I'm sure Tania had fun!

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand the text that we read.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I read an e-book, write the summary and create five critical thinking questions about the story Tania's school picnic.

Happy birthday baby!

On Saturday the 27th of August, my family and I went to the Mangere hall to celebrate my niece's first birthday. We left our house at 11:00 o'clock in our eight seater van.

Before we went to my niece's birthday, we went to the church in Mangere to meet up with my cousin. When we reached the church, we hopped off to go and give my cousin a kiss on the cheek. My dad spoke with him while we ate peanut and lollies in the van. Then my dad turned over to my mum and asked my cousin if he wanted to have a sleepover at my house on Friday night and then go back to his house Sunday afternoon. My mum agreed with dad and said, "That's a good idea."

After that we went to the Mangere hall on Buckland road which started at 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon. As soon as my dad had parked our car, I ran out to my auntie who was holding the birthday girl and took her and gave her as many kisses as I could. While I giving her some kisses, my cousin called from upstairs for me to go and dance with her but I shook my head to show that I didn't want.

Soon, the birthday party started and I got my cousin's phone because she asked me to take some photos for everyone. I went and sat down in front of everyone and took as many pictures as I could. I took photos of my niece walking into the hall with my auntie. After they walked inside the door, I snapped a photo of them both looking at me. Next it was time for my uncle to say our karakia and our food grace for us.

Then it was time for the birthday girl to blow out the candles on her cake. Before the birthday girl blew out the candles, we all shouted, "Make a wish baby!"  and sang the Happy Birthday song. Next we went and filled our plate with food to take back to our table to enjoy.

Soon, it was time for our final blessing which my uncle said for us all. While the other families were leaving, my family helped out with putting away the chairs. As soon as I stacked twenty chairs, I went outside to hold the birthday girl. I walked with her to the park and swung on the swing.

I had such a fun time meeting my cousin, going to my niece's birthday and taking photos of my cousin, the birthday girl and me on my cousin's phone.

My favourite part of the day was when my cousin, the birthday girl and I took photos because I thought we both looked so beautiful.

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

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I use adjectives to describe the time with my family meeting my cousin and going to my niece's birthday.

'ed' is a suffix!

Learning Intention: We are learning to develop our understanding of the English grammar.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain that suffixes are letters that are added to the end of a word to make another word.

The mascot is cute!

Learning Intention: We are learning to develop our understanding of time, continuity and change.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain what mascots are, where we can find them, why we have them and what they represent.

I know another example!

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand the English grammar.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain that classifying adjectives are words that describes 'the type.'

Wow, there were 11544 athletes that competed in the Olympics this year!

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand the Olympics.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I label some of the countries that are participating, the number of athletes and the events that they are participating in for the Rio Olympics.

When, where or why are examples of relative adverbs!

Learning Intention: We are learning to understand the English grammar.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I explain the relative adverbs are words like when, where or why.

I never disappear from the sky!

A star comes out at night and during the day. It never disappears from the sky.

What is a star?

The stars are sphere shaped. Stars have a lot of energy and light because of the process nuclear fusion. When the stars are blue or white, it means that the stars are hot. However when the star is cold, they turn red or orange. Stars are balls of gas.

In the sky, there are so many stars that people aren't able to count them all. They're small and some of them are very far away.

Learning Intention: We are learning to follow the correct structure of an explanation.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I write an introduction, followed by the explanation, and a conclusion about stars.

'Huge' can be used to describe the size of something!

Learning Intention: We are learning to develop understanding of the English grammar.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I give two example and explain that adjectives used to describe quantity are words that describe how many or how much. 

Mmm...that was delicious!

On Sunday after church, my family and I went to the Panmure bakery to gets some pies or sausage rolls for breakfast. We all made a decision to get two things each. I got a pork pastry and a sausage roll. Most of my family made the decision to get a steak and cheese pie and a sausage roll. We ate outside the van because we didn't want any crumbs in the van.

As soon as we finished eating our breakfast, my elder sister went back to the bakery to get some hot wholemeal and white bread. When my sister came back, we drove off to my uncle's house because they called for us to go over to there house because there were having a barbecue. We were all happy because we don't go to my uncle's house very often on Sundays.

When we arrived at my uncle's house, we all hopped off and ran as fast as we could to get inside the house and I shouted, "Hi everybody!"

Then I looked outside and I saw my uncle washing the pot that he wanted to use once the food was cooked. So my uncle called my sisters and I to go and help him to cook the food. I was excited because it was my first time cooking meat on a barbecue.

After we finished cooking, my uncle told my sister and I to go call everyone to come and eat the food before it gets cold. So everyone stood up from their chairs and went outside to help themselves with the  food. On my plate, I had four small chicken wings, a steak and two small casavas. Once everyone filled their plate with food, we each said our own food grace.

Then we all had to go and help my cousin to clear the table and bring in all the dishes from outside before they start collecting dust. All of us were so full and we were about to fall asleep when my nieces came in screaming and shouting. My mum was so happy to see my nieces, sisters and I play together because most of the time, my cousin locks my nieces in the bedroom.

Soon, it was time for my sister and my brother in-law to go home while my parents, sister and I waited for my dad because he was still talking with my other uncles. My elder sister told my sister and I to go with her so that we could go home and get some sleep for the next day and to make our lunches. However we said, "No!"

As soon as they left, my dad called my sister, mum and I to walk outside so that we could go to make our lunches and get some sleep because it was past nine thirty.

My favourite part of the day was when we went to the bakery because my tummy was rumbling and I was complaining a lot because we didn't have any time for breakfast.

Learning Intention: We are learning to use descriptive languages in our recount.

Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I use adjectives to describe our family barbecue.

'Haukerekereha' means overwhelm in Te Reo Maori!

Learning Intention: We are learning to speak Te Reo Maori.
Success Criteria: I know I can do this when I record the phrase 'Haukerekereha' and the English translation of it using Blabberize.