Week 4 Term 3

There were more hands-on activities in Maths this week as 1B learnt more about Mass.  Maths skills of estimating, recording and hefting were on display in our classroom.  The language the children were using were words such as "heavier and lighter", "equal", "balance", "more", "less" and "same as."

 

Can you spot Andrew Bear in this photo taken during Guided Reading?  Andrew Bear is a reward given to the class that listens well during the Chapel Service on Wednesday afternoons.

 

 

 

News This Week

 

Cadel was telling us about being Gluten-Free. He also showed some Gluten-Free Weet-Bix.

 



Daniel brought in Chocolates to help illustrate the health benefits of eating Chocolate

 



 

June explained the Seasons

 

Noray showing us the pictures she drew of eating healthy food.

Tong brought in her iPad and used 'Explain Everything' to tell us about 'Needs and Wants'

 



 

Victor's advice about eating 'An apple a day' and being friends with your doctor.

 

 

Week 3 Term 3

More learning this week in Literacy, Maths, HSIE, and News presentations. 
On our THRASS CD, Denise Ritchie (founder of THRASS) clearly explains to the students the correct way to form letters.  We have been following her direct instructions for the past few weeks.  This is a quiet and relaxing time in the classroom, as the students slow down and practice correct letter formation.  The benefit of listening to Denise articulate the process, allows me the opportunity to walk around the room and check that the children are following the instructions accurately.

 

During one of our THRASS lessons this week, I set the challenge to see if the students could re-create the THRASS chart using the THRASS cards.  The class worked cooperatively together to achieve this outcome.  It was so encouraging to see how the students collaborated to achieve this success.

 

 

It was a week of number patterns in Maths.  Working out the pattern and continuing it is the foundation work for understanding multiplication. We also played maths games working on our addition skills.

 

 

 

 

In HSIE we did the Thinking Routine 'Compass Points' to further investigate our understandings of where our food comes from.

 

 

During Technology this week, we spent time doing 10 minutes on Brain HQ, and then on a maths game called 2048 that James shared with us.

 

 

Our Symbaloo news continue to inform and delight us.

 

 

Emily's presentation on Mandala's.

 

 

Danielle sharing some information about the moon

 James explaining organic food.

 

 Daniel showing us different types of pasta

 

 Henry's 'explain everything' presentation on Wrapping Paperhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRey-tNSsIg

 



 June

 Luigi telling us about different Vitamins

 

 Noray explaining how some animals have to store their food for the winter months.

 

 Victor showing us the best after school snack.

 

Xavier showing us how squirrels store their food during Winter.

 

 

 

 

 

learning in week 2

We met our new prac student this week.  Mrs Beckman will be with 1B for the rest of the term.  She is in her final year at University and will be available to start relief teaching next term.  We hope her time with us is enjoyable and that she continues to learn lots.

This week in HSIE we learnt the difference between 'needs' and 'wants'.  We played a game that required the students to work in small groups and make decisions about what was important to take to a new planet and sustain life for the next couple of years.  The students were initially given 16 items to choose from.  This was then reduced to 8, 6 and finally four.  The groups realised that to sustain life; the 'needs' were; clean drinking water, fertile soil, seeds and an animal such as a chicken.  We had some great discussions about these ideas.

 

 

In Maths this week we continued to consolidate our understanding of 2D shapes. 

 Daniel and Xavier making hexagons

 

Danielle, Rishita and June

 

 Can you tell what shape we are making?

 This is a rhombus

 hexagon

 triangles

 happy triangles!

 

News presentations continue to inform and delight the class.

 

 Daniel presented his information with a chef's hat on!

 Luigi explaining his informaton

 Noray

 Victor telling us about the health benefits of eating dark chocolate.

 

 

Xavier explaining that chewing gum doesn't really take 7 years to digest.

 

 

 

 

 

Start of Semester 2

The three week break was refreshing and relaxing.  It was a great amount of time to recover from a very busy first semester.  The students have returned this week and they have slotted right back into our class routines with a maturing calmness.  It has been lovely to see them again.  We have been joined by a new student, Rishita, who has relocated with her family to Sydney from Melbourne. She has been  made to feel warmly welcome by the rest of the class. 

During the break Mrs Edwards and I spent a morning at Ikea to purchase items to help freshen up our learning spaces.  She has made a wonderful improvement down the Primary end and I was let loose in the Infants area.  As an avid collector of interior decorator magazines, I enjoyed putting my creative side into our learning space.

I have been reading Dr Carol Dweck's book Mindset, How You Can Fulfil Your Potential during the holidays.  It has been a fascinating read as she explores the idea that we approach learning either with a fixed or growth mindset.   My goal as an educator is to encourage the students (and myself) to have a growth mindset. Having a growth mindset focus' on effort and working hard at something in order to improve, even if it is challenging.   Considering how to improve performance and learn from setbacks are essential life skills that can continue to be applied for the rest of our lives.  The book can be downloaded onto your iPad if you are interested.  Reading Dr Dweck's work will provide insights into your own way of approaching situations and make you think about why you respond the way that you do.

We really enjoyed the Infants excursion to the Botanical Gardens this week.  We were blessed with a beautiful sunny day and a fun few hours being scientists exploring the wildlife.  The children worked in groups of four and recorded their findings.  The bus trip to and from the Gardens is always part of the enjoyment too.

 

Leaving school to hop on the bus.

 

 June and Luigi

 James and Xavier

 Victor and Daniel

 Tong and Emily

 Noray

Danielle and Rishita

 

We have arrived!



 

1B

 

2L

 

Gawura

 

1M

 

 

 

Working in groups and being Scientists.

Daniel

 



Henry

 

 

Emily emerging from the canopy.

 

 Chinese dragon statue.

 

 Going on a walk.

 

Cadel

 

We had a really great time!