Home Learning Grid Weeks 1-2

Check out the home learning grid for the first two weeks of Term 2.  Remember to keep up with the Must-Do tasks at the top of the page and only work on the Can-Do challenges if you do not have a project underway.

Take a careful look at the Genius-Hour Challenge.  We will find out more about this on Friday but you might want to think about 10 things your would love to find our about, try, investigate or experiment with by yourself in the Genius-Hour or with a buddy. 

 

Click to make the image larger.

What is Kiwiana? What are Kiwi Kids?

Take a close look a this poster by clicking on it.  List all the things you think might be KIWIANA or make us Kiwi Kids on a sticky not on our wall.

Created with Padlet

Making Scarecrows

Zanada plans to make a number of scarecrows in Term Two.  One with the Green Fingers (Secret Garden Team), another with the Juniors in Choice and Challenge and a third as an ECO Challenge with anyone who is interested.

Bring along a hat, long sleeved shirt, some trousers or even a 'bus vest' for your scarecrow.  Remember that you will not get these things back but they are a donation to the Secret Garden.  What creative things might your scarecrow need? (apron, hat, walking cane, gloves, carrot...)

There will be a school challenge to name these scarecrows.  Make sure you get involved, help make a scarecrow,  get to know them and select the best name.

Making AR book reviews

How cool - I found this in a Whitcoulls leaflet. Can you see the QR code beside the book?

How could we use this idea to make movie book reviews for the library to sell our favourite books? Make sure you bring your favourite book ready for the first day of Term 2.

Review of Term 1

On Friday we looked at what went well this term, what didn't go so well and the changes we would like to make for Term 2.

Good things:

Our targets and evaluations in our planners

Practical 'build a boat' home learning challenge

Turning our writing into e-books and movies to share

Using a movie as motivation to write 'Shadow Stories'

Daily 5 - reading not worksheets

Camp - initiatives, team work

Maths interchange

Sports spectacular 

Being in the waka - all belonging and working together

Having our learning on the blog

Our inquiry action and having choices

Lots of practical team challenges like making pancakes and putting up tents

Being responsible for the sun-smart chart

Bad things:

Our poor listening skills

Allana needs to give us more reward cubes for the pyramid

Sometimes class is noisy - sometimes learning takes noise!

We are not giving house group points

We need to sell our books and use book letters more

Check that our planner evaluations are in detail

Caring more for iPads and class resources

We are  not using 'thinking hats' in class

We son't stop quickly enough for 'Stop, look, listen'

Not being ready to learn at the end of break

Changes for Term 2:

More fitness, PE and Turbo Touch

Use IPICK in Daily 5 better so we have the best books

Use the 'class jobs' roster better

Add new jobs for people saving electricity and re-cycling

Do more art in class

Make small white planners for most and some large ones

Home learning - grid for two weeks then homeplay challenge for two weeks

We have had a really exciting term of learning.  We feel that all our team activities and camp has helped us get to know each-other and belong in our team.  We can't wait to see what Term two has in store as we find out 'What makes us a Kiwi'.  

Book Sell: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves

Are you up for an adventure, treasure hunting and revenge?  This is an exciting book that you might like to read.  Take a look at the book review on the Leap into Books Blog.

Book Sell: The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan.  

This is an amazing book that we loved reading as a class last year.

Click on this link to see the review on the Leap into Books Blog.

Book Shopping

I must confess to having been shopping for kids books for our genre boxes. We have 13 new books.

How many do you think I can read and get up on the Leap into Books Blog? Leave a comment with your prediction.

Do you think you can beat my total of books read over the holiday break. Remember - I am only reading short ones - if yours is over 200 pages then it counts for two!

Hands on home-play challenges

We started a new idea in home learning this week.
Next term we plan to have the normal home-learning grid for one fortnight and then a 'Hands-on' home play challenge on the next fortnight.  Our first challenge was to develop a boat no bigger than an A4 piece of paper that would win a race across the pool.

Help me with ideas for the challenges next term in your comments below.
These are our starting ideas:

A paper dart race - the fastest flyer, the corner turner...
The egg crash helmet - for a long drop!
The bake off - the best muffin!

The great boat race

The great boat race

Isabella's design for her home learning challenge boat is very simple but effective.  Did it get across the pool Isabella?

The great boat race

Check out how Estée's boat went in the race.  Estée, why don't you tell us what you would do to improve your design in a comment below?

Get reading in the holidays

Check out Isabella's plan for building reading muscles. How about trying your own reading chart!

To Allana

This is my chart that me and Mummy made. This is how it works:

I have little ticks, crosses and minuses - a cross means I did not read, a tick means I did read and a minus means that I read a little bit.

