Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Here are the Middle School learning activities for this week. There is a Reading, Maths, and Language task each day. You also have the option to choose one other task to complete which could be linked to topic, visual art, fitness, science or something else. These can be found in the table at the bottom.

Middle School Home Based Learning

Term 3, Week 5 (August 23rd - 27th)

Government learning from home website - https://learningfromhome.govt.nz/home

As well as daily activities, here are some websites that you might like to have a look at.

Ants

Observation and Exploration: Go outside and find two different insects. Draw label and write.

Picture Prompt

Number Cards Total Challenge

Choose 3 numbers that add together to make a total of 12. This can be done in 10 different ways. Can you find them all?

Choose 4 numbers with a total of 12. How many different ways can you do this?

Choose 5 numbers with a total of 12. How many different ways can you do this?

Troll’s Troubles

Dear Diary,

I love my house underneath the bridge in the valley but I get very grumpy when I hear grubbly, little goats trotting over it when I am trying to sleep. One morning, three goat brothers made a plan to cross over my bridge; they knew it would make me cross. One at a time, they bashed their hooves across the bridge. When I went outside to tell them to be quiet, the biggest goat pushed me with his horns and I fell off the bridge and into the river. I was furious! I think I’m going to move house.

Dave the Troll

Answer the following questions about the text above:

1. Why does the troll get grumpy when the goats cross the bridge?

2. Number these events 1-3 to show the order they happened in.

____ The troll decides to move house

____ The three goats made a plan

____ The biggest goat pushed the troll

3. Where does the goat live?

4. Find two adjectives in the text that mean the same as ‘angry’

Vocabulary study: grubby

5. Write a definition for grubby in your own words.

6. What are some words which have a similar meaning as grubby?

7. Write grubby in a sentence.

Draw a picture of grubby.

Animal for a Day

If you could be any animal for a day, which animal would you be?

Make sure you answer the following questions in your writing:

• Why would you be that animal?

• What would you do if you were that animal?

• Where would you live?

Use lots of descriptive words. Read your story to someone when you have finished.

Money

Use some coins from home, or the pictures above.

1. Choose three coins and add them together. E.g. 10c + 50c + 20c = 80c

2. You can use the coins as many times as you like. E.g 50c + 50c + 10c = $1.10

3. What is the most you can make?

4. What is the least you can make?

5. Record your totals and put them in order from smallest to biggest.

Don’t forget to use the correct symbols for dollars ($) and cents (c)

New Zealand Fur Seals

They live all around New Zealand but are mostly found in the South Island. They prefer rocky beaches. Tidal pools help them to keep cool.

Other types of seals don’t have ears on the outside of their heads but New Zealand fur seals do. Their back flippers face forward, which helps them move on land. Their nose is pointed, with long pale whiskers. They have two layers of fur. The outer layer traps bubbles which help to keep the inner layer dry.

New Zealand fur seals are also called Kekeno. They mostly eat fish, squid, octopus and krill. They can dive deeper and longer than any other seal. Adults can bark and growl. Each mother can recognise the sound of her pup.

Answer the following questions about the text above:

1. What sort of land areas do New Zealand fur seals prefer?

1. Sandy beaches

2. Cliff faces

3. Close to shore

4. Rocky beaches

2. Find and copy the Maori name for New Zealand fur seals.

3. Can you name two foods that New Zealand seals eat?

4. Why do you think it’s useful for New Zealand seals to have two layers of fur?

Tidy Numbers

Here is an example of how to use tidy numbers to solve an addition problem with an unknown number in the middle of the equation:

18 + ▢ = 24

18 + 2 = 20

20 + 4 = 22

2 + 4 = 6

So 18 + 6 = 24

Use the tidy number strategy to solve these problems. You can pick the set that fits your ability best, or you could choose to have a go at all of them.

NOTE: Watch the videos online around tidy numbers to help you if you are unsure.

