Working on the Fibbonacci Rabbit Problem

We have been learning about pests in New Zealand. Rabbits are a big problem. We have been learning about Fibboacci numbers to solve the problem of how many pairs of rabbit there could be after one year.

Octagon's Maths

Can you see what we have been learning about ordering fractions? The students have made their own number-lines to order fractions, and then compared fractions using less than (<) and greater signs (>). 

What clever children you have!

Biosecurity

We have continued our reading about plants and animals, as well as diseases, that have been introduced to New Zealand. We have realised the importance of biosecurity to our safety, and the economy of New Zealand.

Mr McFadden kindly agreed to speak to us about the work he does to protect animals from diseases. 

Look at the interest on the student's faces! 

Mr McFadden also brought along some specimens that have been found in New Zealand. One of the snakes was even found in Petone. 

There are a few budding biosecurity agents in our class, although there was an inquiry as to whether it was a well paid job! Interesting priorities!

Football has started

This warm up really put the cat among the pigeons.
Can you spot the 'cats'?

Using the sewing technique

What are the rules for using lichen?

The main environmental rule when using lichen is only to select and harvest lichen that is on the ground. 

What is more environmentally friendly - synthetic or natural dyes?

Jess challenged us to think about how environmentally friendly onions and red cabbage dyes are. 

Think about how we only use the onion skins, and bubble away for one hour. With red cabbage the whole cabbage is boiled for one hour. 

What do you think?

Maisy's mum is an expert with fabrics and colours

Caleb's Procedural Writing for Siapo patterns

Megan's Pocedural Writing for how to make Siapo Writing

Mackenzie and Stephanie's Procedural Writing for Siapo Pattern

Maddy's Procedural Writing

Patrick's Siapo Procedural Writing

What makes a good website? Asking questions about what is important.

A couple of weeks ago, we listed criteria we thought were important to look for in a website. This is the list we came up with. Now we are going to use this list to critique some information we viewed to check if our list is robust.

Normandale Walking Tour to Minoh House

We have enjoyed a fantastic trip around Normandale today. We had lunch at Minoh House and well deserved rest, too. 

All of the students are asked to comment on our trip as their home learning this week. 

More photos to follow. 

Presenting our First Week Books

Here we are at assembly presenting our First Week Books to New Entrants. After all the challenges we experienced, it was a real pleasure to see the finished products.

Ooops!

Two important announcements.

Firstly, I mistakenly informed you that it was our class' turn to present assembly on Friday. It is not our turn at all! Apparently, I need to get my eyes tested - it is Room 3, not Room 8.

The other important announcement is that on Monday, the students who are attending Hutt Intermediate  School next year will be meeting with the current prefects of the school, as well as a few teachers. It is an informal opportunity to speak with students and learn from their experiences of the school. It is only for the students. There will be further opportunities for visits to HIS during Term 4 where parents may attend with their children.

My apologies for the misinformation this week.

Andrea

Adding impact to my writing by creating a clause

Adding impact to my writing

Adding impact to our writing

We are adding impact to our sentences by writing a clause that adds greater detail.

Our Graham Braddock Art Workshop

Today we experienced a Graham Braddock Art Workshop. We have experienced how to create perspective, and analysed some photographs and samples of art. Next, we have created our own pictures of a train. 

Art Classes

We were very fortunate to have another art class from Graham Braddock, taught this year by Jane. Children practised their skills of line drawing, shading, perspective, and adding colour.

Daffodil Day Dazzlers

We looked splendid in our yellow finery for Daffodil Day. We successfully raised $200 - yes, exactly - for the Cancer Society. 

Tessellations

Try some of these sites to learn more about tessellations.

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Translation-Tessellation

http://www.mathcats.com/explore/tessellationtown.html

http://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/tessellation.html

lhttp://www.coolmath4kids.com/tesspag1.html

Nothing like a bit if friendly rivalry!

More of the World's Best Back Strokers

World's best back strikers!

Is it a fish? Is it a mermaid? No! It's a super swimmer!

Expert teaching

The children spend 30 minutes in a small group lesson with an instructor. Individual coaching is provided to children.

Practising the eggbeater kick

Ondine has kindly brought her expertise in playing waterpolo to our swimming sessions. Today she worked with one group on the basic strokes and leg actions, before practising game skills. The children have had an amazing time. (Should sleep well tonight.)

Ordering Decimal Numbers

We have been practising reading and ordering decimal numbers. We used decimal arrow cards to play games to help us.

