Parent-Teacher Interviews

Please note - there is a change of dates and times.  Now Tuesday and Wednesday - 18/19 March.

Mathletics

We are registered for a free trail of Mathletics.  Please use this within the next couple of weeks as I will be asking for parents' viewpoints about whether you wish to continue with Mathletics.  There will be a charge to continue.  More information to follow.  In the meantime, your child will come home with a username and password today - glued in their homework book.  Happy Maths learning!!

Week 4

It feels like we're on holiday again!  Spending a Friday at the beach enjoying the best of Hawkes Bay weather,  combined with a scorching Art Deco weekend makes it difficult to think about school again!  Thanks to all those parents who helped out and made this day special for the children.  But it actually didn't take long to start thinking about poetry and using wonderful, rich language to describe our experiences.

We wrote some interesting 'Haiku' poems last week.  These traditional Japanese poems are based on nature.  They are written in 3 lines  and are structured around syllables.  
Line 1 = 5 syllables; Line 2 = 7 syllables; Line 3 = 5 syllables.  It is tricky and requires lots of persistence to get it just right.  Well done to those children who have completed their poem using the correct structure, and to those who have work in progress.  Good things take time! Read a few and count the syllables.

Chicken

Chicken walking fast

Chicken laying yummy eggs
Fluffy brown feathers

                                   By Cullen

 Owl

Owl screeches and squawks

Owls like eating crunchy food

Eyes glow in the dark

By Milla

Stinging Nettle

Stinging Nettle stings
And hurts because it just does
Pricks like a needle

By Coco

We will continue writing haiku poems this week and begin to publish them.

Take a look at the new website link to Poetry Box.  There are plenty of ideas for poetry writing on here, along with a challenge to write poetry using adjectives like Margaret Mahy!

Maths

We will continue learning about Place Value and ordering numbers from smallest to largest, Number Bonds to 100, and completing number patterns.

Remember to check out the wealth of resources on NZ Maths for Families for activities to help your child.  Also check out the Mathletics site this week.  Look for the Mathletics page to the right of this post.

Swimming

Keep bringing those togs.  Some children have earned another certificate last week.  Let's see who else can gain some new skills this week and complete the Herring certificate.  They will be presented at the Junior Syndicate Assembly on Friday afternoon.

Have a great week everyone.  Remember.......Persistence is the key to achieving tricky goals.  Keep working on it - even when it's difficult - and you will feel proud of yourself.

Mathletics

Watch this space!  I have made a request for signing our class up to mathletics.  Waiting to hear back from them.  :-)

Reading Eggs - Free but limited trial

We are fortunate to have the opportunity to take part in a reading extravaganza for the month.  I have registered all the children and they will come home with a password on Tuesday.  Log in and complete the placement test.  This will place your child on the most suitable level.  Go ahead!  Have fun.  The link is on the Useful Websites list to the right of this post.

Junior Syndicate Assembly

Room One were hosts of last week's Junior Syndicate Assembly.  What a wonderful job Nic, Scarlett, Coco, Jack and Alice did.  Thank you for setting a high standard for others to follow.  We will be hosting the assembly again in Week 4. (Picnic this week)

Responsible leaders

Week 3 already!

Wow.....the year is going to fly by at this rate!  I can't believe we are already into Week 3.  This week we will continue to get our Writer's Notebook underway by decorating the cover and front title page.  Please help your child gather items or pictures that identify him/her as an individual.  For example, if your child loves horses, horse related pictures or photos would be ideal.  If they collect shells, then pictures of shells  etc.  Photos of close family members are important.  Send them along and lets create some fabulous memories that will provide motivation for writing.  Look out for photos of the beginnings next week.

Homework - It is a requirement that children complete about 20 minutes of practice every night.  Many children have made a good solid start to this habit.  Let's see if we can have ALL children working hard to learn spelling, improve their reading, and practice Basic Facts.  Parents, please sign their books to indicate that this is done.  Some children do not yet have their Basic Fact books but I am working hard to get some initial testing done.  Thanks for your support with this.

