Just for Samuel Sullivan

Here you go Samuel,


Now just wait your patience for the next one!

Mr Grant

Oh, and I got the second pen working properly on the IWB this afternoon.

Smiling Thursday

Good afternoon,

A bit of a mucky day was had today, as we weren't quite sure when we were up for our photos. So, we stuck together for maths...




...we stuck together to try to teach some Maori to Mr Shae...


(he needs to work on it a bit)

...and then it was time to say...Rats! Honest!



During reading, White Group were given an article to read from a Journal about Frogs. Sea frogs to be specific. Their task was to read the text, and then write down two facts that they had learned on the blackboard.



And who says blackboards have no part to play in modern education?!

After lunch, Room 2 R.E. acted out a bit of Luke 2: 22-39









And then, after a touch of handwriting, it was time for the traveling library to visit. Mrs McFeat very kindly agreed to allow everyone to get out a book, even if they hadn't brought back their one from last week, but only on the condition that they bring last week's book back tomorrow.

So please, bring them back tomorrow.




Bye for now,

Mr Grant

I really need to cut down the time I spend on these posts!

Tomorrow's Photo and Library Day

Good afternoon,

We continued our usual Tuesday routines - a bit of fitness...



...a bit of singing...






...before some more ball skills at the end of the day.


As mentioned in the title of this post, tomorrow is school photos day, as well as our Room 2 library day. Please bring your best smiles, and your library books.

(And send your children to school in their full uniform, as we don't know when we'll have our photos taken)

Thanks,

Mr Grant

Monday Cold Day

Urghhh.

Good afternoon. Sniff.

I got me a cold. Ostensibly from having wet sponges thrown at me on Friday while standing in a cold wind...

Anyway, this morning saw the Room 3 Readers playing a little Bullrush...


...quickly followed by a performance of The Turnup.


After lunch, the Room 2 R.E. children discussed Mary's Tapu (her specialness/preciousness to God) and her Mana (her internal goodness as shown by her actions). To which I asked the children, who is tapu? They replied...


Room 2 came back together, and first sang our National Song before singing our National Anthem...


...ah, but which is it that the children are "singing" in the above clip?! Oh, I guess the clip's title gives it away...


Bye for now,

Mr...snif...Grant

Few Photos Thursday

Good afternoon,

Another rather busy day was had here in Room 2 today, so much so that I almost forgot to take any photos! Almost...



The R2 writers had their Persuasive Writing Assessment this morning. They did jolly well, too.

We also continued our Animals inquiry (such as it is - having that week off has really knobled the already short amount of time that we had for it!) where the children worked on their big questions that they would like to find out about their chosen animal next week.

To that end, you could really help at home. Discuss what their big questions are with your children, and then help them find some information that will help them answer the question. Please keep it pretty simple - there's not a lot of point in coming to school with reams and reams of information for them to sort through!


Tomorrow, of course, we have our J Team Mass. It kicks off at 11:15. It would be lovely to see you there.

Kind regards,

Mr Grant

Wednesday's Parish Visit

Good afternoon,

This afternoon, as part of our Church/Belonging R.E. unit, the Year 1s went over to OLA church to identify various bits and pieces.







(And at the same time, the rest of the school piled out in response to an aftershock! Mr A had to come to look for us!)

We then came back to look at the digital resource we use to teach R.E., and low and behold, we found this...


Which caused a bit of confusion, as I thought you crossed your body left to right when saying "and the Holy Spirit. Amen" (ending on your right shoulder). And it turns out, I was right. According to those in the know, it should be like this...


So I was wrong when I told the children that I was wrong! Sorry for the confusion!

Earlier in the day the R2 Jump Jam Team selected the jump jam they would like to jump jam to - The Coconut Song.


Now to start to polish the routine.

Bye for now,

Mr Grant

Oh, and one more thing. Tomorrow the Room 2 Writers (and Rooms 11 and 1 as well) will be doing a summative persuasive writing sample. That is, we're doing an argument writing test! They had their last chance to practice in class this morning, but do feel free to practice one last piece at home tonight. Remember, an argument has...

