What has been happening in Room 15?

Over the past  week, students in Room 15 have been learning about ANZAC Day and the important role it plays in New Zealand’s history and identity. We have been focusing on helping students build a deeper understanding of not only the events of World War One, but also the impact war had on people, families, and communities both in New Zealand and around the world.

To support this learning, students have been using a variety of texts and resources to develop their reading comprehension skills, including identifying key ideas, making inferences, and using evidence from the text to support their thinking. 

As part of our class learning, students have been brainstorming and discussing the ways war affected people both on the battlefield and at home. We talked about the challenges soldiers faced, the emotions families experienced, and the long-lasting effects on countries after the war ended. These discussions have supported students to think critically and empathetically about history and its significance.

Yesterday, students worked together to unpack the meaning of remembrance and reflect on what ANZAC Day represents today. Here are some of the key ideas students explored:

• ANZAC Day is a time to remember and honour those who served
• Many soldiers came from different backgrounds, cultures, and communities
• War affected not only soldiers, but also families waiting at home
• The effects of war lasted long after the fighting ended
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The students coloured in poppies that have separate sections to represent the many different communities that had to come together.
“I learned some people who survived and came home from the war may have later died from injuries, and they suffered from PTSD”
– Amaya Duggaraju
“People risked their lives for us, ANZAC Day is to remember those who have fallen.”
– Tama Duncan
“I learned there is a purple poppy, to remember the horses and other animals that served in the war with the soldiers”
– Billie-Mae