Monday, 13 February 2017

Maths Focus

In weeks 1 and 2 we worked on 'ME' maths where we recorded facts about ourselves, including some measurements of height, foot, hand span etc.  This information was then used to begin Statistical Investigations for the rest of last and this week.  We are learning to pose some questions for investigation, to sort out the data we collect, display it in a format such as a bar chart, and make statements about what the data tells us.  The children are beginning to understand that such data can be useful.  For example, by finding out the (average) heights of children aged 7 or 8, classroom furniture can be manufactured so that it is just right for them in years 3 and 4.  Clothing manufacturers know just how big to make clothes for that age group.  Hopefully you will discuss these ideas with the children so that they see how statistics applies to real life.
The other part of our maths focus is on probability.  We are finding out what is highly likely, somewhat likely, or not likely, through games and scenarios.  Other terms are used such as, certain, possible, impossible etc.
Next week we will begin numeracy knowledge and strategy lessons, with a focus on addition and subtraction.

Saturday, 11 February 2017

Week 3 Term 1

Great to see some people at the Duathlon today & also photos of others at "Take A kid Fishing".  A stunning day for these family events. Super to meet so many parents at the Meet the Teacher night on Wednesday.  The information given out on the night will be put in reading bags for those who missed out.
School Mass - Sunday 19th: This is the opening mass and it is a time to welcome new families and announce the school leaders from Room 6. We Belong to the Parish and this is our 'it's good to be back get together' - please prioritise this as we celebrate the Eucharist together.
Well done to all those people who have begun the reading challenge for 2017. I check logs each Friday when all homework books are handed in.  I see that there is a place to record weekend reading - even though I have signed your page off, if you read at the weekend please record this to help you gain your 100 days of reading. Thank you to those parents who have already written such positive comments in these books. I do like each child to have a reading bag please.  This just keeps everything together and books safely away from leaking drink bottles.  As a school we have spent several thousand dollars on upgrading the junior readers, so we want to take responsibility for looking after them.
The Room 3 process on a Monday morning is to bring the reading bag in with the poetry book.  Find the new poem for the week and glue it in before school.  Then put the poetry book in the poetry box. Reading bags go in the red box ready to grab at reading time.
Brain Food: this is to be a piece of fruit or vegetable that is unprocessed please.  We live in a fruit bowl where fruit is generally freely available. We eat about 10:40, so I have been asking those with bars etc for brain food to wait until playtime to eat these.
St Gerards Permission Form: could you please make sure that these are all returned to the office.  I have been asked about BYOD in Room 3 and said 'no'.  I have discussed this with Mrs Flannery who is the teacher in charge of ICT and she agrees with this. We have 3 computers and 2 i-pads to use as well as the access to the COW (computers on wheels) that comes to the room when Mrs Flannery teaches ICT.
Kapahaka starts on Monday with Ms Tamati.  It's wonderful to see an enthusiastic bunch of year 3s joining up, as we lost such a great Year 8 bunch last year.  I remember them in the group as year 4's though!! If your child is in the group, the first big event will be performing at the Ururwhenua Kapahaka Festival at Molyneux Park on Sunday 9th April.
Spelling: This week we are tooling our spelling lists in our Reading/Spelling books in preparation for bringing spelling home as homework. Next week a practice list will come home. All children should be totally independent with their spelling. I will explain more about spelling next week.  It is not about learning the words by rote, but about perfecting the process of hearing and recording the sounds in order, then checking that it looks right. Anyone who wants to pop in and talk about how this works is welcome. I have completed the testing to level each child so after the practice sheet home, each child will bring home their "level' sheet.
Study Ladder: great to see some people have already accessed this site from home as well as from school.

Homework
  1. Reading - every night please.  Browse boxes are well topped up now, and grouping readjusted. Just getting "Sunshine-on-line" sorted. User name & password will be in homework books this week.
  2. Swimming - togs Tuesday and Thursday - thank you for the help at the pool - really appreciated.
  3. Triathlon - coming up on 7th March - now is the time to get out on your bikes.
Looking forward to another busy week of learning.

