Term 1 Holidays

Article posted April 15, 2010 at 05:27 AM GMT0 • Reads 2036

The holidays are nearly over .  We have been very busy in the Stewart household tripping around the country visiting our friends and family.  There hasn't been a lot of work happening but lots of fun!

I can't wait for next term.... Miss Mitchell and I have planned some very exciting learning.

 

Dinosaur Habitats

Article posted April 15, 2010 at 11:18 AM GMT0 • Reads 110

Toward the end of last term we got our teeth into our inquiry about Dinosaur Habitats.  Our scenario is.... What if we could trade our class cat for a class dinosaur!  How cool would that be, or would it?  We have a perfect habitat in Waitawa Bush, and scientists are working on recreating dinosaur dna.... if this were at all possible, what dinosaur would suit our environment?

Children have been engaged in some holiday research to share with their learning buddy when they get back to school after the holidays.  This term we will see this information being collected, sorted and displaying.  Then some big decisions will be made about suitable dinosaur choices for our 'pet'. 

Check out some of the dinosaur information sites on the Related Links bar. 

Article posted April 25, 2010 at 01:03 AM GMT0 • Reads 81

Good to see you back again!  Sunday was Anzac Day and in our class we have been thinking about what this means to us, and how it might have been for the soldiers involved.  Our class has shared lots of thoughts and questions. 

Visit some of the links at the side and see if you can find out some answers to your questions.  Record them in your blog if you have time, or jot them in your homework book and we can add them to your inquiry posters during the week.

Well done if you have also had time to visit some of the other links - the maths ones look like a lot of fun too.  I got a bit sidetracked playing some of the maths games myself!  Get mum or dad to play with you if they have a spare 10 minutes after dinner.

Rotorua - A special place!

Article posted May 23, 2010 at 07:34 AM GMT0 • Reads 112

WOW!  What a fabulous trip we had on Tuesday.  The weather was just perfect for us, wasn't it guys!!  Thank you to all the parents who helped us out during the day, walking and talking us around town.  The children were really excited about what they learnt about Rotorua.  I can't wait to get started on our artworks.  We are hoping to have an exhibition of our art when they are finished and would love to see you all there for this too.  I have added Sarah Platt's website to our side menu for the kids to show you.  I grew up in Palmerston North and spent 9 years living in Hawkes Bay when I went teaching, so the pictures mean a lot to me.  I think the children will be able to create art just as spectacular

Term 2

Article posted June 16, 2010 at 11:39 AM GMT0 • Reads 99

There are only 2 weeks left of Term 2... where did that time go?  And what a busy 2 weeks it is going to be.  We have Parent Pupil Discussions (PPD's) next week, as well as creating our BFG masks, publishing our pamphlets, continuing our learning about money, and working on a draft townscape for our exhibition - which will now be early in Term 3.

Remember about Mish-Mash TV - if you want to enter an item you need to let me know so I can email Miss Watson.  Get talking to your friends at school and put something together.

Also, HOMEWORK: everyone needs to blog their term thoughts... I want to know what you think, what you enjoyed this term, what you learnt that has really stuck, what you want more of, what you like least, what could be different..... tell me!

Article posted July 22, 2010 at 02:58 AM GMT0 • Reads 77

Team 3 Matariki Day

Article posted July 22, 2010 at 03:09 AM GMT0 • Reads 92

What a fabulous day we had sharing our learning about Matariki Day.  Can you show someone else how to make a putiputi flower?

 

Hiwi the Kiwi

Article posted July 29, 2010 at 10:58 PM GMT0 • Reads 96

Yesterday morning we went to watch "Hiwi the Kiwi" show.  We learnt a lot about fishing, boat safety.  It is important to wear a life jacket every time you go on a boat.  You have to bring a ruler for measuring the fish and if it is too small or too big you MUST put it back in the ocean.  Also you need to bring salt ice because if you put freshwater on it, the fish will go off and taste disgusting!  We loved the show because it gave us lots of information.  The Minstrel was very funny.  It was so hilarious when he kept saying "Booboo!" 