• A Title


• A Statement, with "I think"


• Some Reasons, with "Firstly" and "Secondly"


• and a Conclusion, with "In conclusion, I think"

Good luck!

Mournday Monday

Well, mourning only in as far as tomorrow's Willowbank trip has been postponed to Friday. Indeed, I should have handed out a slip of paper this afternoon, but, seeing as it was a piece of paper, I kinda forgot!

So...

Dear Parents,

We made the call today to postpone due to the dubious forecast and the wet ground.

Friday will be the same as Tuesday. The children will wear their sports gear. We are thinking about gumboots but will make that call later in the week. The y are also to bring a named packed lunch.

Regards,

J Team Teachers

Oh, and by the way, I mentioned that the cost for those who want to pay their own way was $12. Turns out, it's $12.50.

As for today, we had us some visitors for Topic this afternoon. Room 11 popped over to watch this jungle movie with us, and then, along with Room 2 we discussed some of the things we learned.








Earlier in the day, Blue Reading Group shared today's text...


Very cool.

Right, now to prepare for tomorrow's unexpected reading lesson!

Mr Grant

Monday Monday

...so good to me...


But I digress.

This afternoon we started a new inquiry unit entitled Animals in the World, where we will be learning to show how God has made different animals for different places.

To that end, I had the children enact why you don't find no lizards in Antarctica - they need to find somewhere warm to start the day.




I also received this in my inbox this morning from last Friday's assembly.

Ke te pehea koe?
How do you feel?

Ke te tena pai au.
I feel really good.
Ke te pehea koe?
How do you feel?

Ke te makariri au.
I feel cold.
Ke te peha koe?
How do you feel?

Ke te wero au.
I feel hot.
Ke te peha koe?
How do you feel?

Ke te nge nge au
I feel tired.

Ke te pehea koe?
How do you feel?

Thanks Dave!

Bye for now,

Mr Grant

Few Photos Wednesday

Good afternoon,

Not that it's a particularly 'good' afternoon. Mind you, Rattie seems to be having a good time squirreling away some multi link cubes that I scattered on the floor of the room. And now he's skiving off with some more paper. Or is that eating it? Funny wee chap!


But I digress.

Lots of the usual stuff went on today. Inside. All day. Even for lunch.




And that was about it.

I hope it stops raining tomorrow...

...'cause we've got a couple of tests! A Sacrament test, and a test on what you might see or do during the different seasons.

Mr Grant

Oh yes, and the install date for the interactive white board is next Wednesday morning. Yay!

Another Monday

Good evening,

Another Monday, another, well, start to the week!

We kicked off the week with a Values Assembly...


...which kinda slipped my attention in terms of planning for thereof!

Still, no worries, maths was just cut a little short. (On a side note, I actually learned something during Maths this morning. The Comparison strategy that I was teaching the Diamonds is just about comparing two numbers and finding the difference. Ha! So that's why they called it comparisons!)

This afternoon we kicked off with a bit of a looksee at Echarist...

Coming together for Eucharist is the best way to worship God.

We then discussed what clothes were appropriate according to the season. Each corner of the room was designated a season, I had the children pretend that they were wearing either...

• shorts and a tee shirt,


• long trousers and a long sleeved shirt,


• long trousers, a long sleeved shirt and a jacket,


• long trousers and a tee shirt

...and I had the children choose what season was most appropriate for what they were 'wearing'.


Bye for now,

Mr Grant

Newsletter for Term 3, Week 5

Good evening,

Here is the newsletter for Term 3, Week 5. Not much to report really, 'cept that all the parts for the IWB have arrived, as has the software, so my poor Victorian tommies have been ignored all weekend! No install date at this stage, however.


CU in the morning,

Mr Grant

Friday Feast Day...

...sans a feast!

Good afternoon,

This morning's Mass was lovely. Well done Room 2.

After morning tea, we split up Rooms 2 and 10, with half going to either room. Both rooms undertook a Mary mosaic...






Then, we did a bit of bird watching...



After singing the National Anthem...


...and some free time we went home. Sans the traditional Feast Day treat. A little birdie told me that that might turn up on Monday.

Have a good weekend,

Mr Grant