Santee klaas

Today Eveliene and Julia's mum (Petra) came into our class, to let us know about Santee Klaas.

We learnt that ...

• Santee Klaas comes from Spain each year, in mid November, by steam boat, and he has a horse he brings with him.
• He has 100's of 'Black Piet's' but one main helper also called Black Piet.  - These are kind of like elves.
• Every night from mid November till the 4'th of December, you get to put one of your shoes (and a treat for the horse), by the fire place, or by your front door, and you get a little present in return.  
• Every night (or day) you sing him a song (see our youtube example below), to encourage him to come and leave his treat for you.
• On the 5th of Dec you often hear a knock at the door, and when you open the door, there is a sack full of presents.
• Santee Klass was a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church - To many people, this is where our Santa Claus originated from.
• Santee Klass, lived in the 6 century, and was known to help others by putting money in shoes, around this time of year.  This is where the money/small present each night comes from.

In Holland you also celebrate Christmas on the 24, 25 & 26th of December, but you would normally only get one present.

'Fill a Stocking' Advent Calendar

Earlier in the year Room 4 enjoyed learning about the 'Fill a bucket' books and how to fill other's buckets.  We changed it a little to suit our class, and we called it 'Filling a Kete'.

With Christmas fast approaching we decided to revisit these ideas, and we have created our very own version of an Advent Calendar.  We have called it our 'Fill a Stocking' Advent calendar.  We encourage you to try it out, and let us know what you think, or what you have been doing each day!

ENJOY!

Blake supports bald angels world record attempt

On Friday afternoon, Blake became the 401 bald angel in the world record attempt at the Turners Centre in Kerikeri.  AWESOME!!!  Love the hair cut, but don't forget to put sunscreen on!

Stella Sponsors Harold

Here is Stella sponsoring me to do the 'Kerikeri Half Marathon' for Harold and the Life Education Trust.  We are really lucky because he comes to our school next week!  

If you still wish to donate that would be great and you can either do it on line at the sponsorship link below or send your money into class  - Tell your friends too!!!  Go Harold and the Life Education Trust.
https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/mrsg4lifeedfarnorth/# 

Wheelchair fun

Issy's has had a trial wheelchair for the last week.  It had flashing lights and looked like a real racer. Someone turned up to take the trial one back and give her, her old one back, so we all had a quick turn in it.  Even Mrs G had a go!  We are all looking forward to seeing Issy's new one early next year!  It sounds like it is going to be sooooooooooooooooo much fun!

Rugby League Skills

On Wednesday we were lucky to have Benson (from Rugby League Northland) come into our school to work with our junior classes, and teach us some Rugby League skills.  We all had lots of fun, and laughs, as we learn't about warm up, and how to hold the ball.

Below is a movie to remind us of what we were learning/doing.  We hope you enjoy.

Our Assembly

Last Friday it was our turn to run the school assembly again.  We shared some stories we had created about the blend 'Sp', and our 'Spookyrumpus' scenes.  We also presented one of our 'puppet pals' story creations.  We had lots of fun, and we all enjoyed having a turn to talk in front of such a large audience.  Here is a video of the highlights from our assembly.  We hope you enjoy!

Room 4 learns a little Japanese

Because we have a student who comes from Japan, we have been learning a few things in Japanese to make her feel more welcomed.  We have learn't how to say hello at different times of the day, and how to count to 10.  We have also been learning 'Twinkle twinkle' in Japanese.

Book fair

Today our class visited the library to see the books that are for sale.  We all had lots of fun reading these new and exciting books.  We found lots of books that we really liked, and some seniors helped us to make our wish lists.  These wish lists are in our school bags. Here is a photo of us all with our wish lists just before we came back to class.

Helping 'Super Science Girl'

Today we had 2 students helping 'Super Science Girl'.  She was working with a group of science investigators (from the middle team), and as she was sharing the experiment with the whole school at our Assembly she decided to make a Movie.

Who better to make the movie for her but 2 or Room 4's amazing students.  Thanks Will and Samantha for doing Room 4 proud.  You have done a fantastic job!  Below is the video they helped to produce.

Captain Bumble

One of our reading groups this week have been practising the play 'Captain Bumble'.  Here is a link to the puppet pal movie they have created.  Fantastic learning guys, well done!