Our Buddies

Article posted August 31, 2010 at 05:53 AM GMT0 • Reads 90

Article posted September 5, 2010 at 04:09 AM GMT0 • Reads 71

Quick update for everyone.  We are beginning to delve into the topic of "Luscious Lunchboxes".  This will take us to the end of the term with the main learning being on creating new and interesting sandwiches for our lunches.  It is about healthy eating as well as incorportaing some food technology.  There will be requests for small food items for us to try out in our sandwich creations but you will get a note in homework books about this.

There is also our Art Exhibition happening at the end of the term - Week 10 is pencilled in, probably on the Wednesday so keep your eyes open for more information about that.  Everyone has done such a terrific job with their painting and we have all learnt that painting is not as easy as it looks!!

Also, we are lucky enough to have been given a class garden at the end of Room 9, so if you have any seedlings or compost, or any other gardening goodies that we could use for this we would all be really grateful.  Some reading groups will be leading the way with researching what things are suitable to plant at this time of the year, pests, growth, and care.

We are also learning to leave comments on other peoples blogs so please feel free to check out the children's own blogs (on the right hand side) and leave them a comment.  There will be blogging homework this week for those children who are still catching up on publishing their story on their blog - you might want to give them a hand if you have a spare minute.

See you all at PPD's next week - that came around quick, didn't it?!

Term 4

Article posted October 21, 2010 at 05:09 AM GMT0 • Reads 86

My Goodness!  What a busy two weeks it has been in Room 12..... we are all super-psyced about the production and dance practises are going full-steam ahead.  Please remember.... practise, practise, practise!  We want to look awesome on the night - sharp arms. 

Things to think about over the next few days.....

1.  Our garden - what are we going to put in it and how shall we show what we are learning along the way.....

2.  Our Oxfam christmas fundraiser - ideas for this and how we will make it happen.

3.  Our target for the end of the year class points - will we go on another picnic, go for a fun swim, have a sleepover.... bring all your wonderful ideas.

4.  KEEP GOING WITH YOUR HOME READING AND SPELLING - class time may not be as structured as normal and we are having to condense our time down a bit, so keep being responsible for your learning, and remember your homework.    I know you will - that is why you are all so clever!

Well done if you are keeping on blogging for fun after school or in the weekends.  We will have a new blogging task next week which I think you will really love, and your parents will have fun too.  Stay posted.

 

 

GRANDPARENTS DAY

Article posted October 27, 2010 at 06:28 AM GMT0 • Reads 76

A big thank you to all our Grandparents that came along.  We had a really special morning with you and it was lovely to meet you all.  We all had a ball and hope you will come again sometime soon!

Monster Test Picture

Article posted October 28, 2010 at 01:44 AM GMT0 • Reads 78

We are learning to use Paint to create monster pictures that look like our description, and also learning to make a FunPix to put in our blog.....  We would love to hear your feedback! 

Dress Rehearsal Day

Article posted November 8, 2010 at 04:33 AM GMT0 • Reads 192

Week 5 is finally here!  It was our dress rehearsal today and tomorrow is our very first performance, beginning with a matinee at 11am, to half of the school and our families.  It is such an exciting time, the spirits are running on high and so are the nerves.  We just can't wait to put on our show for everyone to see!

(Check back next week for everyone's thoughts about their own performance and the experience as a whole - each child in our room will be adding this to their blog along with their own pictures.)

Parent Pupil Presentations

Article posted November 25, 2010 at 09:03 PM GMT0 • Reads 141

Over the last 2 days, it has been a great experience to be involved in the PPP's for your children.  They have worked so hard getting prepared and really did themselves proud!  It was also great to see all you parents again. 

Some of our feelings before:  nervous, nerve-wrecking, excited, confident, scared, anxious, and tired.

Some of our feeling after:  happy, glad that it was over, good, proud of myself, relieved, great, exhausted, spectacular.

I can't believe that it has almost been a whole year already and I am not ready to give up our lovely wee bunch of kids!!

Busy Time!

Article posted December 5, 2010 at 07:42 AM GMT0 • Reads 167

We are in the last leg of 2010, and what a busy time it is shaping up to be.  We have baking and making, character masks to finish, personal inquiries to follow, narrative slideshows to add sound to, plays to perform, junior production to see, and an iceblock day to be able to support less fortunate families at christmas.  I have added the link to the Oxfam website so that you can all take a look at the kind of things we can support with your generosity.  This year's class are such a kind and compassionate bunch... I think our future is in great hands!  Take a look and come to school with an idea of what you think would be the most valuable gift to give - remember to think about why..

