Year 3 Transition Day 2: Flight Inquiry

On Tuesday, we had our second transition day where students had the chance to work in their new spaces with new students and teachers.

We did a mini-inquiry about flight. We investigated what would factors would make a paper plane fly further. 

This is a short movie to show our plane throwing competition that we had at the end of our Inquiry. This was lots of fun!

Transition Days

We have been having a great time in Tautoru getting to know each other and our new base group teachers. 

Today we had to fill in a chart which was "All About Me", with something I am proud of, something I would like help with next year and something I would like to know more about.

We will use these to inform our learning for next year.

Last Friday we made flowers to decorate our classroom ready for next year. We used pastels to blend our two favourite colours. We worked with buddies to help follow the instructions and the cutting out.

Transition Day- Year 3 learning alongside Year 4 and 5: Portraits

On Friday we had a transition day. the Year 3 students spent a day in the Matariki/ Mahutonga space. We had a chance to get to work with students and teachers that we will be learning alongside next year. 

We did an Inquiry into Portraits. We looked at some famous portraits and looked at similarities and differences between these. We did an investigation into the Maths of the face, thinking about proportions. 

Here are some of our artworks:

Transition to Matariki/ Mahutonga

Every year we have some time to work in our new spaces with other people that we will be collaborating with. We call this "Transition!" Last Friday, our Year 4 and 5 students took the Year 3 students around the space so that they will be familiar with the layout. We had to think like architects and draw a plan of the space.

We would like to invite parents to our transition time this Friday!

Transition across Spaces - Friday 24 November, 9.30 to 10am - ALL WELCOME

Come along to Karakia, have a cuppa and then at 9.30-ish you can pop along to your child's new space for 2018. The thinking was to especially provide an opportunity for parents of Autahi children moving to Tautoru and parents of Tautoru children moving to Mahutonga/Matariki to chat with teachers and see their children in their new spot. It's not exclusive, however, as it's also a great chance to meet different parents who have children already in that space. SO ALL WELCOME! The more the merrier really. Come and get familiar in your 2018 environment!

BYOD Question and answer meeting: Friday 24 November - 10am in staffroom

Our Chromebooks and iPads have led to incredible opportunities for our students over the last few years. The school has increased technology by around 50% in the last three years which has been so fortunate. Our learners to be connected more and more. So, we need to keep the BYOD growing in order to keep our students connected to all of the new, exciting learning possibilities.

Senior students at Worser Bay School are able to bring a digital device to school to assist their learning. This is not compulsory but we would like to encourage people who are able, to get on board.

Worser Bay School uses technology as one way of enhancing our mission to teach the skills, knowledge and behaviours students will need as responsible citizens in the global community. Students learn collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking in a variety of ways throughout the school day.

In an effort to increase access to those 21st Century skills, Worser Bay School allows personal devices on our network and school grounds for students who follow the responsibilities stated in the Student Acceptable Use of Technologies Agreement and the BYOD Information and Permission form.

Worser Bay School strives to provide appropriate and adequate technology to support learning.  The use of personal devices by students is optional, and students who do not participate in BYOD will be be able to use chromebooks provided by the school.

An important component of BYOD is education about appropriate online behaviours.  We will review cyber-safety rules with students frequently throughout the course of the school year and will offer reminders and reinforcement about safe online behaviours.  In addition to the rules outlined in these guidelines, students will be expected to comply with all class and school rules while using personal devices.  The use of technology is not a necessity but a privilege.  When abused, privileges will be taken away.

If you are interested in purchasing a device before the start of school, we have provided some guidance below. If you have any questions before the end of the term, please see or email Nicola or John: nstevenson@worserbay.school.nz, or johnmcdougall@worserbay.school.nz

Students can use their devices throughout the day for collaborative learning, web-based research and applications, including creating documents and presentations.

What students say:

We asked students “How does BYOD help you with your learning?”

“It helps me with my learning because it is easier to sign in. Google Docs help because you can type whatever you want and carry on at home if you want.”

“I think it gives you more freedom with what you can do or can’t do. It helps that you don’t have the pressure to find a computer when you need it. You can definitely use it to learn at home too. You can go on Maths links or keep going with writing docs.”

“Sometimes if you have your own device you can use it when you want. I like to use devices for typing because it is easier for me to get the ideas down.”

Transition

Every Friday, Year 3 students work with the Year 4 and 5 students to get to know their new space, friends and teachers. 

Today we did a thinking activity called the BAR key. BAR makes things BIGGER, ADDS something and REPLACES something. We brainstormed lots of ideas and came up with some new inventions. Our students are very good at thinking outside of the box.

On the left is Lachlan's design. He was able to make a new invention from a skateboard.  

Students from Autahi came into Tautoru today for our transition time. They did some writing based on the story, "Brown Bear, Brown Bear." 

Transition: Getting to know one another

Year 3, 4 and 5 students work together every Friday morning so that we can get used to working with new people, different teachers and get a feel for the space. This week, we watched http://www.literacyshed.com/anti-bullying-shed.html and wrote a PMI (this is a thinking tool- positive, minus and interesting) about what we saw. We linked our ideas to what we know about character strengths.  

We start the day with "Wake up your brain" These are Friday's bootcampers!