Abacus Fundraising

This year the PTA have been organising an Abacus Fundraiser.  Each child in Room 4 has produced at least 1 piece of art, that can be used for this purpose.  Please check out their individual blog's, or pop in, and see it in our classroom window.

I might be biased, but I think they are pretty cool!

Shake Out 2015

Here are the lyrics and video clip that room 4 have been practising this week to support us with our 'Shake out' practice on Thursday!  Check out our individual Blogs for our photos!  

Don't forget to comment.

Getting ready for Show day

Today we were making Vaseline saucers to present for Show day on Friday.  Here are a few clips of the children making them.  Individual photos will be on their Blogs.  Enjoy!

Keeping ourselves safe

Today we were learning about how to make an emergency call.  We used Mrs G's pipe phones, and pretended to ring Constable Rob.  We had to look at a picture, and then tell him what was happening.  We took a recording of Rivah practising, and made it into a movie that we could look at later to help us remember what to do.  Here it is.  We hope you enjoy!

Check out our individual Blogs, to see a photo of Constable Rob giving us each a 'High Five', after our last session with him today.

Z is for Zentangles on our Z men

Last week we were revisiting and learning about the letter Z.  As a fun activity to help us remember the letter Z we did some 'Zentangles' art.  We did these on some T-shirts and then stuck our head, hands and feet on them.  Check out our Zentangles Z men on our individual blogs.

Chocolate Dipping. Yum Yum Yum.

Today we had heaps of fun dipping treats in chocolate for the school Bazaar.  Mrs G made ups wash our hands, and we got to wear some cooking aprons as we dipped away.  We had heaps of fun, and lots of people took videos to show what we were doing.  Here are just a few!  We can't wait till the Bazaar on Sunday.

Butterfly Habitat Hero's

Today Eveliene, Rivah, River, Issy, and Julia received mail.  It was very exciting, and we loved being able to open it in our Junior Garden, beside the swan plants that need to be moved.  

Thank you Julie Holt, for your visit a few weeks ago.  Thank you also for your messages, and the ideas you sent today.  We are very excited about what we are going to do.  We have already taken some swan plant cuttings, and are looking forward to putting it all together in the Junior area. 

Keeping ourselves safe

This morning we had Constable Rob come in to help us learn about 'Keeping Ourselves Safe'.

He talked to us about why it is very important to know our phone number and address.  This is going to be our important homework this week!

We need to learn:

1. Our address (including our street/road/rapid number).
2. Our home phone number.
3. Our parents cell phone numbers.

There will be a sheet in our Learning Journey books to help us, then we will practice in class.

Jumping Jack Show

Today we had another visiting show.  It was about 'Jack, the Mexican Bean, and a Giant'.  In this story the Giant is a litter bug, and he keeps throwing his rubbish down to the earth.  Jack gets accused of littering, and he sets off with the help of the Mexican Bean to prove it wasn't him.

Below is a video that Stella, and Eveliene took during the show.  We will attach more photos, and videos as the children get time to edit them.  Thanks for viewing.

The Science Van

Today we had visiting performers come to our school, from 'The Science Van'.  They talked to the whole school in a mini performance at the beginning of the day, then those of us who had paid got to go to a workshop in the afternoon.

The focus of this show, and the follow up workshop, was on the concept 'Forces'.  We learn't about Friction, and how that the 'greater force always wins'.

In the workshop, we also learn't about how that when we combine our effort (e.g. we work together), our force becomes greater than it would be on our own.  We also learn't that we can use things like silky material, and wheels to overcome friction, and if we use this with 'pushing' and 'pulling' forces we can be the greater force.

(We are hoping to publish a video of our learning but here are a few photos in the mean time that Samantha and Kayla took).

Our Assembly

This week it was our assembly.  The children were very excited about this and decided they wanted to share their cat in the hat stories and art work.  So this became the theme of our assembly.  They made hats to wear, recorded the music for their song, practised a dance to go with it, and reading a portion of the story 'The cat in the hat'.

Thank you all the parents who came in to watch the children present their assembly, and especially to Tracy and Michelle who came in right at the end of lunch to help put the finishing touches on our kids.

Below is a video of the highlights of the assembly, for those who could not make it to see the actual assembly.  Also look at the children's individual blogs for view a close up picture, taken just before the assembly.  I hope you enjoy.