Welcome to 2011!

Article posted February 14, 2011 at 09:10 AM GMT0 • Reads 151

Welcome to our new class for 2011 who will be hanging out in Room 4 with me for the year.  It was great meeting families at Meet the Teacher.  It is only Week 3 and things are shaping up to be very busy!  Remember to keep up with your homework reading each night.  Even newspaper articles, blogs and websites count.  If you enjoy reading novels, find a quiet space and enjoy a few chapters!  We will be getting in to camp fundraising very soon, so keep your eyes and ears posted for things you need to remember to do for this.

Run Bike Run!

Article posted April 1, 2011 at 12:31 AM GMT0 • Reads 151

Ahoy there, me hearties!!  What a great day this turned out to be.  Beautiful weather, great company and so many misfit looking pirates - WICKED!  Room 04, you all did a sterling effort on the day, and I was so impressed by the encouragement I saw for one another, and the determined focus I witnessed around the course.  Well done to Anjan, for the big finish he put in.  I am looking forward to reading your thoughts about the day on your own blog now that they are up and running.  Reminder: get someone at home to take a look at your thoughts too, and add a comment to your blog.

Science Fair Testing

Article posted May 14, 2011 at 06:22 AM GMT0 • Reads 216

We all really enjoyed learning about how to set up a fair test and the particular features a test needs to be 'fair'. Ask up all about it, we would love to share this with you.

Buddies

Article posted May 14, 2011 at 06:44 AM GMT0 • Reads 212

 

Our new buddy class is so cute!  They are all new entrants and have turned 5 recently.  Some have only been at school 3 days so far.  It was great meeting them and learning their names.  Room 4 are all excited to share their learning with them this year and will hopefully be able to help them with their reading and maths.  We will be able to show them what caring and responsible seniors we are!

Cycle Safety

Article posted May 22, 2011 at 02:41 AM GMT0 • Reads 152

Cycle Safety has been and gone!  And what a week it has been.  We learnt some fantastic skills with Mark and Craig, such as scooting, weaving, braking, stoppee's and most of all - control!  That's what it's all about.  Congratulations to David, who won the weeks prize from the cycle safety team.  He was proudly seen wearing it after school while riding his bike.  I even went home and had a try at some of the skills on my bike - can't say I was very good at the 'stoppee'!  Cycle Safety was also perfect training for camp with 2 out of 4 days being wet and cold, so I hope you have all got your winter woollies, gloves and hats, ready for next week!!

 

LAKE WHAKAMARU CAMP

Article posted May 31, 2011 at 05:47 AM GMT0 • Reads 167

 

WOW! Camp was amazing!  I am still feeling exhausted from all the activities we did but boy, was it worth every minute!!  Thank you to all of Room 1 and 4, including the parents, who made camp such a raving success despite (or because of) the terrible weather.  There are so many highlights for me that I don't know where to begin.....  Mostly I just really enjoyed getting out and having some fun with you all that did not involve writing and reading   I learnt so much about each of you - and it was lovely to see your sense of humours shining through in such dreary conditions.  Thank you everyone.  I am just sad that now there is no camp at the end but I am working on an overnight together before the end of the year!! 

IT

Article posted August 26, 2011 at 05:43 AM GMT0 • Reads 132

 

What is going on!  Where did all that time go - I can't believe it is almost the end of August, and spring is nearly upon us, although I am very glad because I am sick of the cold!  One week we are having snow and then the next it is all warm and lovely!!

This week we had a visit to Mokoia Intermediate - and now everyone is so keen to be leaving me   We also helped our buddies with making their clay giraffes this week, which went really well.  Our big buddies work so nicely with their little buddies - there was lots of cooperating and talking about the giraffe's features, and we all learnt what happens when you add too much water to clay (didn't we Tom :-)

Keep adding to your blog and check the homework blog page - keep adding up those minutes of reading because we will be collating and graphing them NEXT WEEK to find out which group (girls or boys) have been the most avid readers so far this term!!!!!

 

 

Buddies

Article posted August 26, 2011 at 05:54 AM GMT0 • Reads 5714

Whoopsie - I put the Brainy bunch slideshow with the Buddy clay writing!  It must be Friday