Renwick 3's Blog 2010

Week 5, Term 4

2010-11-13T23:27:00.000-08:00

Crazy times! These are the 16 gorgeous faces of Renwick 3!

We have finished our lessons with Constable John for Keeping Ourselves Safe. Over the next couple of weeks we will be looking at asking an adult we trust for help and safety rules. The KOS programme has been hugely beneficial for the children to reinforce key messages they need to understand in order to keep themselves safe. Thank you for your support at home with the programme.

For our end of year production we will be joining 'forces' with Room 11. Tracy and I have been putting together our ideas for 'Caterpillar Boogie'. A notice will come home next week in regard to costumes, parent working bees etc.

Over this term during writing we have been learning about how to write a narrative story. The children have produced some excellent pieces of imaginary stories. It seems to have inspired many reluctant writers which is fabulous.

Next week...
Our sounds will be 't' and 'i'. Our words are my, go, use and why. Our reading and writing focus is to ensure what we read and write makes sense.
During maths time we are skip counting in 2's, 5's and 10's.
On Friday's one of the senior classes is selling Juicies to fund raise for their school camp. Many of our children missed out last week as they had sold out by the time we had finished our lunch. Next week I will attempt to pre-order them so this does not happen again.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 4, Term 4

2010-11-07T22:53:00.000-08:00

On Friday afternoon we had a short ceremony to 'open' the new playground equipment organised by the Student Council. The members from the Student Council researched playground equipment that they thought would be suitable for the needs of Nelson Central School children. The School Community Group supported and funded the endeavour which we can all now enjoy. Many thanks to all those involved!

At Wednesday lunchtime we all took to the front field with our air guitars to attempt a local record of the number of people playing at a time. This was in order to raise funds for a senior school camp. We had some silky smooth moves which were most impressive to onlookers!!

Our class size is up to 16 now that Sylvie has joined us. We have been talking a lot about how to support our new friends as they start school. Being a kind and caring friend is crucial to the success of newcomers. The bottom line is that we stick to them like glue!

This week...
Our sounds this week are s/a and br.
Our words are see/come/school and word endings ‘ed’, ‘s’, ‘ing’.
During maths our class focus is the number before a given number.
We have our last session with Constable John this Thursday and we are talking about Secrets and Tricks. During our lessons on ‘Saying No’ the children were a little confused over the tone of voice required to say no to an adult. We have been practising our ‘firm’ voice over the last few days to impress Constable John on his return this week.
This Thursday afternoon at 2.30 there is a parent meeting in Trinity Hall for information on class placement for next year. If you have any further queries please feel free to contact me.
Have a happy and safe week.

Week 3 Term 4

2010-10-28T19:26:00.000-07:00

We have started our Keeping Ourselves Safe topic this week. Constable John joined us on Thursday to teach us about all kinds of touch. The children are thoroughly enjoying the work we have done to date. If you have any questions please feel free to see me.

We have been having lots of fun during maths this week engaging in a variety of activities!

Our social skill we are talking about for the next couple of weeks is 'No Put Downs'. We have been brainstorming lots of positive things we can say to people to brighten their day!

Our production songs are sounding as sweet as honey! We will shift up a gear towards production when we have completed our KOS topic.

Next week...

Our sounds will be q/l or long i. Our words will be me/here or now/more.
During maths our focus is counting backwards.
Constable John will be returning on Wednesday for a lesson on 'Saying no'.
On Wednesday lunchtime the entire school will be trying to break a record for the number of children participating in an 'air guitar' performance. We have some very silky moves up our sleeves!
Have a happy and safe week.

Week 2, Term 4

2010-10-20T22:17:00.000-07:00

To begin the term we have been learning how to be Sunsmart. The children have very sound knowledge on the harmful effects that the sun can have on us. We created some colourful hats by weaving paper.

This week we had our second tennis coaching session. It was tricky stuff! But true to form we didn't give up we just kept on trying.