Isabella M

Māori Greetings

Māori greetings

Māori Greetings

100 word challenge - mud

At school there was a test and I thought it would be boring, until my brother announced that you could win a trip to the moon.  I was so excited that I got all the answers right. 

The next day I went to the moon with my dad. But when I got there it had melted and we slid into slippery gooey middle.  Dad called mum but she did not reply. 

We were stuck in the middle of the moon for two months until we dug ourselves out.  Next we built a space shuttle to get home.

Josephine

Before Sunrise - Tate

A clock-face shines in the dark night.  Tiles make pointy rooves like gingerbread houses.  An angel warrior statue in the centre of town stands sill and tall.

Hiding in the darkness is a shadow.  He has moon white eyes and grey skin.  He is unhappy and wants to find a place where he belongs so he steps out into the world.

After a long time walking he sees dark buildings like shadows in the night.  The moon lights up his drooping eyes and the stars sparkle like glass.  All of a sudden he sees a  stream of golden light shoot out of a window, like a treasure glowing.  

The Shadow creeps carefully through the dark town and up to the glow.  After climbing a giant set of stairs, he walks into  the room.  He gasped!  There are tall crooked stacks of books in a golden glow.  The shadow sees the glow is brighter.  It is a golden candle.  She fluttered her eyes and sparkles fell.

Suddenly the candle became extinguished. The shadow went on his knees at the candle base and sat there lonely as a cloud. The black smoke came from the candle and twisted against the wall, emerging as a girl shadow.

The shadow was nervous but got up and met the new shadow girl. He knew they had a connection.

Te Reo Greetings

Check out how Josh and George are using their Māori language.  

It is great to have the whole class helping me practise for my Te Reo classes on Thursday.   It was also great fun to hear many of you share this learning with your parents at learning conversations.

Comments for kids focus blog!

We are famous. All the teachers following #comments4kids have been told to check out our blog and that it is an example of of some of the most interesting things done on class blogs in all of the world!

I can't wait to see who comes to visit and what comments we get.

http://comments4kids.blogspot.co.nz/2013/04/comments4kids-blog-spotlight-springston.html

Before Sunrise

The shadow did not want to live with the other shadows.  The village was quiet with tall homes and peaceful people.

Slowly the shadow sneaks out the alleyway.   There was a knight with wings with water coming from the trumpets on the top of the statue. The moon was bright and shiny.

There was something glowing from the library. The shadow was amazed it looked like a golden piece of light.

He went inside the library towards the light. He touched the candle and burnt his hand. The shadow walked out of the library and sat on top of a building and looked at his hand.

A man blew out the candle and the shadow got a fright. The shadow ran back to the library and hugged the candle. The candle turned from a candle to a twirling smoke, emerging as a shadow.  Now they were friends.

Before Sunrise

In a dark village filled with gingerbread houses full of sleeping people his a lonely shadow.  His face is  shaped like a fish and his eyes are bright and sparkling white.  He looks skinny and boney.   

He decided to leave the shadows and search for something better.  Suddenly a glow shines in the moonlight like an orange sun.  He was creeping and climbing, jumping to get to the library.  He finally got into the library and was so surprised.   All around him were towers of golden books.  In the corner, on the table  stood a glowing candle fluttering her sparkling lashes.  Suddenly the candle went out and he was so heart broken.  The Shadow bent down and hugged the dark candle. 

The smoke of the candle turned into a shadow like him.  He was so astonished that he doesn’t have to play with the bad people.  He can play with the good shadow.

By Lachie

Shadow Man Story

The sky is a black old shadow.  It was  5:00 clock  and there was not a sound to be heard. The stars reflect the tops of the building’s roves like little diamonds.

In the darkness hides a lonely shadow.  His neck is long skinny like a pencil. The moon is bright like an oval and the shadow’s misty eyes light up as the sky turns black.

After a long time walking with shivering legs, he sees the golden window of gleaming light gleamed of light.  He decided to go in and had to climb the tower of mystery.

His eyes gleamed as his mouth dropped as he was looking amazed.   The tall stacks of books  surrounded him like  treasure.

The Shadow’s heart pounded fast as the candle’s eye fluttered with glitter and gold diamonds.   

She turned her head to the window with shyness and love.  The candle blows out.  How could this happen?  It was so bad that the Shadow’s heart pounded fast with fear.

He fell to the ground and cuddled the candle.  The smoke twisted and turned into a girl shadow.  He now had a friend.

Before Sunrise

In the glowing dark the clock stands tall and the Shadow  wondered why he was always in the gloomy darkness.  He stepped to the world of light.   

The village was fast asleep.  There is a sound of evil laughing as the clock keeps ticking out of the darkness. The clock and the statue fountain are guarding the village. 