Daffodil Day

On the 28th of August our school showed their support for Daffodil day.  Here is a mass yellow school photo, that was taken on the day.  We raised around $400 for this cause.  Our class also created some daffodil art which were displayed around the Kerikeri community.  

Check out our individual blogs for our art work.

Julie Holt from Enviro-Schools

Today we had another visitor in our classroom.  This was Julie from Enviro-Schools, She came into our class as a way of supporting us in the inquiry topic, that has our classroom buzzing with ideas about why and how plants are important.  

Today we learn't lots about butterflies, caterpillars and swan-plants, along with ideas that we can use to help create our butterfly and bee sanctuary.  We liked how you agreed with us, that we should set up a separate area, and you gave us lots of other ideas too on why and how we could make this happen.  WE ARE SOOOOO EXITED!

Thanks Julie, we look forward to receiving your package in the mail to support our Room 4 (Year 1) learners.

ROOM 4 LOVES INQUIRY

Room 4 is loving their topic about "why plants are important".  Although the children still have a large number of questions to answer about plants, they are coming up with fantastic reasons for why they are important to life on earth.  

The class is also realising that in our school environment, plants play an important role, on things they like to see and experience.  This the children have now grouped into 4 main ideas, that they want to investigate further.  

These areas include:

• We want more food.
• We want more caterpillars and butterflies.
• We want more bees.
• We want more birds.

Below is some photos of the kids working on Friday.  It was magical to see them all completely focused on their own ideas, as well as helping other other groups in the class, when they realised that some of their ideas, could help the other groups.  I was so impressed, I had to send a quick email to Mrs Ayr and Mr McLeay to pop over and visit us.

Another special visitor!!!

Today Mr Cookson found an amazing visitor in our school.  He shared it with us.  As we have been having fun looking at Seeds under the digital microscopes, the children asked if we could use these to view our special visitor.  Can you work out what our special visitor is?  (click on answer when you think you know).

Some interesting facts we learnt were...

• The eggs are white initially but slowly turn a purplish black.
• The eggs hatch after 2 weeks.
• The caterpillar hatches and spends a couple months feeding on fungi (the stuff on forest floors).
• It will then crawl up a 'suitable tree' and 'burrow in'.
• It will live inside this tree for around 5-7 years, before it moves back to just inside the entrance of its hole.
• It then will pupate into a moth (similar to a caterpillar making a cocoon), while still inside the tree.
• It then hatches and flies out.
• It only lives for a few days (up to 1 week), and spreads thousands of eggs in this time.
• It has no functioning mouth parts so it dies of starvation!

Answer

A visitor to our school

Today many of our Junior children, enjoyed having a visitor to our Junior play area.  We took lots of photos so we could look more closely at it, before we captured "The Science Girl" releasing him into a better environment.

Can you guess the name of our visitor? (When you think you know, click on the link that says answer below).

Answer

A few clips about our unit "Why plants are important"

In room 4, we have been enjoying learning about "Why plants are important".  We have come up with questions we want to find out more about, and now we have begun to look into our own environment (the junior gardens) to learn more.

'd' is for playdough

Today the children enjoyed making play-dough.  This was a fun way to help children remember discussions we have had, in class, around the letter 'd'.  We also covered the initial blend 'dr'.  For many child, this week was not so much based around the sound and word association, but, about quickly recognising 'b' and 'd'.  This is a common error at this level, but an important one to overcome.  If your child is one of the few, who are still struggling with this, please ask them to think of the word 'bed'.  They will quickly tell you, how the word 'bed' helps them with this.

In maths we have also been doing lots of work around fractions, and of course doubles and halves.  While making play dough one group made a single batch and another group made a double batch.  The second group needed to not only discuss doubles, how to make doubles, but they had to use their doubles for a real purpose.  

Great fun!

G is for goop

Today we had fun making goop.  This was to help reinforce both our letter of the week, and our Maths work on Fractions.  The children had to measure out the ingredients for this mixture, before mixing and playing with the groovy green goop.

Feel free to try this at home and email me your photos!!!

1 Cup Cornflour

1/2 Cup Water.

Room 4 loves Greedy Cat

Y is for yummy Yogurt making.

