Being A Learner, Being Respectful and Responsible: Visiting Orana Park

Last Wednesday Rooms 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 all went to Orana Park.  We went by bus and we went as part of our Inquiry Learning.  It was great to be able to make real connections with our learning.  When we got to Orana Park we split into five groups and a Zoo School teacher took us around the Park.  Some highlights were seeing tigers and lions close up, feeding the giraffes and seeing the gorillas.   We saw lots of different animals in real life and it was amazing to see the size in real life.  

Here are some photos from our day.

Being A Learner: Tt is for Toothbrush at Language Experience Time

Today for Language Experience we practised being Tooth Defenders.     

Our phonics focus is the letter Tt so we learnt how bright smiles and teeth cleaning are important for everyday health.

After we had learnt about to correctly brush our teeth we all got given a toothbrush and a tiny tube of toothpaste and we brushed our teeth.  

Here is the Tooth Defender video we watched. 

Doctor Rabbit said we must: 

• Brush our teeth at least twice a day
• Floss daily
• Not to eat too many snacks during the day
• Visit the dentist to check our teeth and gums are healthy.

Being A Learner: Tadpoles Have Arrived In The Kakano Block!

In the holidays, Mrs Narbey managed to find the Kakano Team some tadpoles.  They are all at different stages from eggs to medium sized tadpoles.  Each class has some tadpoles to learn about.  They have some growing to do!  

Our frogs are Brown Tree Frogs which often also called Whistling Tree Frogs.  Here is some information about them and how to care for them.  

Here is a website that we can learn more about Brown Tree Frogs

Here are some photos of our set up so far.

Here is some information about tadpoles and frogs:

CLICK BELOW  to watch a National Geographic video clip about frogs 

Being A Learner: The Kakano Learning Centre

In the holidays the Kakano Teachers change the theme of the Learning Centre each term. 

 This term we have set up the Learning Centre as a Veterinary Clinic.   We have hunted out and made things to add to the Clinic so the students can develop their Oral Language skills and social skills.  We're not sure who will have more fun?  The Kakano Students learning in there or the teacher creating the environment?

The Vets Kit

Forms to fill out in the Waiting Area

The Waiting Areas (Our houses that we made last term, repurposed)

Key vocabulary and words to help us

Teddy in the operating theatre

A chicken in its crate

A sick dog?

An overview

The front counter awaiting a receptionist/Vet Nurse

 Vets only area!

Our welcome whiteboard

Reception and the Staffroom

Being A Learner: It's the Holidays!

Yay!  It's the holidays!  

Here are 10 ideas to try that are free or cheap!

1. Take a walk in the Botanical Gardens and Hagley Park
2. Visit the Canterbury Museum
3. Walk the Bridle Path
4. Bake at home using our Basic Biscuit recipe on the blog, decorate and EAT!
5. Make a hut inside using blankets and chairs and then have a picnic inside it. 
6. Go on a colour hunt in your house. Take photos of a certain colour and make a PicCollage.
7. Write a letter to someone
8. Visit the local Library and get some books out
9. Make a “city” with cars, toys and boxes for buildings
10.  Make a mini-themed play area: in a large rectangle bucket or tray create your own play scene. For example: use a smaller container (like an empty margarine container) filled with water, and in the rectangle bucket place rocks, small twigs, bark or sticks from trees for an outdoor scene

We look forward to hearing about your holiday adventures!

BEING A LEARNER: Making Our Inquiry Forces Cars

As part of our inquiry around Forces we have been making milk carton cars.  We had to work in groups to design a milk carton car.  Miss Collins gave us a choice of wheels and each groups chose something different to use for wheels.    We found we had to do some troubleshooting as some of the ideas we had didn't work.  

Once we had made our cars we got to decorate them with stickers and markers.  

We enjoyed this part!  Don't our cars look cool!  Miss Collins thought one looked like a bug!  Can you work out which one?

Our next step is to work out how to force them along.  We have watched some videos where they used balloons.  We are thinking that this could be a good idea!  Our next step is to attach the balloon some how and do some testing with our cars.  

Miss Collins has put them away somewhere safe as it is tempting to play with them and we don't want them getting broken!  We are looking forward to racing them.  

Here are some photos of our cars so far...