Kia ora!
What an action packed fortnight we have had! Enjoy reading about the highlights below:

Reminders/Notices
* If your child needs more stationery, we will send a note home regarding what and how to purchase this.

Gallery & Botanic Gardens
We enjoyed a trip to the gallery and botanic gardens, many thanks to Elizabeth (Gail) and fabulous parent helpers...many thanks to each of you.

At the gallery, we had a personal tour in small groups, and looked closely at some of the art on display. An animal themed exhibition was a hit with the children, particularly one stuffed sloth! The children each thought about what is important to them and completed our own Waka drawing.


















 Arts Programme
The teachers have created a collaborative movement/sound arts programme for Monday afternoons. Children get to enjoy a different activity each week, from Zumba with Caitlyn, to percussion with Charlotte and mindful movement with Amber. Choir with Dorinda is also on offer for our eager singers - the children are learning vocal exercises and an entertaining selection of songs.

Kapa haka:
Our children spend time with our kaiako Maori, Sherrilee, each week, and participate in these lessons with impressive energy and enthusiasm! These photos tell the story beautifully, and include children who have had only very little time at school yet, as well as one who is yet to start, but was visiting school last Thursday. Thank you, Sherrilee, for all you give to the youngest of our Beckenham School students.

Working with poi ...

Just visiting, but so beautifully confident!

Adding actions to the waiata

Sherrilee loved these kapa haka moves

Love this poi work

Day 3 at school at look at this confidence!

Beautiful!

Also beautiful!

...and again ... beautiful!

Discovery Stations:
Discovery Station continue to be a highly motivating time of each day. The children practise their Key Competency skills: Thinking; Relating to Others; Understanding Language, Symbols and Texts; Managing Self; and Participating and Contributing. They also show amazing skill at being able to intertwine their learning in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy, as the following photos demonstrate.

Forwards and backwards counting: 1 - 20

A dinosaur expert draws and labels ...

Another dinosaur drawing

Two older children work with a 'newbie' on skip counting to 100 in 2s!

Playing the Apple Tree game

Playing the Feed the Elephants game

Cuddling Peter Rabbit

At the writing table

Working with the hundreds board

Playing 'schools' with one of the big books

Learning about dinosaurs

'In the time of the dinosaurs...'

Kia ora whaanau,

It has been another action packed week of learning and fun in Koru hubs.

Quick reminders:
* Great to see drink bottles and reading folders brought in each day. Well done families!
* Please send library folders in on your class' day:
Hub 1 - Thursday
Hub 2 - Friday
Hub 3/4 - Monday
Hub 10/11 - Friday & Monday

We've been continuing to get to know each other and celebrate our individuality. The 'Me Bag' have helped us to share about ourselves. Thanks to every body for the time and effort spent in creating these at home. We will continue to share our 'Me Bags' over the coming weeks, so for those who haven't bought theirs, there is still time.



Each class is now in full swing, teaching and learning in maths, reading and writing.

In maths, we have been revisiting number knowledge and counting, as well as strategy areas (addition and subtraction). Most of our maths sessions involve short blocks of teacher time, activities set by the teacher, and self-chosen maths tasks or games. We love working together and using maths words, and having hands on materials like beads and counters to help us.





In writing, we have been learning how to set up and use our books. We've been writing about ourselves and other topics of interest. Here is one class' writing and art about sharks!


In most hubs, insects and animals have been a topic of high interest...our teachers have found books so we can learn even more!  We've loved making animal crafts too. Check out the spiders that Hub 1 made this week!



Our Values
We have been continuing to learn about the Beckenham School values, We Care and We Get There Together. To help us develop social skills and Get There Together, we have worked in small groups. Some children have been collaborating and drawing scenes (e.g. a farm or zoo) which means talking about and agreeing things before we start. Another group has also been constructing a playground model out of cardboard. We've had to trial lots of designs and problem solve when things don't quite work the first time.

• a packed morning tea and lunch. Lunch online will not be available that day for our children
• drink bottle with water
• sunhat
• polar fleece

15 November 2016