Top 3 Room 8 Children

1. A boy who threw rocks at his mum's car on Guyfaulk's night and smashed two windows.
2. A girl who imagined that she went on a trip down a waterfall to a fish 'n' chip shop in Hong Kong.
3. A little boy who stole a packet of fruit burst lollies and got caught and said,"No, these are from the Warehouse."

Whose kids are these?
by Caleb

Top 3 Room 8 Parents

1. A mum who dresses up as a sack of potatoes at a dress-up party and wins a competition.
2. A dad who wrestles his kids then goes to the bathroom and comes back with a towel tied around his neck, declaring that is Captain Underpants.
3. A mum who puts cows eyes in the fridge and terrifies her mother.

Whose parents are these?
by Caleb

The Little House

We have read a book about a little house out in the country.  Gradually things change around the little house, the city grows bigger and crowds the little house, then cars, buses, and trains arrive.  The little house is lonely in the big city. One day the great granddaughter of therm who built the house came along, and bought the house, and moved the little house back into a green grassy field in the country.

I think the author is trying to tell us about how much things have changed.  Some things that have changed are that most people drive a car or ride public transport like buses or trains instead of getting a horse to pull them on a carriage.

By Maddie

Lucy Calkins talking about children leading a writer's life

Today we watched a video clip made by Lucy Calkins where she invites children to live a writer's life. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO29k1-RvsA#

Week 1 Home Learning

Welcome back to Term 3 2013. Here is the Home Learning for this week. Please note it is also stored under the Home Learning tab. 

Practising our 'Jaffa Dance'

This is the first time we tried on our red capes to practise the dance. Everyone seemed more energetic and focused wearing the capes, and did really well. 

We want to give Kerry, Anna, and Marguerite a BIG thank you for making the capes. They are sensational!

Stunning Winners

Tension was high in the Storylines Festival 2013 Olympic Triple Jump. Which of these two heroes win succeed? Will a record be set?

Story lines Festival 2013

The Great Jaffa Race

Meet 'Crash Test Yummy,' the bravest Jaffa we have ever met! He bravely ran the gauntlet of children and bitumen to check out the racing course - risking his own life so that his fellow Jaffas might have a safe run. As it turned out he was speedy and suffered only scrapes and cuts.

Stephanie's Taihape Gumboot Festival educreation

Margaret's educreation about the Taihape Gumboot Festival

Charlie's Tane Mahuta Educreation

Maia'a educreation about Tane Mahuta

Megan's educreation of Tane Mahuta

We have been learning how to write information reports about important icons and features of New Zealand. Megan prepared her writing about Tane Mahuta, then made this educreation to provide images for her audience.

BYOD

We are encouraging children to bring their own devices so that they can have immediate access to their ePortfolios, Studyladder, Mathletics, and Spellingcity this week, as well as specific apps. Mrs Gordon will allow internet access for the devices during school time.
If your child does not have their own devices, they will be able to use one of our school devices. We have almost all-day access to five iPads, and lots of use of computers, and lap tops throughout the day, plus two class iPods.
We will post photographs and videos of how children are using these devices on our class blog. Please feel free to add comments or ask questions about how these devices are helping children with their learning.

Robbing the nest

Look how sneaky this player is as she robs the yellow team of their ball collection. When time is called, the team that has the most balls in their nest wins the competition. The yellow team ended up with 4, while the sneaky green team ended up with 12!

Robbing the Nest

Using the Jump strategy

The Panorama Shot

Footy or Dancing?

We have been practising agility skills to make us better football players. Wow!

First Day Football

Ice Skating

The swats down the back of the classroom

School was never this much fun! We got a lollipop for correct answers!

At the Reserve Bank learning what money is

On the road again

We have just left school. 59 very excited children in a small space. Awesome!

Hexagon Maths Group

This group of students has been learning about how to subtract when the amount being subtracted is near a hundred. At first there was a bit of confusion about taking away 100 and then giving back the extras. However, we tried a few different materials to model the problems, and eventually settled on the use of magnetic MAB. Our next steps will be modeling using a number line, and we will then be working towards visualising/imaging these problems without the use of a physical model. In the meantime, we need lots of practice in modeling. 

Ask your child some problems like the ones listed below:

156 - 99             174 - 98             321 - 98             237 - 199             546 - 198             432 - 197   

Diamond Maths

Working together to solve maths problems

Technical Hitch

You may have noticed that some of the recent videos that have been posted are not playing. My apologies as I try to solve the issue.

Farewell, and Good Luck!

Today we farewells our friends as they left to live in Australia. We hope we will see them back by the time 'we' are at Intermediate.
We had a lovely morning tea - yes, that is a delicious and enormous chocolate cake.