Being A Respectful and Responsible: Today We Started Swimming!

Today we started swimming for two weeks.  We were very excited to be getting on a bus to go to swimming.  We practised being Respectful and Responsible on the bus by following the three corner rule.  This means we can't talk until the driver has been around three corners.  It allows the bus driver to safely drive us to the school.  

Being A Learner: Xx is for Xylophone

Today at Discovery Time Mrs Tizzard organised Xylophone Biscuits for us to make.  She saw the idea on Pinterest.  Mrs Tizzard made the biscuit using a rectangle cookie cutter.  She used the basic biscuit recipe which we have used before to make biscuits.

We watched a video about xylophones and Miss Collins borrowed Mrs O's from the music rooms for us to play.  We worked in our writing and handwriting groups. Each teacher took a different group.  First we iced them using different coloured icing.  Room 3 had green, Room 2 had pink and Room One had blue.  Next we put two tiny M & M Minis at each end.  We had to show persistence in icing the biscuits as that was tricky!  

Then we went back to our class and put the biscuits together to make them look like a xylophone.    After that it was three o'clock and we took our biscuits home to eat!  They were yummy!  

Being A Learner and Being Responsible: New Zealand ShakeOut Day

Last Thursday Linwood North participated in the the New Zealand ShakeOut Day.  This website has more information: http://www.shakeout.govt.nz/.  Lost of us knew about earthquakes but couldn't remember them.  

Room One were superstars at being turtles and putting themselves in a safe place.  We had to DROP - COVER - HOLD until our teacher told us the shaking had stopped and it was safe to move.  We also practised it on the mat and at our desks.  When we got to swimming, we practised an earthquake drill in the swimming pool just in case we ever got caught in the pool.  

We know how to keep ourselves safe!

BEING A LEARNER: Reading Action Stations

This term we have started a new programme at Reading Time called Action Stations.  This involves the children working through different stations of reading activities independently.  The teachers still take reading groups like normal.   These are set up before school so parents can explore the activities with their children.   We are enjoying the new activities and having the choice of what activities we do first.  We have special rules and things to focus on.  At the end of each session we take time to reflect on our learning.  

Billie on Reading Eggs at the iPad Station

Rocko, Ngatea and Mitchell at the Letter Hunt Station

Ocean at the Mini Rainbows Station

Amazon at the Writing Postcards Station

Choosing our station and moving our name.

Choosing our station and moving our name in the Learning Centre.

The Activboard Station

Telesia at the Listening Post Station listening to reading books. 

The 'Magic Water' Station!  Here we practise writing sight words, spelling words and letters.

The Post Box Station is where we write something to a friend.  This week we wrote compliments.

Nikora reading The New Cat at the Listening Post Station.  

BEING A LEARNER: Making patterns using pompoms and paint

For the last two weeks we have been working on patterns.  Miss Collins noticed on our school entry testing that many of us found reading and making patterns a little tricky.  So Miss Philp, Mrs Tizzard and Miss Collins planned some Math lessons around patterns to help us learn more about patterns.  

We have created patterns, looked at patterns and discussed what comes next, shared patterns and described to others how to make patterns.  Some our learning about patterns has even been artwork!  We are enjoying learning about patterns.   

We watched the Very Hungry Caterpillar on You Tube and then we make our own Hungry Caterpillar patterns using paint and pompoms.  It was lots of fun and it made us think!  

The pompom and paint ready to go!  

We had to dip the pompom in the paint carefully and think about what came next and where our pattern repeated itself.  

We made two caterpillars.  Miss Collins is going to put these on the wall once we have drawn legs on them.