Maths Games are Fun!

Maths is how we can explain the world around us: How far? When? How much? We have started Term 4 by using different Maths games to help us to practise Number Knowledge. Things like how many ways we can make 10 or how many 10s in 35. There are lots of device apps that can help us to practise but sharing the adventure with others also helps to build Positive Relationships skills. Playing games with others helps us to build resilience and Prudence by developing strategic thinking and learning how to win and lose respectfully.

There are many wonderful games that help Maths learning like dominoes, Snakes and Ladders, Checkers, Monopoly, card games and chess. Some are hundreds of years old! (A game similar to dominoes was found in Tutankhamen's tomb in Egypt!)

Games like Go Fish are a wonderful way to practise early Maths number recognition.  Here is a link to some fun Maths card games you can play at home.

Have a look at some photos of us combining learning, challenge and fun!

Using Prudence and Teamwork by Playing Board Games

We spent time this week working on the Character Strength Prudence. Prudence is all about thinking before acting or speaking. How can we win and lose in a respectful way so that everyone enjoys a game? Using Prudence encourages us to take time and think about the effects of our choices on ourselves and on others.  Playing games also helps us to practice taking turns and being fair, all essential ingredients of Teamwork.

Autahi came in the afternoon to join the fun as well.

Some of us added a bit of Creativity and made our own board games to play with others as well.

ASB Sports Day

So much, in fact, too much fun was had at the ASB on Monday. We played floorball, tennis, gymnastics and dodgeball.

The kids showed so much team work and energy through out the day and we can imagine that many of the Tautoru kids were a tad tired on Monday!

This is our third session at the ASB this year and we have noticed a huge improvement in skills across the activities.

 Thanks so much to the parents that were able to help out, play, and support us in pushing Play!

Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup fever hit Worser Bay yesterday when we were visited by Nathan and the Rugby World Cup from 2015.

Even Chloe has decided to embrace the Black fever and support New Zealand. How many

parents from other lands can we convince to #BackBlack !?

The kids were so excited to get a glimpse and to place a hand on the cup that we are sure the All Blacks in Japan were aware of our energy.

Using similes to create a strong image

We have been learning about how to use similes to describe what something looks like, sounds like or feels like. Similes help our reader to connect with the image we are trying to create with our writing. Here are some examples of our simile writing.

Guess Who? Can you guess which animal we are writing about?

I'm a ....... cheetah

I'm a .... praying mantis

I'm a .... unicorn

Some of use have been creating crazy creatures and using similes to describe them.

A Snakoo. It is as black as midnight and as purple as a grape.

Crasher: it is more powerful than a wooly mammoth!

Saber tooth Chicken: It can leap as high as a flying fish.

Positive Health- Exercise helps our brain stay healthy, too.

We have been doing lots of sports skills this term and we're visiting the ASB Sports centre this coming Monday to enjoy a day of helping our bodies and brain cells flourish. Did you know that the main trigger for new brain cell growth (neurogenesis) is exercise? Did you know that exercise also helps to maintain myelin, the white soft coating that helps our brain cells communicate efficiently? So not only is exercise good for our bones and muscles, it's also great for our brain health! You can read some of the research here.

Here we are enjoying the great spring sunshine and dialling up our Positive Health.

                                                 Small Balls: Throwing and Catching

Large Balls: Throwing and Catching

Hockey- Striking and Passing

Spring is a great time to dial up Positive Health habits.

Practising Wellbeing

Every day we practise different ways to maintain our Wellbeing. Whether it’s by waking up our brain first thing to help our body and brain get ready for learning or by using different types of breathing to focus, calm or energise us throughout the day.

Here are some of the different types of breathing exercises we practise to help us focus and get ready for learning.

We hope you can come to our Positive Education Parent workshop next week to find out more.

Shark Breathing

Deep tummy breathing

Five Finger Breathing