Kids led learning

We have continued being "thinkers" this week at Kids led learning. 

We have thought how to build castles, make marble runs (Alex was very proud of his!) and be authors of joke books.





We also had the choice to do buddy writing and to create mosaic art.
There has been lots of thinking, sharing, negotiating and creating going on in Tautoru this week.

Open Morning Scavenger Hunt

Tautoru kids had a wonderful time sharing their learning space and activities during our open morning!

There was lost of animated chatting and sharing of the space and some of the things we've done so far.

I Am a Thinker- Kids Led Learning

How many different kinds of learning are there? What if kids can lead their learning?

Our learner attribute for this term is 'I am a thinker.'  Part of being a thinker is solving problems, having and sharing ideas, and organising my ideas. In Tautoru we have periods of Kids Led Learning when we are not in a learning workshop. We can choose different kinds of learning to do to practise our orgnisation of ideas and problem-solving. This might include different challenges, choice writing or creating with our imagination.

Here are a few of the Kids Led Learning from this week.

The Marble Run Challenge: Create a marble run using a paper plate.

The Paper Bag Puppet Challenge: Design and make a puppet using a paper bag

The Buddy Writing Challenge: Create a story with a buddy.

Visual Maths and Dot Talks

How is a number made up of other numbers?

This term we have begun to learn about Number Sense using Dot Talks. Number Sense helps us to understand and explore the possibilities of breaking up numbers and putting them together (proportional reasoning).

Dot Talks are a visual way to represent numbers. The importance of making mathematics visual is discussed in this article from Professor Jo Boaler at Stanford University link here.

We have been learning about how everyone can see numbers in different ways as a way to help us understand different strategies for addition and subtraction, recognise patterns of numbers, able to describe our thinking (mathematical logic and reasoning) and to learn from each other's strategies.

We also learn how to correct our mistakes by making our thinking visual (and we know that mistakes help our brain grow!).

Here are some examples:

How did you put the dots together?

Kaitiaki o te Ngahere- Forest Guardians

 Why are native plants important? How are they connected to native animals?

This week we have been learning about native plants and how they are important for native animals like insects and birds.

Last week at the zoo, we learned that insects, birds and trees are connected because some need others for food or as a place to live in. This is a web we made at the zoo showing the connections.

This week we explored Worser Bay School and found lots of native plants like harakeke (flax) and kowhai that the tui like (they drink the nectar from the flowers). We also found rata, pohutukawa and cabbage trees. 

Cabbage Trees

Harakeke (Flax)

Kanuka bush. Native bees like the nectar from the flowers.

We have done some writing about our learning, and also written poems about some of the insects we've discovered.

Learning about Kaitiaki tanga

As part of our inquiry in Tautoru we have been discussing and sharing ideas around Kaitiaki tanga. We are investigating what and how we can make a change in our classroom and at school.



"We could plant more trees for the birds."

After our visit to the zoo we have begun exploring the school grounds to identify what we could do to improve our school environment for not only the students but the wildlife.



"We could fill in the holes at top grass so that it is safe for playing games."

The students have come up with a list of amazing ideas that we will investigate further in the coming months. Here is just a few

Growing grape vines to make juice.

Bringing hives to make honey.

Pond for tadpoles and fish and for birds to drink from.

Bird houses and feeders.

Use the planter boxes for flowers or things for animals to eat.

More sand in the sand pit.

Toys to play in the sand pit.

Paint more games on the concrete.

Swings on the trees.

Tree huts.

More equipment like sticks and tyres to play with.

Bush Builders - Zoo visit

Tautoru and Autahi visited the zoo on Tuesday. We took part in the bush builders programme which was a great introduction to the creatures in our environment and how they are all inter-connected.



We were very lucky to meet a Tuatara who was only 13 years into his very long life. We learnt that Tuatara are no longer living on the mainland but are doing well on off shore islands in various areas of New Zealand, including Matiu/Somes Island in the Wellington harbour. Well worth a visit.

We worked through a number of activities that highlighted how to take care when walking through the bush and how to search for and identify creatures living in the bush.



Many of the students loved digging around in the dirt, under rocks and through leaves to find spiders, worms, and ants.



Groups also created a web linking different birds, bugs, and trees to highlight how they are all connected and how we can care for them.



We couldn't leave the zoo without exploring the animals and having some fun. It was great to see all of the children sharing their ideas, working in new groups, and enjoying the good weather!