Yay, now I have delicious rock candy as a special treat!

Rock candy

What you need:

• 1 cup water
• 2 ½ cups sugar
• Food coloring
• Flavor oil
• Sauce pan
• Tall narrow glass jar
• Clothes pin
• Short skewers (about 6 cm)

Method:

1. Wet the skewer and then coat it with sugar.  These will be the seed crystals for growing the bigger sugar crystals. Leave it to dry for a while.
2. While the sugar is still drying, place the water in your saucepan and turn it on to medium heat.
3. Slowly add in bits of sugar and keep stirring it until all the sugar has dissolved.
4. When it starts to boil, take the pan off the heat. The sugar has now turned into a syrup and it is ready when it is thick.
5. Add in the food colouring of your choice. If you are using regular food colouring, add 40 drops to make the colour look good in the crystals.
6. Pour the syrup into the jar and let it cool in room temperature. It will take an hour or more so keep a close eye on it. If you do not have time to let it cool, and put the skewer in the jar straight away for the sugar to dissolve.
7. When the syrup has cooled down, put the skewer into the jar. Clip a clothespin on the end of the skewer and put the sugar covered end into the syrup.
8. Let the sugar crystal form over a week.
9. Seven days later, pull the skewer from the jar and it should be covered in solid crystals.

Now, you have yummy rock candy as a special treat!

Learning Intention: We are learning to follow the correct structure of a procedure.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I write down the tools and the steps for making sugar crystals.

That dog is enormous!

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand about shades of meaning.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain the size of a dog using different shades of meaning.

I wonder what would happen if chocolate chip cookies were healthy for us?

Learning Intention: We are learning to develop critical thinking skills using Thinkers Keys.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I use the Different uses Key to explain 5 different uses for an empty family sized cookie packet.

Follow these instructions carefully to get to my school!

1. Start at my house and turn right onto Rowan St. 

2. Keep driving south on Rowan St, then drive around the roundabout and onto Tropical Rd.

3.  Keep driving on Tropical Rd and turn right onto King and Queen St. 

 4. You have arrived at my school! 

Learning intention: We are learning to follow the structure of a procedure. 

Success criteria: I know I can do this when I write down four directions from my house to my school. 

Do you know the difference between adverbial phrases and adverbs?

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand about adverbial phrases.  
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain the difference between adverbs and adverbial phrases. 

Do you know the answer to 3 x 5 + 3 x 2?

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand about expanding numbers. 

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain what a package is in expanding number equations. 

He is a funny uncle!

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand opinion adjectives. 
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain that opinion adjectives offer an opnion of something or someone. 

Are you confident like Muhammad Ali?

Learning intention: We are learning to develop the understanding of that text that we read.
Success criteria: I know I can do this when I correctly answer the comprehension questions about Muhammad Ali. 

Have you been to Martha's backyard?

On Saturday, my family decided to go to my brother's game at Sacred Heart College then went shopping at the Harvey Norman Centre, Mt. Wellington. I was so keen to watch my brother's game and also very excited to go shopping.  It's going be a day full of fun!

When we arrived at Sacred Heart College, we found a parking that was close to the field where my brother was playing on. We brought folding chairs for us to sit on while watching my brother play his game. When we got to the field, we realised that the game had already started so we quickly put out our chairs and watched my brother's game.

After a while, my other brother, my sister and I decided to play passes with the rugby ball on the side of the field. We passed the ball quickly to each other. The ball kept slipping out of my hands because it was wet and slippery! Next we ran around the other field that was empty. My brother was sprinting and I couldn't catch up with him because I was already exhausted!

Then we went back to watching my brother's rugby game. My brother's team was getting a lot of tries and it was so cool watching my brother work so hard as a rugby team player. Finally the game had finished and my brother's team won, 36 - 14! We were all so proud of him because his team also won in the previous rugby game.

After the game, we all felt hungry so we went to Mcdonald's to eat soft serve ice cream cones with chocolate flakes. The ice cream was vanilla-flavoured and it was so cold and refreshing. The cone was crunchy and so was the chocolate flake. They were only a dollar each! I was savouring the delicious flavour of my ice cream when suddenly my older brother tried to snatch it off me. I got very annoyed!  

Later on, we proceeded to the Harvey Norman shopping centre in Mt. Wellington that was right next to Mc Donald's. We went to Rebel Sport to get some clothes for my older brother. He got Adidas shorts and Nike shirts. He bought two, one for him and one for my other brother. It was so nice of him to give my other brother a t-shirt and a pair of Adidas shorts.

