Science

We have been doing some serious science.  Our PD this year has us looking at science through a new lens. Less of the learning facts and more about thinking like a scientist.

We have been calling that "Looking at science with a science disposition."

In the curriculum there are the stands

The Natural World
The Material World
The Physical World
Our Planet and Beyond

Overarching all the strands is The Nature of Science.   This teaches us about how scientists think, act,  gather data, critique, record, make representations and how scientists relate to issues within their science communities. Part of the Nature of Science are the capabilities.

Gathering and interpreting Data
Using evidence
Critiquing evidence
showing and interpreting representations
Engaging with science

I have always enjoyed learning and teaching science but putting the science aside I am noticing a major spin-off,   the students ability to think critically.

Right over the whole school I see evidence that our students back up statements with evidence, they support their argument, they question validity, they seek clarification and they engage with scientific issues.

We are again enjoying learning and teaching science.

Georgia writes about Dinosaurs

Ben writes about Dinosaurs

William Writes about Dinosaurs

William 3

Daisy explains subtraction

tiriti explains subtraction

Georgia subtraction

Erica explains subtraction

Alexis explains subtraction

Subtraction

This is my model of what the juniors are doing today in maths.  We have been looking at how to subtract Sometimes it is easier to add forward than takeaway.

Daisy explains

Daisy tells you how to add numbers together

Tiriti uses an Interactive Whiteboard

Tiriti is explaining how he adds 2 digit numbers

Alexis explains

Alexis adds 2 addends that involve going over the 10s to find the sum

Bens Explain Everything

Ben made this Explain Everything by himself.

Georgia's explain everything

Georgia worked with Latisha to explain how she adds two two digit numbers together.

Erica and Herewini prove it

William with Toa

This is William's Explain everything, Toa helped him

Initiative

Initiative is a virtue I value, the ability to see a need and the inclination to do something about it.

After the recent storms the concrete between the staffroom and the sandpit was looking very messy, it was covered with needles from the two conifers in the pool enclosure. Today three of our junior boys saw the need and decided to rectify the need. They got out brooms and bushes and pans and set about cleaning up the debris on the concrete. Ben started, Jamie joined him then when William came along he asked if they needed help.   All that without teacher prompting.

Haven't we got wonderful kids.

Story Bird with Ben and Zac

 Ben's StoryBird

Zac, a senior boy from Ongarue Seniors helped one of our junior boys named Ben with a Storybird, this is a screenshot of his story. It is about Ben going outside with his cousins to go fishing, this was the result of the story.

-Zac

Erica and Alexis Learning about Fractions

We have  been learning about fractions and we will show you it.  Pg 21 and 19 and 20.

We did a test today and it was a tie,

We have been learning how to make fractions out of pieces of paper.First we did half, then we did quarters.

We learned to find a unit fraction of a set, like 1/2 of 12 = 6


  and 1/4 of 24= 6.

10s frames and fly cards

10s frames and fly cards are very important foundation understanding in maths. We learn how to add up to and over a10 or down to and behind a 10.

Jamie wants you all to see his maths. He has been writing addition equations that match the 10s frames and fly cards. Next he will write subtraction equations that go with the cards.

Jamie is very proud of his work here on the floor.

Autumn Tree Science

This morning we spent a session doing science. We has noticed the beautiful gleditsia tree just outside our classroom clothed in its autumn finery.

We put our science thinking hats on and thought like a scientist (used our science disposition). We used,   I notice, I think, I Wonder
Here are some of the juniors science thinkings

I Notice

·       Yellow and green and orange on the one tree

·       The greens are different, the yellows are different and the oranges are different

·       Leaves are falling off the tree and are landing on the ground

·       The leaves on the ground are brown

·       There are no green leaves on the ground

·       Some of the twigs with yellow leaves are bare of leaves

·       All the twigs with green leaves still have all their leaves

·       There is a twig growing out of the main trunk

·       The yellow leaves have brown spots on them

I Think

·       The brown leaves are rotting on the ground

·       The green leaves are holding on tighter than the yellow and orange leaves

·       Did The bare yellow twigs used to have leaves on them

·       Tomorrow will there be more leaves on the ground

·       The wind is making the leaves fall down

·       The twig growing out of the trunk will have leaves on it tomorrow

·       The tree is dying

·       The tree is alive 

        I Wonder

       Is the tree dying?

       What will happen to the leaves on the ground?

       Will all the leaves fall off the tree by..........?

       Will the tree live and grow?

       Will the green leaves turn yellow?

       Will the small branch grow into a big trunk?

Alexis' writing about budgies

Budgies are a type of bird that are easy to take care of. It is important for you to spend time with your Budgies. Male Budgies have blue cere and female Budgies have brown cere. Budgies have to be six weeks old before you  get them.You buy Budgies at the end of summer, that is when you will have most choice.

Budgies eat different grasses. Millet is a sure favorite of a Budgies’ family. Wild Budgies have very different lifestyles from pet Budgies.

