Week 7-Maths

These past few weeks Room 3 has been learning different ways to solve multiplication problems. As a recap, the students have some Home Learning in their Homework Book. Get your child to discuss the strategies used to answer the questions. 

As an extension, these are 1x, 2x, 5x and 10x times tables that now the students are ready to learn. I would like the students to use their skip counting knowledge to solve these problems. Once they have completed the wheels, discuss the answers and check if they can spot any mistakes and make necessary correction. Have fun!

Week 7 Term 2

A week where we have no 'extras'.

Girls - please wear sports uniform Tuesday & Thursday for while we practise the skills for Rippa Rugby. If you have put your name down to play in the Rippa Tournament on Thursday 21st, it is important that you register on the link below. I am aware that Eden, Bella and Johnny are the only Room 3 players who have done this. We, as teachers, cannot complete this registration - that is clearly stated on the link. Please email once you have registered your child. Even if your child is already a registered rugby player, we are required to get you to complete the form below.
www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/62313

Last week we had a 'poetry week' where we looked at poems that would be suitable for the poetry eisteddfod which will be heard in Room 3 on Monday 2nd July. We also talked about the difference between reading a poem and reciting a poem, which is what is required for the eisteddfod. We heard some wonderful poetry presentations last week, as people really used their voices effectively. Looking forward to what can be presented after a couple of week's practice.
A copy of your eisteddfod poem needs to be in your homework book by Friday. If you are using a class one, please ask me for a copy that you can glue in.  Criteria for the eisteddfod is in the poetry book as well as on the blog here.

Tuesday sees Mrs Laidlaw in Room 3 from 11:40 till the end of the day. I wonder what amazing art will be on the menu?

There will be a cultural assembly this term and each class will contribute to this. As we have class members who are Maori or Philippino, is there something that we can do to share these cultures with the school? Do we have a parent willing to assist? Please email if you have an idea. We have all worked hard on knowing our mihimihi, so some people may wish to share these, and we know several waiata. Mihimihis are in homework books, so they are easy to work on at home.

Homework

I have been reading current thoughts about homework this weekend - a small part of the text "Learning in the Fast Lane".

The 3 most important points that I took from this are:

1. Homework's purpose and value will be clear, and it will help students master current teaching
2. Teachers will publicly post homework tasks and include clear instructions using the school's communication channels
3. Students will be able to complete homework with minimal assistance from parents

Tasks for week 7

• Remember to read each night either to youself or share with someone.
• Fridge words: dray, recite. The goal with this is to increase the oral vocabulary that your child has.
• Spelling needs to be tooled each night on the sheet in the homework book. Our learning for the next 2 weeks is looking at the different spelling patterns for the "long a" sound  ai, as in rain, ay as in play,  a-e (we say "a split e") as in name. Some on higher levels are also looking at patterns like 'ea' great, and 'eigh' as in eight.
• Eisteddfod poem chosen and in the homework book

Spelling has only begun coming home this term, as I wanted to wait until children were secure in what the task required - we are working on hearing and recording the sounds in a word, not just learning the word 'off by heart'. We are securing a strategy that we can use on words that we do not know.

Hoping we see that sun again this week.

Discovery Wednesday

A short Discovery Time today, but boy were we busy and look at how creative we were.

Quick as a wink these boys designed their telephone and raced outside into the SUN to try it out. What a great use of yoghurt pottles, and look how you inspired several other people to make one too!

  Problem solving - how to make the hole big enough without wrecking the pottle or making a slit instead of a neat hole. - Persistence.

Success, and it works!

Another challenge to be sorted next week - How can I cut these out of strong cardboard? Fantastic creatures ready to put into the construction.

I love colouring mandalas. It's relaxing and I'm always so proud of the results I get from my efforts.

My favourite time of the week - the boxes are out and I can make stuff.

What do you think about this game I have created? You can play it inside when it's too cold to be out.

