Quarter 2 Prolific Readers!!

Chloe Gilman, 3rd grade Prolific Reader
77 books read!

 

Landon Salazar, Kindergarten Prolific Reader
195 books read!

 

Huli Cannella, Preschool Prolific Reader

82 books read!

 

Brianna Mo, 4th grade Prolific Reader

35 books read!

 

Samantha Bacalso, 5th grade Prolific Reader

35 books read!

 

Brayden Talledo-Bala, Preschool Prolific Reader

82 books read!

 

Alex Ricard, 2nd Grade Prolific Reader

145 books read!

 

Angel Diaz, 6th grade Prolific Reader

25 books read!

 

Kevin Kalani, 1st grade Prolific Reader

250 books read!

 

 

Keep reading Keone'ula Cubs!  Check out our reading stars favorite books and authors!  Look for them on the posters around campus.  Happy Reading! 

Find Them!

By:Taryn Kanai and Rhyanne Javier

If you guys haven't heard about Labels for  Education, then that is why we are here to tell you about it. First off ,you can find the labels on Cocoa Pebbles, Honey Bunches of Oats, Honeycomb, Post sesame street cereal, Fruity Pebbles, Post Raisin Bran, Campbell's soup etc. What do these labels do? Well, they are kind of box tops, they earn things for our school like P.E. equipment, academic supplies, and things like that. You can either turn in the labels into the boxes student council gave your class, or you can go online and enter a UPC code that you can find on bottle caps like Pepsi, Coca-cola, etc. Remember to turn in these labels or enter those codes.

Go Green Tips: 6 Special Steps, That's All You Need

By: Christine Toorinjian

               This week, I want to talk about 6 special steps that will very much end up making you have a greener lifestyle and a huge change in Hawaii's homes and environment. With about an  estimated 1,340,674 residents living on Hawaii, have you ever thought about the amount of energy that you used, or the amount of water that you used? Well, if you’re a part of the 1,340,674 residents, (and you are), I think that contribution should be VERY little. And hey, small isn't so bad. Don't you like little amounts of zeroes on your bills? Don't you like very little messes to clean up when you come home? If you say no, I know you’re lying. Anyways, here are your 6 special steps.

            Step #1: Have a home energy makeover. For example, use an energy monitor that tells you in real time how much electricity your gadgets, (phones, compuers, tablets, etc.), or plant trees to shade your home. With these renovations (and still yet tons more!), you'll be leading a greener life in no time!

            Step #2: Input a solar water heater. By doing this, you may qualify for a 35% state tax credit AND a 30% federal tax credit. I don't have to pay taxes quite yet, but this sounds pretty good to me!

            Step #3: Read! There are MANY other sites to tell you how to stay green besides us! BUT of course, we would like you guys to keep on visiting us. For example, heco.com. They also have booklets such as "Power to Save" and "Power to Save for Small Businesses".

            Step #4: Click greenhomeguide.com. This particular website is run by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, and is a handy guide when you’re ready to remodel your house!

            Step #5: Re-read! Remember all those things that I've told you in other blogs in the past? Well make sure you did them! You could even make a checklist of all the tips I've given you and check off each of the ones that you did and see that you so the ones that you haven't yet!

            Step #6: Get children involved! Starting a green lifestyle is never too early, or too late, to educate yourself on. Just think of all the energy you'll save, and the money, once you see the T.V. going off, and the homework getting done.

            So those are the 6 special steps! Now all you have to do is go out there and DO THEM!

Valentine’s Day

By: Dasia Burr

    February 14 is Valentine's day or St. Valentine’s day. Do you know why Valentine’s day is a day of romance? Well if you don’t know, then keep on reading. The Catholic church recognizes at least 3 different saints named Valentine, with 3 different legends of the history of Valentine’s day.  From a priest who performed marriages in secret, to the Valentine who attempted to help Christians escape prisons, to an imprisoned Valentine who set the first valentine after falling in love with a young girl. And a fun fact that maybe you don't know is that about 150 million Valentine’s day cards are exchanged, making Valentine’s day the second most popular card-selling holiday. So remember on February 15, make sure to show your greetings, affection, and emotions to your friends and families and even your lovers. ;) ~xoxoxo~

Presidents Day

Written by:  Alyssa Neal

     This important holiday comes around every year, but to be honest, I don't actually think any of the students or some kids in general actually take the time to think and reflect on this holiday. Most kids in my opinion just think of this day as a day to just sit back and relax, do nothing and consider it as a regular no school day. To be honest, I was one of those kids! After researching and writing this blog about this holiday, I have changed my mind. I now know it's a good idea to think and reflect for at least 5-10 minutes on what this holiday means.