As you may have heard we had 5 children 'graduate' to Renwick 2 last Friday! It is not the normal practise of the Kowhai syndicate to move children part way through the year and this decision was not made lightly. We are in the tricky situation where the amount of children enrolled to start school this term does not warrant another class. We considered a number of options and felt this was the least disruptive for the majority of children.

Next week...
Our words will be a/the or walk/want. Our sounds will be 'e' or the long u vowel.
During maths we are recapping on patterns to 5 and 10.
This week we will start our Keeping Ourselves Safe. We will start off the program ensuring children know their address and phone number, followed by discussing feelings. On Thursday Constable John will join us to take a session on touch. If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to see me.
We have our final Grasshopper tennis session on Wednesday with the coach. From there on in it will be me taking the sessions.
At the end of the year we will be having a Kowhai production at the School of Music. We have started learning songs and actions so prepare yourselves for an extravaganza!
Have a happy and safe week.

Week 10, Term 3

2010-10-07T14:03:00.001-07:00

To celebrate the end of term we had a 'Lemonade Party'. We made our own bottled lemonade last week...attempting to create 'gas'. We were extremely successful!! When we first made the lemonade the bottles were soft and squelchy but after leaving them in a warm place for a week they had turned rock hard! As we opened the bottle we could hear the sneaky gas escaping with a hissing sound. It tasted delicious with many of us returning for second and third helpings. We finished our tasting session with a scrumptious shared kai.

Our folk dancing display was absolutely stupendous. We had a wonderful time demonstrating all the skills we had been learning through the term. Thank you so much to all the parents, family and friends who were able to come and support us.

Next term...
Term 4 always seems to start with a tinge of sadness for me as this is the last term we will be together. I am so very proud of what the children have achieved this year. They have all come such a long way and I feel honoured to have been a part of that journey with them. Thank you for all your support.
On Monday we are delighted to welcome a new friend to Renwick 3, Ayla Davis. Ayla has recently returned from the U.K. with her family.
A little bird also told me that we now have two six year olds in Renwick 3! Where does the time go??
Over the next few weeks we will be looking at long vowel sounds during reading time. Our tricky words will be any & before.
During maths we will be focusing on number knowledge.
We have a busy term topic wise. We start by looking at being Sun Smart. This is a timely reminder for children to remember sunhats and to stay safe in the sun. We then go onto Keeping Ourselves Safe. More information will follow on this topic. We end the term by studying Night and Day/Shadows.
Our P.E. focus is run, jump and throw. We have timetabled swimming but this depends on the weather and temperature of the water in the pool.
I hope you have all had a wonderful break and I look forward to seeing everyone happy faces on Monday.

Week 9, Term 3

2010-09-19T00:52:00.000-07:00

This week in Renwick 3 we have been carrying out some science experiments. We tried to make some lemonade using water, lemon juice and baking soda, which added the gas.

Although we seem to get lots of gas it didn't look very appealing to drink so we decided to come up with a plan!

On Friday Funday we decided to make our own 'drinkable' lemonade. We mixed up some sugar with warm water until the sugar dissolved. We then added the juice of 3 lemons and quarter of a teaspoon of dried yeast. We are hoping that the yeast will help add some 'gas' to our 'liquid'. We have bottled the golden liquid and hope it will be ready to drink this Friday. We need to wait for the yeast to do its 'magic'.

Next week...
Our sounds will be wh and ph. Our words will be when and where.
During maths we will be looking at skip counting as a class focus.
Please remember that all library books are due back this week. We have a number outstanding to date and it would be great to get them all back before the end of term.
This Thursday is our folk dancing display. The children are very excited and have been working very hard. The display will be in Trinity Hall at 2.30pm. We look forward to seeing you there.
Thank you for all your support during the term. I think we all deserve a well earned break. I hope you have a happy and safe holiday!

Week 8, Term 3

2010-09-11T15:41:00.001-07:00

This week during maths time we have been looking at continuing a repeating pattern. We used all sorts of materials. Our partners had to work out our pattern and try and repeat it.