We have been working together on this for a couple of weeks. It's coming along nicely.

I've made something for my precious blanket. It can be towed around.

Lots of fun and learning through creativity. Although my cupboard is still quite full of larger boxes, it would be great to have some smaller ones that are made of thinner cardboard. Thanks so much for keeping the cupboard topped up.

Year 3 & 4 Poetry Eisteddfod Criteria

Year 3 & 4 Poetry Eisteddfod

WALTs:

·      Present a poem to an audience

·      Use a clear voice

·      Listen attentively to the presentations

·      Talk about the presentations and help choose our assembly presenters

Marks	What I could do ….
Introduction   5	Say the name of your poem Say the name of the poet Say why you chose the poem
Presentation   10	Recite your poem with expression Use the full stops, commas, speech marks and other punctuation Make eye contact with the audience Keep your head up Try not to rush Look like you are enjoying sharing your favourite poem
Preparation     5	Know your poem off by heart Speak slowly Choose a poem that the Room 3 audience will like
Voice               5	Use a loud voice so that we can all hear Keep your head up so that your voice projects Speak slowly Use expression

Week 6 Term 2

A bit chilly over the weekend, but hopefully many of you will have been out and about chasing the sun, which is not too far away.
It will be great to be at school each Tuesday and Thursday afternoon again.

Physical Education: for the next couple of weeks will be Rippa Rugby Skills, which we will be learning at 2:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Despite my asking for full school uniform all week, girls please wear school sports uniforms on these days. Looking at some of the lovely new kilts, PE would be a hard ask in these! Thank you Mr Cooney for your willingness to help with these coaching sessions. If there are others keen to give a hand, please let me know. The session this week will be about throwing and catching the ball, then passing a ball while moving forward (without throwing forward).

Wednesday: School Mass - Room 5 assisting Father Vaughan

Friday: Assembly 2:10 in the hall led by Room 4

Literacy this week will focus around poetry, as we begin selecting suitable poems for the eisteddfod in week 10 of the term. This will be here before we know it! Along with the poems that are already in our poetry books, we will share a new one each day this week so that choosing may be an easier task. Our main learning will be about how we can use our Oral Language skills to perform our poem, so that we really get our audience hooked. The eisteddfod is about reciting a poem rather than reading it from a piece of paper. I'll post the assessment criteria separately.

Homework

1. Spelling: tooling our lists. Congratulations to those people who moved a level last week. You will have lists next week for this new level.
2. Reading: from the browse box, a personal book on the go at home or Sunshine-on-line. Some big thick books being read by some people! Great to see you enjoying reading so much.
3. Maths: check out Mrs Roberts blog - we have some very committed maths learners.

Remember to wrap up warm. It's not that bad outdoors if you are moving and have the necessary gear on.

Multiplication Arrays

Our students process the concept of multiplication differently, and therefore my aim is to build their fluency and understanding using different strategies that are more meaningful and fun. This week we are looking at how we can solve multiplication problems using arrays. The following activities can be carried out at home to reinforce their understanding of multiplication.  Have fun!

MULTIPLICATION ARRAY CITY

Making city skylines out of arrays… why not? This activity is easily modified by using different sized graph paper (1 inch squares vs. 1 centimeter squares).  This gives the students a visual model, and they will enjoy creating something in the process.

MULTIPLICATION LEGO ARRAYS

Come on! What kid doesn’t LOVE Legos? This activity allows the students to have a visual model, and has multiple access points to meet a range of learners. Start with smaller multiplication facts and work towards more complicated problems.

Ripa Rugby On-Line Registration

Here is the link to the registration.

Mr Yeoman is the school organiser and would like each parent to register their own child own this link as soon as possible please.

www.sporty.co.nz/viewform/62313

If you have difficulty doing this please see me or Mr Yeoman.

Our teams have been registered to the organisers but each player needs to register on this site.

Thanks for attending to this promptly.

It would be useful to know when you have this done, thanks for that.