Gingerbread, Wigs and Tennis

In maths this term, we have been investigating measurement using the Gingerbread story.  We have ordered gingerbread men from short to tallest, and found other things in the room that were shorter, the same and taller than our gingerbread man. This week, we problem solved how to make a bridge so that the gingerbread man could get across the river instead of going on the fox's back.  The children were given two blocks, a piece of paper and some tape to use. In pairs, they had to discuss and think about how they could make the paper long enough to get across the water.  In the end, most groups were able to solve the problem by cutting the paper in two and putting the two short sheets together to make one long bridge. Finally, we measured our bridges with each other's ones.

Well done to the people who wore wigs or hats on Wig Wednesday.

 We also had a tennis session later on in the week where we were introduced to holding the racket like a high five and learning the word volley.

Next week our focus letters are l, f, r, h and words: my, here, are

Shining Star time and Mrs Barlow

Welcome to Archer.

Teacher Voice: Along with the usual reading, writing and maths and the other myriad of other subject areas that we cover in a week, I try to make sure that every two weeks at least, we have a Shining Star time.  Shining Star time is where I put out special play items such as dress ups, train set, painting, puppets and other developmental items.  This gives the opportunity for children to extend their friendships, oral language skills and mathematical concepts.  It is great to see the enjoyment and roles that the children give themselves during this time.

Mrs Barlow takes the children for music every Monday in the music room. The children really enjoy the time they spend with her. Every three weeks she also comes into the classroom and teaches the children a special topic. This term she is teaching about the maths concepts of rotation and symmetry.

This weeks focus sounds are s, sh, th and the focus words are little, am, have.

Smarty Pants Big Book

Welcome to Leonie, Veronica, Roman and Ethan.

Teacher Voice: Each week we study and read a big book as part of the reading and literacy programme.  The big book gives children the opportunity to have them reading at above their independent level as we all read it together. It also provides a way to explore spelling patterns, the way rhyme is used in words, expression and punctuation features.  On Friday, we usually have a fun activity related to the book to culminate the end of the week.

Just a few reminders: Please make sure that your child has a rain coat in their bag as we walk to the music room, hall and library rain or shine.  Children should be practising their rocket words along with their home reader each night. Library books and bags need to be at school every Friday.  Thank you for your help.

This week's words are: he, she, me and letter sounds of n, m, ng


Children's Voice: A few weeks ago we read the big book of Smarty Pants. Here is the iMovie that we made about it.

While Mrs Hutton was sick this week we:

-put some Maori colour drawings on our sheet and song the Maori colour song  

- wrote about Goldilocks 

-played our maths games and learnt some new ones. 

-put Goldilocks pictures in order, coloured them in and glued them in order on the paper

-ate inside because it was raining

Art portraits - We are ready for school

Welcome to Mason and Sylvester that started with us this week.

Come and see our wonderful portraits that we have made. Don't we look fabulous!