For our inquiry topic we have been looking at how heat can change the state of a solid. We started with chocolate buttons as a solid (we knew they were solid because we had to sample one first!!). When we put the bowl of chocolate inside the bowl of hot water the chocolate started to melt. It had turned into a liquid which we could pour into the ice cube tray. We were able to change the shape of the chocolate from a circle to a heart shape. After leaving it for an hour the chocolate turned back into a solid...which of course we had to test again!!

Next week...
Our sounds will be er and ar. Our words will be you and so.
During maths time we will be looking at number sequences.
Please remember to take a look at the children's calendar art which is displayed outside the class. If you wish to order cards, diaries or calendars kindly send back the order form this week.
In the last week of term we are joining together with Room 11 for our folk dancing display. This will be on Thursday 23rd at 2.30pm in Trinity Hall. We are very excited to share our progress with family and friends. A notice will come home next week.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 7, Term 3

2010-09-04T21:15:00.000-07:00

This week we have been busy working on making art work for calendars. We used chalk pastels to create a mountain scene. We attempted to blend some of the colours by 'gently' rubbing with our finger!

On Wednesday we have another soccer training session with Jordan. We were learning how to kick the ball using both the inside and outside of our feet. We enjoyed playing some fun games chasing each other too!

Next week...
Our sounds will be oi and ue. Our words will be they and know.
During maths time we are going to look at number patterns.
For our topic we will be carrying out some experiments to observe how heating and cooling common materials can change their state of matter.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 6, Term 3

2010-08-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

We have had yet another busy week in Renwick 3!
On Thursday we had a special trip to the Elma Turner Library. We started off the session with Viv, the librarian, who shared with us all the special things you can do at the library. Viv read lots of great books with us and we danced and sang. Those of us with library cards were able to take some books out too. We loved our trip to the library and hope to go back soon.

During maths this week we have been looking at fractions. We have been using the whiteboards to draw and cut pizza and cakes! We tried our best to make sure we were cutting them into equal shares! Malachi then split the class into quarters... four equal groups. Lucky there were 16 children at school that day!!

Next week
Our sounds will be q and ou. Our tricky words will be mother and father.
During maths we will continue to look at fractions as a class focus.
On Wednesday we will be having soccer again with Jordan. As the fields are still quite muddy please ensure your child has appropriate footwear.
On Tuesday 31st of August at 7pm Liz Oldridge, the Nelson Resource Teacher of Literacy, is holding an evening on how to help your child with reading at home. This will be an excellent opportunity to gain ideas for supporting literacy development.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 5, Term 3

2010-08-16T21:23:00.001-07:00

Our friends from the Fire Department came to visit us this week with their fire engine. We got to look in all the cupboards and climb on board.

This week we went to the Museum to look and talk about precious things. We were learning to use describing words. Nicki had a friend's old pocket watch which we were able to come up with lots of wonderful describing words for.

During P.E. we are learning to skip. We are able to jump quite high using two feet!

Next Week...
Our sounds will be ch, sh, dge
Our words will be she, should and goes.
During maths time we are looking at fractions, 1/2's & 1/4's.
This week we will be starting our new Inquiry Topic 'What's the Matter?'. We will be looking at common materials to observe changes that occur when heated or cooled.
On Tuesday I am on a professional development course for maths. Sam will be teaching in Renwick 3 for the day.
On Thursday we have a class trip to the Nelson Elma Turner Library. If your child has a library card they are able to bring it with them to take out books. The session should last for about an hour. We will be leaving at 10.45am and will return by 12.15pm. Please complete and return the consent form sent home earlier this week.
We are having a big school focus on no play fighting. We have discussed it at length in the classroom and at assemblies. I want to ensure that the children's environment is safe both inside and outside the classroom.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 4, Term 3

2010-08-14T18:00:00.001-07:00

We started our week with a visit from Kevin and his friends from the Fire Department. They came to talk to us about how to be 'Firewise'. Here we are pretending there was a fire in Renwick 2. We had to get low, get out and stay out!

