Students are the mentors of their learning!

The students have been leading their own learning following our process of 'Learn it, practice it and prove it.'

This term we have been learning about shape and space. The students watch a video (learn it) and complete some 'hands on' activities (practice it) and then decide whether they need to watch the video again. On Friday we run some activities for them to prove they have understood the learning this week and we gather some feedback on how to help them next week, if needed.

The students have loved the opportunity to guide their own learning and it's an approach we will be inquiring into a lot more!

Ika by Pounamu

Thank you for all your support on the day, it created such a wonderful occasion - as you will hear! You will also find some student reflections at the end of the show, it was an amazing experience for all the students and they clearly learnt a huge amount from it.

The students were given the choice of either being a storyteller, actor/actress, musician or dancer at the beginning of term three, and this was crucial for their engagement and curiosity to do well. We thought they did a fantastic job on the day, enjoy!

Learning about shapes

Following on from the students being their own mentors and learning about 2D and 3D shapes they proved their learning in a number of different ways.

Kapa Haka

Rawina taught us a new waiata. Practise it home if you can. Ka pai!

Choice Time

In Pounamu the students completed most of their priorities so they had some free time. This is what they chose to do!

Pounmau practising being Foley Sound effect artists

The Music concept group have been learning how to be Foley Sound Effect Artists. We made our own shakers and made a soundscape for the fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk.

Jump Jam Competition

Pounamu have entered the school Jump Jam compeition. This is the 2 minute segment we will be performing. Have fun practising!

Priorities!

The Pounamu students have been asked to manage their priorities independently. Every student has certain 'priorities' they have to practice everyday including buddy reading, whizz cards, Sumdog, Sight Words and they decide how long they spend on it. 

To help the students make these important decisions we have designed a priority sheet which is clipped on their clipboard. The students have done a fantastic job of embracing this 'agency' and making the choice of how long they spend on an activity. 

We have also guided them by helping them to decide which activities they should focus on first and making the choice to complete a priority before they go on to another activity which is not a priority. It is a lot more difficult than it looks!!

Performing Arts!

Next term Pounamu have perform a myth about Queenstown. We are currently exploring areas of the performing arts we enjoy. You will find us playing music, trying out different acting techniques, dancing and using our voices to tell stories. 

We are learning a lot about the performing arts and having lots of fun too!

Making Music with Newspaper

The music performance group were thinking about what some Maori superheroes would sound like. Here are their performances;

Empathy

This term we are learning about Empathy. We will be developing our skills through thinking about how someone else feels and how we react.

We watched this video and then discussed these questions;

• What feeling words can you use to describe Mojo in this video? How does Mojo feel and why?
• What feeling words can you use to describe Katie in this video? How does Katie feel and why? Do you think Mojo knew how she was feeling? Why or why not?
• What would you have done differently if you were Mojo?

Hall of Fame with Phonics and Handwriting

Pounamu have made phonics and handwriting a focus for term two and we are starting to see some real progress. We are having so much success that we wanted to celebrate, we now have photos of students on our 'Hall of Fame' who feel they have achieved their goals and are proud of their work - check out those smiles!

P.E Time in Pounamu!

Every Monday morning we start with P.E in Pounamu! Our focus this term is on developing our motor skills. This includes things such as balance, climbing, coordination and eye tracking. We got to use our brand new gear this week and practise all our skills! 

Eye tracking with our awesome rainbow balls. 

Watch the ball and catch! 

Can you get the ball through the hoop?

Got it! 

Catch!

The skip it is hard but we got there!

Undiscovered Concept Groups Having Fun!

Wow, there was so much going on Friday morning. In the space area they were creating Saturn and art based around Matariki. In the dinosaur area they were sketching skeletons and role playing with dinosaurs and their habitat. In the volcano area they were creating a 3D cross-section of a volcano and another were trying to build the shape of a volcano with connecting straws - which is much more difficult than it looks!

Amazing Astro-Physicist Squad

We have been learning about planets and the sun. Today we drew around our shadows to see the effect of the sun. We made some predictions about what we thought might happen when we went back 30 minutes later. We thought the shadows would get shorter, or longer, disappear or not change. This is what did happen;

Ukulele Club

Some of the amazing children in Pounamu (and Coronet and Hays) have been coming to Ukulele club run by Miss Tetli. Here is a video of the song we are learning.

NZ Playhouse - Puss in Boots: Pet Detective

On Thursday we were given the opportunity to enjoy a performance of Puss in Boots: Pet Detective. For many of the students, it was the first time they had seen a live show and subsequently they were very excited. Check out those faces of joy! The performers were full of energy and enthusiasm, and it was great fun to watch. 

The show had the moral, 'Don't judge a book by its cover' and there was a clear message of giving people a chance, which ties in nicely to what we are working on over the next few weeks - empathy. To collaborate we need to show that we understand what it feels like to be a part of a group and to understand how people feel if they are not included. What a great way to introduce the new topic! :)