were invited to this amazing event.

We had to pay $10 for the bus and for us to get in. We were
put in groups with parent helpers and teachers.

My mum and one of my aunts were one of the helpers. Me, my two older cousins,

my niece and my niece's friend were in a group together with my mum.