11 Aug
General Notices
Kia ora Koutou,
This fortnight we have focussed on our external entries for the coming exams in Term 4. Please continue to encourage your akonga to continue reaching out if they have any questions about their entries and credits to date. Level 1 Numeracy pilot co-requisite results are also due for release by NZQA on Monday the 14th August.
This week our students have raised funds for a trip by making delicious hot chips- Good work reflection team!
Our akonga and Kaiako have also been very creative this week, and have started to learn how to use our new laser cutter. This will certainly be an asset to the school and already been utilised by Kawakawa micro economy and Tawari akonga in BCATS and Digital.
Have a good weekend.
Ngā mihi nui
Katy Cottrell
Careers – Zena Kavas
The L3 ākonga looking at going to university next year are applying for scholarships and starting to apply for places in the halls of residences. We have a number of ākonga booked on various short courses including nursing, baking, screen production and early childhood education. Please make sure that you check in with your subject teachers and catch up with any work that you miss, and let the office know the days that you are out of school.
Level One Subjects
Art – Craig Bluett
The students have been working well and a number of them have started larger work for Board 2 which is showing a real understanding of their chosen subject and theme . Just a reminder could all students bring all their work next Tuesday so a progress grade can be allocated for their achievement standards thankyou Level 1 keep up the good work.
BCATS – Kieron Harding
The library chairs are coming along well, some have finished and paint is being applied, next project is a jigsaw puzzle bread board. Then we will attempt concreting of some sort.
Big History – Rose Langridge, Stuart Mason and Zena Kavas
Students have continued with ideas about the rise of agriculture from the Big History course. The main science focus has been on chemistry, with topics on atoms, ions and metals. An internal standard on the uses of metals in society has been offered, which is due on 4 September for those students electing to do it. Rose has presented material on the wider uses of different metals in society, for example the use of toxic lead compounds in historical cosmetic products, and the problems of lead in house paints. Students have prepared a salt from an acid-base reaction in the lab; the same reaction is used to produce fertilisers, a key link back to the theme of agriculture. The material on atoms, ions, acids and bases for the Level 1 chemistry external exam has some parallels in a Level 2 chemistry external exam and it has been proposed to students that some might choose to work on preparing to sit that Level 2 paper this year.
Digi Tech – Michael Draper
The level 1 digi-technologists are now starting work on their development projects. This involves learning technical skills and sound development processes, and applying these to create a working software or electronics solution. This is a major block of work (total of 12 credits) that spans term 3 for assessment early in term 4.
Drama – Lottie Butcher
The level 1 students have begun to dig deep into their devised piece for 1.2, there has been some excellent collaboration skills and they are incorporating a range of drama techniques and strategies. This piece is due to be performed and recorded at the start of Term 4.
Mandarin – Lisa Chin
The level 1 students are continuing the learning for 1.3 Interacting in the community. We will spend all term learning this content. This assessment will be due for recording in November. They are currently learning about how to make a purchase in a Chinese shop. Some students have started working on their first piece for 1.3, while the rest remain working on their second piece of writing 1.5.
Maths – David Starshaw
The level 1 maths students are continuing the learning for 1.3 Tables, Equations, and Graphs which is assessed as an exam at the end of the year. We will spend all term learning this content. They are currently learning about linear relationships.
Music – Michael Stebbings
Having handed in the final drafts of their first compositions, Level 1 Music students are now moving on to their second compositions for MUS1.3. In addition, across this term, they should be preparing for their second performance for MUS1.1, which will be in Week 10, and their ensemble performance for MUS1.2, which will be during the same lesson.
Physical Education – Lockie Bennett
The level 1 PE students are studying a technique used in a chosen sport or activity. They will use this knowledge for the internal assessment due this term. Practical sessions will be used to practically explore these techniques.
Level Two Subjects
Art – Craig Bluett
I am very pleased that the students have been working well and a number of them have started larger work for Board 2 which is showing a real understanding of their chosen subject and theme . Just a reminder could all students bring all their work next Tuesday so a progress grade can be allocated for their achievement standards thankyou Level 2 keep up the good work.
BCATS – Kieron Harding
The chair Mali was making is finished and looking really good, has started the guitar body.
Biology – Zena Kavas
The L2 biologists are taking a short break from the learning for the external Gene Expression and are carrying out their experiment for the internal practical assessment. They have enjoyed cutting up liver to investigate the conditions in which enzymes work best, and will spend the next week writing up their results. This is their last internal assessment, and the remainder of the year will be focussed on external preparation.
Chemistry – Stuart
Most of the Level 2 chemists have an internal assessment on reduction-oxidation chemistry on Friday 18 August, but the course material has moved on into the properties of molecules and energy changes, to be assessed in one of the two external papers in November. They will be expected to show that they can draw a Lewis structure for an example such as the water molecule, then use that to predict the bent shape of the water molecule and the fact that water molecules are polar, with all the interesting properties that result.
Digi Tech – Michael Draper
Our level 2 Digitech student, William, has been working hard on his cybersecurity, systems and networking skills. William has built and installed a standalone server with its own separate network. He is now doing the systems operations work to update all its BIOS, operating system and network software. Once this is complete, he will use this server as a standalone cybersecurity environment for his cybersecurity training.
