maths and art...

Hello everyone!

Room 1 was lucky to be one of three classes who met last week with Brendan, the Australian Regional Manager of Mathletics.  We had a great lesson, ensuring we were getting the most out of the programme and that we were on track with our goals.  As a result, I have altered the programme that Room 1 children were on, and opened up all the available activities and experiences for the New Zealand Level 1 Curriculum.  There is a greater range covering many number and strand topics.  Please have a look during the holidays, and I will monitor and see how everyone is going. 

The way each activity works is quite involved, as it turns out.  Each activity has three levels of difficulty within it.  If you get answers incorrect, the programme automatically changes to the easier level.  If you get all questions correct the first time, you are doing well at that level.  If the questions are tricky at number 7 or 8, you have moved in to the most difficult level of that topic.  When the topic is repeated, the aim is to improve on your last score.  You get credits for improvement, which can be spent on upgrading your hair style...  You get points for completing tasks, which go toward gaining a certificate.

I will move some children in to the New Zealand Level 2 Curriculum programme in the beginning of term 4.  Remember, if it is tricky to click on the question mark on the left of the screen, which will provide teaching strategies to solve the problem.  Good luck and happy maths to you all!

On another note, the clay tiles the children made earlier based on the koru motif have been fired and tinted with red iron oxide.  They look awesome, and I endeavour to get photos of these up shortly.  There is great debate on whether the children should take them home, or gift to the school as a permanent art work.   Have a look in class.

Have a lovely holiday with your families, and I look forward to one more term of investigation and learning - fairy tales is our next focus, so explore the local library or your bookshelves at home for them!

Thanks, Gretchen Werder.

Hello everyone!
The kids have been doing many interesting things and learning many new facts, despite the fact that none of them have gone on this blog!
We have been learning Te Reo and Tikanga Maori, and in the process have been to Orakei Marae, had lessons with Whaea Celes, and studied Maori symbols.  Our art for the symbols we chose have been displayed in the library, and look fantastic. 

The children also made their own pounamu taonga of their chosen symbol...  This was made from Dukit, a modelling clay that is heat set. 

These have been worn with pride at school, and some families have followed this up by making items at home with Dukit.  Lots of fun, and great for fine motor skill development, and moving from 2D to 3D art.

Each Friday our buddy class tests spelling, often giving time for reading and maths as well.  The children enjoy spending time with the older students, and worked well together recently when they made thank you cards for volunteer assistants who helped the Olympic day on the Queen Victoria site.

Museum trip tomorrow, it will be fabulous to by guided through the journey the Maori took to arrive in Aotearoa, and to look at the other galleries.  We are so lucky to have such an internationally acclaimed resource in our 'backyard'.

Until next time, which hopefully won't be too far away...
Gretchen Werder and Room 1.









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