Float or sink?

We have been learning about all the people who came to New Zealand before the invention of aircraft.  In room 1 we had to make a boat to see if we could design and create a structure that would float and hold a toy animal for 10 seconds.  The vessels all looked so different, but only two of them sank, which was pretty good!
Here are some photos of our testing...

If you want to make a boat that will float, you need to think about some important things...
Firstly, you need to have a shape that will stay stable and balance in the water.  Having air in it helps to keep it afloat.  The materials all need to be able to float.  Some of our boats were waterproofed with tape so they would not get soggy and sink.  A lot of real boats are made out of fibreglass, steel, aluminium or wood.

Year 2 assembly - celebrating our diversity!

Wow!  The assembly was fantastic and went off without a hitch.  The students shared their ideas well, spoke clearly and sang with gusto.  Thank you to all the parents who attended to support their child, and to the parents who organised traditional costumes representing their country or culture of origin.
One of our parents has very kindly videoed and edited the assembly for us.  Please follow the link below to see the whole process.  Absolutely gorgeous!
Thank you so much for this, Richie!

https://vimeo.com/123130758 

Information for parents from the Parent Meeting 13 February

Please find below the Powerpoint presentation which includes on the final page websites that your child will become familiar with that will enhance their learning.

Year 2 cultural assembly 23 March

Your child will be singing the 'Hello song' which is in their poetry books.  Here is the link to the song so you and your family can sing along to the tune:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bswEIC4QrsY 

Welcome back!

Term one has started well, and we are all settling back into positive school routines.

Our self portraits are on display in the Junior School corridor, demonstrating how the students learnt about proportion and placement of our facial features.

We have also been enjoying swimming at the Parnell Baths, learning about keeping safe in the water. Testing what would float or sink was very interesting!

It was great to see so many families at the parent meetings and school picnic.  I hope you found them both informative and fun!

Term 4 is under way!

Hello team

Term 4 is here and we are busy refocusing on our academic, social and emotional learning goals and how we can become better people.

The year 2 syndicate is inquiring about mini-beast communities - where they are, what they do and how they survive and communicate.  It is an exciting study with a focus on science, but integrating art, reading and writing and health.  Below is a link to a website where you can create your own super bug by choosing different features.  Have fun learning!

Minibeasts - Interactive - Create your own Super Bug!

www.mylearning.org/minibeasts/interactive/311/

Please check your children's hair for unwanted mini-beasts! Some little creatures are useful and helpful, and some are harmful...

Hope you are all happy, healthy and well after the holidays, as we head towards a lovely spring and summer ahead.

Details of events for the term will be published soon when we have the dates and times confirmed.

Kind regards, Gretchen Werder.

Book week - literature popular in 1914

Dear parents and caregivers

Room 1 has been looking at popular literature (stories) around the beginning of WW1 in order to find characters suitable for a book week parade next week.  These are the books we have talked about today:

Pollyanna  Eleanor H. Porter
The Secret Garden  Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Wind in the Willows  Kenneth Grahame

Just So Stories  Rudyard Kipling

The Tale of Peter Rabbit  Beatrix Potter

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz  L. Frank Baum

Peter Pan  J. M. Barrie

If you have any of these books (or DVDs) at home or abridged versions I could read to or share with the students, please bring these in for us.  Have a think about characters and what you might be able to rustle up at home - a dress up parade is so much fun!

Thanks, Ms Werder and Room 1.