At the moment there are lots of germs around with winter illness. We talked about how important it is to wash our hands after going to the toilet and before eating. We did a little experiment to see how quick germs can spread. Neroli put germs (paint) on 2 children. We then passed a balloon around to see how many people would get the germs on their hands...

...we all had the germs!!

For Friday funday we decidied to make some hedgehogs!

Next week...
Our sounds will be x,ch & ll. Our words are one & only.
During maths we will be ordering numbers.
On Tuesday afternoon we have Kevin and his friends coming back from the Fire Department with their fire engine. We will be looking closely at the clothing worn to fight fires and how the fire engine works.
On Thursday we have a visit to the Museum. We will be leaving school just after 9am and returning for morning tea. I will need parent helpers for this trip. A notice will come home Monday.
This Friday is P.J. day! Coming to school dressed in P.J's is lots of fun for the children. There is a gold coin donation and the money raised will be sent to the orphange in Cambodia. Unfortunately I will be out of the class for the day and Sam will be teaching.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 3, Term3

2010-08-05T20:45:00.001-07:00

This week we had a very special visitor to school...Buster's new baby sister called Daisy. She was an absolute star and slept through all of our patting, stroking and aahing! We think Buster is an excellent big brother.

During maths this week we have been learning lots of new maths games. We are very good at sharing and taking turns.

Next week...
Our sounds will be oo, y and st.
Our words will be were and walk.
During maths we will be continuing with counting backwards.
We are starting our Firewise topic next week. We have a visit from the Nelson Fire Dept. on Monday morning to start us off. In a couple of weeks they will return with a fire engine to show the children.
As many of you may be aware we have had a few children in the class with chicken pox. If your child has not had them before keep your eye out!
If your child would like to participate in the Food for Thought fundraiser please ensure their form is signed and returned by Wednesday at the latest. The funds raised will go direct to an Orphanage in Cambodia which we are building a relationship with. This is an excellent project to be involved in because it is very authentic and real for the children. If you would just like to make a donation that would also gratefully be received!

Have a happy and safe week!

Week 2, Term 3

2010-07-31T16:24:00.001-07:00

This week we went to meet Victoria and Harold on the Life Education Bus. Here is 'Doctor Camryn' checking to see if the students knew where to find the brain in our model. We also spent some time talking about how to play safely in the playground and how important it is to look after our friends.

While Neroli was on duty in the Junior Playground she was able to capture how we play with our friends using our manners. We share, care and help each other.

On Wednesday More FM93 came to visit Renwick 2 and 3. They asked us some pretty tricky questions. We were given the opportunity to share our extensive knowledge of the world with them! They asked is if we knew what a taxidermist does?? And what was a matinee, enchore and gramaphone?? How old was the Queen? All of next week at 3.20pm and 6.20pm you can hear our responses on the radio.

Next week...
Our sounds will be ng, v and sh. Our words will be you, your or came, everyone.
During maths time our class focus will be counting backwards.
Thank you to those parents who have paid the $3 for the life education bus. If you are still to pay please take your $3 to the office.
The children are absolutely loving Folk Dancing. We will be joining with Room 11 at the end of the term for a display. More details will follow.
On the 17th of August I have book a trip to the Museum to look at 'Treasures' and how they tell stories. I will require some parent helpers for this trip and will remind you closer to the time.
It was wonderful to see everyone at the parent interviews. It was my absolute pleasure to spend time sharing your child's progress with you. I am very proud of the children's achievements and feel they have all made a very impressive start to their school life. Thank you for your support.

Have a happy and safe week.

Week 1, Term 3

2010-07-23T13:58:00.001-07:00

Welcome back to term 3!
It is lovely to have everyone back well rested and safe. It is especially great to have Yannis and his family back with us.
Much to the children's delight we have started our painting unit for this term. In fact I can throw away my plan as the children seem to have fantastic ideas of their own! Here we are below experimenting with a 'combing' technique.