Next, we went to Martha's Backyard to buy some snacks. Martha's Backyard is a shop that sells american products.  We bought Reese's pieces and Star burst lollies. The starburst lollies had different flavours like, pina colada, strawberry and kiwi. It was chewy and so sweet. The Reese's pieces were small peanut butter cups covered in chocolate. It was crunchy and delightful.

Eventually, we went home and I was knackered so I decided to take a nap on my comfy bed. I had so much fun spending time with my family and my favourite part was going to Martha's Backyard to buy some American treats.

Learning intention: We are learning to understand and use the language features of a recount.

Success criteria: I know I can do this when I use time words and maintain the past tense throughout my recount about my weekend with my family.

I would not want to swim in that foam!

Learning intention: We are learning to develop the understanding of our text.
Success criteria: I know I can do this when I correctly answer the comprehension questions about East Australia's massive storm that whipped into a foamy mess. 

Do you want to be an emergency worker?

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand the text that we  read. 

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain what a emergency worker does using the information from the book: Dangerous jobs. 

Breakfast is served!

What you will need:

• 2 slices of bread
• peanut butter
• jam

Tools:

• knife
• plate
• toaster

Method:

1. Put two slices of bread into the toaster. Make sure that the toast comes out toasted and crispy.
2. When the toast is ready, put them both on a plate.
3. With your knife, spread jam on one of the slices.
4. Then do the same on the other slice with peanut butter.
5. When the toast is both covered with your spreads, stick them together.
6. You can serve this with a cup of cold, refreshing milk or you can simply munch on it as it is!

Now you have a yummy sandwich for breakfast!

Learning Intention: We are learning to follow the structure of a procedure.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I write the steps for making a peanut butter and jam sandwich.

Meg is such a brave girl!

Learning intention: We are learning to write a description.
Success criteria: I know I can do this when I describe the main character Meg from a story called 'The great fire'.

Oh no! If there are no schools, we won't be able to get an education!

Learning intention: We are learning to develop critical thinking skills using Thinkers keys.
Success criteria: I know I can do this when I use the what if key to explain what it would be like without schools. 

Do you want dishes that are sparkling clean?

How to wash your dishes

What you will need:

- Dishwashing liquid

- Sink/tub

- Dirty dishes

- Brush or sponge

- Rubber gloves (optional)

Method:

1. First, put on your rubber gloves.
2. Then scrape off the food scraps. You can dump all the big food scraps into your compost bin or you can simply put it in the bin. This process will prevent your sink from clogging up.
3. Fill the sink with hot water and dish-washing liquid.
4. Clean your utensils first so that it can be cleaned with the cleanest water.
5. Next, wash other items that touch your mouth such as, glass cups and mugs.
6. Change your water regularly. This will help you clear away any germs and maintain a hygienic way of cleaning your dishes.  
7. Wash the pots and the pans last as they are bigger items to clean.
8. Dry your wet dishes with a clean and dry towel.
9. Check to make sure that your dishes are spotless and clean. You will know if the dishes are clean if there are no visible food spots or if it isn't greasy or oily.
10. Finally all your dishes look sparkling clean!

Learning intention: We are learning to follow the structure of a procedure.

Success criteria: I know I can do this when I write the title, the materials and the steps for washing dishes.

Have you heard of the lotus moon?

Learning Intention: We are learning to develop understanding of the text that we read.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I correctly answer the comprehension questions about the summer solstice correctly using information from the article.

I can't believe that my brother scored a try!

Sacred Heart College Rugby Game

It was a sunny and hot day when my family and I went to both of my brother's rugby games at Sacred Heart College. We went in my mum's big silver car and I was so excited to go to the rugby field.

Once we arrived at the school, it took us a while to find ourselves a parking spot. After that, we went searching for the field that my brothers were playing on. My brothers were both in different teams so my dad went to watch my older brother Joseph play at field 5, while my mum, sister and I watched my other brother Ben's game on field 3. His team was versing Green Bay College and they were from west Auckland, which is really far away from where the games were! We sat on folding chairs, while we were watching the game.

Eventually the game started, unfortunately my brother wasn't playing in the first half. All of us cheered for Sacred Heart and we were roaring as loud as lions. Sacred Heart gave it all and they were ahead of the other team.