Wild Budgies	Pet Budgies
Fly Free	Live in cages
get to see sun	don’t get to see sun
Live Outside	Live Inside
need to get food	don’t need to get food
not Trained	Are Trained

First Day Term2

Today we spent the afternoon learning how to use 3 apps that we thought might be useful in class. We used maths slide and Chatterpix and Chatterkids which appear to be different versions of the same thing. It is amazing how intuitive the kids are, they just seem to understand how to do things in this new digital world.

Share the Road Safety Message

In the last week of the term Hancock Forest Management came to school with one of the big logging trucks loaded with los to teach us about how to be safe on the roads with the logging trucks. Soon the pines will be logged again and we are expecting 35 truck and trailer loads of logs to be on the road between Ongarue and Waimiha per day. That's 70 trucks a day allowing for the trucks returning empty.

Bruce showed the children a slide show that taught about blind spots, stopping distances and how a trailer cuts a corner behind a truck. We all then went out to sit in the truck cab, count the wheels and generally be awed by the massive size of a fully laden truck and trailer. The truck driver was none other than the dad of a past pupil.

Thank you Hancock Forest management for the donations of the fluorescent beanies.

Please can all our tamariki wear their fluorescent beanie when they are out and about on the road or waiting for the school bus.

3 Way Conferences

Over the years we have tried different ways to engage with parents/whanau about their child's learning. The Education Act states schools must

report to students and their parents on the student’s progress and achievement in relation to Ngā Whanaketanga Rumaki Māori and/or National Standards. Reporting to parents in plain language in writing must occur at least twice a year;

We currently use a 2 written reports, mid and end of year, and 2 conference, end of term 1 and 3, per year schedule. This year we had an 80% attendance at our end of term one 3 way conference, the best turn out we have ever had. We allowed 20 minutes per child but can see this is not enough. 
Students attend the conference with their family and are well aware of where they are in their learning, how that relates to the National Standards and their goals they have set to help them move along their learning journey. 

In the Junior class I showed Erica and Alexis how to make their journal cover page, they then taught each other junior one at a time the process from taking the photo to printing the page. 




Thank you Erica and Alexis for being the teachers in the junior room. 

Pirates

One group in reading read a story about Jolly Roger the Pirate so we thought we'd have a pirate day. We read the books, Margaret Mahy's The Man whose Mother was a Pirate and Joy Cowley's  The Fierce Little Woman and the Wicked Pirate. We sang sea shanties as we made pirate stuff. All morning we chopped, glued, stuck and coloured and in the afternoon we asked the seniors to come and view our models.

Enjoy the photos as much as we enjoyed the making and pretending. Isn't make believe wonderful.

The sides of the pirate galleon.

Ready to attack.

Every pirate needs a parrot to sit on the shoulder.

I'll make the chain and anchor, 

is it long enough yet?

Treasure chest with Cryptic initials. 

Treasure map with the spot marked with a bloody X.

Pirate Hat

Cutlass and eyepatch

The Jolly Roger at full mast.

This cannon making is really serious business, complete with fuses and cannon balls ready to fire.

A barrel to keep the bottles of rum safe.

We made Jamie walk the plank (off the end of the table).

These are the Powerpoint slideshows that Erica and Alexis wrote as part of their reading and writing.

They found it hard not to copy from the books they had read but in the end were able to compose their own factual report.

They are both getting really good at sorting the facts, seeing the groupings and then planning how they will present their ideas.

Link to Seniors Blog

Horse Camp Photos

Thank you Anne for being the photographer at many of our school events.

Photos are an excellent way to evaluate the learning objectives  and the outcomes of any activity.

What did we want the students to learn at Horse Camp?

1.  Social skills of getting along together, sharing, helping and compromising.  When we are tired (as we were at Horse Camp) it is so much harder to manage our social behaviours.  
2. Personal behaviours around challenging oneself, resilience, setting goals and coping with disappointment. Eating what we are given. Entertaining ourselves. 
3. Gross motor skills of getting on and off a horse, making our way along the very slippery stream bottom, swimming in a water hole and climbing up and down a track avoiding blackberry.
4. Following instructions not only from our school teacher but other adults. Learning to accept authority when it is appropriate and when appropriate showing leadership. 
5. Managing our property and possessions and being organised. 
6. Sharing the joyful moments with our friends, supporting our friends that might need support. 
7. Learning to take some responsibility for our safety.

As you view the photos please evaluate the horse camp with the above 7 bullet points and give us a rating for each in the comments. Use the photos as evidence and proof.  

Big Brave Ben

We were not allowed to swim today until Ben did a bomb.

The photo was taken on Mrs Carmichael's iPad.

He did.

We had our last swim of the season today.  Mrs Carmichael didn't go with us to the Matiere Swimming Sports so she didn't get to see what wonderful swimmers we all are.   But she has reminded us that it is Lillian that teaches us how to swim. Well done Ongarue kids and well done Lillian.

Next Friday, Sammie, Martin, Grace, Dawni and Herewini represent our school at the interschool at the high school pool.