It was fun to catch up with our big buddies this week. We took time to share our poetry books with them.

Next week...
Our sounds will be z,w,and th.
Our words will be when/with.
During maths we will continue to look at time. We will be using analogue clocks to learn the hour and half hour.
Our folk dancing has got off to a great start with lots of giggles and enthusiasm.
Thank you to all the parents that have made interview times. I look forward to meeting with you and sharing your children's successes.
Next week we have the Life Education Trust bus here. We have 2 sessions in the bus and the topic we have selected is 'All Together'. This unit of work covers how we need to cooperate with others so we can grow together in a happy and safe environment. I think this is a very appropriate topic for our age group as good social skills are paramount for the success of our children.
Have a happy and safe week.

Welcome Back!

2010-07-17T22:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Term 3! I can hardly believe it... where does time go?? I trust that you all have had a happy and safe holiday.
This term is shaping up to be just as busy as the previous two.
Our topics this term will include 'All Together' with a visit from the Life Education bus, 'Firewise', hopefully with a trip to the local fire station and to finish we will look at states of matter.
P.E. this term will include folk dancing and skipping. Towards the end of term we hope to have a display of some of our folk dancing. Details will follow closer to the time.
During visual art we will be exploring painting! This has been long awaited by many of the children. I am sure we will have a lot of fun.
For the first two weeks of term during maths we will be looking at time. This will include days of the week, months of the year and analogue clocks. The remainder of the term will be focusing on number.
Next week our sounds will be ee/or and er/ar. Our words will be put/some or after/over.
Please remember parent interviews are in Week two. I look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child's progress. You will need to book a time via the internet. Keep an eye on the school newsletter for details. Please see me if you have any queries.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 9, term 2

2010-06-17T20:09:00.000-07:00

On Monday we celebrated Matariki (Maori New Year). We had a wonderful shared kai followed by an afternoon of Maori games and activities. Knucklebones was a bit challenging for us but we gave it our best shot!

We have been having lots of fun exploring with magnets over the last couple of weeks. We spent some time working in our inquiry groups this week. We were predicting what we thought the magnet would pick up and why. We each have a different role to play in our group. We have a materials person, a recorder and a reporter. Taking turns and cooperating is really important in group work and we are getting very good at it!

Next week...
Our sounds will be qu,ou or ai,j.
Our words will be you're,what or be,we.
During maths time we will continue to work on skip counting.
We have had a lovely time playing with our big buddies this week. It is really heart warming to see so many children engaging with their buddies at lunch time as well. This is a very special relationship for both parties.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 8, Term 2

2010-06-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

This week Sarah Langi came to speak to us about Zero waste. We looked at a range of packed lunchboxes and had to order them from the lunchbox that had the most rubbish to the least.
There are a number of ways we can reduce the amount of waste in our lunchbox. Sarah showed us some lunchboxes with lots of compartments. These are great because the food does not require wrapping of any sort.
We decided that paper lunch wrap was the best kind to buy if you needed to because it will rot down in our environment where as glad wrap does not. We don’t want our earth filled with ‘sad wrap’!

We started our new inquiry topic this week called ‘Magic Magnets’. Stirling or better known to us as ‘Mr. Science’ came to show us his magnets. We made lots of new discoveries and had lots of fun playing with the magnets.

Next week…Our sounds will be u/l or sh/th.
Our words will be he/she or they/there.
During maths time our class focus will be skip counting in tens.
On Monday I will be in Wellington for the day on a Thinking Skills workshop and Sam will be teaching in Renwick 3.
Also on Monday we will be celebrating Matariki (Maori New Year) with the children. We are having a shared kai for lunch with the Kowhai syndicate. This will be followed by an afternoon of fun activities.
As cross country has finished we will be focussing on large ball skills until the end of the term. Sam and I are both very impressed with the children’s improvement with passing and catching the balls.
Unfortunately we have had a few nasty bugs roaming about Renwick 3. This seems to be common place throughout the school! We have been taking care to wash and dry our hands properly and to cough/sneeze into our arm. Hopefully we are over the worst of it now.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 7, Term 2

2010-06-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

After a very wet week the sun finally came out for our cross country on Thursday. We all gave our 100% effort and made Neroli and our families very proud! We shared our infectious enthusiasm to cheer on our brothers, sisters and big buddies!

Much to the childrens delight we have three new residents at Nelson Central School! Lachie was first to spot the ducks early one morning. We have been keeping a careful eye on them ever since!

Next week...
Our sounds will be g/o or x/ch.
Our word will be day.
During maths time our class focus will continue to be ordering numbers. Knowing our numbers 1-20 inside out is crucial at this stage. You can easily practice this at home by just using a pack of cards.
On Thursday we have a visit from Sarah Langi. Sarah will be talking to us about Zerowaste in our school. Please come and join us at 2.30pm in Trinity Hall. The talk should be 20-30 minutes. You are then free to take your child home.
Next week we will start preparing for Matariki (Maori New Year) which we will celebrate in Week 9. Further details will follow.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 6, Term 2

2010-05-27T21:29:00.001-07:00

We really enjoyed our poem this week so we thought we would share it with you!

This week we had a trip to the Suter Art Gallery which we thoroughly enjoyed. We were learning about how the people of Parihaka peacefully protested in attempt to regain their land. We also made our own poi!

On Thursday we were lucky enough to have Robyn Belton visit our school. Robyn has illustrated many of our favourite books including the Greedy Cat stories. Robyn was read us some Greedy Cat stories and finished by drawing an amazing picture of Greedy Cat.

Next week... Our sounds will be m/d or oo/y. Our words will be like/little or you/your. During maths time the class focus will be ordering numbers. On Tuesday, weather permitting, we will have our annual Cross Country. The 5 year old boys and girls will run last. We will complete 2 laps of the front field. After the racing the children will return to their class and end of school will be at 3pm as per normal.
We are finished our Splash Inquiry unit. This week we will start our new topic which is based on magnets.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 5, Term 2

2010-05-22T17:39:00.000-07:00

This week we had a very colourful visitor to Renwick 3. Blue, Hayz's bird, came to see us. Blue was very gentle and friendly. He comes from the parrot family and is a vegetarian. Although he did enjoy nibbling Hayz's ear!

On Friday we got together with our buddies and did some printmaking using our hands. We used orange to symbolise 'Hands up for Learning'.

Next week...
Our sounds will be h/r or ng/v.
Our words will be are/down or where/they.
During maths time our class focus is reading and writing numerals.
This Wednesday we are off to the Suter Art Gallery to view an exhibition. I will require parent help to make this trip successful as there is a hands on component which the children will need assistance with. Please let me know if you are able to help.
We are now completing 2 laps of the front field for our cross country training. This is our final 'build up' for the big day! The children are and doing very well. I am aware we have a few reluctant runners. I encourage the children to take part and be proud of what they have achieved. The race is only ever about challenging yourself not always others.
As the winter months are upon us I am asking the children to remove muddy shoes before entering the class room. It is very helpful for me if they are able to independently put their shoes back on before going outside again. If your child wears lace up shoes can you please assist by helping them learn how to tie laces. Alternatively you can purchase 'stretchy' laces that will hold the shoe on without having to tie laces.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 4, Term2

2010-05-16T12:56:00.000-07:00

This week we were very proud to be part of the opening of Room 12A. We all assembled on Renwick House deck for the ceremony and cutting of the ribbon. There were four new students there to help cut the ribbon.

We have been training very hard for the cross country. Next week we plan to 'step up a gear' and run 2 laps of the front field!