Read through these passages and answer the question below

The World’s Most Expensive Pizza

Would you like to eat the most expensive pizza in the world? The most expensive pizza in the world costs thousands of dollars. This pizza, which is made in Italy, takes 72 hours to make. It is topped with mozzarella, three types of caviar, lobster, and pink Australian sea-salt. When you order this pizza, three Italian chefs must come to your house to make it. For that price, it better taste amazing!

1. What is the main idea?

1. The most expensive pizza in the world tastes amazing!

2. The most expensive pizza in the world costs thousands of dollars.

3. It takes 72 hours to make the most expensive pizza in the world.

2. What toppings are on this pizza?

3. What toppings do you like on your pizza?

4. Draw a picture of what you think the world’s most expensive pizza might look like.

Paying with Food

Can you imagine paying for things you want using your food? Years ago, different foods were used as a form of money throughout the world. Salt was used in Ancient Rome and East Africa.. In fact, the word salary can be traced from the Latin word ‘salarium’, which referred to ‘money used to buy salt.’ In Italy, Parmesan cheese was able to be used to get a loan from the bank! The cocoa bean was the money of choice in different parts of Central America.

1. What is the main idea?

   1. The word salary can be traced back to Ancient Rome’s use of salt for money.

   2. Salt, parmesan cheese, and cocoa beans were used to buy things.

   3. Different foods were used as money years ago.

2. What sort of food was used to get a loan from the bank?

3. What sort of food do you think New Zealand could use as money? Why do you think that?

Diary Entry

Pretend you are someone (book character) or something around the house (fridge) and write about a day in the life of that character or object.

Remember to start with- Dear diary. I have given you an example below of how you could start it.

Dear diary,

This week has left me feeling anxious. I was just chilling as I do you know keeping the food cold and all but then I heard mum and dad talking about me! It wasn’t the good kind of talking either. Apparently I have a leak? Me a leak? I don’t think so. Anyway, no time to be defensive, they are talking about replacing me!

Some objects around the house could be:

• Table

• Carpet

• Kitchen sink

• Chair

Number of the Day

Today’s number: 12

Extra for experts: 32

1. Tally it:

2. Write it:

3. What number comes before?

4. What number comes after?

5. Write it in word form:

6. Half it:

7. Double it:

8. Place value:

9. Add and subtract:

10. Multiply it by 10:

Rabbit Habit

by Liana Mahoney

I have a rabbit habit.

I like to crunch and chew

On celery logs and carrot sticks,

And apple wedges, too.

I have a rabbit habit.

I like to chomp and munch

On crispy greens and juicy grapes.

Mmm...rabbit food for lunch!

Answer these questions in full sentences:

1. What is the poet’s name?

The poet’s name is ______________________

2. What do you think a rabbit likes to eat?

A rabbit likes to eat ______________________

3. What does the poet like to eat?

The poet likes to eat _______________________________

4. What vegetable is your favourite?

My favourite vegetable is __________________

Haiku Poems

Each Haiku poem only has 3 lines!

Haiku poetry is a tradition in Japan.

The lines follow a pattern of syllables.

5 -7 -5

Haiku poems are usually about nature and the seasons but they don’t have to be.

Here’s an example

Summer is over

( 2 ) (1) (2) = 5 syllables

Days are getting shorter now

( 1) (1) (2) (2) (1) = 7 syllables

Soon It’s time for school

( 1) (1) (1) (1) (1) = 5 syllables

Have a go at writing a few Haiku poems.

TOP TIPS:

Choose a topic and make a word bank to help you.

Clapping the syllables in a word is also helpful.

Count the Pencils

1. Guess how many pencils/pens you can see in each one.

2. How did you work out your guess?

3. How else could you do it? Can you count in 2’s or 5’s?

4. How many pencils in each picture? Can you do it without counting one by one?

Art/Technology: Classroom Map

Think about your classroom at school, can you draw a simple map of it from memory?

Time Capsule

Create a time capsule for yourself this year. Once you’ve recorded everyone, find somewhere safe to keep it for the year. At the end of the year, open it up and see how much has changed.

Social Sciences: Family Tree

Talk to a family member about your family lineage. Create a family tree showing all your family members.

Here’s an example of how you could design it: