Friday 24 April 2015

Week 1 Term 2

Hi Families,

It has been a busy first week back, with our focus firmly on the 100th anniversary of the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli.  The children have been involved in a range of activities and have really enjoyed finding out more about this very important part of our history.  We assembled white crosses with the names of men from the Hobsonville area who lost their lives during the Gallipoli campaign.  Please take the time to look at the display situated at the front of the building.  Finally today we walked down to the display installed by The Peace Poppy Project. 









Team Building
We have spent some time every day this week working on developing teamwork in LC2.  We have been discussing the following dispositions which we will continue to focus on for the rest of the term.
  • Do I lead when it is appropriate?
  • Do I follow appropriately when someone else is leading?
  • Can I manage my behavioural decisions when interacting with others?
  • Do I support my group by doing jobs that need to be done?
The children have participated in a range of games and activities that require teamwork in order to be successful.

Tangling and untangling ourselves in a circle.
Working as a team to score points when you can't move your feet.



                                     Leading our blindfolded teammate through a course of cones.

Lining up in order of height without being able to speak to each other.

Project Based Learning.
We have had a successful week working on our projects.  Take a look at what each group has been up to.

Inventing Recipes
This week the group supported the rest of the common to bake ANZAC biscuits. Hopefully you got to sample them!!!  All the children went home with a shared text that included an ANZAC biscuit recipe.  It would be great if you could support your child to have a go at baking them again.




A big thumbs up for the ANZAC biscuits!!

Fashion Designers
The group worked with Chantelle, our Fabric Specialist, sharing and discussing ideas for clothes that could be up-cycled and sold at our upcoming Market Day. 

Town Planners
This week the group sent a number of emails to experts that we need help from. We are looking forward to a visit from Mike Pearce from Universal Homes next week and shortly we will be visiting the Hobsonville Point Land Company.  We have spent the week brainstorming a number of questions ready for our experts.



Chemical Reactions
These scientists have had a fun week making things explode and fizz.  We using a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to explode a bag and observed what happens when you mix a packet of Mentos with a bottle of Coca Cola!
Measuring out the right amount of vinegar.
Wrapping baking soda in a tissue.
Putting the tissue in the bag, giving it a shake and......
Boom!!
Coca Cola fountain!

Student Led Workshops
Every Friday the children are going to have the opportunity to run a student led workshop they have planned during that week.  A great way to develop leadership skills, teamwork and the opportunity to make good decisions around behaviour when interacting with each other.  Not to mention sharing a skill or expertise in a particular area. We were immensely proud of the children today, especially our workshop leaders.  Those that found elements of leading difficult were able to vocalise their struggle and work towards problem solving a solution.  Take a look at some of the workshops from today.

Making snow flakes with Yara.
Drawing bunnies with Sofia.
Making puppets for  a puppet show with Priya, Freya and Keira.
Drawing wild cats with Layla and Caitlyn.
Soccer with Zachariah, Luca, Aaren and Mikelis.



Cricket with Jeremiah, Josh and Rico

Maths
Our focus for this term is Measurement which ties in well with our projects.   We also spent time this week looking at number facts to 10, 20, 50 and 100, challenging ourselves to use adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing.


Enjoy your long weekend.