     Originally, President's Day was celebrated on President's George Washington's birthday Feb. 22 and was called Washington's Birthday. After Abraham Lincoln was president, it was thought President Lincoln should also have a day to be recognized. President Lincoln's birthday was on February 12 which is very close to President's Washington's birthday, so before 1968, the federal holiday was celebrated on Feb. 22 and a public holiday was celebrated on Feb. 12. President's Day is not the same date every year like Christmas is always on December 25th, but it is always on the third Monday in February each year. Today Presidents Day is to honor all the American presidents not just our former presidents, but every president our country has had and currently has. I do not agree that one president worked harder than another president, because every president worked equally hard to keep our country in the best shape.

     We have had a lot of great presidents and they deserve to be recognized for all their hard work and sacrifice.

Basketball Tournament

By: Dasia Burr and Taryn Kanai

     On Friday, January 25, Keoneula's basketball team went to a basketball tournament at Campbell high school. We had a lot of fun competing against the other schools. Here's how it went: We did some stretching, shouted out encouragement, and then started the game. Our school played against Ewa, Ewa Beach, Holomua, Iroquois, Kaimiloa, and Pohakea. Altogether, our school won 2 games, tied 1, and lost 3 out of 6 games. Overall, we did pretty awesome. Caleb Mantanona, a 6th grade basketball player said, "The basketball game was super fun and I wold love to do it again!"

S-P-E-L-L-I-N-G B-E-E, Spelling Bee

By: Christine Toorinjian

        Many things go through the human mind each and every single day. Should I do my homework before my chores? Is this answer correct? What do I do now? Should I pull this fire alarm? Well, what was running through my mind the day of the Leeward District Spelling Bee was: Is this even real? Here, let me get you caught up. I was one of the 2 contestants representing Keone'ula in the Leeward District Spelling Bee, the other being Courtney Lee. Let's just say that I've could have used a little bit more time to study... I mean A LOT. The competition was VERY fierce, and I didn't even make it pass the 2nd round! Words like forensics, miasma, stucco, hors d'oeuvre. You name it, were being thrown all over the place. Some that Ms. Firestone and Ms. Coffin, (6th grade teachers also attending the bee), had to look up on Google to know how to spell! I, however, didn't even make it past the 2nd round, having to spell one of the easiest words that the English language could've come up with. But we're not talking about that quite yet...

        So here's how all this started. It was at our 2nd quarter school spelling bee, and there were 2 contestants left. Me, Christine Toorinjian, and Rhyanne Javier. Now, I know what your thinking. What happened to Courtney? I'm getting to that. Rhyanne's word was "receptacle", but alas, she got the ding of the horrid bell of elimination. My turn: "Receptacle. R-E-C-E-P-T-A-C-L-E. Receptacle." That was all I had to say, or should I say spell. With me in first, Rhyanne in second, and Courtney in third, the represntatives for our school for the Leeward District Spelling Bee were announced. Christine Toorinjian and Rhyanne Javier. Then it was time to prep. We practiced and studied whenever we could. Even Ms. Firestone had told the class, (by the way, we're both in Ms. Firestone's class), to just ask us how to spell a word at any given time. Before we knew it, it was just a week before the spelling bee. But just days before though, Rhyanne had to drop out. And this is where Courtney comes in . From then on, all we really did was wait. Study and wait that is. And then it came. The day finally came where we would finally find out who would represent the Leeward District in the State Spelling Bee, (it goes from school spelling bee, to district bee, to state bee, to national bee).

        Heading down to the bee, I did a bit of some last minute studying, you know, to be on the safe side. When I finally got there, I didn't realize that there would be so many people watching. I mean, isn't it just a bunch of kids spelling words? NOPE. Anyways, me and Courtney did get to meet and actually sort of befriend some of the contestants. When I say some, I mean 2. Zoe and Riley. Last names? Erm, let's just get to the bee. Courtney's number was 3 and mine was 7. Lucky numbers, right? Eh, not really. Anyways, the announcer had walked over to the contestant tables and explained the rules as follows: You may ask for a repeat of the word, an alternate way to pronounce the word, language of origin, to use it in a sentence, and for it's definition. If you start spelling a word and get a letter wrong, there is no going back to change it. If you hear a bell, that means you are eliminated. Whoopdy-doo. Now on to round 1. Courtney's word was transience. Though in the beginning, the announcer said that her word was a homynym- which she thought was her word at first, which lead to me getting quite a laugh. But now, I wish that her word was homynym, because she got transience wrong. She spelled it as "transcience" instead of "transience". I was very disappointed, but decided not to think about it. Soon enough it came my turn. Persistent was my word. Of course there was no dinging of the bell this time. So on and so forth happened with all of the other contestants, and before I knew it, the whole round was over. With only 14 people left, I thought that I had a pretty good chance. Boy, was I wrong as ever. Apportion. Apportion was my word. I had missed it by a p. Just one little p. It was over. I was officially out of the bee. Of course I was sad, but happy. I didn't have to stand in front of a crowd again! And so the bee went on and eventually we had our winner. All I had to show for Keone'ula now was some good sportsmanship. So I brought it upon myself that I HAD to high-five every contestant that had participted on the bee. 24 high-fives later. I was out of there. But not without some pictures and a bunny cake as a prize! And maybe a little promise of a trip to Cold Stone later on...  

