Year 8 News

By Lisa Dixon | Posted: Thursday June 16, 2016
Berwick Camps, Rocket Launching, NZ Music Month, Science and Technology Fair Inquiries.... Term Three is in full swing in our Year 8 classes!

Over the last four weeks the last of our Year 8 classes have been to Berwick for their fun filled outdoor adventure week.  This is always a highlight of the school year as students take part in a huge variety of outdoor pursuits. Many students face and meet personal challenges as they overcome their fear of heights, the dark, biking or water as they kayak abseil, complete the confidence course,  play operation overland, or eat Huhu grubs as part of Berwick Fear factor. The way our class culture is enhanced by sharing these experiences and the support, encouragement and teamwork displayed by our students throughout this week is a highlight and one of the most rewarding outcomes as a teacher to see. This week cannot go ahead without the assistance of our camp parents - thank you so much to those who have helped out throughout this year at our Year 8 camps.

Over the next few weeks students will be completing their final testing and investigating, making or creating, for our school Science and Technology Fair which is on in Week 10. It is always a busy finish to the term to complete these inquires and we look forward to the sharing and celebration of their learning journey in science when they present to their class and share their work at the parents nights.  In class running alongside our science Inquiries the Year 8 classes have been focusing on Flight. This has seen classes exploring things that fly such as boomerangs, kites, paper planes and water rockets as they design, plan , test and investigate the science behind flight. In Week Ten we plan to have a 'Fly Off" where students from each class will enter to compete against other classes with their final tested designs - for example making water rockets to fly over the rugby goal post, the highest rocket, the paper plane that has the longest air time, the plan that can fly the furthest! 

Throughout May and the start of June our Year 8 Assembly programme has focused on NZ Music month. Each week Mr Herden and Mr Martin have prepared a Quiz on each decade, a golden moment in NZ music history and singing of NZ songs to celebrate.  These have been fun and informative with two students representing each class in the quiz. Final results were very close but well done to Room 24 who took out first place at the end of the six weeks!

It has been another busy term with many events and activities for our students to get involved in. It is important students look after their health and well being in these winter months and work hard to finish the Term well by  making good decisions, showing respect and kindness to others and displaying perseverance both in and outside of the classroom. 


Lisa Dixon

On Behalf of the Year 8 Teachers.


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