O is for Our Stories

It was lovely to share our learning with so many families today, thanks for your support.  The children have had fun learning their own stories, it was a fun way for our inquiry topic on the First World War to lead us.

P is for present!

Room 6 received a present in the mail today....

It was very exciting..we didn't know what it was but we all had a touch and a guess...

we wondered if it might be....some lego, a bunny, chocolate, an instrument, a ball, a dress up or a book!

We read on the box that the package had been sent from another class with 5 and 6 year olds just like us, what would they send us?

LOOK....they have sent us Anzac Ted!!  We loved this book.   We can't wait to take him places and share some of our learning with him...

H is for Helping Hands

We were lucky enough to have an ex student of Redwood School in our class today.  He was here to help as part of the Helping Hands community work his class at Tawa Intermediate have been involved in.  I think I would like to have him every day!!  Sam worked with just about every child, reading with them, he was a great help at reading time - running a rhyming words game, he helped me spot the kids who were showing RED behaviour and give them table points...thanks Sam we loved having you!

B is for Brave!

How brave the children in Room 6 with their buddy class Room 11 were this week.  We were hosting whole school assembly and presented an item.  We have been spending our buddy class time practicing our Te Reo.

 We have been learning the phrase 

No hea ia? (Where is he/she from? )

and have been responding with with our turangawaewae (a place where we feel connected)

No ________ ahau.   (I am from _______)

It is very hard to try new things and I was very proud of the children for embracing this learning.

Thanks to all the parents who came and supported us, as well as dressing your children so beautifully.

The children from Room 6 and Room 11 have a variety of countries that they feel connected to.

Haina (China), Piripini (Philippines), Inia (India), Hairana (Thailand), Tonga, Hamoa (Samoa), Afrika ke te Tonga (South Africia), Horana (Holland), Ingarani (England), Amerika ke te Tonga (South America), Aerani (Ireland), Kotarana (Scotland), Merihia (Malaysia), Aotearoa, and the Ngati Poroa and Nga Puhi iwi.

I had grand ideas of making a video clip with the children dressed up and speaking - we came back from assembly all excited...photographed and recorded the children....but alas I made an error and it didn't come together right!!

Here are a couple of photo's I managed to save - 

P is for Pataka

We had a great trip to Pataka this week.  Actually all the teachers were saying they have never had a bad experience there, what a little gem it is locally.

Thanks to the parents who came with us and supported us while we were there.  In the education room we learnt about a local soldier who served in the First World War, we made poppies and reflected on our learning about their significance.

When then moved into the gallery and laid our poppies under the soldiers portraits.

Then we spent time looking through a solders kit and talking about all the things in it, and why and how they were used.  It was very interesting.

Today in class we talked about how the soldiers might have felt, it would have been such a tough time for them.  The children were saying how sad they would have been leaving their families, how scared they must have been not knowing what they would have to face next, how bored they would have been with all the same food.

We wondered what life might have been like for our families 100 years ago.  We are going to spend some more time looking into this over the next few weeks.  We would love any information you might have on your family 100 years ago.

S is for Stuck!

I love this book by Oliver Jeffers, it makes me laugh!!  Listen to him read it...so funny!

We had lots of fun with this book today in Room 6.  I read about half of the book to the children and then stopped and asked what they would do if they were Floyd, and how they would get everything out of the tree.  There were some good ideas...

If I was Floyd I would throw another whale at the bottom of the tree because it could work.  If the tree would bend I would grab it.  But if it wouldn't work I would throw a brick.

Then we created the coolest art work with all the bits stuck in the tree....love them!

B is for biscuit

This week in Room 6 we read a great journal story called Anzac Biscuits by Phillippa Werry.  We have done a lot of work all week on this story and the children have been developing some good topic vocabulary, they have done lots of inquiring and even wrote summaries of the story.

Today as a Friday fun activity we followed the recipe in the journal story and made the Anzac Biscuits.

The children have a good understanding of the history behind Anzac Biscuits, so ask them about what they have learnt this week.  I think you might find that one cookie each wasn't enough - so if you feel like trying them at home, here is the recipe from our story...

N is for Netball

Our netball skills lessons have been really fun.  We have learnt all kinds of good skills and we put it altogether today with a game.  Nice work kids.

A is for Anzac

With Anzac Day tomorrow, I hope you all have a lovely three day weekend.  It's been a great start to Term 2 in Room 6, I was so impressed by all the children this week.  The behaviour has been fantastic and it has been a pleasure working with the children.

Our Big Idea is Past, Present and Future this term.  We will be focusing on Their Stories, Our Stories with WW1 and what life was like 100 years ago as the focus.  We spent time this week looking at the meaning behind why we celebrate Anzac Day.  We made a poppy wreath for the Fields of Remembrance Service.  The children all showed respectful behaviour at the service, and it was a opportunity for them to be a part of this nationwide commemoration.

Will and Mackenzie presenting our wreath

F is for Fire Truck

Did you hear we had a fire truck come to school today?  It was very exciting.  Thanks to the Tawa Volunteer Firefighters who took time out to bring the truck up to school today.  We loved counting the hoses....there were 27 hoses....wow!!

We learnt about all the different things the firefighters do, and got to have a really good look at the truck.

It was very cool and we are looking forward to starting our Fire Wise learning next week.