The Shadow’s eyes got lit up by the moon. The clouds are dancing around up and down around the bright sky.

He moves smoothly and gracefully but his lonely eyes drift down.

Suddenly he sees a gold light stream across the roof and wonders what could be in there.  He creeps towards the building.  

He looks around and sees lots of books piled in towers.  In the corner there is a glowing light that stopped his heart. Suddenly  the candle gets blown out the shadow’s eyes come out in a shock and he is horrified. 

The smoke of the candle dances around.   She turns into a shadow and she feels confused.  He is happy once again because she is a live! 

Before Sunrise

                                                                                                                                                                                                           

In a dark room there were lots of ghosts.  They were all bad except for one.  He did not like them because they ruined their house so he went out to discover things in the new world.

The  good ghost walks through the village. He sees gingerbread houses with shiny pebbles like stars on their rooves.  In the middle of the village stood an angel warrior.  It was watching to protect the sleeping people.

After a long time walking past the sheep wool moon, the ghost sees a golden light coming from an old window.  He decides to take a look.  Inside he and finds big building with books standing in huge piles.  

In the corner the ghost sees a waving candle.  He wants to touch it but he’s to scared.   Suddenly the candle gets blown out.  The ghost hugs at the candle stick, feeling very sad.  The smoke from the candle turned into a girl ghost.  

Josephine's home learning brownie

I read the recipe, measured the ingredients and baked yummy brownie for the class.

Te Reo Greetings and Questions

Check out the great way Lachie and Phelix greet each other, ask their names and how they are feeling in Māori.  I love the enthusiasm they use and am looking forward to being asked these questions tomorrow morning at school!

Greetings in Te Reo

Check out Liam and Zac using Te Reo!

The fantastic shadow

The shadow is friendly and great and lives in a dark street in the village.    The other shadows are mean and loud.  Why was he on his own with no nice friends?  He was wondering what to do? 

The shadow steps into the dark village to search for a friend.  His eyes are lit up by the moon as he sees the clock face as it glows through the village.  The stars are shining on the roofs of the gingerbread houses like twinkling diamonds.  

After a while he saw the light streaming in the darkness from a window.  He tiptoed across the village and he climbed the stairs. The books are surrounding him.  He finds the light that was shining.

The candle is flickering and the shadow burnt his hand.  Suddenly his heart stopped with darkness when she was blown away.  The flames turned into dust and then into a shadow.  She wondered what she was then he picked her up.  She was a shadow too.

By Jack B

Mud - 100 word challenge

Mud

I was watering the garden when I fell into a mud puddle that looked just like melted chocolate.  I couldn’t get out because the mud was too gloopy and kept sticking solid around my body.  

One thousand years later, scientists found me fossilized in mud.  They thought I was dead like a person from Pompeii so they put me on display in a science museum.  

After ten years in the museum, I started to chip my way out.  

After all that time, I have learned to keep away from the garden and now I spend my time on the computer.  

Before Sunrise Movie - by George

Before Sunrise Movie - Phelix

Team skills on camp

Team skills at camp

Before Sunrise Movie - Jess

Before Sunrise

The shadow was sick of sitting down and being bored so he got up and crept through the village looking for a place where he would belong.

He saw the clock face in the centre of the village.  It was shining at five O'clock at night.  The old cottages are like two story gingerbread houses and the moon glowed like a giant torch.

The shadow saw something glowing like the sun out of a little house. It was as bright as gold, so he started to investigate.  He crept over to the cabin and sneaked through the door. He got a surprise.  All around him were mountains of books in really big piles.  

Then a big light caught his eye.  It was a candle! The candle glowed liked the sun and was like gold.  The shadow was shy because the candle started fluttering at him, but the candle was shy too. 

Suddenly a man blew out the candle and the shadow was extremely horrified.  

The candle smoke started dancing like a black ribbon.  It gently fell and turned into a shadow like him.

By Zac 8 years old

Before Sunrise

In a scary dark world there was a lonely shadow.  His eyes glow in the moonlight light. He has a twirl at the top of his head.The strange creature is skinny and moves slowly.  He has black lips and they don't say much.

The shadow was sitting on a chair.  He sighed. He was not like the other shadows.  He did not belong.  

He was lonely but he knew there was more to life.  Bravely he stepped out into the dark night to begin his journey.

As he walked the Shadow saw that the tops of the roofs were like they were made from ginger bread. 

Suddenly he sees some golden light that is shining out of a library.  He had to find out what it was.

After climbing up the giant steps, finally he got inside.  He looked around and gasped.  There were stacks of dusty books of all sorts everywhere.   

