Middle School
Week 5
Here are the Middle School learning activities for Week 4, Term 4. There is a Reading, Maths, Language, and Topic task each day.
Your child’s teacher will have emailed you to direct you towards which reading and maths group your child is in. Just click on your child’s group for their online reading and maths activities.
With our classroom meetings, your teacher may ask you to bring something that you’ve been doing during home learning to share with the class. Or, you could always take a photo of your work and email it to your teacher. We look forward to hearing about the work you’ve been doing while at home.
Special addition this week: Writing with Murray Gadd
Watch this writing lesson with Murray Gadd and give the activities a go.
A couple of other places you can explore during your home learning time are:
Home Learning TV channels
MOTAT Youtube Channel and extra activities from MOTAT
Some websites that can help support the science and STEM learning your child has been doing at school are below:
STEM Challenges (on our school website)
Lockdown Fitness! Click here for fun ways to mix up your walking!
Middle School Home Based Learning
Government learning from home website - https://learningfromhome.govt.nz/resources
As well as daily activities, here are some websites that you might like to have a look at.
monday 8th november
reading
writing
The Treehouse
Would you like a secret hide out, away from everyone? A quiet place that you can go and read or somewhere you can play with your friends.
Your task is to design the coolest treehouse that you have ever seen!
Remember to include all the details of what it is going to look like.
Where are you going to build it?
Who will be allowed into your treehouse?
Do you have a special name for it?
Are there any special features that your treehouse has?
After you’ve designed it, draw a picture of what your treehouse looks like.
maths
topic - diwali (social sciences)
What is Diwali?
Diwali is a very important holiday in India.
Diwali is a Hindu ‘festival of lights’ to celebrate the New Year.
The word Diwali means ‘row of lighted lamps’.
Diwali usually honours the Hindu goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.
Lamps are lit to help Lakshi find her way to people’s homes.
The story of Rama and Sita is also celebrated in some parts of India.
The festival celebrates the victory of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.
Celebrating Diwali
Diwali is a time for celebrating the triumph of good over evil.
People celebrate in different ways such as:
Spring cleaning their home for the new year
Wearing new clothing
Giving gifts
Having special meals with friends and family
Having fireworks displays
Lighting candles and lanterns
Decorating with Rangoli patterns
Task: How do you or your family celebrate special events?
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EXTRA: Complete the word search when you are done
tuesday 9th november
reading
writing
The Giant
For a thousand years, he had been sleeping.
But suddenly…..The ground begins to shake....
A monstrous hand belonging to a gigantic giant starts to emerge from the ground.
The giant is awake!!!!
Imagine what the giant might look like.
What does the giant do?
Is he friendly or is he mean?
Describe him in detail and then draw a picture of him.
maths
topic - diwali (social sciences/visual art)
Mehndi
Mehndi is a form of body art. Patterns are drawn on the hands or legs using a paste made of dried henna. Mehndi is often used during Diwali to represent good luck and happiness.
Here are some examples of some mehndi designs.
Task: Use the hand template, or trace around your own hand, to create your own Mehndi design
wednesday 10th november
reading
writing
The Bright Light
The large room was cold and damp. Breathing in deeply, he stared up at the bright light, which looked close, but he knew it was far away.
With steady fingers, he adjusted the special backpack on his shoulders. He had to reach the light soon.
He hit the power button on the backpack and felt his feet leave the ground.
Write about what happens next.
Think about these things when you are writing your story:
What is the light?
Who is the character in the picture?
Where is he?
What will happen when he reaches the light?
maths
topic - diwali (social sciences/visual art)
Rangoli
Rangoli is a type of art that started in India.
A rangoli design is made up of beautiful coloured patterns.
The designs are often very detailed.
Rangoli designs are made during festivals and celebrations, including during Diwali.
Rangoli designs are thought to bring good luck. People often create them at the entrance to their homes.
Each design is different, and designs are often passed down through generations.
Rangoli can be made with different coloured materials, including powdered paint, chalk, rice or flowers.
Here are some examples of rangoli patterns.
Task: Complete the rangoli pattern, making sure that it is symmetrical. When you’re done you can colour it in then use the dotted square to design your own rangoli pattern.
Create your own design below
EXTRA: Use chalk, or something similar, to complete a rangoli pattern on the concrete outside your house.
thursday 11th november
reading
writing
The Dare
“Go on, Harry, I dare you!” shouted Ray, with a grin across his face. “ Go on, Harry, rub the magic coin!”
“Ha! Don’t be silly! There’s no way that rubbing a stupid old coin will make me shrink!” Harry laughed, as he picked up the coin and started rubbing it harder and harder. “You see! Nothing!” he announced, pointing at his friend.
Later that evening, the dare was long forgotten, forgotten until midnight when everything changed….
Can you write about what will happen after midnight?
Does Harry shrink?
What did he do?
What adventures did he go on?
Did he enjoy being small or did he want to go back to his normal self?
Does he stay small or does he do something to make him normal again?
maths
topic - diwali (visual arts/crafts)
Lantern Making
As Diwali is the festival of light, lanterns are a common thing around this celebration.
Task: Print this template, or make your own, to create a lantern to hang in your room to celebrate Diwali.
Here are the instructions on how to make your lantern using the template:
Cut off one end of the paper. Set aside to use as the handle.
Decorate the sheet using coloured pencils, pens, paint, or glitter, and whatever patterns you would like.
Fold your paper in half lengthwise along the dashed line.
Cut the marked lines along the sheet. (Do not cut to the edge of the paper).
Unfold the paper.
Match the long edges together on the lantern and use tape to hold it in place.
Staple (or tape) the handle to the top of the lantern.
friday 12th november
reading
writing
Magic Dragon
Imagine that you found a really small dragon which you can keep in your pocket, but when you need to, it can grow huge so that you can ride it.
Think about these things when writing your story:
Where is it from?
Why is it so small?
Are there more like him?
Where does he live?
How will you look after it?
Will you keep it a secret or tell someone?
What is it called?
Is it magic? What magic can it do?
maths
topic - diwali (food technology/writing)
Task: Choose one of the following activities to complete today:
Choice One: Make Coconut Squares
Making sweets and other food is one way that people celebrate Diwali. Follow this recipe to make coconut squares.
Method
In the bowl, mix the condensed milk and icing sugar together. The mixture will start to get very stiff but keep going until it is completely combined.
Add the coconut into the mixture. Use your hands to really blend the mixture together.
Split the mix into two equal halves. Put one half to one side and keep one half in the bowl.
Add two drops of pink food colouring to the half of the mixture in the bowl. Work this into the mixture (put on gloves or use a spoon to avoid staining your hands).
Put a little icing sugar in the sieve and dust your chopping board. This stops the mixture sticking.
Roll the half of the mixture without the food colouring into a smooth rectangle. Put this to one side and repeat with the pink half.
Place the half of the mixture without the food colouring on top of the pink half. Then roll the two mixtures together until you have a rectangle of two-tone coconut icing, about 3cm thick.
Leave the mixture uncovered for at least 3 hours to set. If you have time, leave the mixture overnight.
Once set, cut the rectangle into bite sized squares. Serve and enjoy!
Choice Two:
Complete an acrostic poem based on what you have learnt about Diwali this week.