Meet the Teacher Evening - I look forward to meeting some of you who I have not yet had a chance to meet, on Tuesday night.  I will be outlining my general programmes and answering any burning questions you may have.

Family Picnic - Remember to return your sausage sizzle order forms and permission slips asap for Friday's excursion.  

Tuesdays - To ensure we include a variety of activities in your child's learning programme, we will alternate Discovery Time with Art lessons.  This week is ART.  What can we produce using Green Hat Thinking?  I can't wait to see the results.

Have a great week everyone.

Sue Jensen

Subitising!

One of our new words last week was SUBITISING.  The word comes from the Italian word subito which means 'immediately' or 'right now'.  This is where a small group of objects can be identified quickly without counting them.  It is an important skill  because by chunking information, subitising contributes to early forms of grouping.  The process of subitising can also be used with seeing parts in the whole.  We have been learning some games to help us get better at subitising.  Our speed is improving and we have played well and worked Interdependently.

Subitise me!

Using Tens and Ones

Where is the correct equation?  Can I get 4 in a row before my buddy does?

Discovery Time

Discovery Time was on Tuesday afternoon where our focus was on the Habit of Mind "Applying Past Knowledge to New Situations".  We read a funny story about a boy who fell into a Fairy Tale book and the Challenge of the week was to make or do something related to Fairy Tales.  Lots of Green Hat Thinking was used to create houses for characters, a chute that boy fell into the book through, costumes and games.  Look at us!

We know how to use these stilts!
Let's RACE!

Concentration!

Milla, Harry and Thom created a chute for the boy to fall safely into the Fairy Tales.

Sticky, mouldable polystyrene is FUN!

Does this crown fit Jayda?

Week 2, Term One

What a fabulous week to start the year.  I am impressed with the manners Room 1 children have and their eagerness to learn new things.  Take a look at us!!

We have a focus on learning new words this term and have built up an impressive class list already.  Check out our New Vocabulary list under 'Pages' to the right.  Do you know all of the meanings?  We have also started a new phonics programme which will help us work out new words in our reading more easily, and to write unknown words in our writing.

This week we will begin writing Character Descriptions using ADJECTIVES and BUBBLE MAPS.  The purpose of a bubble map is to describe.  We will begin with describing ourselves then work on another person who is close to us.  It is also important to explain WHY you choose a particular adjective - what is the evidence?

Our Library Day is Thursday and we will be choosing books to bring home this week.  All books MUST be transported to and from school in a book bag.  We will also visit the Computer Suite and learn how to log on, open a Word document and save our work into the correct folder.

Please bring togs every day - even if it seems cold in the morning.  It usually warms up by afternoon and we will be swimming.  If it really is cold we won't go.  A note is essential if there is a medical reason for your child not swimming.  Make sure all items are named.

Speaking of naming things - with everyone in uniform now, it is even more important to ensure clothing is named clearly.  Use a permanent marker on the tag or in a prominent place.

Once everyone is issued with their stationery, we will investigate the Visual Diaries that will be used as a Writer's Notebook.  The covers will be decorated to promote individuality and we will begin collecting ideas, photos, words and artifacts to glue into these special books.  As time goes by the books will provide children with motivation for writing.  I look forward to seeing these develop in individual ways.

Discovery Time will begin on Tuesday.  We can't wait to 'discover' many new things.  Look out for photos!  There will be no class swimming lesson on Tuesday but a free lunch time swim is available if your child chooses.

This week is our turn to lead the Junior Syndicate assembly on Friday.  We have many potential leaders and there will be many opportunities for leadership throughout the year, so if you are not chosen this week don't despair!  Maybe next time will be your turn.  

Keep practicing Basic Facts.  Please bear with me while I beaver away at setting up their books.  If there is a parent willing to assist with weekly testing I would love to hear from you!  I will also set up Study Ladder this week and send home further information about this.  It is a web based activity site where children can practice new skills.  Watch this space.

Have an excellent week of learning, everyone!