Body Gardens

On Wednesday and Thursday this week we have been creating Body Gardens to show our learning about measurement and different types of symmetry. We had to measure parts of our body, for example, the length from our wrist to out elbow or from our foot to our knee for the stem of the flower, and then we drew around our hands for the leaves or butterflies and our fingers for the petals. We placed the leaves and petals on our plants in different ways- some showing reflectional symmetry, some showing transformational symmetry and some showing rotational symmetry.

Arrays, Multiplication and Visual Maths

We have begun to find out about counting in sets by using arrays to make multiplication visual. Making maths visual is an important way to help our brain learn and remember new mathematical information.

One group worked on different ways to solve problems like 8 x 6 (eight sets of six). There were lots of different ways!

Then we moved onto different problems involving planting in rows and we used the array to help us work it out. Here are some examples:

Next, we will think about which strategies work best for different problems and use arrays from everyday life to make multiplication visual. Maths is everywhere!

Tawhirimatea-A Song for Matariki

Today we read the story called "Tawhirimatea, A Song for Matariki" and we talked about some of the Maori Gods. We created pastel artworks using koro patterns, showing one of the Gods.

Can you recognise which picture goes with Tangaroa, the God of the sea and which picture goes with Tawhirimatea, the God of the wind?

Measurement

This week in Maths we have been working on Measurement. We are learning to estimate how long and high objects are and then to check and see how accurate our estimations are. We found out that the more we tried, the closer our estimations got to the actual measurement- which just shows, Perseverance and a Growth Mindset, really helps!

Sometimes we measure using non- standard measures, like blocks, or rods, or cubes.

And sometimes we measured using a ruler.

Bush Builders

Last week we welcomed guests from the zoo.  As past of the  Bush Builders project from Term One we spent time in the school grounds identifying animals, plants, and we also managed a bit of clean up along the way!



The enthusiasm the students show for creatures and the environment is fantastic. There was a lot of excitement about spiders, worms, and we even saved a butterfly!



Being Kaitiaki of the environment means that we were very careful about returning anything we found back to its home and taking care with where we stepped.

Jump Jam on Wednesdays

Jump Jam

We are doing Jump Jam on every Wednesday at morning tea.

It’s at the front of Tautoru and it’s optional.

There will 6 of us to show you what to do.

We would love you to come and dance with us.

Bring your best dance moves!

Kaitiaki Actions

This term our Inquiry has focused on our school environment and how we can be Kaitiaki (guardians) of our special place. 

Over the last few weeks we have been practising positive purpose through the Taking Action phase of our Inquiry. Positive purpose is the idea of 'giving back' or 'doing good' (an act of service) for someone or something else. 

All of our Inquiry actions are related to making improvements to our Worser Bay school environment:

Team Trees..

Looking after and protecting the trees that we have already.

Team Bird..

Encouraging more birds to visit our trees. 

Team Worm..

Building a worm farm so that we can improve the condition of our soil.

Team Pollinators..

Planting flowers that will encourage more pollinators to visit our gardens.

This Inquiry into how we can be Kaitiaki of our environemnt has been valuable in helping our children understand and develop a sense of responsibility to their immediate world (school community). 

Engaging in acts of service give us a sense of meaning and purpose which enable us to feel positive emotions which we know are important for our physical and psychological health.

Take a walk around our school grounds to see how we have been taking action to improve our environment for everyone.