Welcome to Specialisation at Balmoral School

2018 is going to be an explorative and exciting year, where your children will be exposed to lots of new things in all of the specialist rooms.  They are expanding their knowledge and skills in all areas of the curriculum and specialisation is definitely not an exception.

Multi Materials - Hangarau Rauemi Maha

I will be here for the first 4 weeks of term 1 (fingers crossed the twins stay in and don't make life too difficult) and then the amazing Sharon will be in until the end of term 3. I will be returning in term 4.

This term they will be learning and relearning (in the case of the year 8's) how to use the tools and machinery in the workshop safely. All of the students will be using both hand and machine tools.  The Year 7's are starting off using coping saws, drills - both cordless and the drill press, files, sandpaper, the hot poker machine and of course some paint to design and make a name piece or small sign.
Year 8's are designing and making a thermometer backing using scroll saws, drills - both cordless and the drill press, files, sandpaper and a bit of paint to finish them off.
Both have a second project that they will work on with Sharon.

Science -  Pūtaiao

We are lucky at Balmoral School to have a purpose built Science Lab, enabling the kids to have practical experience using various lab equipment, and you are not a real lab unless you have Bunsen burners. We have Bunsens to burn. So both in Year 7 and 8 there is a big emphasis on using and becoming familiar with lab equipment in experiments. In both Year levels the intent is to make science fun, engaging and where our young lab coats can make some connections with their world and experiences. There is also a big emphasis on designing, making and testing – problem solving. 

In Year 7 the kids will be investigating the properties of light and electricity, designing, making and testing balloon powered jalopies. They will also be working with the Lego EV3  Robotics kits- learning programing, designing and building robots to “solve” various problems. 

In Year 8, the emphasis is on lab experiments, with the kids investigating chemical change, states of matter, electro chemistry and delving into the mysterious the Periodic Table. In Physics they will be investigating forces and Simple machines. As part of this they will be designing and making catapults and trebuchets. There will also be an opportunity to use the Lego robotics kits.

Textile Technology - Hangarau Pūeru  

"Through discussion comes knowledge. 

  Through knowledge comes learning. 
  Through learning comes understanding."

Technology education in New Zealand explores how, beginning with a need or opportunity, new products and systems are developed and how technological developments impact on our world. It also aims for students (to develop “a broad technological literacy”) to gain skills, knowledge, and understanding that will enable them to thoughtfully live with, critique, and contribute to the technological developments that shape our lives.

CYCLE ONE

1. Through various learning experiences offered in class, students will explore the performance properties of materials, acquire knowledge, language and skills needed to develop their own technological products and or systems in cycle two.

2. Students will also explore the characteristics of various technological outcomes:

a. Year 7 students will identify and describe the links between the physical and functional attributes of given technological outcomes.

b. Year 8 students will describe how two technological outcomes with similar physical attributes can have different functional attributes and vice versa. In addition to this, extension students will identify and describe what is “proper function and other function” of various technological outcomes.

 

MUSIC - Waiata (Year 0 - Year 4)

Music is starting off with a snap, crackle and a pop as we begin the new year with new topics, songs, activities and our music inquiry.

We have begun with exploring sound colour, how sound is made and sounds we love, as well as refreshing our skills on ukulele, keyboard and tuned and un-tuned percussion. (See the photos of our first lesson exploring sounds in the music room.)

As per tradition, we are having heaps of fun with our music making & discoveries!  

Choir

This term we are starting the Primary Whetu Choir, Shire Choir & Intermediate Choir.

These choirs are kicking off this week so we look forward to keeping you updated with the fun songs we will have chosen to enjoy learning together this term.

MUSIC - Waiata (Year 5 - Year 8)

The new year has arrived and there have been some exciting developments in the music department.

Firstly, we have just acquired 15 ipads to expand our student’s musical horizons into areas we haven’t been able to before. We’re going to open up a new world of sounds and experiences that will hopefully line up with the kind of music everyone is listening to in 2018.

In addition, we are kind of going retro with our enquiry!!

The school is investing in an analog synthesizer which will be the jumping off point for an exploration into the science of sound, textures, electronic circuits and technology while also linking into the digital world the ipads will bring.

This year there a four new bands that will be a bit smaller and give a chance for more advanced students to play together regardless of year level.

Two of the bands, Kaiawa and Ruru are intermediate oriented bands (that primary children can still join) that our young musicians will be put into based on merit. The beginners will have a chance to play with others of their level in Ruru while the experienced muso’s at the school will get some tougher material to sink their teeth into.

Tui is a band for our primary children from Yr 4 up and will give all it’s members a great chance to play with others before stepping up to intermediate

We are also trying to make something a bit different in 2018, an orchestra. Quite often the kids that have learnt an instrument that didn’t fit into your classic rock band got a little bit lost in the mix. We’re hoping to encourage more people to get into the strings, brass, woodwind and percussion instruments and bring a different flavour to our performance groups.

Looking forward to sharing more as the year unfolds.