4th Grade Field Trip to He'eia Fish Pond

By:  Rhyanne Javier

The 4th graders went on a field trip on Tuesday, February 5 to He'eia Fish pond.
I bet they had a great time. I interviewed Ms.Fong about how their Field trip went. Let's see what she has to say.

I asked her what her favorite part of the field trip was and she said, "When they got to take a tour of the fish pond and how they got to learn how the fish ponds worked. "

I also asked her what her students learned from the field trip and she said, "They got to learn about a species named the mangrove, and how it is dangerous to Hawaii because it destroys the native plants habitat."

 Lastly I asked her what she would do differently when they go back? She said that they would be more prepared for all the mud. Sure sounds like the 4th graders had a lot of fun!

Think! Think! Think!

By: Alyssa Neal

This month, February, our school is focusing on the IB Attribute of: Thinker! What does it mean to be a thinker you might be asking yourself right now? Well, to be a thinker you have to solve problems in a variety of ways, listen to other's answers, and always be able to justify the answer. You need to always have an explanation and/or conclusion ready. And lastly, you need to take initiative (Take charge in a positive and nice way) and be independent. Don't take " Be independent " in the wrong way either. I don't mean be lonely all the time and have no friends, I mean figure things out on your own.

To be a thinker you will need to be solid on your answers. You shouldn't be wobbly and unsure with your answers. You have to feel in your gut that you know that is your final answer and just know it will be right! Also to be a thinker, you need to be an inquirer. You will need to think and reflect on relevant and reasonable questions. Now, I don't mean go all out with crazy questions, "Why, why, why?" I mean ask reasonable questions like, "How did you come up with this answer?" or, "How does this number equal this?" So, if you're striving to be a thinker (Which everyone should) practice some of these character traits until it feels normal and natural demonstrating these traits.

A great way to keep score of how you are doing while striving to be a thinker is, just jot down 4-10 weaknesses you have as being a thinker, and once you feel you got it down pat and it feels like a natural thing, just put a little checkmark by that weakness. And that check you put by that weakness now represents a new strength.

Think BIG. Think BOLD!

Chinese New Year!

Written by:  Mrs. Matsuura

The 6^th graders learned about the Chinese New Year. Many of them visited China Town on February 2, Saturday to enjoy the Lion Dances, great food, and entertainment. What a great tradition!

Chinese New Year starts with the New Moon on the first day of the new year and ends on the full moon 15 days later. The 15th day of the new year is called the Lantern Festival, which is celebrated at night with lantern displays and children carrying lanterns in a parade.

The Chinese calendar is based on a combination of lunar and solar movements. The lunar cycle is about 29.5 days. In order to "catch up" with the solar calendar the Chinese insert an extra month once every few years (seven years out of a 19-yearcycle). This is the same as adding an extra day on leap year. This is why, according to the solar calendar, the Chinese New Year falls on a different date each year.

New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are celebrated as a family affair, a time of reunion and thanksgiving. The celebration was traditionally highlighted with a religious ceremony given in honor of Heaven and Earth, the gods of the household and the family ancestors.

The sacrifice to the ancestors, the most vital of all the rituals, united the living members with those who had passed away. Departed relatives are remembered with great respect because they were responsible for laying the foundations for the fortune and glory of the family.

The presence of the ancestors is acknowledged on New Year's Eve with a dinner arranged for them at the family banquet table. The spirits of the ancestors, together with the living, celebrate the onset of the New Year as one great community. The communal feast called "surrounding the stove" or weilu. It symbolizes family unity and honors the past and present generations.

 

Parent Student Workshop

By: Stevie-Ray P.

Hi guys! As you might or might not know, we recently had a student and father workshop inside of the Keone'ula cafeteria. What students and parents did was eat food and make crafts. Some 4th grade students from Ms. Correira's class did presentations so the fathers of the students could learn about what students recently learned about in school. One of the topics was about our school's worm bin system. (Learn more by searching, "Vermiculture is Cool" on our blog).  If this sounds interesting and you feel left out, don't worry! We might have a student and parent workshop for students and mothers. So be sure to look out for that!

Beautiful Art!

 

Mrs. Aimee Matsuura was awarded $500.00 from Hawaii federal Credit Union to buy much needed art supplies! Her mediums were canvas boards and acrylic paints. The kids tied this art project to the 6th grade IB unit relating to China and their unique brush techniques. Keone'ula has terrific artists!