The technology of instruments

We have been inquiring into the technology of some musical instruments. This week we explored how strings and percussion create sound when using different materials.

We made string instruments using cardboard, plastic and metal. We tried different types of strings (i.e., rubber bands!) We discovered that the thickness of the string can make a high or low sound. We also found that cardboard and tin make very different sounds.

We also made some shakers using lots of different materials to see what kind of sound they made. We found that small pieces, like beads, that are not too packed worked better than sand or bark.

Next we are planning to create our own type of instrument. We have been thinking carefully about what materials we need and have made a design. We will be dialing up our Creativity to make our instruments next week!

Cricket!

We were very lucky this week to have Cricket Wellington back at Worser Bay and to practice our cricket skills with them. Our Tautoru tamaiki practised catching and passing through a range of games, as well as their reaction times, batting and fielding. Our PE focus for term 3 is cooperative games, so it was great to have students working together in small groups to practice their skills. Within these groups teamwork and fairness and kindness were emphasised Character Strengths.

Taking time out of our days for Physical Education is an integral part of our curriculum. By working our bodies we are also working our brains as PE has strong links to mental wellbeing and greater engagement in the classroom. PE also has positive links to strengthening social networks and building a sense of belonging across schools and communities.

Please enjoy these photos of our cricket afternoon!

Music With Georg

Tautoru are getting well into the swing of our Term 3 inquiry “The Power of Sound.” We have learnt about how sound travels, as well as how our ears receive sound and transport it to the brain - if you came to our first assembly then you’ll remember our performance on this!

These last two weeks we have shifted our focus to music and its impact on how we feel. Songs can make us feel all kinds of emotions, depending on the pitch, tempo and tone of the music (to name only a few elements!).

Last week we drew and acted out how music makes us feel, and this week we got to create our own pieces of music using some fancy sound equipment thanks to Moritz’s dad, Georg! Georg explained how these devices create music and how students can adjust the elements of music to change the overall sound. Students were then left to explore the different sounds they could create.

Musical experiences are incredibly important for our young tamariki. Studies show that music enhances wellbeing and promotes joy. Music allows children to stabilise their moods and forms a sense of connectedness to those around them. If you’d like to learn more about the benefits of music, check out this article by The Education Hub.

Maths as a creative communication tool

We often think of maths as equations with a result and problems to solve. There's lots of interesting discoveries to make when learning about how numbers work. But those equations also tell a story, in numbers and symbols, and one of the mathematical skills we need is to be able to explain the story of a number equation so that it 'makes sense' in the real world. 

For example: There are 45 kids in Tautoru and 2/3 are playing outside. How many kids are inside?

This week we investigated the question: How does this problem link to the real world? Some of us had a go at creating a story problem using fractions of numbers. We had to choose a fraction problem we knew and create a story around it. This means that we had to understand the problem really well so we could apply it to a real life problem.

 

Here are some of the stories that helped us make links between a fraction equation and the real world. 

Connecting through Kapa Haka

 This term's Learner Attribute is 'I am connected', and we are learning about all the different ways in which we can connect with others. Kapa haka gives us a wonderful opportunity to connect with our buddies in Autahi and also to Te Ao Māori- the Māori world, through waiata.

Kapa haka is a way to build Whakawhānaungatanga; those close relationships that make us whānau! We lean and practise waiata and then we can share the waiata with you, our bigger Worser Bay School whānau when you come to karakia in the morning or at assembly. 

Another aspect of kapa haka is building Leadership and supporting those around us who are still learning the words and actions. That is also building powerful connections within our learning community. It's a great way to embrace the challenge to sign and learn waiata because kapa haka is also lots of fun!

We are lucky to have matua Henare come to teach us each week, and we also enjoy practising in class. Here is a video of one of the waiata we are practising at the moment that you can use to practise at home if you'd like to join us when we sing.

Te Wā Mahi Tahi Beach Day

We are so lucky at Worser Bay school to be surrounded by a rich, naturally beautiful environment. We made the most of our surroundings on Monday by going to the beach for Te Wā Mahi Tahi. Tamariki discussed the mauri that the beach holds, and that when utilising beautiful natural resources, we need to make sure we leave them as we found them, for others to enjoy.

Our ākonga loved the opportunity to play at the beach, writing in the sand, testing out jumps and building their own creations. Students utilised their creativity, leadership and teamwork when playing together, while also remembering the launch for this week's Te Wā Mahi Tahi session, how to say no in a respectful way. Ask your tamariki about the reasons they give behind their decision to say no!

We hope you enjoy these pictures of our beach adventure.

My Bucket Your Bucket

These first few weeks of term 3, we have had a Positive Education focus on strengthening our relationships with others. Our discussions so far have been through the lens of our one school rule; respect. We respect ourselves, others and the environment. Alongside Autahi we have been learning how to respect others through the Character Strength of Kindness. We read the book, have you filled a bucket today? Which discusses how doing things for other people fills their buckets, while also filling our own! After this we went outside to experience and share how the things we have done for others have made both them and us feel good. Tamariki shared the kind things they have done for those around them, while pouring water into their own bucket, and a bucket representing their peers.

Ask your tamariki about the bucket filling story, and what ways they have filled the buckets of others by being kind this week!