Next week...
Our sounds will be c,k,e or z,w.
Our words will be, come, here or away, out.
During maths our class focus will be counting on and backwards from a given number.
Please help your child to remember our library day is Friday. Our list of overdue books seems to be growing steadily!
We have had a small outbreak of headlice in the class. Please check your child's hair regularly to keep these unwelcome visitors at bay.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 3, Term 2

2010-05-06T21:21:00.000-07:00

This week we had a big adventure with a trip to the Maitai Dam. We have been learning how precious our water is. We went to see where our water comes from. Lachie's Grandad showed us around the dam.

We have had a very physical week in Renwick 3. We have started our Cross Country training. Every day, Monday through to Thursday, we meet at the front field after lunch time. All our Kowhai and Te Pouahi friends come and we run an entire lap of the front field!
We have also been throwing and catching large balls (which also involves quite a bit of running!!). Over the last couple of weeks we have improved a huge amount.

Next Week...

Our sounds will be n, p or ee, or.
Our words will be no, a or this, she.
During maths time our class focus will be the number that comes before any given number.
A reminder that this Tuesday I will be attending a Teacher Paid Union Meeting. You can collect your child from school at 2.15pm. Some staff will be on duty to provide supervision only.
We are continuing to focus on co-operation as our social skill. I am encouraging children not only to share and take turns but also to take care of each other. We have talked about the fact it is our right to feel happy and safe at school. Therefore, it is our responsibility to ensure everybody feels included, safe and happy.
On that note .... have a happy and safe week!

Week 2, Term 2

2010-05-01T16:04:00.000-07:00

This week in Renwick 3 we have been learning about capacity during maths time. We listened to the story 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears'. We looked at the different sized bowls of porridge and estimated how much each would hold to see which bowl belonged to Father Bear.
In groups of 3 we got out our own lunchboxes and drink bottles and imagined they belong to the 3 bears who were going on a picnic. We had lots of discussion on what lunchbox and drink bottle would hold the most food and therefore belong to Father Bear, then Mother Bear and finally Baby Bear.

As part of our learning about the letter 'J' we made some jelly! The smell was delicious....and it tasted great. It was a wonderful treat for Friday Fun-day.

Next week...

Our sounds will be t,i or oa,ie. Our words will be, in, it / little, put.
For maths we have finished our measurement topic and will be now focussing on number for the remainder of the term.
Our Inquiry topic, 'Splash', is going well. We have been busy identifying the difference between a natural resource and man made resource. We have acknowledged that we need to take care of and use our natural resources efficiently. Our trip to the Maitai Dam on Wednesday will support our learning in this area.
Our class is now full with 18 delightful and energetic children. We are having lots of fun learning how to use our new interactive whiteboard. It is a fabulous tool that engages and excites the children with their learning.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 1, Term 2

2010-04-24T22:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to Term 2! I trust all of you had a happy and safe holiday. The children seem well rested and full of enthusiasm for life and learning!
We had a delightful week with 3 more friends joining Renwick 3. We now have 18 champions in our class.
During the week we were busy getting back into our routines. Below are some pictures of us busy at work!

Next week...
During reading time there will be 2 phonic groups. Children who started part way through the term will be starting at the beginning of the Jolly Phonics letters and sounds to ensure there are no gaps.
Therefore one group will be learning 's' and 'a' while the other group will be working on 'ai' and 'j'. Words we will be covering will be... see, am / of some.
During maths we will be continuing to work on measurement. I will be introducing capacity to the children.
We have started our new topic called 'Splash'. We have been looking at what a natural resource is. The key understanding for the children is to learn that we need to take care of our natural resources.
P.E. this term has started with large ball skills. From week 3 onwards we will be starting our cross country training. Children will need to wear suitable footwear. A notice will come home during the week with further information regarding the cross country.
For art we are making the most of our autumn weather and exploring printmaking. You may have noticed we have an abundance of beautiful leaves around the school to make good use of!
No sunhats are required for this term, however, it is totally optional.
Any questions or queries please do not hesitate to come and see me.
Have a happy and safe week!