When my brother was on the field, he ran up and down the field and we were all so proud of him because we knew he was trying his best. In the middle of the game, someone from Sacred Heart College had the ball and they were right next to the try line and all of a sudden he passed the rugby ball to my brother and he scored a brilliant try! We all screamed and jumped up for joy!

Not long after my brother scored a try, the game ended and Sacred Heart College won against Green Bay College, 100 - 0! It was really good for my brother's team because they had improved so much since the last games. When my dad and my other brother came back from their game, they told us that they had lost that game but my dad said that he played really well!

As we were driving home, we decided to stop at Carl's Jr. to have something to eat. We ate burgers and french fries. The burgers were scrumptious and the french fries were golden and very crispy! To quench our thirst, we drank coke in a cup with a long, red straw.

Finally, we went home. We cleaned up our house before we all took a rest. I felt so exhausted and so did the rest of my family. I enjoyed watching my brother's game and my favourite part was watching my brother score an incredible try! Maybe next time we can film the try or game on my dad's phone!

Learning intention: We are learning to understand and use language features in our recount.

Success criteria: I know I can do this when I use appropriate sequencing words and maintain the past tense throughout my recount.

Aww, those kittens are so cute!

Learning intention: We are learning to develop the understanding of our text.
Success criteria: I know I can do this when I answer the comprehension questions about music loving kittens correctly.

Aww, that mother goose really cares about her baby gosling!

Learning intention: We are learning to develop understanding of the text that we read.

Success criteria: I know I can do this when I answer comprehension questions about a smart mother goose who asked a police officer to help her free her baby gosling correctly using information from the article. 

Did you know that a horse cannot eat too much food at once because it has a small stomach?

Learning intention: We are learning to understand the text that we read. 

Success criteria: I know I can do this when I explain the habitat, the food and the babies of a horse using the information that I read in the book, The Horse. 

Do you want to know how to make a paper plane?

How to make a paper plane:

1. Start by folding the paper in half lengthwise and then open it out.
2. Fold the top left corner down to the centre crease.
3. Then do the same thing on the right corner.
4. Fold the angled edge into the centre.
5. Next, fold the centre line and it should hide all of the other folds inside.
6. After that, fold down the two top flaps for the wings of the airplane.
7. Finally, you now have a paper plane, to show off!

Learning intention: We are learning to write a procedure.

Success criteria: I know I can do this when I write the steps fir making a paper plane.

Thank you mum for the delicious kebabs!

Dunkirk field

It was a bright sunny, afternoon when my siblings and my mum decided to go to the Dunkirk field to build up our fitness. We all rushed around the house getting our sports gear organised.  We travelled in my mum's big, silver Toyota Land Cruiser to go the field and I was extremely pumped and ready for our run.

When we arrived at the field, my siblings and I decided to do some warm-ups to stretch out our muscles so that we were not sore afterwards. I stretched my arms, legs and neck for about ten minutes before I ran the field.

I decided to jog the whole rugby field five times without stopping while my brothers sprinted around the field. I jogged slowly at first so that I could sustain my energy for longer, but after the third lap I started sprinting. The grass was so slippery that I had butterflies in my stomach because I had to be careful not to slip and fall.

Finally, when I had finished jogging around the field five times, I went to my mum in the car and she told me to sprint the whole field again. I said, "Yes!" and did what she told me to do. My sister decided to run with me and when we were running, I couldn't catch up with her because she was running as fast as a jaguar. We all ended up finishing our runs at the same time so we went back to the car together.

When we got home, we were all so exhausted. We refuelled our bodies with my mum's delicious kebabs and vegetable samosas. The food was delightful and we had orange juice to quench our thirst.

I had so much fun on the field and my favourite part was running around the field because I was building up my fitness.

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand and use descriptive language.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I use similes and metaphors to describe my day at the Dunkirk field.

Did you know that the common factors of 12 and 30 are 1, 2, 3 and 6?

Learning intention: We are learning to understand common factors.
Success criteria: I know I can do this when I write down the common factors of 12 and 30.

Wow, she ran as fast as a jaguar!

Learning intention: We are learning to understand descriptive language.
Success criteria: I know I can do this when I explain what a simile is and give 3 examples of it.

Have you seen Spot?

Learning intention: We are learning to develop critical thinking skills using Thinkers Keys.

Success criteria: I know I can do this when I use the Picture key, Inventions key and the Disadvantages Keys to list 4 disadvantages of having a compost bin.