Year 1's Matariki Stars

The Year 1 teachers came up with a plan for getting all the year ones, working together, and learning about Matariki.  We looked/listened to different stories about Matariki, and learn't songs to share with others as well.

We also had fun creating an outdoor area, that reflected Matariki.  Here are a few videos, that the children made of themselves working in this area.

Q is for Queen's birthday

When we were looking at the letter Q we made Queen masks.  On Friday we put them on, went to see Mrs Ayr, and walked around the school, showing them off, along with our very posh queen waves.  It was great fun.  Enjoy our video.

Matariki Song

Thank you Room 5, at Ohaeawai School, for all your comments.  Here are the words to our song.   Tirama Tirama Matariki Me ana tamariki Tupu-ā-nuku, Tupu-ā-rangi, Waitī, Waitā Waipunā-a-rangi e Ko-te po-tiki ko Uru-ā-rangi

Matariki Song

Here is a song the Junior Syndicate are practising for Matariki.  You can use this video, to help your child practise this song, at home.  We are hoping to get really good at this, and then take another video.

Tirama Tirama Matariki

Explain everything & Show me

Today a few children were playing around, with the explain everything app.  Here are a few examples, of what they came up with.  They were showing that they could solve a simple multiplication problem, by counting all the objects.  Two of the children who trialled this app, choose to use their skip counting knowledge.  Tumeke!

Issy also trialled an app called show me.  She was showing how she could count the objects, shown on the screen.

  And yes she does love frozen!!!

Last Hockey Session

Yesterday we had our last Hockey session.  Below is a photo we had taken and below that is a Movie that Issy, Blake, and Charlie.  They were so proud of their work on this Movie, and eagerly shared it today.  Issy also enjoyed telling everyone that it would be put on our class blog, as well as her own blog.

I hope you all enjoy it.

Writing 4 ways - reorder, record, write, and type

This is an example of how we have been experimenting with using the iPad to assist our learning in writing.  Well done Hemi, you wrote the sentence in your book very clearly, but found the typing was the hardest part.  

Learning Ukulele

Today we started learning how to play a Ukulele.  The main focus today was to learn how to hold a Ukulele, but we also learnt how to play a C cord too.  Here is a song we learnt to help us remember the parts of the Ukulele.

Parts of my Ukulele

This is the body.

Here is the neck.

These are the strings.

Here is the bridge.

This is the sound hole.

Here are the frets.

This is the nut.

Here are the tuners.

Don’t touch the tuners!

Check out our individual blogs for our photos!!!

Ibook creation

Today we had our first group finish creating their Ibook.  This has been a great learning experience for these children.  They have had to record, listen to themselves, and then insert it onto the right page.  This involved a huge amount of discussing their reading, and how to improve it as they went.  So WELL DONE STELLA AND SAMANTHA for all your hard work.

Their WALT was to read with fluency and expression.  As you can hear as the story progresses their fluency and expression gets better and better.

PS:  I have uploaded it as a video to UTUBE so you can all access it, but on our Ipad in class we can still turn the pages, and read it just like a normal book!

Environmental Writing

As part of our writing this week, the children wrote about Leaves.  Here are a few video clips they took of themselves, as they were exploring this topic.  Check out their individual blogs in the coming week for their stories.

Finally - 'The Frog Man'

On the last day of Term 1, Room 4 had a visit from 'The Frog Man'.  He kindly brought in some tadpoles/frogs, so we could see all the different stages of the life cycle with real live creatures.  We thank you very much for your time, and hope you enjoy this little movie clip we have made up.

Blue Nose Bear bakes Banana Bread

Last Friday Blue Nose bear came to visit.  He was hungry.  When he was hungry he wanted us to make Banana Bread.  We think Blue Nose bear did a good job, because it was very very yummy.  Here is a movie clip we made of our time together.

Making ANZAC biscuits with our Buddies

Firstly sorry for the lack of updates on our blog lately.  There are lots of things that the class have been working on, so watch this space for a back log of posts.

In the mean time please enjoy this movie clip that is a combination of small videos that were taken last Friday as Room 4 and Room 10 worked together to make ANZAC biscuits.  It highlights a few learning elements the children worked through while working thought this wonderful learning task.

ENJOY.