Week 7, Term 1

2010-03-19T14:42:00.000-07:00

We recently visited Natureland as part of our Inquiry topic 'Is it an animal?'
We discovered we can group animals into different categories depending on their characteristics.

Our class is slowly but surely growing. We now have 11 champions and 3 more friends join us on Monday. At the beginning of next term we will be completely full and then Room 10 will open up for all the other new children starting school.

Across the hall in Renwick 1 we have some friends joining Renwick House from Te Pouahi. This is a class of Year One children.

Next Week...

Our sounds will be g and o. Our words will be go and going.
During maths time we will be looking at measurement.
Next week we will be looking at pedestrian safety as a mini Inquiry topic. This is in conjunction with the Feet First programme.
I am looking forward to meeting with you next week for parent interviews.

Have a happy and safe week!

Week 5, Term 1

2010-03-06T13:28:00.001-08:00

During lunch time at school we sit with our friends on the Room 11 & 12's deck to eat our lunch. We stay seated and eat for at least 15 minutes. The duty teacher then checks our lunch box to see we have had enough to eat, only then are we allowed to go to play.

This week in Renwick 3 we have been learning how to make positive comments to our friends and to keep those not so nice comments to ourselves. We have numerous opportunities during the day to make our friends smile and feel happy. Neroli got the rainy day box out as a special treat!

Next Week...

Our sounds will be h and r. Our words will be here and come.
During maths time we will continue to work on backward sequence numbers as our class focus.
Tuesday we have our trip to Natureland. This is to initiate our new topic 'Is it and animal?'. I am sure we will have a most enjoyable time with lots of learning. Thank you to all the offers of parent help.
We are having a busy time on Friday mornings with all our new friends visiting who will soon be starting school. Last Friday we had 14 visitors! All of which will not be in Renwick 3! We have 9 more children to join our class and then we will be full. Room 10 will open up at the beginning of Term 2.

Have a happy and safe week!

Week 4, Term 1

2010-02-24T18:20:00.000-08:00

On Thursday we had some friends from Grove Street Kindy come and visit us. We decided to make 'crowns' because c was one of our sounds we have been learning this week.

This week we had a visit to Rutherford Street Kindy to visit our friends. We walked the entire way in the shape of a sneaky snake! We had morning tea and time for a lovely play. On the way back to school we stopped in the Cathedral Garden for a drink to cool us down.

We have been learning about high and low sounds in music. Here we are moving our bodies to high sounds and low sounds.

Next week

Our sounds will be k and e. Our words will be see and we.
During maths our class focus will be 'the number that comes before a given number'.
Our Inquiry Topic of Busy Bodies is drawing to an end. The children wanted to find out what happens to food once we have eaten it. We have researched the digestive system in our bodies and have discovered our bodies are pretty amazing. The next Inquiry topic is called 'Is it an Animal', hence the trip to Natureland.
We will continue swim until the weather cools down. The children are thoroughly enjoying the water.
As part of our efforts for the Gala fundraising our syndicate is making a 'Baby Bundle' to auction off on the day. We would appreciate donations to put into the basket. Items have to be new but not expensive, such as baby wipes, creams and lotions, bibs, etc. Thank you for your support.

Have a happy and safe week!

Week 3, Term 1

2010-02-17T19:05:00.000-08:00

This week we have been looking at the letter 'p'. We decided that it would be a good idea to have a 'Popcorn Party'. We listened to the wonderful popping sound and enjoyed the delicious smells... and of course the scrumptious taste!

Repeating patterns

2003-01-04T15:45:00.000-08:00

Buster and Elliot have been making 'tall' repeating patterns!

Patterns

2003-01-03T13:26:00.000-08:00

Keira and Pippa have been busy making repeating patterns!

Patterns

A very special day for India...her first sticker chart is full! Way to go India. All the children in Renwick 3 think you are a champion!