Look at me writing

Our reading this week is a story that uses the words "look" "at" and "my" so we did our own writing.  We found the words that we needed on the board and then we had to sound out the last word.  We worked hard together to listen for the sounds we needed and found them on the letter card. 

This story says "Look at my snake."

Exploring maths and numbers

In Maths this week we are exploring different ways to make our numbers. 

 Here we are using tongs to put beads in each cup.  It's quite tricky to only get one bead at a time.  We have to count and make sure the beads match the numbers on the cups.  We are also working our finger muscles which helps to write and draw. 

 Here we are making different patterns and counting how many penguins we've got.  

 I've got my whole board full so I've got 10 penguins.

 I've got a 10 and 3 more, so I've got 13 penguins.

 Here we are beading our numbers and matching them to towers and numeral cards.  We are working together to get them all done.

 Here we are working together to put this maths puzzle together.  We have to match the dots and numbers.  We also have to take turns and share!

 We are practising writing our numbers on the white boards.  If we are unsure, we look at the number lines to help us! Every time we practise this we are making connections in our brains about what the numbers look like!

Making our ABC wall

Welcoming new families at the Powhiri

Making new friends across the school

Students in Matariki and Mahutonga have been reading with our New Entrant students. It has been a great way to meet new friends across the school. Our older students helped some of our younger students to add a reading response on Seesaw.

 a

ABC Sorting

We are sorting every day items by the letter that they start with.  If you have any little bits and bobs lying around at home that would be good for our sorting mats please bring them in! 

 Stapler, Smurf, Smurfette, Stones

 Crab, comb, circle, cow, counters

 Tiger and Truck

 Wheel

 Rooster

 Pig, purple, paper clip

 Orange

Measuring tape, mask, magnet

Our Class Treaty

Autahi's Class Treaty from Gillian Menaker on Vimeo.

The School Witch

We have got a witch at school.  She doesn't come around when kids are there and she is a nice witch, almost like a fairy.  We have been writing the witch letters and this morning we had a letter waiting for us at school! Gillian says she has seen the witch and that she has long grey hair.  She sometimes leaves Gillian little notes and treats when she is working late at school.  There is a lot we want to know how to do and we are hoping the witch can help us.  

We are working so hard to write letters to the witch.  We drew pictures of our ideas first, we looked on the board to see how to write "Dear Witch" and we used our letter cards to sound out some of the words.  We hope the witch writes us back!!

Playing in Autahi

Learning Through Play

In Autahi we spend parts of the day discovering and playing.  At this time of the day you can see children making potions, building enclosures, creating with material, constructing with cardboard, blocks, bamboo, drawing and writing letters to the School Witch (see the blog post about her to find out more!) observing and drawing and so much more.  

What we are learning while at the potions table:

• Science concepts like different combinations create different reactions (oil and water, mixing colours, cornflower and water, water and sand)
• Key Competencies like relating to others (we are turn taking, listening, sharing)
• Using creative thinking to come up with ideas about what our potions are doing.
• Practising oral language and discussing and describing what we are doing.

What we are learning at the observation table:

• Things change over time (tadpoles to frogs, caterpillars to butterflies).
• Looking closely, noticing and trying to document this through drawing, labels and through discussion.
• Building vocabulary through discussing what we are seeing.

What we are learning at the building mat:

• Gravity exists and things fall down.
• Spatial awareness and design.  Will this fit here? What do I need to change? Does this make the shape I want?
• Persistence and Perseverance.  It didn't quite work, I need to try again and make some changes.
• Sharing, compromising and negotiating!

What we are learning at the making table:

• Hands-on skills like cutting, sticking and manipulating.
• The process of design--coming up with an idea, trialling it, changing it, trying something new!

As you can see, there is a lot more going on here than just playing! When we have the opportunity to let them explain to us there is quite a lot of rich language, discussion and passion behind all of this!

And sometimes you need a quiet tranquil place to have a little chill out and mend the soul!