Kete Filling Videos

This week the children in Room 4 have been creating videos of each other.  These movies are showing the different ways they can fill different peoples Kete's at school.  Please check out their individual Blogs.

I must say it is sooooooooooooooooooooo exciting that they are becoming such great movie producers.  When you check them out, I'm sure you will agree.

Please feel free to make your own videos about 'how your child fills Kete's at home' as well.  If you do create one, please share it back with me at school and I can pop that onto your child's Blog.  This could be a collection of photos which you email to me or you can use your phone/device to create a short movie.

I is for Incredible insect..

Today we like our insect hunt.  We split into 2 groups.  Samantha and Will recorded our videos.  Please have a look.

Group 1's Movies.

Group 2's Movies.

Zero Waste

Today we had some people from Zero Waste come to visit, and talk about where rubbish goes.  We got to sort and discuss why rubbish went to  different places.  We are looking forward to them coming back next term.  Also check out our individual videos on our individual Blogs.

F is for Fridays Fantastic Feijoa Feast

Here is a clip of the Children's Fantastic Feijoa Feast.

A Sounds Scavenger Hunt

And some more F fun - back at school.

The Juniors at Riverview School thought it was a FABULOUS FRIDAY!

Skyping on world read aloud day.

Sorry, this has taken a couple of weeks to get out to you.  This is because I wanted the class to not just enjoy this marvellous learning experience but to think about what they liked, and to reflect on the different things they shared.  It has been a wonderful way to connect to an expert the other side to the world.

Take a look yourself.

Swimming with Room 2.

Today we could only have a quick swim, because the year 2's were having a swimming display.  We still had fun!!! 

We even got to see Issy on the special swimming chair.

W is for Wacky Wednesday's Wickedly Wonderful Waterslide.

C is for Caterpillars on our Corn, and Cooking Corn on the Cob.

Take a look at us enjoying the letter C!

Constable Rob - Road Safety

Today Constable Rob came to visit us.  He talked to us about Road Safety, and how to stay safe on, and around the road.  Take a look at our little movie clip, and ask us lots of questions, about what it is showing.

Caterpillar Stories - GREEN SCREEN STYLE!!!

Today, Mrs G brought in her Ipad again, and her Green Screen kit as well.  We had to practice reading our stories, that we had been writing, during the week about our caterpillars.  Our stories included what they liked eating and what they felt like.  This was to go with our letter of the week and our shared book "The very hungry caterpillar".

Here is a couple of the green screens ... Mrs G is planning to set up a page for each of us so that we can share all of them.

Enjoy.

PS:  A big thank you to Stella's mum who came in, and helped finish these off for us.  Also thanks Cole, a Year 6 student from Room 15, who came over to learn how to green screen.  We look forward to being able to use you both again to Green Screen in the future.

Buddy Class Time

Today we visited our Buddy Class.  While we were there we looked at our buddy classes Weebly and they looked at our Blog.  We had lots of fun reading as well.  Mrs G took lots of videos of us during this time and here is a link to the video this created ...  We think it is very cool.

C is for Caterpillars...

This week our letter focus is C.  We have also been reading "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" book as our shared book.  Yesterday, Mrs G brought in some Very Hungry Caterpillars from her house, and we all got to hold them.  We talked about what they felt like moving on our hands, and what we thought our caterpillars liked to eat.  We even looked at one under a Digital Microscope.

T is for Teddy Bears, Tea parties, Tutu's, T Shirts, Ten Toes ...

Here is us enjoying T...

Visiting Mr McLeay

Today we went to visit Mr McLeay.  We had been reading "Greedy Cat is Hungry" by Joy Cowley as our shared book this week and we had created our own version.  This version had Mr McLeay as one of the characters.  So we thought we would take it over and share it with him.

We snuck into his room while he was busy working on his computer and then shouted BOOO!  We gave him such a fright.  He then talked to us about all the things he does in his room while we are working in ours.  He even gave us spins on his twirly chair ... Then we read him our story.  He thought it was great ... So did we.  Here are a few pictures to share.

What did go in the tank?

Today was the big reveal.

After the kids in room 4 spent the week getting the tank ready, making graphs about what was going in the tank and having lots of discussions about what it was for they finally got to peek into the bucket Mrs G brought in... Here a few photos to show what happened!