Thursday, 9 February 2017

Morning Programme

Room 3 Morning Programme
Morning programme will be part of our Oral Language programme each Friday.  The purpose is to practise speaking and listening skills and to question others to gain more information, or to clarify information.
Morning programme topics will need to be prepared at home prior to the presentation date.  They can be prepared on a piece of A4 paper, so that once they have been presented they can be glued in a class book as a record.  As this is oral language and not simply a reading task, it is a good idea to practise speaking clearly with a suitable volume and making the presentation interesting (this may include showing items, photos/pictures, or demonstrating).


Topic
Description
About Me
Prepare a short talk about yourself.  This may include your full name, where and when you were born, places you have lived, information about you and your family, pets, likes, dislikes, hobbies . . .
Book Review
Choose a favourite book. Tell the class the title, author, illustrator, suitable age level, what the story is about and why you enjoyed it.  Show a favourite picture or read a favourite paragraph.
How to . . .
Choose something you know how to do and describe it to the class in a logical order or numbered steps e.g. a favourite recipe, an experiment, instructions to make or do something . . .
Our Place
Select a place in New Zealand.  Be able to pin-point it on a map of NZ.  Find at least 5 facts about it.  This might include where it is, (which island) population, attractions etc . . .
Current Events
Present news in your own words from the newspaper, television, internet or radio.  You need to be able to understand what the news is about so that you can keep the audience interested.
Famous Person
Choose someone who is famous either in NZ or in another country.  Find out what they are famous for and some interesting facts about them.


Morning Programme Groups


Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Amelia
Jay-T
Bella B
Quinn
Tara
Aurelia
Charlotte O
Zack
Tamai
Jack
Savanah
Taine
Lily
Bella D
Eden
Findlay
Sam
Ted
Charlotte K
Jedi
Liam
Jada
Pippa


Topic
17th Feb
24th Feb
3rd March
10th March

Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
About Me
Amelia
Charlotte O
Lily
Charlotte K
Book Review
Jay-T
Zack
Bella D
Jedi
How to . . .
Bella B
Tamai
Eden
Liam
Our Place
Quinn
Jack
Findlay
Jada
Current Events
Tara
Savanah
Sam
Pippa
Famous Person
Aurelia
Taine
Ted



Topic
17th March
24th March
31st March
7th April

Group 1
Group 2
Group 3
Group 4
Book Review
Amelia
Charlotte O
Lily
Charlotte K
How to . . .
Jay-T
Zack
Bella D
Jedi
Our Place
Bella B
Tamai
Eden
Liam
Current Events
Quinn
Jack
Findlay
Jada
Famous Person
Tara
Savanah
Sam
Pippa
About Me
Aurelia
Taine
Ted


Year 3 & 4 T-Ball

There are a great number of people wanting to play Tee-ball which is wonderful - enough for 2 teams!  Unfortunately we don't have enough coaches owing to a clash with other after school activities. Teams need to be registered by Friday morning. If anyone is able to help with this group of  keen players  please contact Mrs Eastwood asap.

Thursday, 2 February 2017

Room 3 Beginning of Year Newsletter

A hard copy of this will also be in the front of homework books.


Room 3 Newsletter
3 February 2017
Welcome to Room 3 and to a new block in the school for those joining us from Room 7. A big welcome to Mrs Bennett who is going to be sharing the teaching this year while I teach Reading Recovery. She will be teaching the maths and R.E. programme along with the much enjoyed Morning Programme on Fridays, and will be in the room from 8:55 till 10:30. 

Room 3 Blog: I usually put up a weekly blog on a Monday night after staff or syndicate meetings.  If other things come up in between, I will put up an extra post. Once the term calendar is confirmed this will also be there for easy reference to the dates that involve this class. Mrs Bennett will also post information on the blog.
This week we have been doing activities to help us get to know each other, get along together and take responsibility for our own learning. We have already made a great start to setting up our books.
Brain Food: Please ensure that your child has a piece of unprocessed fruit or vegetable each day for brain food. 

Swimming: Years 1 – 4 will be preparing for the swimming sports with afternoon swim sessions: Tuesday 7th, Thursday 9th, Tuesday 14th, Thursday 16th, Tuesday 21st and Thursday 23rd February.  We will leave the school at 12:45 and return 2:10. (Room 3 swims from 1:30 – 2pm). If there are parents willing to help with dressing or supervising groups please let me know. The swimming sports will be held at the pool on Tuesday 28th February beginning at 9:00. Junior swimmers will have races in the therapeutic pool between 10:30 – 11:30am. Transport to and from the pool will be by bus. This year the cost for swimming will be $6 per child with a maximum of $12 per family. I would appreciate parent help for the sports – timing and judging please.
Sunhats: need to be worn this term and in term 4. No hat = no play.  Children may choose something to do under the classroom verandah.

This year all junior school children have purchased the Kluwell “My Home Reading” book. This is the reading log. Year 4 will have a nightly reading log (Monday to Thursday) in the back of their homework book.  I will share how these new logs will work at the Meet the Teacher Evening on Wednesday 8th February. Poetry books will come home on a Friday and I ask you please to sign this after you have shared the poem together. There will be spelling to learn and study ladder, as the term goes on.

Scooters etc: during school time these need to be stored against the fence behind the miniball goal. After school scooters & wheels can be left in the corridor to be locked up over night. Remember that ‘wheels’ are for term 1 and 4 only. 
Email addresses: chrisbeilby@stgerards.school.nz rosaliebennett@stgerards.school.nz

Waitangi Day - Monday 6th February: Families of the  St Gerards whanau, to which we all belong, will gather at Pioneer Park from 11am for a picnic. Some sports  gear will be available for enjoying some games together. A holiday for us to celebrate belonging to New  Zealand. Feel free to bring others from outside the school. This initiative came from our Maori Pacifika families, and is now an annual event in the life of our school.

I am really excited about what is planned for this year, and am looking forward to working alongside Mrs Bennett and with you and your children as they continue on their learning journey.

Chris


Wednesday, 1 February 2017

Swimming

On Tuesday we start swimming in preparation for the school swimming sports which will be held from 9 - 12 on Thursday 28th February.

Swimming will take place on:
Tuesday 7th
Thursday 9th
Tuesday 14th
Thursday 16th
Tuesday 21st
Thursday 23rd

Timetable:
1pm: Rooms 7 & 4
1:30pm: Rooms 3 & either 5 or 6
2:00pm Rooms 1&2  & either 5 or 6


The cost for swimming is $6 per child or $12 per family. (2 or more children).  This can be paid to the office in a named envelope please.

Monday, 30 January 2017

Welcome to Room 3 2017

It's hard to believe that the holidays have gone so quickly and now the summer weather has arrived as we are back at school.
Good to see a few faces this week at school and to meet Jada Cooney and her parents Atria and Ian. Jada joins year 3 this year and I know that we will all make her feel really welcome.  Yes, she is Mrs Cooney's grand daughter and a cousin to the O'Neills.
Tomorrow we begin the school year gathering as the St Gerard's family in the church for school prayer. It would be lovely if parents wanted to join us at this time.
This year we welcome Mrs Bennett to Room 3. Mrs Bennett will be teaching R.E and maths while I am teaching Reading Recovery.  I am excited to have my star readers from last year in my classroom this year.  Looking forward to watching you continue with your great reading along with your class mates who are also tremendous readers.
Next week we start swimming on Tuesdays and Thursdays in preparation for the MAIN EVENT - the school swimming sports which will be held on Tuesday 28th February from 9am till 12 noon. We will travel by bus leaving school at 12:45 returning at 2:10. It is expected that everyone will swim each day.  Should you not want your child to swim I would appreciate a note.

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow for a great year of learning and fun.