Something caught his eye.  On the table was a candle.  She looked alive and turned with a shy rosy blush.   Her eyes twinkled like golden stars in the moonlight.

Suddenly the candle was blown out.  The Shadow was very sad and cuddled the base of the candle.  Her smoke came up and fluttered in the air then she turned in to a person just like him.  Finally he saw her and they kissed.

Estee

Daily 5 reading - what it looks like....

Josh took some photos of what was happening in our class during Daily 5 today. Can you see reading to self, reading to someone and listening to reading?

Before Sunrise

The village is dark because it is 5 o'clock at night.  There are no-one to be seen. The clock is shining brightly.  Something is happening. The buildings are creaking. The reflection of the moon on the roof is like shooting stars. 

Around the doors of the cottages there are carved patterns like worms digging holes in the dirt. But hiding in the darkness are shadows.  The little shadows are naughty so the nice one left.  He climbed up the pipe into the night.  

After a long time walking he saw a glow of golden light shining brightly through the window. He crept into the library, up the giant steps.  He was amazed to see piles of books surrounding him.  His eye was caught by a bright light. It was a candle.  She blushed pink and fluttered her eyelashes with golden sparkles.

The librarian suddenly blew out the candle.  The Shadow’s heart pounded and he fell to his knees, wrapping his arms around her dark base.   A black charcoal colour smoke swerved back and forwards behind him.  It made a picture against the wall like a spider web.  Eventually it turned into a shadow.  He now had a friend.

By George 9 years old

Before Sunrise

The shadow wished if he could have a better life in the town.  The tower stands tall and looks gloomy. The tower is strange and it looks like pale black mountains.  The Shadow steps out into the night and calmly flies through the dark alleyways.

After walking a long time, the Shadow sees a bright shimmering light coming from a window.  His eyes get light and start to glow. The Shadow’s neck gets longer as the night sky gets blue.  He walks in to a bright light of the library.  As the Shadow wanders through towers of books, his eyes turn black with surprise.

The shadow saw a candle.  She turned around in shyness and it looked like golden diamonds as she fluttered her eyelashes. He put out his hand and it got burnt.  

Suddenly the man blew the candle out and the Shadow fell to the ground and he hugged her.  While he was sad and lonely, her smoke came out the back and made a girl shadow.   

By Chloe 7 years old

Before Sunrise

The tower is gloomy and old.  It looks spooky as the clock face shimmers like the soft sky.  Glowing roof tiles light up the night sky with flying stars. 

The water is running down into glowing shimmering white stuff as it lights up the night sky.  The water goes all fluffy after the night glows on the roof. The mountains get covered in soft shimmering moonlight sky. Why does he have to be stuck in the gloom without a friend? 

The shadow climbs up the drain pipe to escape out to the open world.  He sees a river of golden light surprisingly come out of a window. He thinks it looks warm and cheerful.  After creeping through an alleyway he struggles but manages to climb the stone steps.  Suddenly, he finds himself in a library!He gasped because there are mountains of books in the room.  

Then, finally, he sees the golden glow! It’s a candle and he falls in love.  Her fluttering eye lashes makes the shadow fall in love even more. He reaches out his hand and pulls away. Finally he gets the courage to touch her but he gets burnt. He walks home sadly and fearfully. Back in the library the man swiftly blows out the candle. The Shadow raced back to the library with his heart thumping.

When he got there, he collapsed and wrapped his arms around the candle.  Behind his back, a black mist climbs the wall.  It turns into a bigger mist then, it falls and he sees it turn into a girl just like him! 

They instantly fall in love and live happily ever after.

Maggie 8 years old

Before Sunrise

The village is dark because it is 5 o'clock at night.  There is no-one to be seen. 

The clock is shining brightly.  Something is happening. The buildings are creaking. The reflection of the moon on the roof is like shooting stars.  Around the doors there are carved patterns like worms digging holes in the dirt.

The glinting moon lights up the eyes so they look like silver drops.  The sparkling stars

beam across the sky as the clouds puff gently.   The moon is painted with swirls of koru.

A tuft pops up like a light saber out of the Shadow's head.  His legs are like twigs when they limp along and his arms droop along in the air. He moves in the shadows silently and sadly. Where is he going? What is he looking for?

A sudden glow pops out of the dark.  It is the only light of the village.  After he climbs the stairs he’s at  the light.  By what he could see he was astonished.  All around him were stacks of books like towers.

The Shadow limps along to see a candle in the corner of the room.  He touches the candle but the candle burns him so he goes back to the night.  While he’s gone the candle gets blown out.  The shadow sprints to the base the shadow collapses  sadness.

Swirling smoke emerges to the air from the candle.  Astonished the shadow sees that the candle smoke has turned into his kind.