Week 2, Term 2

Hi Everyone!
Welcome back to Term 2! Our Inventive Thinking projects are getting underway and there is a lot of exciting learning happening this term.  

The Robot Group

So far the Robot Group have looked at the purpose of a robot, designed their own robots, learnt how to program using a robotics kit and created different courses for the robotics kit robots to travel through.  

The Experiments Group

We have done a range of experiments including milk, colour and washing up liquid, oil and water, making lava, exploding colours and even making colours disappear!  The group want to continue their journey into colour and explosions and looking at chemical reactions.  Watch this space for some more amazing science experiments! To help us with our experiments we have been learning about capacity - using the language associated with it e.g. full, empty, half, almost and nearly. 

 

                                   

Lava with oil and salt! 

                                 

Using our capacity learning in context

First it was blue...

...and then it was clear!

    

The Food Group

So far we have experimented with cooking potatoes and tomorrow we are doing the same with eggs! We are using 1 simple ingredient and thinking of lots of different ways we can cook it. We have also looked at where certain foods come from.  Next we are going to look at adding flavours and different foods that are sweet, sour, spicy etc.  

  

2015 Term 1 Weeks 1 and 2

Welcome to LC1's blog to those of you that are new and welcome back to some familiar faces!  We have got off to a flying start this year.

Our Space

A major focus over the past two weeks has been coaching the children how to use the space effectively as the third teacher.  We have set lots of areas so that the children can experience a range of learning opportunities.  Over the past two weeks we have themed a lot of the areas around 'summer' - something familiar to them.  

Using magnets with the black sand

Planting herbs in our outside area

Exploring the rock pool themed small world

Creating leaves for the sculpture tree

Using a robot voice to spell words

Our water wall

Statistics and Sorting

We have started to explore sorting into different groups in maths.  We have talked about how you can sort into different categories and have asked the children to explain their sorting choices. So far the dinosaurs have been a favourite! It has certainly tested my knowledge on them... 

Self Portraits

We have been working on drawing ourselves using a range of media.  We have focussed on different parts of our faces.  It has been wonderful to have some children from LC3 come and join us to support our children. 

Follow this Learning Story link to find out more about the self portrait work. 

Week 4 Term 4

Hi Families,

This week our Immersion focus has been Signs, Media, Debates and Effective Digital Communication. Workshops this week have been-

-History of Communication
-Maps and Co-ordinates
-Designing an Advertisement
-Sign Language
-Persuasive Writing
-Debating
-Digital Citizenship

Take a look at these photos capturing us in action.

The History of Communication

We had to put ten forms of communication in order from oldest to newest then put them on a time line.  We looked at hieroglyphics, smoke signals, telephones, email and more!!


Designing an Advertisement

We investigated the features of an advertisement, looking at design, use of colour and persuasive language.  We had a go at designing our own advertisement.

Maps and Coordinates

We learnt how to read a map using coordinates.

Sign Language

Owen and Jenny led a workshop teaching us some sign language.

What else has been happening in LC1?

We have been very busy as usual engaged in a range of learning experiences.  Check out what we have been doing.

We are still running our student led workshops.
Here is Layla teaching how to draw griffins.

The children have been exploring water colours this week.
There have been some incredible results which we hope to display soon.

It is great to see that the Construction Zone is still as popular as
it was when it was first created in Term 2.  This is such a wonderful
space for collaboration and creativity.

Writing, writing and more writing!!!!  Asher sharing his work so proudly and James busy editing a piece of work.

And in case you didn't see us all last Friday...........

Kerry and Rosie

Week 3, Term 4

Hello Everyone!

It's been quite some time since our last post and this term is already whizzing by!  We have been really busy during the first three weeks of the term with lots of exciting changes happening with our learning.

Immersion

Our immersion focus this term is 'Effective Communication'.  Most days LC1 and LC2 work together in different workshops.  So far we have worked on team building and effective communication through body language and dance, art, persuasive language and giving clear instructions.

Week 1 - Team Building

Week 2 - Language

Week 3 - Language and The Art Gallery Trip

Persuasive Writing

Linking in with our 'Effective Communication' focus, most of the children in LC1 have been attending persuasive writing workshops.  In these workshops we have been focussing on the structure of a persuasive piece of writing, how to back up our opinions and some of the language features that make a strong argument. Check out the arguments below about children being allowed lollies on Halloween.  

Shape

We have been learning about shape this term.  So far we have learnt about 2D shapes and their properties, tessellation and symmetry. 

Week 10 Term 3

Hi Families

We have made it to the end of term-just!!!  We are hoping that Term 4 will bring warmer weather and help to keep the nasty bugs away!!!

Project Based Learning
We have finished all our projects apart from our Outside Area group.  Their work will continue on into next term.  We have been planting, painting rocks to make some games to play outside and we are starting to create a water wall.  Watch this space!!!

Collaborate to Create

One of our favourite learning experiences!!! Thank you for bringing in so many awesome resources for the children to use.  Keep them coming if you can!!  We love watching the children taking on the challenge of working in a collaborative setting, over coming difficulties and producing some amazing end results.

Aaren and Zachariah with their Creeper Bus

PMP with Adam

This term Adam has been running the PMP (Perceptual Motor Programme) with the children.  To find out some more information about the programme click here.

               


Workshops
The children are really enjoying both leading the workshops and participating in them. Check out some of the workshops that took place this week.

Drawing hammerhead sharks with Antos and Mikelis

Building a wooden house with Asher

Playing a card game with Freya

Learning about Minecraft with Luke and his brother Ryan from LC3

Royal NZ Navy Brass Band

We spent a fantastic morning at the Secondary school watching the Royal NZ Navy Brass Band perform.   We listened to a range of familiar soundtracks from famous movies, we learnt about the different sections in a brass band and we got to clap and dance along! We even got to sing along to a couple of our favourite songs from Frozen.  What a great way to end the term.

Sofia doing us proud by volunteering to conduct the band

Leila singing along to 'Let It Go'

Enjoy your holiday.

Kerry and Rosie

Week 7 Term 3

Hi Families,

What an amazing week we have had culminating in our South Africa Day today.Well done to Luke, Andre and Zachariah for imagining the day and for all their hard work.  A big thank you to all our families for supporting our day, helping your child to dress up and for bringing delicious food for our shared lunch. Enjoy the photos!



Rocket Blasters
This group have been working so hard to solve the problem of how to make the rocket go up instead of sideways!!  They have been designing stands for their rocket to sit in.  As you can see from the picture, they haven't quite got there yet!!  But they are not giving up yet........

Stars and Gravity

The children in these groups have been exploring an app called 'Show Me.' They are going to use it to make their movies.  They have finished writing their scripts and should be in production mode next week!

Control Panel

The children went back to the secondary school this week with their final design. We were blown away with what they brought back to share with us.  The students that they worked with commented on how impressed they were with the level of the children's understanding and with the questions they were asking.  They have certainly done us proud.  A big thank you to the boys at the secondary school and to Freya's Mum, Ros for helping this group be so successful.

Outside Area

We are hoping to see some developments this week.  Should you have any expertise in the gardening area or resources, please let us know!  The children are keen to set up some small planting boxes with flowers, herbs and maybe sone vegetables.  We are also hoping to get some large rocks and small pebbles to paint to use for outside games.

Have a great weekend!

Kerry and Rosie