On Tuesday the 12th of July 2011, Kea 2 had a debate about whether or not the minimum wage should increase to $15 an hour. On the proposing team Sasha Khurana, Trent O'Sullivan, and Jaime Swale argued that the minimum wage should rise to $15 an hour. On the opposing team Abigail Yiu, Jasmine Fowler and Serena Westerlund argued that the minimum wage should stay as it is at approximately $13 an hour. Ella Fletcher was the debate chairperson.
Sasha Khurana and Abigail Yiu were the first speakers for their teams. Sasha made a lot of strong points about what happens in Australia regarding minimum wages and whether $13 was enough to live on. Abigail Yiu made strong points about employers losing money if the minimum wage went up to $15. Jasmine Fowler was the second speaker for her team. She had some interesting quotes to support Abigail's argument. Trent O'Sullivan argued that most people couldn't survive on such a small amount of money. The last speakers were Jaime Swale and Serena Westerlund they had very strong quotes to back up their team's arguments.
There were some particularly good questions from Rudadiso Nyamazana, Dharia Bearda, Joshua Shields and Jakob Blow which put both teams under a lot of pressure. Finally It was time to vote. The opposing team won quite convincingly. The proposing team did a great job though.
As a result of the vote, the debate chairperson announced "Kea 2 believes that the minimum wage should stay at $13 an hour and not rise to $15."
By Ella Fletcher and Dharia Bearda.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Our Awesome Mathletics Skills
This week Kea 2 had an extraordinary Mathletics week. We tried to earn as many Mathletics points as possible in one week! The week was a massive success because we managed to stay first in the World and New Zealand from Monday through to Friday! After Friday, a British school unfortunately overtook us.
We managed to score
127,421 points in total.
We came 1st in New Zealand.
Well done us!
We managed to score
127,421 points in total.
We came 1st in New Zealand.
Well done us!
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Our First Debate
In Week 5 of Term 2 , 2011 Mr Yates informed us that we would be having a debate in Week 7. He told us the topic : should two new elephants be brought to Auckland Zoo and kept in captivity ? We had until the end of the week to research elephants in captivity and choose what side we were on. Our initial opinions before research ideally had to be 50/50 otherwise there would be not enough people in one team and too many in the other. We had one week to research and begin making our assertions. The pressure was on!
After one week of research, Mr Yates took a count of who was on which side and who was speaking. The teams were even so that was good. After much thinking, the teams were decided. The opposers (who were against the motion that the elephants should be brought to Auckland Zoo) in speaking order, were Sasha Khurana, Serena Westerlund, Rudadiso Nyamazana, Jasmine Fowler, Dharia Bearda and Jaime Swale. The proposers (who were for the motion) in speaking order were Abhinav Singh, Bailey Sanders, Kobe Naden, Taylor-Paige Pou, Joshua Shields and Connor Newall. So we combined our research with our awesome writing skills and put it all into paragraphs. Very quickly the time to show off our skills came.
Week 7, Thursday 16th June. After morning tea, the speakers and chairperson Ella Fletcher took their chairs and speeches up to the front of the front of the classroom and the debate started. Ella introduced the opposing and proposing sides and stated the issue. The first speakers gave their speeches, then the second, then the third and fourth speakers. After the fifth speakers there was a break. In the break, the audience could ask the speakers questions, and a lot of pressure was put on them. Our top questioners were Jakob Blow, Abigail Yiu and Olivia Harwood. The house speakers could ask the proposers and opposers questions. Then the last speakers, Jaime and Connor gave the most powerful speeches. Everyone was saying 'Hear, hear!" Finally, it was time for the vote. As Mr Yates read out the votes there were both cheers and awkward silences. Finally, the last vote was called... the result was... 10-4 to the opposers!
So, the majority of the class think that elephants should NOT be kept in captivity and should not be brought to Auckland Zoo. It had been a great debate linked to a subject that had been written about widely in the national press. We hope to have more in the near future!
By Jaime Swale and Dharia Bearda
Kea 2 Students
After one week of research, Mr Yates took a count of who was on which side and who was speaking. The teams were even so that was good. After much thinking, the teams were decided. The opposers (who were against the motion that the elephants should be brought to Auckland Zoo) in speaking order, were Sasha Khurana, Serena Westerlund, Rudadiso Nyamazana, Jasmine Fowler, Dharia Bearda and Jaime Swale. The proposers (who were for the motion) in speaking order were Abhinav Singh, Bailey Sanders, Kobe Naden, Taylor-Paige Pou, Joshua Shields and Connor Newall. So we combined our research with our awesome writing skills and put it all into paragraphs. Very quickly the time to show off our skills came.
Week 7, Thursday 16th June. After morning tea, the speakers and chairperson Ella Fletcher took their chairs and speeches up to the front of the front of the classroom and the debate started. Ella introduced the opposing and proposing sides and stated the issue. The first speakers gave their speeches, then the second, then the third and fourth speakers. After the fifth speakers there was a break. In the break, the audience could ask the speakers questions, and a lot of pressure was put on them. Our top questioners were Jakob Blow, Abigail Yiu and Olivia Harwood. The house speakers could ask the proposers and opposers questions. Then the last speakers, Jaime and Connor gave the most powerful speeches. Everyone was saying 'Hear, hear!" Finally, it was time for the vote. As Mr Yates read out the votes there were both cheers and awkward silences. Finally, the last vote was called... the result was... 10-4 to the opposers!
So, the majority of the class think that elephants should NOT be kept in captivity and should not be brought to Auckland Zoo. It had been a great debate linked to a subject that had been written about widely in the national press. We hope to have more in the near future!
By Jaime Swale and Dharia Bearda
Kea 2 Students
What is a debate?
Definition of a Debate:
A debate is a formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in which opposing arguments are put forward.
June 2011 What You'll Find On this Blog
On this blog we'll be writing about those memorable one-off events and happenings that we feel are worthy of a write-up. Special school events, noteworthy successes, notable class events like debates and some particularly good examples of work done.
We hope you will find something to interest you and trust that you will enjoy sharing with us some of our Kea 2 and The Gardens experiences.
Richard Yates
We hope you will find something to interest you and trust that you will enjoy sharing with us some of our Kea 2 and The Gardens experiences.
Richard Yates
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