Humanities – Rose Langridge
The class has moved on from the IRA and they are now looking at how a group can be seen as freedom fighters from without and terrorists from within a country. The example that we are looking at is the Arab Spring in 2011. We will then look at the causes and effects of these events on the world. We will then look at a completely fictional piece focusing on disruption and corruption.
Mandarin – Lisa Chin
We have just finished our recording for 2.2 speech standard. The level 2 students are continuing the learning for 2.5 Writing portfolio. Upcoming students will be working on their writing assessment piece one. This assessment will be due for marking in November. They are currently learning about the activities that a foreigner could possibly do in Wellington.
Maths – Michael Draper
The level 2 Maths (algebra and calculus) ākonga have received their grades for the Trigonometry internal assessment which they all did very well in. They have also had a practice run at the Systems of Equations (2cr) internal assessment. This was run under exam conditions so their results can be used as their final grade for this standard if required. Those who want can do the final version of this assessment later in the term. The rest of the term they are completing the learning for Algebra and learning Calculus, both of which are assessed in the end of year exams.
Music – Michael Stebbings
Having handed in the final drafts of their first compositions, Level 2 Music students are now moving on to their second compositions for MUS2.4. In addition, across this term, they should be preparing for their second performance for MUS2.1, which will be in Week 10, and their ensemble performance for MUS2.3.
Physical Education – Lockie Bennett
The level 2 PE students are studying a method of training which they will use for the internal assessments due this term. Practical sessions will be used to practically explore these methods of training.
Physics – Michael Draper
The level 2 physicists are continuing their work on Mechanics and Electricity/Magnetism. The learning and work for these is interleaved throughout this and next term. These topics are assessed in the end of year physics exam. From the end of term 3 the L2 physicists will do revision and exam practice in preparation for that exam.
Psychology – Zena Kavas
The psychology class has been looking at some of the different fields of psychology, and how different theories are applied within the fields. We looked at Industrial and Organisational Psychology, and applied this to how we can make our Tāwari kitchen work more efficiently. This is a work in progress. The L2 ākonga are researching 2 different fields of psychology and writing about a different theory in each field. There are no external assessments for psychology at level 2.
Statistics – David Starshaw
The level 2 statistics students are continuing the learning for 2.12 Probability which is assessed as an exam at the end of the year. We will spend all term learning this content. They are currently learning about normal distributions.
Level Three Subjects
Biology – Zena Kavas
The L3 biologists visited Wellington Zoo on 9th August for their Primate Evolution workshop, as part of our Human Evolution unit of work. We enjoyed their wonderful resources and learned lots from observing some actual primates.
Chemistry – Stuart
The Level 3 chemists are finishing their study of enthalpy and entropy and are beginning a new section of learning on chemical equilibrium in aqueous solutions. This will involve them applying principles of chemical equilibrium to the solubility of salts in water and to calculating pHs of acidic and basic solutions with several applications of those concepts. There is no more internal assessment being offered to the whole class, although if any student had time they could consider doing some research for a 3 credit internal in which they demonstrate the application of their Level 3 chemistry knowledge to a modern chemical technology.
English – Rose Langridge
The class continues to work on the connection standards. We have writing happening on: love poems, family feuds and government oppression.
History – Rose Langridge
We have finished looking at The Wars of the Roses and have moved on from here to focus on the victor Henry Tudor, known more formally as Henry the VII. Though it is probably more accurate to say that we are looking at his girl problems AND the impact of his decisions and the fallout of this in England and Europe.
Maths – David Starshaw
The level 3 maths students are continuing the learning for 3.7 Integration which is assessed as an exam at the end of the year, along with 3.6 Differentiation. We will spend all term learning this content. They are currently learning how to integrate exponential functions and rational expressions.
Physical Education – Lockie Bennett
Level 3 students continue with looking at the Women’s World cup and the economic and sporting effect it will have on New Zealand. They are also completing a work booklet based on lifelong well being – this will need to be completed in the next two weeks.
Physics – Michael Draper
The level 3 physicists are continuing their work on Mechanical Systems, Electrical Systems and Waves. These three topics are assessed in the end of year physics exam. They have completed the core learning for Mechanics and Electrical Systems and will be completing the learning for Waves in the next few weeks. They are currently working on revision, addressing gaps and weaknesses, and practice exercises. From the end of term 3 they will focus on exam practice in preparation for the end-of year-exams.
Psychology – Zena Kavas
The psychology class has been looking at some of the different fields of psychology, and how different theories are applied within the fields. We looked at Industrial and Organisational Psychology, and applied this to how we can make our Tāwari kitchen work more efficiently. This is a work in progress. The L3 psychologists are starting to work on their final internal assessment, looking into a particular field of psychology and how two different theories within that field compare and interact. Some ākonga have enrolled in the external psychology assessment at the end of the year, and we will be discussing how they can integrate their knowledge from previous reports to confidently prepare for the external assessment.
Social Studies – Rose Langridge
The class is looking at leaders and how they have changed the world. We have looked at the Declaration of Human Rights and the class are tying these to the leaders they have chosen.
Statistics – David Starshaw
The level 3 statistics students are continuing the learning for 3.12 Statistical Reports which is assessed as an exam at the end of the year. We will spend all term preparing for this exam. They are currently learning about sampling error and non-sampling error.